Josue 23-24: Joshua's Plea

I have finished the Book of Josue.  It took me a long three years to do it, but it is done.  My reading of Scripture started slowing down with Numbers and Deuteronomy due to the adoption of our son Nathaniel at that time.  I had hoped as he got older it would be easier to find time to read Scripture and reflect.  But life only got busier.  And then last year we adopted our daughter Lucy Penelope.  And I've come to realize that I can't wait for life to just grant me more time to read and reflect on the Word -- I've got to make that time!  Life will never stop being "busy," but time is ours to prioritize, and with this I need to do a better job.  So I crawled my way through Josue at a snail's pace, but this last week I've picked up the pace and I hope to continue this trend as I begin the Book of Judges.  Slowly and steadily, Lord willing, I'll persevere, and accomplish my goal of not just reading the Bible front to back, but reflecting on its every word and trying to discover as many layers of meaning as possible.

The last chapters of Josue are similar to the ending of Deuteronomy, in which we see a Moses at the end of his life give one last plea to his people to follow the One True God with total fidelity.  Joshua likewise is nearing his death and thus gathers together all the Israelites and pleads with them to not fall into old ways of sin and idolatry, but to remain faithful to God Who has granted them so much.  I was really moved by a couple of verses in particular.  Josue 24:13 reads "And [God] gave you a land, in which you had not labored, and cities to dwell in, which you built not, vineyards and olive-yards, which you planted not."  I see this as such a powerful reminder for us to always be humble.  Especially today we are almost encouraged to be proud of our accomplishments, to own them, to be strengthened by what we ourselves have done.  But are they truly our accomplishments alone?  And even if they are, we live in a world given to us, surrounded by opportunities that come from somewhere else.  If we have faith, we know God provides, and we know where to always place our thanks.  We know also that if we live faithfully, we have a place waiting for us that was not built by us but will regardless be freely given to us by a loving God.  The Promised Land was freely given to the Jews, though they didn't labor on it, build its cities, or plant its vineyards.  Heaven will be given to us in the same manner if we remain loyal and humble.

Another verse, Josue 24:15 reads "But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice: choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve..."  This is an amazing example of the existence of free will.  Joshua pleads with his people to remain faithful to the One God, but also adds that it is ultimately their choice.  They cannot be forced to follow God.  If they were, their loyalty would be meaningless.  Ultimately, the choice is always ours.  We choose heaven or hell, it isn't chosen for us.  Humility helps in this regard, as it's harder to choose a life of faithful devotion to God when we are so in love with our own strength and accomplishments.

The last thing I'll mention as I wrap up Josue, is the figure himself.  Joshua obviously holds a very esteemed place in the Bible.  He is the leader of the Israelites at that significant moment of transition from a wandering people to a people established in their Promised home.  He, through the grace of God, performs wonders and helps to destroy the pagan societies that were living in the Promised Land.  He shares the name of Jesus, and prefigures Him in so many ways as Jesus Christ is the One Who will break open the gates of heaven so that we may all have access to the eternal Promised Land.  It is even theorized by some that Joshua may have been the inspiration behind the mythological figure of Hercules, at least his most ancient forms as seen in Egypt and Tyre.  In the end, finishing the Book of Josue feels monumental in that the Israelites are now firmly established in their home, and now the history begins of the land of Israel and its people and the dramatic events that will occur over the next millennia. 

Josue 22 - Understanding One Another

"And when they were come to the banks of the Jordan, in the land of Chanaan, they built an altar immensely great near the Jordan." (Josue 22:10)

