Joshua did not send them away without a blessing after their conquest of Canaan. He blessed them with heavenly blessings. Not all blessings are from the throne of the Lord God Almighty. Sometimes what we perceive as blessings are not blessings at all in God’s eyes but filthy. What does God’s blessings entail?
Content of God’s blessings
When God blesses our possession, no man can take it away from us however tried. 2 Samuel 7:29 says O Lord God has spoken, and with thy blessing shall the house of thy servant be blessed for ever. We further read from 1 Chronicles 17:27 that for what thou O Lord, hast blessed is blessed for ever. Job 1:10 says that God’s blessing includes prospering the work of our hands and our substance.
Deuteronomy 2-33 categorizes the nature of God’s blessings over Israel and same is available to us as his children for our possession if we meet the conditions that he has set for us. God’s blessing covers all the work of our hands, Deuteronomy 2:19; placing his above all peoples, Deuteronomy 7:14; putting food on our tables with rejoicing, Deuteronomy 12:7; wherever we go in the city and in the field, Deuteronomy 28:3; giving us the fruit of the body, the ground, and our beast, Deuteronomy 28:5; and our coming in, and our going out, Deuteronomy 28:6.
God’s blessings for our possession also includes the choicest gifts of heaven above, and of the deep that couches beneath, choicest fruits of the sun, rich yield of the months, finest produce of the ancient mountains, abundance of the everlasting hills, the best gifts of the earth and its fullness, and favour of him that dwelt in the bush (favour during insecurity), Deuteronomy 33:13-16. Joshua’s blessing for the return of Israel to their possession included wealth and riches, cattle, silver, gold, brass, iron, raiment, spoils of the enemies to be shared with their brethren, Deut. 22:8. It is thus unnecessary and needless for us to be slaves to anxiety and greed.
Unequal repossession
Joshua divided the land and shared it among those due and qualified for possession. Moses gave half of Manasseh possession in Basham and Joshua gave out the other half westward. The bible is silent on whether or not both halves were equal, of the same value, of the same importance or of equal strategic significance? Joshua did what God had commanded him to do and it raised no jealousy or complaint.
Our attitude today is to controvert everything of God’s design or instructions. We are never satisfied with anything. We want either everything or the best of everything thus removing God from being the central figure in every situation but ourselves. God does not always give us equally what he may give to others because we are made differently with different gifts and talents and abilities.
1 Corinthians 12:7 says that to each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good. Ephesians 4:7 also says that by grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. If we find our God given possession to be inadequate or inferior, we insult and denigrate God. We challenge his wisdom and capacity to give us what is good for us. It is recorded in Romans 8:28; 1 Timothy 4:4 that God will not withhold anything good from us. God gives us the best in every situation and we must appreciate him.
Jesus said in Luke 3:12-14 to tax collectors that collect no more than is appointed you. And to the soldiers he said that rob no one by violence or false accusation, and be content with your wages. These warnings equally apply to us if we are in the habit of using whatever means to rob people predicated on power or position, greed and dissatisfaction of what God has graciously given to us.
How sure are we that what we so desperately want to repossess is actually and in truth what God has given to us as our possession? The answer to this requires an honest and true introspection with divine conviction of truth and wisdom. John 8:32 says that ye shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. James 4:17 says that whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
As we close this discussion, please let us ponder over these words of Christ Jesus: What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his life? Matthew 16:26.
Prayer
We pray O Lord that you guide us with wisdom to repossess what is honest and sincere to God’s glory and honour in the name of Jesus Christ. Let your will be done on earth in our lives as it is done in heaven, Amen!!
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