Contesting the Coastline Forever

Scripture: When the territory of the descendants of Dan slipped out of their control, they went up and fought against Leshem, captured it, and struck it down with the sword. So they took possession of it, lived there, and renamed Leshem after their ancestor Dan. Joshua 19:47

Observation: The last tribe discussed to receive their allotment, Dan's description also ends differently. While all the others just say "this was the allotment ..." after listing the boundaries and cities, Dan's states that ... they failed to control their land, and instead took one other city far north (in the far northeast corner of the land, within Naphtali) as their only claim.

Dan's original claim wasn't in a bad place, along any border. It was right next to Judah, Benjamin, and Ephraim, the area that would remain the very core of Israel for centuries. However ... it was on the coast, and was the northern extension of the Philistine's land. It included Ekron inland. In other words, this is the part of Israel that was most contested, and would remain most contested throughout Israel's history. By the time of the divided kingdom, as other nations overtook Israel's claims, this was well within Philistia. And even today, this is part of the region still contested as an extended part of Gaza.

Application: Even with the initial organization of Israel, it was clear this part of Israel - this eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea - would be problematic from the perspective of world peace. It makes little sense that one coastal area of relative insignificant size could possibly generate such consistent conflict for 3,500 years, and yet it has.

I feel this is significant for understanding ... something about the Lord. Yes, there was a time under David that this area was subdued, but much of the time it was not, Dan as a tribe never really settled it, and it remains in conflict even today. And even in Joshua's lifetime, as the author of this very passage, this fact was effectively documented and understood.

Did God want the Philistines to remain strong and a thorn to educate Israel? Did God punish Israel to the point of cursing this area because Dan gave up to easily on their promised territory? These and other scenarios seem possible. However, the outcome is the same ... millennia of conflict in the "chosen land".

Prayer: Lord, I pray for Israel, and for the land. I do not know why that is your chosen center of the world, but there is no denying that it is. It is a place full of wonder, yet full of violence. It is not something I can understand, but may all that happens there be for your glory and your purposes. Amen.