Word of Encouragement (07/05/2023)

Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, "Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since all along the LORD has blessed me?" (Josh. 17:14)

To this complaint, Joshua responded, “You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only, but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong” (vv. 17-18). The exchange between the people of Joseph and Joshua is quite revealing. It was not that they did not receive a large portion of the land. It was just that the forest had to be cleared, and the Canaanites had to be driven out.

It is interesting to observe how the same fact can be interpreted so differently by the two parties, isn't it? What is the fact in view here? The people of Joseph were a numerous people. How was this interpreted differently? They demanded more land because they were numerous. Joshua told them that, because they were a numerous people and had great power, they could drive out the Canaanites and clear out the forest! They demanded special treatment because their number was great. Joshua reminded them of the responsibility that came with their great number, which was a sign of God's blessing. They did see how God blessed them to grow into a numerous people. But this made them think that they were entitled to more blessings. Joshua reminded them of God's greater purpose in blessing them--to be a blessing and encouragement to the other tribes by their example as they conquered the Canaanites and cleared the forests to bring out the richness of the Promised Land! They wanted an easy and comfortable life. Joshua challenged them to lead a purposeful and significant life that was in line with God's wonderful plan for them. Theirs was a perspective that lacked faith in God. Joshua's was a vision that was full of God's glory and power. What a difference it made!

The spirit these tribes exhibited was sharply contrasted with the spirit Caleb displayed in the previous chapter. If you recall, Caleb was eighty-five years old when he received his inheritance--the oldest among the people of Israel, other than Joshua. He was spared from the judgment that fell upon his generation. God condemned them to perish in the wilderness for refusing to enter the Promised Land, accusing Him of bringing them out of Egypt only to kill them by the hand of the Canaanites! For following the Lord with all of his heart, Caleb was spared from perishing in the wilderness. He was also given the privilege to choose whichever land he desired. But he chose the most difficult place in the territory of Judah--the hill country where the sons of Anak, the giant warriors, lived in their fortified cities. He used his privilege to serve others sacrificially. And God was pleased to bless him with great success and honor among the people. How different this was from the spirit of Joseph’s descendants!

How has God blessed you? Is it making you humbler and more motivated to serve God in a greater capacity, or is it making you demand more blessings from God for more personal comfort?

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