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Joshua 5:9 –And the Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you."  And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.

As we noted last time, the entirety of chapter 5 centers on the children of Israel renewing their covenant with God.

God had miraculously protected and provided for Israel during their 40-year punishment of wandering in the wilderness.  He graciously led them once again to the border of the Promised Land.  In fact, they were more than 'at the border' - they had crossed the Jordan River and they were camped on the land that was their God given inheritance!

However, before they began the actual conquest, God directed the people to renew their covenant with him.� This involved two things:

• All males must be circumcised.�
• The Passover must be celebrated.

Scripture tells us that once that was done, God rolled away the reproach of Egypt from them.

But what does that actually mean?  Several different explanations have been offered.

One explanation says that Israel's reproach refers to their state of impurity because they were not circumcised.� God had given the rite of circumcision to his people through their father Abraham (Genesis 17:10).� It was an outward sign of their purity and covenant with God.� Therefore, to be uncircumcised was to be in a state of the grossest impurity and sin.� We often find Old Testament references to the enemies of Israel who are contemptuously referred to as 'the uncircumcised' (II Samuel 1:20, I Chronicles 10:4, Isaiah 52:1, etc).�

This explanation goes on to say that because the children of Israel did not circumcise their children during the wilderness wandering, they were as polluted and sinful as the Egyptians.  However, once they renewed their covenant with God, that sinful reproach in the sight of God was removed.

Another explanation says that nation of Israel suffered reproach because they rebelled against the government authority who ruled them (Pharaoh).� In essence, they were considered no more than rebels and deserters who were despised by the world.� This theory states that by renewing their covenant with God through circumcision, Israel proved that their actions were not those of mere anarchists. Their liberty was restored to them by the God of heaven, which means they did not rebel against legitimate authority.� Hence, they were no longer considered a reproach.

Yet another explanation sees the reproaches of Egypt as actual words that were uttered by men.  This theory states that the Egyptians taunted and despised Israel as they wandered around the wilderness, because the God they claimed to serve was unable to help them acquire a settlement in Canaan (Exodus 32:12, Numbers 14:13-16).  Since Israel had now actually entered Canaan and God had pledged to give them the land, the reproaches stopped.

Regardless of which theory is true (perhaps all of them are), we can be sure that God is deeply concerned about the honor of his people, because his own glory is attached to our honor and success.  Notice the promise that God gives to us through the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 54:17 -No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, says the LORD.

The reproach of Israel was a prime example of God keeping this promise.  Though the voices of that age rose up against Israel, God vindicated his people.  

Here is some good news:  God's promises have not changed!  We should not be afraid to stand up for the word of God, even if his promises seem impossible.  If God said it, it WILL come to pass.  Those who stand firm in faith will receive the fulfillment of the promise while the voices of those who come against them will be condemned!

Scripture tells us that the place where the circumcision occurred was then renamed 'Gilgal' which means 'to roll off, to cut off or to remove'.

For Israel, Gilgal was a literal physical place.  But for us it is a spiritual place because in the age of grace circumcision is of the heart, not the flesh.  

Colossians 2:13 – And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses�

Because we have been cleansed by the precious blood of Christ, let us circumcise our hearts by cutting off or removing all sin and hold tightly to the ways of God.   Let's not give the sinners around us a reason to mock or reproach the gospel message.  Instead, let's show them the love of God and the fruits of righteousness. 

Joshua 5:10 – While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.

The first Passover occurred in Egypt, just before Israel departed in freedom.� The second Passover was held at Mount Sinai.� The celebration held at Gilgal was the third time Israel kept the Passover.

Picture that scene for just a moment – The jubilant people of Israel were camped beside the raging waters of the Jordan River.  They had set up the tabernacle in their midst, sacrificed their lambs and began to eat the Passover meal.  The smell of the roasted meat wafted through the air and made it over the walls of Jericho, just a few miles away.  The soldiers of Jericho smelled the fresh meat and were probably angry at being tightly shut up in the city while their enemies enjoyed a time of fellowship with their God!  It can truly be said that God prepared a table before his people, in the presence of their enemies (Psalms 23:5)!

I imagine it was a celebration to remember, especially since they were banned from celebrating Passover during the 40-year period of wandering (Exodus 12:48).

Let's stop and think about that ban for a minute.� When Israel refused to step out in faith and take the Promised Land the first time, their sin and unbelief drove a wedge between that generation and God.� Although they were still God's people, they were unable to enjoy a close covenant relationship with God and thus they could not celebrate Passover.� I think all of us would agree it was a sad (and avoidable) situation.�

But before we judge them, we should ask ourselves this question:  Are we really any different?

The effects of sin and unbelief have not changed.  They are still capable of driving a wedge between us and God.  Although we may still be saved, sin/unbelief will prevent us from enjoying the close, intimate fellowship that God desires to share with us.  Sin and unbelief function like ear plugs, keeping us from hearing (and seeing) in the spiritual realm and hindering the productive work that God desires for us to accomplish in his kingdom.

Mark 8:17-18 - �Do you not yet perceive or understand?  Are your hearts hardened?  Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?

Let's face it – Israel wasted a lot of time wandering around, doing nothing productive.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to aimlessly wander around in the spiritual realm.  I want to stick as close to God as possible.  I want to see where he is leading and hear what he is saying.  The bible refers to this as 'walking in the Spirit'. 

Romans 8:4-5 - That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.� For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

When we walk where the Spirit leads us, we know that we are in the will of God.� We can have confidence that we are accomplishing all the good works that God has prepared for us to do (Ephesians 2:10) and we are touching the lives of those who God has purposely placed in our path.�

Furthermore, when each individual member of the church is committed to walking by the Spirit, we can expect God to do great things in our midst.  We can expect the lost to come through the doors of our church and find Christ.  We can expect people to be delivered and set free.  We can expect to see all the blessings of a life in Christ, including healing, restoration and other miracles. 

Are you willing to circumcise your hearts and minds in order to have that kind of a walk with Christ?  Are you ready to walk by the Spirit?

Joshua 5:11-12 – And the day after the Passover, on that very day, they ate of the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land.� And there was no longer manna for the people of Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

As far as the timing of this event, we need to remember that the new Jewish day began at sunset.  The paschal lamb would have been sacrificed before sunset on the 14^th of Nisan, then immediately roasted and consumed.  This means that according to the Jewish reckoning of time, the meal was actually eaten very early on the 15^th day. 

The next day, the 16^th of Nisan, they would have dedicated some of the produce of the land to God via a wave offering (Leviticus 23:10-11).  Once those first fruits were dedicated, Israel was free to eat any of the produce of the land.

Consequently, as they rose from sleep on the morning of the 17^th, they no doubt realized that manna had ceased to fall from heaven.  The 16^th of Nisan, the day they ate of the produce of Canaan, was indeed the last day manna fell.  

Manna was a temporary (and necessary) provision during the period of wandering, when no agriculture was being practiced.  It was not a permanent benefit; it was a stop-gap measure peculiar to the wilderness era.  Once Israel entered the Promised Land and ate of its bounty, the benefit stopped. 

We can glean several lessons from the provision of manna:

• It did not come randomly or by chance as snow or rain does, but by the special dispensation and mercy of God.� Notice that it began precisely when Israel had a real need for it, and it ended precisely when their need was over - when they ate of the produce of Canaan.� In between those times, it arrived on schedule and without fail six days a week.� Clearly, manna was a miraculous gift from God!� This should give us assurance that God knows what we have need of too, and he will certainly supply it.

Matthew 6:31-33 - Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, How shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.   But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

• The lesson of manna enforces the need for ordinary work.� God granted the manna only when there was no option for Israel to farm the land and produce what she needed through normal physical labor.� God is not in the habit of miraculously providing things that we can provide for ourselves through ordinary means.� A wise man once noted that if you ask God for money, he is likely to send you a pair of work boots!

• In today's culture, many people believe it is the job of the government or society to take care of them.� This is not a biblical view.� If you are able to work, you should provide for your own needs (Ecclesiastes 5:18-19, II Thessalonians 3:0-12).

