The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 313

HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 10.-0anaanites still in the land. I. CAN.UNITES STILL IN THE L.l.ND WERE A WITNESS TO THE FAILURE OF THE JEWS TO ACCOllPLISH Gon's WILL. They may have failed (1) from weakness and indolence, (2) from mercenary motives, thinking to make profit out of the Canaanites with their tribute. But these Canaanites were a cause of future trouble and a constant temptation to idolatl.-y and immorality. We shall always suffer when we neglect God"s will for worldly convenience. II. CANilNITES REMAINING IN TIIE LAND WERE AN INSTANCE OF THE MIXED co~- DITION OF HUMAN SOCIETY, Wheat and tares grow together. The Church and the world are in close contact. It is dangerous to associate with evil company when we can avoid it (Psa. i. 1). But it is also wrong for Christians to neglect their duty to the world in order to escape the contamination of the world's wickedness. III. CANAANITES REMAINING IN TIIE LAND WERE AN EXAMPLE OF A COMMON CAUSE OF NATIONAL WEAKNESS. Much of the trouble of the dark age of the Judges arose from this fact. A nation to be strong must be united as one body, ancl it can only be so united when there are common sympatli.ies binding the people together. The "Overnment which is effected through the forcible subjugation of unwilling peoples ~ust always rest on an unstable be.sis, and can never accomplish the highest good of the subject races. Therefore it should be the a.in1 of a government to avoid, if possible, the conquest of new, unwilling subjects, to cultivate the affections of all classes beneath it, and to weld them together by just equality of administration, 11.nd the development of common interests. Where national assimilation is impossible it is better that a common government should not be attempted. IV. CANAANITES REMAINING IN THE LAND WERE A TYPE OF SINS REMAIKING IN THE HEART OF THE CHRISTIAN. (lJ Most of the land was conque1·ed. The heart of the Christian is conquered by Christ. Christ sits enthroned there. Sin is clispossesse l of the citadel. (2) Canaa.nites still lurked in ob.icure corners of the Janel. Sin still lingers about the life of the Christian. It retains its o!tl character unaltered, ancl must be regarded as dangerous (Rom. vii. 23), (3) These Canaanites were so far subdued that they served unde1· tribute. The sin that remains in the Christian's heart no longer reigns there. It is a defeated enemy. It will be ultimately exterminated. The tempfation to it may be converted into an instrument of wholesome dillcipline.- W. F, A.  THE BOOK OF JOSHUA, [cs. xm. 1-18,