So goes the verse at the center of the controversy found in Josue 22.  Ruben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasses have returned to their homeland on the east side of the Jordan, which is technically outside of the Promised Land.  In a lot of ways their sacrifice in helping to rid the land of the pagans was the greatest since it wasn't even their proper land they were defending, but instead it was the idea, or the Covenant with God, they were defending.  After the battles ended, they were allowed to return to their true homes, which happen to be, as divinely decreed, outside the bounds of the Promised Land.  It therefore seems reasonable that they would feel a bit isolated, separated from their brethren, who enjoyed now the land promised to them, a land flowing with milk and honey.  So they erected a large altar so they could still feel a part of the holy religion that united the Israelites.  This of course triggers worry and anger among the "west siders," as they see it as their east side brethren falling back into idolatry.  To the Israelites living in the Promised Land, it was probably a legitimate concern that the tribes of Ruben, Gad, and Manasses would fall prey to the pagan world to which they lived closer.  All of these things added up to a giant misunderstanding, which leads to the lesson that can really be learned in this chapter.  Instead of acting on their suspicions and attacking their east side brethren, the other tribes send Phinees (the zealous priest we met before in Numbers) along with a coalition of representatives, to peacefully talk with the east side tribes, to try to understand their reasoning for building the great altar.  Through discussion they realize that the tribes of Ruben, Gad, and Manasses have not reverted to paganism but have simply built the altar to remind themselves to always stay loyal to the One True God and also as a reminder that they are connected to the other tribes who live west of the Jordan.  All parties leave with an understanding of one another and with much love and respect.  It shows what can be achieved when we make an effort to see where someone is coming from.  Their reasons may surprise us, and we might often see our anger and suspicions are unjustified.

Josue 21 - Providential Proportion

Josue 21 concerns the Levites and where they are to be established in Israel.  It brought me back to the Books of Exodus and Leviticus, which were rife with parallels between the Levitical priesthood and that of the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ.  Those books left no doubt in my mind that the Levitical priesthood was a symbolic precursor to the modern day Christian priesthood.  And reading Josue 21 reminded me of all of those parallels which were so fascinating to discover.  The Levites, being set apart from their brethren, are given select cities and suburbs scattered among the tribes all over the Promised Land, rather than a specific bordered region.  This makes sense on many levels.  Being the privileged group in charge of administering the proper sacrifices and overseeing all the rites and rituals of the Jewish religion, the Levites must be accessible to all the Israelites.  Proportionally it makes sense as well, since the majority of the people (busy working the land, providing food, forming families and populating the land) attend the sacrifice or are in need of a priest to perform any number of rites, rather than the other way around.  So it is today.  The Christian priesthood is evenly distributed among the peoples of the world to provide the administration of the Sacraments, while the majority of Christians (busy with jobs and raising families) attend the rites or look to the priesthood to attend to their specific religious needs.  One priest can fulfill the needs of a Christian community of 1,000.  God's Providence knows all this and divides His people accordingly, then and now.  Seeing the Jewish Kingdom forming here in these chapters of Josue is quite illuminating.  The division of the land, the cities, where each tribe will dwell, and now to see the priesthood distributed throughout the land so the people may worship properly and give thanks for their blessings -- all of these things are falling each into its right place, and it's fascinating to behold.  The necessity of the priesthood is highlighted in Josue 21, and reminds me of its utter necessity today. 

Josue 20 - "Revenge Is Mine"

The brief 20th chapter of Josue begins the establishment of the Levitical sanctuaries, which were to be places scattered throughout the Promised Land to provide refuge for the afflicted.  It is yet another sign of God's mercy that such a law was even considered and implemented.  In the midst of the Old Testament, to which many assign labels of oppression, anger, and apocalyptic justice, is a moment of sympathy.  Josue 20 is a statement against revenge.  The Old Law may have indeed been harsher than what we today are accustomed to, but it never gave free license for a man to take justice into his own hands.  It is a human weakness to crave revenge.  Evening the score is even seen as honorable and good in many cultures (even ours today).  And the ancient Israelites were particularly prone to falling into sins of revenge.  But this was never condoned, and it is just one more example of a people ignoring their own laws to follow their own fallen hearts.  (The account of Dina in Genesis 34 provides a good example of what God really thinks of those who act on anger in seeking revenge).  In Josue 20 it is stated that a man who is guilty of manslaughter may present himself at the gate of a sanctuary city.  There he will be safe from the wrathful vengeance of those seeking to get back at the man.  An organized trial will follow, as is fair, but in the mean time God has made it clear we are to not act out of spontaneous anger.  Sanctuary cities allow all parties to cool off and a trial to commence, where a more reasonable outcome can come about.  The wandering Israelites, now firmly established in the Promised Land, are planting the seeds of a civilized society.  Laws of mercy and justice, God's Laws, are taking shape.  The kingdom begins. 

Josue 14-19: Cities!

