Chp. 12 Conquered kings
12:1-6 Two defeated kings before the land of promise
12:7-24 Thirty-One defeated kings in the land of promise
Joshua 12:1-24
“From Who’s Who to who cares”
I. Intro
II. Vs. 1-6 Dead Giant’s
III. Vs. 7-24 Conquered by grace
Intro
The 11 chapter marks the end of united action in the land of promise and the beginning of the individual tribe’s warfare. It will now be up to the individual tribes to appropriate that which was won corporately. The book of Joshua is divided into two parts:
- The conquest: This chapter with its summery ends the conquest stage
- The settlement: The13th chapter to the end of chapter 24 concludes the settlement stage.
These kinds of sections seem a bit, well “boring” but they were anything but boring to those who were looking to inherit the promised land as this section spoke to them about what land belonged to them.
Oh how much this parallels our earthly Christian experience as it is now up to us to appropriate all the blessing won us in the victory of Christ. There is much left in the ground of blessings that are ours to posses but we will need to apply the Biblical principals of spiritual warfare taught us thus far. How prone we Christians are to blame our failure upon the lack of God’s power and provision instead of upon our unwillingness to receives what He has given us. Allen Redpath rightly comments when he says, “It is true that the victory of the Cross was decisive, but it is also true that the one will experience only as much of that victory as by faith he appropriates personally. May God give His Church in these days’ people who are desperate to be right with Him and utterly dissatisfied with what they are apart from His grace”. Follow with me to the final verse of the 11th chapter where we are told that. “Joshua took the whole land and Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel.” Whether they received it or not depended upon their faith to posses what was given. The greatest source of conflict for the Christian is in not being right with God by living a life we know to be contrary to God’s will.
Vs. 1-6 Dead Giant’s
Vs. 1-6 The 12th chapter is a summarization of the battles ought and won during the nations walking into the obedience of the promises of the Lord. It contains two sections:
- Vs. 1-6 The battle fought and land one prior to the entrance into the land of promise
- Vs. 7-24 the battles won in the land of promise.
You will notice that only two Kings with their lands are mentioned in verses 1-6:
- Vs. 2-3 Sihon whose name means “striking down or warrior” his kingdom stretched east of the Jordan River from the Dead Sea to the Sea of Galilee. You will find the story of this conquest in Numbers 21:21-32 with the key words being in verse 23 where we are told that Sihon “would not allow Israel to pass through his territory”. Hey Friends there are some battles that we face in our spiritual journey that are battles not for possessing the promises of God but are battle fought at the beginning of the journey long before we come to walk into His promises. I have found that these battles though not as numerous as the ones in the land of victorious living are nonetheless strategic to our ever getting there in the first place. These fights move us from wondering in the wilderness of our relationship to pressing after more of Him. I believe at least for me that this King will always rise up and refuse to “let you pass” because he knows that once you do you will never be stratified with anything less than all of what God had promised you. He will try to “strike you down” and keep you in the desert of religion without the fruit of relationship. This warrior is our flesh that wants the benefits of the relationship with out the battles that accompany victorious Christian living. In the words of that great Hymn “I have decided to follow Jesus. Though I may wonder, I still will follow. The world behind me, the cross before me. Though none go with me, still I will follow. No turning back, no turning back.”
- Vs. 4-5 Og king of Bashan who went out against Israel and fought at Edrei as we are told in Num. 21:33-35. This fellows name means “Gigantic” and based upon Deut. 3:1-11 his iron bed was 13’5’’ by 6’ and he was the last of the remnants of the Giants on this side of the Jordan. His rule extended over 60 cities and the battle was won at Edrei “strong hold”. Hey saints have you noticed that our giants often extend their rule over many areas of our lives? Again we note that the battles fought before we get to the land of promises are far less in numbers but they are “gigantic” in size in areas of our life where they are held up in strongholds. Friends these areas must be defeated prior to us ever taking possession of all that the Lord wants to give us.
These two Kings were conquered by Moses you see, they were defeated by the law where as the next 31 were defeated by the Spirit and right off the bat you will notice that the names of the Kings defeated by Moses are remembered but the kings defeated by Joshua aren’t. Half of the tribe entered into the land of promise and half the tribe didn’t, one wonders how family reunions were for this tribe. It ought to sadden us to see our brothers and sisters in Christ not enjoying all of what the Lord has for them.
