📕 Joshua Chapter 17:12

📕 Joshua Chapter 17 : 12
FAILURE IN THE SUCCESS HISTORY

Joshua and the Israelites were able to conquer the land (Jos 11:16-17) but after the allotment of lands to all the tribes it is mentioned that some tribes were unable to exterminate/drive out the idolaters completely.

Let us explore the passage:
1) Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites from Jerusalem (Jos 15:63; Judges 1:19)
2) Ephraim did not dislodge the Canaanites from Gezer (Jos 16:10; Judges 1:29)
3) Manasseh were not able to occupy the Canaanites towns (Jos 17:12-13; Judges 1:27)
4) Benjamin failed to dislodge the Jebusites (Judges 1:21)
5) Zebulun failed to drive out the Canaanites (Judges 1:30)
6) Asher failed but lived among the Canaanites (Judges 1:31-32)
7) Nephtali also failed and lived among the Canaanites (Judges 1:33)
8) Dan were not allowed to come down to the plains by the Amorites (Judges 1:34-35)
9) Joseph’s descendants were not satisfied with the allotment of their territory (Jos 17:17).

They have some issues:
(i) They were numerous in population.
(ii) The allotted land was not sufficient for them.
(iii) The hill country was not sufficient for them (v 16a)
(iv) Canaanites living in that regions were very powerful as they have IRON CHARIOTS (v 16b).

📝 As the saying goes, ” Failure is the pillar of Success, what would the Israelites do ? The records states that :
✅ Judah defeated the Jebusites in battle and set fire to their city 🔥 (Judges 1:8)
✅ King David defeated the Jebusites and made Jerusalem the capital of Israel (2Sam 5:6-10) 🏘️
✅ King David struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer (2Sam 5:25) ⚔️
✅ Gezer was under the control of Israel during the days of Solomon (1King 9:15-17) ⛓️

📌 The above failures with the caption “could not; did not; and were not able to ” could have been avoided if they —
~ trust in the Lord 🛐
~ focus their inborn strength and power 💪
☑️ But their focus was on the source of enemies’ strength (iron chariots)

WHERE DO WE FOCUS OUR EYES ❓
Is it on GOD’S STRENGTH or ENEMY’S IRON CHARIOTS ❓

📝 Psalmist says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalms 20:7

💞 Beloved Church, Christ has set us FREE but in this FREEDOM we often let the cares of this world to burden us again by the Yoke of Slavery (Gal 5:1)
Stand firm, take courage and be strong, for a righteous man falls seven times but rises again Proverbs 24:16.

✍🏾 Mark Boje
Arunachal Pradesh, India 🇮🇳