READING: Joshua 11-13
We are now reading summaries of the Hebrews’ conquest of the land God promised them. Sometimes, these kinds of chapters are difficult to read, as the listings of defeated kings seem to go on and on with little apparent purpose. God, though, always has a reason for what He has included in His Word.
For example, today’s readings remind us that warfare includes both God’s people carrying out the battles and God’s giving them the victory. Note this tension in these verses: “So Joshua and all his warriors came suddenly against them by the waters of Merom and fell upon them [an alliance of enemy kings]. And the LORD gave them into the hand of Israel, who struck them and chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastward as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. And they struck them until he left none remaining” (Joshua 11:7-8). The Hebrew armies attacked the kings, chased them, and struck them down — but it was God who gave them into Israel’s hand until none of them remained. Indeed, God had told Joshua before the battle that He would give the enemies over to Israel. He kept His Word, and He did it through the courageous obedience of His people.
Dozens of kings fell as the Hebrews went to war to win a land God had already promised and given them. In fact, among those Joshua defeated were the Anakim (Joshua 11:22-23), the giants who had frightened the previous generation from taking the land. The Hebrews failed the first time because they did not trust God as their warrior, but not this time. This time they invaded the land, learning to trust their Divine Warrior.
That’s the way we have to fight battles, too. We are to put on the full armor, but the armor we wear is God’s armor (Eph 6:10-17). We are to resist the devil, but we can do that only in submission to the One who has defeated him. We must say “no” to temptation, yet any victory we gain is through Jesus who broke the enemy’s power in His cross.
If we do nothing in this battle, the enemy wins because of our fear and our apathy; on the other hand, he also wins if we engage the battle in our own power. We must go to war, but God must be our warrior. That’s the way we do biblical spiritual warfare.
ACTION STEPS: Consider these steps:
- Take some practical steps toward winning the battle today. Live in integrity. Make righteous choices. Speak the gospel to others. Love His Word.
- With every step you take, thank Him for the victory.
PRAYER: “I praise You, Lord, for victory. Help me to live faithfully in the tension of a real battle for me that You’ve already won.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Joshua 14-18
