Today's Scripture Reading (March 31, 2025): Joshua 9
There is some evidence that at least part of the hope of Russia in attacking Ukraine was to divide the West. Vladimir Putin is a student of history and is well aware that European conflicts have produced divisions before. Often, those divisions have lasted until it was almost too late to recover. Such was the truth in World War II. Then, Nazi Germany had been the aggressor and had been allowed to run over central Europe for a while before a response was finally given. And even then, the response was muted. By the time the European powers responded to the threat of Adolf Hitler, it was too late for mainland Europe. Hitler already controlled most of it. The only nations that remained were those who had declared their neutrality, although not even all of those were left alone. Had things gone a little differently, the rest of the countries could be picked off at Hitler's leisure. Who knows what might have happened if Japan had not bombed the United States and brought them into the conflict?
If division was part of Russia's plan, it hasn't worked, at least not yet. The role of the United States is a little more murky, but even that is a bit of a historical reality. The United States has a history of wanting to go it alone; there is absolutely nothing new about Donald Trump's Make America Great Again strategy. It has been used several times over the years and usually results in a much weaker United States. Someday, we may learn that we are stronger together than we can ever be if we go it alone. And that the world needs heroes who will stand up against those who want to lead us into these solitary moments. It might be easier to go it alone, but it is seldom better.
In Canaan, there was a history of city-states who liked their independence, often choosing to fight with each other. But Israel presented a threat to all of them. After the defeat of Jericho and Ai, the kings of these cities got together and decided that it was time for them to stop their independent actions and band together for the defense of the land. Israel's original defeat at Ai bolstered their belief. The Canaanite kings realized that there was a way to defeat these intruders. Sin often has that lasting effect; it exposes our weaknesses.
Did the strategy work? Actually, in some ways, the answer is yes. Israel, for whatever reason, did not take all of Canaan for hundreds of years after they crossed the River Jordan and entered the area. The Philistine cities along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea (think of an area along the coast a little larger than the Gaza Strip) were thorns in the side of Israel for generations. The city of Jebus (Jerusalem) did not fall into Israelite hands until the reign of David. In some ways, the current problems in the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights are a continuation of the struggles that Israel had in antiquity. A combination of the unity of the people opposing Israel and the sin of the people of God has made Canaan or Palestine a contested land ever since. And it is proof of the lessons that we seem unable to learn.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Joshua 10
No comments:
Post a Comment