Scripture Study: Joshua 9:16-27

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Christian, Deception, Gibeonites, Joshua, Oaths, Scripture Study, Work

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¹⁶ Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. ¹⁷ So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. ¹⁸ But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, ¹⁹ but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now. ²⁰ This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” ²¹ They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

Verses 16-21: The oath that Joshua made was binding, not only for him but for the rest of the Israelites that followed him. They knew that God’s wrath would fall on them if any of them went back on the oath sworn, so they came up with a compromise to allow them laborious tasks for the entire community. This is an example that could be provided as to why Jesus cautions us not to swear oaths (See Matthew 5:34-37) and why James reiterates the same caution (See James 5:12). Even an oath made with the right intentions can come back to haunt us later when we must break it. Some oaths are designed to be binding, in spite of what today’s world may tell us. For example, marriage. It is not just an oath sworn, but a covenant between two people and God to remain together for their lives. This should be viewed as unbreakable, for what God has brought together shall not be parted by human means nor for human reasons. A marriage should not be entered lightly, nor lightly broken, yet today’s culture has shifted to make it an easy escape. The divorce rate is high, far too high, even among Christians in our country. Additionally, we should be cautious about any oaths made that include more than ourselves for, as we see in this passage, the oath made by a few applied to many.

²² Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? ²³ You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

²⁴ They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. ²⁵ We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

Verses 22-25: Joshua told the Gibeonites that they were under a curse for their deception, yet they respond with sense: had we not done this, you would have killed us. It seemed far better, to them, to live a life of servitude than to face death. They, unlike other kingdoms in the Promised Land, have come to realize that God’s chosen people will wipe everyone out before they are finished and satisfied. We have something in common with the Gibeonites: we are living under a curse. That curse is Sin, and it holds reign over our lives in this world, from the moment of our birth until the moment of our death. We are slaves to Sin, yet there is good news! We, too, can choose to surrender. If we believe in our hearts and proclaim with our mouths that Jesus is the Son of God, and that he lived a sinless life and was crucified to atone for our sins, we can break free from that enslavement. It will no longer reign over our lives; we may still be bound to it in this world, but freedom will await us in God’s Kingdom. What better news is there than this? Jesus died for you. He died for me. I cannot live a life free from Sin, which is why I need Jesus to intercede on my behalf. And so I freely choose to submit to Him.

²⁶ So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. ²⁷ That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

Verses 26-27: In spite of their servitude to the Israelites, the Gibeonites held a place of importance because they provided the needs of the alter of the Lord. So while they might have been lower than the other Israelites, the fruit of their labors went toward God. It would appear there was no complaint from them, either, about the tasks they were assigned. They completed what they were asked and were content to live within the niche that had been carved out for them. Too many people today are quick to become discontent with their station in life. They want to be owners and executives and their own bosses, dreaming of operating a flourishing business while making their own hours and their own pay structure. But there is nothing wrong with laboring at a job that isn’t close to that dream. Whatever task you can obtain, labor for the Lord and He will be pleased by the fruit of your labor. Not everyone is called to operate their own business. Many will likely end up in careers outside of their dream job. Yet faithful service may be rewarded; remember the Parable of the Three Servants. They were each given a share of silver to tend to while the master was away. Do not let your work be like the servant who buried the silver. God may open paths to you that you would never expect, so long as you dedicate yourself to your work, regardless of what that job may be.

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Scripture Study: Joshua 9:1-15

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Gibeon, Idols, Israelites, Joshua, Scripture Study, Success

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9 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, ² they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.

Verses 1-2: Nothing brings enemies out in droves faster than success. Joshua and the Israelites were having great success in their campaign through the Promised Land, and word spread like wildfire. So the kings in the land came up with a great idea: to band together as one to face Joshua and Israel. We like to dream of finding success in our own campaigns, whether those are to advance up a corporate ladder, become the next big artist, or a myriad of other dreams and ambitions. Yet when we find that success, we will also become a target. The closer we draw toward our dreams, the greater the force of opposition. Metal is tested when it is thrust into the heat of the forge, and the same holds true for us. We can break under the pressure trying to stand on our own, or we can strengthen ourselves through a reliance upon the Lord to grant us strength and patience and understanding. Having those ambitions can be a good thing, so long as we turn toward God for our comfort and strength rather than things of this world.

³ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴ they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, ⁵ with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. ⁶ And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” ⁷ But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” ⁸ They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” ⁹ They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, ¹⁰ and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. ¹¹ So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.”’ ¹² Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. ¹³ These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” ¹⁴ So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. ¹⁵ And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.

Verses 3-15: Here is one of the points in the book of Joshua where we see Joshua make a mistake. He was taken in by the things he saw and the words he heard, but he never took the time to inquire of God what he should do. After all, God had commanded Joshua and the Israelites to sweep through the land and eradicate everyone in there. God understood that the Israelites were human, after all they tried to worship a golden calf right after being led out of Egypt. So God understood that cohabitation with the current inhabitants of the promised land would, eventually, lead them to drift away from God and His teachings. There is a fine line to tread between being a part of the world and being apart from the world. The things of this world, whether material or otherwise, are not inherently bad. Money itself is not evil. Things are not evil. Music is not evil. Yet each of those things can be taken to excessive lengths and corrupted from their intended purpose. Each of them can become idols in our lives that lead us to break the first commandment and place them above God in our lives. So while it seems extreme and brutal that God would want all the people to be killed by the Israelites, we can on some level understand. The more entrenched we become with the ways of the world, following along with the popular trends in thoughts and science and politics, the greater risk we run in allowing something to de-throne God as the top priority in our lives. Nothing, whether family or spouse or sports or money, should hold that top spot over God. Yet time and again I know that I fall short. I go through dry patches where I waste time on idle things and put God and the Bible on the back burner. It often takes a period of rejuvenation for me to realign my priorities and shift them back to the order they belong. If you find you pray less, or rarely open your Bible, perhaps God is calling to you, asking for you to put Him first in your life.

Scripture Study: Joshua 8:24-35

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Ai, Bible, Bible Study, Book of the Law, Jeremiah, Joshua, Scripture Saturday

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²⁴ When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword. ²⁵ And all who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000, all the people of Ai. ²⁶ But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction. ²⁷ Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their plunder, according to the word of the Lord that he commanded Joshua.

Verses 24-27: Two words can sum up this military victory: total annihilation. According to verse 25, the only casualties would appear to be on the side of Ai. There might be some wounded among the Israelites, but the camp would be in great spirits after this lopsided victory. Joshua kept his javelin raised until every last inhabitant of Ai had been defeated, following through on what led them to their early success. It could have been tempting to lower his arm, after all things were going great. At some point things would have progressed to where it was a guaranteed victory for the Israelites. Yet he persevered, and as a result all of his men were spared on that day. We should be more like Joshua in this aspect. When we need God, we are eager to turn toward Him and throw our dependence upon Him to carry us out of disaster. Yet there comes a point, every time, where it seems that things are recalibrating to a sense of normality again. Where we are confident that we can retake the reins and navigate things on our own again, placing God back into the passenger seat. Are you letting God lead your life, through the good times as well as the bad, or is He where you turn when something isn’t going right? God has plans for you, yet how can they come into effect if you are the one steering the ship? Relinquish control and let God display the great things He can work through you.

²⁸ So Joshua burned Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins, as it is to this day. ²⁹ And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.

Verses 28-29: Just like Jericho before it, Ai became ruins in the aftermath of the battle. This was a very visual way to remember that if God is for us, then who can stand against us? Time and time again throughout history men and nations have gone to war believing God on their side, and we can see in this book exactly what happens when God is firmly on one side of the battle.

Joshua Renews the Covenant

³⁰ At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, ³¹ just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. ³² And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. ³³ And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. ³⁴ And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. ³⁵ There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.

Verses 30-35: What an impressive display of thanksgiving shown by the Israelites. After the battle, instead of looking ahead to the next task or celebrating with drinking and feasting, Joshua and the Israelites build an altar for god, offer Him sacrifices, and have the entire Book of the Law read. How often do we prioritize other things above the reading of Scripture? How often do we stick to the same passages or books in the Bible, choosing to stay where we’re comfortable rather than venturing into some of the more challenging books? You don’t have to be like Joshua and read all the Books of the Law aloud in one session, but could there be merit to reading the first five books of Genesis aloud to our families? Consider this a challenge: select a book of the Bible you haven’t read in a long time (or, in some cases, ever) and read through it. Take it one section or subheading at a time and march through at a slow, yet steady, pace. I will be visiting Jeremiah starting tomorrow, the major prophet book I enjoyed the least and have avoided since my first reading of the Bible. What book will you be venturing through?