Let me ask you a question:  We noted that Israel was eating the grain/produce of Canaan.  But Israel only had possession of a few square miles of Canaan at this point – so where did all the corn and other crops come from?

Well, the city-kingdoms of Canaan were set up in much the same way as ours – most of the people lived in the cities while the farms were located around the perimeter of the wall.  The farmers no doubt had much of last year's crop of corn stored in their barns, to use while waiting for the new crops to ripen.

When the alarm was sounded in Jericho and everyone rushed into the city to be protected from the enemy, the farmers left the corn and other provisions in their barns.  All Israel had to do was go pick it up.  They didn't have to spend time planting, weeding, gathering the harvest, winnowing the grain or hauling it into storage – that was already done for them!

Now here is something to consider as you meditate on God's provision this week: Manna was a temporary gift from God which aided his people in their time of need.  Because it was temporary, Israel could only take advantage of it during those 40 years.  God did not provide it before or after that time, because it was not necessary. 

Likewise, God has given us gifts in this age (the dispensation of grace) which fulfill the unique needs we have right now.  Like manna, these gifts are temporary so if you want to take advantage of them, this is your only chance.

For example, God has given us the gift of faith (the assurance that God keeps his promises, even when you don't yet see the evidence of it.� See Hebrews 11:1).� Scripture tells us that God has given to each person a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).�

We need faith to step into the promises of God, to fight the enemy and to rescue people from the kingdom of darkness.  But when we enter the next dispensation (life in heaven), faith will no longer be a part of our existence because all of heaven conforms to the will of God.  So, if you want to exercise your faith and please God (Hebrews 11:6), you have to use it right now.

The gift of prayer (and heavenly prayer languages) will also cease (I Corinthians 13:8).  Right now, because we are living on earth in our mortal bodies of sinful flesh, we must communicate with God through our Mediator Christ Jesus, via prayer.  But once we enter heaven, sin will be completely gone and there will no longer be a need for us to pray – we can talk to God face to face.  So if you want to know God intimately through answered prayer, you better start praying right now!

It has often been noted that the ability to willingly worship God during our lifetime is a gift. �Once we enter eternity and see God in person, worship will not be a conscious choice – it will be an automatic response based on the awesome presence of God.� So if you want to make a conscious choice to offer God a sacrifice of praise, now is your only chance.

Let me leave you with a final thought on this concept:  In the natural realm, a woman establishes a relationship with the man she plans to marry.  Through their interactions, she gets to know his likes and dislikes.  She shares his goals and dreams for the future.  She learns to trust him.  She finds out how he treats her.  She discovers what it will be like to become partners with him.  All of this normally happens before the wedding occurs.

Scripture tells us that the church is the bride of Christ.  Do you want to arrive at the marriage supper of the Lamb without knowing much about your groom?  Or do you want to use the gifts God has made available to you to develop and enjoy a close, glorious bond with Jesus before you get to heaven? 

Joshua 5:13 – When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand.  And Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you for us, or for our adversaries?"

All bible scholars agree that either chapter five should have ended with verse 12, or chapters 5 and 6 should have been a single chapter.  There is a clear break in the text between the events of the Passover and this encounter between Joshua and God, which spills over into chapter six.

At any rate, there are many different opinions (and disagreements) about these next three verses.  I will try to present all the pertinent options, and it is up to you to decide what you believe.

To begin with, there are some people who believe these verses describe a vision that Joshua had.� Consequently, they do not believe that Joshua was physically standing alone near the walls of the city of Jericho.� They believe he may have been sitting in his own tent surrounded by advisors as he had the vision of this 'man' with a drawn sword.�

Others believe this was a real event.  They believe Joshua wanted a firsthand look at the terrain outside the walls and he simply walked down to Jericho to see it.  He certainly did not go alone, but his cohorts were not right beside him at the time of this encounter.

A third opinion says that Joshua was physically outside the walls of the city, where he had a vision of the man with the drawn sword.

One thing everyone agrees on is that the purpose of this encounter was to encourage Joshua.� Regardless of where he was physically located at the time, Joshua was probably contemplating the upcoming attack on Jericho.� Although his trust was certainly in the Lord, he was doing his part to understand the situation they faced, and to see if there were any physical advantages Israel could use.� As this was occurring, God chose to send him a word of encouragement.

Whether in a vision or in real life, Joshua must have been surprised to see this warrior.  Suspecting that he was a Canaanite general on his way to reconnoiter the camp of Israel, Joshua boldly confronted him and asked his purpose for being there.

Joshua 5:14 – And he said, "No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord.  Now I have come."  And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, "What does my lord say to his servant?"

Everyone also agrees that in answer to Joshua's question, this 'man' denies being either an Israelite or a Canaanite.

The next major argument over this passage centers on the identity of the unknown warrior.  There are two possible answers. 

The first is that this 'man' was a high-ranking warrior angel of God (possibly Michael the archangel), who was a general in God's army.  This angel intimates that his purpose is to lead Israel in the coming battle at Jericho, which means that God was going to overthrow Jericho by divine means. 

Those who believe him to be an angel point out that he represents himself as being separate or different from God.  They also point out that the angel says he has 'now come'.  In their opinion, this cannot refer to God because he has always been with Israel. 

The second theory identifies this 'man' as Jesus himself.� If this is the case, then we have an instance of what is called a theophany – a manifestation of God to mankind by actual appearance in a tangible or recognizable form.� There are several such theophanies recorded in the Old Testament.

(Many of the scholars who believe this was Jesus also believe that he adopted the form which he later took when he came to earth to pay for the redemption of man, although this cannot be proved.) 

Those who believe him to be Jesus point out that he is specifically referred to as 'Jehovah' or 'the Lord' in Joshua 6:2, which means he was not a created angel.� As to the argument that he has 'now come', this viewpoint maintains that that phrase simply refers to the current reason for his manifest presence; it does not imply that God had left Israel at any time.�

There is also the issue of the 'worship' this being receives from Joshua.  We know that Joshua falls to his knees and bows his head before this 'man'.  We also know that a true angel of God will never allow a human to give him divine worship (Revelation 22:8-9). 

However, those who consider the 'man' to be an angel say that Joshua's actions do not constitute divine worship.  Back in that day, Orientals often showed honor and respect to their superiors by bowing before them (II Samuel 9:6, 14:33).  They believe Joshua's actions merely reflect his acknowledgement that this angelic being was superior to him in strength, wisdom and power.  As such, he deserved to be honored by Joshua.

Of course, those who believe this was Jesus say Joshua was giving God the worship he deserved and that every single one of us will bow before the person of Jesus when we finally behold him. 

Joshua 5:15 – And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy."  And Joshua did so.

As mentioned previously, those who believe this was an angel consider the removal of shoes as a token of reverence and respect paid to a superior person or being.  It would be kind of like removing your shoes when you went into the house of a friend.  

However, others point out that the person who spoke to Joshua uses the same language as the one who spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, and he gives Joshua the same command – to remove his shoes (Exodus 3:15).  This indicates that the place was made holy by the presence of God, and thus this 'man' was none other than Jesus.

Even though there are disagreements about these verses, there are still many points that we all accept as true.�

Just as the visitation of God strengthened and encouraged Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, it now encouraged Joshua in his arduous task of expelling the Canaanites from the land and establishing Israel in her inheritance.  In fact, anyone who draws near to God will find that he is always nearby, ready to hear and to assist us as we fight the battles of this life.  

The raised sword of the warrior indicated that God was going to fight for Israel and give her the victory.  None of the kingdoms of Canaan could stand against the Lord.  When God draws his sword to give us victory over our enemies, no power of hell will be able to stand against us (Matthew 16:18).

When God speaks to us, we must be attentive to his commands just as Joshua was.� God has already revealed many of his commands to us through his word; we must endeavor to live by his laws as we wait further instructions from him.

If we acknowledge Jesus as Lord, we must be ready and willing to immediately bow before him and assume the role of his servant in all areas of life.  His will must become our will.

