Let's Find Hidden Pearls (10 min.)
Jos 21:43, 44. Why do we say that these words were fulfilled even though many Canaanites survived the conquest of Israel? (it-1 408 para. 4).
Jehovah's promises had been fulfilled, they had not failed. "He had given Israel all the land that he had sworn to give to their ancestors and had given them rest." We reached this conclusion because the Canaanites who survived the conquest were not actually a threat to the Israelites, since fear had gripped them when they saw that Israel had the support of Jehovah. Furthermore, God had said that He would drive out the Canaanites "little by little" so that wild beasts would not multiply in a suddenly desolate land. Also, it should be noted that the biblical record shows that Israel's defeats were due to their unfaithfulness and not because of the superior weaponry their enemies had.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Fear had taken hold of all the neighboring peoples and enemies of the Israelites, so they posed no real threat to their safety. God had previously said that He would drive out the Canaanites "little by little" so that wild beasts would not multiply in a suddenly desolate land.
Although the Canaanites had superior weaponry, such as iron chariots you know, it cannot be said that Jehovah failed in his promise because on some occasions the Israelites were defeated. Rather, the biblical record shows that the few defeats the Israelites suffered were due to their unfaithfulness.
Because those Canaanites who had survived the conquest were no longer a threat to the Israelites, in addition, the demonstrations of God's power had caused all the neighboring peoples and enemies of the Israelites to feel fear, so they did not pose a real threat to your safety.
What spiritual pearls have you found about Jehovah, the ministry, and other topics in this week's Bible reading?
Joshua 20: 1-3. They were not required to re-try the murderer for the same case. And the avenger of blood was not allowed to enter the city and kill him. As long as the murderer remained within the city, he was under God's protection and had nothing to fear. He was not in a prison, he could work, help others, and serve Jehovah in peace. He could have a full and happy life. This teaches me: There are servants of God who have repented of a serious sin, but still feel guilty. Some even think that Jehovah will always see a stain on them. However, if the case was dealt with by the elders, you can be sure that Jehovah has shown mercy and forgave him completely. Then you have nothing to fear.
Joshua 20: 4. When a fugitive arrived in a city of refuge, he was to present his case to the elders at the city gate, and hospitality was to be provided. To prevent deliberate murderers from taking advantage of this provision, after presenting the case in the city of refuge, the fugitive had to be tried and proven innocent at the gates of the city under the jurisdiction where the death took place. If he was found innocent, he was returned to the city of refuge. This teaches me: This story is a good example of not being rushed to think or make decisions without knowing the reasons for what we hear or see. Everyone, especially the elders, is cautious when there is a serious charge against a member of the congregation.
Joshua 21:45. Jehovah has given us reason enough to know that nothing will prevent his promises from being fulfilled. Joshua assured in all his years of faithful service that he never found any fault in his word. Nothing can prevent the fulfillment of your word even more if it has to do with the fulfillment of your purpose. This teaches me: This gives us the assurance that each of the promises and prophecies that have not yet had their fulfillment will be fulfilled. Indeed, Jehovah is a God who deserves our absolute trust. We too must strive to fulfill our dedication and not fail you in our resolve to serve you forever.
Joshua 22:10. The two and a half tribes built a huge altar on the banks of the Jordan, the remaining tribes were ready to attack and finish them off as apostates. But when sending a group of people to find out the reasons for making this altar they realized that it had nothing to do with idolatry but as a reminder of being servants of Jehovah. This teaches me: This story is a good example of not rushing to think or make decisions without knowing the reason for what we see or hear. Knowing the facts are from wise people and this will prevent later that we regret making bad decisions. Everyone, especially the elders, is cautious when there is a serious charge against a member of the congregation.
Joshua 20: 1, 2. Joshua should have seen to it that if or if the cities of refuge should exist since this was a direct command from Jehovah and was closely related to his sense of justice and the value of life, this would allow anyone in need to save their life, Jehovah continues to value justice and life and that is why we receive instructions in which we are told how we can save our lives in situations that are beyond our control.
Joshua 20: 3. The main reasons why cities of refuge existed in Israel was so that the involuntary murderer would have to be tried again for the same case and it was also to prevent the avenger of blood from entering the city and killing him, while the involuntary murderer remained within the city, he was under God's protection and had nothing to fear, he was not in a prison where his rights were restricted but he could work, help other people and serve Jehovah in peace, in in other words, he could have a full and happy life.
Joshua 20: 4-6. Here it is explained what the justice system was like in the cities of refuge, when a fugitive arrived he had to present his case to the elders at the city gate, and hospitality should be extended to him, after presenting the case in the city of refuge, the fugitive had to stand trial and prove his innocence at the gates of the city under whose jurisdiction the death had occurred, if found innocent, he was returned to the city of refuge, however, his safety could only be guaranteed if he remained in the city for the rest of his life or until the death of the high priest.
