Joshua 17:12-18 (KJV)  Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.  [13]  Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.  [14]  And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?  [15]  And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.  [16]  And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.  [17]  And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:  [18]  But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

Where you are sitting today there are three people. The person you were. Each of you have a history, a past. All that happened in your past makes you the person you are today. That’s the second person in your seat. The you that is. Right now. But there is another person, a future you. The you that will be. What will you be tomorrow? What will you be ten or fifteen years from now?

A few weeks ago we talked about a great man of God named Caleb (Joshua 14:6-15). I loved that sermon! I love that man! Though 85 years young Caleb stood in front of Joshua and looked back over a life of victory from following the Lord Jesus. Caleb’s testimony was:

“I wholly followed the LORD my God.”

Caleb met the Lord and gave his heart fully to the Lord. Because of that Caleb lived life as a VICTOR not a VICTIM.

Shall We Live Our Lives As VICTIMS or VICTORS? Following God Wholeheartedly Makes VICTORS!

Caleb was as strong in faith at age 85 as he was when he was 40. As the land was being distributed among the children of Israel Caleb asked not for the plush land, but the mountain of the Anakim – the giants. Why? Because Caleb trusted the Lord. He told Joshua:

“if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said”. (Joshua 14:12)

The Caleb that WAS trusted God so much that the Caleb that IS was ready for more challenge. He trusted his tomorrows to God. He looked with excitement toward the coming challenges.

And Then We Have MANASSEH!

The tribe of Manasseh came from a great past. Manasseh and Ephraim were sons of the great believer Joseph. If you remember the story Joseph (the boy with a coat of many colors) was well loved by his father Jacob, but despised by his brothers. He was taken and sold into slavery by his brothers, and ended up in Egypt. Joseph loved the Lord, and focused on our God no matter what trials he went through. When offered an opportunity for promotion by immoral means Joseph refused, saying:

Genesis 39:9 … how then can I do this great wickedness,
and sin against God?

Joseph’s faithfulness to God brought him a 13 year prison sentence, but also eventually brought him to a place as the right hand man of the King of Egypt. God blessed Joseph for his faithfulness. Joseph had two children, Manasseh (meaning “God caused me to forget my troubles”{Genesis 41:51}) and Ephraim (meaning “God has made me fruitful” {Genesis 41:52}). Joseph was a might man of God, and his children should have been mighty men of God.

Manasseh Was Unclear In Their Faith

Manasseh had a habit of what I’d call an “unclear faith”. They were “fencesitters”. God calls His people to be “LIGHT” not half-light. People see “light”. You cannot live for Christ in the shadows, nor follow God in the darkness. The Christ child is to stand OUT and stand UP. Others should know Who you follow. The Christ child should be OPEN and HONEST. You are to be a city on a hill that cannot be hid! (see Matthew 5:14).

Before Israel entered the Promised Land two tribes – Reuben and Gad – came to Moses. Their request was simple. They did not want any of the Promised Land, but wanted to live on the eastern side of the Jordan River (Numbers 32:1-5). Moses responded to Reuben and Gad saying:

Numbers 32:6-7 … Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? 7 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them?

God wanted his people to be unified as they entered the Promised Land. For two of the tribes to sit on the other side of the Jordan while ten tribes went forward was shocking to Moses, and not according to the will of God. God calls His people to unity. Moses told Reuben and Gad:

Numbers 32:14-15 … ye are risen up in your fathers’ stead, an increase of sinful men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the Lord toward Israel. 15 For if ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.

These words seem harsh, but they were clear and to the point. God calls His servants to “speak the TRUTH in LOVE” (Ephesians 4:15). When there is a disagreement in the Family of God we are to “speak the truth in love, loving God and loving our brother”. Only in open communication in the Spirit of God can the Family stay in one accord.

God did not want a divided family, so Reuben and Gad suggested that they build a place for their families and livestock on the Eastern side of the Jordan. THEN they would go forward with the rest of Israel to conquer the land. This was acceptable to God and to Moses. But here’s something I did not notice in this story until I prepared this sermon. Moses had the tribes of Reuben and Gad promise to “pass over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, that the possession of our inheritance on this side Jordan may be ours.” (Numbers 32:32). Only TWO TRIBES are discussed to this point.

