Joshua
11:16-12:24 - What is the spiritual
value of this list of victories? Don’t be sidetracked by the military
aspect. This is not about Israel blowing its own trumpet. It is about
giving glory to God. In Genesis 12:1-3, we have God’s promise to bring blessing to all nations. Before Christ came as ‘the Saviour of the world’
(John 4:42), Israel was to become ‘a great nation’ - ‘a holy nation’,
‘a light to the nations’ (Exodus 19:6; Isaiah 49:6). This involved the
‘curse’ on the rebellious peoples who presented a sinful obstacle to
God’s saving purpose. The Lord is King! The united people
of God won a decisive victory in ‘the whole land’ (11:23). There was,
however, still ‘very much land to be possessed’ by the individual tribes (13:1). God’s Word is preached publicly. It must also be applied personally - by you!
13:1-14:15
- God has given the land to Israel. Still, there was the challenge:
‘there is still very much land to be possessed’ (13:1). ‘God... has
blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing’. Now, we must ‘lead a
life worthy of His calling’ (Ephesians 1:3; 4:1). ‘Joshua was old and
advanced in years’. Caleb was ‘eighty five years old’ (13:1; 14:10).
These were men of faith. Forty five years earlier, they had called on
the people to trust and obey: ‘The Lord... will bring us into this
land... Only, do not rebel against the Lord’ (14:7-10; Numbers 14:6-9).
They had persevered: ‘I press on...’. They had been preserved: ‘Kept by
the power of God’ (Philippians 3:14; 1 Peter 1:5). ‘I am still as strong
to this day as I was’, ‘We will serve the Lord’ (14:11; 24:15). This
is faith -for yesterday, today and tomorrow!
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