pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Canaanites


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Cycles

Readings: Judges 1, Judges 2, Judges 3:1-6

Judges 2:18 – “So the LORD would raise up leaders for them, and the LORD would be with the leader, and he would rescue Israel.”

Today we turn to the book of Judges. This book falls in between Moses and Joshua and the beginning of the monarchy with Saul and then David. The Israelites are living in the Promised Land. Judges opens with the Israelites asking who will go up to fight the Canaanites. There are still a lot of non-Israelites living in the land. Judah, along with Simeon, fight and have success. But soon we read about the Kenites who went up to live with the Amalekites and again and again we read “didn’t drive out.”

Chapter 1 ends with decreases in success and outright failure against the inhabitants of the land. Chapter 2 opens with the Lord’s messenger calling out the people’s disobedience. The messenger declares that God will not drive them out so that they and their gods “will be a trap for you.” We then have a flashback to the time of Joshua. This serves as a lean in to the reality that the next generation, this current generation, did not know the Lord. This generation worships Baal and other local gods. Defeat and distress soon follow.

In verse 18 we read, “So the LORD would raise up leaders for them, and the LORD would be with the leader, and he would rescue Israel.” God responds to their cries. In the next verse, however, we read, “When the leader died they would once again act in ways that weren’t as good as their ancestors.” God would become angry and the cycle would begin anew. After a list of the nations God left as “a test for Israel” we read, “The Israelites intermarried with them and served their gods.” So it will be in Judges. And so it is in our lives.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to see the cycles that we too repeat. In seeing, help us to learn and grow in our faith so that we can lessen sin’s grip on our lives. Strengthen and encourage us, O God, empowering us with your Holy Spirit. Amen.


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Don’t Be Afraid

Readings: Joshua 7, Joshua 8, Joshua 9, Joshua 10, Joshua 11

Joshua 10:8 – “Don’t be afraid of them. I have given them into your power. Not a single one of them can stand up against you.”

In today’s readings we see the results of obedience and of disobedience. In chapter 7 the sin of one affects the many. But Achan’s is not the only disobedience. Israel goes up against Ai without consulting God. Because of a resounding defeat, Israel’s hearts “melted.” Joshua and the elders turn to God. God says, “Get up!” Following God’s guidance, Achan is found out and punished. God then directs the battle against Ai, leading to victory. In verse 24 we read what will become a familiar refrain: “without mercy.” Joshua and Israel then bring offerings. The commandments are written in the large stones and then recited to the people.

In chapter 9 the Gibeonites trick Israel into a treaty. Again God is not consulted. This leaves Israel stuck: break their oath or break a command of God? An alliance of five kings (or was it God?) provides a solution. They attack the Gibeonites, trying to recapture a strategic location. God tells Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of them. I have given them into your power. Not a single one of them can stand up against you.” Israel is victorious. Again and again we read “wiped out”… “no survivors” in the battle accounts.

Joshua then turns his attention to the north. In chapter 11 the northern kings join together against Israel. Their army is “as numerous as the sands in the seashore.” Again God says to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid…” And again Israel wins victory after victory. Lastly the Anakim are removed from the Promised Land. At the end of chapter 11, after what was really a lengthy military campaign, we read, “Then the land had a rest from war.”

As we read these words that speak again and again of violence, we need to keep in mind that these words are not 100% literal. Canaanites remain in the land. Their military power is broken but their power of influence is far from “wiped out.” The Canaanites will continue to dwell amongst Israel, leading to intermarriage, idolatry, and future conflicts.

Prayer: Lord God, we see today how obedience leads to good. Disobedience does not end well. We see both on the personal and communal levels. We will see how the influences of the world, if allowed to dwell in our hearts, will lead to disobedience. As people and as communities of faith, draw us to obedience and to relationship with you. Amen.