Category Archives: Faith

Gideon: Mighty Man of Valor (Judges 6; Judges 7)

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Scripture reading – Judges 6-7

Judges 6 introduces us to Gideon, one of my favorite characters in the Book of Judges.

Judges 6

The Intrusion of Midian and the Calamity of Israel (Judges 6:1-6)

Judges 5 concluded by stating that “the land [Israel] had rest [peace] forty years” (5:31). Yet, Judges 6 opened with the children of Israel once again finding themselves in dire straits both spiritually and physically.  We read that the people had committed “evil in the sight of the LORD” and broken His covenant. Israel had disobeyed God’s law and commandments (6:1). The LORD, true to His Word, then “delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel…[and] the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds” (6:1-2).

A Prophet Sent to Prepare the Way for a Deliverer (Judges 6:7-10)

Year after year, the people planted crops, only to have the hordes of Midian and the Amalekites descend upon their crops, leaving “no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass” (6:4). In their misery, the people “cried unto the Lord, [and He]…sent a prophet unto the children of Israel” (6:7-8).

Notice the order of God’s work: Before He sent a deliverer, The LORD sent a prophet who rehearsed God’s faithfulness, and how He had delivered Israel out of bondage (6:8). In His love, and compassion, He waited to do the same for that generation; however, the people disobeyed the LORD (6:9-10).

Gideon: An Unlikely Deliverer (Judges 6:11-16)

Mercifully, amid Israel’s suffering, the LORD sent an angelic messenger to “Gideon [who] threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites” (6:11). Gideon was a most unlikely choice to deliver Israel from the pillaging throng of Midian. He was, however, the man of God’s choosing and one whom the angel addressed as a “mighty man of valour” (6:12).

Gideon said to the angelic messenger (whom I believe was pre-incarnate Jesus Christ), “Oh my Lord, if the Lordbe with us, why then is all this befallen us?…wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (6:13-15). Then “the angel of the LORD” answered with the LORD’s promise, saying, “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (6:16).

Gideon’s Assault on Baal Worship in Israel (Judges 6:17-32)

After offering a sacrifice (6:17-24), “Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom [the LORD is Peace]” (6:24). The same night, the LORD came to Gideon and commanded him to “throw down the altar of Baal…And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down” (6:26-27). Gideon obeyed and did as he was commanded, though he feared the stirring it would bring the next day when the ruins of Baal’s altar were discovered (6:28-29).

The following day, the men of the city found Baal’s altar destroyed and would have killed Gideon. However, his father, no doubt rebuked for his idolatry, declared to his neighbors, “Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar” (6:31).

Preparations for War: To Fleece, or Not to Fleece (Judges 6:33-40)

As they had in the past, the Midianites and the Amalekites returned to plunder Israel, but “the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet… and he sent messengers unto [the tribes of] Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them” (6:33-35).

Gideon looked across the plain and saw the army of Midian encamped against Israel. Once again, his faith faltered at the sight of the enemy’s campfires that burned on Mount Moreh (three miles to the north). Gideon asked the LORD to prove Himself. Employing the fleece of a sheep, he sought the LORD to allow the night’s dew to be upon the fleece and not upon the ground (6:36-38). The next day, he petitioned the opposite and asked that the dew be on the ground and the fleece be left dry (6:39-40). Loving and patient, the LORD regarded Gideon’s request, though the fleece symbolized his lack of faith in God.

Judges 7

Gideon’s Call to War and the LORD’s Reduction of Israel’s Army (Judges 7:1-8)

Gideon then sent out a call for the men of Israel to gather. Thirty-two thousand men responded to his call (7:1). Though he was facing a great enemy, the LORD came to Gideon and said, “The people that are with thee are too many” (7:2). God then presented Gideon with two demands for reducing the number of his soldiers.

The first demand was the test of fear: The LORD commanded Gideon to send home any afraid (7:3), and twenty-two thousand men departed, leaving ten thousand soldiers in his army.

With his army reduced by more than two-thirds, Gideon was then directed to put on his soldiers a test of their fervency. The LORD said to Gideon, “The people are yet too many” (7:4) and commanded only those who drank water at a stream, bringing water to their mouth by cupping their hand while keeping a vigilant watch for an enemy would remain (7:5-7).

