Joshua 12:7-11: a reflection

7These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck beyond the Jordan westward, from Baal Gad in the valley of Lebanon even to Mount Halak, that goes up to Seir. Joshua gave it to the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions; 8in the hill country, and in the lowland, and in the Arabah, and in the slopes, and in the wilderness, and in the South; the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite: 9the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; 10the king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 11the king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one;

The record of the kings Joshua defeated, listed one by one, stands as a roll of God's faithfulness, each victory a testimony that God kept his promise to give his people the land. These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck, the record begins, and then lists them: the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, one; the king of Jerusalem, one; and on through the list. Each name and number marks a victory God gave, a place secured, a step in the fulfillment of his promise to give his people the land. The list is not dry record-keeping only, but a roll of God's faithfulness, victory by victory, testifying that he kept his word. This shows the record of victories as a testimony to God's faithfulness in keeping his promise. The roll of victories testifies that God kept his promise. Each victory God gave is a mark of his faithfulness. Remember all that God has done, victory by victory. God fulfills his promises, step by step, and the record testifies to it.

Notice what this list of defeated kings really is. At first glance it may seem dry: a catalog of names and numbers, king by king, city by city. But it is in truth a record of God's faithfulness. God had promised to give his people the land; and this list is the testimony that he kept his word, victory by victory, place by place, each name marking a step in the fulfillment of his promise. Read this way, the list becomes a roll of God's faithfulness, a record of all that he did to keep his word. This suggests a way of remembering God's work in our own lives. It is worth keeping account, as it were, of what God has done: the victories he has given, the promises he has kept, the steps by which he has fulfilled his word, one by one. Such a record, whether written or held in memory, becomes a testimony to God's faithfulness, reminding us, when we are tempted to doubt, of all that he has actually done, victory by victory, mercy by mercy. We do well to remember and count all that God has done for us, each faithfulness a testimony that he keeps his word, so that the record strengthens our trust. Remember and count all that God has done for you, victory by victory. The record of God's faithfulness testifies that he keeps his word. Keep account of the promises God has kept and the mercies he has given. Let the record of God's past faithfulness strengthen your trust.

That is worth taking to heart, for the record of the victories God gave is a testimony to his faithfulness in keeping his promise, and we do well to remember all that God has done, as the list of defeated kings testified that God kept his word. A catalog of God's works may seem dry; but the list of kings Joshua defeated is in truth a roll of God's faithfulness, each victory a mark that he kept his promise. Remember his works. Do not forget what God has done; keep account of the victories he has given and the promises he has kept, letting the record testify to his faithfulness and strengthen your trust. Remember and count all that God has done for you, victory by victory and mercy by mercy, letting the record of his faithfulness strengthen your trust, as the record of the kings Joshua defeated, listed one by one, stands as a roll of God's faithfulness, each victory a testimony that God kept his promise to give his people the land, listing the king of Jericho, one, the king of Ai, one, and on through the list; for each name and number marks a victory God gave, a place secured, a step in the fulfillment of his promise, so that the list is not dry record-keeping only but a roll of God's faithfulness testifying that he kept his word, which at first glance may seem dry, a catalog of names and numbers, but is in truth a record of God's faithfulness, since he had promised to give his people the land and this list is the testimony that he kept his word victory by victory, each name marking a step in the fulfillment of his promise, so that read this way the list becomes a roll of God's faithfulness, which suggests a way of remembering God's work in our own lives, keeping account of what God has done, the victories he has given, the promises he has kept, and the steps by which he has fulfilled his word, since such a record, whether written or held in memory, becomes a testimony to God's faithfulness that reminds us, when we are tempted to doubt, of all he has actually done, so that we do well to remember and count all that God has done for us.

Lord, the record of the kings Joshua defeated, listed one by one, stands as a roll of your faithfulness, each victory a testimony that you kept your promise to give your people the land. These are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the children of Israel struck, the record begins, and then lists them: the king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, one; the king of Jerusalem, one; and on through the list. Each name and number marks a victory you gave, a place secured, a step in the fulfillment of your promise to give your people the land. The list is not dry record-keeping only, but a roll of your faithfulness, victory by victory, testifying that you kept your word. Show me what this list of defeated kings really is. At first glance it may seem dry: a catalog of names and numbers, king by king, city by city. But it is in truth a record of your faithfulness. You had promised to give your people the land; and this list is the testimony that you kept your word, victory by victory, place by place, each name marking a step in the fulfillment of your promise. Read this way, the list becomes a roll of your faithfulness. This suggests a way of remembering your work in my own life. It is worth keeping account of what you have done: the victories you have given, the promises you have kept, the steps by which you have fulfilled your word, one by one. Such a record, whether written or held in memory, becomes a testimony to your faithfulness, reminding me, when I am tempted to doubt, of all that you have actually done. Take that to my heart. Keep me from forgetting what you have done; help me remember and count all that you have done for me, Lord, victory by victory and mercy by mercy, letting the record of your past faithfulness testify that you keep your word and strengthen my trust in you.