God’s Hand In The Land-2 Series

GOD’s HAND In The LAND-II—Joshua 5:1

Attention:

Husband & wife loading car in preparation for lengthy fishing trip/Husband keeps looking amorously at wife/Felt uncomfortable because it seemed out of place/kept telling her, ‘Honey, I love you”/Getting in her way as she was getting ready/Finally she says, What is on your mind dear? You look like a lost puppy?’/Husband says, ‘I just love you honey. And I know you love me because you think of everything. This is gonna be a great fishing trip because of what great fishing lures those earrings will make!"

When a man is transparent/open/obvious, great & life-changing things happen!

Likewise, when ‘God’s hand’ is obviously ‘in the land’, great & life-changing things happen!

Upon hearing of Israel’s miraculous crossing of the Jordan the surrounding nations recognized their weakened condition.

When God’s power is obvious/clearly seen, those apart from Him perceive their frailty.

What happens when God’s hand is in the land?

2—When God’s hand is in the land...

The WORLD WONDERS(:1)

Explanation:(:1)

:1b—“...the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west...the Canaanites who were by the sea...”

“Amorites”

Our passage seems to vaguely limit the Amorites to an area west of the Jordan. Their history is much like the history of most peoples including ourselves...It was historically in a state of flux—from power wielders to power surrenderers.

The term ““Amorite” is used in the OT to denote—1)The inhabitants of Palestine generally, 2)The population of the hills as opposed to the plain, & 3)A specific people under a king of their own.”.....the indigenous “population of Judah is called Amorite(Josh. 10:5ff.), in conformity with which Ezek. 16:3 states that Jerusalem had an Amorite father.”.....“Num. 13:29 limits the Amorites to dwelling in the mountains, while the Amalekites...lived in the south, & the Canaanites are confined to the Mediterranean coast as well as in the Jordan valley.....In Num. 21:29 & Deut. 2, the man, Sihon is noted as the king of the Amorites, “who had conquered the northern half of Moab.”—ISBE(1979—‘Amorites’)

“The highly civilized Sumerians considered them as barbarians.”—ISBE(1979—‘Amorites’)

In ancient writings “the Mediterranean Sea sometimes appears as the “Sea of Amurru”—a reference to the Amorites.—ISBE(1979—‘Amorites’)

Circa 1300BC Amurru appears as a name for a kingdom whose boundaries reach from Arwad(N in Syria), to Sidon(S in Lebanon), to Damascus(E in Syria).

“In the Annals of Sennacherib”(Assyrian) [704-681BC]...“kings of Amurru” are those of Phonecia, Philistia, Ammon, Edom, & Moab...” —ISBE(1979—‘Amorites’)

“Canaanites”

Our passage seems to vaguely limit the Canaanites to living “by the sea.”

Info & quotes from ISBE(1979—‘Canaan; Canaanites’ & “Ugarit”):

Like the Amorites, their history is one of flux as well. At times, Canaanite ‘land’ “includes all of the land west of the Jordan.”

“Canaanites might well designate an occupational class—specifically, merchants.”

“The heartland of Canaan was the coastal area from Byblos[coastal Lebanon N of Beirut] to Carmel & the Jezreel Valley.” Canaanites are considered the occupants of that land prior to the Israelite occupation. That very land is also attached to the Amorites(see previous discussion).

Canaanites “should not be thought of as a race in modern terms. People in ancient times were identified by the political group to which they belonged—city, tribe, clan, or state.”

In Gen. 10, Canaan is included in the Hamitic family as part of the Egyptian empire, whose sons are Sidon & Heth(the Hittites).

“There are frequent biblical references to the Canaanites as one people among others”, “the longest of which specifies ten different groups.”

*Located on the coast of modern Syria is a city—Latakia—wherein the ancient city-state of Ugarit has been excavated. “It furnishes the most detailed body of material of the Canaanite culture which the Israelite tribes found in the “promised land” at the time of the conquest.”

IF Ugarit can inform us of Canaanite culture, then their society generally consisted of “agricultural villages” controlled by a “state monopoly,” under a king. Those who were dependents of the monarch were highest in the social stratum. “All specialized work was in palace hands”—these included artisans, merchants, military specialists, cult officials, & administrators. Those outside the direct palace umbrella were excluded from political decisions & were at the mercy of disproportionate taxation.

The Amorite & Canaanite nations recognized God’s power over theirs & spoke to His right to sovereignty over them...Limiting & threatening their human sovereignty...Threatening their belief system, & thus their gods as well.

The Gentiles’ curiosity peaked—Stand in awe/Nations Tremble/Signs & Wonders/Ears Tingle

God’s Good News is intended to offer salvation to the whole world.

The Gospel of Christ is not just for Americans & should never be limited or restrained to an American context...it is God’s Kingdom!

Argumentation:

2Kings 21:10-12—“And the LORD spoke by His servants the prophets, saying, “Because Manasseh king of Judah has done these abominations (he has acted more wickedly than all the Amorites who were before him, & has also made Judah sin with his idols), therefore thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem & Judah, that whoever hears of it, both his ears will tingle.”