A Divine Affirmation Through An Enemy’s Dream (Judges 7:9-15)

Having twice reduced his army, Gideon was left with three hundred men, though he faced an army of skilled, veteran warriors! Humanly, the odds were impossible; that was where the LORD wanted His people! He was going to deliver His people and give Israel victory. Indeed, Israel’s victory would be so incredible that the nation would know without question that the LORD had given them the victory! (7:18-22)

Closing thoughts:

Tomorrow’s Scripture reading will continue the narrative of Gideon’s battle with the Midianites (Judges 8). But before I close today’s devotion, remember where we first met Gideon– he was a poor soul, cowering in a pit (6:11). Yet, despite his state, the angel of the LORD addressed him as a “mighty man of valor!” (6:12) How could that be? Here we observe what can be a life-changing principle:

When the LORD looked at Gideon, He saw him, not for who he was, but for the man he could be if he fully yielded himself to God!

What is holding you back from serving the LORD?

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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Deborah: Prophetess and Judge (Judges 4; Judges 5)

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Scripture reading – Judges 4-5

A personal note from the author of A Heart of a Shepherd: Passages with difficult, unfamiliar, and hard-to-pronounce names may be taxing. Yet, I challenge you to persevere and allow the ancient names of men and places to serve as a reminder that God has preserved every word of His revelation for His purpose. The names, though forgotten by man, are not forgotten by the LORD. The geographical locations may be undiscovered and buried under the sands of the ancient Middle East. Nonetheless, those were real places where historical events occurred. Agnostics and atheists have scoffed at historical events and places found only in the Scriptures. Still, archaeological excavations in the past two centuries have unearthed evidence that supports the Bible narrative as an accurate rendering of history. Forgotten by man but remembered by God.

Judges 4 – The Spiritual Cycle Continues: Sin, Servitude, Sorrow, and Salvation

With the death of Ehud [A-hud], the second judge of Israel (Judges 3:12-30), “the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord” (4:1). They continued the cycle of sin, servitude, sorrow, and salvation. Because Israel sinned against the LORD, He “sold them [children of Israel] into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor” (4:2). For twenty years, Israel suffered under the military rule of Sisera, captain of Jabin’s army, who commanded nine hundred chariots, not including foot soldiers (4:2-3).

When the LORD heard Israel’s cry, He moved on the heart of “Deborah, a prophetess…[who] judged Israel at that time” (4:4). She “sent and called Barak…and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali and of the children of Zebulun?” (4:6).

Deborah then prophesied that God had commanded Barak to muster ten thousand soldiers and promised to draw Sisera and his chariots “to the river Kishon,” where Barak would defeat them (4:6-7). Barak, however, was a reluctant leader. He would not rally Israel’s men of war without Deborah’s promise to go with him (4:8). Deborah agreed to Barak’s terms, but she warned he was sacrificing his honor, “for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (4:9).

Time and space prevent a thorough commentary on the battle between Barak’s ten thousand men who came out of the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali (4:10) against Sisera’s army of nine hundred chariots (4:13). The LORD was with Israel, and Sisera’s army was thoroughly defeated (4:14-16). When he realized the battle was lost, Sisera fled the battlefield on foot and sought shelter in the “tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace [a covenant or treaty of peace] between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite [the Kenites were a nomadic people]” (4:17).

“Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle” (4:18).

The events that followed were graphic and fulfilled Deborah’s warning that “the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman” (4:9). Realizing Sisera and his army were defeated, Jael took advantage of his fatigue, and while he slept, she took a hammer, and drove a tent stake through his temple, killing him (4:19-21).

Barak, who pursued Sisera, came to Jael’s tent and learned his enemy was dead (4:22). On that day, “God subdued…the king of Canaan…and the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed…until they had destroyed Jabin, the king of Canaan” (4:23-24).

Judges 5 – A Song of Victory

Israel’s victory over Jabin, and the defeat of his captain Sisera, were celebrated in a song that praised the LORD for avenging Israel and memorialized how He had heard and answered the cry of His people (5:1-3).

Deborah’s song recalled Israel’s distresses (5:8-11) and recorded how the nation had turned from the LORD to idols. Without God’s blessings, Israel’s enemies had humiliated the people and disarmed them (5:8) so that they could not draw water from a well without fearing archers (5:11). At that time, there was no justice found at the gates of the city where judges held court.

Closing thoughts:

The balance of the song recalled how the LORD stirred Deborah to call upon Barak to rally the men of Israel (5:12-13). Some tribes responded to the call to arms (5:14-15a, 18). However, the disgraceful failure of other tribes was memorialized, for they had failed to go to war with their brethren (5:15b-17, 23).

The song concluded with a testament of praise to Jael and how she drove a stake through the temples of Sisera (5:24-26a) and “smote off his head” (5:26b). The LORD blessed Israel during Deborah’s rule as a judge, “and the land had rest forty years” (5:31).

