Tuesday: The Challenge of the Land
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 25th of November 2025
Read Joshua 13:1-7. Even though the land of Canaan was a gift from God, what were some of the challenges that came with possessing it?
Given that for centuries the Israelites had been living as slaves, their military skills were inadequate to conquer the land. Not even their slave masters, the Egyptians, with their skilled and well-equipped armies, were able to occupy it permanently. The Egyptians never conquered Canaan completely because of the impregnability of the walled cities. Now a nation of former slaves is told to conquer a land that their former masters were unable to subdue. If they are ever to possess the land, it will be through God’s grace alone, not through their own effort.
Image © Steve Creitz from GoodSalt.com
Joshua 13:1-33 through 21 deals with the division of the land to the various tribes of Israel. This allotment tells the Israelites not only what has been apportioned to them but also what still must be occupied within that territory. The Israelites can securely live in the land that God has given to them as an inheritance. They are the rightful and legitimate tenants of the land under God’s ownership. Yet, God’s initiative must be matched by human response. The first half of the book shows how God gave the land by dispossessing the Canaanites; the second half reports on how Israel took the land by settling it.
This complexity of the conquest illustrates the dynamics of our salvation. Similar to Israel, we cannot do anything to earn our salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is a gift, just as the land was God’s gift to the Israelites based on their covenantal relationship with Him. It certainly wasn’t based on their merits (see Deuteronomy 9:5).
However, for the Israelites to enjoy God’s gift, they had to assume all the responsibilities that came with living in the land, just as we have to go through the process of our sanctification in loving obedience to the requirements of being citizens of God’s kingdom. Though not the same thing, the parallel between their being given the land by grace and our being given salvation by grace are close enough. We have been given a wonderful gift, but it is something that we can forfeit if we are not careful.
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How do Christians today encounter similar challenges to those related to occupying the Promised Land? See Philippians 2:12, Hebrews 12:28. |
I thought it is useful to have an overview of who has ruled over the land we now know as modern Israel because we sometimes overestimate in our own minds just how long Israel had control over its land.
In terms of occupation Israel has not been in control for much of the time. Its spiritual journey has had to survive in the context of the political systems in control of the region at the time.
It is a reminder that for Christianity to survive we must understand what Jesus said in his conversation with Pilate:
Sometimes we think that to get the Gospel message across we must interpret modern kingdom building, but the Kingdom of God must survive beyond the matrix of political turbulence.
Thank you, Maurice. This is very helpful information.
That’s a good insight, Maurice. The presence of Israel where its power is felt in a united manner and at its hegemony was felt from 1050 BC to 931 BC from King Saul then king David and following to the end of the rule of king Solomon. This makes the presence of the Israelites in their political and other influences even more shorter which consolidates your assertion.
Thanks, Maurice, but I can’t seem to see a match with biblical chronology.
The usual interpretation is 820 years (900-950 years, according to Septuagint) from the crossing of the Jordan (1406 BC) to Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest (586 BC). He deported the ruling class, left the poor behind, and resettled the land with people from other areas.
So maybe we should not count the 70 years of exile.
From the return of the Jews under Zerubbabel (538 BC), as a result of Cyrus’s decree to the fall of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jews in 70 AD looks to be like another 606 years that the Jews lived on the land, though often subject to foreign powers.
That makes 1,426 years (up to 1,556 years, according to Septuagint) that the Jewish people occupied the land, without counting the 70 years of exile when only the poor remained.
That’s an impressively long time compared to the history of America and Australia and even most European countries where periodic foreign conquests and migration of various ethnic groups were the rule.
Secularists have obscured the chronology to minimize the Jewish claim to the territory that was once Canaan. But while I don’t accept Zionist theology, I do respect biblical chronology.
The history of the Jews is a heartbreaking story of failure to trust divine guidance and reaping the disastrous consequences both physically and spiritually.
Are we taking the lessons of their history to heart?
May the LORD help us to be faithful to His promises in our daily lives. Our daily choices affirm or negate the efficacy of the promises “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ”
Philippians 2:12 KJV
“Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: ”
Hebrews 12:28 KJV
Let us learn, pray, trust and obey as we live our lives and participate in the Great Commission “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ”
Matthew 28:18-20 KJV
Israel went from slavery to freedom under the leadership of Moses who was directed by God. The goal of that freedom was a nation that represented God’s character and government. This was to be fully manifested in the Promised Land.
However, between Egyptian slavery and a free representative nation there was a significant gap that only God could see. The only way into the Promised Land was through the Wilderness, which was difficult, time consuming, and necessary.
The people needed to be transformed from liberated slaves to a people willing to undertake the responsibilities of freedom.
As Jonathan Sacks points out in marvellous detail, Israel transformed from dependent slaves who relied on Moses and God to sort out their problems to a nation that took up the responsibilities of freedom maturing into the representatives God was seeking. The fact that they ultimately failed is beside the point.
