建立神的殿
约书亚记十八章1至10节
1以色列的全会众都聚集在示罗，把会幕设立在那里，那地已经被他们制伏了。
2以色列人中其余的七个支派还没有分给他们地业。
3约书亚对以色列人说：耶和华─你们列祖的神所赐给你们的地，你们耽延不去得，要到几时呢？
4你们每支派当选举三个人，我要打发他们去，他们就要起身走遍那地，按着各支派应得的地业写明（或作：画图），就回到我这里来。
5他们要将地分做七分；犹大仍在南方，住在他的境内。约瑟家仍在北方，住在他的境内。
6你们要将地分做七分，写明了拿到我这里来。我要在耶和华─我们神面前，为你们拈阄。
7利未人在你们中间没有分，因为供耶和华祭司的职任就是他们的产业。迦得支派、流便支派，和玛拿西半支派已经在约但河东得了地业，就是耶和华仆人摩西所给他们的。
8划地势的人起身去的时候，约书亚嘱咐他们说：你们去走遍那地，划明地势，就回到我这里来。我要在示罗这里，耶和华面前，为你们拈阄。
9他们就去了，走遍那地，按着城邑分做七分，写在册子上，回到示罗营中见约书亚。
10约书亚就在示罗，耶和华面前，为他们拈阄。约书亚在那里，按着以色列人的支派，将地分给他们。
信息分享
本章的第1节标示着以色列民的敬拜生活进入了一个新的里程碑。那个象征着神与他们同在的约柜，好像长时期留在吉甲，百姓要经常回到那里去敬奉神。此外，他们还在以巴路山设立了祭坛，并在那里把摩西所写的律法抄写在石头上(八章)。
但如今，以色列民却要将会幕固定地设立在示罗。众民一定是非常欢喜快乐；就如一座新建成的教会举行献堂礼一样。回想过往，他们在旷野飘流期间，会幕一直放在全营的中心，被十二支派的营帐围着。如今来到示罗的情况也大致一样，因为示罗是在他们领地的中央。众民就围绕着会幕建立永久的家园。直至所罗门作王的时候，以色列民才兴建了一座圣殿来取代会幕成为众民的敬拜中心。那时的圣殿就建在耶路撒冷了。
回顾过去，他们为了征服迦南地，总共争战了漫长的七年。在这七年里面，神一直信实地看顾和祝福他们。如今，全民都聚集在示罗，会幕将成为他们的敬拜中心。示罗的名意是「平安」和「休息」的意思，是雅各为将来的弥赛亚所起的名字。因此，这个地方便成了基督的预表，众民都要聚集一起来敬拜祂。基督永远是我们的生活和敬拜中心。
然而，约书亚却在这个时候，向众支派讲了一番措辞严厉的说话：「我们在这里高兴够了。你们当中的一些支派，还未分到地业。你们不能一直留在示罗。你们要回去，走遍那地，划明地势，再回到我这里来分地。」
以色列民虽然都站神的应许地，可是，却有些未能获得完全的喜乐。迦南当然远胜旷野。可是神已经为他们预备了本身的产业，可惜他们还未亲自进入那片属于自己的地业。
今天，许多基督徒的光景也是如此。他们已蒙救赎，并与神的子民一起相交；可是，他们却未进入神为他们所预备的完全境地。让我们反躬自问：我们的属灵经验是处于初信的阶段？还是已愈益进深，迈向更完全的境地？
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?