Good morning. Please turn with me in your bibles to Joshua chapter 15. Joshua 15.
This week as we continue through the book of Joshua we are going to pick up the pace. If you will recall, the people of God have gained supremacy within the land of Canaan, the land that God had first promised to give to Abraham, or more specifically, the Abraham’s offspring.
God has provided them with miraculous victories, over stronger and more well-equipped armies, and he has done so in ways that repeatedly both test the faith of His people, and also demonstrate that the true power of His people comes from Him and Him alone. He is the source of all their strength and might.
Today those same themes will be prominent again. Bold faith will be commended, fearful disobedience will be condemned, and God again is shown to be faithful to His promises.
My aim is to try and cover three chapters this morning. I will be summarizing certain portions of these chapters, not because they are unimportant, but because the geographical details are foreign to most of us.
We will instead be focusing on a few lessons to be drawn from God and His people in these chapters, and applying those lessons to us today.
Let me begin with a word of prayer, and then we will see what God has to teach us from His word.
PRAYER
Chapter 15 begins with a description of the inheritance of land that belongs to the tribe of Judah. While we might be tempted to think that such geographic detail is tedious and irrelevant, we should remind ourselves that every single word of this section is evidence that God keeps his word.
The land had long ago been promised to Abraham, and as one commentator put it, “Joshua 15 is simply one of the buds on the tree [that was planted in] Genesis 12 and 15.”[1] Genesis 12 and 15 tell us about God’s promises made to Abraham. And Joshua 15 details those promises being fulfilled. That alone is a useful reminder of God’s faithfulness to his promises, and his generosity to his people.
But that theme we have seen multiple times already. I’d like to begin this morning with a different emphasis. My first point from this section is this: Two Examples of Determined Faith. Two Examples of Determined Faith.
Look with me past the details of the inheritance to the tribe of Judah. Starting in verse 13 we have Caleb join us in the text again. We studied his courageous faith before, but in this section we see that that same kind of bold faith, determined faith, is passed on to his offspring, specifically his daughter.
If you will remember back to chapter 14 which had the description of Caleb’s land of inheritance, it still contained some of the sons of Anak, who were the giants of the land. Mighty men that were scary in battle, renowned for their military victories and feats of strength.
And in verse 14 we see that Caleb has driven them out. And then Caleb moves on against the inhabitants of Debir, which was apparently a difficult task. So difficult, that in verse 16 he makes an announcement. Look at verse 16:
“And Caleb said, “Whoever strikes Kiriath-sepher and captures it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter as wife.” 17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, captured it. And he gave him Achsah his daughter as wife.”
So, Caleb gives his daughter Achsah to Othniel because he captured the city of Debir.
18 When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. And she got off her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What do you want?” 19 She said to him, “Give me a blessing. Since you have given me the land of the Negeb, give me also springs of water.” And he gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
This whole story of Achsah’s request for the springs Sounds a little familiar. It is reminiscent of Rebekah’s meeting with Isaac in Genesis 24.
Both Achsah and Rebekah approached, riding on the back of an animal, they then get off, they both make a request, and then they both receive the desired result from the person whom they approached. Also, “both accounts involve an inheritance of [a] blessing that God had [previously] promised to Abraham.”[2]
Bold and determined faith, which is willing to stick its neck out, while also pleading on the basis of the promises of God. Such faith is rewarded. Achash is our first example of determined faith.
A second example is found ahead in our text in Chapter 17 of Joshua. Turn over a page to Joshua 17, starting in verse 3, where we will see the daughters of Zelophehad.
If you will remember back to a brief story from Numbers 27, Zelophehad was an Israelite father who died with no sons, and therefore no male heir to receive his inheritance. In their day it was customary for the Firstborn son to receive most, if not all of the major land inheritance.
So having no sons, his five daughters decide to appeal to Moses, asking that “what would have been their father’s land in heritance not be diverted to the nearest male relative, but that they, his daughters, be granted the his inheritance, uncustomary as this might seem.”
Moses then takes their request to the Lord, and the Lord rules in their favor, granting them the right to the land inheritance, even though back in Numbers 27 they weren’t even in the land yet. Their inheritance was still a promise, not yet in their possession.
