The Rest We Need

 

And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’” And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’” (Joshua 1:10-13 ESV).

 

I have found that I often have more difficulty with perseverance than courage. Perhaps this is a result of aging; or, perhaps it is merely a result of the consistent erosion of my will with what often seems like a constant battle of circumstance and challenge. Whatever the reason, I do know that without the strength of the Lord, I am simply not up to the challenges of life. This is why the Scripture often points us to the availability of the power of God at work in our lives. This is at the heart of our reading today.

 

It often troubles people that God waged violent warfare in Canaan at the time of Joshua. But the land and its people already belonged to God, and they had been in rebellion against him for more than 400 years. In the meantime, God had been patient and longsuffering, providing for them, but they never turned back to him. So this part of Israel’s history illustrates that eventually God brings punishment (cf. Genesis 15:13-19; Exodus 1-15; 23:20-33; and Leviticus 18:24-30).

 

Sadly, there is certainly no shortage of violence in the world. This is merely one of the lessons we ought to learn from the events surrounding the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.  Perhaps we should have already learned this principle from our lengthy involvement in Viet Name in the 60’s. However, the result of human sin rarely changes; and, the consequences always remain the same. We are all sinners and enemies of God (cf. Romans 3:23). Wherever our sin brings conflict into God’s world, violence often erupts. God wants full life and peace for his people, but the powers of evil tear away at that and bring death.

 

The Lord, though, is far more powerful, and his goodness will prevail. He turns his enemies into his children. He promises rest from violence, and his Son, Jesus, has begun providing that for all who believe in him. He died to redeem us from sin and give us new life with God. And one day, just as God promised Israel, when all his enemies are defeated, he will give his people complete rest, and they will live with him forever in a new heaven and new earth. That’s what the promised land of Canaan pointed to. (cf. Matthew 11:28-30; 26-28; Revelation 21:1-7). That is the hope that brings rest now!