Don't Tolerate the Jebusites

The Exodus recounts the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. Moses was the man of God that led the children of Israel out of Egypt to the land that God had promised to give them. When they got to the land that was to be theirs they sent spies to check things out. There were twelve spies sent into the land but only two, Joshua and Caleb, gave a favorable report to Moses about their chances to conquer their enemies. The other ten were filled with fear and unbelief and said that the enemy was too strong for them to fight. Their lack of faith in what God had promised doomed them to wander in the wilderness for forty years. All of that generation that did not believe God died before they ever got another chance to take the promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb made it through to see the promise. There were, indeed, mighty people that would be an obstacle to Israel, but when God made the promise he also provided the means for them to receive the promise. One of the conditions that God put upon Israel was that they were to drive out all of the inhabitants of the land and not make a “league”, or agreement, with any of them. Joshua 15:63 tells us that they were not able to drive out the Jebusites. The Jebusites were inhabitants of Jerusalem. So we ask the question, “If God made the promise why couldn’t Israel drive out the Jebusites?” As we read on we find that it is because they did make agreements with the people against God’s warning. God is faithful to His word and will never break his promises. We should heed the lesson today; don’t make an agreement with the enemy of our soul. We need to throw down their altars; those things that seek to divert our worship from God. We shouldn’t tolerate the things that pull us away from God into our lives. Because Israel didn’t obey God their enemies would be as thorns in their sides. Their false gods would be a snare unto them.
We find that the disobedience of Israel in driving out the inhabitants of the land cost them their children. God was forgotten in a single generation. I fear that God is being forgotten today. Every generation seems to grow farther away from God. There are so many that just don’t go to church anymore. Most times the churches themselves are to blame. Churches are not relevant to people’s lives in many cases. There are so many that are stuck in a boring ritual. I don’t believe God ever intended it to be that way. When a church is a place of true worship that exalts God you can find that relationship that will set your heart on fire. We desire to be that kind of church at Redemption Ministries. I invite you to visit us and experience that which we have found. Cast the “Jebusites” out of your life. Don’t let the things of this world steal a relationship with God from you. God wants you to live in the land of promise.