“But the sons of Israel did not dispossess the Geshurites or the Maacathites; for Geshur and Maacath live among Israel until this day.” Joshua 13:13
This is the first of several references in Joshua of Israel’s failure to obey God’s command; to “utterly destroy” the inhabitants of the land, as well as their Wicked Culture (Deuteronomy 7). God had warned them that unless they did so, they would slowly succumb to their Idolatry and Way of Life. Today, we see the beginning of the end for Israel. They would continue to struggle with these Nations until the Day they were taken Captive!
There was a reason God made this stipulation, and because Hindsight is 20/20, we can see why. Israel DID disobey God by allowing the Canaanites to continue to live among them, and, as a result, slowly began adopting their ways. They became Idolaters, accepted Sexual Perversion, and even put their Infant children to death in worship to their Idols. Eventually, God would say that they “became Worse” than those God judged!
The same holds true for us. The first command of the Gospel is “Repent”. Unless we see that SIN is “our” Enemy, we may be willing to let it remain in the Land just as Israel did. But Paul says in Romans 8, we are to make no compromise with Sin. It Must Be Put To Death!!! May God equip us to be Valiant in our Battle against Sin today!