Sermon Notes - Joshua 15-19 - Littleby Baptist Church - November 2, 2025

 1.        As we pick up this morning, we are getting into the tribal inheritance portion of the book.

a.        It may seem like a simple history lesson.

b.       But it is God fulfilling His promise to the people of Israel.

2.        Joshua 15:1

a.        Joshua started with the tribe of Judah.

b.       One might think they should go in birth order.

c.        Reuben’s descendants are on the other side of the Jordan, so Simeon would be next in line.

d.       But Judah coming first is pointing to the prominence of the tribe.

e.        David, Solomon, and Jesus are all from the tribe of Judah.

3.        Joshua 15:2-12

a.        This would be the southern end of Israel for the most part.

b.       Today it would include a good portion of southern Israel.

c.        But would also include a part of Egypt, Gaza, and even up to the bottom of the West Bank.

4.        Joshua 15:13-19

a.        An expanded view of a portion of what we looked at last week.

b.       Caleb showed his faithfulness to the truth when Moses sent the twelve spies into the promised land.

c.        He stood up and said the people were strong, but God was stronger.

d.       God honored his faithfulness and boldness.

e.        He was giving him the land he walked on 45 years earlier.

5.        Caleb still had that same faith in God.

a.        He knew that the land he was receiving had giants.

b.       He knew that the inhabitants were going to put up a fight.

c.        But he trusted in God.

d.       He KNEW that God gave him this land.

e.        And if God gave him this land.

f.          God was going to make sure the land was Caleb’s.

g.        He trusted that His God was bigger than those who currently possessed it.

6.        When we face real challenges in life.

a.        Things that can knock us down.

b.       Things that can be overwhelming.

c.        What we learn from Caleb is that our God is bigger.

d.       Bigger than the obstacle we are facing.

e.        Stronger than anything that is against us.

f.          We need to trust in our God.

7.        Joshua 15:20-62 (read 20-21)

a.        Not going to make you listen to me read all these names.

b.       What we have are.

c.        29 towns in the south.

d.       42 towns in the west.

e.        38 towns in the hill country.

f.          6 towns in the wilderness by the dead sea.

8.        Joshua 15:63

a.        Caleb had faith and trusted in a faithful God.

b.       But here we see that the clan of Judah did not drive out the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

c.        Was their faith in God less then Caleb’s?

d.       That is what most believe.

9.        Joshua 16:1-4

a.        Once again, not following birth order.

b.       Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob.

c.        And was responsible for caring for his extended family during the drought.

d.       Hence them being next in line.

e.        The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh receive one lot to split.

f.          But they receive some of the most beautiful and fertile land.

10.   Jacob blessed the 2^nd born son Ephram before the first Manasseh.

a.        We see the same with the land being distributed to the 2^nd before the 1^st.  

11.   Joshua 16:5-10

a.        Ephraim was sandwiched between Manasseh to the north.

b.       Benjamin and Dan to the south.

c.        They would be roughly in the middle of Israel today.

d.       Mostly in the West Bank, slightly north of the Dead Sea.

12.   Once again, we find that God’s people did not do as they were told.

a.        They did not drive out the people who lived in the land.

b.       Where they trusting in God or trying to do it on their own?

13.   Joshua 17:1-13 (read 1-6; 12-13)

a.        Manasseh’s land was from Ephraim’s north.

b.       The balance of the West Bank today but all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.

14.   A couple of things in these verses.

a.        Daughters of Zelophehad were given land.

b.       This was unusual at that time.

c.        Women did not own anything.

d.       But God provided for these women.

e.        He provided for the family.

f.          Shows how complete our God’s love is.

15.   The other thing we see in these verses, is once again the people of Israel fail to follow God’s command.

a.        They either cannot or choose not to bring judgement on the people of the land.

16.   Joshua 17:14-15

a.        They wanted more land.

b.       Joshua had already given it to them.

c.        They needed to go and take it.

17.   Joshua 17:16-18

a.        They are not fans of this idea.

b.       The land is still not enough, and the Canaanites are strong.

c.        If you were to look at a map of the tribe’s allotment, it was enough land.

d.       If you were to compare the Canaanites to God, God is strong enough.

e.        This shows us that the people were not trusting in God.

18.   Joshua 18:1

a.        This is a central location in Ephraim’s territory.

b.       Which would have been close to Joshua’s future home.

