Joshua 7 - Achan's Sin at Ai

Joshua 7

So the Lord said to Joshua, "Rise up! Why is that you have fallen on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. And they have been taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things. Therefore the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. I will not be with you any more unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst. - (v. 10-12)

Message: Achan's Sin at Ai

Time: Joshua "Yahweh saves" led Israel, under God's command, to victorious conquest of the Promised Land. The book spans about 25 years, beginning about 1406 BC. The conquest of Canaan, numerous military campaigns and regathering of the nation are major components. 

What the Lord is Saying: At Jericho, the Lord God tells Joshua that Jericho will crumble and within the City the goods or treasures of the City will be devoted to the Lord (v. 17), to be burned and only the treasures (bronze, gold, silver, and iron) will be spared and again go into a treasury (v. 19) - thus for the use of the tabernacle. In Chapter 7, it states that Achan from the tribe of Judah took some of the things that were devoted to the Lord, under the ban or accursed (v. 1). Joshua sends spies to the land of Ai (v.2) and they said only to send 3,000 men for the people of Ai are few (v. 3). But the men of Ai struck down 36 of their men (v. 5). Joshua is broken by this and wonders now before the Lord why He has led them to this when they could have stayed near Jordan (v. 6-9). The Lord show Joshua that the sons of Israel sinned and so turned their backs on their enemies (v. 10-12). They are to destroy the items taken under the ban. Achan (family of Zerahites) does not come forward but only admits he has sinned against the Lord (v. 20) after Joshua had found him out. Joshua went and retrieved the items taken and he all of Achan's family is stoned and burned with fire and the "Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger." Sin was dealt with at this place now called the Valley of Achor (v.26). 

The Lord provides direction to his people as to how they are to fight the battle and he does amazing things in the process. But in that process he tells them things they are to do and not to do. This story is similar to even the story of Adam and Eve in the garden. God provides everything they need but tells them to not eat of the tree of garden. They disobey and mankind is cursed. In this situation, not all people are cursed, but only those that commit the offense - Achan but there is also a defeat at Ai that occurs, in the killing of 36 men. The moral seems clear - accept God's providence which includes his directions and stay close to them. I think of the Jewish people and they seem to stay close to God's laws and yet don't accept the Messiah he provides. Christians accept the Messiah and yet many continue to live their own ways. We are to be a people that accepts the gift of God, but also adhere to his rules. 

The Lord did not fail to keep His promises. The people failed to be obedient and failed to keep their promises. 

Summary: The people of Israel next go to Ai, but here they take in casualties due to one family disobeying God at Jericho and not being obedient to the Lord and ultimately their lives are taken. 

Promise: Our private sins have an impact on others. Be quick to turn from all sin. 

Prayer: Lord, I admit I hide at times in my sin and think that it is only affecting me. But I have seen my anger hurt others and cause lasting problems not only to me but those in my family's path. Obedience to Your ways is what matters and I need to simply live my life in obedience. I am to honor You in all I do. Thank you for your amazing providence and all that You provide for me. Help me God to be good stewards of what You have provided and continue to provide. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Joshua 6 - The Fall of Jericho

Joshua 6

And it came about at the seventh time, when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout! For the Lord Has given you the city." - verse 16

Message: The Fall of Jericho

Time: Joshua "Yahweh saves" led Israel, under God's command, to victorious conquest of the Promised Land. The book spans about 25 years, beginning about 1406 BC. The conquest of Canaan, numerous military campaigns and regathering of the nation are major components. 

What the Lord is Saying: This is a hard text to read. The text states that the Lord told Joshua that he and all the men will march around the city once for six days (v.3) and seven priests will carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark (v. 4). Then on the seventh day, all will march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing their trumpets. And then their will be a long blast with the ram's horn and the city wall will fall down (v. 5). Joshua clarified with the people that only on the 7th day are they to shout (v.10). Only Rahab will live or be spared (v. 17). From the city of Jericho, silver, gold, bronze, iron are set aside for the treasury of the Lord (v. 19). They shouted and took the city with the wall coming down (v. 20). Everything in the city was destroyed - man/woman, young/old, ox/sheep/donkey. Rahab and her family were spared (v. 23). Everything else was burned (v. 24). Then an oath was given by Joshua to not rebuild this city (v. 26). 

