Joshua 15-17; Psalm 55:1-11; 1 Corinthians 8

Joshua 15
1-12 Territory of Judah - Located in southern portion - southern boundary goes to the wilderness of Zin. Boundaries listed in great detail.

13-19 Caleb Receives His Promised Land

• He drives out the 3 sons of Anak and takes possession.
• Marries his daughter Achsah to his nephew Othniel in return for defeating Kiriath-sepher (Debir), gives her springs of water at her request, "Since you have set me in the land of the Negeb."

20-53 Towns of Judah's Inheritance

• Detailed list - 114 towns taken, if I've counted them right.
• One exception: they couldn't drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Joshua 16 - Territory of Ephraim
They did not drive out the Canaanites from Gezer; they forced them to do labor.

Joshua 17
1-13 Territory of Half-Tribe of Manasseh (West)

• Daughters of Zelophehad receive their inheritance, as promised
• Manasseh does not drive out all the Canaanites, but as they grow in strength, they put the Canaanites into forced labor.

14-18 Protests from the Tribe of Joseph

• Complains to Joshua that they're a big nation, and don't have enough land
• Joshua: If you want more land, go into the forest and clear the land.
• Josephites: But the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots of iron
• Joshua: You are a big nation, and you can overcome them. This conversation reminds me of a conversation between a mother and a child that doesn't want to do her homework, complaining that life's not fair; it's just too hard.
  

Psalm 55:1-11 - A Maskil of David - Another Plea for Rescue from the Enemy
"I am distraught by the noise of the enemy...My heart is in anguish...Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me..."
And he just wants to run away: "O that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest..." Not unlike a lot of us feel sometimes, without an enemy in pursuit!

1 Corinthians 8
1-13 Food Offered to Idols

• Knowledge must be attended by love, for "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." This truth is stated later in 1 Corinthians 13: "If I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries...and have not love, I am nothing." Knowledge can be dangerous source of pride.
  
• God is not impressed with our knowledge; we'll never know enough. He knows those who love him.
• As mature Christians we know that idols do not exist; they mean nothing to us.
  
• However, some Christians who have recently come out of paganism still associate eating meat offered to idols with worshiping them. To eat such meat goes against their conscience.
• Since the meat means nothing to you, it's better if you don't eat it, if it causes a brother or sister to sin.
• When you eat without thinking of your influence and cause a brother to sin, you wound him, and therefore you are sinning by eating the meat. Not because of the meat, but because you're hurting another believer.