Joshua 17:17-18
Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, “You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only, but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.”
Tag: Want more? Go get it!!
The tribe of Ephraim and the tribe of Manasseh had come to Joshua to complain that they have been given only one allotment of land. They stated, earlier, that they were a great people and needed more:
Joshua 17:14
Then the people of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, “Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, although I am a numerous people, since all along the Lord has blessed me?”
Joshua is more than willing to accommodate them. He just makes it plain to them that if they want more, they will have to go get it. Joshua took their complaint seriously, but was not willing to simply solve the problem himself. He was more than willing to empower them and guide them, but he was not going to simply give in and appease them. Leadership has to solve problems. The fact that they wanted more land was not selfish or sinful. It was, however, short sighted to think that Joshua would just give them more rich farm land that held cities already built by their enemies, whom they destroyed. Joshua wanted to get them more land but they would have to be both industrious and militant. They would have to earn it and have to cultivate it. How many times have we seen church members leave a church because the wanted “more” for their kids, for their worship experience or something? Pastor Joshua would have said, “You want more, great!! But, you will have to clear the land and build it.” People today are like Lot ... just find a “city” and squat!! Joshua says find some land and cultivate and build. You want more? Go find the land and in the power of Christ conquer and build something new upon it.
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