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief:

Joshua was over 80 years old when God put him in charge of leading Israel into the Promised Land.  What a daunting and impossible task it must have seemed!  Indeed, without the help of the Lord, it would have been a failure.

God often calls us to do the impossible because it forces us to partner with him to get the job done.  It causes us to lean upon him for wisdom, understanding, strength and breakthrough.  That way, when success comes, the glory and honor go to God alone.

So, if you feel like God is calling you to do the impossible, don't be afraid - be encouraged!  He will be right there with you, leading you every step of the way. 

And remember - he is giving you an incredible opportunity to partner with him on this side of glory.� You will form a deeper trust and faith in him through this experience.�

Let me offer you some strength:

All Christians need to be mindful of their own personal holiness.  If we allow sin and unbelief to dwell in our lives, it will prevent us from walking closely with the Lord.  It will dull our spiritual hearing and darken our spiritual sight.

Even though we know this, most Christians continue to hold on to certain sins.  Perhaps this is because it is painful and challenging to 'cut away' or remove these things from our lives. 

If you feel Holy Spirit prompting you to circumcise some area of your heart, you can be sure that he will be with you as you go through the process.  If he has called you to do it, he will also strengthen you to be able to make the change.  In the end, you will be glad you did!

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Joshua 5:1 – As soon as 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 that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.

This scripture specifically mentions the Amorites and the Canaanites.

The term 'Canaanite' is a generic name that collectively refers to any or all of the kingdoms living in the region of the Promise Land.  These would include the Hittites, Hivites, Jebusites, Girgashites, Perizzites, etc. 

The Amorites were a specific kingdom whose people dwelt on both sides of the Jordan.  Israel had already defeated two of their strongest kings (Sihon and Og) under the leadership of Moses.  They may be mentioned separately because they were considered the most valiant/fierce of the Canaanites.        

The people of Canaan were no doubt trusting in the swollen, raging Jordan River to protect their borders from Israelite invasion for several weeks. They considered the river to be an impenetrable barrier of defense, and under normal circumstances, they would be correct.

However, our God is anything but normal/routine!� The Canaanites knew that Jehovah had blocked the river and allowed Israel to cross over on dry land.� This was irrefutable proof that God was on the side of Israel.�

In some ways we could say that the conquest had already begun because this demonstration of God's power caused a spirit of dread/helplessness to overcome the Canaanite (and Amorite) people, making them weak and fearful.

But before Israel began to engage in any military campaigns, they had to prepare themselves before God.  

Joshua 5:2-3 – At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the sons of Israel a second time."  So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.

Before the use of iron was common, all nations of the earth used stone/flint to make sharp edged tools.� (Perhaps you may have found a stone arrowhead somewhere out in the woods near your home.)�

Interestingly, Israel continued to use knives of stone for circumcision and other sacred purposes, even after they were able to manufacture iron.  For example, when Zipporah (the wife of Moses) had to circumcise her son, she used a stone instrument:

Exodus 4:25 - Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband are you to me. 

In fact, both scriptural and historical accounts of circumcision show that the procedure was carried out with stone knives as opposed to metal knives.  Because of these accounts, scholars surmise that the Hebrews considered it unlawful to use metal of any kind in circumcision. 

Why would that be?

Although we don't know for sure, we can make an educated guess.  We know that when God commanded Israel to make an altar it could not be an altar of hewn stones (stones shaped with a hammer or an axe).  According to God, the use of man-made metal tools on the rock would pollute it: 

Exodus 20:25 - And if you will make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone: for if you lift up your tool upon it, you have polluted it.

If a tool of iron polluted the altar which was used to dedicate sacrifices to God, then likewise a tool of iron would pollute a person if used in a rite/ritual in which the body and soul of that person were being dedicated to God.�

Furthermore, the early church fathers believed that circumcision with a flint or rock was symbolic of the true circumcision of the heart performed by Jesus, who was more than once referred to as the Rock (I Corinthians 10:4).�

Romans 2:29 - But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

So, because of the symbolism of physical circumcision (which we will look at shortly), it was important that man-made metal tools not be used in the process.

Notice in verse two that God tells Joshua to 'circumcise the sons of Israel a second time'. 

This does not mean that individuals who had already been circumcised underwent the procedure a second time.  Verses 4-7 make it clear that God was referring to a continuation or a renewal of the ceremony of circumcision which had no doubt fallen into disuse during the wilderness wandering.

Because so many males were circumcised at the same time, that place became known as Gibeath-haaraloth which is translated 'hill of the foreskins'.

Joshua 5:4-5 – And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way after they had come out of Egypt.  Though all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people who were born on the way in the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. 

Verses 4-7 give us more detail about who was circumcised and why.  Before we get into the specifics of this, let's remind ourselves of a few facts regarding circumcision:

• Circumcision ('cutting around') refers to the practice of cutting away the foreskin of the male reproductive organ.� �

• The practice of circumcision existed in a limited way before God established the nation of Israel.� However, by the command of God it became the distinguishing physical mark of the covenant between God and his people (Genesis 17:10-14).�

• Every male in Israel had to be circumcised.� This was done on the 8^th day of life (Genesis 17:1, Leviticus 12:3, Acts 7:8).�

• Every slave (Genesis 17:12-13) and every foreigner/proselyte also had to be circumcised before they could enjoy citizenship in Israel (Exodus 12:48, Ezekiel 44:9).

• Any male who was not circumcised was cut off from the fellowship of Israel and the covenant with God (Genesis 17:14). �

• No one was permitted to participate in Passover unless he was circumcised.� This applied to those who were born as Israelites as well as those who converted (Exodus 12:48).

Now, let's consider who was already circumcised at the time Israel crossed the Jordan, and who was not.

Joshua 5:6 – For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey.

We know that Israel fully celebrated Passover at Mount Sinai in the first month of the second year of their deliverance from Egypt (Numbers 9:1-5).  Therefore, we know that all of the men born up until that time had been circumcised.

Numbers 9:1-2 - And the LORD spoke unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they were come out of the land of Egypt, saying, Let the children of Israel also keep the Passover at its appointed time. ���

However, shortly after celebrating this Passover, the men of Israel rebelled against God and refused to go into battle to claim the Promised Land (Numbers 13).  As punishment, God declared that Israel would wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until that rebellious generation had died (Numbers 14:6-35).  During these years of wandering, they did not circumcise their male children; nor did they celebrate Passover.

Keep in mind, God was very specific that this punishment applied to males who were 20-years-old and older.  This means that any males younger than 20 would have been circumcised at Sinai, and they would still have been alive after the years of wandering.

So as Israel crossed the Jordan, they had a whole group of men who were roughly between the ages of 40-59 who had been circumcised at Sinai.  Then they had a whole younger generation (under 40 years) who had not been circumcised.  Obviously, this younger generation included most of the fighting men. 

Why didn't Israel circumcise their male children during the period of wandering?  

Joshua 5:7 – So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised.  For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

Do you have any ideas as to why Israel did not circumcise their children during the wilderness wandering?  

In order to fully understand the reason, we need to know why God required circumcision in the first place.

Israel was (and still is) God's chosen nation/people.� They were to be separated from the world and consecrated to God.� They had the privilege of living in covenant with the creator of all things.� They had the honor of bringing the blessings of God to the whole world; Jesus the Messiah came through their lineage.

As God's chosen people, they were set apart for his glory.  They were never to worship false idols/gods like the nations around them.  They were to be holy just as God was holy; they must adhere to the laws and covenant of God.  They were to follow wherever God led them, and obey his voice at all times. 

But on that fateful day when they believed the report of the ten spies, they essentially broke their covenant with God and entered into rebellion.� Since their relationship with God was broken, there was no point in celebrating the Passover or circumcising their children.� ����

But God, in his great mercy, did not fully break off the covenant.� (Thankfully, his victory is not dependent upon us!!)� Instead, he decreed a 40 year period of wandering during which those in rebellion died.� After they were gone, God then renewed his covenant with their offspring/children.