So, back in Joshua 17 verse 4, we see these daughters take possession of their claim:
4 They approached Eleazar the priest and Joshua the son of Nun and the leaders and said, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our brothers.” So according to the mouth of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among the brothers of their father.
Their follow up here in Joshua 17 indicates to us the quality of their faith. They believed the promise of the Lord concerning their coming inheritance back in Numbers, even though the actual possession of the promised blessing was far away.
And now in Joshua 17 they again show their faith in that promise of the Lord, and they’re given inheritance. Bold faith seen in these women, trusting in the provision and promise of the Lord.
And, as we will see in a few minutes, the boldness of the faith in these women is starkly contrasted with the cowering fear of some of the men of Israel.
The bible contains many positive examples of virtuous and faithful women.
Can you think of other woman in scripture who showed courage, even took risks, in order to plead for mercy from the Lord?
I think of the woman with the discharge of blood in Matthew 9. She risked social stigma, and in bold faith simply believed that if she could just touch the hem of Christ’s garment that she would be made well.
And she reached out in a crown and touched his garment, and Christ healed her and told her that her faith had made her well. Bold faith, determined to seek the mercy of God, rewarded with what she needed.
Same is true of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15 whose daughter was possessed by a demon.
Lord have mercy on me, she pleaded, for even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table. “Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.” Matthew 15:28. Determined faith, rewarded with the desire of her heart.
Or the woman who anointed Jesus’s feet in Matthew 26.
Or the woman who had a disabling spirit in Luke 13. Hadn’t been able to stand up straight for 18 years.
Or the persistent widow in Luke 18. Many examples of women with bold and courageous faith, seeking out the Lord.
Many Christians today lack boldness, lack assurance, lack confidence, lack faith to lay hold of the promises that God has made to us. They lack faith in the provision of God. Fearful to approach the Lord. Fearful to ask him for the blessings that he has already promised to us.
Even though he’s promised to answer the holy prayers of his children, we fail to pray. Christ promised in John 16: “whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you,” and yet we still fail to pray, we don’t even bother to ask.
Even though He’s promised us all things that we need in Christ, we fail to approach, fearful to even ask.
One preacher put it this way:
We are like the folks who enter into a store, gather what we need into our shopping cart, but finding nobody at the register. However, there is a bell at the counter, and a sign that says, “ring for service.” But instead of ringing for service, we sit there and stare at it for all manner of foolish reasons.
What if they think I am impatient?
I’d hate to appear too demanding or needy.
It might irritate the clerk if I interrupted them in whatever they are doing.
Other people might need his attention more than me.
The whole time we can hardly imagine that the shopkeeper provided the bell because he ACTUALLY wants the customers to use it![3]
“That is precisely the point that the writer of Hebrews seeks to make. If Jesus, the Son of God, is our great and sympathetic high priest at the right hand of God, what ought we to do? ‘Let us then with confidence [with boldness] draw near to the throne of grace that we may…find grace to help in time of need’ (Heb. 4:16).
If Jesus, the Tempted one, is God’s provision for us in our temptations, what should we do? …Come to him, use him, claim what God has supplied.
If God has provided a throne of grace, then let us by all means draw near so that we may find grace for help at just right time… Let the daughters of Zelophehdad teach you not to waver bashfully about laying hold of God’s promised provisions.”[4]
Boldy approach, lay claim to what has been given to you. Reach out to God and ask him to provide the things that he said he would. That’s what faith does. It is determined.
It is courageous. May we take a cue from these daughters, and approach God with boldness, seeking those things that He has delighted to make our inheritance.
More on this dynamic later.
Let’s move on to the second point, which is this: Man’s Ways are not God’s Ways. Man’s Ways are not God’s ways.[5]
Look at chapter 16, which begins to recount the inheritance of land given to the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim, the two sons of Joseph.
The allotment of the people of Joseph went from the Jordan by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, into the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country to Bethel. 2 Then going from Bethel to Luz, it passes along to Ataroth, the territory of the Archites. 3 Then it goes down westward to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer, and it ends at the sea.
