blogONEAlthough Pastor Baker had gone through the book of Joshua with Calvary Baptist, as part of the GoBIG theme, which I’ve had the opportunity to attend a few times, this week’s sermon is a reminder and review of all the main theological points from the book.
- first 6 books of Bible shows us cycle of human nature…which actually repeats throughout the Bible
- 1. slavery [Egypt]
- 2. salvation [rescue]
- 3. suffering [wilderness]
- 4. sanctification
- 5. subdue [Canaan]
- 6. glorification
- 1. God is amped about His WORD so…
- Joshua 1:7-8 [show] [7]Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. [8]This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (ESV)
- success of life is related to out obedience to the Word
- communicate His will through the word; how can we continuously ask “What is God’s Will” yet not read the Word?
- Are you standing on God’s Word? (ie. are you rooted in the Word?)
- what He says do, we should do; where he says to go, we should go
- Joshua 1:7-8 [show] [7]Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. [8]This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (ESV)
- 2. God is zealous for His HONOUR so…
- Joshua 2:8-17,24 [show] [8]Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof [9]and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. [10]For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. [11]And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. [12]Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign [13]that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death." [14]And the men said to her, "Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."
[15]Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. [16]And she said to them, "Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way." [17]The men said to her, "We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. (ESV)
[24]And they said to Joshua, "Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us." (ESV)
- trust in Him for impossible things; the impossible made possible attracts the attention of others
- people of Jericho didn’t pay attention until mighty acts of God occurred, then “their hearts melted”
- we dishonour God when we hold ourselves hostage to the possible, and when we play down God to our size
- when we melt with fear, we tell others God is insufficient
- Joshua 2:8-17,24 [show] [8]Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof [9]and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. [10]For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. [11]And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. [12]Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign [13]that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death." [14]And the men said to her, "Our life for yours even to death! If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the LORD gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."
[15]Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall. [16]And she said to them, "Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned. Then afterward you may go your way." [17]The men said to her, "We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear. (ESV)
[24]And they said to Joshua, "Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us." (ESV)
- 3. God is SOVEREIGN and totally in control but…
- Israelites were lost in desert for 40 years, but could have only spent 11 days; they were literally always at the doorstep of Promised Land!
- truly belonging to God&His purposes require movement from where we are to where God wants us to be
- we need to move from rescue to promised land
- Israelites were so fixated on past miracles of God, but not moving forward (ie. Acts 7:1-54 [show] And the high priest said, "Are these things so?" [2]And Stephen said:
"Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, [3]and said to him, 'Go out from your land and from your kindred and go into the land that I will show you.' [4]Then he went out from the land of the Chaldeans and lived in Haran. And after his father died, God removed him from there into this land in which you are now living. [5]Yet he gave him no inheritance in it, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as a possession and to his offspring after him, though he had no child. [6]And God spoke to this effect--that his offspring would be sojourners in a land belonging to others, who would enslave them and afflict them four hundred years. [7]'But I will judge the nation that they serve,' said God, 'and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.' [8]And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
[9]"And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him [10]and rescued him out of all his afflictions and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who made him ruler over Egypt and over all his household. [11]Now there came a famine throughout all Egypt and Canaan, and great affliction, and our fathers could find no food. [12]But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent out our fathers on their first visit. [13]And on the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh. [14]And Joseph sent and summoned Jacob his father and all his kindred, seventy-five persons in all. [15]And Jacob went down into Egypt, and he died, he and our fathers, [16]and they were carried back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
[17]"But as the time of the promise drew near, which God had granted to Abraham, the people increased and multiplied in Egypt [18]until there arose over Egypt another king who did not know Joseph. [19]He dealt shrewdly with our race and forced our fathers to expose their infants, so that they would not be kept alive. [20]At this time Moses was born; and he was beautiful in God's sight. And he was brought up for three months in his father's house, [21]and when he was exposed, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son. [22]And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
[23]"When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brothers, the children of Israel. [24]And seeing one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian. [25]He supposed that his brothers would understand that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not understand. [26]And on the following day he appeared to them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brothers. Why do you wrong each other?' [27]But the man who was wronging his neighbor thrust him aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? [28]Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?' [29]At this retort Moses fled and became an exile in the land of Midian, where he became the father of two sons.
[30]"Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in a flame of fire in a bush. [31]When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight, and as he drew near to look, there came the voice of the Lord: [32]'I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.' And Moses trembled and did not dare to look. [33]Then the Lord said to him, 'Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. [34]I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send you to Egypt.'
