Josh (02-15-09)
Feb 15, 2009
“Destroying the Enemy Brings Growth” Josh 16 & 17
Before we begin looking at Josh 16 & 17
1st look back with me to Deut 20:10-18 & we shall see why God places terms upon the people of Israel when coming upon foreigners
Deut 20:10-18
10) when you approach a city to fight against it you shall offer it terms of peace
11) if it agrees to make peace with you & opens to you .. then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor .. & shall serve you
12) however .. if it does not make peace with you but makes war against you then you shall besiege it
13) when the Lord your God gives it into your hand / note ( we don’t win the battle .. He does ) you shall strike all the men in it with the edge of the sword
14) only the women & the children & the animals & all that is in the city .. all its spoil you shall take as booty for yourself & you shall use the spoil of your enemies which the Lord your God has given you
15) thus you shall do to all the cities that are very far from you .. which are not of the cities of these nations nearby
16) only in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance .. you shall not leave alive anything that breathes
17) but you shall utterly destroy them the Hittite & the Amorite, the Canaanite & the Perizzite, the Hivite & the Jebusite as the Lord your God has commanded you
18) ( why ) .. so that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods so that you would sin against the Lord your God
In the O.T. .. they were to destroy their physical enemies who might take them away from the teaching / traditions of their only God
So in the N.T. .. we are to destroy the spiritual enemies / sin that so easily entangles us & can keep us from the pure love & blessings that the Lord our God wishes to give us
John 14:23
Jesus answered & said to him / us if anyone loves Me .. they will keep My word & My Father will love them & We will come to them & make Our abode our fellowship .. with them
But as we see from Josh 16:10 & 17:12-13 Ephraim & Manasseh did not do as God commanded them & therefore .. were disobedient to their God
Here in ( Ch 16 .. & especially ) 17:14-18 we see the 2 sons of Joseph “Ephraim & Manasseh”
receive their inheritance / land
but we shall see that Ephraim & Manasseh become dissatisfied with their inheritance
they wanted more .. complaining because the Lord didn’t give them enough room ( NKJ ) v14 “since we are .. a great people” ( we sense the pride they had in themselves )
You see … Joshua was from the tribe of Ephraim … therefore they felt that they were .. entitled they felt that they were .. a special people who deserved .. special treatment [1]
BUT .. the Bible speaks plainly of the problems of pride
Prov 11:2
when pride comes .. then comes dishonor
but with the humble is wisdom
Prov 16:18
pride goes before destruction
& a haughty spirit before stumbling
Prov 29:23
a man’s pride will bring him low
but a humble spirit will obtain honor
So Joshua told his brethren if they were such a great people now was their opportunity to prove it
( so he said in v15 ) perhaps with a touch of sarcasm
then do what Caleb did & defeat the giants & claim the mountains the land for yourselves
In essence God was saying thru Joshua if you don’t like what you have go up & possess the mountains but remember .. there are giants in the land & you will have to work / fight for it ( its going to cost you something ) [2]
You see .. each tribe was appointed its land & inheritance .. just as to each of us is given the gift according to God’s measure of grace
1 Cor 12:7, 11, 18
7) but to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit .. for the common good / for everyone
11) but one & the same Spirit works all things distributing to each one individually just as He wills / He gives it .. not us ( note v18 )
18) but now .. God has placed the members each one of them in the body .. just as He desired
As we look at 16:10 & 17:12-13 & we saw that they did not put the enemy out of their land
OK … they made their mistake .. BUT the question that we must face .. is this is the enemy / satan still sharing your land with you have you too .. not driven him out
v18 Joshua lets them know that the fight will be difficult
v18 but the hill country shall be yours for tho it is a forest .. you shall clear it ever try to cut down trees .. it is very difficult & to its farthest borders it shall be yours for you shall drive out the Canaanites even tho they have chariots of iron & tho they are strong in other words .. the battle will be difficult make no mistake about it
The question that faces each & every one of us .. is this
Do you want to walk with the blessings of Christ well .. it will be a tough battle make no mistake about it
Do you see the inference here God is saying … to Israel & to us
Are you willing to fight for the land the blessings .. that are yours or do you feel slighted
Well the battle is the only way you will get it all
It is spiritual warfare says Paul Eph 6:10-ff
& you .. & you alone will have to clear out the trees / sin
& so Joshua says don’t come to me & complain there is plenty of land .. go & get it
& God is saying to you & me there are multitude of blessings go out there & receive them
Are you looking for more opportunities within your life .. greater doors of service are there trees / sin that mars your vision that blocks your progress that hinders your victory then cut them down .. get rid of the sin that so easily entangles you & fix your eyes on Jesus
Heb 12:1-3
1) therefore since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us .. let us also lay aside every encumbrance .. & the sin which so easily entangles us .. & let us run with endurance the race that is set before us
2) fixing our eyes on Jesus the author & perfecter of faith .. who for the joy set before Him endured the cross .. despising the shame & has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God
3) for consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself / why so that you will not grow weary & lose heart
Do you feel like you have enough blessings
Listen please .. if there is any land / any inheritance that we need to get more of no matter how full we may feel
It is our walk / relationship with Christ we need to plead with our Father to enlarge our capacity to see more & more of Christ in us
How do we get more of Him it is accomplished directly by & thru confessing our sin & our obedience & faith in Him
you want more of Him then cut down the trees / sin
Verses:
Deut 20:10-18
John 14:23
Prov 11:2; Prov 16:18; Prov 29:23
1 Cor 12:7,11,18
Eph 6:10-20
Heb 12:1-3
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[1]Wiersbe, W. W. (1996, c1993). Be strong (Jos 13:1). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2]McGee, J. V. (1997, c1981). Thru the Bible commentary. Based on the Thru the Bible radio program. (electronic ed.) (2:33). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.