“The children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities, but the Canaanites were determined to dwell in that land” Joshua 17:12
It would be under the leadership of Joshua that the people of Israel would enter into the land of Canaan, and conquer its people. They took possession of the land with the various tribes settling into their inheritances, but although they exercised ultimate control, we’re told in our verse there were still some of the Canaanites they were unable to drive out.
The 19th century British minister, Octavius Winslow, wrote, “What these Canaanites, these heathenish idolators, were to the children of Israel, the natural corruptions of the heart are to the called children of God.” Indeed, for the true Christian, the domination of the old Adamic nature has been broken, “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin… and having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:6,18) The Christian is now a new creature being formed into the very image of Christ, with new desires and inclinations to trust and obey God out of love for God.
However, although the old nature no longer rules in the heart of the Christian, there still remains the corrupting “Canaanites” of worldly and fleshly passions and lusts. The Apostle Paul recognized this same reality in his life when he wrote, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells… I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.” (Romans 7:18, 21) Just as the there would remain some Canaanites in the land which could not be dislodged by the Israelites, so too in this life for the Christian, there will remain those remnants of the natural corruptions of our fallen hearts.
We can be encouraged however by examining what the Israelites did with the remaining Canaanites. We read, “And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.” (Joshua 17:13) Winslow wrote, “Now this is what the children of God must do with the spiritual Canaanites that yet dwell in the renewed heart: they cannot be driven out, but they may be put to tribute.” What he was saying is that although these corruptions cannot be entirely cast out, yet they can be put to use in the spiritual advance of the soul.
How you ask! To begin with, the presence of these “Canaanites” serve to humble us by causing us to realize we can place no reliance upon ourselves apart from God’s grace. When these rebellious insurgents rise up, sometimes in surprisingly great strength, one is motivated to flee again to “the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) As such, they are put to forced labor in being used to help teach the Christian to pray, and to pray with renewed fervency.
Further, the presence of these Canaanites can be made to keep the true believer more watchful for even the slightest hint of their presence, and to fight against them. He’s careful to steer clear of those temptations that can again cause him to fall. Job recognized the lusts that still lay within when he said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1) He made use of this weakness to keep himself focused on obeying God, even with what he gazed upon. How tragically careless was David when he clearly lost sight of his indwelling sin, casting his eyes on a woman bathing, which led to his terrible fall into adultery and murder.
Cannot these corruptions of our heart be put to forced labor also by using them to remind us of the exceedingly abundant grace shown to us in the forgiveness of our sins, even those we seem to continually repeat over and over. Take your eyes off your sinful self, and once again gaze upon and be in wonder at the One who died that your sin and guilt might be put away.
There’s more. These “Canaanites” may be put to forced labor by causing the Christian to more progressively long for that day when all of sin and its consequences and effects will be entirely eradicated from his heart and from the universe itself. Thus these corruptions serve to wean the believer from the world and cause him to cry out, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
Labor to put these remaining “Canaanites” to forced labor for your spiritual good.
It would be under the leadership of Joshua that the people of Israel would enter into the land of Canaan, and conquer its people. They took possession of the land with the various tribes settling into their inheritances, but although they exercised ultimate control, we’re told in our verse there were still some of the Canaanites they were unable to drive out.
The 19th century British minister, Octavius Winslow, wrote, “What these Canaanites, these heathenish idolators, were to the children of Israel, the natural corruptions of the heart are to the called children of God.” Indeed, for the true Christian, the domination of the old Adamic nature has been broken, “knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin… and having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:6,18) The Christian is now a new creature being formed into the very image of Christ, with new desires and inclinations to trust and obey God out of love for God.
However, although the old nature no longer rules in the heart of the Christian, there still remains the corrupting “Canaanites” of worldly and fleshly passions and lusts. The Apostle Paul recognized this same reality in his life when he wrote, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells… I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good.” (Romans 7:18, 21) Just as the there would remain some Canaanites in the land which could not be dislodged by the Israelites, so too in this life for the Christian, there will remain those remnants of the natural corruptions of our fallen hearts.
We can be encouraged however by examining what the Israelites did with the remaining Canaanites. We read, “And it happened, when the children of Israel grew strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not utterly drive them out.” (Joshua 17:13) Winslow wrote, “Now this is what the children of God must do with the spiritual Canaanites that yet dwell in the renewed heart: they cannot be driven out, but they may be put to tribute.” What he was saying is that although these corruptions cannot be entirely cast out, yet they can be put to use in the spiritual advance of the soul.
How you ask! To begin with, the presence of these “Canaanites” serve to humble us by causing us to realize we can place no reliance upon ourselves apart from God’s grace. When these rebellious insurgents rise up, sometimes in surprisingly great strength, one is motivated to flee again to “the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) As such, they are put to forced labor in being used to help teach the Christian to pray, and to pray with renewed fervency.
Further, the presence of these Canaanites can be made to keep the true believer more watchful for even the slightest hint of their presence, and to fight against them. He’s careful to steer clear of those temptations that can again cause him to fall. Job recognized the lusts that still lay within when he said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” (Job 31:1) He made use of this weakness to keep himself focused on obeying God, even with what he gazed upon. How tragically careless was David when he clearly lost sight of his indwelling sin, casting his eyes on a woman bathing, which led to his terrible fall into adultery and murder.
Cannot these corruptions of our heart be put to forced labor also by using them to remind us of the exceedingly abundant grace shown to us in the forgiveness of our sins, even those we seem to continually repeat over and over. Take your eyes off your sinful self, and once again gaze upon and be in wonder at the One who died that your sin and guilt might be put away.
There’s more. These “Canaanites” may be put to forced labor by causing the Christian to more progressively long for that day when all of sin and its consequences and effects will be entirely eradicated from his heart and from the universe itself. Thus these corruptions serve to wean the believer from the world and cause him to cry out, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20)
Labor to put these remaining “Canaanites” to forced labor for your spiritual good.