Living in the Promised Land: A study in the book of Joshua
To view this online as a video:
Lesson Eleven: How not to win
A. Introduction
1. Greetings
2. Overview. [For those online, see this book overview from The Bible Project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqJlFF_eU )
B. Today’s lesson: Chapter 11: How not to win
The story today is again a military story and thus may not be everyone’s cup of tea. I remember watching my father meet up with a friend of his from the US Navy with whom he served in World War II. I was only a young person and traveling by car hundreds of miles with my family in a car, to meet with a man and his family with whom I had nothing to do was already tiresome and daunting. Then over the next few days my dad and this man in Ohio would share stories of their exploits on the ship on which they served, while the rest of us were somewhat forced to bide our time, and to be with people whom we would otherwise never have even met.
I wonder how many people reading the Bible, especially this section of Joshua, all about military actions and kings and burning cities and long lists, I wonder how many of you on this zoom call or watching this YouTube are similarly wishing for another topic or two. Knowing that everyone thinks and deals with topics on different levels, let me tell you that there will be plenty takeaway for you from this chapter, so hang in there if you feel like you are in the back of the car, while your sister voices your deepest thought, “Are we there yet?”
The Psalmist said, “Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we will boast (or remember) the name of the Lord our God.” (Ps. 20.7) And some of you may know a song or two from that particular psalm, like, “Now I know the Lord saves his anointed, he will answer from his holy heaven..etc.” or “May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble.” Or the last verse, “May the King answer us in the day we call.” In other words this psalm, written by King David, is a shout of faith and victory, a ‘how to win’ song, and helped King David get his focus right, either as he was going to battle or having just returned from one.
I hear this psalm in my mind as I read Joshua chapter 11. If you’ve read it, you know that Joshua and the people of Israel conquer the Northern regions of what we call Israel today. And you might have seen a location that before last week you had never heard. It’s Merom. You see it in verse 5. You might know that last Friday was Lag B’omer, the 33rd day of the countdown from Passover to Pentecost, and the traditional day of memorial to a 2ndCentury rabbi named Shimon bar Yochai who is buried on that mountain. Over 100,000 Jews gathered last week to ….well, we don’t know exactly why they all went there, but usually there are prayers and such at the tomb of the Rashbi and his son. (Rashbi is the acronym of his name). Some attribute to him the authorship of the Zohar which is the mainstay of Kabbalah. I doubt that authorship since the books first showed up in the 13th century in Spain and were published in that nascent form by Moses de Leon.
History aside, the gathering in Meron last week saw a stampede and 45 people died and hundreds were injured. Investigations will be ongoing for years and blame shifting continues this first week, and no doubt, into the ages.
The locations are all purposeful in their listing, of course. And although to you and to those who like novels with fast pace, this unpacking of the conquest of the Northern parts of the land might seem superfluous, let me share with you what Butler says,
“The use of the extended list of nations rests on an old tradition and serves a specific theological function. The territory occupied by these nations is promised to Abraham (Gen 15:18–21), and again to the nation suffering in Egypt (Exod 3:8, 17). The promise becomes the basis of divine demand in Exod 13:5; 23:23; 34:11, and can be used to exemplify the seriousness of divine anger (Exod 33:2). Deuteronomic literature then takes the motif to demonstrate the necessity that the nations in the land be totally exterminated (Deut 7:1; 20:17). Victory over the peoples becomes the sign that God fulfills his promises (Josh 3:10). This is brought to reality in 9:1; 11:3; 12:8 and serves again as the basis for divine command (24:11). The reality is that Israel has not fulfilled the divine command (e.g. Josh 15:63; Judg 1:21, 27:36; 3:1–5). Solomon achieved a solution by enslaving these peoples (1 Kgs 9:20–21). (For study of the lists and literature see J. Halbe, Das Privilegrecht Jahwes [FRLANT 114; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1975] 140–47.)”
I like this. Without the backdrop of specific areas, we might be open to the idea of negotiation. We might say, “Ah, look, we took Jericho and Ai, and a couple of other locations. That ought to do, right?”