Scripture Saturday: Joshua 8:10-23

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Ai, Bible Study, Christian, Joshua, Patience, Scripture Saturday

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¹⁰ Joshua arose early in the morning and mustered the people and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. ¹¹ And all the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near before the city and encamped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai. ¹² He took about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. ¹³ So they stationed the forces, the main encampment that was north of the city and its rear guard west of the city. But Joshua spent that night in the valley.

Verses 10-13: It took an entire day to muster and maneuver his troops to where they needed to be for the attack on Ai. They key here, though, is that Joshua executed his plans to take the city. Sometimes the best plans require some time to get them rolling into action, such as this one and the plan God had to conquer Jericho (remember, they marched around the city for seven days before a single skirmish was fought). If the plan calls for time, don’t get impatient. It would have been quicker to simply launch an attack on Ai, but it would not have held the same results. In today’s society we have so much information available at our fingertips. The answers to our questions are often a Google search away. We can access songs and movies with the click of a few buttons. We can order groceries at home and have them delivered, or at the very least brought out to our car. We can buy things on Amazon and have them arrive in two days, guaranteed. Drive thrus, frozen meals, and many other things center around doing things faster. Remember that God has laid plans for you, and that He does not operate on the same scale of time as we do. Remain patient in all things, seeking God’s counsel through prayer and reading through the Bible.

¹⁴ And as soon as the king of Ai saw this, he and all his people, the men of the city, hurried and went out early to the appointed place toward the Arabah to meet Israel in battle. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. ¹⁵ And Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them and fled in the direction of the wilderness. ¹⁶ So all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn away from the city. ¹⁷ Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.

Verses 14-17: Here we see the King of Ai falling into the trap laid by Joshua. Confidence can be a great thing, but in some situations it can lead to a downfall. The King of Ai was confident that his men would defeat Joshua and the Israelites, just as they had done before. He never stopped to consider that there might be more than meets the eye in this second confrontation. He assumed it would play out just like the first one, and so he emptied his city of all the fighting men to chase after the Israelites. In their eagerness to crush the Israelites again, they left their own city open and defenseless. The higher our confidence level rises, the more likely we are to take risky gambles because we’re sure of the outcome. We need to make sure that we leave ourselves defended in case things don’t work out the way we expect, or we might find ourselves in a situation similar to where the King of Ai is going to find himself.

¹⁸ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city.

Verse 18: How remarkably familiar this command must have seemed to Joshua. After all, Joshua led a battle during the wilderness campaign where the victory hinged on Moses having his arms raised. It doesn’t seem like that was the requirement in this instance, but it is almost certain that Joshua would have made that connection at first and complied with haste.

¹⁹ And the men in the ambush rose quickly out of their place, and as soon as he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it. And they hurried to set the city on fire. ²⁰ So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers. ²¹ And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured the city, and that the smoke of the city went up, then they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. ²² And the others came out from the city against them, so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And Israel struck them down, until there was left none that survived or escaped. ²³ But the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him near to Joshua.

Verses 19-23: The obedience of the Israelites has led to victory over Ai at last. The overconfidence of the King of Ai led to the destruction his his city and his people, and soon he will be paying the consequence himself. Yet had Joshua not been patient enough to see the smoke, there is a chance things might not have played out so smoothly. Ai may have fled back into their city and discovered the ambush, or they may have fought with greater ferocity. This passage leads the reader to understand that the men of Ai sought to flee but had no where to run to. They were broken and disheartened by the smoke, which allowed Joshua and his men to destroy them all.

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Scripture Study: Joshua 8:1-9

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Ai, Bible Study, Biblical Manhood, Braveheart, Joshua, Leadership, Scripture Saturday

8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. ² And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”

Verses 1-2: God once again speaks to Joshua, giving him the same reassurances that were passed along back in Chapter 1 as they came into the Promised Land. The Israelites are once again back in God’s good graces after the sacrifice of Achan, and now God will continue to uphold his original promise. The city of Ai is to go the same route as Jericho, with one major exception: they can keep the spoils and livestock. Yet the really important thing to note is how God tells them to conquer the city. You might expect Joshua to want to repeat the last conquest miracle and march around Ai until its walls crumble and its citizens are trembling in fear. Yet that isn’t how God works, He gives them a new way to accomplish the same thing. How many times do we wait and wait for a repeated miracle to come about in the same way as before? Or for a prayer to be answered in the same manner? When God’s hand touches our lives in some way, it can be easy to fall into the belief that it will happen again in the same way. Yet that isn’t necessarily how God operates. Don’t get so stuck in the same routine, waiting for God’s guidance to reappear in the same way, that you miss the other ways in which He may be reaching out to you. Sometimes God works in direct ways, other times it is a gentle prodding on our inner selves.

