Keeping a Catalogue For God. (Joshua 11:16-12:24)
Trabscript:
Let me ask you a question—do you keep a catalogue.
I am sure some of you listening keep a diary or a journal but what about a catalogue?
Some of you in the UK can probably remember growing up and your family getting the Argos catalogue every year. (Expand)
I’m not talking about a shopping catalog or a list of things you want to buy. I mean a record, a log, a way of keeping track of important things in your life.
Webster’s dictionary defines a catalog as a systematic list. Now if you’re even a little bit organized, you probably have a few of them. Maybe you keep a to-do list, a budget, or even a weekly shopping/grocery list. Some have a list of things to pack when we go on holidays, and someone I know has so many lsts they neeed a list of all the lists they have just to keep track of them all!
Now, whether or not you write them down, we all have mental catalogs—lists we keep in our heads. But what I have realized reading my bible is that God believes in lists, too.
His Word is filled with them—one list after another. And let’s be honest, these are often the parts of the Bible we skim over. When commentators discuss these passages, they usually only mention them in passing. When pastors preach through books of the Bible, these are the sections they conveniently skip.
But as we continue our study in Joshua, we’ve come to one of God’s catalogs, and I don’t want to skip it. I believe there’s a powerful lesson here—one that we need to hear.
So welcome to TBPDP and welcome to Joshua’s catalog of conquests….
1
The book of Joshua records for us the conquest of the Promised Land. Chapters 6 through 8 describe the central campaign. Chapters 9 and 10 detail the conquest of the southern region. Then, in Joshua 11: 1-15, which we looked at yesterday we read about the victory in the north.
But before Joshua moves on to dividing up the land, he pauses to do something important, he makes a record.
In Joshua 11:16–24, he catalogs all the land that was conquered. Then, in chapter 12, he lists all the kings that were defeated.
Now, why does this matter? Why stop to record this?
Simple really, because God wants His people to remember what He has done.
Because it’s easy to forget our victories. We remember the struggles, the setbacks, and the obstacles, but how often do we stop to record the ways that God has come through for us?
God new that one day, the people might forget. They might settle into their new land, grow comfortable, and the stories of how they got there might fade.
So, under divine inspiration, he gets Joshua to made a catalog of what had been accomplished—not just for history’s sake, but to remind future generations that God had been faithful.
I want to ask,you today—do you have a catalog of God’s work in your life?
Think back to the battles you’ve faced. The struggles, the trials, the things that seemed impossible at the time. And yet, here you are. God brought you through them. But have you taken the time to sit done remember them and give thanks?
Some people keep a prayer journal, writing down their requests and tracking how But do we also keep a list of all the times God has answered them. Others make a habit of sharing testimonies, reminding themselves and others of God’s faithfulness.
Whatever method you choose, keeping a record of God’s victories in your life will strengthen your faith when the next battle comes.
Because here’s the truth, more battles will come.
Just because Joshua conquered the land didn’t mean there wouldn’t be future struggles. But by recording these victories, the Israelites had a testimony to look back on. They could say, “God was faithful then, and He will be faithful now.”
And that’s exactly what you and I need to do.
If you’re in the middle of a struggle right now, well let me remind you: you’ve been here before, and God has brought you through. Look back at your own catalog of victories.
Remember the same God who won those battles is still fighting for you today.
So, before we move on, let me ask you again—do you have a catalog?
If not, maybe today is the day to start keeping one—not just for yourself, but for the generations that come after you.
16 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, to Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and put them to death. 18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19 Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses. 21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir and Anab, from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive.
(Joshua 11:16-22)
These verses list the cities that were conquered and verse 23 pretty much seems to sum it all up for us. The last verse in Chapter 11 says,
So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.
(Joshua 11: 23)
Verse 23 is the summary of the fact that Joshua had conquered all of the land.
If you read through Joshua 11, it might seem like the book is making a bold and final statement: The land has been conquered. Joshua has led the Israelites to victory, and everything has been subdued.
But then, in just a couple of pages later, we run into a potential problem.
Jump for a second to Joshua 13:1:
When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
Wait—what? Didn’t chapter 11 just tell us the land was conquered? And now, in chapter 13, God is saying there’s still a lot left to take? That sounds like a contradiction.
And if you keep reading through the Bible, this tension becomes even more obvious.
The next book of the bible, the Book of Judges, will describes a time when the Israelites were still struggling against their enemies, meaning that the conquest wasn’t as total as it might have first appeared. So how do we make sense of this?
Let me explain, when Joshua 11 says that they took the whole land, it means they conquered every major area, they took control of the key strongholds, what we might describe as the civic and military administration of the whole land. But that doesn’t mean they completely occupied every square inch of the land or every individual person, family, village, or even small town.
In other words, Joshua and the Israelites defeated the key cities and broke the military power of the Canaanites, the land as a whole was considered conquered. But individual towns, villages, and smaller territories still needed to be possessed.