When we accept Jesus as our saviour, we are freed from slavery to sin and cannot be more saved! However, we can be more safe! This is where the responsibility of our God given freedom has an opportunity to say something about God’s character and government. Just as Israel was dependent on God for freedom from Egyptian slavery (justification), so it was dependent on God for the journey (wilderness), the entry into the Promised Land, and the continued occupation (sanctification). Ellen White called this Divine/Human co-operation which forms an integral part of salvation, as well as demonstrating God’s character and government.
(Note: While I have presented Justification and Sanctification in a somewhat linear model for salvation which can be helpful, the Biblical concept is considerably broader and more nuanced.)
“See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 1:21, NIV).
The land was a gift from God to the Israelites, but they had to fight to possess it. This was a “strange” gift which demanded some action before possessing it. There were some challenges that had to be overcome by “holy warfare” (Deuteronomy 7:1–2. Ordinarily, gifts are free, but God designed this gift in such a way that human participation was required for some reasons.
1. Fighting (human participation) to possess the land under God’s leadership was necessary to instil a sense of dependence on God. God, on many occasions, want to involve us to teach us a lesson that without Him, we are helpless (Isaiah 41:10).
2. God used challenges warfare) to teach Israel a lesson to trust in Him. If the land had simply dropped into Israel’s lap, they would not have needed God. Therefore, God used challenges to build and strengthen their faith.
3. The challenges (battles) protected Israel from adopting the sins of other nations. Warfare was not random violence, but it was God’s judgment on the nations whose sin had reached a point of no return (Deuteronomy 9:5).
4.God’s promises (gifts) often require obedience, courage and faith. Challenges often help us to appreciate the hand of God.
5. The gift of the promised land pinpoint to a deeper spiritual reality, the promise of salvation, which must be responded to. Eternal life, which is a gift of God, requires effort and surrender (Philippians 2:12).
God’s gifts often come wrapped in challenges, because the struggle shapes us into the people who can truly enjoy the blessings.
Like a cheque that is given freely by the one who owns the money in the bank, unless I walk, or hop on a bus, or drive to get to the bank and present it for cashing out or deposit into my bank account (or scan it into my bank as is now possible), it’s as if it was never given to me. Manna was rained by God on the ground, but the people had to go out and pick it to eat it. The land was promised to Israel, but they had to take it to possess it. Salvation is given to us freely, but we must accept it to have it.
As the children of Israel were moving to the Promised Land, theirs was a journey filled with challenges. They kept wandering, they faced enemies on a regular basis, and they were full of doubt and fear, given that every step was a challenge. Interestingly, any time they fixed their eyes on God, their strength was renewed; they gained focus and direction, and they found their Guide ready to take them further and further. The feeling of stagnation would disappear, and a sense of renewal came upon them—for focusing on the faithfulness of the Lord. When crossing the River Jordan, their focus was to be on the ark of the covenant, which helped them know the way to go (Joshua 3:3–4). Their focus was to be solely on God and not on the circumstances of the raging river, which was their greatest and most present challenge. In our journey to the heavenly Canaan, we must likewise focus on God and not on the size and magnitude of our challenges. Just as Joshua and Caleb did, our invitation is to depend on God, who is able to navigate us through life’s roadblocks and challenges.
As the children of Israel learned to remember God’s faithfulness, we are called to remind ourselves how God has dealt with us in the past as a memorial for future generations who will ask, “What do these stones mean to you?” (Joshua 4:6–7). We shall remind them that the Lord helped us navigate through the challenges we faced and encourage them that the Lord is faithful and will carry them through the same way He saw us through. Thus, we overcome our challenges and roadblocks by remembering what the Lord has done in the past—remembering how God strengthened and rescued us when the devil wanted to destroy us. The Lord’s dealings are indeed spiritual landmarks, as they were for the children of Israel, a reminder that God’s mercies are indeed new every morning Lamentations 3:22-23. As we march to the Promised Land we must be anchored in His faithfulness to sustain us, guide us, and encourage us despite all the challenges.
Throughout life we will have our conflicts with the powers of darkness and will be obtaining precious victories. Our eyes must be kept fixed upon the mark of the prize. When Joshua went up from the Jordan to take Jericho, he met a majestic Being, and at once challenged Him: “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” The answer was “As captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. . . . Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.” Not Joshua, the leader of Israel, but Christ Himself, accomplished the work of taking Jericho.
For us, it is legitimate to think about “conquering” our space on this planet, but we can’t forget that life is but a puff of wind. The very obstacles we face, sometimes the fruit of our own limitations, may be the means by which we become dependent on God; thus, let us give thanks to Him in all circumstances.
I sometimes wonder what land has God given to the African diaspora who were slaves in America. Nothing for them?
We may not understand the answer to your question, but we can trust God in any case. Also, just like all humanity, we have the hope and promise of being with Him in heaven and the new earth with the promised New Jerusalem. Does His promise of eternity hold promise of any specific land ownership to the saved?
Quite right. Today’s reading reminds of incidents that always interfere with God’s plan, and although He has the power to amend situations to reinstate His policies, He allowed powerful nations to rule till such time that they may show no interest in interfering with His agendas before He will carry-on with His plans. Because God knew the heart of every nation and how adopting the concept of a powerful nation might contradict His plan, He chose Abraham to groom a nation out of his descendants. Out of Abraham’s descendants, God formed a nation and gave them His commandment to observe.
