The people of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the LORD has blessed us abundantly." – Joshua 17:14

Today's Scripture Reading (April 8, 2025): Joshua 17

As Donald Trump opened up his second term as President of the United States, and while he had campaigned on promises to end the wars in which the United States was fighting in Ukraine and Israel, he also began to pick fights with other nations. A couple of the most publicized fights were with the Kingdom of Denmark over the fate of Greenland, a territory of Denmark, and Panama over the fate and control of the Panama Canal, an artificial waterway constructed between 1881 and 1914 that provides a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. President Trump did not guarantee that he would not resort to military means to achieve both of these objectives.

The one fight President Trump has said he will not resort to military means to obtain concerns the taking of Canada, the northern neighbor of the United States. To take Canada, Donald Trump argues that he will use economic means to crush any Canadian resistance until Canada becomes the 51st State of the United States. 

However, if Canada does resist uniting with its southern neighbor, Donald Trump does have a second agenda. He has already called into question several Treaties that have defined the border between the two nations, although he has never stated precisely what about the boundary he finds offensive. I have wondered if President Trump would prefer to have the border limited to the 49th parallel, making Toronto and Southern Ontario, along with a portion of the Maritime provinces, and the southern portion of Vancouver Island, along with the British Columbia Capital of Victoria, a part of the United States. Others have suggested that President Trump may settle for the resource-rich Western Canadian Provinces if he can't have all of Canada. The border treaties of the last centuries might have been sufficient then, but now the United States needs more area and resources to secure its future. President Trump reiterated that he doesn't need Canada, but that isn't true. Canada has been an essential partner in several American projects in recent history.

For Canadians, it feels like the northern nation is becoming to the United States what Ukraine is to Russia. Canada and the United States share a lot of ancestry and have heavily intermarried over the years. However, that does not mean the two nations would easily blend into one. They also share very different values that neither wants to lose, differences that make both nations unique. 

In Israel, some of the same struggles came into view over the allotment of land. The land was divided by lots, which the people believed allowed God to speak into the division. And maybe it is impressive that most tribes seemed to accept the land as it was divided. But apparently, the tribes of Joseph were not content with their allotment. Maybe it was because Joseph was from their clan that they felt safe to complain; perhaps they even believed that Joseph should show some favoritism to his tribe. 

However, there were two competing factors about the land that we should understand. First, there was ample land for the tribes of Joseph, and the land given to them was among the most fertile places in Canaan. All of this was beneficial to the tribes of Joseph. It was also the same land mass on which the enemies of Israel were deeply entrenched and would be the most difficult to remove. On one hand, the land was precisely what the tribes needed. On the other hand, there was still much work to do on the land, and the tribes of Joseph knew that they would have to work hard to secure the land. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 18

So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance. – Joshua 16:4

Today's Scripture Reading (April 7, 2025): Joshua 16

I know that I need to be so careful about the things that I say. Part of my problem is that I often find myself saying things I know I should not say. And the things that have been said just cannot be unsaid. These words become a part of our reality, and because they are part of our reality, they begin to shape our future. What hurts is knowing that I shape my world with my words, even when I am wrong.

Joseph had died long before he stopped breathing, and his life came to an end. His brothers sold him into slavery, and then they went to their father and told him that Joseph was dead. His dad mourned the loss of his beloved son and, for years, lived believing that only eleven of his twelve sons had survived into their midlives. It was a reality that shaped him; the loss of Joseph changed Jacob at the core of his being. And he would never be the same again. Even when Joseph would later be revealed as being still alive, the change and the reality of a Dad's pain could not be taken back. The pain Dad had suffered was a reality, and nothing could reverse it.

But neither would Israel. Jacob blesses each of his sons when he dies, although I am not sure he realizes the full extent of his actions. All of his sons' names would be attached to a tribe of Israel, except for one. The missing name among the tribes would be Joseph's, the son Jacob had long believed was dead. Instead of having Joseph's name attached to a tribe, two of Joseph's sons' names, Manasseh and Ephraim, would be remembered. With that move, Joseph, the second youngest of Jacob's sons, would receive the coveted double-portion inheritance from his father, which would typically have been given to the oldest son. 

While Joseph's name may not be found among the tribes, his influence was front and center because Joshua, the man responsible for shaping the young nation, was one of his descendants. Joshua was of the tribe of Ephraim, and through him, Joseph continued to be still very much alive long after his death.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 17

Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. – Joshua 15:8

Today's Scripture Reading (April 6, 2025): Joshua 15

Jerusalem. The City of David has a rich history. Today, the city is in the possession of Israel. Still, it is also divided between three faiths that consider the city to be holy: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all lay some claim on the city. Temple Mount, where the first and second Temples once existed, is in the control of Islam. While Islam has a significant religious and historical connection with the mountain, Judaism considers the Temple Mount to be holy but is prohibited from actual worship on the hill. Other sacred places in the Holy City would include the Mount of Olives, a ridge that runs down the city's eastern side of the city and the place where Jesus is believed to have ascended into heaven. Today, the Mount of Olives is the home of a vast Jewish graveyard containing over 150,000 graves.