So, did Joshua take the land? Yes. But was there still work to be done? Also yes.
The Israelites had won the decisive battles, but the process of fully settling and securing the land would take time. The complete assimilation of the entire people there would be a long process.
A key phrase in Joshua 11:18 points to this:
“Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.”
This wasn’t a quick campaign. The conquest of Canaan didn’t happen in a month, a year, or even a couple of years—it took a long time.
How long exactly?
Well, the Bible gives us clues. Later chapters suggest it took about seven years for Joshua to complete the initial conquest. The historian Josephus, writing in the first century, tells us that the process took at least five years.
Either way, the point is clear: it didn’t happen overnight, and, in fact, God had already told the Israelites that this would be the case. Long before Joshua even stepped into the land, God made it clear that taking Canaan wouldn’t be an instant victory. In Exodus 23:30, we see God tell Moses:
“Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.”
And in Deuteronomy 7:22, He repeated the same idea:
“The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you little by little. You will not be able to destroy them all at once, lest the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.”
God didn’t expect Israel to conquer everything in a single sweeping moment. Instead, He had a gradual plan. So, the conquest happened just as God had said—little by little.
This process of taking the land is also a perfect picture of our own spiritual growth. The spiritual lesson here is that spiritual growth also takes time.
Think about it: when we come to Christ, God gives us everything we need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3). He gives us victory over sin. He fills us with His Spirit. But at the same time, we don’t become spiritually mature overnight.
Like Israel taking the land, our spiritual growth in faith is a long journey.
Too often, Christians expect instant maturity. They want to overcome every struggle, break every bad habit, and become spiritually strong right away. And when it doesn’t happen as quickly as they’d hoped, they can get discouraged. But the reality is that spiritual growth happens little by little.
It requires time, perseverance, and patience. It’s about wrestling with that truth of God’s word, applying it to our lives. Failing, getting back up, and growing stronger through the process.
Just like Israel had to fight for the land God had already given them, we have to fight for the spiritual territory God has promised us. That’s why perseverance is so important.
Many people start strong in their faith but fade away because they didn’t realize that growth is gradual. Spiritual growth is gradual, and because of that, it demands patient perseverance.
If you want to reach spiritual maturity, you have to stay in the fight. You have to trust that God is at work even when you don’t see fast progress.
So don’t get discouraged. Keep going. Keep trusting. Keep growing—little by little.
Joshua took possession of the land, but what was conquered was secured over a long period.
There's one more key point in Joshua 11 regarding the conquest: in the final analysis, it was the Lord who accomplished it.
Verse 20 said: " For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them, as the Lord had commanded Moses."
Joshua states that Israel conquered the land, but ultimately, it was God who made it happen. Some people struggle with this verse, but the meaning here is simply. In that after sinning for so long in the face of God's providence, God allowed them to bring upon themselves His righteous judgment and be. This result is only said to be 'of the Lord' in the sense that He did not intervene to prevent it."
Whether or not that explanation satisfies you or not, the key takeaway from verse 20 remains clear: the Lord was the one who secured Israel’s victory.
So this second part of Joshua 11, then, is a summary of the conquest. It records both the extent of the land taken and the divine intervention that made victory possible.
Before moving to chapter 12, consider this: Joshua 11 is essentially a record of what was conquered. I wonder if you have a similar catalog in your own life? Can you look back and see the spiritual battles you've faced and, by God's grace, the victories He has given you?
You might not write it down, but do you have a mental record of areas where you've struggled and, overtime, overcome? Or are you still being defeated in those areas? Spiritually speaking, we're either conquering or being conquered.
As C S Lewis alluded to in the Screwtape Letters you’re are either on the enemies else’s list of victories, or you are compiling your own, and thanking God for them.
Every Christian who has walked with God for any length of time should be able to look back and identify areas where, through God’s power, they have grown and overcome. Do you have such a list? If not, perhaps it's time to start building one.
In chapter 12, will Joshua provide a detailed record of the kings Israel defeated. At first glance, this may seem like a dry, tedious section, but it serves an important purpose. It isn’t just a long list of names it’s a historical account of what was accomplished, a way of recognizing the extent of God's provision and faithfulness.
Verses 1-6 list the kings conquered on the east side of the Jordan. This is the only complete record of these kings in the Old Testament. Other passages mention some of them, but here we have the full list.
Then verses 7-24 will list the kings conquered on the west side of the Jordan, after Israel had crossed into the Promised Land.
Withing the Promised Land the list divides into two subsections.
· Verses 9-16 cover the kings in the south.
· Verses 17-24 cover the kings in the north.
To put it in perspective, the land they conquered here is about 150 miles long and 50 miles wide (7500 sq miles) smaller than Wales or roughly the size of the state of New Jersey in the US. And yet, in this relatively small territory, there are 31 kings listed in chapter 12.