Numbers 32:33 … Moses gave unto them, even to the children of Gad, and to the children of Reuben, and unto half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph …

The leaders of Reuben and Gad brokered this deal openly and honestly with Moses and with God. But here after all was discussed – up pops Manasseh!

The children of Gad and of Reuben stood up and vowed allegiance to the will of God. But from Manasseh – absolutely nothing! Manasseh did not promise allegiance. Manasseh just came along for the ride. In the background they muttered “add us too” – and God in His Grace allowed them to have land on the eastern side of the Jordan.

God calls His people to be open, loving, and KNOWN in our faith. Our Lord Jesus called we who are His people to be open and obvious about our faith. We are not to force anyone to believe as we believe. But we are to clearly represent our Lord. Jesus told us:

Matthew 10:14 … And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Jesus told us that “you shall be hated of all men because of Me” (Matthew 10:22). The Way of Light is not an easy way. The world is in darkness, but we are to shine for Jesus. Our Lord said:

Matthew 10:32-33 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Reuben and Gad as well as the other nine tribes are a picture of the committed Christ follower. The committed Christ follower is a saved believer. The committed Christ follower loves the Lord wholeheartedly. The committed Christ follower wants all the blessing that God has for their life. The committed Christ follower wants to hear from God and wants to do His will. The committed Christ follower loves his brothers and sisters in the Lord, and wants to be an encourager and not a discourager to their faith.

Unclear Faith Leads To An Uncommitted Following

Manasseh is saved by faith in God. Manasseh is no longer a slave of Egypt, but is a citizen of the household of God. Manasseh came from good stock. The Father of Manasseh is Joseph, a man of deep faith. But Manasseh is uncommitted. Manasseh is sneaky. Manasseh is only partially committed and partially obedient to God. Manasseh never makes a bold move for God. Manasseh is in the shadows. An unclear faith leads to uncommitted followers. We read:

Joshua 17:12-13 (KJV)  Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land.  [13]  Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out.

Manasseh was given land but “could not drive out the inhabitants”. Was this because they were physically unable to do so? No, because we read in our context “they put the Canaanites to tribute; but did not utterly drive them out”. The children of Manasseh decided that – rather than obey the command of God and drive out the Canaanites that they would seek compromise with these lost peoples. If Manasseh could force the Canaanites to “pay tribute” or taxes to them, they could certainly have forced the Canaanites to flee the land. It was not that Manasseh COULD NOT do it PHYSICALLY, but that they SPIRITUALLY WOULD NOT because they allowed their flesh to lead them and not God’s Spirit.

The Canaanites as a people rejected God our Creator and Savior. Rahab told the Israelis “WE (Canaanites) have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon, and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted” (Joshua 2:11). Though the Canaanites knew God and Israel His children they utterly rejected Him, just as the world today utterly rejects the Lord Jesus Christ.

God told His people in Judges 2:1 … you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed my voice. Why have you done this? Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.

The faith that God calls us to is a committed and uncompromising faith. How many local Churches today in America have compromised the message of the Gospel of Christ in order to please the world around us? How many professing Christians have chosen partial obedience to our Lord over full obedience? How many of you under the sound of my voice know what God has said but only do a part of what He said. Has not our God said:

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

We are commanded to “speak the truth in love” {Ephesians 4:15}.
We are to remember we are “bought with a price” {1 Corinthians 6:20}.

We are “not become slaves to the lost” {1 Corinthians 7:23}.
But are to be “the light of the world, a city not hid” {Matthew 5:14}.
The children of the Most High glorify God in our lives
{1 Corinthians 10:31}.
We do not compromise with the worldling. We heed His call!
“I am crucified with Christ – nevertheless I live” {Galatians 2:20}.
My hands are His. My feet are His. His scars are mine.
This is what God calls His children to be.

When We Fail To Follow We Lose God’s Blessing

Joshua 17:14 (KJV) And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?

