Pastor Billington's Blog

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.”

Joshua 2

The Israelites send men to spy on the land. They use a prostitute’s house as a place to hide, probably because it would be less conspicuous for them to come and go. When the authorities come looking for them, Rahab lies to hide them and gets a promise from them that they will spare her family when they invade.

Rahab shows us that anyone can do the right thing, that any life can be changed, that anyone can choose to follow God. In fact, she receives a very special honor for her decision to serve God, that goes beyond the salvation of her family:

Matthew 1:1-6 (WEB) “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron. Hezron became the father of Ram. Ram became the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon. Nahshon became the father of Salmon. Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse. Jesse became the father of King David. David the king became the father of Solomon by her who had been Uriah’s wife.”

Thought for the day: Rahab’s family was saved by hanging a scarlet cord out the window. Could this be a foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ?

1 Peter 1:18-19 (WEB) “knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things like silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish or spot, the blood of Christ”

Joshua 1

The Lord challenges Joshua, and then Joshua challenges the Israelites. Moses is dead, and the Israelites are ready to enter the promised land. God encourages Joshua to be strong, courageous, and obedient. He is to lead the people into the promised land, and God promises that He will be with them. Joshua, in turn, challenges the Israelites to get ready, and then reminds the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh of their promise: they only get their inheritance if they help their brothers take the land!

Thought for the day: God’s charge to Joshua serves as an important reminder for us:

Joshua 1:8 (WEB) “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it; for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.”

John 21

1-14: This event is similar to when Jesus called the disciples to full-time ministry (Luke 5:1-11). We also know from the synoptics that Jesus told the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee (Mark 14:28). I believe that these are examples of John supplementing what we find in the other gospels. This forms a bookend of sorts to Jesus’ ministry.

15-19: Peter denied Jesus three times. Here Jesus gives him the opportunity to experience restoration. Jesus gives Peter the chance to boast that He loves Jesus more than the other disciples, but Peter now knows that he is just as susceptible to failure as they are! Then Jesus asks Him two more times, “Do you love me?” Peter responds that Jesus knows all things, so He knows that Peter loves Him. I also think that something else is going on here, but I am in a minority regarding this understanding. There are different words for love here. Some think that John is just using synonyms for variations sake. I believe that He is actually recording what was said, and I take it a little differently than most. Jesus starts out asking if Peter loves Him, and He uses the word agape. We tend to think of that as a special, self-sacrificing love. But I think Peter takes it differently. This is the love you can have even for your enemies. Peter’s wants to stress that his love is greater than that! Peter says that he loves Jesus like a brother! Jesus changes to that same word the third time He asks Peter, “Do you love me?” I believe that He’s acknowledging Peter’s affection and devotion. Peter is supposed to show his love for Jesus by feeding those who believe in Him. Feeding refers to teaching them the word, both by sharing the gospel and instructing them how to obey once they’ve believed.

20-23: John makes sure that we understand a rumor going around about him isn’t true! Jesus isn’t necessarily going to come back before John dies. These verses remind us that we’re supposed to be concerned about our own walk with God, and not be preoccupied with how He deals with others.

24-24: John concludes his gospel by reminding us that there is so much more that could be written about Jesus. He’s tried to give us more of the story, but there is still more that could be told!

Thought for the day: How do we love God? With sincerity? Without hypocrisy? Without comparing ourselves to others?

Mark 12:30 (WEB) ” ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”

John 20

John 20:8-9 can seem confusing, but it’s actually fairly straightforward. John saw the evidence at the tomb and believed that Jesus rose from the dead, but neither disciple really understood the Scriptural evidence that pointed to the resurrection:

Psalm 16:10 (WEB) “For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.”

Isaiah 53:10 (WEB) “When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand.”

Rather than try and find something mystical in 20:16, perhaps Jesus is simply saying: “Stop holding on to me. I haven’t ascended yet. I’m not going to disappear on you!” Isn’t it special that, even though He is not physically here now, He is present with us through His Spirit?!?!

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.”

Jesus repeatedly requests His disciples to be at peace. Life here is hard, but we can take Jesus as His word and trust that He is in us and with us!

Not to get too technical, but Jesus’ words in 20:23 are in the perfect passive tense: “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have already been forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they have already been retained.” It states what has already happened. When we present the gospel and people accept or reject it, they are completing a transaction that was settled when Jesus died on the cross. If they believe, their sins have already been forgiven; if they reject the gospel then their sins are retained. All we do is present the way, and people respond! All who do believe have a special joy that comes from knowing Jesus (20:29):

1 Peter 1:8 (WEB) “whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory”

And that’s the whole purpose of the gospel of John: to bring people to belief (20:31)!

Thought for the day: Jesus’ resurrection body foreshadows our resurrection bodies:

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (WEB) “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”

John 19

The rejection and rebellion of the religious leadership is complete: “We have no king but Caesar.”

Pilate has a religious and superstitious reaction to Jesus being called the “Son of God.” He’s searching for any reason at all to let Jesus go. The Jewish leaders manipulate him to get what they want: “If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend!” Pilate doesn’t want any negative reports of him to go higher up the food chain.

Sobering words: “the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” Judas? Herod?

Pilate seems passive-aggressive with the Jewish leadership (16-22)! Is he just trying to stir them up and get back at them for putting him in an uncomfortable position? Or is there more to it than that?

The soldiers fulfill scripture by throwing dice for Jesus’ garment (23-24). There is a lot of fulfilled Scripture in these verses (Psalm 22:15-8, Psalm 69:21, Psalm 34:20, Zechariah 12:10, Isaiah 53:9, Psalm 22:31).

It sometimes seems that Jesus was somewhat harsh to His mother, but here we see His care (25-27). He was making sure that she was taken care of since He wasn’t going to be around to do it. Jesus’ prior words should be understood from the context of His ongoing honor of her.

Jesus’ mission is finally completed (28-30). It is finished! It is accomplished! He has secured our salvation and can return to glory!

Jesus willingly gave up His spirit (30). He was already dead when the soldiers came around (31-37). The spear thrust into His side was probably included by John to show that He was indeed fully human, as well as fully divine. He deals with this in another writing as well:

2 John 7 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don’t confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist.”

Thought for the day: Psalm 22 is a marvelous foreshadowing of the cross, and it seems to include the resurrection too!

Psalm 22:21-23 (WEB) “Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you. You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.”