The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-10-25

BY Rev. J. E. Gilbert, u. u, Secretary oi
~~>-~~>A-~~~~
CONTEXT.-After the downfall Of Jeri-
cho. the Islaeiites met a serious reverse.
Three thousand men sent against Al, q
small city to the northwest. were re-
pulsed and put to fight. Joshua.in great
distress. inquired of the Lord the cause
Of the defeat and learned that there was
sin in the camp. gtDeut. xviii: 25) Search
was instituted for the offender. ana
Achan was found and punished (Josh..
VII: 25.l a second and larger expedition
against Al was successful. and much
spoil was taken and distributed among
the people. According to Ebal, Joshua
erected an altar and wrote the law on
stones, according to the directions or
Moses. Deut xvii and NNviii) Moved
by fear. the Gibeonites era thy secured
a treaty of peace, but on exposure they
were condemned to perpetual boudase.
GOSH, ix:27) Hearing of this alliance,
five kings made a combined attack on
Gideon, but Joshua came to Gibson's
help and gained a splendid victory.
Josh, x:14.9 A vigorous campaign fol-
lowed extending through several years,
in which thrty-one kings were conquered
GOSH, xiii: pa, and the military power
of the country was broken
DIVISION-Thus far the tribes. al
though recognized as distinct. had been
held together in one body. 1t was the
purpose of God. however, to separate
them, and assign each tribe to definite
territory. b (Acts, xvii: 26) To that end
Moses had given instructions. (Numb..
xxxvii: 1923 The time had now come
when division might be made. Inc
fighting men of the two and half
tribes that received inheritance on the
east of Jordan Numb, xxxiv:l 10, had
left their families and their substance,
and had accompanied their brethren to
the conquest OF the western portion al
ter seven years of war, the end being
attained, they ought to be allowed to re-
turn. Besides Joshua was old and we'll
stricken in years, scarcely able to endure
the further fatigues Of military life Nor
was it longer necessary to impose such
burdens upon him. The parts Of the coun-
try unsubdued (Josh., xiii might be
taken by the tribes separately. But the
task Of fixing the boundaries might be
done by him. as the last work CT his
useful life. Having travelled over it as
a spy Numb. xiiD and marched over
It as soldier, he was eminent!y quail
fed So Israel returned to Gilgal and
the partition proceeded GOSH. xiv:2)
ORDER--The sons of Jacob and the
tribes that descended from them are
mentioned in several different orders
IL,
and XXX; second, as recipients of their
fathers blessing Gen. :. k: 3-2O. third.
in the assignment to pace in camp
(Numb, ii: SGD; fourth, in their
march through the wilderness tNumb,.
killed.; and in still another order
in their settlement in Canaan In every
instance after the first Judah is made
most conspicuous. Jacob plainly assigned
to his fourth son a mission superior to
h -sI rs,~ f,y.aJ, CSar, S-1S y
declaring that the sceptre should not de-.
part from judah until ShlCh came This
aIlusion was understood in Jewish his
tory as referring to Messiah Judah was
made the central tribe. Hence the honor
conferred upon it in camp, in march, III
war; Judah's standard being always In
the front. So now, in the division OF the
land, Judah receives the first portion On
the west of the Jordan. This indicates
the Divine purpose to plant this tribe
in the very heart Of the nation, to be
nurtured with special reference to the
child of promise. CMicah, y:2)
REQUEST.-When the tribe OF judah
appeared before Joshua, the Oldest man
in the tribe advanced to make SPECIAL
personal request. The heads OF the CtRer
families not only allowed him piece
dence, but united in urging his plea, an
evidence of their esteem It was Calso.
who had reached the advanced aga Oh
eighty-five years. He came to ask tAas
he should receive inheritance in the land
before all others, strange request m
deed The portion he desired was NOT
some beautiful and fertile valley near. oy.
from which in the recent wars tue eils
miss had been expelled, q place "nefe an
old man might find repose. out ne Sc
slected rather mountainous region IN
tie south, inhaoited by the s,naklms.
who had not yet been conquered, race
of giants. who, nearsy ma Id eSHItly
before CNumb, Kill: 3) had caused the
representa- tives of ten tribes to quake
with fear In asking for that land as
HE own. possibly the veteran Caleb de-
sired what no other would have accepted,
bn+ what IL Obtained. would prove a
great blessing.
rAITHFUL-What prompted this re-
oneet of an old man? Caleb gave his rea-
sons The first of these was the plea of
f,ithfuIness in God. He called attention
to the fact that when the spies who went
DIT from Kadesh 3arnea returned to Mo-
SIS with evil tidings. he wholly followed
Tue Lord He was not influenced by their
fears. He did not join In their words of
di,coura cement He stood UP in the pres
encc OF Israel plumbers, xiii: S0) and
DECLARED that, with the help OF the Lord,
they were able to go UP and possess the
land That was a precious memory to an
old man. Looking backward over the In
tervening years, recalling the disasters
consequent upon the unbelief Of men who.
were dead aud gone. rejecting upon the
DELAY in the execution OF the Lords
rian. and considering that ne stood In
the midst OF new generation to witness
th.: triumph OF the later years and realize
the hopes long deferred. It was not sur
Il