Golgotha, the hill where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, is another hill just outside Jerusalem's walls. The traditional identification of Golgotha is located within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The conventional identification of this hill as Golgotha was made by the mother of Constantine, the Roman Empress Helena. Helena had visited Jerusalem in 325 C.E. and identified this place as the Golgotha of the Gospel Story.

While Jerusalem is important to three very different cultures in our contemporary world, it also sits on the border between Israel and an area known as"The West Bank." The West Bank currently exists under a provisional Palestinian government. The West Bank is an essential part of "The Two State Solution" to the ever-present conflict in the Middle East. The fact that three religions claim Jerusalem and the idea that the city exists on the border between Israel and the West Bank has kept Jerusalem from reprising its role as the Capital City of Israel. And so, Tel Aviv remains the capital while the City of David remains a place of pilgrimage.

From the dividing line described in this passage, we recognize that Jerusalem has always been a border city; in ancient times, it would have sat on the border between two tribes, while sitting in Judah, the Tribe of Benjamin lies just outside the city walls. The Judean city added to the reality that Judah also sat on the border of three enemy kingdoms: the Philistines bordered Judah along the west side of the nation, Moab to the east, and Edom to the south. All of this meant that Judah was in a place of great responsibility and great danger. This position of Judah was echoed by the placement of what would become the nation's capital: Jerusalem. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 16

Their inheritances were assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, as the LORD had commanded through Moses. – Joshua 14:2

Today's Scripture Reading (April 5, 2025): Joshua 14

Lotteries have a long and rich history. They seem to have arisen as a way to support public projects financially. It is rumored that even the Great Wall of China was built and paid for via an ancient form of the lottery. The lottery, as we know it, appears to date back to the 1400s. A record from the city of Sluis in the Netherlands indicates that on May 9, 1455, a lottery was held, with the winner taking home the equivalent of almost $200,000 in contemporary currency: 1737 florins. The money raised through the lottery was used to build walls for the city and other town fortifications. By the 1600s, it was common for lotteries to be organized in the Netherlands to help people experiencing poverty and raise funds for a wide range of public projects. 

The lottery that was performed in Canaan to divide up the area was a little different. Rabbis believe that twenty pieces of property were used for this lottery. First, the land was divided into ten separate areas, and each region was assigned a number. This number was then placed onto the ten pottery pieces and put in a container. The second group of ten pottery pieces was taken, and the name of a tribe was placed on each pottery piece, which was then placed in a separate container. (Important note: the number of tribes was ten because the tribes of Reuben and Gad received their inheritance on the east side of the Jordan River.) At the time of the lottery, a number was withdrawn from the first container and a name from the second container. The two were combined, and the land was assigned to each tribe.

However, rather than being a game of chance, the people believed that, in this way, the decision of who got which parcel of land was given to God rather than to a priest or even the leaders themselves.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 15

But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the LORD, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them. – Joshua 13:14

Today's Scripture Reading (April 4, 2025): Joshua 13

I spoke to him over the phone. To be blunt, I had heard very little that was good about the man. He had led a church for almost a quarter of a century and had built the physical church where the church continued to meet. He was the originator of an unparalleled music ministry during that era. Part of that directly resulted from the physical church he had built; the acoustics were terrific and intentional. 

When I spoke to him, the church was preparing to celebrate a significant anniversary, and I wanted to hear his stories about the over two decades that he had led the church. One church leader had laughed when I suggested that I was thinking about phoning this pastor. He had one sentence to sum up my intention. "Why would you spend time talking to someone so insignificant in the history of the church?" However, I couldn't get my head around the twenty-four years the pastor had spent leading the church and the word "insignificant."

I went ahead with my phone interview and heard the story of what happens when a church goes wrong. We talked about his last days at the church. The campaign that this church leader, who had called this pastor insignificant, had waged against him. He told me about being kicked out of the church-owned home where he had lived and raised his kids for over two decades. We talked about his last trip to the church on the day he left the city, sitting in the church's parking lot with his car packed with all his worldly possessions but with nowhere to go. And I couldn't imagine the pain that existed in that car on that day. 