Joshua 21: 3. By order of Jehovah, the Israelites gave these cities to the Levites from their own inheritance along with their pasture fields, remember that the Levites would not have a delimited territory in the Promised Land but Jehovah would see to it that they received the just and necessary for their needs through his people, likewise, Jehovah sees to it that all his servants have what is necessary for each day and for this he uses the loving generosity that the brothers can provide.
Joshua 21:41. The Levites received 48 cities distributed in the territories of the various tribes of Israel in the land of Canaan, this was also in part with a prophecy that had about this tribe, because Levi and his brother Simeon acted drastically against the violator of their Sister Dina, Jacob predicted that the descendants of Levi would be scattered in Israel and the fact that the cities were scattered in Israel is surely the fulfillment of the prophecy.
Joshua 22: 4. Here it can be seen that there were times when the Bible writers reported on the same event from different points of view, or presented their accounts in different ways, for example in Numbers 35:14, Moses named the territory east of the Jordan “this side of the Jordan”, on the other hand, Joshua, called that same land the “other side of the Jordan”, both descriptions are correct since in Numbers, the Israelites had not yet crossed the Jordan River but Joshua had already crossed and now they were west of the river, so for him the east of the Jordan was the “other side”.
Joshua 22: 9-34. In this story we see the importance of having all the data, the Israelites who lived on the western side of the Jordan River heard that those who lived on the other side had built a huge altar near the river, based on that, those on the western side concluded that His brothers had rebelled against Jehovah, so they prepared to go fight against them, but before that they sent several reliable men to find out the details, there they learned that what their brothers had done was a monument for them to future generations would know that they too were faithful servants of Jehovah.
Joshua 20: 9. By order of Jehovah, in the judicial field, the foreigner was guaranteed "fair and impartial treatment" in trials involving a natural Israelite. This teaches me: that if we have suffered any unfair treatment due to our national, racial or social backgrounds, it is reassuring to know that "the supreme judge, Jehovah" is impartial and ready to show "justice and dignity" to any human being. Contrary to what satan says, Jehovah does not deny "righteous justice" to the defenseless, rather, he cares about the well-being of each person as an individual.
Joshua 21: 41-43. In the promised land Jehovah gave the Israelites "pasture fields" as a blessing, because he knew how important it was for them to have them, so they could feed their flocks, in this way, they would not weaken or die. This teaches me: that in a similar way, Jehovah "the fine shepherd" has blessed us with "spiritual fields of pasture" which are the beautiful truths found in his word the Bible that keep us strong and healthy. Therefore, if we do not want to weaken or die in a spiritual sense, we develop an appetite for this healthy and solid food.
Joshua 22: 32,33. The Israelites had learned the lesson of the past, therefore, when Phinehas and ten heads of the paternal houses arrived with the report "they accepted it and were satisfied", no one proposed wanting to send another procession or cause a revolt to obtain another version. This teaches me: how important it is to agree and be satisfied with the reports or arrangements that we hear in the congregation. We must avoid developing a spirit of criticism, of complaint, that leads us to question the reports of those who have been appointed, we trust that Jehovah and Jesus have control over any situation.
Joshua 21:44. After many wars to take possession of the Promised Land, "Jehovah gave peace to the Israelites everywhere." This provision brought tranquility and calm to the people of Israel. This teaches me: that the word "peace" in the Bible often denotes more than just the absence of war, rather, it implies "health, prosperity, and well-being." Jehovah "the God of peace" and Jesus the "Prince of peace" do not keep it to themselves, but bestow it on their faithful servants. Soon we will see the promise fulfilled: that all over the Earth there will be "abundance of peace until the moon is no more."
Joshua 22: 13,14. Phinehas, had made a "good reputation" before Jehovah and Israel, was known to be a defender of pure worship, that is why the Israelites sent him and ten leaders of Israel, to investigate the construction of the altar they made the tribes of Reuben, Gap and Manasseh. This teaches me: that Phinehas is a man worthy of imitation, we too want to make "a good name before Jehovah and before men" and to be known for defending and acting in favor of pure duration. So let's strive for faultless conduct, that way we will be entrusted with more responsibilities in the congregation.
Joshua 22: 26,27,29,30. To fully understand the situation and the true motivation that led the tribes east of the Jordan to build the altar, it required "communication, discernment and understanding" among all those involved. This teaches us: to parents that, before drawing a conclusion, when a situation or problem arises with our children, it is essential: First, frank communication and knowing how to listen. Second, to have insightful discernment that helps us examine the situation more thoroughly and not just on the surface. And third, understanding will lead us to have empathy and compassion. Which will result in understanding and agreements between parents and children.
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