Monday - Joshua 12 - The Value of Reflection

Since none of us are likely to ever become experts in ancient Palestinian geography, this chapter may appear to hold very little for us. However, even if you don't get out your Bible maps to try to find some of these many locations that are mentioned in this chapter (which would actually be the logical thing to do), there is a good general lesson for us all here. Reflection on past victories can be a profitable exercise.

In verses 1-6 we find a laundry list of kings and kingdoms that were conquered on the eastern side of the Jordan River while Moses was still alive. In the remaining part of the chapter we can find another enumeration of the peoples and 31 specific kingdoms that were defeated under Joshua's tenure as the supreme ruler in Israel. Of course, whether Moses or Joshua was in charge, the ultimate head of the nation was none other than God Himself. He was the captain of the host. All victories (both theirs and ours) should be accredited to Him.

Now, I can think of 2 very good reasons for making a list like this. First, it is beneficial to delineate just exactly what has been accomplished in the past so that we can then look to see what is yet to be done. The second good reason for making a list of past victories is more obvious. Reviewing the past is proper in that it can serve to motivate us positively concerning our present and the future. If God has done it before, most assuredly He can do it again.