Daily Lesson for Sunday 14th of December 2025
In Joshua 21:43-45, what picture does the book paint of God? How do these words apply not only to the historical Promised Land but also to the reality of our salvation (2 Timothy 2:11-13)?
These verses constitute the climax of the book and its theological summary. They highlight one of the major themes of the whole book: the covenant faithfulness of Yahweh, who keeps His promises and fulfills His oaths. This short section also summarizes the entire content of the book so far. Joshua 21:43 speaks of the allocation and settlement of the land (Joshua 13:1-33; Joshua 14:1-15; Joshua 15:1-63; Joshua 16:1-10; Joshua 17:1-18; Joshua 18:1-28; Joshua 19:1-51; Joshua 20:1-9; Joshua 21:1-45), while Joshua 21:44 refers to victories won over the enemies and control gained over the land (Joshua 1:1-18; Joshua 2:1-24; Joshua 3:1-17; Joshua 4:1-24; Joshua 5:1-15; Joshua 6:1-27; Joshua 7:1-26; Joshua 8:1-35; Joshua 9:1-27; Joshua 10:1-43; Joshua 11:1-23; Joshua 12:1-24). All this retrospective is viewed through the prism of God’s faithfulness. The Israelites must always remember that they can never claim the victories over their enemies or the land as their inheritance—except through God’s loyalty to His given word.
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He gave “all the land” (Joshua 21:43, NKJV, emphasis supplied), delivered “all their enemies into their hand” (Joshua 21:44, NKJV, emphasis supplied), and according to “all that He had sworn” (Joshua 21:44, NKJV, emphasis supplied), “all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45, NKJV, emphasis supplied). The repeated use of the word kol, “all,” six times in three verses (Joshua 21:43-45), emphasizes once again the truth that the land is the gift of Yahweh, and Israel can take no credit for receiving it. It was the Lord who swore to “give” the land and who “had given” their enemies into their hands.
All Israel’s success has to be attributed solely to God’s divine initiative and trustworthiness. This is equally true concerning our salvation: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV).
Indeed, emphasizing God’s faithfulness, Paul also wrote: “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:11-13, ESV).
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How does God’s faithfulness in keeping His promises give us confidence that none of His promises for the future will fail? (See 1 Corinthians 10:13 and 2 Corinthians 1:18-20.) |
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