Believer, we have observed a spiritual cycle in Israel: Sin leads to Servitude (slavery) and bears the bitter fruit of Sorrow until God’s people call upon the LORD for Salvation. That cycle will be seen in individuals, families, churches, schools, organizations, and nations.

Warning: When people and nations embrace moral depravity, they will become the servant of their enemy.

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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The Third Generation: A Tragic Rejection of Spiritual Leadership (Judges 3)

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Scripture reading – Judges 3

Today’s Scripture reading introduced a new era in Israel’s history, as the LORD began to raise up judges to rule the nation. Why judges and not a king? Because the LORD was Israel’s Sovereign and the people were bound by covenant to His Law and Commandments.

Tragically, after Joshua and the generation that followed him had passed (2:6-10a), Israel turned from the LORD. We read that they “knew not the Lord…[and] did evil in the sight of the Lord” (2:10-11). The LORD, in His mercy, “raised up judges, which delivered [Israel] out of the hand of those that spoiled [plundered] them” (2:16). However, when a judge died, the people “corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them” (2:19a).

Judges 3 – The LORD Raised Judges to Rule the People

Because Israel had broken the covenant with Him, the LORD determined He would not drive out the enemies of His people, and He left them in their midst to “prove [test; try] Israel by them” (3:1).

To what end was this testing? It was to test and prove a generation that did not know the hardships and trials of war as their fathers before them. The LORD longed for Israel to turn to Him and obey His commandments. Therefore, He did not drive out the enemies with whom His people had compromised (3:2-7).

The Compromise and Wretchedness of the Third Generation

Israel allowed their sons and daughters to intermarry with idolaters, and they “served their gods…and did evil…and forgat the LORD their God” (3:6-7). They “served Baalim and the groves” (places of sexual deviancy, 3:7). Thus, the sins of Israel provoked “the anger of the LORD” (3:8), and “He sold them into the hand of Chushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia: and the children of Israel served Chushan-rishathaim eight years” (3:8).

Othniel, the First Judge in Israel (3:9-11)

When the people began to cry to the LORD, He heard their cry and raised up “Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother” (3:9), who served as Israel’s first judge, and delivered the nation from their enemy (3:10). God blessed Othniel’s rule as judge, and Israel was at peace forty years (3:11).

Ehud, the Second Judge in Israel (3:12-30)

Judges 3:12-30 records a fascinating series of events. We read, “The children of Israel did evil again in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they [Israel] had done evil in the sight of the Lord” (3:12).

God’s people had strayed far from the law and commandments and found themselves humbled and enslaved by an enemy (3:12-13). For eighteen years, “the children of Israel served Eglon the king of Moab…15But when [they]cried unto the Lord, the Lord raised them up a deliverer, Ehud the son of Gera, a Benjamite, a man lefthanded” (3:14-15). (The men of Benjamin were known as ambidextrous people and skilled marksmen, Judges 20:16; 1 Chronicles 12:2).

Ehud’s skill with his left hand gave him an advantage when he plotted and attacked Eglon, the king of Moab (3:16-22). Thrusting the dagger into the obese king, the blade went so deep that Ehud left the knife in his bowels when he fled the palace (3:21-22). When he returned to Mount Ephraim, Ehud blew the trumpet and rallied Israel to go to battle against Moab, and they slew “about ten thousand men” (3:27-29).

Shamgar, the Champion of Israel (3:31)

Judges 3 concluded with the heroism of a man named Shamgar (3:31). He is not identified as a judge; however, he is noted for slaying six hundred Philistines “with an ox goad [a sharp metal point on the end of a pole]” (3:31).

Closing thoughts:

In the chapters ahead, we will observe an emerging spiritual cycle in our study of the Book of Judges. In fact, what was true of Israel has been true of believers through the ages.  What is the cycle? It is that sin leads to servitude[enslavement], which leads to Sorrow, and sorrow moves the hearts of men to turn to the LORD for Salvation(3:11-19).

Sin…Servitude…Sorrow…Salvation: We are, as the songwriter penned, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it; Prone to leave the God I love.”

Where are you in that spiritual cycle?

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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I am looking for conservative Christian School Teachers who “Have it bad, but are praying for something good!”

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This is your invitation to do that and with our help! Hillsdale is a dedicated, conservative, and traditional ministry that is growing and looking for faithful Christian school teachers who might have it bad…and are praying for something better. Hillsdale Christian Academy is known in Tampa Bay for excellence.

