Choosing Your Lot in Life. (Joshua 13: 1-33)

Welcome to - Choosing Your Lot in Life (Joshua 13:1-33)

Welcome to today’s episode! We dive into the freedom and responsibility of choosing our lot in life—both in the ancient context of Israel’s land division and in our modern-day decisions about where we live, work, and who we spend time with.

Episode Notes

• Biblical Context:
  Joshua 13 records the division of the Promised Land among the tribes of Israel. Notice how, while most tribes trusted God’s allocation, two and a half tribes chose a path based on their own preferences. Their decision to settle east of the Jordan had lasting consequences, reminding us that our choices matter.
• Modern Application:
  Today, we enjoy the privilege of choosing where to live, our careers, and relationships. However, with that freedom comes the risk of making decisions without seeking God’s guidance—just as the two and a half tribes did.
• Key Takeaways:
  • Evaluate Your Choices: Reflect on whether your decisions are guided by what looks good or by God’s will.
  • Seek Divine Direction: Remember Proverbs 3:5-6—acknowledge the Lord in all your ways, and He will direct your paths.
  • Long-Term Impact: Our choices affect not only us but also those around us. Prioritize decisions that build an eternal legacy.
• Scripture References:
  • Joshua 13:1-33
  • Numbers 32:7
  • James 4:13-15
  • Proverbs 3:5-6

Thank you for joining us as we explore how the choices we make today shape our future and testify to God’s enduring guidance. Enjoy the episode!

Transcript

Choosing Your Lot in Life. (Joshua 13:1-33)

Transcript: 

Have you ever stopped to think about all the different places you could live? In many ways, most of us have the freedom to choose our lot in life. 

You could settle in a country or agricultural area. You might prefer the mountains, where you walk and enjoy the scenery, but you might have to endure harsh winters though.

Or maybe you’d rather live on the coast, enjoying the sun, surf, and sand, well maybe not in the UK. Or maybe like most people these days you enjoy the buzz of city or urban life.

Today in Europe and in the United States, we still have that freedom to pretty much choose where to put down roots—whether in the East, the South, the North, or the West. 

I know this firsthand; I spent the first 26 years of my life in Northern Ireland. I then moved to the South of England to a town called Swindon about 70 miles West of London. After a few years there I then moved up to the Northwest of England at the age of 28 which is where I met my wife and settled down in a town on the Lancashire coast called Lytham St Annes. (YouTube) But the choices we have in life go far beyond geography. 

You can choose your profession, your career path (based of course on your education. Sure, it might take time, effort, and even a few lucky breaks, but we have for the most part the freedom to pursue the work we’re passionate about. (I accept that can be limited a great deal (but not totally) by where and how we started out in life.

But you know that not a privilege everyone in the world has. I’ve been to places where people don’t ever get to choose their occupation, never mind where they live—it’s decided for them. 

But where I live, and my stats would tell me where most of my listeners live, I think most of us have the unusual opportunity to shape our own future. That in itself is something quite new and has only been an option for people born in the last 100 years or so.

We can also choose our relationships, our friends, the person we are going to marry, our hobbies, and how we spend our leisure time. And all of that is a tremendous privilege. 

But with that privilege comes a serious danger.

And it’s that danger I want to talk to you about today….

As we continue our journey through the book of Joshua, we come to chapter 13. To understand its significance, we need to look at the broader structure of the book for a minute. 

The first four chapters focus on preparation, getting ready to enter the land. Then, from chapter 5 through 12, we see the conquest—the battles the children of Israel under Joshua’s leadership fought to claim the land. And now, in chapter 13, we reach the stage where the land is divided among the tribes. This division and allocation will continue through chapter 19.

Essentially, the Israelites are choosing their lot in life.

If you read these chapters, in one go it might remind you of a shopping list, but instead listing who gets what. Over and over, the text will tell us that the land was divided among the tribes, following the instructions given by Moses. For most of the tribes, this meant trusting in God’s allocation. 

Except for two and a half tribes—Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh—something different happened. 

1 When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over. 2 “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites 4 on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek and the border of the Amorites; 5 the area of Byblos; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.” 

(Joshua 13: 1-7)

To understand this, we need to turn back and remind ourselves of Numbers 32.

Before entering the Promised Land, when Israel was camped in the plains of Moab, these two and a half tribes saw the land on the east side of the Jordan. 

Being herdsmen, they noticed that this land was perfect for their flocks and livestock. And so, they approached Moses and asked if they could settle there, instead of crossing the Jordan and going into the land God had promised to the rest of Israel.

Now, here’s the key point: They made the choice for themselves. They didn’t wait for God’s direction. They didn’t seek His will. They simply looked at what seemed best to them and decided that was where they wanted to stay.

And that’s the danger I want to highlight today.

