Judges 1:27-36
Incomplete Conquest of the Land
27 However, Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; for the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land. 28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites under tribute, but did not completely drive them out.
29 Nor did Ephraim drive out the Canaanites who dwelt in Gezer; so the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them.
30 Nor did Zebulun drive out the inhabitants of Kitron or the inhabitants of Nahalol; so the Canaanites dwelt among them, and were put under tribute.
31 Nor did Asher drive out the inhabitants of Acco or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, Achzib, Helbah, Aphik, or Rehob. 32 So the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.
33 Nor did Naphtali drive out the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh or the inhabitants of Beth Anath; but they dwelt among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh and Beth Anath were put under tribute to them.
34 And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountains, for they would not allow them to come down to the valley; 35 and the Amorites were determined to dwell in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim; yet when the strength of the house of Joseph became greater, they were put under tribute.
36 Now the boundary of the Amorites was from the Ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela, and upward.
The journey continues. This is where things go seriously wrong with Israel taking the promised land per the command of the LORD. They did not deal with the sin in the land which is akin to we now not driving sin out of our individual lives when we are commanded to be holy as He is (2 Timothy 2:19, 1 Peter 1:15-16) who lives in us (Romans 8:9, 11, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17) and abhors (Psalm 5:4, Hebrews 1:9) sin. This is seen in refusing to continue to conquer the land by eliminating or driving away the sinful influences of the idolatrous inhabitants as God to (Numbers 33:52, 55) do them to do in no uncertain words. God commanded this to avoid them having to be entangled in the thorns (Matthew 13:22, Luke 8:14, 2 Timothy 2:4, Hebrews 12:1, 2 Peter 2:20) of their influences of idol worship and immoral practices, much as the world around us continues to pull at all God’s children today. The difference is in the new covenant of grace now which keeps us inheriting the heavenly land of promise based on Christ and His righteousness in place of the old covenant of works which demanded adherence to good works to earn righteousness and the promised earthly land. The new is far greater because of grace, and the old made it impossible to earn or keep because it is impossible to keep all the commandments (Romans 3:20, 23-24, James 2:10, Galatians 3:10, 11-12, 13) perfectly. Israel failed to drive out the influences of sin and so began a downward spiral of disobedience that tore the nation apart, not having the needed Savior to deliver them from those failings (1 John 1:9, Romans 6:23) as has been revealed now in the Son of God who leads us in triumph into the Kingdom promised by grace and not earned or kept by our efforts. We are certainly called to keep the words of the Lord now, but failure to do them only affects our rewards, not the greater reward of eternal life. We live to please Him by conforming to His image of righteousness and holiness (2 Corinthians 5:21, Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18) with full assurance of entering and keeping our citizenship (John 10:28, Philippians 3:20) in a land set before us where sin and righteousness (Isaiah 32:17, 2 Peter 3:13) dwells. Let us therefore strive to put to death the sin within and not leave an incomplete conquest when we enter into glory of that promised (Hebrews 11:16) heavenly country. May we strive to complete the conquest of sin without and within as the direction of our lives because our Savior and perfect Judge has pardoned us and purchased our citizenship there!
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