4 The people of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, received their inheritance.
Everything seems normal so far. Verse 4 lists the two sons of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, in birth order. Manasseh is listed first, because he’s the senior of the two.
But then verse 5 starts the detailed account of Ephraim’s inheritance first. Why did it start with Ephraim? That’s not how this should go. It should be the oldest first.
Well, we are reminded once again that God’s ways are not man’s ways, and that in God’s divine plan, the younger brother was given priority.
If you remember back to the end of Genesis, at the end of Jacob’s life, there is an interesting story about how Jacob passes his blessing on to Jospeh’s sons. In Genesis 48, Joseph brings his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim to his aged father Jacob.
Jacob then speaks to them in verse 5 and says that Ephraim and Manasseh shall be his, just as Ruben and Simeon are. Notice the switch in ordering; subtle, but deliberate: Ephraim and Manasseh shall be his.
And then when Joseph presents his two sons for their formal blessing, he puts the elder, Manasseh across from Jacob’s right hand, and the younger, Ephraim, across from his left, as custom would dictate.
The elder would get the right hand of blessing, and therefore primacy.
But the old and blind Jacob crossed his arms, placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, giving the younger son the primacy over the older. Joseph even tries to straighten out the situation and “fix” what he perceived to be a mix up, but Jacob assures his son that he knew what he was doing.
Jacob then gives the blessing, part of which says, “When a blessing is pronounced on Israel, men shall use your names and say, ‘God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’ And then the author concludes the story: ‘So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.’
That’s the same thing that Joshua 16-17 does. The author clearly knows the birth order. He uses it in verse 4. But then he puts Ephraim before Manasseh in the listing of inheritances. It’s subtle, but it is another clear reminder that God doesn’t work like we work.
How often does God do things that are the opposite of what man would do. He delights to reverse the conventions of men, and to upset the ordering that makes sense to the natural mind.
Think about that same logic applied by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1. If man were trying to create an earthly organization that would succeed, he would put the most successful business men in charge, or the most eloquent spokespersons, or the most clever leaders.
But that’s not how God works. Paul says instead:
not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being[d] might boast in the presence of God.
Or consider what James says in chapter 2 of his letter:
Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?
This inversion of the expected pattern is a huge theme in scripture. We see that inversion in Ephraim being given primacy over Manasseh. And we see it in other places even among the tribes. The clearest example is probably that of Judah.
Judah was a son of Jacob, and by no means a man with a sparkling reputation. He was willing to go to bed with who he thought was a Canaanite Harlot in Genesis 38.
And yet, in God’s mercy, Judah was given primacy among the brothers. That’s probably why his lot was mentioned in Joshua 15 ahead of the other tribes. Judah was not the oldest, but was the one given the favored birthright among his brothers.
Jacob prophesies in Genesis 48 that the ruler’s scepter, the image of Kingly power, would be planted between his feet. Judah would have the royal primacy, not because he was so holy and virtuous, but simply because of God’s divine plan.
One author I read put it this way: God’s sovereignty is imprisoned neither by Roberts’ Rules of Order, nor by Our rules of order.[6]
As Lord says in Isaiah 55: my ways are not your ways, and my thoughts are not your thoughts.
And we can even look into our own lives and see that same testimony. How many of you have experienced the sovereign plan of God in your life, working out in unexpected ways? How many times has the Lord’s unexpected plan ended up better than your plan would have?
Like the old country song says, I thank God for unanswered prayers. Where God in his sovereignty denies us the thing we ask for, but does so in kindness and mercy, because he has some other plan in place, which ends up better.
God’s ways are not my ways, and God’s thoughts are higher than my thoughts.
If that is reality is true, then it means that we shouldn’t despair when something happens you don’t expect.
Don’t get discouraged when the thing you want isn’t happening,
or isn’t happening in the timeline that you want,
or in the way that you want. God doesn’t plan like we plan.
He doesn’t act according to human custom or expectation. He wants us to have bold faith, like the previous point, to do things that don’t make sense to the natural man, in order to show that the power resides with Him and not with us.
How might the Lord be calling you to act in courageous and unexpected ways?
Maybe He’s calling you to forgive someone who has sinned against you.
Maybe He’s asking you to be generous, even though you feel like you have little.