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The Failure of Third Generation Leaders: They Tend to Lack the Convictions and Spiritual Fortitude of Their Fore-fathers (Judges 1; Judges 2)

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Scripture reading: Judges 1-2

The Book of Judges began with a statement indicating a leadership void that followed Joshua’s death. We read, “Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?” (Judges 1:1)

Though Israel possessed the land, they still faced enemies in their midst. So the LORD answered their inquiry, not with the name of a man, but with that of a tribe: “And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his [the tribe of Judah’s] hand” (1:2).

The Unity of the Tribes of Judah and Simeon (Judges 1:1-20)

Lacking the leadership of a man like Joshua, the LORD chose the men of Judah to be the first to wage battle in the post-Joshua era. Why Judah? Judah had the largest population of the twelve tribes and was the most powerful among them. Judah, the patriarch Jacob’s fourth-born son, had been blessed by his father (Genesis 49:8-12). His lineage bore the noble character from whom a line of kings would emerge, beginning with David and concluding with the LORD Jesus Christ, the lion of Judah (Matthew 1:1-3).

Judah accepted the challenge. Because the tribe of Simeon lived in their midst, Judah said to them, “Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot.” (1:3). The people of Simeon accepted Judah’s invitation, for their land was encircled by Judah’s territory (Joshua 19:1).

Amid victories, a repetition of failures emerged in Judges that haunted the people as a nation for generations. The tribes of Judah and Simeon fought against the Canaanites and the Perizzites, and God blessed them with victories over their enemies (Judges 1:2-20), but regrettably, they fell short of the LORD’s will. The LORD did not fail Judah; however, the tribe did not trust their God and “could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron” (1:19).

The Cowardice of the Other Tribes (Judges 1:21-36)

A pattern of failures to obey the command of the LORD and drive out Israel’s enemies continued throughout Judges 1. For example, the tribe of Benjamin failed (1:21), as did Manasseh (1:27-28). Also, Ephraim did not “drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer” (1:29). Zebulun failed to “drive out the inhabitants of Kitron” (1:30). Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of cities in their land (1:32). Naphtali failed (1:33), and “the Amorites forced the children [tribe] of Dan into the mountain” (1:34).

Judges 2 – A Third-Generation Crisis in Leadership

An Ominous Announcement of the Angel of the LORD (Judges 2:1-5)

Judges 2 began with an ominous declaration from “an angel of the LORD” (whom I believe was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ). Israel’s failure to drive the idol-worshiping nations out of Canaan breached their covenant with the LORD. He reminded them of His promise: “I will never break my covenant with you” (2:1). The people, however, had failed to drive the inhabitants out of the land and destroy their altars (2:2).

God warned, “I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you” (2:3). When the people heard what would befall them because of their sins, they “sacrificed there unto the LORD” (2:5). Nevertheless, the consequences of their sinful failures followed them.

The State of Israel During the Rule of the Judges (Judges 2:6-23)

Notice that the narrative in Judges 2 turns briefly to a reflection on the death of Joshua (2:6-10) and his influence on his generation and the one that followed. We read, “The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel” (2:7). When that generation passed, a third generation arose, and “did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim” (2:11). That generation “forsook the Lord God of their fathers…and followed other gods…and provoked the Lord to anger. 13And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth” (2:12-13).

Yet, the LORD did not altogether forsake Israel. On the contrary, he chose judges in Israel to call the people to return to the LORD, His Law, and Commandments (2:16). He would bless the judge of His people and deliver them “out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge” (2:18). Nevertheless, “when the judge was dead, [the people] returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers…[and] ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way” (2:19).

Closing thoughts:

On a personal note, I have witnessed the failings of transitional leadership throughout my years of ministry. A nation, organization, corporation, school, and church are never more vulnerable than in a time of leadership change. Judges 2 proved that the nation of Israel was no exception.

Why are third-generation organizations and ministries so vulnerable?

The reason can be summed up in an old adage: “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Israel’s third generation in the land had not experienced the sacrifices or the victories of the generations before them. They had grown comfortable and familiar with the heathen in their midst. Invariably, their parent’s failure to drive the wicked out of the land became a fatal attraction, and the third generations’ contempt for the ways, law, and commandments of the LORD invited God’s judgment (2:20-23).

Tragically, as I write today’s devotion, I recall several churches, Christian camps, Bible colleges, and organizations that have faltered and are failing to thrive under third-generation leaders.

Is your church or organization facing a third-generation transition? If so, be on guard! Leaders who dismiss the principles and precepts of their predecessors will inevitably lead others to their demise.

