Joshua 21:43–45 contains a very emphatic statement that the Lord has kept all his promises. The Canaanites have been defeated and the land has been allotted—it is a time for celebration. That would have been a very appropriate end to the book but there are still three chapters to go. And in these chapters we will see how God’s faithfulness is followed by his demands.

A pattern seen throughout Scripture is one where God promises or gives and only then does he expect a response from his people. We see this in the exodus. Because the Lord rescued his people from slavery (Exodus 20:1) they must keep his commands. Likewise in Joshua, because the Lord has defeated Israel’s enemies and given them towns, vineyards, and olive groves they must know be faithful to him. Joshua himself emphasizes this when he speaks to the eastern tribes and says to them, Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.

Indicative then imperative, rescue then rules, rest then work, justification then sanctification, faith in Christ and then the good works that follow. That is the pattern which the Spirit has established in Scripture, the pattern of salvation. Whether it is in the old covenant or the new, God graciously provides before he calls for a response. Thus as we reflect on the events in Joshua 22:1–34 we must remember that for the believer, obedience is a response to God’s salvation.