Joshua 13:1-14
The LORD reminds Joshua that there remains very much land to be possessed. The borders of it had already been shown to him (Joshua 1:4). They are easy to remember. To the south, a great desert; to the north, a great mountain, Lebanon; to the east, a great river, the Euphrates; finally to the west, a great sea, the Mediterranean. The land to be occupied by faith also has its borders which are those of the world as we see it: barren, without fruit for God (the desert) —full of ambition and pride (the mountain) — prosperous and commercialized (the river) — impetuous, constantly troubled (the sea — Judges 1:13; Isaiah 57:20). Dear children of God, let us beware of crossing these borders. Many have done so as a result of temptation or just curiosity, and the majority have never returned. On the other hand there remains within the borders "very much land to be possessed". The inexhaustible treasures of the Word, the unfathomable riches of Christ are waiting to be grasped, so that — according to the apostle’s prayer — we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ . . ." (Ephesians 3:18-19). Christians, these are the infinite dimensions of our inheritance in Him!