"Carmel by the sea" (Josue 19:26), "Cariath Arbe, the father of Enac, which is Hebron" (Josue 15:13), "the strong city of Tyre" (Josue 19:29), "Sela, Eleph, and Jebus, which is Jerusalem" (Josue 18:28).

This is the dividing of the land among the tribes of Israel.  Chapters 14 through 19 of Josue are more catalogical than anything.  An almost innumerable amount of cities are mentioned by name, all of which now belong to the Israelites (though it's well documented in this book that many Canaanites remained in small pockets here and there).  Each tribe's borders are described in detail, with mention of not only cities but geographical details such as rivers and mountains and anything else that could demarcate a border.  In Chapter 19, Joshua himself is finally given his own plot of land, "Thamnath Saraa in Mount Ephraim" (Josue 19:50), which, according to some, was a barren land, thus demonstrating Joshua's humility and self-sacrifice, attributes of Our Lord Jesus Christ whom Joshua pre-figures.  Josue 14-19 is light on narrative, but historically it's quite fascinating.  Of the multitude of cities listed now occupied by the Israelites, I recognized only a handful (not being an expert in Levantine geography).  But those I did recognize all have storied histories.  Jerusalem, of course, being the supreme example.  Mention of Jerusalem goes all the way back to Abraham and the Book of Genesis, but here in Josue it is interestingly referred to once as "Jebus."  It is stated that it was inhabited by the Jebusites (hence the name) and that they remained in the city even after Joshua's conquest, until David ran them out.  And there is Hebron, the also famous city of the Holy Land, given over to Caleb for his faithfulness.  And Carmel and Tyre.  Carmel first came to my attention because of the Carmelites, the religious order famous for giving the world the brown scapular, by way of St. Simon Stock.  And Our Lady of Mount Carmel, who my own mother is named after.  And another "Carmel-by-the-Sea," a coastal town in my home state of California.  But of course these are all things that came much later.  To see the name Carmel in a list of ancient Canaanite cities, written in the ancient Book of Josue, struck me as profound.  It speaks to the depth of history and its continuity and connection to us today.  Likewise, seeing the name Tyre in the same chapter, I was instantly met with visions of the Crusades, of medieval soldiers entering the Mediterranean seaport, of Jesus Christ walking about the town and curing the "woman of Chanaan" (Matthew 15:22).  These cities are known so well in modern times and in recent history, but they are so much older than that, almost as old as the hills.  The Israelites are, in the Book of Josue, establishing themselves in their Promised Land, but they are moving into cities that are already at that time quite old.  And many of these towns will make a big historical impact in the years to come.  In the time of Christ.  And beyond.    

Josue 12-13: Unfinished Business

Things have obviously slowed to a crawl.  It's been over ten months since I've posted, and before that it was even longer.  It's definitely been a challenge to find time to devote to the Word, and the challenge has been made greater these last few months.  In October last year my wife and I welcomed home our daughter, Lucy Penelope, who we are now in the process of adopting.  With now two little ones occupying my time, it seems no hours are left for scriptural study.  Of course I know time must be made, and where there's a will there's a way.  So it's time to give it my best shot.  I've taken far too long to work my way through Josue, but hopefully I'll now rediscover my motivation and continue my journey.  Giving up altogether is not an option.

When last I left off, the Israelites were making progress subduing the land of Chanaan for God.  Chapter 12 is a sort of catalog of the places occupied by the Israelites and the kings they slew in the process.  For that reason there wasn't much to comment on (other than the remarkableness of the Israelites' accomplishments in so short a time).  In Chapter 13, however, there is an interesting mention of some communities that somehow escaped the destruction of their neighbor pagan cities.  Josue 13:13 reads, "And the children of Israel would not destroy Gessuri and Machati: and they have dwelt in the midst of Israel, until this present day."  There are a couple of ways to read this.  On the one hand, looking at the Israelites' journey as also a symbolic one, we can see that, at least in this life, sin can never be wholly eliminated.  Had the Israelites wiped out every pagan community, the Promised Land would not have possessed a means whereby the people's fidelity could be tested.  It would have been a utopia, a land virtually free of the harmful effects of sin.  In short, it wouldn't have represented well our fallen world, the one we still live in.  If God wanted the Israelites' plight to provide a model for us, it makes sense that sin and temptation would continue to exist.  On the other hand, these pagan places might have escaped destruction simply because the Israelites disobeyed God by not destroying all the people.  That is what they were instructed to do and they may have felt that they did a good enough job and saw no big deal in leaving a couple of communities untouched.  This was a disobedient decision and it did indeed end up costing them as many Israelites were tempted back into pagan ways by means of these pockets of paganism.  The Israelites are us and we are the Israelites.  We'll never conquer sin completely in this life, but must do our best to try.  And God allows sin and evil and temptation to exist that we may love Him, that a measure may exist that our love might be known.  How much greater must the loyal Israelites have appeared in God's eyes as they worshiped rightly and obeyed His commands while next door pagans were adoring false idols and offending God's natural laws?  We "walk in the midst of the shadow of death" (Psalm 22:4) wherein we need God's help and prayer exists.  Would we need such help, would we need to pray, in a world bright like heaven, a sinless paradise?

