Pastor Billington's Blog

Joshua 11

The brutality continues, but we’ve already covered the reason for God’s commands. In fact, we read here that God has made sure that the nations would be punished:

Joshua 11:20 (WEB) “For it was of Yahweh to harden their hearts, to come against Israel in battle, that he might utterly destroy them, that they might have no favor, but that he might destroy them, as Yahweh commanded Moses.”

God is making an example of them, which he can do in his sovereignty. He does the same thing with Pharoah, which Paul comments on in Romans:

Romans 9:17-18 (WEB) “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I caused you to be raised up, that I might show in you my power, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.”

Remember, at one time He destroyed everyone but Noah and his family because of their wickedness. And, looking at Revelation, he is going to judge the world again for their evil.

Thought for the day: What a thought: “then the land had rest from war.” It will happen one day!

Isaiah 11:6-9 (WEB) “The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, the calf, the young lion, and the fattened calf together; and a little child will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze. Their young ones will lie down together. The lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play near a cobra’s hole, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. They will not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”

Joshua 10

This probably seems very brutal to our ears. It’s one of the reasons some people have problems reconciling the picture of God in the Old Testament and the picture of God in the New Testament. In this case, we don’t have to look very far for a rationale behind the destruction of the Amorites. This is what God told Abraham:

Genesis 15:16 (WEB) “In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.”

What were the sins that God foresaw? We get some insight in Leviticus 18.

Leviticus 18:1-9 (WEB) “I am the LORD your God. You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived. You shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. You shall do my ordinances. You shall keep my statutes and walk in them. I am the LORD your God. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my ordinances, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am the LORD. None of you shall approach any close relatives, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, nor the nakedness of your mother: she is your mother. You shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife. It is your father’s nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, the daughter of your father, or the daughter of your mother, whether born at home or born abroad.”

Leviticus 18:21-25 (WEB) “You shall not give any of your children as a sacrifice to Molech. You shall not profane the name of your God. I am the LORD. You shall not lie with a man as with a woman. That is detestable. You shall not lie with any animal to defile yourself with it. No woman may give herself to an animal, to lie down with it: it is a perversion. Don’t defile yourselves in any of these things; for in all these the nations which I am casting out before you were defiled. The land was defiled. Therefore I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out her inhabitants.”

Thought for the day: One thing that is sometimes lost in our understanding is that God waits over 400 years to bring judgment. Even in judgment, He shows mercy. That’s what we see in the cross. God’s judgment falls on Jesus Christ, so that we can receive mercy.

Isaiah 53:5-6 (WEB) “But he was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought our peace was on him; and by his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Joshua 9

The Gibeonites deceive the Israelites in order to make a treaty with them, and the Israelites honor that treaty even though they were lied to. Normally oaths made in such a way are repudiated, but since this involved the making of a covenant with another nation, it seems an exception is made. Interestingly enough, the Gibeonites claim to be Israel’s servants, and then literally become slaves as a result of their deception.

Thought for the day: The key to this event is verse 14: “[they] didn’t ask counsel of the Lord.” Prayer and study should accompany all the decisions in our lives.

Psalm 119:105 (WEB) “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (WEB) “Pray without ceasing.”

Joshua 8

God can give the victory through miraculous means or by conveying clever strategy. In either case, obedience to His commands is what brings success! The Israelites also make sure that they fulfill God’s command from Deuteronomy 11:29 when they reaffirm the covenant. It seems that they copied the 10 commandments on the stones as a memorial, but read the entirety of the law out loud.

While the stones at Gilgal where they crossed the Jordan reminded the Israelites of God’s faithfulness, the monuments erected at Ai serve a different purpose. The stones over Achan (7:26) would remind the Israelites for generations of the danger of sin and greed, and the heap of stones over the grave of the king of Ai and the altar that was erected on Mount Ebal would remind them that, if they want to be victorious, they need to be faithful and obedient.

Thought for the day: Obedience still brings success and victory, but we have to make sure we understand what success and victory really look like!