The priests and Levites were to receive no land inheritance. Yes, they would receive some land around the Levitical cities where they would live, but nothing more. The idea was that the Levites would receive the offerings which were brought into the Temple. And that system worked as long as the people followed the instructions of God. The problem was that, for long periods, the people refused to bring their tithes into the Temple. And it was the priests and Levites who paid the price. Like my new friend, they were left on the outside with not enough to live on and nowhere to go. It was and continues to be a sad narrative about the plight of these servants of God who sacrificed much to minister to the people. The story of my friend is one that remains in my memory as a cautionary tale about what happens when we lose sight of the task with which God has charged us and allow personal feelings to lead us instead of the will of God. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 14

The king of Jerusalem – one, the king of Hebron – one. – Joshua 12:10

Today's Scripture Reading (April 3, 2025): Joshua 12

Over the past few years, I have been trying to knock off some of my essential reads. Last summer (2024), I finally read Charles Dickins's "A Tale of Two Cities." The story is set before and during the French Revolution in London and Paris. It is a look at the conditions that set the stage for the French Revolution and an examination of one person who had spent eighteen years in the Bastille. This person is finally released into society and seeks to leave Paris for a life in London with his daughter. Of course, the situation of these two historical cities is contrasted in the novel.

The author of Joshua lists over thirty cities defeated by Israel when they entered Canaan. But not all of these cities were equal. Enter two of the most important cities in ancient Canaan: Jerusalem (also called Jebus) and Hebron. The two cities are listed together here, and while the contrast between the cities is likely unintentional, there is a comparison between the two places. Joshua defeated the kings of both important cities, but only one city fell: Hebron. Hebron was located about 40 km south of Jerusalem. 

During the time of Joshua, both cities were ruled over by Amorite Kings. Both cities also, for a time, served as the Capital city of Israel. Joshua defeated both of these Kings in a battle fought in defense of the Gibeonites, a war that Israel was forced to engage in only because they had entered into an ill-timed diplomatic treaty with the city. The Kings of Jerusalem and Hebron, as well as the kings of Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon, decided to move against Gibeon. The Gibeonites sent word to Joshua and requested help. "So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men" (Joshua 10:7). 

Adoni-Zedek was the King of Jerusalem, and Hoham was the King of Hebron. When the battle was over, all five kings hid in a cave. Israel sealed the cave entrance while they mopped up the rest of their armies and then returned and arrested the kings. At that time, Joshua executed all five kings. However, the defeat of these five kings took place outside of their cities. The Kings died, and their armies were defeated, but there was no effort to take control of the cities they represented. Concerning Jerusalem and Hebron, Hebron fell to Caleb a little later as he worked to clear the area for the tribe of Judah. But Jebus, Jerusalem, survived not just during the days of Joshua and Caleb but throughout the Judges era and King Saul's reign. It wasn't until the reign of David that the city finally came under the control of Israel. Joshua had defeated the King of Jerusalem hundreds of years earlier but hadn't taken the city. As a result, Jerusalem remained a thorn in the side of Israel until David took the throne and made the city his own.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 13

So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them. – Joshua 11:7

Today's Scripture Reading (April 2, 2025): Joshua 11

It was codenamed "Operation Overlord." In the West, we have all heard of it, yet we probably don't understand how much of a longshot the battle was. Until the last moment, military officials were not even sure that the operation would take place. But it did, although the cost was high. Among the allies alone, Operation Overlord resulted in almost 250,000 casualties, and over half of that number were military personnel from the United States. 

If you are still unsure what I am talking about, "Operation Overload" was the codename for the Normandy landings in June 1944. The problem was that the Western Allies had lost all footholds on the European continent. They needed to gain not just a foothold back onto the continent but also a way to resupply troops fighting in the European Theater. Adolf Hitler knew they would have to attempt something and had wanted to build his "Atlantic Wall" along the coast, but a lack of concrete and human resources meant that most of that wall never got built.

Still, the Normandy Landings were a longshot. The Allies had to dedicate all of their resources to the attempt. It just didn't make any sense not to. To accomplish anything, they had to win on the Atlantic Coast. And so, it was time to risk everything to try to gain that foothold.

The Kings of Canaan decided it was time to unite and fight against Israel. It was an all-or-nothing moment, and they had agreed to go with the all. They gathered their troops and then began to plan their attack on Israel. The coming battle would be another faith test for Joshua. God told Joshua that Israel would win, so Joshua decided not to delay the fight. He surprised his Canaanite opposition in two ways. First, Joshua attacked quickly. The Kings weren't expecting the rapidity of this attack. Second, Joshua committed all of his forces to the battle. If Joshua had lost, Canaan would have been lost to Israel. The rest of the nation would have been driven to the other side of the Jordan River and would have no foothold on the west side of the Jordan, making the defense of Canaan for these Palestinian Kings an easier task. Joshua trusted God and dedicated all his forces in this battle.

