The Results of Courage

A long time afterward, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, "…Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you.” (Joshua 23:1-5 ESV)

Joshua and the Israelites had been faithful to the LORD throughout their lifetime.  Now, God was giving them rest.

Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day. For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. (Joshua 23:6-10 ESV)

When they were getting ready to enter the land, the LORD told them to be strong and courageous.  Now, God is telling them to be strong to keep and do what is written in the Law of Moses.  In other words, they need to stay strong and keep walking with the LORD just as they had already been doing.

Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the LORD your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the LORD your God has given you. (Joshua 23:11-13 ESV)

Once we have gone into battle with God at our side, in our hearts, and guiding our thoughts; we learn what it is like to experience victory through though the power of God.  We will face more battles in our life ahead, but now we know how to draw near to God and win.

"And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed. But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the evil things, until he has destroyed you from off this good land that the LORD your God has given you, if you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them. Then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from off the good land that he has given to you."  (Joshua 23:14-16 ESV)

We also know what it means to experience defeat.  We also know that defeat only came when we tried to do things any other way but the LORD’s.  In a time of rest, then, we get to back up and look over our past.  With God, we have victory.  Without God, we have defeat.  So, moving forward we have a choice to make.

"Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15 ESV)

How about you?  Do you see the choice? It’s time to choose.  Whom will you serve?

Rest Together

This Israelites had moved into the land that the LORD had promised them.  They won battles in the power of the LORD.  Now, they were given a time of rest.  As the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were getting ready to go home on the other side of the Jordan river, they were reminded to stay close to the LORD…and they did.

And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size. (Joshua 22:10 ESV)

Building an altar, however, was a dangerous thing.  The Israelites already had an altar that was used for the worship of the LORD.  That altar was with the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, and all the other furnishings that the LORD gave them very specific instructions to build.  Building another altar could be seen by the LORD as an act of false-worship.  That’s what the other tribes thought.

And the people of Israel heard it said, "Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel." And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them. (Joshua 22:11-12 ESV)

They were literally ready to kill one another.  Even the hint of sin among them was enough to steal their rest.

How about you?  Do you have people in your life that “steal your rest” because you see them in rebellion against God?  Do you have people around whom it is easy to rest, because they have a consistent walk with God?  Are you able to rest together?

Rest in the LORD

The Israelites had been faithful to God.  They learned early on that to do things God’s way brought victory.  Doing things another way brought defeat.  So, they started doing things God’s way.  They won battle after battle until they defeated their enemies and took much of the land God had promised to them.  It was time to rest and celebrate the faithfulness of God.  The warriors from the tribes of Ruben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh were getting ready to go home, too.  As they do, however, Joshua reminds them to rest in the LORD.

Only be very careful to observe the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments and to cling to him and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul." (Joshua 22:5 ESV)

How about you?  When you “go home” and “rest,” do you let your guard down even against your spiritual enemies?  Or, do you rest in the LORD, trusting Him to protect you because you stay close?  Do you rest in the LORD?

Go Home

Joshua and the Israelites had fought hard.  They had gone into battle along side of the LORD and they experienced victory – over and over again.  Now that they had taken over a large part of the land that was promised to them, the LORD was giving them rest.

At that time Joshua summoned the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh (Joshua 22:1 ESV)

Remember, three of the tribes had an inheritance on the other side of the Jordan river.  They had fought and won battles over there before crossing the Jordan and God had told them, through Moses, that they could keep that land as their inheritance.  The only stipulation was that they needed to come over to the West side of the Jordan and fight along side their brothers to take over the land God promised them.  These three tribes did just that.

"You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you and have obeyed my voice in all that I have commanded you. You have not forsaken your brothers these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the LORD your God. And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as he promised them. Therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. (Joshua 22:2-4 ESV)

How about you?  Does God give you rest from your spiritual battles?  When He does, do you take the time to go home and celebrate?  Do you go home?

The LORD is Faithful

Courage that comes from God produces God’s results.  Joshua and the Israelites learned this lesson as they drew courage from God, made that courage real, and lived out their God-given courage to walk with God step by step.  When they did, they saw that the LORD is faithful.

Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to give to their fathers. And they took possession of it, and they settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their fathers. Not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass. (Joshua 21:43-45 ESV)

How about you?  Have you seen God fulfill His promises in your life as you choose to walk with Him?  Do you see that the LORD is faithful?