Questions to consider:

1) Why did Judah invite the tribe of Simeon to join them in the war against the Canaanites? (Judges 1:4)

2) What great city fell to Judah and was destroyed by fire? (Judges 1:8)

3) What connection did the Kenites have with Israel? (Judges 1:16)

4) Who failed to drive the Jebusites out of Jerusalem? (Judges 1:21)

5) In what had Israel failed? (Judges 2:1-2)

6) What generation failed to know the LORD? (Judges 2:7-10)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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Joshua’s Parting Challenge: Choose Whom You Will Serve! (Joshua 24)

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Scripture reading – Joshua 24

Our study of the Book of Joshua concludes with today’s Scripture reading. Beginning with the Book of Exodus, our devotions have followed Israel’s forty-year journey through the wilderness. Then, under Joshua’s leadership, we observed the record of Israel’s battles with the Canaanites who inhabited the land the LORD promised Abraham and his heirs (Genesis 12:1).

The Final Call (Joshua 24:1)

With the land conquered and divided among the tribes, Joshua gathered the children of Israel at Shechem (24:1) for a final challenge. Why Shechem? Shechem was where Abraham received the LORD’s promise that his lineage would inherit the land (Genesis 12:6-7).

The Final Challenge (Joshua 24:2-14)

In his final address and challenge to the people, Joshua rehearsed how the LORD had chosen Abraham (24:2-4), delivered Israel out of Egypt (24:5-7), and guided them through the wilderness (24:7-10). Next, he reminded the congregation that God had given them the land as He promised (24:11-13). Finally, he challenged them to revere and serve the LORD (24:14-28).

The Final Charge (Joshua 24:15)

Showing his passion for serving the LORD had not diminished in his old age, Joshua exhorted the nation: “If it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (24:15).

The Covenant Renewed (Joshua 24:16-25)

With one voice, Israel renewed its covenant with the LORD and said, “We will serve the LORD… The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.” (24:21, 24).

The Covenant Memorialized (Joshua 24:26-27) 

Joshua then memorialized the nation’s covenant with the LORD “and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak [and said to the people]…Behold, this stone shall be a witness [a memorial; a testament] unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God” (24:26-27).

The Conclusion (Joshua 24:28-33)

Three burials conclude our study of the Book of Joshua. First, having inscribed the people’s vow in stone, they then departed. Then, “after these things…Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 30And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in Mount Ephraim” (24:29-30). So Joshua, the last of his generation to depart Egypt, was dead.

A second burial fulfilled Joseph’s dying request (Genesis 50:25), and his bones were buried on the land purchased by his father Jacob (24:32).  Lastly, Eleazar, the high priest, the son of Aaron, died and was buried (24:33).

Closing thoughts:

Joshua’s challenge to Israel and his confession should stir our hearts to follow his example (24:15). As it was with Joshua, so it is with every believer. We must individually decide whether or not we will serve the LORD with our whole heart (24:14-24).

Choose this day whom you will serve!

Questions to ponder:

  • Why did Joshua gather “all the tribes of Israel” and rehearse the nation’s history and the providences of God? (Joshua 24:1-13)
  • After reflecting on all the LORD had done for Israel, how did Joshua challenge the people? (Joshua 24:14-15)
  • What did Joshua challenge the people to do if they sincerely desired to worship and serve the LORD? (Joshua 24:22-23)
  • How did Joshua memorialize Israel’s vow to the LORD? (Joshua 24:25-27)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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Joshua: A Model of Faith, Strength, and Courage (Joshua 22; Joshua 23)

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Scripture reading – Joshua 22-23

Proving humanity’s propensity is often war, and little peace, Israel’s victories over the nations that occupied Canaan, were followed by a misunderstanding that brought the nation to the brink of civil war (Joshua 22). 

Joshua 22

A Misunderstanding and a Threat of Civil War (Joshua 22:1-9)

With the battles over, and the nation secure, Joshua summoned the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh (22:1). Those tribes had chosen the land of Gilead, on the east side of the Jordan River (Numbers 32; Deuteronomy 3:12-20) as their inheritance. While their men went to war with their brethren, their families remained behind as they had promised Moses and Joshua (Joshua 1:12-18). With the nation at rest, and the land divided, the warriors of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were discharged and allowed to return to their families and lands on the east side of the Jordan (22:1-9).

Before their departure and acting as the shepherd leader of Israel, Joshua challenged the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to take “diligent [highly disciplined] heed [observe; keep; obey] to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave [abide in His presence] unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul” (22:5).

A Provocation of War (Joshua 22:10-20)

Crossing the Jordan, those tribes on the east side determined to memorialize their relationship with the LORD and Israel and built an altar as a testimony to the generations that would follow (22:10).

