In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “there was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities”, and in chapter eleven and verse twenty two of Joshua, we learn how, "there was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel” where we read,
There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel:
only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
The verse reads, “There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “there was none of the Anakims” which means “there existed not a single person belonging to the Anakims whose name means ‘long-necked’ and was a tribe of giants, descendants of Anak, which dwelled in southern Canaan” “left in the land” or “remaining and enduring within the territory, region and country” “of the children of Israel” which means “pertaining to the offspring and progeny belonging to Israel whose name means ‘God prevails’ and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob”. Joshua or the writer shared how there did not exist any of the “Anakims” within the territory belonging to the progeny of “Israel”.
The verse continues, “only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “only in Gaza” which means “solely and alone within Gaza or Azzah whose name means ‘the strong’ and was another name for 'Gaza', a city of the Philistines located in the extreme southwest of Palestine close to the Mediterranean”, “in Gath” or “within Gath whose name means ‘winepress’ and was one of the five royal or chief cities of the Philistines and the native city of Goliath”, “and in Ashdod” which means “and within Ashdod whose name means ‘powerful’ and was a major Philistine city on the Mediterranean Sea west from Jerusalem, modern Esdud”, “there remained” or “there continued and were left survivors”. Joshua or the writer said that solely within the cities of “Gaza, Gath and Ashdod” were their survivors.
When we consider the words in this verse, we discover how the “Anakims” were completely eliminated from the territory of “Israel”, and solely within the cities of “Gaza, Gath and Ashdod” were there any survivors. God removed these people from the presence of “Israel”, and because He told the people of “Israel” they would inherit the promise land, one by one these pagan people were being removed. God has given us a promise through His Son Jesus who said, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (See John 3:16), and when He came into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, He made the way through faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and given His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to remove all sins and enemies to God from our lives. (See John 16:13; Acts 1:8)
Next time we learn how, “Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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