Scripture

These people were left to test the Israelites – to see whether they would obey the commands that the Lord has given two their ancestors through Moses.

Observation

The Lord left nations such as the Philistines and the Canaanites to teach warfare to a generation that had no experience in battle.

The Israelites quickly gave into the ways of their pagan neighbours, intermarrying with them and worshipping their gods.

The Lord then sent the Arameans to rule over them. When the people cried out to the Lord for rescue, He sent Othniel. The Spirit of the Lord came on him to deliver the people of God. The Lord gave Othniel victory, and there was peace in the land for 40 years.

Application

Why does God allow suffering, persecution and hardship? Why is it so hard to be a Christian?

The Lord allows temptations and opposition to make us stronger in Him. if life was always easy, we would not see a need to pray.

These tests also come as a way of allowing God (and us) to see if we will be faithful to Him. If it costs nothing to be faithful, is my heart truly committed to the Lord?

In the case of the Israelites, they very quickly became like their neighbours instead of winning them to follow the Lord.

Sometimes, it seems that it is easier to be like the people of the world so we can fit in. The truth, however, is that this way leads to spiritual death.

Prayer

Lord, it is hard to stand up to all the temptations that surround me. Please help me to stand firm for you. Amen

Scripture

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight, and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshipping the gods of the people around them. and they angered the Lord.

Observation

The generation of Joshua dies, and a generation grows up that fails to acknowledge the Lord. Instead, they worship the idols of Baal and the other gods of the nations around them.

This makes the Lord angry, and He hand them over to raiders who steal their possessions. They fight against other nations, but they are defeated because the Lord is not with them.

The Lord raises up judges to rescue the Israelites, but the people continue to worship other gods. They worship the Lord while the judge is alive, but they quickly turn back to foreign gods.

Application

During my lifetime, I have seen the overturning of Christian values right across the Western world. Australia really wasn’t an expressively Christian country in the way the United States was, but our culture and our institutions were. Our shared morality with basically Biblical.

It started collapsing in the 1970s as the sexual revolution took hold and increasingly socialist ideas infiltrated mainstream politics.

Whether it is Australia, the United States, or the United Kingdom, the people have turned away from the Lord to pursue other gods.

As we have abandoned the Lord and his ways, we have suffered an avalanche of societal woes. The only long-term remedy is a revival in which there is a massive turning back to the ways of Jesus.

Despite the refusal of Israel to follow the Lord consistently, and their repeated return to idolatry, the Lord never gave up on them. I believe that the lord will not give up on Australia and that revival will come.

Prayer

Holy Spirit come and blow your breath over this nation. Lead us away from our idols and back to you, the one true God. Amen.

Scripture

“For your part, you were not to make any covenants with the people living in this land. You were to destroy the altars. You disobeyed my command. Why did you do this?”

Observation

The angel of the Lord meets with the people of Israel at Bokim. He confronts them about their failure to destroy the altars of the pagan gods. Because of this, the Lord will no longer drive out the people living in the land. The Israelites weep on hearing this judgement .

Joshua sends the people away, each tribe to take the land allocated to them. The Israelites continue to serve the Lord throughout Joshua’s life.

Joshua dies at the age of 110.

Application

The Lord commanded Israel to kill the people living in the land, to make no covenants with them, and to destroy their altars. They failed to obey these important commandments.

Israel was meant to be a holy nation, dedicated to the Lord. In order to do this, they must not tolerate worship of any other god other than the Lord.

When we read the Old Testament, we see there is constant temptation for them to turn away from the Lord to worship other gods, particularly Baal and Ashtoreth. At times, child sacrifices were made to these false gods.

The church is also meant to be holy and dedicated to the Lord. We must not worship the idols that the world wants us to follow. Some denominations have walked away from the gospel of Jesus Christ to worship other gods such as the social gospel and marxism.

I need to keep my heart pure and set apart for the Lord. It is a daily battle, ensuring that the gods of this world are not enticing me to worship them.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, you are the Way the Truth and the Life. There is no other God but you. Amen.

Scripture

The Lord was with the people of Judah, and they took possession of the hill country. But they failed to drive out the people living in the plains, who had iron chariots.

Observation

As the people advanced into the countryside, The tribes had varying levels of success in driving out the prior inhabitants. For some of the tribes, they could take some of the land, not all of it. For others, the best they could do is take the Canaanites as slaves.

The worst was the tribe of Dan, who were confined to the hill country and were not allowed onto the plains. Later, when they grew more numerous, they were able to take the Amorites as slaves.

Application

The Lord had promised the land of Israel to His people. They had been instructed to kill all the inhabitants of the land. Yet, they were unable or unwilling to do this, and the pagan customs of these people would be a stumbling block for the Israelites for generations to come.

The gift of the land was both a promise and a task. It was given to them by the Lord, but they had to take possession of it.

In the same way, our maturity as disciples is both grace and responsibility. The Holy Spirit gives us the ability to be holy people, but we also have to repent, or turn away from, our sins.

God gives us the land, but we have to destroy the inhabitants. We have the promise of holiness, but we have to choose God’s way.

This is a lifelong battle, but the rewards go beyond this life and into eternity.

Prayer

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for making it possible for me to live without sin. Please help me to dedicate myself to you each and every day. Amen.

Scripture

When the men of Judah attacked, the Lord gave them victory over the Canaanites and the Perezites, and they killed 10,000 enemy warriors at the town of Bezek.

Observation

After the death of Joshua, the Israelites ask the Lord which tribe should attack the Canaanites. The Lord tells them Judah, and that He has already given them victory.

So the men of Judah, assisted by the tribe of Simeon, take on the Canaanites and the Perezites, killing 10,000 warriors at the town of Bezek.

The fighters from Judah destroy many towns and their inhabitants, conquering and controlling much of the land.

Application

It is clear from this passage that the people of Israel were dependant on God for their land. When they followed God’s battle plans, they had victory. When they try to do it in their own ability and their own wisdom, they failed miserably.

We are fighting in a battle for control of the territory that the Lord has assigned to us. Satan is constantly trying to intimidate us so that he can kill, steal, and destroy all that God has for us.

We have to fight this war on God’s terms and not our own. The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, they are spiritual.

When we trust God and walk in his ways, then the battle and the victory belong to the Lord.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you that you are greater than the enemy. Please help me to align my ways with your plans for me. Amen.