Josue 11 - Justice For All

Josue 11 continues the action begun five chapters earlier with the fall of Jericho.  The destruction of Canaan is, by this point, virtually complete.  Joshua defeats powerful pagan kings of the north, and the land, aside from isolated spots here and there, is subdued.  The way is cleared, the takeover fulfilled.  God's land is about to be occupied by His chosen ones.  But of course, the takeover was not a peaceful one.  Such is the way when battling sin.  A purgation was necessary.  The pagan lands of Canaan and its surrounding kingdoms were infused with a sinfulness that went back countless generations.  The Law carried by the Israelites into the Promised Land was a threat to the Canaanites, an affront to their way of life.  A battle was inevitable.  When sin is confronted with holiness, the former does not surrender peacefully. 

God's Justice was due.  Yet, when modern man considers the destruction of Canaan, all he sees is a people innocently minding their own business, ruthlessly destroyed by the Israelites.  Steven Schultz, a professor of history and theology, says, "the 'new' teaching seems to not understand punishment as a natural consequence of justice, instead somehow seeing all punishment as 'cruel.'"  It might be easy to think the Canaanites were innocent, but this fails to consider the true qualities of Natural Law.  Saint Leonard of Port Maurice said, "the most ancient belief is the Law of God, and that we all bear it written in our hearts; that it can be learned without any teacher, and that it suffices to have the light of reason in order to know all the precepts of that Law.  That is why even the barbarians hid when they committed sin, because they knew they were doing wrong; and they are damned for not having observed the natural law written in their heart: for had they observed it, God would have made a miracle rather than let them be damned."  The indecent practices of the pagans were in violation of God's natural law, and it was God's Divine Justice that was needed to set things right.  Saint Leonard also says, "out of all the attributes of God, none is less known than His justice, because men refuse to believe what they are afraid to undergo."  It is quite fearful indeed to consider God's mighty Justice.  It is a Justice ready for all of us, not just the ancient pagans.  We praise God's Mercy, because we are all in need of it, but we shrink from the acknowledgement of an equally praiseworthy Justice, because we are all aware we probably deserve it.  And so the Canaanites experienced God's Justice.  And Joshua was God's instrument to administer It.  The destruction was great.  For a small nomadic band of people to enter an established kingdom and lay waste to it is something that defies logical explanation.  It is clear a Divine punishment was behind such an incredible feat.

One other thing deserving of a brief mention in Josue 11 is found in verse 15:  "As the Lord commanded Moses, his servant, so did Moses command Josue, and he accomplished all."  It's a passing verse, and the message it conveys is found in plenty of other places in Scripture, but it's important nonetheless.  It is clear that when God establishes a covenant, He expects that covenant to live on through a succession of people.  He told Moses much and instructed him on many things, but He certainly didn't expect all that He said to be forgotten with Moses's death!  It was clear that an important covenant was established and meant to endure for generations to come.  And so Moses passed on all he was told to Joshua, who "held the torch" for a while before likewise passing it on.  And so it is with the New Covenant established by Jesus Christ.  Much was told to Peter and the Apostles, and it was expected they would pass on this knowledge to their successors who would continue the traditions established by Christ Himself.  Apostolic Succession, which includes the Papal Succession started by St. Peter, is nothing new.  We see it in the Old Testament.  It is how God makes sure His Word comes to all people, on into perpetuity.