建立神的殿
約書亞記十八章1至10節
1以色列的全會眾都聚集在示羅，把會幕設立在那裡，那地已經被他們制伏了。
2以色列人中其餘的七個支派還沒有分給他們地業。
3約書亞對以色列人說：耶和華─你們列祖的神所賜給你們的地，你們耽延不去得，要到幾時呢？
4你們每支派當選舉三個人，我要打發他們去，他們就要起身走遍那地，按著各支派應得的地業寫明（或作：畫圖），就回到我這裡來。
5他們要將地分做七分；猶大仍在南方，住在他的境內。約瑟家仍在北方，住在他的境內。
6你們要將地分做七分，寫明了拿到我這裡來。我要在耶和華─我們神面前，為你們拈鬮。
7利未人在你們中間沒有分，因為供耶和華祭司的職任就是他們的產業。迦得支派、流便支派，和瑪拿西半支派已經在約但河東得了地業，就是耶和華僕人摩西所給他們的。
8劃地勢的人起身去的時候，約書亞囑咐他們說：你們去走遍那地，劃明地勢，就回到我這裡來。我要在示羅這裡，耶和華面前，為你們拈鬮。
9他們就去了，走遍那地，按著城邑分做七分，寫在冊子上，回到示羅營中見約書亞。
10約書亞就在示羅，耶和華面前，為他們拈鬮。約書亞在那裡，按著以色列人的支派，將地分給他們。
信息分享
本章的第1節標示著以色列民的敬拜生活進入了一個新的里程碑。那個象徵著神與他們同在的約櫃，好像長時期留在吉甲，百姓要經常回到那裡去敬奉神。此外，他們還在以巴路山設立了祭壇，並在那裡把摩西所寫的律法抄寫在石頭上(八章)。
但如今，以色列民卻要將會幕固定地設立在示羅。眾民一定是非常歡喜快樂；就如一座新建成的教會舉行獻堂禮一樣。回想過往，他們在曠野飄流期間，會幕一直放在全營的中心，被十二支派的營帳圍著。如今來到示羅的情況也大致一樣，因為示羅是在他們領地的中央。眾民就圍繞著會幕建立永久的家園。直至所羅門作王的時候，以色列民才興建了一座聖殿來取代會幕成為眾民的敬拜中心。那時的聖殿就建在耶路撒冷了。
回顧過去，他們為了征服迦南地，總共爭戰了漫長的七年。在這七年裡面，神一直信實地看顧和祝福他們。如今，全民都聚集在示羅，會幕將成為他們的敬拜中心。示羅的名意是「平安」和「休息」的意思，是雅各為將來的彌賽亞所起的名字。因此，這個地方便成了基督的預表，眾民都要聚集一起來敬拜祂。基督永遠是我們的生活和敬拜中心。
然而，約書亞卻在這個時候，向眾支派講了一番措辭嚴厲的說話：「我們在這裡高興夠了。你們當中的一些支派，還未分到地業。你們不能一直留在示羅。你們要回去，走遍那地，劃明地勢，再回到我這裡來分地。」
以色列民雖然都站神的應許地，可是，卻有些未能獲得完全的喜樂。迦南當然遠勝曠野。可是神已經為他們預備了本身的產業，可惜他們還未親自進入那片屬於自己的地業。
今天，許多基督徒的光景也是如此。他們已蒙救贖，並與神的子民一起相交；可是，他們卻未進入神為他們所預備的完全境地。讓我們反躬自問：我們的屬靈經驗是處於初信的階段？還是已愈益進深，邁向更完全的境地？
SETTING UP GOD'S HOUSE
Joshua 18:1-10
1 Now the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of meeting there. And the land was subdued before them.
2 But there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes which had not yet received their inheritance.
3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?
4 Pick out from among you three men for each tribe, and I will send them; they shall rise and go through the land, survey it according to their inheritance, and come back to me.
5 And they shall divide it into seven parts. Judah shall remain in their territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall remain in their territory on the north.
6 You shall therefore survey the land in seven parts and bring the survey here to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
7 But the Levites have no part among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance. And Gad, Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.”
8 Then the men arose to go away; and Joshua charged those who went to survey the land, saying, “Go, walk through the land, survey it, and come back to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.”
9 So the men went, passed through the land, and wrote the survey in a book in seven parts by cities; and they came to Joshua at the camp in Shiloh.
10 Then Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD, and there Joshua divided the land to the children of Israel according to their divisions.
Message
The opening verse of this chapter marks an important point for the Children of Israel. It seems as though the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of God's presence, had remained most of the time at Gilgal and the people had returned there again and again. There was also altar on Mt Ebal on which Joshua had written the Ten Commandments (chapter 10).
But now the Tabernacle was to be set up. What a wonderful day of rejoicing that must have been. It would be like a church opening. During the wilderness wanderings, the Tabernacle had always been the centre of the camp with all the tribes camped around it. Now it was almost the same, as Shiloh was near the centre of the land they were possessing. Around the Tabernacle, as we find in the story of Eli and Samuel. Later in Solomon's time, a temple was built to replace the old Tabernacle. That of course was in Jerusalem.
Seven years of fighting lay behind them. God had been so good and faithful. Now it seemed they could settle down with Shiloh and the Tabernacle as their spiritual centre. Shiloh means 'peace' or 'rest'. It was the name given by Jacob to the coming Messiah. So this place became a type of Christ with his people gathered around him. Christ must always be the centre of our lives and our worship.
But Joshua had a strong word to say to some tribes. 'Some of you rejoicing here today have not yet really begun to possess the land God has given you. You can't stay here for ever at Shiloh. There is need back in your own home country and you haven't done anything about it.
These people were in the land God had promised, but did not know the full joy and experience of it all. Canaan was certainly better than the wilderness. But there was more that God had prepared for them and somehow they weren't entering into it.
That is true of many believers. They have been redeemed and are in fellowship with God's people, but still haven't entered into all that God has for them. Let's stop and ask ourselves today - where are we in spiritual experience? Still close to where we entered this new life? Or are we really growing in Christ?