Maybe He’s calling you to be merciful to someone, even though they really don’t deserve it.
Maybe He’s calling you to love your enemy, like Jesus taught, which makes no sense to the natural man.
God’s ways are not man’s ways, and in God’s plan, we’re called to do things that don’t make sense to the world.
And the clearest example of God’s ways not being man’s ways, is the cross itself.
Nobody would have written the narrative of scripture like it is.
An innocent man, treated like a criminal, so that criminals like us might be excused of our crimes.
An honorable God treated shamefully, so that the shameful might be treated with honor.
And an all-powerful God treated as helpless, so that the helpless might be strengthened with divine power.
That’s the unexpected glory of the cross. Christ living the perfect life, and dying the sinner’s death, so that imperfect sinners might granted forgiveness and life, simply by faith in him.
Trust in that Christ, believe in Him and his atonement. See the power and majesty and glory of Christ, the royal son of Judah, from whose hands the royal scepter will never depart, the one who’s death and life provide the ultimate inheritance for God’s people.
That’s the plan of the Lord, and praise God, that His way is better than our way.
Next, and let’s move on to the final point: Disobedience and Discontentment.
We’ve seen several examples in our text of Faithful and bold faith, as well as contentment in God’s provision. These chapters also contain for us a striking counter example of both fearful disobedience and discontentment in God’s provision.
For example, chapter 17 begins with the allotment for Manasseh, and then the daughters of Zelophehad, who we studied before. But then 17:7 begins describing the land that was given to Manasseh.
But notice the end of that paragraph in verse 12: Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land.
The verse says: They could not take possession of the cities. What happened? Didn’t God promise them victory? Didn’t He say that HE would drive out the peoples for Israel? Didn’t he say that he would fight for them?
How could the people be unable to do it, if God had promised his strength?
Well, we don’t have to wait until the book of Judges to read about the some of the failures of the Canaanite conquest in the land. We see hints of the people of God deviating from God’s plan. There is a clear downward trajectory. Let me show you that trajectory in the text:
Go back to chapter 15 verse 63: But the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the people of Judah could not drive out, so the Jebusites dwell with the people of Judah at Jerusalem to this day.
Now look at Chapter 16 verse 10: However, they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites have lived in the midst of Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labor.
And then 17:12-13: Yet the people of Manasseh could not take possession of those cities, but the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. 13 Now when the people of Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.
We can see an intensification in the blame in these comments. First it was Judah’s inability. Then it was Ephraim’s failure in regard to one city and, evidently, settling for the Canaanites enslavement rather than their expulsion;
finally, Manasseh’s massive inability or failure to control a number of strategic locations, along with their preference for the resident Canaanites to be their slaves, rather than defeated enemies.
Such arrangements and accommodations are blatant contradictions to what God had told them to do. As we have seen in previous sermons, God had told them in places like Exodus 23, Exodus 34, and Deuteronomy 7 that the inhabitants of Canaan MUST NOT LIVE IN YOUR LAND.
Israel was to completely purge the land of wickedness and idolatry. The cancer of Baal worship must be radically carved out.
But here in Joshua we see toleration of the Canaanites by Ephraim and Manasseh, proving that their initial zeal to obey the Lord was waning. They had been given the position of prominence in the land, and now that they grew fat and sleek, they abandoned the God who made them, to quote Deuteronomy 32.
They liked the comfort and ease that came with having slaves of their own, and in an ironic twist of fate, they became the very thing that God had to save them from in the beginning of this whole journey: slaveholders.
They were slothful and disobedient in following God’s orders, enticed by ease and prosperity to accommodate sin, discontent with God’s commands for holiness, and it eventually led to their destruction.
But their slothful disobedience and their discontentment are evidenced even further in this passage. Look at Joshua chapter 17 verse 14:
Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since all along the Lord has blessed me?”
15 And Joshua said to them, “If you are a numerous people, go up by yourselves to the forest, and there clear ground for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.”
16 The people of Joseph said, “The hill country is not enough for us. Yet all the Canaanites who dwell in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”
17 Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only,18 but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”
Even though the tribes of Joseph were given a divine gift of land, they were discontent with the gift. They want more.