When I read Davis on this section, he made a good comment about the opening paragraph of our chapter.
“It is precisely in reading this extended detailed, particularising description of Israel’s opposition that you begin to feel how overwhelming the enemy is, to sense in line-upon-line fashion the almost hopeless situation Israel faces.” (page 96)
I like that summary. If you know the geography of Israel, even today, and imagine the hills and the plains, the hordes of the confederacy of the nations which opposed Israel, you would see the immensity of the task.
But now, don’t stop there. Think of the conquest. If the enemies of Israel are that massive, what must the power of God be to overwhelm them? And what resources did Joshua employ? And remember King David’s conclusion about horses and other weaponry not being what we would trust!
Moses is our teacher who said this in Deuteronomy 20, “When you go out to battle against your enemies and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt, is with you.” (verse 1)
And isn’t that what we read in verse 6 of our chapter today? God assured Joshua of the same presence. God would give him the victory. God would deliver us, every one of us from every one of them. And the horses and chariots would be knocked out. Gone. Demolished. Complete victory. That’s the assurance.
Look at verse 7, what did Joshua do as a result? He attacked suddenly. That usually means ‘at dawn’ in a surprise attack, like happened at Pearl Harbor in 1941. Early on that Sunday morning, before anyone was really awake, the Japanese attacked the US and propelled the US into WWII. My dad was not far from Pearl Harbor, anchored off Hawaii’s coast at the time. Here in this passage, the people of Israel surprised the Hazor-coalition and defeated the Hittites and the Perizites and all who had confederated.
Now, don’t see this as a moment in time only. The battles probably ensued throughout the region for a long time. Look at verse 18. We read that Joshua waged war for a long timeיָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים
What’s a long time? Many days. Let’s just say this reading of our text today doesn’t allow for a television show, 42 minutes long, not including commercials, and a one-off exercise of duty. No, I imagine this taking of the North to have lasted for years. The Bible doesn’t always tell us the extent of time, but only collapses down to the purposes or results in our time.
Taking Hazor, according to verse 10, which is the major metropolis of the day, would have been significant and when that happened, it would have traumatized the other nations in the confederacy. The people even burned the city to the ground. By the way, this is the only city burned in the northern conquest. That itself begs another question, which we might get to .
The spoil was removed, like at Ai. I wonder why some cities were to be utterly destroyed without spoil taken and others were allowed to benefit the Jewish people. Is it possible that the Torah’s words are negotiable? That is, Deuteronomy 20 was stated about spoil and towns. Yet there were circumstances which show that different towns experienced different endings. In my view, the Torah is a living document and we need the Word applied in our lives rather than to make a constitution out of it without the grace of commentary applied by the Author. Feel free to make mention of that in your questions later.
Let me ask you, do you think it would be wrong to sleep in a house formerly owned by a Hivite? Or by a Jebusite? What about a former brothel? Or a house formerly owned by Rene Rivkin or Jeffrey Epstein? That may have influenced the burning of the town of Hazor, and may also have influenced the non-burning of the towns around it in the North.
More on horses
The horses were hamstrung. (.9) That means they were disabled by swords into their calves. Pain, uncontrollable yelping, and uselessness to battle. The battle took place in part on Mt Merom, which is about 4,000 feet above sea level and not in the valley. That is not where you want horse and chariots to be housed. You want your horses on level ground. Chariots especially don’t manoeuvre well in the hills. Joshua’s strategy of sneak attack worked to prevent the use of the enemy’s forces due to their inability to meet on the ground which was ‘theirs.’
Remember David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17)? There Goliath wanted David to meet him in the plains. His taunt is here: “And he stood and cried unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, Why are ye come out to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye servants to Saul? choose you a man for you, and let him come down to me.” (verse 8)
Anyway, Joshua’s blitz caused conquest to occur, for the domino effect of the battles and as a result Israel ‘owned’ the North.
