“How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?” Joshua 18:3
The conquest of Canaan was certainly long and difficult, though tremendously successful because of the Lord who was with Israel and fought for her. However, there came a time when the people became “slack” to pursue and go up to possess the remainder of the land that had been promised by the Lord. There were seven tribes which had not received their inheritance, and it was to these Joshua addressed his question concerning slackness, or hesitancy, to go up and possess that which was rightfully theirs by the commandment of God, this being confirmed by conquest. What was their need? Was it just a command to move forward? The answer is found in Joshua’s words to these seven tribes: “Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, an describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.” (18:3) The people needed a new vision of their specific, promised inheritance which was lying before them. If they would arise out of their slackness, they must be motivated by the clarity of the vision, and the specific limits of that which was apportioned to them. It is one thing to think about the entire conquering of Canaan. It would be quite another to see, understand, and focus on the specific inheritance that God had determined that they should possess. How does this apply to the Christian today, especially for the one who has become bogged down in the multiple duties and concerns of life, and lost sight of his or her specific calling? The answer lies in the renewed vision of God, and the promised inheritance in Christ. The foundational truth of this vision, and its realization, is the fact of God’s unfailing faithfulness to fulfill every good thing that He has promised. How is one to have a renewed vision, and be stirred up to go up and possess that which is promised?
The answer begins with worship. Essential to every true endeavor in the will of God, is the establishment of true worship of God, God’s way. It was just after the conquest of Jericho, and that of Ai, that Joshua “…built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal.” (8:30) Joshua and the people had just seen the Lord work in their favor by the conquest of Jericho and Ai. However, the first attempt at conquering Ai was a failure, as Israel, by the hand of Achan, sinned against the Lord by taking from Jericho an “accursed thing.” Only when this sin was dealt with would the blessing of the Lord be again upon the people. So, what was the need of the people that they should be “kept” from idols, and such sins? It was the worship of God. It would be, and has always been a fact, that in the worship of God there is the revelation of God to the heart. The people, so preoccupied with the conquest, could easily fall prey to their own “ways” and cease to realize that their God was a holy God, whose ways alone could provide the means of victory. True worship of God, and the revelation of His Person and ways on a daily basis, would be the antidote to “wandering” in mind and heart, “drifting,” or even becoming slack. So, the Lord led Joshua to build and altar in response to Moses’ words: “…and altar (will be built) of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered there-on burnt offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace-offerings.” (Josh 8:31)
After the land had been subdued, but the inheritance had not been possessed in full, the tabernacle was set up by the people of Israel at Shiloh. The worship of God would be paramount to receiving a renewed vision of God, and the inheritance. Then the people possessed the land.
Dear Father, Renew our vision today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.