Joshua 15-17: To Obey or Not to Obey

Theological Proposition/Focus: God expects complete obedience from his people.

Homiletical Proposition/Application: God's people must trust him and in turn, commit not just to partially obeying God, but to total obedience.

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.

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.

Body

Joshua 15-19 are challenging chapters. In particular, just pronouncing all those names is a major headache. We are not going to discuss every verse today from Joshua 15-17 but I have pulled out three significant events that I want to talk about. Before I get too deep into the passage I want to explain the primary purpose of the passage. The book of Joshua is a history of Israel's conquest of Canaan. It actually happened and serves two purposes. First, the book shows that God was the one who gave Israel the land. Second, the books serves to set up the historical reasons for why things are the way they are. As such, the book includes details on things like tribal land allotments. The books includes details about how those allotments came to be, and the books discusses victories and challenges.

Caleb's obedience was contagious (Joshua 15:13-19).

We were introduced to Caleb back in Joshua 14, but here we are given a little more insight into Caleb.

13 In accordance with the LORD’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, the sons of Anak. 15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” 17 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage. 18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?” 19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.

Contagious obedience recognizes that God is bigger than Giants (13-15).

The Anakim, were known for their height as described in Deut 9:2.

and it 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, the transmission path for the contagion, 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 brother Othniel into the work he was doing. I have used the word brother as with the NIV some translations say nephew,

The Hebrew word את used here to describe Caleb is used to describe a brother more than 50% of the time but it can mean relative in general.

In any case,

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. After Othniel's victory is seems that his now wife Aksah recognized a pretty significant issue.

The Negev was an arid region and prosperity in the Negev would require water.

The request was granted and prosperity secured.

Image: The power of true discipleship.

There are some things you just need to do with someone else in order to learn. Some of my best learning has occurred with people who chose to spend time working with me, overcoming challenges with me, and letting me learn beside them.

Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh's partial obedience caused problems for generations (Joshua 15:63; 16:10; 17:12-18).

Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.

They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.

12 Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. 13 However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely.

14 The people of Joseph said to Joshua, “Why have you given us only one allotment and one portion for an inheritance? We are a numerous people, and the Lord has blessed us abundantly.”

15 “If you are so numerous,” Joshua answered, “and if the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you, go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites.”

16 The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots fitted with iron, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”

17 But Joshua said to the tribes of Joseph—to Ephraim and Manasseh—“You are numerous and very powerful. You will have not only one allotment 18 but the forested hill country as well. Clear it, and its farthest limits will be yours; though the Canaanites have chariots fitted with iron and though they are strong, you can drive them out.”

Incomplete obedience allowed sin to fester for generations (15:63).

Judah, inherited over 100 cities and apparently easily occupied these cities.

However, there was a spot on the garment, a chink in the armor, Jerusalem.

The record of Judah's inheritance ends on a foreboding note.

The city of Jerusalem, an important border town between Judah and Benjamin, which would eventually be the capital, was left unfinished. In Judges Benjamin is listed as the responsible party. So we have a situation where this border town that should have been conquered was not. It seems that either Judah or Benjamin could have handled the Jebusites but in fact, neither handled the responsibility.

Incomplete Obedience led to compromise in Joseph's line (16:10, 17:12-13).

Next up, Ephraim.

Again, the record of Ephraim's inheritance ends on a foreboding note.

The Canaanites living in Gezer were allowed to remain.

Again, the record of Manasseh's inheritance ends on a foreboding note.

Can Manasseh do what Issachar and Asher cannot? (17:11)

Verse 11 teaches us that several Canaanite fortresses in the land of Issachar and Asher were given to Manasseh, perhaps because the strength of Manasseh was thought neccesary to hold these cities. In any case, the attempt was in vain. The Canaanites living in these fortresses were not driven out, and like Ephraim Manasseh eventually chose to put the people to forced labor.

Incomplete obedience led to discontentment (17:14-18).

An interesting problem arises in verse 14.

Joshua's response reminds us that sometimes God calls on our courageous faith to act!

We must remember that God provides, but at times he wants us to take action.

Where one generation compromises the next generation falls (Judges 1-2)

The decisions to allow some of the Canaanites to remain

proved to be a fatal mistake for in later centuries, in the time of the Judges, the arrangement was reversed as the Canaanites rose up and enslaved the Israelites. In addition to the historical lesson there is a spiritual principle here. It is all too easy for a believer to tolerate and excuse some pet sin only to wake up some day to the grim realization that it has risen up to possess and drive him to spiritual defeat. It pays to deal with sin decisively and harshly.

Read Judges 2:10-12.

The history if Israel is a history of how small sins grow to eventually enslave the people.

MTR: Ask yourself, where have I only partially obeyed and how can I fully obey?

As individuals, as a church, we need to root out even minor sins. Don't let questionable decisions, compromises in integrity lead us into slavery to sin.

Eleazer and Joshua's counter-cultural obedience set a precedent (Joshua 17:3-6).

3 Now Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons but only daughters, whose names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah and Tirzah. 4 They went to Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the leaders and said, “The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our relatives.” So Joshua gave them an inheritance along with the brothers of their father, according to the LORD’s command. 5 Manasseh’s share consisted of ten tracts of land besides Gilead and Bashan east of the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of the tribe of Manasseh received an inheritance among the sons. The land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the descendants of Manasseh.

Obedience may run contrary to prevailing culture.

This request is bold because the request is one for rights at a time when most societies viewed women as having no rights.

However, in Num. 27:1-11 these women asked Moses to address inheritance when no sons were around.

In Numbers 27:5–11 the women had asked Moses to deal with a tricky situation. Their father had died without having sons and they wanted to ensure their family name was preserved. Moses, asked God what to do and God instructed Moses to grant the daughters of Zelophehad an inheritance. Further, this grant became a precedent and led to the rules of inheritance. If a man died with neither son nor daughter then his brothers receive his inheritance. If he had no brothers, his uncles were next to inherit. And if he had no uncles, the nearest of kin would inherit. So this solution to a particular problem became an expanded legal requirement for Israel.

Obedience in the present can make a positive difference in the future.

The result of the question was an answer of yes. The details in the account, the genealogy and specifics help to ensure that this choice will be precedent-setting. When situations like this arise, the rights of God's people, male or female will be preserved. So what can we learn from this? First we learn