You’ll never be happy Christ followers if you do not commit to wholeheartedly serve God. Never! I have pastored Churches in three states over the last 25 years of my life. I promise you that the saddest believers I’ve seen are those who never fully commit to the Lord.
Do not be a Manasseh!

The Manasseh Christian is the perpetually dissatisfied Christian.
Manasseh grumbles and complains.
Manasseh whispers and finds fault.
When Manasseh turns into a mob it revolts.

“Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit”? This is a very untrue statement. Manasseh – if you remember (and I hope you do, because I don’t want to have to re-preach this today) Manasseh got a generous portion of land on the East side of the Jordan. They are now complaining “Why hast thou given me but one lot”? The word translated “lot” is the Hebrew גּוֹרָל gôwrâl, (pronounced go-rawl’). The lot was a series of marked stones that were cast – much like the casting of the modern dice. Lots were cast to determine the will of God (Leviticus 16:8-10; Numbers 26:56; 33:54; 34:13; Joshua 14:2; et. al.). In the days before the Holy Spirit and the written Word of God was given disputes were settled by the casting of the lot. The Bible tells us that:

Proverbs 16:33 The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord.

When God told His people to “cast lots” it was HE and not CHANCE that was controlling the outcome. Manasseh is complaining that they were only given ONE lot and one portion. They are not complaining about Joshua treating them wrong – they are complaining or murmuring against God. I loved what Brother Bob Pitman said during our recent revival. He said – and I quote:

“God is not FAIR but God is ALWAYS RIGHT”.

That is absolutely true. God gives us what we need according to our abilities. If you will remember the parable of the talents. In that parable Jesus spoke of God giving three men talents. The Scripture says:

Matthew 25:15 And unto one {man the Lord} gave five talents, to another {man the Lord gave} two, and to another {man the Lord gave}one; to every man according to his several ability …

God did not divide to each person according to fairness but according to their ability. Beloved, what God has given you, He has given you according to your ability. That’s not based on fairness, but on God’s love for you. You have what God knows you can handle. Manasseh thought they were being treated badly because of their heritage. They complained seeing I am a great people. They came from great stock. They had a great family line. They thought they “deserved” more because of their history. Joshua replied to their complaint as God guided his tongue. He said:

Joshua 17:12-15 (KJV) If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

Quit expecting welfare. Quit riding on the coat tails of your forefather Joseph, and your fellow tribes Reuben and Gad. God gave you what you have. If mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee then do something about it. Quit crying and hoping. Trust in the Lord, cut down some trees, and do the first thing – run the enemy out. Manasseh wanted to argue with Joshua and with God. They responded:

Joshua 17:16 … The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.

When Manasseh first received the land they had the choice of obeying God or not. They chose compromise with the world rather than obedience to God. What came of this? Their failure to do the first thing – obeying God – caused the Canaanites to become STRONGER. The Canaanites now have chariots of iron. Had they loved God as they should at the beginning, the Canaanite defeat would be easier. But their disobedience has allowed the darkness to grow stronger.

I heard the story once of a woman who loved to keep pythons as pets. She somehow got hold of some pythons, and though it was against the law to have them in your home she secretly fed and played with these things. One night a 9-1-1 operator got a call. The person on the other end of the line gasped out. “Save me. I’m being strangled!” When the police arrived at her home they expected to find and stop a home invasion. What they found was a blue face and dead woman with a nine foot python wrapped around her body. Beloved, when we disobey God or allow sin to remain in our lives, when we violate our Lord’s Commandments, we invite destruction. Be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23). Joshua’s direction to Manasseh was:

Joshua 17:17-18 … Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:  [18]  But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.

What Joshua said to Manasseh is similar to what the Lord said to the Church of Ephesus:

Revelation 2:5 … Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Joshua told Manasseh to remember.

Remember you are a great people.
You have been saved by the Almighty God.
You are children of the Most High.
You are VICTORS, not VICTIMS.
You have what you need to defeat the darkness.
Remember! Remember! Remember!

The Church of Christ must remember what it is. It is the Kingdom of God. There is nothing that our God cannot do. Repent! Cast out all disobedience. Be sold out for God, living for His glory. Then and only then will you enjoy His power and blessing in your life.

May God touch your hearts with his Word!