Some in Israel misunderstood the altar’s purpose and feared the tribes on the east side had departed from worshipping the LORD at His altar in Shiloh. With that assumption, some men of Israel determined to go “to war against them” (22:11-12). Fortunately, a delegation of leaders that included Phinehas, the high priest’s son, was sent to investigate and question the altar’s purpose (22:13-14).

The Investigation of the Delegation (Joshua 22:21-34)

The delegation learned that the altar was a monument, not a place of worship, as they feared. Instead, it was meant to serve as a lasting testimony of their relationship with the LORD and the tribes on the west side of the Jordan (22:21-29). Phinehas and the other men of the delegation accepted the explanation and made peace with Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh (22:30-34).

Joshua 23 – Joshua: “Old and Stricken in Age”

A Summons to Assemble (Joshua 23:1-2)

This chapter is the first of two final assemblies called by Joshua as he understood his life was numbered, not in years or months, but in days and hours. We are again reminded that Joshua was “waxed old and stricken in age” (23:1).

Joshua summoned the leaders of Israel and said, “I am old and stricken in age” (23:2). He reminisced about all the LORD had done for Israel. Finally, he reminded the people that the LORD drove the nations out of Canaan and gave them the land as He promised (23:3-4).

Like the great leader he was, Joshua foresaw the challenges Israel would face in the years after his death. His words heralded the passion of every godly leader who longs to see God’s people prosper and walk in the ways of the LORD.

Joshua reminded them how the LORD had fought for Israel and never forsook His people (23:4-10). He challenged them to be “very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left” (23:6).

Consequences Should Israel Disobey the LORD (Joshua 23:7-16)

He admonished the people to separate themselves from the heathen who continued to live in parts of the land (23:7). He promised, as the LORD had driven out greater nations than Israel, He would bless them and do the same if they would love, and obey His Law and Commandments (23:8-11).

Joshua warned: Should the people fail to love the LORD, keep His law, and separate themselves from the heathen and their ways, “the anger of the Lord [would] be kindled against [them],” and they would perish (23:16).

Closing thoughts:

What a tragedy and a challenge for us! The same God who longed to bless Israel if they would obey His commandments longs to bless us. Yet, His blessings are conditioned upon us loving and obeying Him.

Joshua 22:5 – 5But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Questions to ponder:

1) What tribes did Joshua discharge to return to their land? (Joshua 22:1-4)

2) What was Joshua’s final challenge to the tribes on the east side of the Jordan River? (Joshua 22:5)

3) What did the eastern tribes build to memorialize their relationship with the LORD and Israel? (Joshua 22:10)

4) Why did the other tribes threaten war against the eastern tribes? (Joshua 22:11-12)

5) How was the threat of war resolved? (Joshua 22:13-14)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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The Sanctity of Human Life (Joshua 20; Joshua 21)

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Scripture reading – Joshua 20-21

Joshua 20

The Law of the LORD Concerning Cities of Refuge (Joshua 20:1-3)

After the Twelve Tribes of Israel were allotted their lands (Joshua 14-19), the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the tribes and require them to appoint “cities of refuge… 3That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be [a] refuge from the avenger of blood” (20:2-3).

The Regulations and Cities Appointed for Refuge (Joshua 20:4-9)

The purpose of the cities of refuge has been discussed in earlier devotions. We are again reminded of the sanctity of human life (Genesis 9:4-6; Exodus 20:13) and the principle of capital punishment established by the LORD in Genesis 9:5-6. The cities of refuge afforded a safe place for those who had unintentionally taken the life of another (20:3-4). Those cities provided a place where a man’s case could be judged by the city’s elders and his life protected from those who felt compelled to avenge the death of a loved one (20:5).

Joshua 21

Cities Designated for the Tribe of Levi (Joshua 21:1-42)

Having divided the land among the Twelve Tribes, the priestly tribe of Levi requested the cities they had been promised for their inheritance (Joshua 21:1-3).  Each tribe was to give cities, and their surrounding lands, wherein the Levites would dwell (21:4-42). Forty-eight cities were given to the tribe of Levi and assigned by family (21:41).

Joshua 21 concluded with three affirmations of the LORD. (Joshua 21:43-45)

The LORD had given Israel the land He promised their forefathers (Genesis 12:7; 15:18; Joshua 1:3-4). He had given Israel victory over her enemies (21:44; Deuteronomy 12:9-10). Finally, He had not failed to fulfill “any good thing” of all that He “had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass” (21:45).