Two more comments before we end.
The “hardening of the hearts” of the nations against Israel (verse 20). This may seem unfair, but remember, this is the culmination of centuries of opposition by the peoples of the land against God and against his people Israel. Read Romans chapter 1 and you will see the ‘turning over’ of people to their own wishes and desires. One step at a time, people do what they want to do and God releases them to their own fate. Here again we see what we saw with Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
Finally, the mention of the Anakim is highlighted. Some still live, in Gaza and Ashdod, the author says, but this puts a cork in the conclusion of the battles. The Anakim were the giants whom the 10 spies saw (Numbers 10) and who caused Israel to wander for 40 years due to their believing that the entire land was filled with these Incredible Hulk knockoffs. If 100 years from the writing of this book there was still a question about Anakim, and about the predictions of the 10 spies (especially related to the other 2 spies) this phrasing from verse 21 to the end would help us put clarity to this. The land would have rest from war. (verse 23) due to the desolation of the nations, even the Anakim.
As we conclude today, what will you make of this story? Is it only a record of military information and useless to the ordinary 21st century man or woman? No, I think it’s a chronicle of God’s intervention, of human creativity, of continuing hearing from the Lord, and of the assurance that those who belong to the Lord will ‘get there’ in the end. He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion in the day of Yeshua, amen?
Invitation
Dear friends, do you have such a commitment to the Lord of Lords today? Have you met the one who was cursed on the Roman tree for you in Jerusalem? if you have never asked Yeshua to be your Saviour, today as we keep learning from Joshua, would you choose to believe the Lord of life? What does it mean to be strong and courageous in light of learning about Yeshua? Would you be willing to take a stand for him who took a stand and died on a Roman cross for you? We love Yeshua because in his death he accomplished salvation for all people. He took the curse we deserved to give us his righteousness which he deserved.
Without that kipporah (sacrifice) we would be hopeless, but because Yeshua died in our place on Passover, as the Passover lamb, and his blood was applied to the doorposts of our hearts, we can be forgiven.
If you’d like to receive that today, just now, join me as we pray.
Say something like this: “Father in Yeshua’s name, forgive me my sin, I was wrong to dismiss you and to disbelieve in you. I need your mercy. I deserve punishment but you are kind and merciful and I receive your grace. I repent. I receive Yeshua as my saviour and Lord. I will live because of my faith in Messiah Yeshua. Amen.
If you prayed that, please let us know of your profession by writing straightaway, won’t you? Bob@JewsforJesus.org.au We’d love to hear from you.
Conclusion
We are delighted you have joined us today. Please join us next week and learn with the others how you can stay on track in 2021 and beyond. I hope to see you next week as we continue our studies in Joshua. You will certainly see yourself in the readings and in the lessons. Next week we will look at chapter 12, in what I call “God is faithful” and see what lessons we can draw for ourselves from the events there!
Hope to see you then… until then, Shabbat shalom!
Bibliography
Butler, Trent C., Word Biblical Commentary, Volume 7. Joshua. Word, Waco, 1983.
Davis, Dale Ralph, Joshua: No Falling Words, Christian Focus, Fearn, Ross-shire, Scotland, 2019.
Hess, Richard. Tyndale Commentary Complete.
Meyer, F.B., Joshua and the Land of Promise, Christian Literature Crusade, Ft Washington PA, 1977.
Pritchard, James, “The Bible reports on Gibeon.” Penn Museum, Expedition, 1961. Volume 3, Issue 4.
Sanders, J. Oswald, Promised-Land Living, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984.
Toms, Paul, This land is your land. Gospel Light Publishing, Glendale CA, 1977.
Weirsbe, Warren. Be Strong: Putting God's Power to Work in Your Life. David C. Cook Publishing, Colorado Springs, 2010.
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D-Groups for this week
1) Monday 11 am Sydney time. Led by James Howse
2) Monday 7 pm, Sydney time, led by James White
(Contact our office for zoom details)
If you’d like to host a D-Group either online or in person, please contact bob@jewsforjesus.org.au for further details. It’s time to step up. Ponder this—who will be in your D-Group?
