Joshua 17:18 KJV
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
A portion of this chapter covers the conquest of Ephraim and Manasseh of the hill country on the northern end of the Promised Land. It also tells us that they were not able to defeat the people in the valleys and that they complained to Joshua about it. Apparently they wanted help in defeating that land and Joshua wouldn't budge to do it. The tribes came in to the Promised Land together and took the land as a team. But the possession of individual properties of each tribe fell on the tribe itself.
I am reminded of Galatians six where we are to both bear one another's burdens and bear our own burdens. Believers are brethren, a family and we are to help one another. But each family within the family is also a whole unto itself and there are responsibilities that each family must bear on their own. Indeed, each family is made of individuals who in turn have responsibilities that no one can bear for them; they must bear them alone.
• Perhaps we are too uncaring today.
• Perhaps there should be a stronger sense of community within even the local church.
But we would also have to recognize that a huge number of people in our day look for someone else to take care of them.
Joshua charged the sons of Joseph to get busy and take those cities of the Valley. He then charged those seven tribes who had not yet taken a land to get up and do so.
Someone needs to give us the same charge.
But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
A portion of this chapter covers the conquest of Ephraim and Manasseh of the hill country on the northern end of the Promised Land. It also tells us that they were not able to defeat the people in the valleys and that they complained to Joshua about it. Apparently they wanted help in defeating that land and Joshua wouldn't budge to do it. The tribes came in to the Promised Land together and took the land as a team. But the possession of individual properties of each tribe fell on the tribe itself.
I am reminded of Galatians six where we are to both bear one another's burdens and bear our own burdens. Believers are brethren, a family and we are to help one another. But each family within the family is also a whole unto itself and there are responsibilities that each family must bear on their own. Indeed, each family is made of individuals who in turn have responsibilities that no one can bear for them; they must bear them alone.
• Perhaps we are too uncaring today.
• Perhaps there should be a stronger sense of community within even the local church.
But we would also have to recognize that a huge number of people in our day look for someone else to take care of them.
Joshua charged the sons of Joseph to get busy and take those cities of the Valley. He then charged those seven tribes who had not yet taken a land to get up and do so.
Someone needs to give us the same charge.
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