He left nothing undone of all that the LORD
had commanded Moses.
Oh, Lord, that I would follow Josh’s example. To
do all that You say and to leave nothing undone.
None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel;
they remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.
The Anakim had been
trouble for Josh from early on. None remained in the land of Israel’s
children. Thank You Lord for Your kind attention to the smallest
details.
I was curious about the ‘only’ part of that verse and searched those
cities. Interesting verse in Zephaniah. Challenge I have is that God
removes what needs to be removed and allows even enemy strongholds to
remain that He may use them for His great and eternal purposes…reminds
me of a national example of difficult relationships being used to shape
God’s people, (thank you, Pastor Troy for that remarkable lesson
Sunday). Lord, I pray that I would also be complicit with Your divine
schemes – and not used as a tool of destruction. I pray for the peace
of Jerusalem and Your precious people.
Only in Gaza, Philistine city, home of the city without gates and a
missing temple to the god Dagon – thanks to Samson and an area which
still makes headlines.
Only in Gath, the Philistine city and home of Goliath, Philistine’s
choice for storing the Ark of the Covenant and home of large and fierce
warriors – sons of the giant, (one was known for having 6 fingers and 6
toes), who came against David and his men. These guys experience serial
defeat at the hands of Israel and her God. The difficulty is that they
had the upper hand often.
Only in Ashdod,
a Philistine city, the place Philip landed after the
conversion of the Ethopian eunuch and currently a place known for great
opposition to the Messiah’s story. Zephaniah 2:4-5 Gaza and Ashkelon will be abandoned,
Ashdod and Ekron torn down. And what sorrow awaits you Philistines who live along the coast and in the land of Canaan, for this judgment is against you, too! The LORD will destroy you until not one of you is left.
Then the land rested from war.
I praise You Lord that there is “a
time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to
build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to
dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to
embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a
time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to
speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for
peace.”
Praise You Lord that You know the times and keep the schedule.
Oh, Lord, that I would follow Josh’s example. To do all that You say and to leave nothing undone.
None of the Anakim were left in the land of the children of Israel; they remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod.
The Anakim had been trouble for Josh from early on. None remained in the land of Israel’s children. Thank You Lord for Your kind attention to the smallest details.
Then the land rested from war.
I praise You Lord that there is “a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” Praise You Lord that You know the times and keep the schedule.