Snares and Traps

In Jos 21:43-45, the Lord gave Israel all the land he promised them, and he gave them rest.  There stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand.  There failed not ought… all came to pass.

Consider Caleb in Jos 14:7-12.  He was as strong for war at 85 years old as he was at 40 years old.  He drove out the Anakims from their great and fenced cities.  And in v.14 the land had rest from war.

But we must pay careful attention to the wording in the verses that describe where the former inhabitants resided as Israel took possession of their land.

In Jos 13:10-12, we find that the 2 1/2 tribes on the east side of the Jordan River inhabited all the land of Sihon and Og and Gilead up to the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites.  But in Jos 13:13, Israel did not expel the Geshurites and Maachathites.  They were on the border.  Yet, we learn that they ended up dwelling among the Israelites.

Beginning in Jos 15 the tribes begin to divide up the land by lot in the land of Canaan on the west side of the Jordan River.

But notice what happens.

Jud 1:19, Judah didn’t drive out the inhabitants of the valley because they had chariots of iron.  They were a tougher opponent than others, but they were not too tough for God.  See in Jud 4:13-15, what Barak and Deborah did to Sisera with just 10,000 men and the help of the Lord.

Jud 1:21, Benjamin left the Jebusties in Jerusalem.

Jud 1:27-28, Manasseh left inhabitants in multiple cities but had them under tribute.

Jud 1:29, Ephraim, and all the other tribes also, left the inhabitants in the land they possessed.

Jud 1:30, Zebulun did, too, but made them tributaries.

Jud 1:31, 32 Asher dwelt among the Canaanites.  Notice that the Canaanites didn’t dwell among them, Asher dwelt among the Canaanites (sounds like they were outnumbered).

Jud 1:33, Naphtali dwelt among the Canaanites but made them tributaries

Jud 1:34, the Amorites forced Dan into the mountain.

Can you see progression?  At first, the inhabitants were on the border.  Then they had chariots of iron and remained in the valley.  Next, they were in a city, though just one city.  Then they inhabited multiple cities.  Then all the other tribes started leaving them in their land.  And then Asher ended up dwelling among the Canaanites rather than the Canaanites dwelling among them.  And finally, Dan was forced into the mountain. They were snares and traps.

This is a graphic picture of what leaving things in your life, that God tells you to get out, will do to you.  When you leave sin in your life, it will take you little by little till it has you completely.  It will move from your “border” to “forcing you out into the mountain”.

God has dealt with you about the inhabitants of your land.  You have certain friends, certain media, a certain job or career, certain family ties, certain pastimes, that God wants out of your life.  When you refuse to get these out of your life, before you know it, these things have you and take over your life.   They become snares and traps to you.

Look what happened to Israel:

• In Jos 23:6-13, God told them to do all that is written in this book v.6, to cleave unto the Lord v.8, and to love the Lord your God v.11.  And he warned them that if they cleaved to remnant of the nations, the Lord would no longer drive out the inhabitants v.12-13.
• In Jud 2:1-3 the angel of the Lord reminded them that they were to make no league with the inhabitants.  They did not obey.  So, he said, I will not drive them out from before you.
• In Jud 2:10-12 Ultimately, there arose another generation which knew not the Lord and they forsook the Lord.
• In Jud 2:14-15 they could not any longer stand before their enemies.  Before, it had been that their enemies couldn’t stand before them.  The hand of the Lord was against them for evil. They were greatly distressed.

The absolute truth is that, when you get saved, you need to begin immediately trusting the Lord to show you what things he wants out of your life.  And you need to rely upon his help to get those things out.  He wants you to clear out the sinful things and associations in your life that he now possesses.

If you refuse, those things will eventually get the upper hand and they will dominate your life.  They will be just like the inhabitants of the land that Israel possessed.  They will be snares and traps in you.

Conclusion: Clear out the things in your life that are your enemies.  Get out the worldliness (love not the world).  Mortify the deeds of the flesh (to be carnally minded is death, the carnal mind is enmity against God).  Give no place to the devil (he’s a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour).  Clean out your land!!