Thus, we witness God's great power, wisdom and might – He has once again brought Israel to the border of the Promised Land and he is once again calling upon his people to take the land.  Before that happens, the covenant is renewed – the males are circumcised and the Passover is celebrated.

Joshua 5:8 – When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed.

Why would Holy Spirit cause so much emphasis to be placed on circumcision in this portion of scripture?  The answer is that it holds an important lesson for today!

Circumcision in the flesh was a type or foreshadowing of the circumcision of the heart that takes place under the dispensation of grace.

Remember, circumcision was a sign that the people were in covenant with God and consecrated to him.  Now, during the age of grace, we too are in a covenant with God (a much better covenant, I might add – Hebrews 8:6).  Part of that covenant is living a life of holiness:

1 Peter 1:15-16 - But as he who has called you is holy, so be holy in all manner of conduct; Because it is written, You will be holy; for I am holy.

Where are you at right now in your walk with Christ?� We are living in times of great change; God is raising up warriors for his army who will do battle in the spiritual realm and take this world for the kingdom of heaven.� Do you want to be part of that?

If so, it's time to recommit to the covenant, just as the children of Israel were called to do, before they partnered with God to take the Promised Land.  It's time for us to circumcise our hearts and rid ourselves of the pollution of sin. 

In Romans chapter two, Paul discourses on the subject of circumcision.� He concludes that circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit of God (Romans 2:28-29). �It is of vital importance that we allow Holy Spirit to come into our lives and do a work of circumcision - of cutting away and removing the sins that still abide in our lives.�

Colossians 2:11 - In whom also you are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

We all have sin in our lives that we know about.  In these cases, we must surrender that sin to God and ask Holy Spirit to help us weed it out of our lives.  We need him to help us pluck it up by the roots, so it is completely gone.

In addition, we all have sin that we are probably not aware of.  Sometimes things like anger, unforgiveness or greed can lurk in the shadows of our hearts, staying away from the light.  We would be wise to ask Holy Spirit to search our hearts and reveal any hidden weaknesses in our lives:

Psalm 139:23-24 - Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

We need to prepare ourselves to be mighty warriors in the kingdom of God.

Consider this:� The need to adhere to God's covenant is not just a mandate for us as individuals.� As the collective church, we need to be careful to adhere to the holy teachings outlined in God's word.� God does not condone the killing of children (abortion), injustice or rampant sexual sin of any kind.� The church is to love and embrace people, but not their sin.� This can be a difficult distinction to make, but Holy Spirit will assist us as we lean on him.

And as you have already guessed, there are national implications as well.�

As a nation, America was founded on a covenant with God.� We are devoted to Him, just as Israel was/is.� Our original mandate was to make this nation free under God and to spread the gospel message from shore to shore and around the world.� It is time for the Christians of America to do battle in the spiritual realm to take this nation back for Jesus Christ! �

Let me offer you some encouragement:

I don't know about you, but I love leisure and comfort.  If I could have that 24/7, I would be tempted to take it!

But we are not on this planet for that purpose.  As soldiers in the kingdom of God, we are to wage war on our enemy.  We are to train ourselves for service through personal sanctification and holiness.  We are called upon to be an active member of our military unit (our individual church) and we are called upon to engage the enemy through prayer, declarations and Holy Spirit guided action. 

So I encourage you – join God's army today and get busy!

Let me offer you some relief:

It would be difficult for the enemy to trick us with things that are blatantly evil; we would see that trap a mile away.  Instead, his tactics are much more subtle.  He often uses innocent activities or interests to keep us so busy that we take our eyes off the spiritual realm.  When that happens, we become ineffective soldiers for the kingdom. 

But it doesn't have to be that way.  Examine yourself.  If you are spending less and less time in prayer and kingdom warfare, take the initiative to make a change!

Disengage yourself from some of the things that are taking up the time you should be spending in prayer, fasting and reading the word.� Rededicate yourself to kingdom work!

Let me offer you some strength:

We know that as Christians, the battle never depends on our own strength or wisdom; the victory has already been won by Christ Jesus our Lord. 

So don't be weary or afraid to engage in battle.  The enemy is definitely going to fight back, but he is already defeated.  As we enforce the kingdom of heaven on earth we will have the privilege of working closely with the God of the universe; we will see him do mighty miracles on behalf of the church. 

Are you ready for battle?    

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Joshua 4:1 – When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua�

In our last post, we noted that the waters of the Jordan ceased to flow when the priests set foot in the river carrying the Ark of the Covenant.  This was similar to the parting of the Red Sea, which took place when Israel left Egypt.

One of the similarities was that neither parting was instantaneous.  In the case of the Red Sea, God instructed Moses to hold his staff over the water.  Once Moses obeyed, God sent a strong east wind which blew all night.  When the morning light dawned, Israel could see that the waters had parted.

Exodus 14:21 - And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.

God often manipulates the laws of nature when performing miracles.� In the case of the Red Sea, scholars speculate that the east wind caused the water to freeze and build up a temporary barrier which parted the sea and allowed the people to pass through. Miraculously, the ice barrier held until Israel passed over, and it melted at the exact moment when Pharaoh and his troops were in the midst of the sea. �

In the case of the Jordan, the Lord most likely parted the water by means of an earthquake which caused a landslide.  This theory is supported by the fact that the Jordan valley lies along one of the major fault lines of the earth's surface.  

In addition, history records two verifiable landslides which dammed up the Jordan River – one in 1267 AD and one in 1927 AD.  The incident in 1927 occurred near the town of Adam (as did the one during the time of Joshua) and resulted in an interrupted flow of water for about 21 continuous hours. 

This possible explanation of what occurred does not diminish the miracle in any way; in fact it glorifies the Lord - it would take both God's perfect timing and his power over nature to accomplish this miracle.

Joshua 4:2-3 – "Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them saying, 'Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.'"

In our last post, we noted that Joshua had selected twelve men for a dual purpose. 

One, they stood right beside the Jordan as the priests entered it; they were eyewitnesses to the miracle of the parting of the river.� This way, each tribe had a representative that could confirm what really occurred there.� Eyewitness accounts have the ability to crush crazy rumors that sometimes surface when people don't have all the facts.� ���

Two, the twelve men were to wait until all the people had crossed over the riverbed, then each of them had to pick up a stone lying near the feet of the priests.� They were to carry these stones to the first encampment of Israel in the Promised Land.��

Joshua 4:4-6a – Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe.  And Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, that this may be a sign among you." 

The first few verse of this chapter show us a pattern that is evident all throughout the book of Joshua.� We find the Lord giving a command to Joshua (verse 1), then Joshua relaying that command to the people (verses 4-5), and then the people obeying the command (verse 8).

This emphasizes that everything Israel did was done in obedience to the commands of God, not the commands of Joshua.� This is important to keep in mind because some of the events that are about to take place may seem harsh according to the view of man (especially in our culture today), so we need to keep in mind that the actions of Israel were simply obedience to the commands of God, who is sovereign over all the affairs of men.

Stones taken from the riverbed itself were remarkable evidence that the river had actually stopped flowing so Israel could cross over.  In fact, the purpose of gathering the stones was to make a memorial for future generations.

As you probably already know, raising stones as a memorial was common in the Old Testament:

• Jacob built a pillar as a memorial to God after he had his dream of the ladder or stairway into heaven (Genesis 28:10-22).

• Jacob and his father-in-law built a memorial on Mount Gilead when they parted company (Genesis 31:43-55). ��

• Samuel set up a memorial stone called Ebenezer as a memorial of the victory that God gave to Israel over the Philistines (I Samuel 7:7-14).

This brings up an important question:   Why did God instruct Israel to gather these stones and make a memorial?  What was its purpose?

Joshua 4:6b-7 – "When your children ask in time to come, 'What do these stones mean to you?', then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.� When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off.� So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever."

The purpose of any memorial is two-fold.  First, it provokes questions from those who do not understand its purpose.  Second, it gives a testimony or a witness to something. 

In this particular case, the stones were to be a witness that God had parted the river in order to allow Israel to cross.  It was a testimony to the awesome power of God and to his love for Israel.  While man is capable of many great achievements, none of them can compare to the stupendous and astonishing things that God did for Israel – and the things he will do for the church as well!   

