Joshua 11:16 – 23 “So Joshua took this entire region: the hill country, all the Negev, all the land of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah, and the mountains of Israel and their foothills, from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon at the foot of Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and struck them down, putting them to death.
Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long period of time. No city made peace with the Israelites except the Hivites living in Gibeon; all others were taken in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.
At that time Joshua proceeded to eliminate the Anakim from the hill country of Hebron, Debir, and Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction, along with their cities. No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did any survive.
So, Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to the allotments to their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.”
“REST FROM WAR!” What a wonderful idea! Joshua is promising his people that one day they will complete the conquest of Canaan and there will be rest from war. But did Joshua really eliminate the Anakim, the giants? Actually, no. Joshua 13:1 tells us, “Now Joshua was old and well along in years, and the LORD said to him, “You are old and well along in years, but very much of the land remains to be possessed.” This passage from Joshua 11 would seem to indicate that Joshua had completely conquered Hebron with its giants, and yet in Joshua 14:10 – 12 Caleb says this: “Now behold, as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive these forty-five years since He spoke this word to Moses, while Israel wandered in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old, 11still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. As my strength was then, so it is now for war, for going out, and for coming in. Now therefore give me this hill country that the LORD promised me on that day, for you yourself heard then that the Anakim were there, with great and fortified cities. Perhaps with the LORD’s help I will drive them out, as the LORD has spoken.”
HUH??? What’s going on here? At the end of Joshua 11, Joshua claims to have ELIMINATED the Anakim “from the hill country of Hebron, Debir, and Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah and of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction, along with their cities. No Anakim were left in the land of the Israelites; only in Gaza, Gath, and Ashdod did any survive.” Now we see that there are still giants in Hebron and that it has yet to be conquered. Once again it would seem that Joshua is continuing to follow the conquest account formula. Perhaps Joshua was hoping that by publishing this account, the Israelites would actually go on to conquer all of the land. (Eventually they only conquered one third of the land God had promised them.) Even in the midst of this stylized account, there are still glimmers of truth. “Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long period of time.” That is undoubtedly a true statement.
What is most important here is the final sentence. “Then the land had rest from war.” Who doesn’t want rest? It’s likely that Joshua concluded this account with that statement, both as an assurance and as a hope. In Joshua 13, Caleb mentions that he is 85 years old; Joshua is likely about that same age or even slightly older. Although Caleb affirms that he is still in good shape, Joshua makes no such statements. Joshua knows that he is aging and that there is still a lot left to do if the Promised Land is going to be thoroughly conquered. Joshua is doing everything he can to encourage those who come after him that if they will follow God’s plan, they will get God’s results, peace.
APPLICATION: Few things are more frustrating than to be a pioneer with high hopes, only to watch others coming after you who have failed to catch the same vision that has inspired you. One perfect example of this is the Walmart corporation. When Bill Walton began the company, he boasted that everything sold was made in America. At that time, Walmart workers enjoyed great benefits and even sponsorship for further education. Once Bill Walton died, everything changed. Go to a Walmart these days, and you will be lucky to find a few human clerks at the checkout counters! Most of the things sold are made outside America. Bill Walton’s dream has turned into a nightmare for thousands if not millions of small businesses who have closed because they cannot compete with the low prices at Walmart.
Joshua did the best he could with the people he had and the circumstances he faced. If the reality failed to match up to the ideals expressed in Joshua’s conquest account, it was not through any fault of Joshua’s.
There’s an old hymn that sums up the feelings of many of us.
“There is rest for the weary,
There is rest for the weary,
There is rest for the weary,
There is rest for you.
On the other side of Jordan,
In the sweet fields of Eden,
Where the tree of life is blooming,
There is rest for you.”
As I am writing this, Russia is attacking Ukraine and Christians all over the world are praying intensely for Ukraine. There are religious conflicts in various parts of the world. Economies and families are in trouble as a result of COVID.
The Rolling Stones had a song entitled “Give Me Shelter!” At this point, many of us can identify with that sentiment!
Where can we find true shelter?
Matthew 11:28 – 30 gives us the answer. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus also told his disciples on the night before he was betrayed, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
True peace is found in knowing Jesus Christ as Savior from our sins and Lord of our lives. When we try to run things ourselves, sooner or later, we will end up in a mess. When we confess our sins and ask Jesus to organize our lives for us, we will know true peace, even when things are falling apart. Those Ukrainian Christians who are praying for their country are in agony because they want peace for their country; however, they themselves do have peace because they know Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for Your promises of peace throughout Your Word. Lord, help all who read this to put their trust in You, so that they can find true and lasting peace. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
February 26, 2022 at 4:39 pm
I always like that Joshua and Caleb waited until everyone else was settled to get their allotment of land, and think the conquering was done in prayer, granted as a victory by God. just think if Abraham had talked to Sarai, went without the men folk, and not taken in the Egyptian who gave them Ishmael, he would have had all the land, not just the third part. we so blow it when God asks us to do stuff.
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