Living with Enemies (Part B)

And the shouldn't of been set up for themselves a carved image Jonathan, the son of Gershon, son of Manasseh and his sons were priests of the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.

This smoking got the evidence against them. They did not have a Levite priest from the tribe of Manasseh, forbidden and the set up their carved images tribe was not blessed there was no excuse for this. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua. Please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Joshua chapter 7. Pastor Rick is teaching through the book of Joshua today will be a chapter 19 in his message called living with enemies. So Davis is Jerusalem it's there in parentheses and that alerts us to the fact that there were. This was compiled and published long after the days of Joshua.

Over 400 years later, because that's how long it before David comes launched about 400 years little over and again no corruption in that it's just giving us to the final document is the Holy Spirit wanted it. Verse 19 chapter 19 on Joshua chapter 19 the second lot came out for Simeon for the tribe of the children of Simeon, according to their families and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah will gotta come back to that. Just remember Simeon's territory is encircled by Judas territory.

In verse five. It's a zinc lag is mentioned, and that is where David will end up rolling with his men in the days that Saul was pursuing David and he zinc lag becomes his base of operations, some 400 years after this survey was taken now. Verse 19 the inheritance of the children of Simeon was included in the share of the children of Judah for the share of the children of Judah was too much for them. Therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of that people. So Simeon really doesn't get its own territory if they do and they don't kind of a deal because it is clearly marked out of no other tribe. It does this habit has the situation with the exception of Levi is a connection so their land is allocated within Judah.

Judah has so much are doing on the people's email. Take some. What a blessing it would not be long before Simeon would lose his individuality as a tribe sort of fall off the map in the history of the Jewish kingdom. When the kingdom splits into under Rehoboam after Solomon's death. Many of the Simeonites make their way up to the Northern Territory and there they become part of the 10 tribes to the north and owners. Israel, Judah retains Judah the tribe and Benjamin so you have two how do you get the 12 tribes, not counting the Levites will tender in the north and to get that 10 Simeon has to move up and Benjamin has to move out and that's if you're really into you get these verses and go home. Wait a minute, I read something different when you get to chasing down and you call that is the answer and that just tells you that big questions in the Bible that are hard to answer, eventually will be answered about the numbers of slain folks, we often read about this seems to be discrepancies. Some of it you can narrow down to poetic license. It was customary of historians to throw these big numbers out in a way that just said you we we just wipe out a whole bunch of and it does sort of embellish the story that is a very viable thought when you come across with a kick to think really kill that many people doubt that many people in the town and that that what you're getting some of this, the historian can't say exaggeration because the intent is not to deceive the intent to sort of to boast and to this day the secular kings and that their monuments and these archaeologists go and they read them and they say this guy is really pumping up the story here that's that's how they did it was the custom of their times and that helps us a Bible student well with talking about Simeon and her tribes lacking their independent allotment. So if you are in the tribe of Simeon. You know I'd rather be in Judah and I'm from Judah if you talking to someone from Simeon on the bus.

For example, as I'm from Judah your territories in our territory because we had so much we gave to you does not make you feel small and of course that's just goofy but it makes the point that I am leading to Genesis chapter 49 when Jacob is handing out the blessings and the curses they were not all blessings and Simeon and Levi, one of their most egregious crimes was at Shechem when they slaughtered the men in the name of Yahweh Ford for violating their sister.

They simple of you become Jews and you circumcise and and and will will go ahead and they befriends and the men of Shechem said okay and then while the men were healing.

Simeon and Levi with their servants came in and slaughter them all. Jacob was limited over this for multiple levels and so when it came time to bless them. Many years later, or curse them. We read the words of Jacob Simeon and Levi are brothers instruments of cruelty are in their dwelling place of worship.

Your house is a house of horrors.