The phrase "His whole army" should be taken to mean not only that all of the forces of Israel were dedicated to the battle but that there was political unity in the nation. The coming battle was not just a statement of faith by Joshua but a statement that was echoed by the whole country.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 12

The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.” – Joshua 10:6

Today's Scripture Reading (April 1, 2025): Joshua 10

Joshua’s heart must have sank when he received this message. Experts agree that this was a test of the treaty. While Joshua was trying to get a foothold in this new territory, his armies were now being drawn into somebody else’s war. And he didn’t have the human resources for this distraction. However, the worst was that he had nobody to blame for his current predicament besides himself. God had told him not to make a treaty with these people. Just don’t do it. And Joshua – well, he had made the treaty. He had done it. It was his fault.

Here is the reality of most of the things happening in our lives. Most of the bad stuff we struggle through doesn’t happen out of the blue. It happens because we have done something. I look back at the stuff that has happened in my life, and the truth is that I get to stand up and say, “Yep, I did that.” I suffered through that moment because of something that I did. I don’t have the privilege of trying to tell myself that these things happened because of something that someone else did. The vast majority of the bad things that happened in my life have happened because of my actions. Me. No one else. And the truth is that in the darkness of the night, all of these things come rushing back. I don’t think that I am alone. How far back do you have to go before you come to a moment when, if you are being honest, you received exactly what you deserved? Most of the monsters that I fear are of my creation.

One famous Bible story takes place on the Sea of Galilee. The disciples have gotten into this ancient boat and have tried to make the crossing of the Sea of Galilee for no other reason than because crossing the Sea was much easier and faster than trying to walk around it. The problem was that storms often came up fast on big lakes. The bottom of many large inland lakes is littered with ships, not because the area is filled with stupid ship captains but because storms come up fast. Storms come up fast on the Sea of Galilee. If the benefit of crossing the Sea of Galilee is that it saves time and effort, the bad is that if a storm comes up while you are out there, you are in trouble. I mean, if a storm comes up while you are walking around the outside, you will find shelter, and everything will be okay. There is no hiding place when a storm comes up on open water.

The disciples are in a boat, and a storm comes up while they are on the open water, and there is no place to hide. They are in trouble. The apostles are working hard at the oars but they are going nowhere. And then, suddenly, out of the mist, they see a ghost walking across the water, coming right at them. And they are terrified. But then a voice comes out of the storm. We find the story in Matthew 14.   

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus (Matthew 14:27-29).

Can you picture it? The storm was raging, and you see this ghost. Your heart stops. But then you hear a voice. It is a voice you know, saying, “Don’t be afraid; it is just me. And because I am here, there is nothing to fear.” 

Maybe you are in the position of Peter. Perhaps you are even brave enough to answer, “If it is you (and you know it is him), tell me to come to you.” And the word comes back to you: Come. You climb out of the boat. The waves feel weird as they press against your feet. And the wind and mist of the storm whip around you. But you do it. You walk on water. You take that first step and then the second toward Jesus. It is a fantastic moment.

I know you have heard the story before and know it doesn’t end here. But when Peter felt the wind and concentrated on the waves, he became afraid and began to sink, crying out, “Lord, save me” (Matthew 14:30)! Quick question. Whose fault was it that Peter started to sink? Maybe it was Jesus’s fault. He didn’t say enough to prepare him for the experience. I mean, all he said was, “Come.” What kind of prep is that? Maybe Jesus should have said, “Now, Peter, it will feel weird. But you are going to be okay.” 

Or maybe it is simply Peter’s fault. He got a couple of steps in, but then he took his eyes off Jesus and fixated on the wind and the waves. And he began to doubt, and fear began to take over. Peter violated the principle; “What God Originates, God will Orchestrate, If you don’t doubt.” Maybe this should have been the end of Peter. After all, it was Peter’s fault. Nothing has happened in this story, with the exception of the storm, that does not originate within Peter: nothing! Peter doubted, Peter failed, Peter sank beneath the waves, and the world never saw his face again. This adventure on the waves is the end of Peter.

Except, that is not the way that the story ends. “Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt’ (Matthew 14:31)? I can almost see the smile on Jesus’s face as he says the words. Peter, you were doing so well. But immediately, Jesus shoots out his hand and catches his friend even though it is Peter’s fault.

The treaty with the Gibeonites is Joshua’s fault, but that doesn’t mean God has left Joshua and Israel. I can almost see God shake his head and smile as he reaches his hand out to Joshua. “It’s okay, Joshua, I got you.”

And he still has us, even when it is our fault.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Joshua 11