The Book of Joshua: Outline.
C. Entering the Land (Chapters 1-4)
a. Chapter 1: A funeral and a promise (Leadership Lesson 1)
b. Chapter 2: A harlot saves the day
c. Chapter 3: Go against the flow (Part 1)
d. Chapter 4: Go against the flow (Part 2)
D. Taking the Land (5-12)
a. Chapter 5: Roll away iniquity: a study in sacraments
b. Chapter 6: Joshua fit d’battle ob Jericho
c. Chapter 7: Getting it very wrong: Achan and his mistakes
d. Chapter 8: Combat and Covenant
e. Chapter 9: Common sense is not so common
f. Chapter 10: Southern dominance
g. Chapter 11: How not to win
h. Chapter 12: God is faithful
E. Possessing the Land (13-21)
a. Chapter 13: Inheritance lessons
b. Chapter 14: For example
c. Chapter 15: Geography lesson
d. Chapter 16: Trends of note (Part 1)
e. Chapter 17: Trends of note (Part 2)
f. Chapter 18: Apportionment (Part 1)
g. Chapter 19: Apportionment (Part 2)
h. Chapter 20: Provisions (Part 1)
i. Chapter 21: Provisions (Part 2)
F. Retaining the Land (22-24)
a. Chapter 22: Can an altar alter anything?
b. Chapter 23: Staying on edge
c. Chapter 24: Three funerals and Renewing the covenant
The Seven Nations
1. Amorite
2. Canaanite
3. Girgashite
4. Hittite
5. Hivite
6. Jebusite
7. Perizzite
Josh. 11:1 Then it came about, when Jabin king of aHazor heard of it, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon and to the king of Shimron and to the king of Achshaph, 2 and to the kings who were of the north in the hill country, and in the aArabah — south of 1Chinneroth and in the lowland and on the 2heights of Dor on the west — 3 to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite in the hill country, and athe Hivite 1at the foot of bHermon in the land of cMizpeh. 4 They came out, they and all their armies with them, aasmany people as the sand that is on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. 5 So all of these kings having agreed to meet, came and encamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
Josh. 11:6 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “aDo not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall bhamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” 7 So Joshua and all the people of war with him came upon them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and attacked them. 8 The LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, so that they 1defeated them, and pursued them as far as Great Sidon and aMisrephoth-maim and the valley of bMizpeh to the east; and they struck them until no survivor was left to them. 9 Joshua did to them as the LORD had told him; he ahamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.
Josh. 11:10 Then Joshua turned back at that time, and captured aHazor and struck its king with the sword; for Hazor formerly was the head of all these kingdoms. 11 aThey struck every person who was in it with the edge of the sword, 1utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed. And he burned Hazor with fire. 12 Joshua captured all the cities of these kings, and all their kings, and he struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed them; just aas Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. 13 However, Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone, which Joshua burned. 14 aAll the spoil of these cities and the cattle, the sons of Israel took as their plunder; but they struck every man with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed. 15 Just as the LORD had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
Josh. 11:16 Thus Joshua took all that land: athe hill country and all the 1Negev, all that land of Goshen, the lowland, bthe Arabah, the hill country of Israel and its lowland 17 from aMount Halak, that rises toward Seir, even as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon 1at the foot of Mount Hermon. And he captured ball their kings and struck them down and put them to death. 18 Joshua waged war a long time with all these kings. 19 There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except athe Hivites living in Gibeon; they took them all in battle. 20 aFor it was of the LORD to 1harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might butterly destroy them, that they might2receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.
Josh. 11:21 Then Joshua came at that time and cut off athe Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab and from all the hill country of Judah and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua utterly destroyed them with their cities. 22 There were no Anakim left in the land of the sons of Israel; only in Gaza, in aGath, and in bAshdod some remained. 23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and aJoshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. bThus the land had rest from war.
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