Closing thoughts:

The Sanctity of Human Life and Capital Punishment

Some people oppose capital punishment and argue that it is an inhumane act of barbarity. The opposite is true! Because man was created in the image of God and is an eternal soul (Genesis 9:6), his life is sacred in the eyes of his Creator. Therefore, willfully taking the life of another, a life God deems sacred, demands the ultimate act of justice…the forfeiture of one’s own life (Genesis 9:5-6; Exodus 20:13).

Did you know the Word of God upholds the sanctity of life in a mother’s womb?

Exodus 21:22 gives an example of where two men were fighting. The result was an expecting mother was injured, and her baby was born prematurely. The law demanded, should the mother and her child live, the judgment was there was “no mischief,” and the man who injured her would need only pay a fine. However, should the mother or her infant die, the judgment was “life for life” (21:23).

Imagine God’s judgment upon abortionists who routinely kill the unborn!

Questions to consider:

1) What purpose did the cities of refuge serve? (Joshua 20:1-3)

2) Who judged those who sought sanctuary in a city of refuge? (Joshua 20:4)

3) How long would a “slayer” have to abide in a city of refuge? (Joshua 20:6)

4) What did the leaders of the tribe of Levi request? (Joshua 21:1-2)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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Joshua: A Place to Call Home (Joshua 19)

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Scripture reading – Joshua 19

The narrative concerning the division of the land the LORD promised Israel for an inheritance continues in Joshua 19. Here we read the record of the lands assigned to the remaining six tribes that received their territory by lot: Simeon (19:1-9), Zebulun (19:10-16), Issachar (19:17-23), Asher (19:24-31), Naphtali (19:32-39), and Dan (19:40-48).

The names of the borders and cities in this chapter are too numerous to list, so we will only consider a few details found in Joshua 19 that we should note. First, unlike the other tribes, the tribe of Simeon did not receive a distinct territory but instead discovered its lands “within the inheritance of the children of Judah” (19:1b).

Why was the tribe of Simeon not blessed with a territory of their own in Canaan?

The immediate explanation as “the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore, the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them” (19:9). However, there was a prophetic significance to the assignment of Simeon’s land, within Judah, and it was found in Jacob’s dying words. On his deathbed, Jacob remembered that Simeon and Levi had sinned and disgraced Israel.

Generational Consequences of Sin (Genesis 34)

Do you remember that Simeon and Levi had avenged the honor of their sister Dinah after she was raped by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite (Genesis 34:1-2)? When Simeon and Levi heard their sister was violated (Genesis 34:5-7), they set their hearts for revenge. They determined to deceive Shechem, his father, and their people into accepting circumcision under the guise of an accord between their families (Genesis 34:13-24).

On the third day of the circumcision, Simeon and Levi attacked and slew Shechem, Hamor, and the men of the city (Genesis 34:25-30). At that time, Jacob rebuked Simeon and Levi and said, “Ye have troubled me” (Genesis 34:30). Many years later, as he was dying, Jacob remembered the cruelty of Simeon and Levi (Genesis 49:5-6) and cursed them, saying, “Cursed be their [Simeon and Levi’s] anger, for it was fierce; And their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, And scatter them in Israel” (Genesis 49:7).

“Divide and scatter” was Jacob’s prophetic curse, and it was fulfilled when the tribe of Levi did not receive land as an inheritance in Canaan. So also, the tribe of Simeon would be amid Judah and without a distinct tribal territory.

Joshua 19 concluded with the LORD commanding Israel to give Joshua an inheritance (19:49).

Like the servant leader he was, Joshua had served the needs of all the others and ensured each tribe had its inheritance. Now, “according to the word of the Lord, they gave [Joshua] the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein” (19:50).

Why did Joshua choose to build a city on Mount Ephraim?

First, Joshua was a son of the tribe of Ephraim. However, the principal reason for his choice was, in my opinion, that the Tabernacle was located at Shiloh, a city of Ephraim. I believe Joshua was content to live out his days near the LORD’s sanctuary, the symbol of God’s presence amid Israel.

Closing thoughts:

What about you? Are you content in the LORD? Is worshipping and serving Him a priority for your life and family? It was for Joshua!

Questions to ponder:

1) Within what tribe’s territory was the tribe of Simeon assimilated? (19:1)

2) What did the tribe of Dan do when it realized its land was “too little for them?” (19:47)

3) With the lands divided among the tribes, how did Israel honor Joshua? (19:49)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

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Trust and Obey, For There’s No Other Way! (Joshua 17; Joshua 18)

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Scripture reading – Joshua 17-18

The tribe of Judah was assigned its inheritance in Canaan in Joshua 15 and was followed by the tribe of Ephraim, which received its land by lot in Joshua 16. Dividing and assigning the land in Canaan continued in today’s Scripture.