[35]"This Moses, whom they rejected, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?'--this man God sent as both ruler and redeemer by the hand of the angel who appeared to him in the bush. [36]This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years. [37]This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers.' [38]This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our fathers. He received living oracles to give to us. [39]Our fathers refused to obey him, but thrust him aside, and in their hearts they turned to Egypt, [40]saying to Aaron, 'Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' [41]And they made a calf in those days, and offered a sacrifice to the idol and were rejoicing in the works of their hands. [42]But God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets:
"'Did you bring to me slain beasts and sacrifices,
during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
[43]You took up the tent of Moloch
and the star of your god Rephan,
the images that you made to worship;
and I will send you into exile beyond Babylon.'
[44]"Our fathers had the tent of witness in the wilderness, just as he who spoke to Moses directed him to make it, according to the pattern that he had seen. [45]Our fathers in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our fathers. So it was until the days of David, [46]who found favor in the sight of God and asked to find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. [47]But it was Solomon who built a house for him. [48]Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made by hands, as the prophet says,
[49]"'Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord,
or what is the place of my rest?
[50]Did not my hand make all these things?'
[51]"You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. [52]Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, [53]you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it."
[54]Now when they heard these things they were enraged, and they ground their teeth at him. (ESV) and stoning of Stephen; people were fine with Stephen reciting the past, but stoned him when he told them to LIVE FORWARD)
- Joshua 3:10 [show] [10]And Joshua said, "Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. (ESV); God will move us fwd and clear obstacles in the way of the intended destination
- 4. God has no COMPETITION and therefore…
- God has resources beyond imagination to make purposes reality
- Joshua 10:25 [show] [25]And Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the LORD will do to all your enemies against whom you fight." (ESV)
- 5. God wants to be WORSHIPED for who He is and NOT for what we get from Him because…
- Joshua 6 [show] 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. [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." [6]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.
[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. [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.
[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.
[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. (ESV)
- is church merely your hobby? “I have nothing better to do, and this seems like the right thing to do…so I’ll go to church.”
- God doesn’t care whether worship suits you; its how it suits Him; specialized services and worship styles…have no real point in the grand picture
- God wants to wean us from the whiff of idolatry
- Joshua 5:14,15 [show] [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?" (ESV)
[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. (ESV); “What messages does my Lord have for His servant?”
- presence of holiness should be all we’re concerned about, not whether the style of service suits you
- Joshua 6 [show] 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. [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." [6]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.
[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. [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.
[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.
[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. (ESV)
- 6. God hates SIN so…
- Joshua 7 [show] 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.
[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." [4]So about 3,000 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.
[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?"
[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. [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." [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. [19]Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me." [20]And Achan answered Joshua, "Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: [21]when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
[22]So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. [23]And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. [24]And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. [25]And Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. [26]And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor. (ESV)
- sin is a community issue; sin amongst a part of the body affects whole
- individuals are held accountable BUT entire body is affected and infected
- Joshua 7 [show] 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.
[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." [4]So about 3,000 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.
[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?"
[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. [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." [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. [19]Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me." [20]And Achan answered Joshua, "Truly I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and this is what I did: [21]when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath."
[22]So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. [23]And they took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and to all the people of Israel. And they laid them down before the LORD. [24]And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. [25]And Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. [26]And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor. (ESV)
- 7. God is LORD of the whole EARTH and…
- Joshua 2:11 [show] [11]And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. (ESV); Joshua 23:5 [show] [5]The LORD your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the LORD your God promised you. (ESV)
- wants people to impact everywhere w/ implication of ruling and reigning heavenly Monarch – as aliens and strangers- to take possession of everywhere/land
- Joshua isn’t a book of geography, but of the theme the whole world belongs to God
- “land” is where God&man in harmony subduing&bringing into submission what is God’s
- we are called to “advertise” the gospel&Good News (Matthew 5:13-16 [show] [13]"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
[14]"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. [15]Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. [16]In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (ESV)?) to world for reclamation
- Joshua 2:11 [show] [11]And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. (ESV)
And an aside note I had during the sermon, I was kind of applying my marketing knowledge for advertising. One type of advertising is “reminder”, which of course is used to remind consumers that the product/brand still exists. So I was thinking, “Does God need an advertising campaign to remind the world He exists and is relevant?”, but reminders of His existence are already daily. I’m sure God doesn’t, and won’t, need to explicitly come down and show/prove His existence (much to the disappointment of non-believers)…but the only thing that can come into my mind for that is 2 Corinthians 4:18 [show] [18]as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (ESV).
What are the small things in life that God uses to remind you he is present in your life?