³ So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night.

Verse 3: Men of valor. Men who have great courage in the face of danger. Those men are hard to find these days in a world where manhood itself is constantly undermined and under attack. Joshua himself is a great example of a man who extols the traits of biblical manhood. One of the best verses that encapsulates that manhood, who those men of valor would be, is found in 1 Corinthians: “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13-14). In a society where so many are misguided in terms of what it means to be a man, it is more important than ever for men to meet, to study what God defines as manhood, to study men from the Bible and throughout history who exemplified those traits, and to instill those values in their children and grandchildren.

⁴ And he commanded them, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready. ⁵ And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us just as before, we shall flee before them. ⁶ And they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us, just as before.’ So we will flee before them. ⁷ Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will give it into your hand. ⁸ And as soon as you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire. You shall do according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.”

Verses 4-8: There are some excellent tactical decisions here, taking advantage of the previous encounter with Ai. He is splitting off 30,000 men from his force to wait in ambush behind the city which, obviously, must be walled in some manner. Joshua and his main army plan to pull the force out of the threshold of Ai, allowing the 30,000 to sweep in afterwards and sack the city itself. But notice Joshua’s words here: “for the Lord your God will give it into your hand”. The victory over Ai will not be because of Joshua’s planning, nor the might of any of the men. Joshua is keeping himself, and his warriors, centered on the truth that God is in control and God is the one who both gives and takes away. They had just received a convincing illustration of that truth with the previous attack on Ai, and now the time is approaching where God will enable them to win. Without God, though, they would likely be sent fleeing for a second time.

⁹ So Joshua sent them out. And they went to the place of ambush and lay between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai, but Joshua spent that night among the people.

Verse 9: Joshua’s decision that night to spend his time among the people is something every leader should learn from. It is his chance to boost the morale of those who will be doing the difficult job of providing that military distraction against Ai. Many movies and shows give us the visual of a commander being in his own massive tent, surrounded by a few loyal leaders and a brood of hardly-clothed women. The more effective leader would be among the fighting men, talking to them and boosting their confidence on the eve of a battle. Much like William Wallace in Braveheart, he would be giving stirring speeches to groups of men, reminding them of what they are fighting for and why they are possibly laying down their lives. People want to follow the person who inspires them, not the person who is a distant force commanding them from the shadows. Relationships matter, especially when it comes time to ask for someone to give that extra 10% on your behalf. Even if you aren’t in a leadership position, forming those connections will make it far more likely that a person will go the extra mile to assist you when you need that help.

Scripture Study: Joshua 7:10-18

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Bible Study, Consequence, Grace, Jesus, Joshua, Mercy, Salvation, Scripture Study, Sin

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¹⁰ The Lord said to Joshua, “Get up! Why have you fallen on your face? ¹¹ Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. ¹² Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.

Verses 10-12: The sin of one man has led to unforeseen consequences among an entire nation. God’s chosen people are going to suffer defeat after defeat at the hands of their enemy, for God will not be with them unless they correct that sin and get back into obedience. While I truly believe that salvation comes by grace through faith, not through anything we say or do, this is a good example of how hidden sins can have a ripple effect that affects those around us. There is a reason why Jesus and others often led with the word “Repent” in their message. We all are sinners (See Romans 3:23), and in the eyes of God there are no varying degrees of sins. We like to categorize them as big sins and little sins and, so long as we don’t do any of those big sins it is all okay. Or, perhaps, so long as no one else is hurt by those big sins they are okay. But God doesn’t draw those man-made lines. All sins are detestable to God and all sins stand in that chasm that separate us from being in harmony with God’s will for our lives. And when we are steeped in choices and lifestyles that run contrary to God’s will, we have a higher chance of having those decisions affect those who come into contact with us. The best solution is to find a few Christian men and/or women who you can confess those sins to and who will, in love, support you and help to keep you on track to walk on a path that will free you from bondage to those sins.

¹³ Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.”

