A Land at Rest from War?

Background to passage: We saw after the battle to protect the Gibeonites that Israel advanced in the South, later we see the same in the North. Chapters 11-12 are the bookend of the first half of Joshua. There are some battles left, but overall the land is possessed with a couple of exceptions.

Joshua 11:16–23 ESV

16 So Joshua took all that land, the hill country and all the Negeb and all the land of Goshen and the lowland and the Arabah and the hill country of Israel and its lowland 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. And he captured all their kings and struck them and put them to death. 18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. 19 There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses. 21 And Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction with their cities. 22 There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain. 23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.

Opening illustration: The Roman Empire was constantly expanding, most of these expansions were by war. However, a period of about 200 years was called the Pax Romana, the “Peace of Rome”, was relatively free from war for the great majority of the empire. This allowed for economic prosperity, flourishing of the arts, building much infrastructure, cultural stability, and advancements in law and governance. Don’t know if that was really the case with Israel.

Main thought:

1) Hardening of Hearts (v. 20)

Joshua 11:20 ESV

20 For it was the Lord’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the Lord commanded Moses.

1) Hardening of Hearts (v. 20)

Explanation: There are parts of the bible that are easy to believe and receive. There are parts of the bible that are awesome and wonderful even if they aren’t as easy to believe. Then there are parts of the bible that are hard to understand and hard to believe. This verse falls into the last category. The clear teaching of the bible is that God can harden the hearts of people so that they rebel against him for various reasons.

Exodus 4:21 ESV

21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

Matthew 13:13–15 ESV

13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.” 15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Romans 9:18–20 ESV

18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?”

Illustration: In the movie Bruce Almighty with Jim Carey, Bruce is very dissatisfied with God’s handling of many aspects of his life. God then makes him God, and says he’s taking a vacation since Bruce can do it better. The only power that Bruce does not have is the ability to change or affect free will.

Application: This is a hard teaching. The first two contexts (Exodus and Joshua) are more easily accepted. The second two are difficult because it seems unfair that God would speak the gospel/truth in order that they might not believe. Our sense of justice and fairness exerts itself upon the situation, and begins to extrapolate as well. In our minds we begin to call into question either our reading of the text or our understanding of God’s character. We seem to demand an answer, as if unless we get one, we will not let God be God. Let’s do some theology, then some application.

Here’s some theology:

All things that God does are fair and just because He is the standard.

There is nothing that falls outside of the sphere of God’s sovereignty

Sovereignty is taught alongside the responsibility of man, and accountability

Here’s some application:

God does not stand at the bar of our reason, none of us holds him to account

Watch out for a misplaced locus of amazement

Do not take this where it does not go… “if…then”

This should bring comfort that our prayer for God to save is based on something he can do

Should bring us confidence that God is truly able to do anything he wants

We don’t have to be able to explain it all to believe it. However, we must submit to biblical teaching and come to terms with it.

2) Leaving a People (v. 22)

Joshua 11:22 ESV

22 There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain.

2) Leaving a People (v. 22)

Explanation: Multiple times in this passage we are told that Joshua took all the land, but did he? We are told in this verse that he left some land unconquered (and we’ll hear of some more later). He speaks specifically about the Anakim or Anakites as some translations render it. These are the giants, like Goliath of Gath, who had lived in the region of the five Philistine cities for a long time. They are left in the land. This would come back to haunt them as was prophesied by Moses.

A Philistine woman named Delilah was the downfall of Samson. The Philistines won a battle when Eli was priest in 1 Sam 2 after which they stole the Ark of the Covenant. In 1 Sam 13 they would not allow blacksmiths in Israel for military advantage. Israel only had two swords. The account of Goliath was in 1 Samuel 17, where he taunted the God of Israel. In 1 Sam 30 they killed King Saul and three of his sons. David fared better with the Philistines. But even as late as Nehemiah, one of the forces that opposed the rebuilding efforts were the Philistines, and the children of Israel were intermarrying with the Philistines and bringing idolatry into the community. Half of the children being born into these marriages did not speak Hebrew.

Numbers 13:28 ESV

28 However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there.

Numbers 33:55 ESV

55 But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those of them whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they shall trouble you in the land where you dwell.

Proverbs 28:13 ESV

13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

Illustration: “The path to a healthy, godly life is not sinless perfection, but immediate confession.” The woman talking to the pastor’s wife about losing her peace and joy, but not wanting to talk about where she lost it. Bleached shorts, battery acid jeans...

Application: This is why we must take sin so seriously. Sins that we carelessly leave undealt with will return with vengeance. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day, and maybe for the rest of your life. We cannot go soft on sin. We cannot toy with it. Some people will admit that they know they have a hard time with anger or the way they deal with others, but never make the effort to do anything about it. You struggle with inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex? It will bite you if you don’t deal with it. Are you proud and arrogant? Do you look down on others? It will not go without notice by God, nor will your flesh flee from it by itself. Don’t let areas of your life with sin go without confrontation or peaceful living.

Good thing is that we have an advocate if we confess our sin. Present the gospel

Closing illustration: My testimony about God drawing me to him.

Recap