Joshua 10:28-33: a reflection

28Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with its king. He utterly destroyed it and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining. He did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. 29Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. 30The LORD delivered it also, with its king, into the hand of Israel. He struck it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls who were in it. He left no one remaining in it. He did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. 31Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it. 32The LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel. He took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, with all the souls who were in it, according to all that he had done to Libnah. 33Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, until he had left him no one remaining.

This passage recounts a series of victories as Israel takes the land, city after city. And a phrase recurs through the account: the LORD delivered it into the hand of Israel. City after city fell, not simply by Israel's strength or strategy, but because the LORD delivered them. The victories are credited, again and again, not to Israel's power, but to God, who gave the land into their hand. The refrain keeps the glory where it belongs: with God.

Notice the repeated crediting of the victories to God: the LORD delivered it into their hand. It would have been easy to record these conquests as Israel's achievements, tributes to their skill and strength. But the account keeps returning to the truth: it was the LORD who delivered the cities, the LORD who gave the victory. Israel fought, but the victory was God's gift; the refrain will not let the glory be taken by Israel, but keeps returning it to God.

That crediting of victory to God rather than ourselves is worth carrying into how we regard our own successes. When we succeed, when we overcome, when things go well, it is easy to credit the victory to our own skill and effort, to record it as our achievement. But the account of Israel's conquests keeps returning the glory to God: the LORD delivered it. When you succeed or overcome, do not credit the victory only to your own skill and strength; remember that whatever you accomplish, you accomplish by what God has given, and that the victory is, in the end, his gift. Give God the glory for your victories, as the account gave him the glory for Israel's; keep returning the credit to God, rather than taking it for yourself. It was the LORD who delivered the cities; let it be the LORD who gets the credit for the victories he gives you too.

Lord, this passage recounts Israel's victories, city after city, and a phrase recurs: the LORD delivered it into the hand of Israel; the victories are credited, again and again, not to Israel's power, but to you, who gave the land into their hand. Help me carry that crediting of victory to you into how I regard my own successes. When I succeed, when I overcome, when things go well, it is easy to credit the victory to my own skill and effort, to record it as my achievement. But the account of Israel's conquests keeps returning the glory to you: the LORD delivered it. When I succeed or overcome, keep me from crediting the victory only to my own skill and strength; help me remember that whatever I accomplish, I accomplish by what you have given, and that the victory is, in the end, your gift. Help me give you the glory for my victories, as the account gave you the glory for Israel's; help me keep returning the credit to you, rather than taking it for myself. It was you who delivered the cities; let it be you who gets the credit for the victories you give me too, Lord.