Verse 13: Tying in with the idea of repentance comes this command from God. He commanded the people to prepare themselves, and that they need to remove the devoted things from among them. Repentance is not just confessing sin and asking for forgiveness, but it is turning away from those things as well. To go and sin no more, as Jesus commanded the woman who was to be stoned for adultery (See John 7:53-8:11).

¹⁴ In the morning therefore you shall be brought near by your tribes. And the tribe that the Lord takes by lot shall come near by clans. And the clan that the Lord takes shall come near by households. And the household that the Lord takes shall come near man by man. ¹⁵ And he who is taken with the devoted things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done an outrageous thing in Israel.’”

¹⁶ So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. ¹⁷ And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. ¹⁸ And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.

Verses 14-18: The punishment allotted for Achan might seem to us to be extreme, but we should remember that his actions were sinful and in direct conflict with God’s clear command. Achan stole what did not belong to him because he coveted the wealth. God is the supreme judge for us all, and the sentence passed down upon Achan is not out of line with what is deserved for the sin. We all deserve such punishments as sinners, for we daily commit sins in our hearts, our minds, and with our actions. This is a punishment that is very real and could be hanging over our heads each and every day. Rather than abounding in sin because of the mercy and grace of God, we should fall to our knees and give thanks to Him who sent Jesus to pay for all of our sins. A just God would give us what we deserve, saying to us “They will be done” and granting us the penalty we incur through our sinful lives. How much love God must possess for us all to send his Son to save us all and grant a path to eternal life! He knows we cannot earn that reward on our own power, yet He still welcomes us with open arms and patiently waits so that as many of His children will come to know Him and receive that salvation as is possible.

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Scripture Study: Joshua 7:1-9

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Achan, Ai, Bible Study, Christian, Gospel, Jesus, Joshua, prayer, Scripture Study

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But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.

Verse 1: In the previous chapter we saw the command that everything in Jericho was to be given as a sacrifice to the Lord, whether to slaughter or as donations to the Lord’s treasury (See Joshua 6:17-19). And every man save one followed this command. There are times in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, where we see examples where one person’s disobedience can affect others. This is one of those examples, as we see God holds his anger toward all of Israel and not just Achan, and we also know that we all inherit sin from Adam and his choice back in the Garden of Eden. Yet on the other hand, there are examples in there of God’s love and mercy being poured out upon many through the actions and decisions of one. No greater example can be found than that of Jesus and his sacrifice upon the cross. We may not be able to control what people do in their lives, but we can work to be the best possible influences by living out the Gospel, sharing the Gospel with others, and praying for families, friends, and future generations of our children and grandchildren.

² Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. ³ And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.”

Verses 2-3: One of the major themes that I catch time and again throughout the book of Joshua is that of the unexpected happening. Rahab is an unexpected helper for the Israelites and becomes an unexpected contributor in the genealogy of Jesus. The Israelites cross the Jordan River in an unexpected manner that is similar, yet different, from the parting of the Red Sea. The Israelites conquer Jericho in an unexpected manner by marching for seven days and shouting and blowing trumpets. It is something we’ll continue to see moving forward. And here, once again, something unexpected is about to happen. Joshua’s spies note that Ai has only a few men who would be able to retaliate when they attack, so they advise Joshua to send only a small portion of their army to handle this threat. This is a strategy that makes perfect sense: why tire your entire force when a small band could do the job effectively? Yet, as we’re about to see, things will not go as expected for the Israelites.

⁴ So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, ⁵ and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.

Verses 4-5: We can safely assume that the men of Ai numbered less than 3,000. After all, the spies would not recommend sending a force of equal, or lesser, strength to take Ai. Most likely the number would be around 1,500-2,000 to give a fair advantage in numbers to the Israelites. Yet they flee from the men of Ai after only 36 men died. That is only 1.2% of their force that traveled to take Ai. So what went wrong here? It had to have been something strong enough to make the men turn and flee even though they likely still outnumbered the men of Ai. The most likely guess would be that God turned their hearts toward flight and I’d like to think this was to spare them from losing more men in that failed attack. You would expect far more men to die before one side or the other would flee, barring something like divine intervention. And if this speculation holds true and God worked to make them flee so soon, it would be yet another example of God showing mercy even when he could hold his anger against them. This encounter is serving as a wake-up call to the Israelites to remind them that obedience is expected and, so long as they obey, God will deliver on His promise to give them the land. Without that obedience on their part, they can expect a long, arduous, bloody campaign through the land.

⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads. ⁷ And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! ⁸ O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! ⁹ For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?”

Verses 6-9: We can learn a few things from Joshua’s response to this unfortunate turn of events. First, he demonstrated active sorrow by tearing his clothing and having him and the elders put dust on their heads. This was about the equivalent of wearing sackcloth and putting ashes on the head, another common action seen in the Old Testament. Next, he seeks to understand God’s reasoning for bringing them this far just to destroy them. Instead of criticizing God for it, he mentions that they would have been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan River instead of facing this fate. Contentment can be a difficult thing to express, but it is often a right attitude to hold. Instead of being mad at God for withholding something we desire, we should remember the blessings in our lives that we already possess and try to be content with where we are and what we have. That thinking runs counter to some of the popular ideas of the Prosperity Gospel, but it is the right heart to have. Finally, Joshua turns the problem toward how God holds a stake in the results. Prayers to obtain that bigger, fancier house are typically man-centered and offer nothing in terms of glory to God. But in this case, Joshua points out that the defeat of the Israelites will lead to a lack of respect toward God’s power from the other nations. Bear in mind that Jericho’s hearts had melted prior to the Israelites’ arrival because they had heard of the things God had done for them. The opposite is about to happen here if God continues to forsake the Israelites. God made promises, and He will deliver on them. Prayers that align with His promises, or that will bring glory to His name, are a lot more likely to be answered than prayers that are wrapped solely around things of the world.

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Scripture Study: Joshua 6:15-27

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Bible Study, Hiel of Bethel, Jericho, Joshua, Rahab, Scripture Study

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¹⁵ On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. ¹⁶ And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. ¹⁷ And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.

Verses 15-17: Not only has Joshua remained faithful to the commands of the Lord, however unorthodox they might have seemed, but he is also remaining faithful to the promise his men made to Rahab regarding her family. The emotions of all the Israelites were undoubtedly high at this time, having camped around Jericho for about a week. They were eager to conquer and begin to fulfill what God had promised them. Joshua tempers those emotions, first by proclaiming God has given them the city, second by letting them know the city and all within it will be devoted to the Lord, and third by reminding them of the one place that has sanctuary from the invasion. As we go through life we often need the help of others, directly or indirectly, in order to accomplish our goals and the plans that God has for our lives. And in the moment when we obtain that desire, it can be easy to focus on that moment and forget to thank those who helped get us there. Be like Joshua and remember where the help came from, both from God and from those who helped along the way. Something as small as providing thanks and recognition can bless someone far beyond what you will ever know.

¹⁸ But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. ¹⁹ But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.” ²⁰ So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. ²¹ Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

Verses 18-21: Common practice throughout history is to loot the spoils of the conquest of an area. Food, drink, and monetary possessions were up for grabs and a great incentive for the soldiers to put their lives on the line. But this conquest of Jericho is different; everything within the city is to be devoted to the Lord. And not just in any manner, it is to be destroyed except for the gold and silver (which were placed in the treasury of the Lord). All people and all animals within, with the exception of Rahab and her family, were slaughtered. This seems harsh, after all isn’t the God we know a loving God? These are parts of the Bible that we, as Christians, ought to wrestle with rather than react. A reaction would be to simply ignore the fact that everyone there died. Another would be to throw the Bible aside and proclaim that you cannot believe in a god who would do such a thing. Yet we can see only an infinitesimal glimmer of what transpired. Perhaps God, in His all-knowing wisdom, foresaw that this land would lead to the complete destruction of the Israelites if even one was allowed to win. Perhaps God knew that if everything was destroyed in Jericho, it would ultimately save more lives over the course of the military campaign. We will never know the answer. We can only speculate. But the more a person wrestles with these passages, considering possible reasons that align with the traits of God, the more developed and mature our faith becomes and the better apologists we will be able to become.

²² But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” ²³ So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel. ²⁴ And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. ²⁵ But Rahab the prostitute and her father’s household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

Verses 22-25: Not only did Rahab receive life through her actions, she was also welcomed in among the Israelites. And God had a great plan for Rahab, which can be seen in completion when you look at the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1. From a prostitute in a city that God had promised for total destruction to being a link in the chain that led to the coming of Christ. What great honor was bestowed upon Rahab, a woman who probably never imagined great things would ever come out of her life. She never lived to see this happen, nor do we know of any promises given to her about it, but I have to believe that Rahab has been rejoicing in Heaven ever since she first found out that the Son of God would be born from her line. Think of those people who have touched your life over the years without ever knowing it. Even a complete stranger possesses the power to completely change a person’s day, and changing one day for the better could transform them for life. You don’t have to actively preach the Gospel to every person you meet. But every person should be able to see the Gospel being lived out through you and your interactions.

