[A Meditation on One Verse]

(Joshua 19:51) “These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the LORD at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.”

“And so they finished dividing the land.” This short declaration contains centuries of history: the endless falling of Israel and the relentless raising up by a God who never gave up on them. This entire history culminates in the fulfillment of God’s promise at the entrance to the tent of meeting in Shiloh, in the presence of the LORD.

Amazingly, the Bible records this “finishing” of the land distribution with the same Hebrew word used in Genesis when God “finished” His creation and rested.

“for on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.” (Genesis 2:3)

In other words, through the land where Israel would dwell, God brought about a ‘new creation’ of rest for them. Therefore, rest means more than just the end of war or the possession of land. Rest is the house of God; it means dwelling ‘in God Himself.’

God makes our lives the stage for fulfilling His promises, and finally, declaring “It is finished,” He embraces us into His rest. Therefore, the declaration “they finished dividing the land” is a beautiful invitation from God to now begin a ‘life of worship’ within that completed grace—a life of delighting and rejoicing in Him.

[Prayer]

“Lord, a new day in which Your promise is fulfilled has dawned. Help me to lay down the busyness of trying to achieve things in my own strength, and let this ‘today’ be one of enjoying joy and gratitude within the rest You have already completed.”
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(Daily Reading)

Joshua 19:10-51