Furthermore, this memorial was a testimony that God could be trusted to keep his promises – he was assisting Israel to possess the land he had promised to give Abraham.� Since God never changes (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8), every generation of God's people can/could use this testimony as an assurance that he would be faithful to them as well.

As we consider this story, we can't help but notice the number of stones – 12, one for each tribe.� The stones represent a unified people, who will rule the nation according to the laws of God.� In scripture, 12 is a number that represents governmental perfection.� If the tribes are faithful to the laws of God, they can expect to live in peace and have the blessings of God poured out upon them and their nation. ��

When future generations of Israelites inquired about the stones, it was a chance for their parents to tell them about the greatness of God.  As one commentator put it, 'the stones must have tongues in order that their testimony may be complete'.  We might call the stones a 'teaching moment' - a chance to declare what God has done. 

You and I probably don't make memorials in the same way as ancient Israel.  Yet, it is still important for us to speak to our children about the faithfulness of God.  They need to understand that God is both present and active in our everyday lives.  

Joshua 4:8-9 – And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the Lord told Joshua.  And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there.  And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.

As we noted in our last post, many scholars see the wilderness wandering as our time on earth, the crossing of the Jordan as entrance into eternity and the Promised Land as heaven. �

There is also a common spiritual interpretation of this passage as well – the wilderness wandering is our time living in sin, the crossing of the Jordan represents our salvation and baptism, and the Promised Land is our time living as Christians on earth.

Spiritually speaking, we were dead in trespasses and sin, until Christ made atonement for us.  In the course of our salvation we have been buried with Christ, quickened with him, raised with him and seated with him in heavenly places:

Ephesians 2:5-6 - Even when we were dead in sins, has made us alive together with Christ, (by grace you are saved;) and has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Here in the age of grace, the church is a 'memorial' (witness) founded upon the rock Christ Jesus (I Peter 2:1-6) and built upon the work of the 12 apostles.� Our lives should encourage sinners to ask us why we are different, which provides us an opportunity to witness about the goodness of God.� We are an eternal memorial to God's grace - Satan may hate us, but hell cannot prevail against us!

God now has a kingdom that includes people from every tongue, tribe and nation.  Together, we make up the family of God.  It is our responsibility to unify/work together to be an example of God's love to the lost.  Each of our lives is a fleshly memorial to the grace of God; we are 'letters' or examples of Christ known and read of all men (II Corinthians 3:2).

As a side note, consider this:  While it is true that our lives are living memorials to the lost, God has also given 'memorials' or outward visible signs of his mercy to Christians in order to sustain our faith.  These memorials are the sacraments of baptism and communion, which is to be observed until the Lord returns to earth again (I Corinthians 11:26). 

Joshua 4:10 – For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua.� The people passed over in haste.

I think it would be very natural for at least some of the people to hurry across the Jordan.� After all, there are different levels of faith; some people might have been apprehensive that the water would quickly return to its course.� This small detail of the crossing assures us that the writer of this book (probably Joshua) was an eyewitness to this event.

However, there is something very puzzling in this verse - the reference to Moses 'commanding' Joshua. 

There is no doubt that Joshua received his instructions regarding the crossing of the Jordan (and the conquest of the Promised Land) directly from God.  He was not following prior orders from Moses on how to make the crossing, or how to erect the stone monument. 

We know this because in Israel's first opportunity to take the land, God had them approach from the west, which means they would never have crossed the Jordan to enter in.� Therefore, there is no way Moses could have 'commanded' or advised Joshua in any way about the crossing or the building of the memorial.� Scripture does not tell us why God had them approach from the east the second time, but he did.�� �

If that is the case, why does the scripture say that Moses commanded Joshua?  What did he command him to do?

The command of Moses refers to an order or mandate to hear and strictly obey all of the words of the Lord.  He makes reference to this in his farewell address to Israel:

Deuteronomy 3:28 - But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you shall see.   

So we find that God had instructed Moses to encourage Joshua because he was going to be the next leader of Israel; he would have the monumental task of leading the people in the conquest of Canaan.  Joshua could never hope to accomplish this task in his own strength or wisdom.  In order to be successful, he MUST closely listen to the Lord and follow his instructions to the letter. In so doing, Joshua would ensure success for himself and the people (Joshua 1:8). 

For the most part, Joshua does just that.  We will examine the few exceptions to this rule as we continue our study.

Joshua 4:11 – And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the Lord and the priests passed over before the people.

God's holy word and his presence - in other words the ark - is the clear focus during all the events of the crossing.� This makes sense because it was God who made the crossing possible:�

• God's presence (the ark) went before the people; the water stopped flowing when the priests stepped into the river.�

• Even though some of the people hurried across out of fear, the priests bearing the ark stood confidently and calmly in the midst of the river until all the people crossed over.

• The ark remained in the river bed as each of the 12 representatives picked up a substantial stone for the memorial.�

Now, as many people as possible were no doubt looking back at the ark to see what would happen when it left the river.  As the waters came crashing back down and filled the river once again, the people clearly understood that God was in their midst and he was ushering them into the land.  

Joshua 4:12-13 – The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them.  About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho.

Back in chapter one, we noted that these two and half tribes had already been granted land on the eastern side of the Jordan.  However, they had sworn an oath before the Lord to assist the other tribes in conquering the land west of the Jordan. 

Here we have an official notice that these men kept their oath.� Although their wives, children, livestock and possessions stayed on the east side of the river, 40,000 armed soldiers crossed over to fight.�

The interesting thing about this verse is the number – 40,000.  First off, we know this is an estimated number.  When you read about the numbers of fighting men throughout the Old Testament, the numbers are rarely exact – they are rounded.  That would be the case here.

Secondly, this number differs greatly from the census taken a year earlier, when Israel was camped in the plains of Moab (Numbers 26).� At that time Reuben itself had 43,730 fighting men while Gad had 40,500 and the half tribe of Manasseh had 26,350.� This totals 110,580 men.� So why did these tribes only send 40K soldiers?� Was that really a fulfillment of their oath?

The main reason they only sent 40K soldiers was because they could not leave their new homes, farms and families unprotected.  If they had sent all of the fighting men, another country would surely have swooped in and taken everything from them. 

In addition, these specific men seem to have been a chosen troop – they were the best of what these tribes had to offer.  Some scholars feel that these men formed the vanguard of Israel's army, taking the lead in the march across the plains to Jericho, where the opposing army would naturally have positioned itself.  There can be no doubt that these tribes kept their oath to assist their brothers.

Incidentally, the plain of Jericho is about seven miles wide.  During the time of this invasion it was thickly covered with a forest of palm trees.  Hence, Jericho is often referred to as the city of palms (Deuteronomy 34:3).      

Joshua 4:14 – On that day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses all the days of his life.

God used the miracle at the Jordan to accomplish several of his purposes:

It stirred up the faith of the Israelites, just before they embarked on battle.� It was the method God used to get his people across the river.� It instilled confidence and obedience in the people of Israel.� They were ready, willing and able to follow Joshua, just as they did Moses.

Joshua 4:15-18 – And the Lord said to Joshua, "Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan."  So Joshua commanded the priests, "Come up out of the Jordan."   And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

Once the people had crossed the river and the twelve stones had been gathered, it was time for the priests carrying the ark to exit the river.  Once they set foot on dry ground, the flow of water in the Jordan was restored.

Although this action has already been mentioned, the author fully spells it out a second time, in order to call attention to this miraculous event.�

Joshua 4:19 – The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.

As Israel exited the Jordan, they arrived in the plain of Jericho and made camp.  At last, the forty years of wilderness wandering were over!

Later on (in chapter 5), Joshua will re-name this land 'Gilgal'.  We will study the name more at the appropriate time, but for now it should be pointed out that from this moment forward, Gilgal became an important place in Old Testament history:

• It was the place where Israel stayed on their very first night in the Promised Land!

