Josh (02-15-09)

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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

 

16only 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


----

[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.

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