Mountain Ownership
Joshua 17:17-18 KJV
(17) And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only:
(18) But the mountain shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
The number of the people of Joseph was large and they were contending that they needed more than one section of land. This was the reason for the addition of the mountain, but I love how it is stated here in the King James Version, because it speaks of mountain ownership. Once something is owned it can pretty much be dealt with at will. Whatever you want to do with it, it’s up to you. In this case it also had something to do with their dominance over their enemies. Which mountains can be spoken to so that they are moved into the sea?- The ones that are owned.
Now, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the existing difficulty the mountain presents has to be an ongoing possession, but there is a right and a position in ownership of it to cut down, ship off and reduce or produce from the mountain in whatever way that you might deem necessary. In sports part of the ‘trash’ talk that goes on in the sparring of words is, ‘I own you’. In every opponent is a form of mountain, an obstacle and a threat that needs to be dominated and overcome. As this declaration of ownership is proclaimed, so is the confidence and self image of the boaster raised to see themselves not only defeating their foe, but taking the strength that opponent once possessed and adding it to their resume, their record of success. With every mountain is either an insurmountable obstacle or a victory trophy- just depends on who takes ownership- who owns who.
It doesn’t really matter whether or not you’re a born ‘talker’, someone who boasts greatly and dominates those around them. There is an inheritance that is ours in Christ that includes the mountain. As it rises before us, so does the resource for the greatness that will bring glory to the One that enables and empowers us, utilizing the very things that would threaten to inhibit and destroy us. Rather than letting any difficulty bring a cloud of discouragement, there is an opportunity for the light of encouragement and strength to dominate as the reality of ownership is realized. In all things we are made to be more than overcomers in Christ. (Romans 8:37) All it takes is a word from the heart of the mountain ‘owner’ and it will be moved into the sea. (Mark 11:23) Though those enemies have ‘iron chariots’ and though they be strong’, they will be driven out by the one who has taken possession. The mountain is ours and to God be the glory of its dominance.