chariots of iron

When Things Get In The Way

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

And the children of Joseph said, “The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.” And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, “Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: but the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.”
Joshua 17:16-18

It sounds as though the children of Joseph were not pleased with their part of the land as it was divided among all the tribes. It was not enough and the people who lived in the valley had weapons they did not feel like they could defeat.

Joshua had another idea though, and that was they could have the woods of the mountain, cut down those trees, and clean up the ground. Joshua gave them what they needed to take the land, however, they had not fully obeyed the LORD, in driving out the Canaanites out of that land (17:12-13),  and when they became stronger the made servants of the Canaanites. Joshua was telling them since you are strong use what land you have been given, drive out the giants, and God will give you victory even over iron chariots.

As the people of God we often let things get in the way of doing God’s will, and being obedient to Him, His word, and turn from the path He has laid out for us. There are spiritual leaders, pastors and deacons, and even other brothers and sisters in Christ who come into our lives to give us a word of exhortation, and encouragement, and plain ole rebuke and correction. When it cuts to the heart, it is probably a right word from God.

Like Joshua told the children of Joseph – Ephraim and Manasseh – “You are a great people and have great power…” and so are those who are in Christ Jesus. We let things get in the way of obedience, and faith in God’s ability to deliver us and give us the victory.

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, then you will not even know what I am saying. If you will confess to Him that you have sinned against Him, and turn from your sins to Jesus Christ who died on a cross being the sinless sacrifice for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again to life, and when we put our faith in Him He gives us a new heart, and begins changing us into the likeness of God’s Son.

Let us not live with things in our way; preventing our victory over our enemy, which is the enemy of GOD.

Children of Victory

/ Tim A. / Leave a comment

“And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel. And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: but the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.” Joshua 17:16-18 (KJV)

Dividing the land was no easy task for the people of Israel. Some of the divisions of land remained unconquered, and it was up to the tribe inheriting the land to conquer it. Some of the inhabitants of Canaan were not driven out as God had commanded (vv. 12 – 13), but later came under tribute or a tax burden.

The Canaanites that lived in the valley they spoke of had great iron chariots; one of the most feared military vehicles of the day. The horses alone could trample, stomp and kill the enemy; and that does not even match what was on the wheels of the chariots. Whirling, spinning knife like blades slicing, killing, maiming anything that was too close.

Joshua’s message to to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh was “You are a great people with great power. You shall have the mountain, and you will be able to drive out the Canaanites of the valley, even though they have chariots of iron.” Encouragement is powerful when the person receiving it takes it to heart.

For you and I today; we can see that for the Christian there is no enemy of God that cannot and will not be stopped and destroyed (Ephesians 6:10-18). We are a great and strong people. Not because of our own doing, but because of Jesus Christ and His cross. No enemy within or without can defeat us.