SERIES G --- THE PROMISED LAND --- LESSON 17

THE TABERNACLE

THE TABERNACLE AT SHILOH

From Joshua 18:1-10

The people of Israel had conquered enough of the new land to feel safe in setting up the tabernacle in a permanent place. They all met together at Shiloh to put their great tent at that place. Joshua spoke especially to the seven tribes that had not yet conquered the land assigned to them. [What are you waiting for?] Joshua asked. [Why don’t you conquer the land which Adonai has given you and drive out the people who live there? Each of your tribes will choose three men to go through the land to make a report. They will divide the land into seven parts and I will choose by lot which tribe shall get each part. Of course, the Levites will not have land assigned to them for they are YHVH’s priests. The tribes of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh will stay where they are, for their land has already been assigned to them east of the Jordan River, the land which Moses, YHVH’s servant, gave them.] The men went from each tribe with these orders from Joshua: [Go through the land and make a description of it. Come back to me and I will assign the land by casting lots here at Shiloh.] They went through the land and wrote a complete description of it, dividing it into seven parts and listing its cities. Then they returned to Joshua at Shiloh with this description. There at Shiloh, Joshua cast lots to decide which tribe should get each of the seven parts.

BENJAMIN’S LAND

From Joshua 18:11-28

Benjamin’s land lay between the land assigned to Judah and Joseph’s family. The northern boundary was described this way: Starting at the Jordan River, the boundary moved westward on the north side of Jericho. Continuing westward, it moved through the hill country, ending at the Wilderness of Beth-aven. From there, the western boundary moved southward to Luz, also known as Bethel, then to Ataroth-addar, in the hills near Lower Beth-horon. It went on past the mountain near Beth-horon and ended at Kiriath-baal, also called Kiriath-jearim, which was a city belonging to the tribe of Judah. The southern boundary moved from the edge of Kiriath-jearim to the Springs of Nephtoah. Then it moved in a south-eastern direction to the hill in the Valley of Ben-hinnoni north of the Valley of Rephaim, and then to the Valley of Hinnom, crossing by the city of Jerusalem, a Jebusite city, to En-rogel. From En-rogel, it went northeast to En-shemesh, then to Geliloth near the slope of Adummim, then down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben. The southern boundary continued eastward along the north side of the Arabah, then down into the Arabah. It went on southward past Beth-hoglah, ending at the northern part of the Dead Sea, where the Jordan River empties into it. The Jordan River formed the eastern boundary of Benjamin’s land. The following twenty-six cities lay within the land: Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba, Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zela, Haeleph, Jebus or Jerusalem, Gibeah, and Kiriath-jearim. This land and its cities and villages formed the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin.

COMMENTARY

BORDERS OF BENJAMIN

Throughout Joshua’s lifetime, the tabernacle had been moved from place to place with the Israelites. Now with the land conquered, it was located at Shiloh. It remained there for three or four hundred years. Through those years, YHVH’s people would worship Him at Shiloh. The first five Israelite tribes were well on the way to conquering their parts of Canaan and Joshua encouraged the remaining seven to start moving into the land. The lots selected Benjamin as the first. Benjamin’s territory was sandwiched between Ephraim in the north and Judah to the south. The eastern boundary was clearly defined by the Jordan River, but the border to the west was vague since the Philistines lived along the coast. The tribal cities marked on the map do not always fall within the borders as they are described in the Bible. This is for two reasons. One, borders occasionally shifted; two, the city lists were probably made up at a later time than the borders were described. Beth-hoglah or House of the Partridge and Emek-keziz, meaning Cut-Off Valley, were centred around Jericho. Bethel became the central city for seven other towns, including Zemaraim {Double Peak} and Chephat-ammoni {Ammonite Town}. Gibeon served as the main city for the central hill region to the west. The names of the cities in the area; Giba and Gibeah {both Hill}, Mizpeh {Watch-tower} and Ramah {Height}; suggest how hilly the terrain was. Some cities, like Rekem and Irpeel {both meaning YHVH Heals}, are unknown today. The city of Jebus, which later became Jerusalem, for a while was claimed by both Judah and Benjamin.

God judged both Egypt and Israel through Moses. Prophets are like oven mitts. Heed them or be burned.

However, you don't have to be a prophet or theologian to understand God's Law. It's simple enough for slaves, bricklayers, and shepherds, and wisdom isn't only found in churches or synagogues. #yitro, the priest of Midian, had wisdom too. (Exodus 18:19-24)

Good Morning! ?

Moses' father-in-law Jethro (#yitro) was High Priest of Midian, a pagan people. (I know that some disagree about that.) Yet, when he worshiped Adonai with Israel in the Wilderness, they accepted him as one of their own with no complicated conversion process. (Exodus 18:12) Believe, repent, and take a mitzvah (baptism) to commemorate your change in status. Anything more is fine if it's meaningful to you, but definitely not necessary.

I think we'll be surprised who's in and who's out after the Judgment.

GOOD MORNING FAMILY HOW Y'ALL DOING JUST WANT TO SAY IT'S A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUTSIDE Y'ALL KNOW ABBA WILL ALWAYS GETS IT RIGHT DON'T COMPLAIN JUST GO WITH IT AND KNOW THAT YOU WON'T GO INSANE ALL RIGHT!

