Psalm 78:55

Psalm 78:55

Settling down

We talked before about this Psalm being a parable. This verse is really a brief summary of the whole of the Book of Joshua which describes the conquest, by Israel, of the Promised Land. They had to drive out the indigenous tribes and nations and then the lands they had taken were allotted to each of their 12 tribes: - Reuben, Simeon, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. The tribe of Levi did not inherit land but were appointed as the religious leaders of the people. 

After a few years, the land was subdued, crops began to grow, and the people became self-sufficient. A generation that had grown up in the wilderness as nomads were now settled in their homes with their families, and after nearly 500 years the descendants of Jacob were, at last, at rest.

As we know, the self-sufficiency of the people led to a gradual lack of dependency on the Lord, the conquests of the Canaanites produced a level of arrogance, and the establishment of a settled existence was the start of a downward spiral, so far as their journey of faith was concerned. We all long for safety, prosperity and comfort, we believe these to be the ideal and they all form part of the mantra of the politicians. But, in truth, such a way of life often leads to weakened faith and a growing sense of arrogance. It has happened in this country and across the western world in the last 75 years and, as a consequence, nations have abandoned their faith in God. Why do we never learn?

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