Marching Orders

Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “Since you are so large and strong, you will be given more than one portion. The forests of the hill country will be yours as well. Clear as much of the land as you wish, and take possession of its farthest corners. And you will drive out the Canaanites from the valleys, too, even though they are strong and have iron chariots.” Joshua 17:17-18

Two tribes from the nation of Israel, God's people, received their marching orders from Joshua. As you might imagine by reading this passage, the nation and peoples driven out of their lands by these two tribes are still upset about this thousands of years later. The order to clear as much of the land as you wish causes others to be upset in this age. As the orders came from God that this country was to be theirs, even the tanks of the age, iron chariots, would not stop the tribes of Joseph's sons from taking the land for their own and doing with it as they pleased.

It would seem that God and His people vs. the world and its prince is going to be a conflict throughout the ages, and they may have the tanks on their side.

Now, most every argument, complaint, and issue that the opposition is going to have with God and the orders Joshua relayed to the two tribes will begin with, "If God is so..." and end with some conclusion, "...then why not do this other thing instead." Yes, you might say that those who would oppose God have many suggestions for what He can go do with Himself. That hasn't changed much even today. A simple change, "If God is so...then why don't/aren't/won't Christians do this instead?" and we have today's version. We have noticed that God is no more willing to take the suggestions of the world today than He was in Joshua's time. God, it seems, is not much inclined to making peace with sin and those who love the darkness. Of course, I'm not just making this up, the Revelation shows how this ends with that final conflict at just about the same place it began. The good news is: He wins!

Have a great day in Christ!
Bucky