Joshua 5 - 8 (24th Mar) - Sylvia

From these few chapters, we can really learn many things..

Faith and Obedience

In continuation from Chapter 4, God had dried up the Jordan River just as what he had done to the Red Sea, for the Israelites to cross over.

Joshua 5: 1 “Now it came about when all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard how the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed, that their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer because of the sons of Israel.”

The Israelites were obedient and had faith, trusting in the Lord to lead them through no matter what. When the enemies of Israel saw God’s mighty power displayed, they become fearful to the point of having no spirit in them – they had lost their confidence in the battles against the Israelites.

Application: This is a reminder of how God will always be there to lead us through our spiritual battles. Romans 8:31 “ If God is for us, who can be against us?”

An Act of Consecration

Joshua 5:2 “At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel the second time."”

The Lord commanded for the Israelites to be circumcised again. Why was this so?
Remember back in Numbers 20, because of the people’s lack of faith and disobedience, they were left to wander in the desert and not allowed to enter into the Promised Land.
Well, in their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, a new generation had been raised up to enter the land flowing with milk and honey (led by Joshua) – and they had yet to be circumcised.

Circumcision is actually an powerful act of consecration to the Lord where we are telling Him “Yes Lord, I am yours.” It is whereby we are renouncing the flesh, dying to self to living to God.

Dear family, shall we then die to self and give ourselves to God?

Power of Prayer Walking

Before we enter into any battles or any unknown places, its important for us to seek the Lord in prayer, to dedicate everything to Him. So we need to prayer walk and take hold of the place for God. Another thing to notes is that Jericho was a most important Canaanite fortress city in the Jordan valley which obstructed the Israelites’ path to victory. (They were to defeat the Canaanites as you would find out in the later chapters)

Joshua 6: 3-5 "You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days. Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark; then on the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead."

The Israelites were able to take the city of Jericho because they listened to God’s voice and walked with Him – Faith and Obedience!

Are there any strongholds in our lives that we need to deal with before there is victory?

Note: Jericho had been cursed after its destruction. God’s Word is POWER – Don’t play play..

Joshua 6:26 “Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates."”

True enough as we see in 1 Kings 16:34 when it was rebuilt by Hiel of Bethel in the time of King Ahab.

“In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his first-born, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of The Lord, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun.”

Joshua 7 – 8

In Joshua 7, because of just ONE person’s sin, the whole community suffers the Lord’s wrath.

“But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the LORD burned against the sons of Israel.”

But in Joshua 8, praise the Lord for His grace and mercy. He is JUST indeed. After meting out the due punishment, He RESTORES!

Joshua 8: 1-2 “Now the LORD said to Joshua, "Do not fear or be dismayed Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall take only its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it."”

This time, the people obeyed and did it God’s way.
Result: They defeated Ai just as they had conquered Jericho.

Application: When our walk with God is right, blessings will simply come our way.

Dear brothers and sisters, please do not let the community suffer because of one person’s sin. Get right with God.

Agape. =)