Kill the Little Giants Now - Joshua 11-15

 Joshua 11:21-23 (ESV)

And Joshua came at that time and cut off the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua devoted them to destruction with their cities. There was none of the Anakim left in the land of the people of Israel. Only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod did some remain. So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.

Joshua is completing the role God gave him after Jesus death.   His job was to lead the nation of Israel into the promise land.  He was to start the conquering of the land.  In the remaining chapters of the book we read about the twelve tribes being given their portion of the land and charged with conquering it.   

In the above text we read something unusual about Joshua’s leadership.  In almost all the other narratives about Joshua we read about his utter obedience to all of God’s commands.  In fact, God even stated as such:

Joshua 10:40 (ESV)

So Joshua struck the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings. He left none remaining, but devoted to destruction all that breathed, just as the LORD God of Israel commanded.

This sentiment is repeated in several places in the book and Joshua is portrayed as the obedient leader who left nothing on done.   But, in the above passage we read that in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod some of the Anakim, the giants of the land, are left.   This is odd that we read of a place that Joshua did not utterly destroy all the inhabitants.  It doesn’t say why he didn’t, only that he didn’t.  The interesting thing about this is that years later a giant will come from Gath to torment the nation of Israel.  His name was Goliath.  Note:

1 Samuel 17:4 (ESV)

And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath of Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span.

Isn’t it interesting that the work undone by Goliath would become the tormentor of Israel, years later.   Is this not so true in a spiritual sense.    The land of Canaan in the Bible is a picture of our flesh.   It is referred to as the “old nature” in the New Testament.   When we are saved we are to “destroy” the old nature.  But, we don’t destroy it all.   The parts we don’t destroy comes back to hunt us later in life, or for the rest of our lives.  

Galatians 5:17 (ESV)

17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

When we live a few giants in our lives they give brith to more aggressive and bigger giants who eventually taunt us and hunt us.   Joshua and the nation never wiped out the giants of Gath.   They would become a tormentor of their lives later.  Remember, the sin that you fail to remove now will eventually grow in desire later.  It will torment you.  Kill it now and live in the Spirit later:

Romans 8:13 (ESV)

13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, YOU WILL LIVE.