Joshua 6-13
Joshua 6
Significance of 7
Seven priests, seven trumpets, seven days. Perfection or completion, God's plan is perfect
They took the land.
The land signified the believer's rest in the Lord.
Victory was already in the cards!
It comes through God's deliverance.
The Israelites marched for six days in silence! God works slowly! Wait patiently!
There is a divinely-inspired plan of attack, but we usually resort to our own devices. Such supernatural trust is not in our makeup. We have to be silent, rest in the Lord.
Joshua 7
Defeat at Ai
They faced defeat because sin was present.
The whole was punished for one.
The sins of Achan stopped the whole plan in its tracks, and kept the nation from moving forward.
Nothing escapes the omniscience of God!
God knew sin was present when Joshua and the other men did not.
It's interesting how victory can be so swiftly followed by defeat. No one is immune to failure.
It's very clear that God hates sin. But I don't understand why He hates it so much but yet allows us free will to do so. It sounds like we have to try to be 100 percent holy, but we know we will fail at that. God still helps us when we mess up...so why did some get the wrath, and others got grace and mercy?
It's clear that we shouldn't rush to do anything without talking to the Lord first. I don't like the idea of being scared of God, but I kind of am. Is that the healthy fear everyone speaks of?
We can't be occupied with our problems, because that limits our sensitivity to the plan and promises of God. But what about when our problems feel overwhelming?
We have to seek God's guidance, but how do we know what lessons God is seeking to teach us?
Lusts of all sorts lead to sin, but we're committing sins in an attempt to fill voids that only God can fill. We need to let Him be the source of our security, significance and purpose.
God is harsh, though...did he really have to display such wrath?
Joshua 8
Cycles of victory and defeat
It seems to be neverending...and that is tiring!
Don't make the same mistake twice.
Don't underestimate the enemy or overestimate your abilities.
Worship at Mt. Ebal
The altar of uncut stones. Take time for spiritual replenishment.
The cycles of victory and defeat, I must admit, are a little concerning. You try your hardest to get it right, but Satan, the flesh, your own free will, are right there to mess it all up. How do we stay happy and free with this continual cycle?
Nonetheless, we need to be open to the various strategies God uses to help us. Our capacity in life is fueled by our spiritual capacity and willingness to trust God.
Joshua 9
Spiritual warfare is real!
Satan likes to strike after victory.
Don't lean on your own wisdom!
The Gibeonites were able to play the Israelites because they preyed on their emotions, and they didn't seek God first. They ended up being tied to these people because they acted too quickly and followed their heads instead of what God said. But how many times do we do that? ALL THE TIME. How do we break ourselves of that? More dying to self..
But God even turned the Gibeonites' curse of servitude in to a blessing, and they ended up becoming loyal believers. I guess even those who deceive can end up blessed...that's a silver lining!
Joshua 10
In this battle, more were killed by the hailstones than by the sword.
God is often more effective than us in fighting our battles.
The day the sun stood still.
God works miraculously to help us to victory...event if its just to give us more time.
This is actually a really gruesome account of war and mass killings, and you wonder why God would want all those people slaughtered. However, I think I remember reading that those people were living in sin and depravity...at least by the standards at that time.
Nonetheless, this is a good example of how man and God can work together to achieve victory. God provided provision, but Joshua still had to be a leader and do the work. We have to trust in his strength rather than our own.
Joshua 11-13
Joshua's conquests
A full detailing of the rest of the battles, how many kings he overtook, and how the land was divided amongst the tribes.
The tribe of Levi received no inheritance.
The Lord God of Israel was their inheritance...they were the ones chosen to oversee worship for the entire nation.