A city like Jericho was fortified with a large wall around the city as a defense, preventing them from being captured. With gates shut, it would be difficult to penetrate the city. The people of Israel must have thought it to be preposterous that they are to simply walk around the city 6 days one time and they 7 times on the 7th day and the wall would come down. But this is also the God that parted seas. They were given a command and the followed through on it and did as they were told and the wall came down as they were told it would. 

It is hard to read of those people, that they were annihilated. Yet the Canaanites were a people that only at this time were told they would be annihilated. Only for this time. Why? For they practiced detestable things. They were guilty of sin and encouraging others to sin and their ruin was prophetic. Deuteronomy 20:16-18, "Only in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, you shall not leave alive anything that breathes. But you shall utterly destroy them, the Hitite and the Amorite, the Canaanite and the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, as the Lord your God has commanded you, in order that they may not teach you to do according to all their detestable things which they have done for their gods, so that you would sin against the Lord your God." Also Leviticus 18 is a warning when the Lord says, "You shall not do what is done in the land of Egypt where you lived, nor are you to do what is done in the land of Canaan where I am bringing you; you shall not walk in their statutes." 

This is a stark reminder that not all people are part of his saved ones. There is wrath to come for the impenitent. Rahab escapes by trusting in God. The goal is for people to be a people of faith, walking with God, trusting Him. 

Summary: The Lord provides the fall of Jericho, a city where people do detestable things, sinning against the Lord and with a shout, the walls of Jericho fall. 

Promise: The Lord will bless us when we fight according to the means He has given us.

Prayer: God, thank you for placing me on your side. There are consequences to people seeking their own way and encouraging others to do detestable things. Help me be a person that shows people the right way to live and to walk according to Your ways as you have intended. Pull the blinders off of people that act in way that does not honor you. Help people to read your word and see from it truth, the truth of who you are. Thank you for showing your power and your providence through these people and continuing to show how you provide for people that you have called. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 19:12-16 - Pilate Sentences Jesus to Death

John 19:12-16

12 As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out [to be] a king opposes Caesar." 13 When Pilate therefore heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, "Behold, your King!" 15 They therefore cried out, "Away with [Him], away with [Him], crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar." 16 So he then delivered Him to them to be crucified. 

Message: Pilate Sentences Jesus to Death

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: It remains interesting in this act of Jesus going to the cross as to how it was all orchestrated. It was not simply God making a statement from heaven for him to go to the cross, as a perfect man, without sin, and bear the punishment for sin. I know that idea and message is coming in a study future I would think I would have - the atonement - for it is the crux it seems for the Christian faith. 

But overall these verses in chapter 18 and 19 which tell of Jesus and what led to Him being crucified show that He was viewed as a criminal and therefore subject to consequences and in this case, that consequence was to be crucified. 

The Jewish officials knew that they had to present to Pilate an accusation of Jesus that Pilate would find worthy of crucifixion. Pilate struggled to see the application but the Jewish officials remained persistent and today in verse 12 is the accusation that as King, even though the claim was only of the Jews, as King, Jesus then opposed Caesar. In other words, it is clear, nothing was going to prevent Jesus from being found guilty. The Jewish people were going to try at all costs to get him crucified. The desire for his demise was too great. And yet, it had to be in order to save us sinners eventually from eternal separation from God. 

Then in verse 15, Pilate asks, "Shall I crucify your King?" and the Jewish people answer that Caesar is their king. And so what takes place is the mocking moniker on Jesus that He is King of the Jews. Jesus had to die. I suppose what is interesting is we don't need to be mad at anyone. God used the events of the world to send His Son to the cross to then die for our sins. 

Other Verses
Genesis 50:20 - As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. - Interesting verse that is quoted often. People are responsible for their actions but God still uses the good and bad actions of people alike to still accomplish his purposes. 

Mark 15:6-15 - In these verses we have a similar retelling of Jesus crucifixion and Pilate presenting Jesus to the Jewish officials but with the words, "what evil has He done?” Pilate makes the case but not to the degree that he will enforce it. He still gives into the demands of the Jewish contingent. 

Summary: Jesus is presented as King of the Jews in order to show He is somewhat equal to Caesar as King and incite in Pilate to crucify Him which the Jews continue to want. 

Promise: The crucifixion of Jesus is the supreme example that God is working in all things for the good of His people. 

Prayer: O God, You are sovereign which means that you orchestrate the events of life for Your good, allowing the choices of man to bring about your good. You are in control and by this prayer I acknowledge that You are in control and yet I plea, I beg, I request that You work and that Your will be done. Thank you for giving us the answer that You want this of us and we are involved with You in Your works. Continue to teach me about prayer. Thank you for the salvation gift of Jesus that I don't deserve. You are in control. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

Various Scriptures - Guilt and Forgiveness

Romans 3:9 

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin. 

