Joel M Bradshaw

1Now these are the kings of the land whom the people of Israel defeated and took possession of their land beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the Valley of the Arnon to Mount Hermon, with all the Arabah eastward…7And these are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the people of Israel defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, that rises toward Seir.–Joshua 12

Today’s chapter is a list of kings that were defeated as the Promised Land was conquered by Israel. On the surface, it is a bunch of names and locations. For many people, this would be considered ‘flyover country’ and the page would be turned quickly. Let’s give two major things to ponder as you react.

1. HISTORY. I have set foot on five of the seven continents of the world (Australia and Antarctica remain!). In all places there are unique names and locations. Locals have given me directions in a way that used those names. And I have found that those names can sometimes be overwhelming to remember. But they all meant something to the people who lived there. The kings listed in our chapter were the celebrities of their day. Their names were sung in their respective streets. The names in this chapter meant something to the original readers. God was at work during a real historical time and with genuine people who all lived lives like you and I do. Each of these names and places is a story.
2. THEOLOGY. You’ll notice God’s name essentially missing in this chapter. Moses, Joshua, and the Israelites were given credit for the victories. And those of us who recall those stories know that God did the conquering. It was God who provided the victories. God’s presence which assured military outcomes that weren’t expected by the Ancient Near East peoples. We can be encouraged when God works his sovereign plan and uses his servants to do so. We get to be a part of how God has chosen to will and work in this world and in history. God in his grace gives us the honor of representing him in this world. As ambassadors and stewards, we are never to represent ourselves and our interests over God and his. We model the family values of the family we value.–JMB