The kingdom of God is like a fountain spring which flows through the heart of those who understand God’s mission. When it flows, it pleases those who knew Him by His commandment because it provides hope at the end. Regardless of a political retribution, when a Christian adopts God’s commandment and practices it by heart, the person will receive salvation at the end.
The acquisition of the promised land was not just by the mere fact that the Israelites acquired it with a mighty knowledge of their own, but rather, it was due to a divine intervention that helped them to acquire the land. In today’s world, Christians have the doctrine of Jesus Christ, to acquire salvation.
Can someone explain to me Joshua 13:8 .
The other half of Manasseh,[a] the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them .
Why Moses, Moses was already dead when they crossed the Jordan.
Please explain
A very perceptive question Ingrid and it is worth chasing it up. Numbers 32 provides the answer. Essentially the deal was done with Moses for these people to settle on the Eastern side of the Jordan because they were cattle farmers. They were granted that right but on the understsanding that when Israel crossed the Jordan, their fighting men were to join them in taking possession of the land.
thank you. God bless
It was land given east of Jordan river. land Moses had conquered. Joshua will conquer the land west of Jordan
To ‘establish’ Israel’s children, God planted the good seeds of Faith and Grace in their hearts to produce the goodly fruit of the Holy Spirit. The ‘seed’ survived hardships inflicted by foreign powers, coming alive again in one of their sons – Jesus the Christ – 1John 5:1-2.
In my opinion, this was God’s ultimate purpose – establishing the children of Israel on land governed by concepts and precepts reflective of the one Supreme God governing the affairs of mankind. No matter who the current ruler might happened to be, all that which transpired was part of God ‘tilling His Ground’ – introducing the concept that heaven’s powers ultimately rule the earth and all related to humanity’s identity, life, and how to live it.
It does not matter how many kingdoms or rulers come and go, God’s Salvation is to teach man how to live in His spiritual, everlasting Kingdom. Sending His Son, our Lord and Savior, concluded His ‘tilling, sowing, and harvesting’ by demonstrating the life in His Kingdom regardless of earthly rulers at any given time – Matt.6:32-34.
Today’s lesson made some good points but was incomplete. It compares sanctification to the process of Israel taking the land which I’m not sure is even a reasonable comparison to make at all. But let’s say it is. Statements like “we have to go through the process of sanctification in loving obedience to the requirements of being citizens of God’s kingdom” and “We have been given a wonderful gift, but it is something we can forfeit if we aren’t careful” seem to suggest to me that salvation is a gift but after that we have to work to keep it. That is where I strongly disagree.
I definitely think it is possible to lose the gift of salvation just as Israel lost their land. But anytime you have the focus that you need to work to maintain your salvation, losing your joy in the Lord will likely result. Imagine that you give your child a gift, but you keep reminding them “If you don’t follow my rules, you will lose the gift”. Will the child feel warm and fuzzy towards you? In time, maybe they’ll wish they didn’t even have the gift!
The thing is the idea that sanctification is “our” job is a big, fat lie. Sanctification is a part of salvation and it’s God’s job. He is the one who brings it about. All we can do is cooperate, which becomes easier and easier to do as we learn to trust Him. Yes, if we refuse to let Him work in our life, we will pull away from Him and at some point no longer be in a saving relationship with Him. But worrying that will happen is not a good way to live. Jesus makes many statements in John (such as John 10:28) that hopefully help us see our salvation is secure as long as we are connected to Him.
Ephesians 2:8,9 are so important but I wish the author had not stopped there. Ephesians 2:10 is just as important. We are created to do good works and God (not us) prepared them in advance. Also, I hate it when people quote Philippians 2:12 and stop there. Vs. 13 is crucial to understand what it means to work out our salvation. “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Working out our salvation is not working to be saved! It is letting God’s work work out of us.
The author’s comments bothered me as well. They reminded me of some comments made in a Bible Study I help to lead. When I asked the group about the link between the free gift of salvation and works, one of them responded with “it is a gift, but you have to earn it” and another said that “we have to be worthy of the gift.” I prefer to think that the author did not intend this, but he made it sound as if God is watching to see if we are following His rules, ready to snatch back His gift if we don’t come up to the mark. Thank you for pointing us back to the God who gave His all to restore us to a relationship with Him, and who is battling Satan and our own evil, self-exalting tendencies to give us His peace and joy. It is by His Spirit working in us that we are able to overcome and to do the work that He ordained for us beforehand.
Why weren’t the slaves freed at jubilee. Because they were considered property? A little troubling to say the least?
Unfortunately the lesson didn’t deal with that aspect of it, probably due to space constraints.
Leviticus 25: is the primary source for the Jubilee laws, which describe the 50th year as a time of liberation, including the freeing of slaves and the return of land.
Exodus 21 and Deuteronomy 15: These passages detail the laws for Hebrew servants, which included being set free after six years, but the Jubilee year provided for a universal release.