This is a sincere question - I am not trying to be irreverant....
So I'm reading through Joshua 16-20ish and it is one big long list of all the tribes and they're listing the regions they received and the names of all the 30+ cities each tribe got etc. And I am finding it hard to pay attention - can you tell me why I should care or what significance this will play later in the bible? Or does it?
2007-10-05 05:50:57 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I admit that some of the passage like this one (and other long geneology passages in the Bible) can be pretty dry and hard to get relavance from.
If you are sincerely studying and seeking, pray that the Lord will show you what He wants you to get out of this passage. I can't tell you how many times I've read Scripture that I had read many times before and suddenly I see something new in it I had never seen before, often something that was very helpful/relevant to me at the time.
The whole book The Prayer of Jabez is about a couple of verses in the middle of a long dry geneology passage.
It might help to look at a Bible study guide or commentary (there are lots of those online) and get some insight from other Bible scholars on what you are studying. I included links to a couple of my favorite sites below.
One of the interesting things to me about the tribes in the Promised Land is how those areas of the Middle East in the Bible times match up with the countries and peoples who live there now. Much of the turmoil in the Middle East with the Palestinians, Arabs, and Jews can be traced all the way back to the Old Testament, and books like Joshua can show you some of the history that relates to that.
I know it may be hard to see it, but all Scripture is important and beneficial, and God inspired the Bible writiers to include it for a reason. It's just that we're human and all in different places in our spriritual walk and we may not be ready or able to figure out what that reason is. There are still so many things about the Bible that I don't "get" or especially relate to, but I accept that God has a purpose for including them that is just beyond me.
If all else fails, put Joshua down and read elsewhere in the Bible, and go back to it later. If you are a new Christian or Bible scholar, I really wouldn't recommend reading the Bible straight through from front to back, I would suggest you start with some of the easier books to understand first and come back to some of the history books later. Start with Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiates for Old Testament books that are easy to apply to life.
Hope that helps--God bless you!
2007-10-05 06:09:29 · answer #1 · answered by arklatexrat 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jesus surely confused the significance of each religion and works, through the scriptures given right here already. So what to think? Faith is fundamental for SALVATION given that it is repeated within the Bible always (John three:sixteen, 18, 36; eleven:25-6; Acts sixteen:31; Eph. two:eight-nine; a million John five:a million). However, that under no circumstances removes the NECESSITY for works (James two:14). They cross hand in hand - one can't be absent from the opposite. But seeing that you're now not partial to Paul, might be you forgot Romans two:five-10 reminds us of deeds as counting for our rewards? (to not point out many scriptures of Paul and Jesus each pointing us to spotting deeds as beneficial us in heaven) So what does this do for "religion simplest"? Nothing! One conveniently comes earlier than the opposite. The semitic international could have understood this, given that they regarded your ideas and movements as tied in your complete being. (that is how we will be able to have an understanding of trinity simpler) Faith with out works is like an inspiration or notion which produces no outcome (results in nowhere). Faith is the notion, works is the motion/outcome. One follows the opposite. I desire I have been higher all set to supply extra scripture in aid, however expectantly I've helped SUMMARY: As my favourite band (ApologetiX) positioned it within the track "Ephesians": I've determined salvation's a tree And religion's what you utilize for seed But grace is the begin of the roots And well deeds are simply fruit.
2016-09-05 18:48:31 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The book of Joshua is the history of a war that the Isrealites fought to conquer their land from its previous inhabitants. They believed they acted with divine authority and recorded each conquest as a divine land grant. These events really happened and they have effects reaching into the present day. I always found it very hard to see a kind and loving god ordering Joshua to go into the land of Canaan and slaughter every man woman and child. The same God who told them "Thou Shalt not Kill". So I tend to read this book a bit skeptically. I think Joshua's historian was writing a positive spin on his war propaganda. But the Israelis take it very seriously. They feel that God gave them that land and no one has the right to take it away.
2007-10-05 06:05:53 · answer #3 · answered by James L 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The Bible was in some way the founding-myth of the Israelites. That list played an important social function: making sure that each tribe was content in its given area, and that none would try to contest the division of Canaan or invade their neighbour, because it appears that God decreed which parts would belong to who.
The Bible was more than just a story. Almost everything in it is politically motivated. As we live thousands of years after the events described, it's not really relevant.
2007-10-05 05:56:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The significance is how when they listened and did what He wanted He helped them beat larger and more powerful enemies. The other significance is He saves even enemies who were willing to believe in HIm { Rehab, who ended up in the blood line of Jesus ], and even when Joshua diobeyed God and promised protection to an enemy leader after God said not too [ because the man misrepresented himself ] God still honored Joshuas promise to the man and didn't kill the village but made them servents instead. The point being God honors his word even when we don't and gives us the power to overcome and excepts anyone who is willing to believe.
2007-10-05 06:04:28 · answer #5 · answered by Connie D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It adds to the realism of the situation. The description in this myth is supposed to have actually taken place in objective reality at some point in time, so the details help make it seem like that could be a possibility.
2007-10-05 05:54:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
The most immediate reason I can think of off the top of my head is that knowing those things can help in the interpretation of Prophecy both past and future.
2007-10-05 05:55:15 · answer #7 · answered by joey_ploof 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It is deadly serious to the current situation in the Middle East, I think. Imagine that each of those verses is a deed of land from their god. They do.
2007-10-05 05:54:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
Bragging and land rights later on. Fun book if you don't like the loving version of god.
2007-10-05 05:57:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