Joshua 17

The Half-tribe of Manasseh and Its Portion (Joshua 17:1-6)

The land boundaries assigned to the tribe of Manasseh were recorded in Joshua 17. The tribe of Manasseh, who was the firstborn son of Joseph, received a double portion inheritance. Also, remember that half of the tribe of Manasseh had already been granted land in Gilead, on the east side of the Jordan River (17:5).

We are also reminded of an uncommon appeal for an inheritance made to Moses by the five daughters of Zelophehad, whose father had no male heir (17:3-6; Numbers 27:2-11). Zelophehad’s daughters had approached Joshua and Eleazar, the high priest, and desired a portion of the land would be granted to them as their father’s heirs (17:4). When the matter was brought before the Lord, He graciously granted their request.

Manasseh’s Failure and Cowardice (Joshua 17:7-18)

Noting Manasseh’s lands on the west side of the Jordan River (17:7-11), once again, we see a failure to obey God’s command and drive the heathen nations out of the land (17:12). We read, “The children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land” (17:12).

Now the leaders of Ephraim and Manasseh came to Joshua and demanded more land for their people. They complained, “Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?” (17:14)

Joshua’s response was noteworthy, for he challenged their cowardice. He declared the problem was not the need for more land. Instead, they had failed to drive the Canaanites out and claim the land the LORD had promised as their inheritance (17:15).

The “children of Joseph” (the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh) excused their failure. They complained that the Canaanites had “chariots of iron” (meaning chariots enforced with iron, 17:16). In response, Joshua challenged those tribes to finish taking the mountain. He urged them, “Thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong” (17:18).

Joshua 18

The Tabernacle Erected at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1)

The Tabernacle was erected at Shiloh, the place that would become the central place of worship and sacrifices in Israel, throughout the era of the Judges, following Joshua’s death (18:1-2).

Seven Tribes Had Failed to Claim Their Land (Joshua 18:2-7)

The narrative concerning the land division among the twelve tribes of Israel continued in Joshua 18. The Scriptures revealed that seven tribes of Israel had failed to demand and claim their inheritance (18:1-3).

Joshua rebuked those tribes and said, “How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?” (18:3) The cause for their failure was not identified. Still, we can suppose their lack of zeal and passion for claiming their inheritance might be related to either cowardice or contentment with the nomad life they had followed for nearly a half-century.

Allocation and Distribution of Land by Lot (Joshua 18:8-10)

Joshua then devised a new plan for dividing the remaining territories among the seven tribes (18:4-28). First, he commanded each tribe to choose three men, twenty-one total, who would map out the land and divide it into seven portions (18:4-6). The men did as Joshua commanded, and when they returned, lots were cast to determine the portion of the lands that would be assigned to each tribe (18:8-10).

The Inheritance of the Tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:11-28)

You will notice that the balance of Joshua 18 verified the boundaries for the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin. Recorded were the northern (18:12-13), western (18:14), southern (18:15-19), and eastern boundaries (18:20). The chapter concluded with the cities of Benjamin being named (18:21-28).

Closing thoughts:

A growing list of disappointments is seen as the tribes of Israel failed to trust God, obey His commands, and claim their inheritance. For example, the tribe of Judah failed to drive out the Jebusites, who continued to inhabit Jerusalem until the time of David (15:63). We also read that the tribe of Ephraim “drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer” (16:10). The same malady was stated of Manasseh, for the Scripture says, they “could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land” (17:12-13).

While Ephraim and Manasseh boasted they were a “great people” (17:14), they complained they had not been given enough land. So Joshua challenged them to go to war against the “Perizzites” and the “giants” in the land and claim the land for their children (17:15). Sadly, instead of trusting God’s promises and rising to the challenge, the “children of Joseph,” protested that the enemy was great (17:16-18).

We have seen that the tribes of Israel failed to trust God and claim their rightful inheritance. Yet, I wonder how many of God’s blessings we miss because we fail to trust Him, obey His Word, and claim His promises.

Questions to ponder:

1) In what did the tribe of Manasseh fail? (Joshua 17:12)

2) What was Ephraim and Manasseh’s complaint? (Joshua 17:16)

3) Where did Israel set up the Tabernacle to worship the LORD? (Joshua 18:1)

4) What had seven of the tribes failed to do? (Joshua 18:2-3)

5) What tribe did not receive land for their inheritance? (Joshua 18:7)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

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