Hey saints, the kings here were defeated while Moses was still leading the nation their strategy is clear by their own words in Numbers 21:21-32 to keep them from passing through the land to get to where the promises lie. But of these battles we need to turn to what Hebrews 1:3 says concerning Jesus, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”. There is no Giant large enough, no warrior strong enough that can defeat our Lord. “Oh you don’t know my Giant”, true enough but Paul tells us in 1 Cor. 10:13 that “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Our DAVID is a Giant slayer and there is no area of our flesh that can stand up to the ROCK of our salvation. Ephes. 1:3 reminds us of the truth that “Jesus Christ has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ”.
Vs. 7-24 Conquered by grace
Vs. 7-24 This section reads like a check list doesn’t it (verses9-10) “the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one”. The geography of the land described for us in verses 7-8 tells us why according to 11:18 that they fought along time with some of these kings in the north. Also of note is that the kingdoms are listed in order of their defeats in battle, as verses 9 lists the kingdom of the Central campaign verses 10-16 list the kingdoms of Southern Canaan while verses 17-24 list the kingdoms in Northern Canaan.
The defeat of 31 kingdoms as I said does not include the names of those who reigned. How fascinating that is as I’m certain these fellows were the whose who of their day. You could go into the “Superone’s” and look at the check out counters and read all about them. Yet their exploits and their deeds aren’t remembered. I’m afraid that sense the fall of man we like to elevate our leaders and those who have specific talents as we are drawn to those that are famous. They sing, dance or throw a ball we tout them as famous and want to get a glimpse of them. Elton John charges a million per hour to sing and folks pay it. Hey saints there ought to be only one that we would be willing to spend anything to be around and that is Jesus and you can do so every moment of the day for free. In Hebrews 4:16 we are admonished to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” And in Isaiah 55:1 we read “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Dear ones don’t you see what you need is free in Christ? Paul aid in Philip. 3:9 that he wished to “be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith”.
Many a believer remains defeated when they ought to be victorious because they have yet to slay some Giant or oppressor who won’t let us pass. Others remain defeated because of failure to lay hold of that for which way have been laid hold of. Sense God has promised victory if we but abide with Him it is foolish for us to remain outside of the blessings promised. I’m sure that we too could come up with a list of kings that God has destroyed, the king of bitterness, the kings of gossip, the king of alcohol, the king of lust, the king of anger etc. As the Hymn by Fanny Crosby says, “There are depths of love I yet will know If I cross the narrow sea. There are heights of joy that I yet will reach if I rest in peace with thee.” It is good for us to see all of our hearts that has been conquered by grace. It is here that we are able to see how much more ground in the heart yet needs to be defeated that we may enjoy more of Him who has won us by His love.
The list of 31 once powerful kings who reigned over the lives of those living in the land of promise. Their oppressive reigns have ended, their land given over to the people of grace and nothing remains of them not even their names. Friends sometimes it is good for God’s people to sit down and reflect upon all the blessings granted us by the grace of God upon the very ground that once was a deserted desert. Well did Paul say in Romans 5:20 “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more”. All that we now posses as God’s children has been conquered by His grace, I’m not sure about the home of Elvis Presley but I am sure about the land I now occupy truly it is “Graceland”.
Comparing the two areas the kings defeated by Moses Sihon and Og with the 31 kings defeated by Joshua we can not but help to notice the differences:
- The numbers 2 to 31: This suggests to us that though it is true that there are far more battles in the land of blessing than there is outside it is equally true that there are far more victories! I further realize that the land east of the promises and blessings inhabited by the two and half tribes was never settled then soon slipped into not identifying themselves with God’s people, lost their inheritance and were absorbed by the nation of the world. They chose the land conquered by the law and though it was defeated by the works of the law it cold never be maintained by it. Oh saints hear me on this, works may gain a victory over a standing Giant, or an oppressive warrior but the land gained can never be enjoyed by the works of the law. If works gain the victory they will never be able to maintain it! Hear then the words of Paul in Ephes. 2:8 “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”. And it is not just our salvation that is by grace it is equally our sanctification as Paul address the Galatians 3:3 where he reminds them “Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” Redpath reminds us that, “The deepest blessings of the spiritual life cannot be held in the strength of our own purpose.”
- The mention of the kings east of the Jordan and no mention of the kings in the land of blessing: This suggests to us that of greater importance in the land conquered by Moses was those two kings not the land they held (something that we have already noted based upon Numbers 21 where we are told that they refused to let them pass thru and as such there defeat was never about the land only about the fact that they were hindering the possession of the blessings). Where as the importance in the land of blessing is possessing the inheritance not the battles fought. Oh dear ones what this tells us is that God would have us enjoy His inheritance and not reflect upon the battles! Yes they are there will always rise up little kings of the flesh that will try to keep you from enjoying more of Him and His blessings but don’t give those fleshly kings importance make His presence your aim.
This is a placeholder. Notes will be added