Thirty-one “Ones”

Josh 12:1 "These are the kings of the land whom the children of Israel defeated, and whose land they possessed on the other side of the Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon, and all the eastern Jordan plain:"

This doesn't sound like a very inspiring verse at first…but then keep reading. The word that sticks out at me as I read this chapter is the word "one". There were thirty-one "ones". There were thirty-one kings that the children of Israel defeated. There were thirty-one places that that the children of Israel re-possessed. Each king was named. Each piece of land was identified. Why? Because of this: "Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." Gen 12:7 And, "Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God." Gen 17:8 No "one" gets in God's way. What He says He will do He does and it does not matter how powerful, how mighty, how elevated, how strong, how political any "one" might be. God's will and God's way will always be accomplished no matter what the current condition may look like.

I am sure that these kings were pretty secure in their positions. I am sure that as they took over their respective areas of land, that they were entrenched in their authority. That did not matter to God. He made a promise to Abraham and He was going to keep that promise.

And now? That promise still stands. As the Palestinians think about splitting up Israel, as they discuss splitting Jerusalem in two, as much of the land has already been taken over and has become other countries, it doesn't matter to God. He did it once…He can do it again. The "ones" who threaten Israel now will meet the same fate as those kings in Joshua's day.

As I look at the political landscape in the United States, I can rest in knowing that God is over it all. God rules the affairs of the nations. No "one" can stand in His way. No matter how powerful. No matter how connected. No matter how much money they raise. God rules…Just ask thirty-one kings.