The Bible in a Year
“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.” — Joshua 17:15
As we continue our journey through the Scriptures, we eventually come to a moment in the book of Joshua that reveals something very human about the people of God. Israel had entered the promised land. The long wilderness journey was over, and Joshua was assigning territory to each tribe. Yet instead of gratitude and determination, some of the tribes began to complain. They insisted their territory was too small, too crowded, and too difficult to develop. They claimed to be a great people, yet they hesitated when faced with the labor required to expand their inheritance.
Joshua’s response is direct and instructive. He essentially says, “If you are truly a great people, then prove it.” The tribe had already declared their greatness in numbers and influence (Joshua 17:14). But Joshua reminds them that greatness is not demonstrated by claims or titles. It is demonstrated by willingness to do difficult work. If their land seemed too narrow, then they were to go into the wooded hills and clear the land themselves—even though those hills were occupied by powerful enemies. Their greatness would not be proven by privilege but by perseverance.
As I read this passage, I see a reflection of the same tension that believers often experience today. It is easy to desire the blessings of God while shrinking from the responsibilities that come with those blessings. Many people want the recognition of spiritual maturity but hesitate when obedience requires sacrifice, discipline, or courage. Joshua’s words echo across the centuries with remarkable clarity: greatness in the kingdom of God is not about status—it is about faithful action.
The tribe’s complaint also reveals another issue. The text suggests that they had not fully driven out the enemies already living in their territory. Their problem was not entirely the size of their inheritance; it was their reluctance to finish the work that had been assigned to them. In other words, they were asking for more land while neglecting the land they already possessed. How often does this pattern appear in our own lives? We pray for greater opportunities from God while leaving unfinished tasks behind us.
The Christian life often unfolds in the same way Joshua described. God gives us an inheritance in Christ—new life, spiritual gifts, and opportunities to serve others. Yet growth in that inheritance requires effort. The New Testament speaks of this partnership between divine grace and human responsibility. The apostle Paul writes, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13). God provides the power, but we are called to respond with faithful action.
This truth connects closely with the theme of knowing God that runs through our reflections this week. The promise of the new covenant declares, “They shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them” (Hebrews 8:11). The Hebrew word יָדַע (yadaʿ) again reminds us that knowing God is relational and experiential. It involves walking with Him in daily obedience. We do not simply learn about God in theory; we come to know Him as we follow His guidance through the challenges placed before us.
Joshua’s challenge to the tribe also reminds me of how Jesus spoke about greatness in His kingdom. When the disciples debated which of them would be greatest, Jesus redirected their thinking completely. “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). In God’s kingdom, greatness is not measured by recognition but by responsibility. It is revealed in the willingness to do difficult work for the sake of others.
The preacher Charles Spurgeon once observed, “By perseverance the snail reached the ark.” Spurgeon’s humor carries an insightful message. The Christian life is not always dramatic or immediate. Much of it involves steady, faithful effort over time. The tribe in Joshua’s day wanted the privileges of greatness without the process that produces it. Joshua refused to adjust the assignment simply because the work was difficult.
This passage also speaks to the way God prepares His people. The land they were asked to conquer was rugged, wooded, and inhabited by strong enemies. Yet those challenges were not obstacles to God’s plan—they were part of it. Through the struggle, the tribe would grow stronger, more disciplined, and more dependent on God’s help. The same is often true for us. Difficult assignments frequently become the places where our faith deepens and our understanding of God expands.
When I think about the life of Jesus, I see this principle embodied perfectly. Christ never avoided the hard path. He consistently chose obedience even when it led to suffering. The cross itself became the ultimate demonstration that greatness in God’s kingdom is revealed through sacrificial faithfulness.
As we move through our Bible-in-a-year journey, Joshua’s words encourage us to examine our own lives. Where might God be calling us to step into difficult territory? What tasks have we avoided because they require perseverance or courage? The same God who assigned the work also promises His presence with those who obey Him.
Greatness in the life of faith is not announced with words. It is revealed in the quiet determination to follow God wherever He leads.
For further study on Joshua’s leadership and the conquest of Canaan, see:
https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/joshua/17.html
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