He continues, let not my soul enter their counsel that not my honor be united to their assembly for in their rage they slew a man, and in their self will they hamstrung an ox, cursed be their anger, for it is fierce, and their wrath where it is cool I will divide them in Jacob and scattered them in Israel. Scheming what you to that. If you Judah you standing there listening to this and you know your next rose much but the other guys have been down the line to Benjamin man is on a roll. Maybe when maybe some ice pull the fire alarm to the stall out of here so Simeon we see you know their history as a tribe really doesn't go well as adults with some of the other tribes. Levi redeems himself as a tribe because of his loyalty to Yahweh and that's picked up for us in Exodus chapter 32. That's of course Moses comes down from the mountain and there they are having a good old time debauchery and sin with the golden calf right will ease holding the tablets of the law and so Moses begins to clean house.

Exodus 32 verse 25. Now, when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained for Aaron had not restrained them to their shame among their enemies and Moses stood in the entrance of the camp and said whoever is on Yahweh's side come to me and all the sons of Levi, gathered themselves together to him, there's the redemption date shows instantly where they belong. And God will bless the important continues and he said to them, thus, is Yahweh God of Israel, and every man put on his sword on his side and go in out and out from entrance to interest throughout the camp and let every man kill his brother. Every man his companion, and every man his neighbor so the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses and about 3000 men of the people fell that day, so poetic license and that 3000 slain because they were impenitent and they were brazen in their sin and had no intention. That's why recess they would not restrained themselves. We get to the book of acts the COO by about 3000 of the Jews could see its intentionally put there for us and so as a result of God's favor and he made the Levites servants of the Lord's temple is houses dwelling place a system of sacrifice and offerings, laws, commandments and statutes. When we get to chapter 21 will read the in chapter 20 the cities of refuge that are within the Levitical cities are 48 of them so Levi does not get his own territory either. However, to get this huge ministry and they get grazing land they get farmland they really as a tribe and it's all educational, because on the individual level. It really doesn't matter if you're a Levite and you've gotten hundred head of oxen or will go to whatever animal you have you really don't care that Simeon is locked inside of Judah needs to think Dan's got the little be the territory you you know that God is blessing use an individual and that is what you're focused on, but to us, we come to the stories and God is speaking to us about how he does business. What he pays attention to what he is looking for from us how we get to know him more, that there are consequences and their opportunities. That is not all bad that there is also good that in the end fight the war you prevail. These are the lessons that we get right now Eliza is in heaven. And he's not thinking about running from Jezebel is nothing you shouldn't of done that is so far beyond that that you got bigger fish to fry. We would say, and this is what God is trying to encourages people with we get is so often in the book of Isaiah just the first chapter where God is saying you know what donkey knows where he lives on it. You come and reason with me in all your blood red sins. I wipe them away to be white as snow. This is what I'll do for you.

That's the language that he speaks to them in their language.

Of course when Isaiah appends it. Isaiah was very educated read a profit as a sort of show knows everything is is not a showoff but he's a very educated man is a palace profit, and that does not mean he's a pushover and actually it's the other way is to deal with the intrigue and ED did it magnificent tradition says he was put inside of a hollow log and sawn into while alive and we don't know for sure if that happened, but whether it happened or not he still had to deal with the Assyrians throughout his life. They were always a problem so Isaiah he comes along and pins were to us is heavy duty reading much of it but to the people at that time it was right what they wanted to hear. He was say you know thus says the Lord concerning New Jersey is going to clean up your place okay from New York you like that if it from Jersey life is anyway relative to the people was that Lord yet they are little dents. Yes, I know the jokes only only on the jokes and everything else are pretty sharp. Okay, let's go back to this verse 10, the third lot came out from the children of Zebulun, according to their families and the border of their inheritance was as far as that Zebulun will just mention one on verse in verse 12 is really nothing stands out to me except eastward, toward the sunrise adjustment reading that it is like an oasis. You know you're stumbling through these names just eastward, toward the sunrise where I come from, there is a highway not interstate it disturbed the road a big road lights, but it is when all the way out to Long Island.

It was called Sunrise Highway. It is called sunrise and I just have fond memories of that in the association with the name there were times I would get up early. I would drive down these funeral roads towards the rising of the sun, just as far as I wanted to drive special my motorcycle so anyway I just saw that little oasis there and I don't know if you would appreciate that are not.

