In the book of Judges we learned about Israel, “when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them. And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way. And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people has transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice”, and in chapter two and verse twenty-one of Judges, we learn how the angel said he, “will not drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left” where we read,
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations
which Joshua left when he died:
The verse reads, “I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations …” The writer began with the words, “I also will not henceforth” which means “I, Jehovah God, even so and indeed shall not from this time forward” “drive out any” or “seize, dispossess, disinherit or occupy not a single one” “from before them” which means “separate and apart from the front and presence of them, the people of Israel” “of the nations” or “belonging to the non-Hebrew, heathen and Gentile people groups”. The writer shared how Jehovah God said he would not from that time on expel or disinherit a single one of the heathen people groups in the presence of the people of Israel.
The verse continues, “… which Joshua left when he died:” The writer added the words, “which Joshua left” which means “that Joshua whose name means ‘Jehovah is salvation’ and was son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel who led the conquest of Canaan, departed from, let alone and deserted” “when he died” or “at the time and moment he, Joshua, breathed his last, became inanimate and expired”. The writer shared how Jehovah God referred to the territory that remained unoccupied by Israel after “Joshua” breathed his last breath.
When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Jehovah God responded to the people of Israel forsaking Him and pursuing other gods. No longer would Jehovah God expel the pagan and heathen people within the promise land even though there were promised regions that remained unoccupied by Israel. We remember that Jehovah God defeated the enemies that were in the promise land, and at this time He was retreating from His mission. God wants the best for all of us, and when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him 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 provided with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and give us the ability to remain close to Him so He never abandons His mission to clear the way before us. (See John 3:16; Isaiah 52:12; Matthew 26:23; Mark 14:28)
Next time we see how the angel, Jehovah God, says, “through them I may prove Israel”, 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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