Thursday, January 17, 2019

Thursday Devotional - Distraught after Victory


Back to Joshua…

The first battle in the promised land, the battle of Jericho, was miraculous and significant, as we saw several weeks ago (11/15/18). God moved first and then made it easy for the Israelites to do their part. It also gave them confidence in God to move forward against the other people in the land. However, the Israelites’ very next battle failed. Joshua was distraught and confused.

Joshua 7:7-12           And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”
10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
I can understand Joshua’s frustration, confusion, and distraught feelings. However, God had promised to defeat their enemies if they fully obeyed Him (Deuteronomy 28:7), but if they didn’t carefully follow His commands He would cause them to be defeated by their enemies (Deuteronomy 28:25). I don’t know why Joshua didn’t think about this, especially since God specifically reminded him of this on the 7th day circling Jericho (Joshua 6:18  But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it.). Maybe Joshua never dreamed someone would take things belonging to God after such a miraculous victory God brought at Jericho!!!

When you and I are distraught and confused by God, let’s remember that He doesn’t ever change. He doesn’t make a mistake. We’re the ones that don’t see the big picture and are missing something.

Joshua was ready to give up. However, he did the right thing by going to God with his questions and frustrations and God had the answers! Let’s remember to be like Joshua.     

Alice

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