Joshua 19:47: “And the border of the children of Dan went beyond these, because the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem and took it; and they struck it with the edge of the sword, took possession of it, and dwelt in it. They called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father.”

April 9th, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Joshua 18 and 19 cover the portions of land given to the 7 tribes that had failed earlier to claim their inheritance because of a lack of faith and courage. Regrettably, the tribe of Dan made a decision on their own, without God, which resulted in danger and struggles for the entire tribe for generations to come.

Instead of possessing the land God had allotted the Danites, they decide to invade a far northern track of land not given to them, which was easier to conquer. This northern Canaanite city, Leshem, would later become the capital city Dan. It seemed an easier place to control than the central portion of land they were originally given. However, this positioned them in a place that faced the open northern frontier, making them the first people attacked by marauding bands from the north. Even worse it later became one of two high places where they worshipped golden calves. If you visit the ancient city of Dan and Leshem today, you will find an altar that was rebuilt by archaeologists to depict the original one erected there for idol worship by King Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:25).

We find a nugget of spiritual gold hidden within these verses for us. What needless pain we bring into our lives when we make hasty decisions based on fear. Any serious life decision we make without first bringing it to the Lord is a foolish one.

“LORD keep us from making rash, foolish decisions this day, and please guide our feet in every step we make.”