²⁶ Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho.

“At the cost of his firstborn shall he
    lay its foundation,
and at the cost of his youngest son
    shall he set up its gates.”

²⁷ So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land.

Verses 26-27: Joshua lays down a curse on whoever would dare to rebuild Jericho, that it would cost him both his firstborn and youngest son in the completion of this feat. And Jericho remained in ruins until a man named Hiel of Bethel decided to rebuild it during the reign of King Ahab (See 1 Kings 16:34). And, sure enough, Joshua’s declaration came true regarding to cost to rebuild Jericho. But why would this curse be laid, and why would God honor it? It was a city whose whole destruction was dedicated to God, and it was through God that the walls came crashing down to give the Israelites the victory. We see that the Lord was with Joshua and God’s fame spread through the entire land. It is not clear whether it was Joshua’s fame or God’s fame spreading, but we can be certain that if the former, it also brought about the latter. Time and time again we have seen Joshua follow God’s commands faithfully, and constantly reminding the Israelites of God and His promises to them. A successful military campaign at Jericho would be unlikely to change that.

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Scripture Study: Joshua 6:1-14

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Bible Study, Christian, Jericho, Joshua, Obedience, Seven

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6 Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in. ² And the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and mighty men of valor.

Verses 1-2: The Israelites appear near Jericho and suddenly the bustling city becomes stagnant. Their gates are closed and the men, women, and children all remain secure inside the walls. No one comes or goes while the Israelites are present, not even to try and offer terms and negotiate a truce. Back in Chapter 2, Rahab had informed the Israelite spies that the whole city feared their God because of the great things that they have heard. Their hearts had melted and all form of resistance was gone. And God points to this as a sign that he has already delivered the victory to Joshua. The mighty city of Jericho is too afraid to even come out and speak to them or to let one of them inside the walls to negotiate.

³ You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once. Thus shall you do for six days. ⁴ Seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. ⁵ And when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, when you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, everyone straight before him.”

Verses 3-5: Even though God has delivered Jericho into Joshua’s hands, there is still an act of obedience required and expected in order to see the promise fulfilled. And God’s command is unorthodox for military strategy. What would have happened here had Joshua chosen to take matters in his own hand and command an attack on Jericho? While it is pure conjecture, it is likely that God’s promise would have still been fulfilled: the Israelites would have captured Jericho. But it would have come at a cost, either losing battle after battle until Joshua finally did it God’s way, or else a successful military conquest but at great cost to the Israelites. God’s promises come true. Abram and Sarai tried to take matters in their own hands when God promised Abram many children. Sarai was barren, so Abram slept with Hagar, Sarai’s servant, and she bore him children (See Genesis 16). Yet God’s plan had been to bestow those children the Sarai all along, and the results were years of animosity for Sarai that led to Hagar and Ishmael being sent away. Had they just remained patient and trusting of God’s promise, perhaps that child would have come for them even sooner.

So Joshua the son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.” ⁷ And he said to the people, “Go forward. March around the city and let the armed men pass on before the ark of the Lord.”

⁸ And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the Lord went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the Lord following them. ⁹ The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. ¹⁰ But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” ¹¹ So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.

¹² Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. ¹³ And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets blew continually. ¹⁴ And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.

Verses 6-14: The importance of the number here deserves notice. In the first 16 verses of the sixth chapter of Joshua, the number 7 appears a total of 13 times. That repetition places an emphasis on the importance of such a number. Back during the creation story (See Genesis 1), God rested on the seventh day. This day is set apart, the day of the Sabbath for the Israelites. It is inferred that the number seven is God’s number, and is a number that is repeated frequently throughout the Bible in a variety of occasions. In this case, there is a repetition of the seven for the number of days to circle Jericho, the number of times to circle on the seventh day, the number of priests and the number of trumpets to be used. This use of the number seven could be interpreted as the fulfillment of a divine mandate. And, in fact, we do not have to look back very far to see the mandate of God that Jericho has been given to the Israelites.