• It was the place where Joshua would circumcise all the men born during the forty years of wilderness wandering, after leaving Egypt.

• It became the military headquarters for Israel during the time of the conquest.� This would be the place the army routinely returned to after their attacks against the inhabitants of the land.

• In addition to being the military headquarters, it became a fortified city where the civilian population and the livestock lived, waiting to take possession of the cities of Canaan.

• This was the place they celebrated their very first Passover observance in the Promised Land.

• This was the place the Israelites were staying when the miracle of the manna ceased.

• This was the place where the tabernacle was set up and the ark stayed until it was moved to Shiloh.�

All in all, this was a very important encampment for Israel.  It was also very strategic.  The Jordan River provided a rear defense so other nations could not attack Israel from the east.  It also provided an immense supply of fresh water for the people and the animals.       

Joshua 4:20-21 – And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.� And he said to the people of Israel, "When your children ask their fathers in times to come, 'What do these stones mean?'"

We know that Joshua 'set up' the twelve stones in Gilgal.  The question is, how did he set them up?  There are many possible answers:

• The stones were set up as a pile, in a kind of pyramid shape.�
• The stones were arranged in a circle.�
• The stones were set up on a tall base made of earth or masonry, so they were visible to everyone.�
• The stones were formed into an altar.� Each individual stone rested upon its own pillar.

The list of possibilities goes on and on! 

We may not know the exact configuration of the stones, but we know the purpose behind them. 

Again, they were a testimony to later generations of Israelites.  Eventually all of the people who witnessed the power of God during the crossing of the Jordan would die.  But the testimony of the deliverance of God would live on in the verbal history of the people, building faith in the next generation.

Although we have not yet mentioned it, the stones also served as a warning to Israel to fear the Lord their God always (Exodus 14:31).  God is a jealous God, and he will not share the worship he deserves with any false god or demon (Exodus 20:5)!

The stones also served as a witness to the heathen nations because they would testify to the power and omnipotence of the God of Israel (Exodus 14:4, 18).��

Joshua 4:22-24 – "Then you shall let your children know, 'Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.'  For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever."

This chapter stresses that God revealed himself to the heathen people of Canaan through the miracles he performed on behalf of his people Israel.  These miracles:

• Showed the eternal might, power and wisdom of God.�
• Demonstrated God's protection and provision for his people.�
• Revealed the futility of mankind in rebelling against him. ��

In conclusion, what have we learned from this chapter?

One lesson is that God intended for his message/law to spread all over the world.  This was one of the basic mission statements for the Jewish nation; they were to be an example of God to the heathen.  God provided miracles as a witness to that message. 

And guess what - that mission is still being carried out in our generation!  Jesus reaffirmed it just before he left earth:

Mark 16:15 - And he [Jesus] said unto them, Go you into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

What are we doing to spread that message?  Are we expecting God to do miracles today? 

Another lesson is that God required Israelite parents to teach their children about him:

Deuteronomy 4:9-10 - Only take heed to yourself, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life: but teach them to your sons, and your sons' sons� that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.

He expects us to do the same.  This involves much more than just taking your kids to church once a week.  It involves living your life for Christ every single day and letting your children see that example.

In other words, make sure your children see you read your bible and pray.� Let them hear testimonies of how God has answered your prayers.� Let them see you worship and praise God in your daily life.� Let them witness your faithfulness and confidence in God, even when times are tough!

It has been said that if we want our children to be happy, we must show them were happiness can be found – in a relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Let me offer you some encouragement:

In today's post we looked at the concept of a memorial.  We noted that memorials provoke questions and testify about the goodness/power/mercy of God.    

Do you have any modern-day memorials sitting around your house that prompt your kids (or others) to ask questions?  Wouldn't that be an awesome and simple way to witness to anyone who visits your house?

Have you created any opportunities to tell your children/friends/family about the deliverance or mercy of God?  What did you use?  A photograph?  A trinket? A piece from a car wreck you miraculously walked away from?

If you have never created a memorial in your home, you might want to consider doing so.� It would provide an easy opening to share about what God has done for you. �����

Let me offer you some relief:

The men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh kept the promise they made before the Lord to assist their fellow Israelites to take the Promised Land. 

It would be wonderful if everyone kept their promises like they did!� But we know that does not always happen.� Perhaps you have been 'burned' or let down by someone who promised to be there for you but wasn't.

If that is the case, let me offer you some relief – God never fails to keep his promises!� His timing may be different than yours, but you can count on his faithfulness!

Let me offer you some strength:

Imagine what it would have been like to be one of the priests carrying the ark.  Think about putting your foot into that cold, raging river!  It must have taken a lot of faith to make that first step into the water.

Taking a step of faith today can be just as difficult/scary.  Like the priest entering the Jordan, you may have a lot to lose!  But keep in mind that you also have a lot to gain because God honors and responds to the faith of his people.  If we place our trust in him, he will never let us down!   

���

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Joshua 3:1 – Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim.  And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.

In our last post we considered the actions of the spies who were sent to Jericho in order to gather military intelligence.  We noted that God set up a divine encounter between the two men and Rahab, a prostitute who chose to place her faith in God. 

The men returned from their mission full of faith; they were absolutely certain that God was going to give not only Jericho but all of Canaan to the Israelites.

Having done everything in his own power to assure Israel's success, Joshua now orders the representatives from each tribe to go throughout the camp and inform the people that they were about to leave Shittim and camp by the eastern shore of the flooded Jordan river.  Very soon they will cross the river and begin to conquer the Promised Land.

This will be Israel's second chance to enter the Promised Land.  Let's discuss that for a minute. 

Forty years prior to this, after many miraculous signs and wonders, God called Israel to place their faith in him and move forward to claim the land he had promised them through Abraham.  As we know, they reacted in fear, rebelled against God, and refused to enter in.  They even considered choosing someone to lead them back into Egypt (Numbers 14:3-4)! 

At that point, God declared that they would wander in the wilderness until the current generation died (Numbers 14:20-23, 28-35); he would give the land to their children.  He instructed Moses to turn the people around and lead them back toward the Red Sea.

Immediately afterward, we find a group of people who tried to force God into a 'do over' – they gathered the next day, took up arms and attacked the Canaanites.  Needless to say, they were routed in battle:

Numbers 14:44-45 – But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, although neither the ark of the covenant of the Lord nor Moses departed out of the camp.  Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them and pursued them, even to Hormah.

What about our own lives?  Are there instances where you wish you could have a 'do over'?  I can think of a few in my own life and I bet you can too! 

The bad news is that in this life there is no such thing as a 'do over'.  Once you made your decision (or took that action, or opened your mouth and said that thing), it was done.  There was no going back. 

But there is good news too:  Our God is the God of second chances!

In this particular instance, God has once again brought Israel to the edge of the land he promised on oath to give them.  They have a second chance to place their faith in him and take the land. 

God will do the same for you.  He will forgive your past failure and at some point, he will give you a second chance to step out in faith and do what he has called you to do.  Or he will give you a second chance to build someone up with your words, instead of destroying them.  Or he will give you a second chance to bring him glory by resisting that sin.  Or he will give you another chance to testify on his behalf.  Or� well, you get the picture. 

So, if you have a 'do over' moment that still bothers you, talk to God about it today.  He is well able to redeem that failure in your life by giving you a second chance to succeed. 

Joshua 3:2-3 – At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, "As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it."

Remember, this group does not consist solely of able-bodied soldiers.  It also includes women, children, babies, old people, animals and possessions.  Everybody and everything associated with Israel is going to cross the Jordan, so they had to pack up and prepare.  Three days was a reasonable amount of time to get ready.

As they were packing up, the real question on everyone's mind was this:  How will they cross the raging river?   

They clearly knew that there was no way for them to get safely across during the spring floods.  But instead of filling their minds with thoughts of impossibility and failure, the people were instructed to keep their eyes on the Lord and follow his leading (watch the ark and follow when it moves).  

Remember, during this time God did not live in the hearts of his people as he does today.  His presence dwelt among Israel by being on the mercy seat of the ark.  So, following the ark was literally following God. 

