Preacher Ko Lingkang

Self-Entitlement (Joshua 17:12-18)

A common critique that we hear about the Millennials (young people born after 1980, now in their 20s and early 30s), is that they are narcissistic, lazy and have a strong sense of entitlement. Because we have grown up in an environment of abundance and have been well sheltered all our lives, we tend to have this idea that the world owes us a living, and that we deserve to be well-treated and granted privileges everywhere we go. We shy away from hardship, and always want to be fast-tracked to the good life that we think we have a right to. Basically, we want to have things our way, and are not willing to put in the work to get to it. This sort of behaviour is evident in the complaints we see on social-media, of the unreasonable expectations of employees at the work places, and sadly even in some of the conflicts that happen in our churches today.

While there is much talk in the media about these sort of behaviour being rampant amongst the youth of our age, realise that it is definitely not a new thing. Since man fell into sin, these selfish traits have always been in him, manifesting in various ways. In Joshua 17, we see an example of such self-entitled behaviour being shown by the children of Joseph - the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Joshua’s response to their self-seeking attitudes is very instructional and useful for our learning.

A Picture of Entitlement (Joshua 17:12-14, 16)

The initial conquest of Canaan had been completed after a multi-year military campaign. The major cities had been conquered by the Israelites. However, there were still many cities thate were still in the hands of their enemies, areas within Canaan that were not yet under Israel’s control. The responsibility now fell on the individual tribes to sweep through their allotted land and clear out all the pockets of resistance, in order that the whole Promised Land would be theirs. God’s instruction to them concerning this was very clear, for in Numbers 33:52 he commanded them: Num 33:51-53 "When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan; Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places: And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it." The consequences of not doing so were also clearly spelt out: Numbers 33:55-56 "But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell. Moreover it shall come to pass, that I shall do unto you, as I thought to do unto them."

Irresponsible (v. 12-13): Sadly, most of the tribes failed in this duty, including the children of Manasseh who "could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land". It was not because the Canaanites were too strong, but really because of their own complacence and irresponsibility. Joshua 17:13 explains that "it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tributes; but did not utterly drive them out". They had the opportunity to complete the conquest once and for all and defeat all the Canaanites, but t they did not do so, and chose rather to put them to tribute for their own enjoyment. They chose the lazy, easy path, desiring the short term benefits, rather than obeying God.

Egotistical (v. 14): Despite the clear violation to God’s commands to conquer the land allotted to them, t they had the audacity to question Joshua and demand a larger piece of land. While it was true that their tribe was a populace one, and God did promise in Numbers 33:54 that the land would be divided according to numbers, yet they should have trusted in Joshua’s fair judgment. They imagined that since they were great in number, they deserved more land. They were not content with what they had, and just wanted more and more, and were not willing to do anything to gain that land, but just demanded it of Joshua. They even had the gall to claim that since they were a great people, and that the Lord had blessed them, they felt entitled to more than the one lot and one portion that they had. By so doing, they abused the blessings God had so graciously given to them.

Excuses (v. 16): In response to their request, Joshua instructed them to go conquer the cities surrounding them, and acquire the land for their use. However, the children of Joseph’s response in verse 16 was telling. They were not pleased with Joshua’s reply. They made excuses that showed both their discontent and their lack of will to obey. Their complaint was two-fold: firstly they complained that the hill allotted to them was too small for their use, and that even if they were to try to take all the land, the armies of the inhabitants were too strong for them, for they had chariots of irons, and they were not willing to take the risk to go up against them in battle.

At this juncture, it is important to note that the land area that was outlined in the previous section of this chapter shows that the land given to Ephraim and the half tribe of Manasseh was by no means an insignificant plot. Both of them were given some of the largest swathes of land out of all the tribes. With their complaint, they showed how greedy they really were, wanting more and more and never being content with the abundance that they already had.

Secondly, with their large population, they would have had a sizable army, and were described in verse 13 as ‘waxen strong’, superior to the Canaanite army, even with their iron chariots. Furthermore, God’s promise to them was that "them will I drive out from before the children of Israel" (Jos 13:6). He would personally guide them and grant them the victory. If only they would obey and have the faith to trust in Him.

Sadly they did not obey, but made up all these excuses to try to get Joshua to assign more easy land to them, instead of working to acquire their own land. In all these, we see the proud self-entitled attitudes of the children of Israel, continually asking but not willing to do anything to help themselves.

Is that a reflection of the attitudes that we bear as well? Are we quick to complain, and even blame God for the situations that we find ourselves in? Do we have this idea that God ought to bless us and answer all our prayers, including all our self-centred requests and worldly demands? Listen then to Joshua’s reply to them.

The Answer to Entitlement (Joshua 17:15, 17-18)

Get to Work! (v. 15)– In response to their self-seeking requests and gross irresponsibility, Joshua’s reply was for them to just get to work! He used their own words against them, and tell them that if they really think that they were that great a people, and entitled to a greater portion of the land, then get it yourself! If they are so populous, then surely they would have the resources to go to up against the Perrizites and the giants and easily get the victory. But the bottom line was that they must rise to the occasion and help themselves. If they were not willing to put in the effort to conquer the land, then no one can help them. They were not to expect free handouts, to be apportioned more land just because they said that they deserved it.

Use your Talents! (v. 17) – Verse 17 then comes as a reply to their excuses in verse 16. Their complaint was that the land area was too small, and the enemies awere too strong. Joshua then points out that indeed they had been blessed by God to become a great people with great power – then use it! It is no use boasting about their own glory, and then not do anything about it. If they really were so great, then the iron chariots of the Canaanites should pose no problem to them. If they would only put their strength together, as Ephraim and Manasseh, two of the biggest tribes in Israel, then surely with God’s help, they would be able to conquer whatever land they need.

Be content! (v. 18) – And finally, his instruction to them was to be content. He reminded them of what a valuable land the mount allotted to them really was. They may have seen the woods as useless – land that they could not cultivate or settle in. But if they were to put in the effort to cut down the trees, they would be able to utilise the valuable timber and the empty land to build new cities and plant their crops. They ought to be thankful for what they have, and not to covetously look elsewhere at things that were not theirs.

Indeed these are the important reminders that we ought to have when we realise that we fall into the sin of feeling entitled. We already have the most valuable and precious gift of salvation that has been freely given to us! We have more in this life than we can ever ask for. Do we dare to expect more? We must remember that God’s will for our lives is always perfect, and the best possible life that we can ask for. To feel entitled is to think that God’s will is not the best, and that we deserve something better. That was the problem with the children of Joseph, for they looked at what they received, and demanded for more, and were not willing to do anything to help themselves.

In this life, God has also given us abundant resources, of time, talents and ability to live profitable lives that can bring glory to God. And so instead of constantly asking for more, perhaps the better question to ask, is what more can I do for God?

PS. I thank you all for your support and prayers as I further my studies here in the US, at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It has been a most blessed 6 weeks here so far, though I am missing my family and friends back home dearly. I have been learning a lot through the lectures and coursework that I have been going through at the seminary. The standards are quite tough, and the volume of work high, but I thank God for the busyness and the opportunity to have this time to go through such training. It has also been a great joy interacting with the fellow school mates, faculty and staff, of Christians from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Church-wise, thank God that there are a number of conservative Reformed churches here in Grand Rapids, and God willing, I will be settling down in one of the churches that islinked to the seminary (Grand Rapids Free Reformed Church), with pastors who are also lecturers in the school. I do ask that you continue to keep me and my family in your prayers, that I would be able to keep up with the rigours of school work and to be a good testimony to everyone here Please also pray for Serena as she enters into the last trimester of her pregnancy. Thank you. God bless.