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Scripture Study: Joshua 5:10-15

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Aslan, C.S. Lewis, Exodus, Job, Joshua, Moses, Scripture Study, Tash, The Last Battle

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First Passover in Canaan

¹⁰ While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho. ¹¹ And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. ¹² And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

The Commander of the Lord‘s Army

¹³ When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” ¹⁴ And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” ¹⁵ And the commander of the Lord‘s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Verse 10: An important thing to realize is that the Israelites still observed the Passover feast even after all these years. While they had not circumcised the children born in the wilderness, this act of remembrance continued onward. So they chose not to complete the outward sign of their covenant with God, but continued to honor the actions of God that led their parents out of bondage in Egypt. The significance of the Passover is critical, as this was a very pivotal moment in history. The Israelites had been in slavery until Moses was raised up as a leader among them (See Exodus 3:10) and Moses implored Pharaoh to let his people go. Yet we also know that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (See Exodus 9:12) to glorify His own name through the process. It was with the final plague, that of the firstborn, where the Passover came from (See Exodus 12:1-32) and provides us with an excellent picture of what Jesus did for us on the cross. For he has taken our sins, which were red as scarlet, and made them white as snow (See Isaiah 1:18), allowing us to enter into Heaven through faith alone in Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Verses 11-12: The Israelites celebrated Passover in the new land, and then something important happened: they ate food from the land. And then the manna, which had sustained the Israelites for so long, ceased. This portion of God’s intervention on their behalf was complete, now that they were in a land that could sustain them. How often do we get stuck in habits and routines to where we want the same things to continue to happen forever? We dislike change. In fact, many times we fear and loathe change. A change to our circumstances requires a change from us in order to adapt and be successful. Yet all things have their seasons and, eventually, those must come to an end. Rather than blaming God for taking away what we had, we should be more like Job. After all, Job had it all: money, a great family, thriving livestock (See Job 1:2). He was a man who God bragged about (See Job 1:8). Yet when it all was taken away, Job still praised God (See Job 1:20-21). He wasn’t happy about the circumstances. He wanted answers as to why those things happened. But he never stooped to the level of accusing God of being unjust, in spite of his wife demanding that he simply curse God and die (See Job 2:9). Instead, his response to his wife is one we should learn from: “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (See Job 2:10)

Verses 13-14: An interesting exchange happens here. Joshua encounters a man with a drawn sword and asks if he is on their side, or the side of their enemies. And the answer is remarkable. Some translations respond with the word “Neither”, which is not the sort of answer you would expect to receive. Yet it tells us a lot here. It is not God’s responsibility to choose sides in a conflict. It is not a division of He chooses this side’s cause over the other. After all, God is for all people and all nations. He is the God of us all, and there will be people from every tribe, tongue, and nation present in Heaven. Comments like this remind me of a scene from C.S. Lewis’ The Last Battle:

Then I fell at his feet and thought, Surely this is the hour of death, for the Lion (who is worthy of all honour) will know that I have served Tash all my days and not him. Nevertheless, it is better to see the Lion and die than to be Tisroc of the world and live and not to have seen him. But the Glorious One bent down his golden head and touched my forehead with his tongue and said, Son, thou art welcome. But I said, Alas Lord, I am no son of thine but the servant of Tash. He answered, Child, all the service thou hast done to Tash, I account as service done to me. Then by reasons of my great desire for wisdom and understanding, I overcame my fear and questioned the Glorious One and said, Lord, is it then true, as the Ape said, that thou and Tash are one? The Lion growled so that the earth shook (but his wrath was not against me) and said, It is false. Not because he and I are one, but because we are opposites, I take to me the services which thou hast done to him. For I and he are of such different kinds that no service which is vile can be done to me, and none which is not vile can be done to him. Therefore if any man swear by Tash and keep his oath for the oath’s sake, it is by me that he has truly sworn, though he know it not, and it is I who reward him. And if any man do a cruelty in my name, then, though he says the name Aslan, it is Tash whom he serves and by Tash his deed is accepted.

Even those who are doing good deeds in the name of some other god may find, in the end, that what they have done has been accounted to the Christian God. It is not God’s place to be on the right side, but rather the burden falls on us to make sure that we are on God’s side.

Verse 15: This scene here is a great parallel to the scene in Exodus 3 with Moses and the burning bush. In both cases, the man is commanded to remove his shoes because the ground is holy. What a blessed encounter for Joshua, and a great and reassuring sign on the things to come for him and the Israelites.

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