John 14:23 (WEB) “ Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.’ “

Joshua 7

Apparently one person (and his family) decided not to follow God’s instructions at Jericho. As a result, the nation is routed at Ai. Joshua doesn’t understand at first and is very bold when he complains to God. God rebukes him and reveals that there is sin in the camp! Someone has stolen items used in idol worship, and that person will be revealed by casting lots over the congregation.

Thought for the day: Our passage reveals that disobedience brings displeasure and destruction. It affects more than just the person sinning. Very few sins that we commit (if any) only affect us. Even if we’re not caught doing something immoral or illegal (like Achan was), the way we act, behave, and think when we’re disobeying God has an impact on those around us. Our families are affected. Our friends are affected. Our communities are affected. Our jobs may be affected. And all of that can happen WITHOUT God taking an active hand in discipline.

Numbers 32:23 (WEB) “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against Yahweh; and be sure your sin will find you out.”

Joshua 6

Think of what the Israelites are doing from a psychological perspective, considering that the population was already on edge:

Joshua 2:9 (WEB) “She said to the men, ‘I know that Yahweh 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.’ “

Joshua 5:1 (WEB) “When all the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, who were by the sea, heard how Yahweh had dried up the waters of the Jordan from before the children of Israel until we had crossed over, their heart melted, and there was no more spirit in them, because of the children of Israel.”

Some speculate that the act of marching, then blowing the trumpets, and finally shouting caused something seismic to happen, or a resonance disaster. Maybe God instructed them to do that precisely because He knew that would happen. Or maybe it was a complete and total miracle. Either way, God instructed, they obeyed, and God gave them the victory! And the Israelites not only obeyed God to the letter (even with the destruction), but they emulated His faithfulness. Rahab and her family are saved, as promised.

Thought for the day: The ark of the covenant symbolized God’s presence. It was the focal point when the water was stopped in the Jordan, and it was a focal point as they marched around the city. Thankfully we don’t need an ark now. We are the arks!

John 14:16-17 (WEB) “I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive, for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Joshua 5

Finally reaching the promised land meant a new start for the nation. They re-established circumcision. They kept the Passover. There was no more manna, because they were able to eat from the land itself. Think of this as a rededication!

Isn’t it interesting that, even though circumcision had been given to them as a perpetual sign of the covenant (Genesis 17:9-14), they didn’t engage in the practice while they were in the wilderness? Can you believe these people? They’re a lot like us!

Thought for the day: The commander of the Lord’s army shows Joshua that the Israelites are not alone in their battle. Isn’t it awesome that we aren’t alone either?

John 14:16 (WEB) “I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever.”

Joshua 4

Twelve men, one from each tribe, each take a rock out of the Jordan from where the priests stood. They carried them until they made camp, and then made a memorial pile as an on ongoing testimony to God’s awesome power. Did Joshua make a second memorial in the Jordan itself? Possibly, but it’s also possible that verse 9 should be translated, “Joshua set up 12 stones that had been in the midst of the Jordan.” Although their location was still known as of the writing of Joshua, their location has been lost to antiquity. This is one of seven memorials mentioned in the book of Joshua (7:26; 8:28–29; 8:32; 10:27; 22:34; 24:26–27).

Thought for the day: This memorial had a two-fold purpose: (1) to be an ongoing witness of God’s power to the nations, and (2) to remind God’s people of the need to fear Him.

Acts 9:31 (WEB) “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.”

Joshua 3

After a leader of mythic proportions dies, how does the next person take on the mantle of leadership? God replicates an earlier miracle to affirm Joshua’s place. Instead of the Red Sea crossing we have the Jordan crossing, and God has them memorialize the spot for future generations.

Thought for the day: How are you at memorializing the faith stories from your life? Even if you don’t have family to share them with, the story of your salvation is a faith story that you should be willing to share with anyone!

Deuteronomy 4:9 (WEB) “Only be careful, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your children and your children’s children.”

Psalm 96:3 (WEB) “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples.”