Just as the Lord had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua’s, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses (verse 15).
Message: Israel's Northern Campaign
Time: Joshua "Yahweh saves" led Israel, under God's command, to victorious conquest of the Promised Land. The book spans about 25 years, beginning about 1406 BC. The conquest of Canaan, numerous military campaigns and regathering of the nation are major components.
What the Lord is Saying: Joshua and the people continue to march through the Canaanite land and seize it. The Lord is on their side and continues to provide ways to conquer the land that on the surface don't seem possible. They are outnumbered and yet still prevail. God stills the water of the Jordan so they can cross, similar to the parting of the Red Sea with Moses. The fall of Jericho seems to be the improbable success that Israel has. Then the people of Ai are conquered. And then the southern kings come to ambush Israel but end up in a cave and are killed instead. And now in Joshua 11, it seems we have the story of the Northern kings.
The first 5 verses of chapter 11 mentions all of these kings as "they came out...and encamped at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel." The Lord speaks to Israel in verse 6, "Do not be afraid...I will deliver all of them slain before Israel; you shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” As the Lord has done previously, he will provide the way to conquer foes. And this is what they did with verse 8 saying, "they struck them until no survivor was left to them." In verse 12, "Joshua captured all the cities of these kings." The text mentions in verse 19, "There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in Gibeon." And in verse 20, "For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy." And this chapter ends in verse 23, "Joshua gave it [the land] for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes."
The people prevail. Why? Because the Lord delivers them and allows them to conquer their foes. It seems that some of the foes have an opportunity to enter into peace with Israel and perhaps save themselves from death. And yet, God hardens hearts.
Matthew Poole (1624-1679; minister at parish church in London; puritan) states of this verse "It was the design of God’s providence not to soften their hearts to a compliance with the Israelites, but to give them up to their own animosity, pride, confidence, and stubbornness; that so both their abominable and incorrigible wickedness might be severely punished and that the Israelites might not be mixed with them, but be entire among themselves in the possession of the land."
The idea of hardening hearts is an interesting one. It seems like God acts in a sovereign manner to harden or soften hearts. But in these words by Poole is the idea that God did not soften their hearts, but left them to their own desires. There is a free will choice that people have and with these Canaanites they already had an ere of animosity, pride, confidence and stubbornness. And this disposition by them would work to achieving God's sovereign plan. So he didn't make them that way, but he also did not soften their hearts to seek peace with the Israelites.
Romans 1 speaks of God giving people over, again, not softening their hearts but allowing them to pursue their own agendas of trading God for a lie, worshiping the creature rather than the creator, men and women engaging in unnatural sexual relations, leaving them to their own desires. We are to pray that God would soften people's hearts and help them come to the realization that He is real.
In this passage, the people would not engage in peace and so God hardened those hearts, fulfilling His divine providence and purpose for His called ones, the people of Israel and His promise given to them to give land to them and their descendants.
I think this is a hard concept for skeptics to understand, but I suppose what I see is God's overall plan and in that plan there are people that know Him and seek peace with Him and there are those that do not. Yes God loves people, but He also has a plan and that must be remembered as well.
Summary: Joshua's conquests continue, this time being the northern kings and their people. People could seek peace with Israel, yet for those with no desire, God hardens their hearts to achieve His providence for His people.
Promise: From Tabletalk, "When we as Christians face seemingly impossible foes, we can be assured that the Lord will be with us as we look to Him."
Prayer: Heavenly Father, you are sovereign and your ways are true and right and perfect. You have a will for me and my life. I surrender to You. I trust in your way for me and do not carve out my own purpose, but submit and surrender to You. You have given people free will and in the process as people live they choose or do not choose you. Lord, soften hearts so that people will turn to You and we can continue to witness and see this in our lifetime.
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