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“Now the cities at the extremity of the tribe of the sons of Judah toward the border of Edom in the south were Kabzeel and Eder and Jagur, and Kinah and Dimonah and Adadah, and Kedesh and Hazor and Ithnan, Ziph and Telem and Bealoth, and Hazor-hadattah and Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), Amam and Shema and Moladah, and Hazar-gaddah and Heshmon and Beth-pelet, and Hazar-shual and Beersheba and Biziothiah, Baalah and Iim and Ezem, and Eltolad and Chesil and Hormah, and Ziklag and Madmannah and Sansannah, and Lebaoth and Shilhim and Ain and Rimmon; in all, twenty-nine cities with their villages. In the lowland: Eshtaol and Zorah and Ashnah, and Zanoah and En-gannim, Tappuah and Enam, Jarmuth and Adullam, Socoh and Azekah, and Shaaraim and Adithaim and Gederah and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages. Zenan and Hadashah and Migdal-gad, and Dilean and Mizpeh and Joktheel, Lachish and Bozkath and Eglon, and Cabbon and Lahmas and Chitlish, and Gederoth, Beth-dagon and Naamah and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages. Libnah and Ether and Ashan, and Iphtah and Ashnah and Nezib, and Keilah and Achzib and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages. Ekron, with its towns and its villages; from Ekron even to the sea, all that were by the side of Ashdod, with their villages. Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; as far as the brook of Egypt and the Great Sea, even its coastline. In the hill country: Shamir and Jattir and Socoh, and Dannah and Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), and Anab and Eshtemoh and Anim, and Goshen and Holon and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages. Arab and Dumah and Eshan, and Janum and Beth-tappuah and Aphekah, and Humtah and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior; nine cities with their villages. Maon, Carmel and Ziph and Juttah, and Jezreel and Jokdeam and Zanoah, Kain, Gibeah and Timnah; ten cities with their villages. Halhul, Beth-zur and Gedor, and Maarath and Beth-anoth and Eltekon; six cities with their villages. Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), and Rabbah; two cities with their villages. In the wilderness: Beth-arabah, Middin and Secacah, and Nibshan and the City of Salt and Engedi; six cities with their villages. Now as for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the sons of Judah could not drive them out; so the Jebusites live with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day.” Joshua‬ ‭15‬:‭21‬-‭63‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

All these cities and villages, all these places, Israel was able to drive out the inhabitants. However, they could not drive out the inhabitants of Jerusalem. This is why we needed Jesus. We too could not drive out sin from our lives. It was Jesus who could. By dying, He gave us life and in that life, the inhabitants (Satan and his demons), were driven out! Praise the Lord.

By the way, in case you were wondering, it was at this time that Gaza was captured and the inhabitants were driven out. Why? It was because God gave Israel the land of Gaza all the way back in the day of Joshua. It wasn’t during any of the present history wars of Israel. It was in the days of Joshua, after Moses had died. The claims today that the Palestinians or anyone else should have a right to Gaza are only false claims. The land belongs to Israel because God said so.  However, there is a deeper Biblical truth we dare not miss. Jesus is the one who drove out the inhabitants. He is the One who did what we could not do. He is the One who won the battle over sin and over Satan. Praise Him today for what He did for you.