Verse 17, the fourth lot came to Issachar. The children of Issachar according to their families and I'm looking forward to getting to the books of Samuel. In fact, we've got the banner already. It's profit kings and heroes that captures the book of Samuel. But when they come to Carney David men of Issachar. Men of understanding and I this is very exciting.

It's exciting when we're in the Bible we know reading and where it's going. And God is speaking to us is not so exciting when were out there swinging the sword of the Bible is ongoing way we want them to go. That's what it takes.

God is not into stats. He's into action. Verse 24 of the fifth lot came for the tribe of the children of Asher, according to their families and verse 28. As far as the greater Saigon verse 29 the border turned to Ray mar and to the fortified city of Tyre will that greater Saigon and says that Asher's allotment went up to the Phoenician city set up there on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea West Coast ergo again this back to verse 29, the city of Tyre that fortified city of Tyre that Nebuchadnezzar could not conquer.

There was mainland Tyre and then there was Tyre in the sea, just about a mile off the shore. There was this big commercial center in all of the shipping routes belong to them was no wonder they were going to give these up easily to Asher. Even in this day it was lucrative to possess this territory and all they invested in and they were going to give it up easily and that's our flesh the same way it has its investments and its going to fight to keep them. And of course our Tyre falls to Alexander the great.

It was pretty good but I would go so far as great then it how the Jews were supposed to cast out the Tyre Iranian's and the they never did reach shipping lanes remained in their possession. Verse 32. The six lot came out to the children of Naphtali with the children of Naphtali, according to their families. Verse 33 it says enclosing the territory from the terebinth tree I just stop there because trees are commonly uses landmarks and there must've been these impressive specimens. And if you've ever seen an impressive tree they happened to be impressive. That's why the current president and they have so much character you know you you look at the beech tree and yet the first thing you notice is not at the beach.

Okay, the root system on the beech Street the flare when it hits with the goods coming out of the ground is very aggressive those roots. They just can't crawl out and some of them are like spooky like to coming to get you, so there that's just the beech tree in a sealed box basically is treason and if so if you've ever seen a big, big trees. Wow, this thing was once that big walk around with it in your pocket. Now look at it and it will get.

We get the Daniel Lee has does a vision of the tree taking over the earth, so they were uses landmarks in Genesis all couple of times at least of trees are a reference and then throughout the Scripture. We now moved to verse 40 the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan.

According to their families. Will Dan is the last tribe to receive its inheritance and dam was a problem unable to conquer its allotted territory though they they had some immuno camps and little villages and things, but they never could get the enemy out and eventually get to judges in chapter 18 when read some of the moment. Eventually they many of them moved north and established a settlement and thus the saying from Dan to Beersheba, which means from the northern most city of the Jews to the southernmost most city of the Jews at the time that Satan's statement was being used now. Of course it goes up to the Suez Canal the South, Israel touches three large bodies of water, the Mediterranean, the Dead Sea in the Red Sea the med to deaden the red is how they say it and they've taken that in war and they're not giving it back and wisely so Israel trains her troops for war. She trains in the fight, especially her Air Force the IDF to Israel. Israeli Defense force because she's not attacking anybody.

Israel does not invade but if you mess with them. They will invade you they will fight over your land.

If they cannot over their land, and they're very good at it.

Now that they have the iron Dome. They're not getting scouted or bombed as they used to be all. Anyway, back to Dan was that have to do with them. Just a territory so that the settlement that they have, to the west in the land.

They don't conquer a group of them move 90 miles north in and take land there eventually, and so he grew. This is connected to verse 47, which we now look at in the border of the children of Dan went beyond these because the children of Dan went up to fight against Les Sherman took it and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it and dwelt in it. They called Les Jim Dan after the name of Dan their father so they have allegiance. Of course, to the patriarch of their family.

But this verse 47 that territory is the 190 miles to the north.

