Scripture: Joshua 20 v 7 - 8.
"And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in Mount
Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is in Hebron in
the mountain of Judah. And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward they
assigned Bezer......and Ramoth in Gilead, .....and Golan in Bashan."
From these strange sounding verses comes a bundle of
surprises! The first city is called Kedesh
which is the Hebrew word for holiness. Our first steps into God's kingdom must
be made in holiness. Holiness is an absence of sin.
So we have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb when we
reach Kedesh. This means we have no guilt before our Father and can approach
Him with confidence and love.
The next city is called Shechem which means shoulder to
shoulder. We need to work together to build something precious. Our shoulder
carries the heaviest burdens so we join our strengths together to grow in
grace. When we stand shoulder to shoulder we present a formidable barrier to the onslaughts of the enemy. One
sheep alone in a field is very vulnerable to a prowling wolf but a whole flock
with a watchful Shepherd is a different prospect altogether.
Then we come to Hebron which means Fellowship with God. A
vital part of our lives is to spend quality time in God's presence. We must develop our relationship with God the
Father and His Son Jesus through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who has come
alongside us to help, teach and guide us. Our personal relationship with God is
what sets Christianity apart from every other religion.
We journey on to Bezer which means Assurance. We have
been made holy and stood shoulder to shoulder with the saints and have had
fellowship with God. This should give us plenty of assurance to keep going. We
also have assurance that our Father hears and answers every prayer that is in
line with His will for us. So make sure you know His will before you pray.
(Read Hearing God's Voice; and Determining God's Will on this blog).
Ramoth means Height or Stature. Jesus will lift us up to
our full stature as Kings and Priests. When the first Man, Adam, fell, the
whole of God's Creation fell with him. Jesus was the Second Man, made in the
image of God, and by His death and resurrection, raised us all to the original
stature Adam had. (1 Cor 15).
Which brings us to our final city Golan which means Joy.
When you have successfully made this journey your reward
will be the joy of the Lord which is your strength. Our Father delights in the
joy of His children. He desires to bless and encourage us. So make a spiritual
journey through these cities of Israel to see and experience the blueprint for
growth and revival given to Joshua in the Promised Land.
Prayer: O Lord God our Father thank you for this hidden
gem in Your word. It opens up a wonderful experience for us to receive and
enjoy Your closeness to us. Please help
us to fully appreciate the spiritual wealth stored in these cities for us. In Jesus' name.
Amen.