Joshua 10
The five kings of the Amorites joined forces and attacked the Gibeonites, since they had made a treaty with the Israelites. But, the Lord "threw them into confusion" and rained large hailstones down on them. Israel defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon and the Lord caused the sun and moon to stand still for a full day. Then Joshua and all Israel conquered Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir, destroying their villages and all their people. They subdued the whole region, "because the Lord God fought for Israel". Joshua had done everything according to how the Lord had commanded, and the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hands and none of them were able to withstand the Israelites.
Humble thoughts, reflections, and/or summaries from readings of God's word. "For if any one is desirous simply to know those things which it has pleased God to reveal, that is the man who accurately knows what it is to be truly wise. " Calvin
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Joshua 9
Without consulting or inquiring of the Lord, Joshua was deceived by the trickery of the Gibeonites and thereby granted them a treaty of safety from being conquered by the Israelites. When Joshua and the leaders of the Israelites came to a realization of the situation, they had to decide how to proceed. They then acknowledged that they had made a foolish oath by the Lord, but now had to keep it. The Gibeonites admitted that they did what they did because they feared for their lives. Joshua was now confronted with "doing what seemed good and right", so he decided to honor the oath made by the Lord.
We often find ourselves in similar situations, realizing we had made foolish mistakes and wanting to now do the right thing. This lesson from Joshua teaches us to first consult with the Lord in our decisions so that we don't find ourselves in these situations.
Without consulting or inquiring of the Lord, Joshua was deceived by the trickery of the Gibeonites and thereby granted them a treaty of safety from being conquered by the Israelites. When Joshua and the leaders of the Israelites came to a realization of the situation, they had to decide how to proceed. They then acknowledged that they had made a foolish oath by the Lord, but now had to keep it. The Gibeonites admitted that they did what they did because they feared for their lives. Joshua was now confronted with "doing what seemed good and right", so he decided to honor the oath made by the Lord.
We often find ourselves in similar situations, realizing we had made foolish mistakes and wanting to now do the right thing. This lesson from Joshua teaches us to first consult with the Lord in our decisions so that we don't find ourselves in these situations.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Joshua 8
God told Joshua to trust Him and take his army and attack the land of Ai, using an ambush strategy to conquer king Ai's men. Joshua followed the instructions from the Lord and defeated Ai and destroyed the city, keeping the plunder for the Lord. Then Joshua built an alter at Mount Ebal to the Lord as Moses had formerly instructed. There Joshua, in the presence of the Israelites, copied on stones the entire law of Moses and read all the words of the law aloud to the whole assembly of Israel.
God told Joshua to trust Him and take his army and attack the land of Ai, using an ambush strategy to conquer king Ai's men. Joshua followed the instructions from the Lord and defeated Ai and destroyed the city, keeping the plunder for the Lord. Then Joshua built an alter at Mount Ebal to the Lord as Moses had formerly instructed. There Joshua, in the presence of the Israelites, copied on stones the entire law of Moses and read all the words of the law aloud to the whole assembly of Israel.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Joshua 7
The Israelites were defeated by an army from Ai because they had violated some instructions from the Lord to keep some holy items set apart for the Lord (robes,silver coins, gold bars, etc). A man named Achan admitted his sin against the Lord, so Joshua sent some men to find the items and bring them before the Lord. The Lord told Joshua that the man who was guilty of this sin would have to be destroyed along with his entire household. So, Joshua and the Israelites took Achan, the silver, robes, bars of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, and everything he owned and brought them to the valley of Achor. Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” Then they were all stoned and burned. Then the Lord was no longer angry with the Israelites.
The Israelites were defeated by an army from Ai because they had violated some instructions from the Lord to keep some holy items set apart for the Lord (robes,silver coins, gold bars, etc). A man named Achan admitted his sin against the Lord, so Joshua sent some men to find the items and bring them before the Lord. The Lord told Joshua that the man who was guilty of this sin would have to be destroyed along with his entire household. So, Joshua and the Israelites took Achan, the silver, robes, bars of gold, his sons, daughters, cattle, donkeys, and everything he owned and brought them to the valley of Achor. Joshua said to Achan, “Why have you brought trouble on us? The Lord will now bring trouble on you.” Then they were all stoned and burned. Then the Lord was no longer angry with the Israelites.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Joshua 6
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Joshua 5
When the Amorite and Caananite kings heard what God had done, allowing the Israelites to cross over the Jordan on dry ground, "their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites."
"On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan."
Joshua noticed a man with a drawn sword and asked him if he was an enemy or foe, but found that he was actually the commander of the army of the Lord who had come with a message, " Take off your sandals,for the place where you are standing is holy".
When the Amorite and Caananite kings heard what God had done, allowing the Israelites to cross over the Jordan on dry ground, "their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites."
"On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan."
Joshua noticed a man with a drawn sword and asked him if he was an enemy or foe, but found that he was actually the commander of the army of the Lord who had come with a message, " Take off your sandals,for the place where you are standing is holy".
Friday, June 25, 2010
Joshua 4
As a memorial, men from each tribe of Israel carried a stone from the bottom of the Jordan river over to the place where they made camp that night. The stones would serve as a sign for the people to remember forever how the Lord had cut off the flow of the river when the priests carried the ark of the Lord across the Jordan. "He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."
As a memorial, men from each tribe of Israel carried a stone from the bottom of the Jordan river over to the place where they made camp that night. The stones would serve as a sign for the people to remember forever how the Lord had cut off the flow of the river when the priests carried the ark of the Lord across the Jordan. "He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."
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