It is because they couldn't cast out the enemy and they could live amongst the enemy not well and so group of them created this settlement. This shows that Josh was again writing was edited and compiled into its fourth model form after his death, because the Dan-ites succumbed to idolatry very quickly. And Joshua would not put up with any of that and will again get that in the book of Judges, they were forced out of their territory in the south move up to the North.

Judges chapter 1 verse 34 and the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountains were they would not allow them to come down to the Valley and the Amorites were determined to dwell where where they were determined to dwell yet when the strength of the house of Joseph became greater they were put under tribute and so what happens is the Dan-ites could not withstand the Amorites, but when Ephraim and Manasseh grew stronger. They begin to deal with the Amorites and put them in check, but by that time Dan was fragmented and these Canaanites were uncooperative bunch just insisting on holding on to to their territory. Another unique thing about Dan amongst the tribes is that is the only one that actually forsook its inheritance in the left, there were going to settle over here instead God gave us this but we can't take it. So we going to move up here and as a result, idolatry just got hold of them.

We read this in Judges 18.

So they took the things mica had made an on and I can explain some of this too much time in the priest who had belonged to him is not a Levites of this a problem.

Went to Lachish to a people quiet and secure and they struck them with the edge of the sword and burn the city with fire. There was no deliverer, because it was far from Saigon and they had no ties with anyone.

It was in the valley that belongs to Beth real job so they built the city and dwelt there. So this is what happened. Dan finds a little village of place is this fragment of band to the north in this these people are peaceful and not warlike in the just having a good old time.

Let's go kill him and take their land and they're too far away from getting you know sounding alarm sending for help. This is easy and that's what they do, they take it and it continues the story called the city dam after the father who was born to Israel. However, the name of the city, formerly was Lachish, then the children of Dan set up for themselves a carved image, and Jonathan, the son of Gershon, the son of Manasseh and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land. This smoking gun.

That's the evidence against them. They did not have a Levite priest is from the tribe of Manasseh is forbidden, and they set up their carved images tribe was not blessed there was no excuse for this.

They should have stayed in Fortin's and got other tribes involved.

They did not so it says Dan went up the fight against Les Sherman took it.

That's to the north. Northern settlement with they did not say were God put them and they sank into idolatry. Verse 49 when they had made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance. According to the borders the children of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of nun Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim is now getting his territory and it is after the kind the major conquest of the of the promised land. This great man of God waits till everybody else gets stairs and then he says I would like this here in and of course he gets KK Caleb. Caleb wasn't brushing everything as is Alyssa. Nobody wants to fight the giant.

I'll take them. I like that land and and he goes and takes your earlier but Joshua just waits a different personality than Caleb, no less, no less a man of God, a child of God is different in personality is just a beautiful path passage when they had made an end of dividing the land as an inheritance. According to the borders the children of Israel gave an inheritance among them to Joshua the son of non-verse 50. According to the word of Yahweh. They gave him the city which he asked for Tim Nath Sierra in the mountains of Ephraim, and he built the city and dwelt in it, and he will be buried there. The name means the piece of the gift that's kind of okay but what about done so I had to finish here every year Christmas time comes along. I would never want to be Santa Claus but I wouldn't mind being sample clause where I just gave you samples of toys.

Samples of gifts, your swath took three pieces of illegal set to sample clause a piece of the gift. Now I've been carrying that around long time, but it just never At Christmas time.

Nothing gave just now would been forced to get but it just so happens that God said Rick Tim Nocera means piece of the gift you've always wanted to be sample clause sample clause is coming to town and it irritates Replied this this this wonderful being me sometimes. Okay, the first 51 now would been talking about judges and for those of you world here last time we did judges.

I will be under complete control over get there about the bagging the women verse 51. These were the inheritances of Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of nun, and the heads of their fathers ahead of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel divided as an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before Yahweh door of the tabernacle of meeting. So they made an end to the dividing of the country who, thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified of each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast.

You could also follow the links and cross reference radio.com. Glad we were able to spend time with you today due to next time to continue learning from the book of Joshua right here on cross reference radio