Introduction
Why does the allotment of Judah come first?
God’s provision of a place for service
Explain how the boundaries indicate the place where Judah will live and serve God
Explain that there is no holy land for new covenant believers in this world
Apply: realize that God is sovereign over your life and he has placed you exactly where he wants you to be
The bold obedience which God expects from his people
Explain how Caleb and his family are presented as an example of faith to be emulated
Apply: we serve God when we obey and honour him in the places where he has placed us. Give examples specific to your audience
God’s provision of resources for service
Explain how the cities confirm that God provides everything his people need to serve him
Apply: God has provided us with what we need for service in the places where he has placed us. Let us therefore serve him with the resources that we have been given
The need for God to send his King
Explain how the final verse testifies to the inability of God’s people to render the obedience that he requires
Explain the need for God to send his King in the times of Judah and later in history with the coming of Christ
Explain what Christ did and how we will serve him in the new creation
Conclusion
As we look forward to life in that new creation, let us live in the light of our inheritance. Let us remember that God has sovereignly placed us exactly where we are today, that he wants us to serve him in our present circumstances, and that he has given us all the resources we need to do so. By his Spirit he helps us to fight our sin. Through work he provides for our bodies. Let us therefore serve him in everything we do.
1 The allotment for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their clans reached southward to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south.