The inference is that God was going to do something unusual or miraculous on their behalf.  Israel could only experience this miracle by following God in faith, trusting that he would make a way.  In other words, by faith they embraced a solution they did not see or comprehend in the natural realm. 

While that statement has clear implications for each of us as individuals, it also applies to the church of Jesus Christ.

The church's mandate is to win the lost to Christ and conquer the world for the kingdom of heaven.  There is no possible way to accomplish this solely in the natural realm.  Like ancient Israel, we must look to the Lord for a miraculous solution.  In other words, this battle must first be won in the spiritual realm through prayer and intercession.  Only then can we expect a breakthrough in the natural realm.

We too must keep our spiritual eyes fixed on the Lord and move forward under the divine leadership of Holy Spirit.  By faith we must embrace solutions that we do not see or comprehend in the natural realm.  As we follow his leading God will miraculously open doors (or dry up rivers) for us.    

Israel's only hope of taking the land was under the direction of God.  Likewise, the church's only hope of taking earth for the kingdom of heaven is under the direction of God, as revealed by Holy Spirit. 

Let each church seek God for specific direction on how to win their communities to Christ.  If we all do so, we will win the world.

Joshua 3:4 – "Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2000 cubits in length.  Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before."

The first thing we need to understand about this verse is the phrase 'you have not passed this way before'.  On first glance, it seems to refer to the land they were traversing, as in 'you have never been here before'.  But that is incorrect.  The phrase actually refers to the manner or method by which the Lord led them.    

In order to understand this fully, we must review the manner/method in which the Lord led Israel up to this point. 

So let me ask you this: When you picture the Israelites (over a million people) traveling around the wilderness, how do you picture them?  Do you see a big, chaotic horde of people and animals meandering along like a swarm of bees?

If so, let me give you some insight.  God never does anything in a haphazard or chaotic manner.  Even during her period of wandering Israel was very well organized.  You can read the exact details yourself in Numbers chapter two, but let me just give you a brief picture now:

The twelve tribes were divided into four 'standards'. 

• Judah was the leader of the first standard.  This division also included Issachar and Zebulun.  When it was time to move, they set out first, directly following the pillar of cloud/fire.  They could follow the pillar as closely as they desired.    

• Reuben was the leader of the second standard.  This division also included Gad and Simeon.

• The Levites, who were responsible for moving the tabernacle and its furnishings (including the ark) always marched in the middle of the procession, between the second and third standard.

• Ephraim was the leader of the third standard.  This division included Manasseh and Benjamin.

• Dan was the leader of the fourth standard.  This division included Asher and Naphtali.

When Israel moved from place to place, this was the order in which the column marched.   (Also, keep in mind that within each standard the tribes did not intermingle; they kept themselves separate from other tribes.) 

Incidentally, Israel also had a precise order in which they made camp, which was a square with the tabernacle in the middle and the tribes surrounding it, in a specific order.  Whenever Israel made camp, the pillar of cloud/fire would rest over the holy place in the tabernacle (Numbers 9:15-23).  

Anyway, my point is that until the time Joshua took over as leader, it was perfectly normal for Israel to closely follow the pillar of fire/cloud, which was clearly visible to all of them.  The ark itself traveled with the Levites and it was kept under wraps so no one could actually see it.

However, a change was now taking place.  The pillar of fire/cloud was a visible sign of God's presence specially granted to Moses.  Now that he was dead, the pillar was gone.  God's presence still traveled with/led Israel, but now the ark itself was the emblem they must follow in order to discern which way to go.  

We will take a look at the significance of this in a minute.  But first, let's take a look at the new buffer zone.

Joshua clearly cautioned the people not to crowd in around the ark.  They had to maintain a buffer zone of 2000 cubits (about 1000 yards).  There were a few reasons for this:

• It created an atmosphere of respect and holiness around the ark (presence of God).  God was in the midst of his people, but they could not treat his presence lightly or they would die.

• It helped the people to clearly see where the ark was going.  By hanging back a bit, it would be easier for the column of people to see the direction the ark was headed.

• It allowed the whole nation to witness the miracle God was about to perform.  This was very significant.  The Jordan River was at the bottom of a ravine.  As the people descended from camp on the heights, they would each have a chance to see the ark in the distance (although it would be very small). 

Those in the front of the column had a chance to see the priests enter the river.  They watched as the water drained away.  As they moved forward, those further along in the column would have seen the ark in the middle of the dry riverbed while the people easily passed over. 

Put yourself in their place and picture that astonishing sight:  As you walked down the mountainside, you notice that things are unusually quiet.  Then you catch a glimpse into the valley below.  Instead of the seeing (and hearing) the raging river, you witness four priests standing in the midst of a dry riverbed holding the ark by its poles.  The gold of the ark catches the sunlight and shines so brilliantly, you can't actually see it.  You notice the vast nation of Israel easily traversing the riverbed, which isn't even muddy, despite having been underwater just minutes ago! 

All your fears and doubts about entering the Promised Land vanish as you realize the power and might of your God!� You move confidently forward, eager to experience the crossing for yourself! �What a miracle!�

So, we have established that God is going to begin leading the people in a new way or manner.  Specifically, his presence will no longer be visible by the pillar; the people must now keep their eyes upon the ark.  

This leads to some interesting implications:

The ark was a chest that contained the law of God (the Ten Commandments) written with the hand of God on two tablets of stone prepared by Moses (Deuteronomy 10:1-5, Exodus 34: 1, 28).  The mercy seat was located on the lid of the ark, where the presence of Jesus formed a shield of mercy between God and man. 

Therefore, we could correctly say that Israel marched into the Jordan, around the city of Jericho and into the heart of the Promised Land led by not only the invisible presence of God, but by his written law also.  

It was this law that brought about judgment to the Canaanites.  The same law also brought judgment (exile) to Israel when they disregarded it (I Kings 9:6-7).    

The same law was written on stones in the heart of the Promised Land, and it was declared to be the law of the land (Joshua 8:30-32). 

Conclusion:  The conquest of Canaan resulted in a people who declared and obeyed the law of God.  The nation itself was a testimony to the world about who God really is, and how he could be known.  It was a partial fulfillment of the blessing God pronounced on the nation through Abraham:

Genesis 22:18 - And in your descendants shall all the nations of the earth be blessed�

Is this not also a foreshadowing of God's purpose for the church and for America?  As Christians, we too are to live by the invisible leading of God's Spirit and his written law – the bible.  We are to be a people who know and uphold the laws of holiness, grace, mercy and salvation.

God desires to have his law become the law of our nation, so that we can be a testimony and a light for him to the rest of the world. 

Unfortunately, like Israel, we have allowed our nation to move away from its foundation on the law of God.  But if we seek his guidance and follow his leading, there may yet be hope for America to be saved and to fulfill the destiny God has prepared for her.

Joshua 3:5 – Then Joshua said to the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

Our text is not specific about the steps the Israelites took to consecrate themselves, however, we can assume they were the same steps outlined elsewhere in scripture. 

Under the period of the Old Testament, people consecrated themselves by taking a bath, washing their clothes and abstaining from sexual relations (Exodus 19:10-14).  The purpose of these actions was to cleanse their bodies and prepare/focus their minds on God so they could perceive his working on their behalf and follow his leading by faith.   

These steps of consecration were symbols or shadows of the consecration we are to practice under the new covenant.

We are to wash or cleanse ourselves from the sin of the world:

2 Corinthians 7:1 - Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 

And put on 'clean garments' that glorify the Lord:

Colossians 3:12-13 - Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you.

We are to keep our minds and hearts focused on God, so that we can perceive his working in our generation:

Colossians 1:9 - For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

It is important that we understand what God is doing in our midst for several reasons.�

• One, so we can partner with him in the work.�
• Two, so we can be strengthened by the testimony that his power creates.�
• Three, so we can give him adequate praise and worship.�
• Four, so we can testify about his works to the world, who would love to give the credit to someone or something else.

Joshua 3:6-7 – And Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people."  So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.  The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you."