How is it possible to have so many kings in such a compact area? These were not vast kingdoms but city-states. Each king ruled over a city and its surrounding settlements. Some ruled over large, fortified cities, but their territories were limited. This explains why Israel had to conquer so many separate rulers rather than just a few centralized kingdoms.
At first glance, Joshua 12 may seem like nothing more than a long list of names and places. But in reality, it serves a vital purpose: it’s a record of victories—God’s victories throughout Israel’s journey.
Joshua takes time to document all that had been accomplished, just as we should take time to remember what God has done in our lives. If God saw the importance of recording these victories, shouldn’t we also see the value of keeping track of our own?
Documenting our spiritual victories, acknowledging the ways God has worked in our lives, helps us stay encouraged, reminds us to persevere, and assures us that future battles will be won through His strength.
Do you have a catalog of victories in your life? If not, let me encourage you to start one today. Joshua, by the time he’s speaking in these chapters, has spent his life serving the Lord. He’s an old man now, looking back and reflecting, listing all his blessings with gratitude.
The key point here is simple yet powerful: you too need to keep a catalog. Specifically, you need a record of your past victories—a tangible, ongoing reminder of all the ways God has worked in your life.
As I’m talking about this catalog, I’m serious—don’t dismiss it. It would have been easy to skip over Joshua 12 as just another list of names, but there’s spiritual value in these records, and there are spiritual lessons for us here today.
Let me share some types of catalogs that can be helpful, some that I’ve used at different points in my life. (I’ll admit, probably, not often enough!)
1. A Catalog of Answered Prayers.
Have you ever kept track of prayers you’ve prayed and their answers? If not, I urge you to begin. I once set a personal goal to record 100 answered prayers. To my surprise, I reached that goal in only four months—nearly one prayer answered every day! This included prayers for my family, my church, and even for people I didn’t know. Imagine looking back at that list, especially when doubts arise.
When feeling discouraged, having that kind of tangible evidence of God’s faithfulness can be an incredible reminder that Yes, God hears and answers our prayers.
2. A Catalog of Insights from Scripture.
Bible study is life-changing, but let’s be honest—we often forget much of what we read. How many times have we felt inspired by a verse or a message in the morning, only to forget it hours later? That’s why I encourage you to keep a spiritual notebook.
When you read something that speaks to your heart, write it down. It doesn’t have to be fancy—just a simple note. I’ve kept notes for years, and now I have over 40 pages of insights I’ve gathered from studying God’s Word. It has helped me remember, reflect, and grow deeper in my faith.
3 A Catalog of Spiritual Victories.
If you’re facing hardship, ask yourself: “What is God trying to teach me through this?” Spiritual victories often come through trials. But if we don’t reflect on what we’ve learned, we risk forgetting critical lessons. By keeping track of these insights, you not only preserve them for your own growth, but you also equip yourself to encourage others who are going through similar struggles.
Imagine the power of sharing specific testimonies of how God worked in your life during past hardships to encourage someone in the midst of their own.
A catalog like this keeps you grounded. When discouragement strikes, you’ll have a record of God’s promises, His presence, and His faithfulness to look back on.
So, ask yourself again, Do you have a catalog of victories? If you don’t, maybe it’s time to begin one. Write it down. Keep it in your Bible, in your journal—somewhere you can easily refer to it when discouragement tries to take hold
When I first entered full-time ministry, there were moments I wondered if I was really making a difference. I wondered whether anyone was truly impacted by my preaching. But as I began to look back at all the people, I had shared the gospel with—and the lives that had been transformed—I was reminded that I wasn’t working alone. God was at work. His presence, His faithfulness had been visible throughout.
That catalog of victories was a lifeline to keep me moving forward and encouraged.
I still continue to do that with TBPDP.
Just thinking about the people who have contacted me about how this podcast has helped them or their friends or family helps lift me out of discouragement and filled me with the confidence that God is alive, He is working through my ministry and, and He is not finished with me yet, and I should keep going.
When discouragement rears its head, look at your catalog. It serves as proof, proff that God has been faithful, that He will continue to be faithful, and that He will provide everything you need to keep going.
Just like Joshua 12 highlights Israel’s victories across the land, your catalog echoes God's victories in your life.
Argos has a catalogue, Sears has a catalogue, you need one too.
So, be Encouraged, God has kept track of every victory and every prayer answered in your life—and His catalog is full of your testimonies, even when you don't see them.
So, as you reflect on His work in your life, be encouraged. He hasn’t brought you this far to leave you now.
Keep track of His faithfulness, and let it fuel you for the journey ahead. Just as Joshua kept a record of God’s victories, so should we.
Let’s maintain a catalog of what God has done and take that list with us as we continue to walk through life, confident that He will carry us through every challenge ahead. Keep track of the blessings, reflect on those victories, and let them encourage and strengthen your faith, always remembering that *the God who was faithful then is still faithful today.