Joshua’s initial response to their request for more land is to: go clear the forest if you want more land. If the plain is too small, as you say, then go clear trees to make more space.
But their response to that reveals their true heart. There is a little debate about how to best translate the text, the details of which I will spare you. I think it best to say that they are despairing and fearful, unwilling to take the land because it was patrolled by Canaanite chariots.
Joshua’s response is basically, if you go up and take the land, you’ll be able to do it. You are numerous. That’s the main point of verses 17 and 18:
you are a numerous people; you have great power; you will not have only one lot; for the hill country will be yours indeed, you will dispossess the Canaanites; sure they have iron chariots; sure they are strong.”[7]
Joshua’s answer is not one that lacks empathy, nor does it ignore the genuine obstacles in their way. It rather is a theologically-informed rebuke and exhortation.
He remembers what God had previously said. Listen to what God promises in Deuteronomy 7:17-21
“If you say in your heart, ‘These nations are greater than I. How can I dispossess them?’ 18 you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, 19 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, the wonders, the mighty hand, and the outstretched arm, by which the Lord your God brought you out. So will the Lord your God do to all the peoples of whom you are afraid.
20 Moreover, the Lord your God will send hornets among them, until those who are left and hide themselves from you are destroyed. 21 You shall not be in dread of them, for the Lord your God is in your midst, a great and awesome God.
Ephraim and Manasseh’s complaint began with discontentment, but it’s root was actually distrust in the promises of God. They didn’t think God would be enough. They were fearful.
They were the opposite of the women pictured earlier in the section, which itself is further rebuke. For the men making up the army of God to be scared, while the women boldly testify to their faith in God’s promises, that’s quite an implied rebuke here by the author of the text.
Ephraim and Manasseh should remember who God is.
He is the God who not only defeated Pharaoh, but won the victory so handily that the people of Egypt thrust them out of the land and threw their worldly possessions at them as they were heading out the door.
This is the same God who brought Pharaoh to his knees, and used the red sea to wash away all the Egyptian chariots.
IF that’s the case, then why would they fear the Perizzite swords or the Canaanite chariots? God has already defeated the bigger and scarier army, so why should they fear the smaller armies?
If God could do the greater, then why would we fear the lesser? That’s the logic.
And it is the same logic that we should apply to ourselves today: if God has done the greater, than why would we fear the lesser.
If God has defeated my scariest enemies, sin and death, then why should I fear the less scary thing that stands in front of you?
If God has defeated the most powerful foe, the grave, then why should I fear the lesser foes that might face me?
If God has provided for the greatest need that I have, which is the gift of Divine inheritance in Christ, will he not also provide for the lesser things I need?
Think about yourself. What are the scary things that are in front of you?
Is it finances?
Is it health?
Is it relational conflict?
Is it your future? Something on the horizon?
Whatever it is, God has already defeated greater foes, and already promised to give you what you will need, and he had already demonstrated that by giving you the gift of divine inheritance in Christ.
So we don’t need to fear. Don’t be discontent with what he provides. Remember that his ways are not your ways, and that he’s working all things together for the good of those who love him.
And if that’s the case, we have nothing to fear, not Canaanite chariots, or anything else.
Be like the faithful women in our text, trusting in the promises and provision of the lord, and don’t be like the fearful men in our text, afraid of what their eyes can see.
Like these mothers of the faith: approach His throne of grace with boldness and plead his promises of your inheritance, rather than fearfully and disobediently accommodating sin, like the men of Manasseh.
God sees what you need, and is faithful to provide for you when you need it, and He is delighted when we ask him for it, like the shopkeeper who set up the bell to ring for service so that we’d actually ring it.
He’s made the ultimate provision for us, and we should trust him enough to obey him in receiving it.
[1] Dale Ralph Davis, Joshua: No Falling Words (Fearn: Christian Focus, 2010), 128.
[2] Richard S. Hess, Joshua: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, v. 6 (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008), 272.
[3] Illustration adapted from: Davis, Joshua, 136.
[4] Davis, 136.
[5] This point expanded from: Davis, 134.
[6] Adapted from: Davis, 135.
[7] Davis, 140.
