Save us from ourselves...

Joshua has been a series of wars the last fews days.  I've finished each chapter mostly thinking, hmmmmm .... glad that we don't live in the Old Testament.

Then today, a few unlikely verses caught my eye:
Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. For it was the LORD himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the LORD had commanded Moses. (Joshua 11:18-20)

The Isrealites have been doing well!  I was excited to see all throughout Joshua 11 the repeat of the phrase "Joshua did EXACTLY as God commanded!"  No repeat of Ai, no repeat of falling for the Gibeonites' lie.  No helping God out with His plan (not that I'd ever do that ...) Nope.  The people did exactly as God commanded (finally) and He blessed their obedience.

But I loved verse 20 because here is what it said to me, God didn't want them to be duped again!  He saved them from being harrassed or deceived.  He set things in motion that prevented them from even being tempted to do the wrong thing.  He helped the Israelites do what He had asked them to do.  Not only does He tell us what to do ... but He helps us do it!

Sounds kind of like Phil 2:13, " ... for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."  God doesn't just help us do the right thing, He even puts in us the desire and will to do it! 

He does all He can do to save us from ourselves!  I, for one, am thankful!

And at the end of chapter 11, "... Then the land had rest from war."

God was able to accomplish what He set out to do because the people were obedient.  And after 40 years of waiting and many days of fighting, there was peace.