Jos-Lesson 15

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JOSHUA 14-15
Lesson #15
MORE ABOUT INHERITANCE

• Memory Verse: Romans 8:17

• A person that inherits can never take possession of his inheritance until the death of the benefactor occurs
• Read Heb 9:16-20
• When you make a legal will to leave your house to your children, they do not inherit it until you die.
• They cannot take possession of your house as long as you continue to live.
• They cannot take possession of your house if they are not related to you and have a part in the will by a personal relationship.
• Jesus Christ is our benefactor who died for us so that we might possess our inheritance.
• God made a covenant, like a will, that promises us an inheritance.
• That covenant was sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ.
• We cannot inherit God’s blessing outside of the death of Jesus Christ. He had to die for us to inherit.
• We cannot inherit unless we are related personally to Jesus Christ through the new birth experience.

• Read Jos 14:6-15
• Who was Caleb?
• A Kenizzite–a leading Edomite family descended from Esau.
• He was one of the 12 spies with Joshua who came back with a good report. He followed Moses and Joshua through all the time of their ministries.
• Joshua represents the Jews, while Caleb represents the gentiles engrafted into the New Testament body of believers.
• Caleb’s name means “dog” and he followed God in the same way as a puppy follows his master. (Mat 15:25-28).
• Caleb’s age = 85 years old (10)
• What inheritance did Caleb request? (Jos 14)
• He wanted a mountain == this was a great challenge because his feet must walk over it to posses it. (9)
• Mt. Hebron was his Promised Land.
• The name Hebron means = friendship or fellowship.
• Caleb wanted “friendship” or “fellowship” with the Living God.
• It was a hard land to conquer.
• Possession is not automatic.
• As a steward of faith, possession depends on God’s grace and strength. ( 2Chr 16:9)
• This mountain had the highest town in Israel, and it was the burial place for Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekkah, Jacob, and Leah.
• Caleb knew the history of his people. He knew this was a special mountain. He knew the inheritance he wanted.
• Much later in time, David was anointed king here, and it was his capital for 7 1/2 years.
• The lesson we can learn from Caleb:
• Caleb was willing to stand against the majority to be with God.
• Caleb had faith for the impossible, to believe God for more than the ordinary.
• Caleb was totally submitted to God.
• Caleb proved that faithfulness to God has its reward.
• The reward has to be obtained, fought for, and maintained.
• The challenge is to reach for the heights; to stretch your faith to obtain a greater prize.
• Do not be satisfied with less than God’s best.
• The challenge is to possess your possessions. (Jos 18:3)
• Joshua asks the Israelites “how long are ye slack to go to possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?”
• These people were not hard workers like Caleb. They had no vision and no willingness to fight for what God wanted to give them.
• What were the reasons Israel failed to possess the land (see Jos 15:63 and Jos 17:12-13)
• For a time they could not as they weren’t strong enough. Therefore, it wasn’t their fault.
• But later they were disobedient as they did not destroy the enemy. Why?
• They wanted peace at any cost. This is the mind-set of many in Israel today and has been for many years.
• These are people that wanted wealth, but they did not want to sacrifice for it.
• Both of these are worldly compromises.
• In the book of Judges, the Israelites actually lose ground.
• If you are not gaining ground in your spiritual walk, you are losing ground.

• Joshua 15 tells us about the inheritance of the tribe of Judah.
• This tribe was to be the blood line of Christ.
• This tribe was to bring forth the kings of Israel. (Gen 49)
• This tribe also did not completely possess all the land that God gave them.
• Read Jos 15:63
• This failure presented King David with problems. At first he could not possess Jerusalem to establish his capital here until the Jebusites were defeated.

• Application:
• A look to your own inheritance:
• A view of the past
• Read Psa 14:5
• Who we are and what we are is based in part on our heritage, the flow of Biblical history, and the flow of personal history.
• A view to the future
• Read Psa 78:1-8:
• Jesus is in the process of redeeming us from past sins, from the current presence of sin, and from the power of sin.
• What important principles have we learned about our inheritance?
• It is obvious that all Christians do not inherit equally just as the 12 tribes did not inherit equally.
• You can be a Christian and not enter into “rest” and not inherit God’s promises. (Heb 4:1-2)

• A Spiritual Analogy:

• From Egypt to Canaan, a picture of the Christian life:
• The natural man

(the unbeliever) is illustrated in Exo 1-11.

• This person lives in slavery to sin in Egypt which is a picture of the world system under Satan’s influence.
• Read 1Cor 2:14
• The carnal Christian

(the Christian who lives like a non-believer) is illustrated in Exo 12 – Deu 34.

• He lives a life of struggle like the “Exodus generation” wandering in the wilderness. He is in the kingdom of God but does not live like it. His life is spent in doubts and unbelief.
• Read 1Cor 3:1-3.
• The spiritual Christian

(the mature believer) is illustrated in Jos 1-11.

• He lives a life of victory over personal battles. He is represented by the second generation that crossed the Jordan under Joshua.
• He is in the kingdom of God and lives under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
• Read Rom 12:1-2
• The rewarded Christian

(the believer who has spent his life for Christ) is illustrated in Jos 12-22.

• He has entered into his “rest” (presence with the Lord) and has received the inheritance promised him. He has gained the final victory and feasts at the table set for him in the presence of the Lord.
• Read 2Cor 5:10
• What is our inheritance?
• The fulfilled promises in this life as a result of obedience and faith. They include:
• God’s continual presence.
• God’s constant guidance.
• God’s help and encouragement through the Holy Spirit.
• God’s love and acceptance through Jesus Christ.
• God’s forgiveness through repentance and the blood of Christ.
• The believer gains the position of being a ruler with Christ in the millennial kingdom of Christ Jesus given for faithfulness in this life.
• Rewards in heaven for works done for Christ.
• Eternal life as a free gift obtained by faith.
• How do we obtain our inheritance? (1Cor 3:11-15)
• Our inheritance is not earned by our own works, but it is possessed.
• Our inheritance is obtained by grace and possessed by faith.
• We possess the fullness of our inheritance by living a righteous life in obedience to God.
• We possess the fullness of our inheritance when Christ is our priority in life and when we serve Him.
• The challenge:
• Lay up treasures in heaven
• Read Mat 6:20-21

HOMEWORK
JOSHUA 16, 17, and 18
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joshua 13, 14
• What promises of God do you want to claim today?
• Find some related promise scriptures on which to base your faith.
• What step of faith can you take to realize your claim?
• Preparation for Joshua 16,17, and 18
• Read Joshua 16 and 17
• Read Num 27:1-11
• Read Num 36:6-11
• What do we learn about faith from the daughters of Zelophehad (17:3, 4, 6)
• Why did the Israelites not possess all the land and destroy all the Canaanites?
• What is wrong with the request from the tribe of Joseph? (17:14-18)
• What does the tribe of Joseph tell us about our failures?
• Read Jos 18:1-10
• What was necessary to gain the victory?(2Peter 1:3-11)
• Memory Verse: Col 1:12