The Rewards of a Man of Faith

As Mary and I read through the passages in Joshua 13 through 19, I couldn't help but wonder why this was all included in inspired Scripture. Do we have a need to know? After all, at first glance it seems to be just a platting description for a subdivision. There were twelve sections of land, one for each of the tribes. But no, there were actually thirteen. And of those thirteen, ten were assigned to specific tribes of Israel. So where are the other three? God made it a point to emphasize several things, and I believe that is why this whole description is included. Each of them have to do with service to God. First, the Levites did not get any plot of land. They were to be spread out among all the tribes for they were to serve the tribes by representing them before the Lord, and leading in their worship. This would take up enough of their time that they would not have time to farm, so they would only get a small lot on which to keep livestock. No farming for them, that was a full time job, and they could not do justice to both the Lord's service and farming. The other eleven tribes were to support them with their offerings of animals and firstfruits of their crops. The Lord emphasized that the Lord would be their inheritance. Second,the portion that one might have considered to be their inheritance was divided up between the two sons of Joseph. So as Americans, we ask ourselves, why this "unfair" division of wealth? Once again, I believe there is a good reason for this. It was a reward, given posthumously to Joseph, for his mistreatment and enslavement at the hands of his brothers and the Egyptians. God gave his tribe a double portion in restitution, and as a reward for having been the instrument in God's hands to save the whole family. Finally, there was an extra special reward for Joshua. He was given a whole city for himself and his family. I believe this ties in with the extra special reward that was given to Caleb. Was this because he was a military man? No, it was not, though he was a genius at military strategy. Was it because he was in touch with God? No, it was not, though he had been the closest to God outside of Moses. I am convinced, comparing 19:49,50 to 14:6-14, that this special inheritance was meant to reward Joshua for having been a man of faith. So he and Caleb both received this kind of reward.

Though I am not a proponent of the health and wealth theology, I believe we can glean from these examples some principles that are applicable to all of us as children of God. These are:

1. God expects His people to take care of His servants.
2. God will bless us and our children for our faithfulness to Him.
3. God will reward faith when we trust Him in a Psalm 37 pattern:
a) Fret not at the prosperity of evildoers.
b) Trust in the Lord with all your heart.
c) Delight yourself in the Lord.
d) Commit your way to the Lord.
e) Rest in the Lord.
f) Cease from anger.
g) Depart from evil.
h) Wait on the Lord.
i) Take note of [and imitate] the mature and upright person.

After each of these verbs there is a description of the effect that will happen in our lives if we live by them. Though we are not a continuation of Israel, the principles apply, and by living this way, God will fulfill His purpose in our lives, as evidenced in Eph. 1:3, where a parallel can be drawn. God blessed Israel with all material blessings in earthly places in the Promised Land. God has already blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus. All we need to do is appropriate them.

Another Saint is in Glory

Another connection to the past has gone on to Heaven. Yesterday, Mother went to the graveside service for Dortha Dowdy. The last of the missionaries that were on the field when Dad and Mother arrived in Argentina, Dortha was the faithful wife of J.Paul Dowdy, and they had been on the mission field for about eight years at the time. At the time I begin to remember them, they lived in a large (and I mean large, 26 rooms) house which was the original "casco" (hub) of the "estancia" (spread or ranch) called La Carlota, from which the town got its name. At sometime along in there, possibly while Dowdys were on furlough (now known as home ministries), we lived there, and during that time the James Marshalls arrived in Argentina, and lived in the same house (we still had plenty of room).



Mrs. Dowdy was a Southern Belle, and was used to giving orders. She knew how to administer a large spread, and she did it well. One of my earliest recollections was hearing her call for her youngest son, who was almost my same age (give or take a few months). You could hear her from a long distance. When you heard RAW BER...R...R...T you felt like you were in the middle of a hollering fest, or a hog calling contest, and you knew that Robert had better hie to.... and fast.



In a very real sense, she was the ideal wife for J. Paul. He was contemplative... she a woman of action. He was a scholar, she a housekeeper.



Proverbs 31 comes to mind when I think of her. Her husband could count on her, she was frugal and businesslike, and she was devoted to her family. They did not need to fear whether they would have clothing or a place to live, for she would make sure that these would be available and in good shape.



Another saint has been ushered into Glory, and that gives those of us who are left here one more reason to be 'homesick'. Yes, I want to see Jesus first of all, but it will be wonderful to have fellowship with all those who have gone on before. We do not sorrow like the world does, though we do feel the departure of a dear sister and friend, and we grieve with her three sons, James, Roger, and Robert.

Overconfidence: The killer within

Rereading the passage in Joshua 7 and 8, I was once again reminded of the dangers of overconfidence. The question that came up in my mind was: When is it okay to be confident and when is it not?
Israel had just won an impressive victory over Jericho. They had completely anihilated their enemy. The next town in line for destruction was Ai, and the advance team, aka scouts or spies came back with their impressions. These impressions were based on two false assumptions. The first was that they had singlehandedly destroyed Jericho. The second was that all things would go equally well in future engagements. Therefore they recommended a reduction in military power for this particular sortie, as they would just be attacking a small town.

What happened, however, was totally unforeseen by them. In the aftermath of a total rout with thirty six casualties, Joshua tore his clothes, fell face downward to the ground and led a daylong pity party with himself and the elders of Israel as participants. His conclusions were also false. They were: First, that all things had been equal to those in their encounter with Jericho. Second, that they might have been better off had they not risked crossing the Jordan and Third, that God's name would be besmirched by this event.

God's response touched upon the key issues: First, Israel has sinned. Second this is no time for self pity. and Third, this is not a time for prayer but for ACTION.

Confidence can only come when we are firmly planted on the right base. That foundation is a complete trust in God's promises coupled with a pure life based on exact obedience to God's direction. Israel had very quickly forgotten that God had promised that HE would chase the enemy away before them and that HE would say When and How to destroy them. If a reduction in military force was His decision (e.g. Gideon against the Midianites) all would go as He said it would. But if something was missing (total obedience in this case), they could not expect anything but disaster. There is no time or place for self-confidence and/or the subsequent self-pity. There is, however the need for constant weeding in the garden of our relationship to Him. When and if we are sure that there is no unconfessed sin, and we are resting on His promises and His power, we can be absolutely sure that He will give the victory. That is the time for action, and that action can rightfully be bathed in petition and thanksgiving.

The biblical illustration is that of the subsequent victory of Israel over Ai. God gave Joshua the formula for a campaign which would contain the element of surprise, and a victory without casualties. From that time on Israel had victory in all cases where they heeded God's plan, and they suffered the consequences when they did not consult Him.

In his book "ZVI and the next generation," Ellwood McQuaid tells of the repetition in modern history of this problem of overconfidence. "The decisive Six-Day War(1967) had been a high-water mark for Jews who had returned to Zion with such high hopes. The very euphoria enveloping the sweeping victory over the Arabs and the climactic reunification of Jerusalem helped set the stage for the near disaster of Yom Kippur (Oct. 1973). The Arabs saw the overconvidence produced by Israel's self-indulgent euphoria as a weapon in their hands. Egyptian General Ismail commented to this effect by saying, "He (Israel) is, moreover, an enemy who suffers the evils of wanton conceit." Israel learned the hard way that conceit could be a deadly companion." (p. 80)

This picture is a strong reminder to me concerning the need to keep my confidence in the right person (not myself but Christ) the right position (dependence upon God and not on self) and the right preparation (constant surveillance on my personal life and reliance upon the cleansing that only He can do in mylife).