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 7 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! 8 Pardon
your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its
enemies? 9 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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