Day 67: Joshua 16, 17 and 18

The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. (Joshua 18:1)

After forty years of travel, the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle) stood at Gilgal during the military campaigns for Canaan. Yesterday we read that even after the three campaigns, there was still work to do. In 18:2 we read that seven of twelve tribes still had not secured their inheritance. Frankly they would not until the days of King David. Once the initial campaigns were accomplished, the Tabernacle moved from Gilgal and was set up in Shiloh. There it would remain until the early days of Samuel (I'm thinking that makes it about 150 years), but we'll get to that story in a couple weeks. In the mean time, Shiloh would serve as the spiritual capital of Israel during the years of the judges.

Darker days were ahead. If you want to see what's coming, read Psalm 78:56-64. But for now, Shiloh was Israel’s spiritual center.

Everyone needs some sort of spiritual center, some place that takes them back to their spiritual roots. It might be the church (or river or lake) where you were baptized. It might be a passage of Scripture that has become especially meaningful to you over the years. It may be one of the names of God in which you have found your deepest need supplied. Or it could be the memory of someone special who prayed with you to receive Christ.

Where is your spiritual center?