Message: Objective and Subjective Guilt

What the Lord is Saying: Apologetics is the study of defending the Christian faith. One issue that comes up is experiencing guilt. Subjective guilt is how one feels. Objective guilt is based upon a standard. One can feel guilty and yet not have broken a standard, while one can have broken a standard and yet not feel guilty. 

---------------------------------------------

Romans 2:14-15

For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a Law to themselves, in that they show the working of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them. 

Message: Addressing our Guilt

What the Lord is Saying: Sociopath is someone that ignores right and wrongs and feelings of others in acting out. If a person has guilt, sometimes they will seek ways to mitigate it or mask it like through different forms of addiction or escape paths. What is more common is comparing ourselves to others we view are worse off than ourselves to defend or excuse our heinous behavior. Like, "I may have hate or dislike, but I am not a murderer." All of this focus is on subjective feelings or how we see ourselves and we downplay the objective or standards that may be set up, such as God's expectation for holiness and perfection. Romans 2:14-15 gives the idea that everyone has a conscience or moral compass in place that gives them the idea that they should be better than they are. 

---------------------------------------------

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. 

Message: Our Unpayable Debt

What the Lord is Saying: Nobody is perfect and in society standards are set up and when those standards are compromised or broken, then consequences result. For the Christian, the standard is the Glory of God and we believe all have fallen short of meeting that standard. In society, we have set up methods to pay off our debts to the law or breaking the law. Conversely, in religion, many have come up with similar ways through penance, good deeds, sacraments in order to prove oneself worthy. However, finite man pays off finite man, but with God, can finite man pay off an infinite God's standards on his/her own? 

---------------------------------------------

Jeremiah 3:3

Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there has been no spring rain, yet you had a harlot's forehead; you refused to be ashamed. 

Message: Our Consciences and Our Guilt

What the Lord is Saying: Listening to our conscience is good, but our conscience must also be trained or conform to a certain standard. For the Christian, this standard is God and His word. Only listening to one's conscience may not merit the same results as the standard is fallible and produces guilt for not achieving the standard. 

---------------------------------------------

Psalm 32

1 How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!

2 How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!

3 When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.

5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord”; and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

9 Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding, Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check, Otherwise they will not come near to you.

10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked, But he who trusts in the Lord, lovingkindness shall surround him.

11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous ones; And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Message: The Solution of Forgiveness

What the Lord is Saying: Good guilt is when our subjective feelings are being measured against the standards of God. Guilt is released through forgiveness as we turn our focus toward God, confess our mistakes and trust in the Lord's pardon. With God, sin occurs and will continue to occur, but through Christ's payment for our sin, once for all, sin no longer needs a payment or penance. When God forgives He forgives forever. 

---------------------------------------------

John 8:36

If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. 

Message: The Reality of Forgiveness

What the Lord is Saying: The feeling of guilt can be burdensome. In feeling guilt, we are moved to repentance, to turn from the act that produces the feeling. Like our subjective feelings and objective state of guilt there is also subjective feelings of forgiveness. Objectively, the promise of God is He will forgive everyone who repents and trusts in Jesus alone for salvation (John 3:16). And yet still people don't feel forgiven, sometimes not believing that God really will forgive their brand of sin. But being forgiven is not based upon a feeling of forgiveness. If you have repented, then believe that God has forgiven you. 

Summary: In washing the feet of His disciples, Jesus made it clear that those who follow Him need both the definitive cleansing from guilt they receive when they first exercise faith as well as continual forgiveness for any sins they commit thereafter (John 13:1–20). This story gives us an opportunity to reflect more on what the Bible says about the guilt of sin and the forgiveness we find only in Christ. 

I have often made the comment that "feelings are not facts." People are naturally moved by their own feelings and emotions. In our present day, these feelings seem to be winning how life is being defined in a person and are being seen as facts in a person's life. The Christian is addressing this in his/her contacts with people to help people see that we need to use the golden rod of Scripture to define the standard to which we should be measuring ourselves against. But this is a standard that is often seen as backwards and not current to the way of life presently. Instead, people continue to validate a person's subjective feelings. The Christian believes it is God who has authored in us a conscience, giving each of us the tension between right and wrong and so we are to look to Him to help us define what is right or wrong.