So reading through the last part of Joshua is nowhere near as exciting as reading through the first part. As the book shifts from tales of the conquest of the land to details of the carving out of the land, it kind of slows down. A little harder to stay engaged as you read the geographic descriptions of the borders of the land given to the tribes and then start trying to track through the lists of cities that were given to each tribe. But there has been a thought that repeatedly has come to mind as I’ve read through the dividing of the land . . . and it showed up in the divine record as I read this morning . . .

“Thus says the LORD, God of Israel . . . ‘I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’ ” (Joshua 24:2a, 13 ESV)

Over the past few mornings, as I read through the list of cities given to each tribe, I couldn’t help but think how weird it would have been for these desert dwellers . . . and before that, they were slaves in Egypt . . . to move into these already built cities? And it’s not like they were run down ghost towns . . . abandoned by the previous owners and in need of some fixing up. These were fully functioning cities . . . with fully furnished houses . . . with fully foliaged vineyards and orchards . . . fully ready to be occupied.

I’ll be honest, I don’t like to dwell on the fact that these cities were, only a short time before, inhabited by men, women, and children who were now gone . . . God’s blessing for the Israelites coming at the expense of His judgment of the Canaanite nations. But I have wondered what it would be like to walk into those cities after the dust has settled and start to realize that this is your home now . . . to walk around the house you’ve just moved into and marvel at the gracious gifts of God . . . to look over the back-forty, pinch yourself, and know that you’ve gone from vagabond to vinedresser . . . to let it sink in that the desert you have known as home for so long has now been “upgraded” to this land flowing with milk and honey.

Dwelling in cities they had not built . . . eating of the fruit of vineyards and orchards they had not planted . . . not by their sword or bow (24:12), but by the mighty hand of God. Tell me grace isn’t all over the pages of the Old Testament!

I too am a possessor of that which I did not build . . . of that for which I did not labor . . . of that which was beyond realizing through any strength or ability of my own. My story isn’t a lot different . . . once in bondage to sin and the world . . . having done a few laps in the desert . . . having wandered in darkness, dead to the things of God. But then, rescued by a Deliverer . . . led out of bondage and into the power of a new life . . . given a new heart and new desire, not of my own making . . . brought into marvelous light . . . a new creation in Christ . . . a new reality to explore. And none of it my own doing . . . but all through the gracious and mighty hand of God.

And the “moving in” isn’t done yet . . . “this world is not my home, I’m just a passin’ through.” Soon to take up residence in another city prepared for those who love Him . . . soon to move into my room, having been made ready for me for the past 2,000 years . . . soon to behold the Father of Lights, the giver of every good and perfect gift . . . soon to go facedown before the Commander of the Lord’s Army, the Victor, not just of earthly battles fought, but of death and hell itself.

Dwelling in cities they had not built . . . eating the fruit of vineyard and orchards they had not planted . . . having moved in by the grace of God.

“O to grace how great a debtor . . . daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee!”