The end of Chapter 21 states that the conquest is over – “… the Lord gave them rest on every side … not one of the promise which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass.” As we have discussed previously, this did not mean that all Canaanites were gone, but rather that the Canaanite nations were destroyed along with their ability to make war against Israel. Back in February 2012, we discussed the remaining natives – though some continued to live in the land due to the disobedience of Israel, we can see that their purpose was divinely ordained to preserve the land till the Nation was ready to occupy (Exodus 23:29). Also, the remaining Canaanites were used as a means to refine Israel (Number 33:55) just as the Lord also uses dark circumstances to refine and sanctify us today. What a fine example of the sovereignty of God using (but not authoring) the sin of mankind. The nation of Israel suffered the consequences for their disobedience but the Lord used that for His glory and their good. We, also, suffer the consequences of our disobedience but as believers we have solid ground for believing that the Lord uses our failures for His glory and for our good. Nevertheless, like the Apostle, we must say, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be!” (Romans 6:1-2).
Chapter 22 starts with Commander Joshua calling the Reubenite tribe, the Gadite tribe and the half tribe of Manasseh together. Recall that near the end of that famous wilderness journey from Egypt to the Promise Land, these tribes asked Moses for permission to claim the land east of the Jordan. Moses granted their request with the proviso that they accompany the rest of the nation as they claimed (and fought) to conquer the Canaanite nations which were west of the River Jordan. Joshua also reminds them of their promise to Moses (Joshua 1:12-18). What that meant was the fighting men of those three tribes left their families, flocks, and all worldly goods behind while they fought alongside their brothers. This was not a trivial matter considering the hardship that this implies. Consider the long (v. 3) separation from wives and children. They were faithful even with the reality that they faces injury and perhaps death for a land that was not their own. It is possible that between battles those fighting age men would return briefly to the other side of the Jordan to see to the needs of their families but the journey was long and the temptation for desertion was powerful. Nevertheless, Joshua commends them for their faithful service and now sends them back to their homes. Joshua says, “You have not forsaken your brothers these many days to this day …” (verse 3). They had fulfilled their promise to God, to Moses, and to their general, Joshua. They had honorably performed their duty and the praise of Joshua.
Matthew Henry observed: “Though it was by the favor of God and his power that Israel got possession of this land, and he must have all the glory, yet Joshua thought there was a thankful acknowledgment due to their brethren who assisted them, and whose sword and bow were employed for them. God must be chiefly eyed in our praises, yet instruments must not be altogether overlooked.” Henry, Matthew, Commentary on the Whole Bible
So to, we ought to be grateful for those around us who the Lord has used to assist us along the way. Some who have encouraged us, some who have cheered us, some who have challenged us, some who have prayed for us, and some who have comforted us in our sorrow, and even some who have held us accountable in our struggles with sin. We should verbally thank our brothers and sisters who are willing to do these things. After all the New Testament teaches that every member of the believing community is responsible for encouraging, praying for, exhorting, serving, admonishing, building up, caring for, and loving one another (1 Cor. 12:25; Rom. 15:15; Gal. 5:13; Col. 3:16; 1 Thess. 4:18; 5:11; Heb. 3:13; 10:24-25; James 5:16; 1 Peter 4:10; 1 John 4:7).
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