Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 17:12

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 17:12
"Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land."

As I'm reading these chapters I opened up to the bible maps. At first I was thinking why does Manasseh seem to have so much more land than the other tribes? It wasn't until I read this verse that I understood they weren't alone. The Canaanites remained with them.

Day 3813

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 36:6-8

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 36:6-8
"This is the thing which the LORD doth command concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, saying, Let them marry to whom they think best; only to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry.
So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
And every daughter, that possesseth an inheritance in any tribe of the children of Israel, shall be wife unto one of the family of the tribe of her father, that the children of Israel may enjoy every man the inheritance of his fathers."

Zelophehad had no sons, only daughters. Those daughters had requested that they also receive an inheritance and it was granted them. Then the concern is what happens when those daughters marry into various other twelve tribes? The law had been that the children of Israel marry within the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They were freely marrying between each other. To do so now that they were given inheritances it would soon be lost from one tribe and claimed by another. This is when instruction is given Moses on how to handle the inheritances that belong to daughters. They are to marry from within their own tribes. Seems like such a simply solution. Then it made me ponder on the importance of marrying within ones own faith, and the raising of children. There is no concern on how those children will be raised and in what faith. Such a simple solution.

Day 3796

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 33:54

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 33:54
"And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man’s inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit."

This made me think of the law of consecration. How they receive their stewardship or inheritance. All this land had been Abraham inheritance, but it was many generations later that it was fulfilled. It made me reflect on lands of inheritances, and how all that will work out in the millennium.

"And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God, and to arrange by lot the inheritances of the saints whose names are found, and the names of their fathers, and of their children, enrolled in the book of the law of God;"
(Doctrine and Covenants 85:7)

Day 3795

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 48:11-12

Today's Favorite Verse: Ezekiel 48:11-12

"It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites."

I reflected on how mindful the Lord was to the sons of Zadok. They remained faithful when others failed Him. He has preserved a blessing upon their posterity. This made me also ponder on how the Lord has also promised to bless a zion people, the pure in heart.

"He that sendeth up treasures unto the land of Zion shall receive an inheritance in this world, and his works shall follow him, and also a reward in the world to come."

(Doctrine and Covenants 63:48)

"And it shall be called the New Jerusalem, a land of peace, a city of refuge, a place of safety for the saints of the Most High God;

And the glory of the Lord shall be there, and the terror of the Lord also shall be there, insomuch that the wicked will not come unto it, and it shall be called Zion."

(Doctrine and Covenants 45:66-67)

Day 3009

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 10:30

Today's Favorite Verse: Proverbs 10:30

"The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth."

I pondered on how wickedness seems to be winning on the earth right now. Satan can revel in his glory for the moment. For there is no stopping the fact that the Lord, Jesus Christ will return. Then the wicked will be swept off the face of the earth, and the meek will inherit the earth.

"And he that liveth in righteousness shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye, and the earth shall pass away so as by fire.

And the wicked shall go away into unquenchable fire, and their end no man knoweth on earth, nor ever shall know, until they come before me in judgment."

(Doctrine and Covenants 43:32-33)

"And until that hour there will be foolish virgins among the wise; and at that hour cometh an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked; and in that day will I send mine angels to pluck out the wicked and cast them into unquenchable fire."

(Doctrine and Covenants 63:54)

"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth."

(Matthew 5:5)

Day 2797

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 19:49-50

Today's Favorite Verse: Joshua 19:49-50

"When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them:

According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnath-serah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein."

Caleb and Joshua were the two faithful spies promised to live to enter the promised land, and inheritances. Caleb received land earlier, and now Joshua receives his. I imagine it must have been extremely difficult to divide all this land among those receiving an inheritance. Was there a lot of arguing among them? Then I thought they actually may have not seen all the land in order to argue about it. After-all, ten of the spies that gave bad reports, died and never got to receive inheritances. There was wisdom in that.

Day 2365

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 2:4-5, 9, 19

Today's Favorite Verse: Deuteronomy 2:4-5, 9, 19

And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore:

Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.

And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession.

And when thou comest nigh over against the children of Ammon, distress them not, nor meddle with them: for I will not give thee of the land of the children of Ammon any possession; because I have given it unto the children of Lot for a possession."

The children of Israel were told not to meddle or distress the children of Esau or Lot, their land was not to be given to them. The children of Israel were to inherit the land reserved for Abraham's posterity. I thought about how different portions of the earth have been designated by the Lord from time to time as everlasting inheritances. It was also done for the tribe of Joseph and this land. I also thought about how to be a good neighbor I shouldn't meddle, contend or battle with them. I should respect what is their property.

Day 2314

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 36:5, 7

Today's Favorite Verse: Numbers 36:5, 7

"And Moses commanded the children of Israel according to the word of the LORD, saying, The tribe of the sons of Joseph hath said well.

So shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remove from tribe to tribe: for every one of the children of Israel shall keep himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers."

Once again I think of the order that comes when we listen to the instructions of the Lord. I also thought about how it is good to bring concerns before the Lord, it shows much thought had gone into this issue of inheritances. It also shows how God was into the details of their lives.

Day 2312

Today's Favorite Verse: Hebrew 9:15-17

Today's Favorite Verse: Hebrew 9:15-17
"And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth."

This made me ponder on probates and wills. I had never put this verses together with a "last will and testament". How it's not in effect until the testator dies. Then those that will inherit have a right to the estate. Christ needed to die before we could be blessed to inherit all that the Father has. His atonement and resurrection really are a new testament.

Day 1715

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Chronicles 17:11-14

Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Chronicles 17:11-14
"And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee:
But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore."

As I read this I knew that David's son Solomon would build the temple. Yet, in reading this I could see that it wasn't just Solomon that God was referring too. He would send his son Jesus Christ from the loins of David to establish his kingdom and throne forever. What an amazing promise David was given.

It made me ponder on my patriarchal blessing and how it does mention my children. I wondered if my parent's patriarchal blessings mentioned me?  All I have is my mother's patriarchal blessing so I sat and read it.  I found its mention of me.

"Continue to teach unto thy posterity of the principles of the Gospel and the plan of life and salvation and they shall bless thee for the inheritance which shall come unto them as a result of thy faithfulness and thy teaching, and they as well as others shall heed thy teachings and thy counsel. Thou shalt especially be an influence and power from good therein among those of thy household and thy kindred as well as thine associates."

If it was not for my parents I would never know the goodness of the gospel. I have a priceless inheritance due to my mother's faithfulness and teachings. As I read her patriarchal blessing I could feel her arms around me. I offered a prayer of gratitude to the Lord for the blessing of having a wonderful mother and all she taught me. She has been a great influenced in my life for good. I would not be all that I am if I did not experience life with such a mother. I wanted to be sure that part of her patriarchal blessing was literally fulfilled and it is.


Day 930

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 23:28-30

Today's Favorite Verse: Exodus 23:28-30

"And I will send hornets before thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before thee.

I will not drive them out from before thee in one year; lest the land become desolate, and the beast of the field multiply against thee.

By little and little I will drive them out from before thee, until thou be increased, and inherit the land."

A simple hornet was a tool the Lord used to bring Israel into the land. It made me think of Alma 37:6 "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise."

Faith and patience was what the Israel needed in order for a small thing to literally accomplish something great. The Lord really does have a better way, and a better plan. By the time the others left the land, Israel had increased enough to inherit it. So while I patiently wait on the Lord's timing, I have to prepare for the promised blessing, and do what he wants me to do.

Day 648