Hidden Theology

Hello! Glad you stopped by today!

Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Mon, Apr 6 What is the continuing debt that should always remain outstanding? (Rom 13)
Romans 13:8 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

And here's the question of the day:
Tues, Apr 7 What group complained to Joshua that they were too numerous for the one allotment and one portion of inheritance? (Josh 17)

And here's the reflection of the day:
I hope you have managed to prop your eyelids open as you have been reading through these latest chapters in Joshua. You've probably just been skipping over his lists of tribes and territories. On the surface, it's not very stimulating reading. (However, if you're having trouble sleeping at night, Joshua 13-22 make for some good put-you-to-sleep material!)

BUT. . . I have discovered, through Creach's commentary on Joshua (in the Interpretation series) that there is some meaning, some theology hidden inside all these lists.

Creach acknowledges that these chapters (13-22) are "seldom appreciated" but have an "very important" theological role in the book of Joshua (p 97). You'll notice that, as Joshua divides up Canaan, ALL of the tribes received land as their inheritance. The land didn't go to just a "privileged few;" instead, land was distributed with a concern toward their identity as a covenant community (p 98).

In a covenant community, all parties are equals, with no one party being greater or less than another, though they do vary in size. Land possession provided structure for Israel's new life in the Promised Land. Each tribe had its own tract of land given to them for the purposes of being an inheritance, something passed down from one generation to another. This is "a sign of relationship to the covenant-making God" (p 98).

Now, it does seem that the Jordan River becomes a definitive border between the Israelite (clean) and non-Israelite (unclean) territories. However, if you remember, some of the tribes wished to settle east of the Jordan. Does that make them unclean, unable to participate in Israel's worship?

By no means, as Paul would say! This section of Joshua pays particular attention to Israelites on BOTH sides of the river. Creach phrases is this way: "In the end there is a judgment for unity. Whether east or west of the Jordan, the most important mark of inclusion in the cultic community is the confession of the Lord as the only God, not the land the people occupy" (p 98).

And he concludes, "Given that emphasis, the church today, with its constant infighting over the nature of purity and questions of who is or is not fit to minister or be part of the community, should pay heed to this often overlooked portion of Joshua" (p 98).

It seems to me that Dr. Creach has hit upon a bit of wisdom. As long as Christ is the center of the church, the center will hold. The chaos may rise to alarming heights as people argue and debate, but as long as we all hold Christ as the center, it will hold.

Any time I start to worry about the state of the church--and the possible disintegration of it--I am reminded of the arrogance of humanity to assume that we have the power to destroy (or, for that matter, to SAVE) the church, which is the Body of Christ. If we are to believe the song and if we are to say that God really does have "the whole world in his hands," then it is but foolishness for us to think that we are in control of the Body of Christ--that whether it survives or not is really within our power.

Certainly, we do have a part to play in building up, and not tearing down, the Body of Christ, but far be it for us to assume that God has placed the church--the very Bride of Christ--solely into our sinful and very fallible hands. Do not let your heart be troubled.

Allison

PS Check out this Youtube video featuring "He's Got the World" and ukuleles!