We've made it through "hump day," and we're plugging along to Sabbath. My heart is focused inward toward home today, and I hope you'll enjoy a chance to think about refreshing both yourself and your home.
https://archive.aweber.com/new....sletter/awlist642586

https://vimeo.com/797337947

Thought for Today: Thursday February 09:

YHVH is a Giver and you are the recipient of every promise Yeshua came to fulfil. He bridged the gap between you and Father YHVH’s blessings – and they are more than you can imagine. May your steps take you in the direction of every good thing He has prepared for you.

SERIES G --- THE PROMISED LAND --- LESSON 16

CLAIM YOUR LAND

THE BOUNDARIES OF JOSEPH’S LAND

From Joshua 16:1-4

The boundaries of Joseph’s land, that is the land which the half tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh inherited, went from the Jordan River near Jericho through the wilderness country to Bethel in the hill country. From there it went on to Luz, Ataroth, land of the Archites, down to the land of the Japhletites to Lower Beth-horon, through Gezer and ended at the Mediterranean Sea.

EPHRAIM’S LAND

From Joshua 16:5-10

The boundaries of Ephraim’s inheritance were as follows: From Ataroth-addar westward to Upper Beth-horon and out to the Mediterranean Sea. From the sea eastward past Micmethath, Taanath-shiloh and Janoah, past Ataroth to Naarah, past Jericho and on to the Jordan River. From Tappuah westward along the Kanah River and then to the Mediterranean Sea. This was the land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim and its families. The people of Ephraim also received some of the cities which lay within the boundaries of Manasseh’s land. Ephraim never did drive out the Canaanites who lived at Gezer, so they still live there at the time this is written. However, these Canaanites were slaves to the people of Ephraim.

MANASSEH’S LAND

From Joshua 17:1-18

The land assigned to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son, was as follows: The land of Gilead and Bashan, on the east side of the Jordan River, had already been given to Machir, Manasseh’s oldest son and the father of Gilead, for he was a great warrior. The other male descendants of Manasseh received land on the west side of the Jordan River. This land included the families of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Shemida and Hepher. There was a member of the family named Zelophehad, who was the son of Hepher, grandson of Gilead, great-grandson of Machir, and great-great grandson of Manasseh. He had no sons but had five daughters; Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. These five met with Joshua, Eleazar the priest and the leaders of Israel to settle their inheritance. [Adonai Commanded Moses to give an inheritance of land to women the same as to men,] they said. These five women received their inheritance along with their relatives, as Adonai had Commanded. Manasseh’s land on the west side of the Jordan was ten parcels, in addition to the land of Gilead and Bashan already given on the east side of the Jordan. The boundaries of Manasseh’s land were described this way: From the land of Asher to Michmethath, east of Shechem. From Michmethath to the Spring of Tappuah. The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the village of Tappuah on the border belonged to Ephraim. From there to the brook of Kanah, where it followed the brook to the Mediterranean Sea. The border followed the north side of the brook, but some of the cities south of there belonged to Ephraim, even though they were in the territory assigned to Manasseh. The land south of the brook belonged to Ephraim. The land north of the brook belonged to Manasseh. Their western boundary was the Mediterranean Sea. Manasseh’s territory went to Asher on the north and Issachar on the east. The following cities and their surrounding villages were given to Manasseh, even though they were located in the lands of Issachar and Asher; Beth-shean, Ibleam, Dor, Endor, Taanach, Megiddo. The people of Manasseh’s tribe were not able to drive out the Canaanites who lived among them, although later the Canaanites were forced to work for the people of Israel. The people of Ephraim and Manasseh approached Joshua to talk about their share of the land. [We have many, many people in our tribes,] they said. [Why must we have such a small territory, equal to one tribe’s share?] [If you have so many people, then go up to the forest land occupied by the Perizzites and Rephaim,] Joshua answered. [You may occupy that land, too.] [That’s all right, but we need more land than that,] they told Joshua. [The Canaanites in the Valley of Jezreel, Beth-shean, and the surrounding towns are too strong for us with their chariots of iron, so what can we do there?] [You may have both lands,] said Joshua. [You have many people, so you can clear the forest lands and you can also drive out the Canaanites, even though they are strong and fight with chariots of iron.]

COMMENTARY

POTTERY IN CANAAN

While organized resistance to Israel had been crushed, there were still regions where the Canaanites lived. When one tribe complained about the size of their land allotment, Joshua had a simple answer. They could drive out the enemy still living in their territory! YHVH had given them the land, but they must claim their inheritance by conquest. Besides making their own pottery, the Canaanites imported ware from cities across the Mediterranean. Many jugs and bottles first came to Canaan as containers for things brought from other countries. But foreign pottery itself became so popular that merchants began to import it alone. One of the most common vessels was the bilbil, from Cyprus. The name of this oddly shaped jug probably came from the gurgle of water as it flowed from the fat base down through the narrow neck. More delicate and artistic vessels came from Mycenae, in southern Greece. Small red jugs decorated with bands of black paint came from the Phoenicians along the coast. In the south the Philistines made a finer version of the handmade jugs from the island of Cyprus. The imports were expensive and local potters fashioned cheap, crude imitations of the more sophisticated styles. The Israelites adapted all these styles for their own use, combining the different traditions into new designs of their own.

I watched a movie, "Fat Chance." One of the questions a character spoke on was the idea of social media and if we posted what we actually thought and felt, I suppose as opposed to the highlights and choice bits. Perhaps it would be TMI, likely so. Perhaps though the idea of exposing who we really are: our inner selves, thoughts, pains, traumas, shortcomings, fears, dreams failed or yet unrealized, and hopes; is terrifying. One day, perhaps after this world of deception, we won't feel the need to wear our many facades.