19.   Joshua 18:2-4

a.        Seven tribes had yet to claim their land.

b.       Joshua is questioning why they have not gone out and taken it.

c.        It is perceived that these seven tribes are showing a lack of faith.

d.       Joshua was telling them to step out in faith.

20.   Joshua 18:5-7

a.        Send the men out.

b.       Map out the land.

c.        Then God will guide the casting of lots to assign the land according to His will.

21.   Joshua 18:8-10

a.        The men went.

b.       They recorded.

c.        They returned.

d.       The lots were cast.

22.   Joshua 18:11

a.        Rachel’s second son, likely Jacob’s second favorite is the 3^rd selected but was the 12^th born.

23.   Joshua 18:12-20

a.        Northern end of the Dead Sea.

b.       It would be in the West Bank today, with Jerusalem right on its edge.

24.   Joshua 18:21-28 (read 21 & 28)

a.        A total of 26 cities.

25.   The next lot fell to Simeon, Jacob’s second born.

26.   Joshua 19:1-9 (read 1 & 8-9)

a.        Their entire lot fell within Judah’s.

b.       17 cities.

c.        It is believed that it did not take long for the tribe to be absorbed into Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh.

d.       In part of the Old Testament, we don’t see 13 tribes mentioned with Joseph being split into 2.

e.        But we do see the tribe of Simeon specifically mentioned as part of the 144,000 in Revelation.

f.          So, whatever happened to the tribe of Simeon is only temporary.

27.   Joshua 19:10-16 (read 10 & 16)

a.        12 cities.

b.       The northern end of Israel.

c.        Above the West Bank, part of Galilee.

28.   Joshua 19:17-23 (read 17, 22-23)

a.        16 cities.

b.       Moving south a smidge.

c.        Would be just north of the West Bank and in Galilee. 

29.   Joshua 19:24-31 (read 24 & 31)

a.        Twenty two cities.

b.       About as far northeast as we can get.

c.        A little bit of Galilee and a chunk of Lebanon.

30.   Joshua 19:32-39 (read 32 & 39)

a.        19 cities.

b.       Middle section of Galilee.

31.   Joshua 19:40-48 (read 40, 47-48)

a.        17 cities.

b.       Dan is squeezed between Ephraim, Manasseh, and Judah.

c.        Bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

d.       Would be fully in Israel today.

e.        One thing we see here with the tribe of Dan is that they prevailed.

f.          They were attacked.

g.        They lost some of their land.

h.        But they did not give up.

i.          They ventured out and God provided.

32.   Joshua 19:49-50

a.        Joshua requested a city within his tribe.

b.       A city in a rugged mountainous area.

c.        A place surrounded by infertile soil.

d.       He likely could have asked for prime real estate.

e.        But he chose one that he would need to build up.

f.          Which Scripture tells us he did.

33.   Joshua 19:51

a.        The land was divided in the Lord’s presence.

b.       God gave the land to the Israelites.

c.        He fought for them in battle.

d.       Then He gave them the pieces of land He wanted them to have.

34.   I know this was a lot of ground to cover.

a.        It may have felt like a lot of real estate transactions.

b.       But God was giving His people the land He promised.

c.        He was being faithful.

d.       If I could show you a map this morning.

e.        We would see just this portion of the land would include modern day Israel plus parts of Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria.

f.          Today Israel only has a portion of the land God initially gave them.

35.   We also saw some of God’s people acted in faith.

a.        While some did not.

b.       As we have seen in Joshua faith in God.

c.        Following His lead.

d.       Brings better results than us trying to do it on our own.

36.   Romans 1:17

a.        Our faith grows by God being at work in us.

b.       Jesus is the author and perfector of our faith.

c.        As we live for our God.

d.       As we live by faith.

e.        As we learn to trust in our God.

f.          Letting His will be done.

g.        Trusting in His plan, not ours.

h.        Knowing that He is guiding us.

i.          We can see Him do some amazing things.

j.          He will change lives.

k.        Starting with our own.

l.          And hopefully change the eternities of people around us.

37.   If you don’t know Jesus.

a.        I want you to know that He died for you.

b.       He paid for your sins.

c.        But He also defeated death.

d.       Giving all who believe in Him new life.

e.        He wants to change your eternity.

f.          If you would like to know more about Jesus.

g.        I would love to talk to you.