Joshua 15-17: To Obey or Not to Obey
Theological Proposition/Focus:
Homiletical Proposition/Application:
Contents
- 1 Introduction:
- 1.1 Setting the Stage:
- 1.2 Preview: In Joshua 15-17 we are going to see contrast. Contrast between faithful obedience and partial obedience.
- 1.3 Need: We need to realize that obedience is either complete or not obedience.
- 2 Body
- 2.1 Caleb obeyed and God blessed (Joshua 15:13-19).
- 2.2 Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh partially obeyed and paid the consequences (Joshua 15:63; 16:10; 17:12-18).
- 2.2.1 Incomplete conquest in an important border town (15:63)
- 2.2.2 Forced labor in the tribe of Ephraim (16:10)
- 2.2.3 Congestion in the hill country of Ephraim (17:12-18)
- 2.2.4 Where one generation compromises the next generation falls (Judges 1-2)
- 2.2.5 MTR: Ask yourself, where have I only partially obeyed and how can I fully obey?
- 2.3 Manasseh obeyed even when it went counter to culture (Joshua 17:3-6).
Introduction:
Setting the Stage:
The book of Joshua has an interesting structure. For the first 10 chapters, the book has a slow pace with a lot of detail. Chapters 11-21 then move at a rapid fire rate with a few highlight narratives thrown in.
It seems that the first ten chapters make a few key arguments.
God is the one who is leading Israel.
When Israel follows God victory follows.
When Israel fails to follow God, God course corrects.
By the time we read chapters 11-21 we are supposed to understand this principle is underlying the description.
So, based on our previous experience we can assume that blessing results from following God, and course correction results from failing to follow God. With these ideas in hand, we can dig deeper into a few of these rapid-fire sections.
In chapters 15-17 we see the fine line between following God and failing to follow God. Specifically,
Preview: In Joshua 15-17 we are going to see contrast. Contrast between faithful obedience and partial obedience.
Need: We need to realize that obedience is either complete or not obedience.
Body
Caleb obeyed and God blessed (Joshua 15:13-19).
We were introduced to Caleb back in Joshua 14, but here we are given a little more insight into Caleb.
Is your God bigger than Giants? (13-15)
The Anakim, were known for their height as described in Deut 9:2.
and is seems that Caleb was assigned the task of actually driving out three leaders, Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, all of whom were also mentioned in Numbers 13:22 as residing in Hebron at the time when Caleb had been a spy. In short, the very giants who had brought terror to the other 10 spies are the men who Caleb was tasked with defeating.
Debir had already fallen once in Joshua 10:38-39.
Apparently, the city had fallen back into enemy control and needed to be recaptured. The task fell to Caleb.
Discipleship involves sharing, both the challenges and the rewards. (16-20)
I find the next section of the text to be significant. Caleb had a great many victories, but perhaps the most important thing Caleb did was to bring his Nephew Othniel into the work he was doing.
Based on his previous victories, Caleb probably could have completed the task on his own.
However, it seems that Caleb understood the value of sharing both victories and defeats with others.
Image: The power of a well-placed mistake in teaching.
Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh partially obeyed and paid the consequences (Joshua 15:63; 16:10; 17:12-18).
Incomplete conquest in an important border town (15:63)
Forced labor in the tribe of Ephraim (16:10)
Congestion in the hill country of Ephraim (17:12-18)
Where one generation compromises the next generation falls (Judges 1-2)
MTR: Ask yourself, where have I only partially obeyed and how can I fully obey?
Manasseh obeyed even when it went counter to culture (Joshua 17:3-6).
A bold request
This request is bold because the request is one for rights at a time when most societies viewed women as having no rights.