Division of the Land East of the Jordan

8 The other half of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned it to them. 9 It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon, 10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites. 11 It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekah— 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was the last of the Rephaites.) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land. 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maakah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day. 14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them. 15 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans: 

16 The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba 17 to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath, 19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21 all the towns on the plateau and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country. 22 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination. 23 The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, according to their clans. 24 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans: 25 The territory of Jazer, all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah; 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir; 27 and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Sukkoth and Zaphon with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Galilee[b]). 28 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites, according to their clans. 29 This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans: 30 The territory extending from Mahanaim and including all of Bashan, the entire realm of Og king of Bashan—all the settlements of Jair in Bashan, sixty towns, 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan). This was for the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, according to their clans. 

32 This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho. 33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

(Joshua 13: 7-33)

We live in a world full of choices, and that’s a great blessing. But the danger comes when we make decisions without consulting God. That’s exactly what those two and a half tribes did, prior to this Godly allocation of the land described for us here.

And quite honestly, that is something we often do as well.

Take career choices, for example. In our culture, if you get a promotion, it’s almost automatic—you take it without even thinking. More money? A higher position? More recognition? Of course you’d accept it. That’s the point of life, isn’t it?

If you live in the US, you might even say, that is the American Dream.

Now, let me be clear—there’s nothing wrong with advancement. There’s nothing wrong with earning more or achieving success. The issue is when we make those decisions without God.

Think about how people move to a new city or location for work. They visit the place first but will often buy or rent a house close to their job and then look for a school nearby for their kids. That’s the typical process. 

But do you see what’s missing? Where is God in that decision?

We have incredible freedom to shape our lives, but if we leave God out of the picture, we risk making choices that may not be in line with His plan for us. And as we’ll see in later, the decision of those two and a half tribes to settle east of the Jordan had lasting consequences.

So today, as we look at Joshua 1rrising out of this chapter I simply want to challenge you and ask the question: Are you choosing your lot in life based on what looks good to you, or are you seeking God’s will in your decisions?

Because with this freedom comes a great danger. While we can make choices about where we live, what work we do, and whom we associate with, there is one critical mistake we must avoid: making those choices without God.

Let me share a different type of example. I know a man who was offered a promotion that required relocating. Instead of making a hasty decision, he prayed about it. He travelled to the new city and visited churches. First. He said, Lord, if You provide a good church, I’ll take the job. 

After finding a strong church, he bought a home near it and then looked for a school for his children. Have you ever thought about how decisions could be made that way, with spiritual priorities in mind. 

To use the biblical metaphor, He didn’t pitch his tent toward Sodom; he opened his window toward Jerusalem.

Unfortunately, the two and a half tribes didn’t follow this approach. And their decision will have consequences.

If you look again at Numbers 32:7, Moses allows their choice but at the same time he rebukes them:

“Why will you discourage the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord has given them?”

By choosing their land outside of God’s plan, they potentially weakened the resolve of the rest of Israel. Their decision wasn’t just about them, it affected the whole community.

That’s something we need to remember. Our choices are never just personal. Every major decision we make—where we live, how we work, who we associate with—affects those around us. 

Parents influence their children. Friends influence friends. Leaders influence their followers. Whether for good or bad, our choices have a ripple effect.

When I think back I recognize now that when I was a young driver I would recklessly speeds down the road, thinking, It’s my car, my life. But if I had crashed I might not have just done harm to myself himself, I risked the lives of passengers, pedestrians, and other drivers. 

(Expand)

In the same way, when we make life decisions without considering God, we aren’t just jeopardizing ourselves. We’re impacting our families, our friends, and even our church.

The bad decision of the two and a half tribes didn’t just have short-term effects, it also had long-term consequences.

If you continue reading through the Old Testament, you’ll find that these tribes were the first to fall when Israel’s enemies invaded. Their land had no natural boundaries, no strong defenses. 

Because they had settled outside of God’s best, they were the first to be attacked and carried away.

That’s a lesson for us. When we make decisions based on what looks good rather than on God’s direction, we may find ourselves vulnerable. We may seem to prosper for a time, but eventually, the weaknesses of our choices will be exposed.

This reminds me of what James says 4:13-15, where he warns against making plans without God:

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit,’ whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

Planning isn’t wrong, pursuing goals isn’t wrong but leaving God out of our plans is wrong.

Leaving God out of our decisions is not only foolish but also sinful. The contrast between the two outcomes James alludes too is striking. One individual place their soul in material wealth, leaving behind a legacy of emptiness, while another realizes, in the end, that faith in Christ is the only thing that truly mattered.

The message here is clear: how we live our lives and the decisions we make should not be based on what seems best in the moment but on God's wisdom and direction. 

The 2½ tribes made their choice based on immediate appearances, and it led to long-term consequences they couldn't foresee. 

The same is true for us. We don’t know what tomorrow holds, so the only wise course of action is to walk with the Lord today.

This resonates deeply with what James said, our lives are a vapor, here for a little while and then gone. 

If we live only for ourselves, we risk leaving behind a legacy of regret. But:

“If we acknowledge God in all our ways, He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Ensuring that when we reach the end, our lives will have been lived for something of eternal significance.