Calling Toward Remaining Canaanites

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Joshua 13
Psalters: 198, 386, 173, 271
  • Joshua 13: 1-6

    CALLING TOWARDS THE REMAINING CANAANITES

    I. The Situation

    A. Joshua’s calling continues, in spite of his advanced age (around 85); he is not set aside (Isa. 46:4; Ps. 92:14).

    B. God gave Joshua the duty to superintend the apportioning of Canaan to the 9 ½ tribes.

    1. He had been given authority from God as Israel’s leader; which fit him best for this duty.

    2. Joshua must do this soon, so each tribe knows where to fight and whom to fight.

    C.Under Joshua’s leadership, Israel substantially took possession of Canaan, but more work still was to be done.

    D.God identifies the sections of Canaan still occupied by heathen (2-6).

    II. The calling is to continue to fight and to drive out their enemies (who are the enemies of God).

    A. They are to focus on the fact that they have God’s promise that He will drive them out (6).

    1. Canaan is a divine gift to Abraham and his seed (Gen. 12:6,7).

    2. God’s gift did not make Israel passive recipients of the promises of God. And their activity does not deny the divine gift.

    B. The same is true with regard to the inheritance which God has promised to us.

    1. It is completely of God’s grace and Christ’s merits, but it is actually entered only by activity by the heirs of glory.

    2. But this does not mean that the regenerated and justified soul is passive or self-sufficient.

    III. Note that God includes a reference to Balaam as a warning, alerting us to the danger of being influenced by earthly things.

    A. Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness (II Peter 2:15).

    B. Balaam dies with the Moabites (Num. 22:7; 31:8). Balak, king of Moab, had hired him to curse God’s people.