Here we see yet another reason for the upcoming miracle in which the waters of the Jordan are stopped so Israel can cross over.  God uses this event to confirm the commission of Joshua as his chosen leader over Israel. 

God had accredited Moses in the sight of Israel by the miraculous division of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:31) and he now accredits Joshua by a parting of the flooded Jordan river.  This miracle secured/established two things – Joshua's unquestioned authority as leader of Israel and consequently, the obedience of the people to his command. Both would be absolutely necessary during the conquest.

Joshua 3:8 – "And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'"

God had clearly already spoken his full plan to Joshua.  The priests were to go ahead of the people bearing the ark.  As soon as their feet touched the water, the flow of water was stopped upstream, at a town called Adam.  Meanwhile, the rest of the water flowed on toward the Dead Sea, leaving a dry channel for the people to cross over. 

This was not an instantaneous event.� The moment the priests put their feet into the water, God cut off the flow upstream, but it would take some time for the remaining water to flow past the priests.�

They probably waited patiently near the shore until the water had receded.� At that point, they advanced to the middle of the channel and then stood still until all of the people had passed over.� Scholars estimate that it took half of an entire day for all of them to cross.

Let's change direction for just a minute.  Have you read or heard other teachings on this passage of scripture that associate the Jordan River with death?

I want to mention this because it is fairly common.  Many people feel that the wilderness represents life here on earth, crossing the Jordan refers to death (crossing over to eternity) and the Promised Land represents heaven.  This portion of scripture has often been used to give instruction and comfort in times of loss, which is entirely appropriate.   

But I see another lesson here as well - waiting on the Lord. 

Joshua heard the word/promise of God to Israel.  In faith, he relayed that message to the people and had the priests move forward to the banks of the swollen river.  They put their feet in the water, just as God commanded.  But as we noted, the results were not instantaneous.    

I am convinced that at first, it was hard to tell if anything had actually happened or not.  I am sure that there was a point where they couldn't detect any change in the water level at all.  Perhaps they grew weary and considered giving up at that point.  But they didn't.  As they waited on the Lord, they received strength to continue on and eventually the answer manifested in front of their eyes.

Psalm 37:34 - Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt you to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.  

What are you waiting on the Lord to do for you?  If it seems to be taking a while, let me encourage you not to give up.  Wait on the Lord and let him renew your strength; eventually the answer will manifest for you.     

Joshua 3:9-10 – And Joshua said to the people of Israel, "Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God."  And Joshua said, "Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perrizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites."

Remember, the people have consecrated themselves; they are prepared to hear/receive the word of the Lord and see his mighty works.

Joshua now reminds the people that they serve the true God (Jehovah) who is living, active and powerful.  This is in opposition to the dead, useless, inanimate idols being worshipped by the heathen nations.

God will shortly demonstrate his great miraculous power, for he is sovereign over heaven and earth; nature is at his beck and call.

The miracle Israel is about to experience is not a pointless show of power.  It is an assurance that God will give them victory over the armies of Canaan.  The work that God began with the crossing of the Jordan will be completed or perfected when the people are taken into the land to possess their inheritance:

Psalm 138:7-8 - Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me: you shall stretch forth your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand shall save me.  The LORD will perfect that which concerns me: your mercy, O LORD, endures forever: forsake not the works of your own hands.   

Later, when Israel faces her enemies in battle, she can look back on this moment (the miracle of the Jordan) and know that God is actively present with her, and through him victory is assured.  In essence, this is a 'victory moment' for Israel to remember.  

Joshua 3:11 – "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan."

Notice again how Joshua describes God – as the Lord of all the earth.  This means he is the ruler not only of nature but of all the elements on the planet; he can stop or dry up the water of the Jordan with a single command.  Furthermore, as ruler, the land belongs to him.  He will decide who has the right to live in it.

The ark itself, the repository for God's word, will go before the people into the Jordan.  Not only will God make a way for Israel to cross the river, he will watch over his word and keep the promise he made to Abraham to give his people the land of Canaan.    

Joshua 3:12-13 – "Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man.  And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap."

Why would Joshua call for a man from each tribe to come forward?

One reason would be to act as witnesses.  There are over million people in the nation and the closest people had to stay 1000 feet from the ark.  Although everyone could see at least part of this miracle, none of them had a close up view. 

So each tribe sends a reliable witness who will have a front row seat to the action.  These men either stood beside Joshua or very close to the priests who bore the ark into the river.  Each man could then return to his tribe and describe exactly what he saw.  This would eliminate the 'rumor mill' that normally occurs when people lack reliable information. 

This is not the first time a witness has been appointed from each tribe.  The same system was used by Moses on a number of other occasions (Numbers 1:44, Numbers 17:2-6, Deuteronomy 1:23, etc). 

In addition to acting as witnesses, Joshua has another job for these men to perform, which we will take a look at in chapter four.

 Joshua concludes his speech by revealing the miracle itself: when the feet of the priests bearing the ark enter the water of the Jordan, the waters will be 'cut off' or stop flowing at some point upstream, which will allow Israel to cross the riverbed on dry ground. 

As you know, this was the same miracle God performed earlier, when Israel crossed the Red Sea.  That event had been forever imprinted on the minds of Israel through the song of Moses:

Exodus 15:8 - And with the blast of your nostrils the waters were gathered together, the floods stood upright as a heap, and the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea.

Songs can be very useful tools!  The Israelites would make up songs that glorified God by telling about his excellent deeds, his profound mercy and his perfect character.  These songs were not only history lessons, they were testimonies to the power and love of God. 

Scripture actually admonishes us to sing new songs to the Lord (Psalms 33:3, Psalms 98:1, Isaiah 42:10).  Have you ever made up a song to the Lord?  I have tried on a few occasions.  I admit that I am not good at it - it is actually much harder than it seems!

If music is too hard for you to write, consider writing a poem or keeping a journal.  The point of the song (or poem or journal) is to burn a testimony of God's power into your mind, so you never forget it.  A song/poem/journal also makes it easy to pass your testimony on to other generations. 

Joshua 3:14-15 – So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of the harvest),

Here the story is reiterated for us in broad strokes:  It was spring, during the time of the barley harvest.  The Jordan River was at its highest level of the year; it was overflowing with melted snow from the mountains of Lebanon.  Israel had no means to cross the river.

But God is the ruler of all creation.  As soon as the feet of the priests bearing the word of God touch the water, it congealed far upstream, at the city of Adam. 

Joshua 3:16 - � the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off.  And the people passed over opposite Jericho.

Meanwhile, as the water south of Adam continued to flow toward the Dead Sea, the riverbed became dry and the children of Israel passed over without any difficulty at all!

Their crossing occurred directly opposite the city of Jericho, one of the premier and best defended cities in Canaan. 

It seems doubtful that the people of Jericho witnessed Israel crossing the river.  If they had seen it, they would probably have called their army out to engage them in battle during this vulnerable time.

The inhabitants of Jericho probably felt they were safe from attack until the spring rains were over.  I imagine they were filled with dread when they work up one morning and saw that Israel had somehow crossed that river and they were now only eight miles away!   

Joshua 3:17 – Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

This is an additional testimony of the power of God.  The same power that parted the water kept it parted or cut off until all of the people, their animals and their possessions had passed over.   

When God begins a good work, he always completes it (Philippians 1:6).

Let me offer you some encouragement:

 The miracle of the Jordan River was not just a pointless show of power.  It was a testimony to the people of Israel that God was going to give them victory over the heathen nations of Canaan. 

Later, when they faced their enemies in battle, they could look back on this 'victory moment' and be encouraged in the Lord.

We all have victory moments in our lives – times that we watched God move on our behalf and give us victory.  I suggest that you make your own personal list of victory moments, and keep it handy.  Frequently remind yourself what God has done for you in the past.  These moments will serve to encourage you and build up your faith in the future, when new trials arise.  

Let me offer you some relief:

We serve a God of second chances.  Hallelujah!

If you have regret over some of the choices you have made in life, take that situation before the Lord.  He will cleanse you and cast your sin as far away as the east is from the west!

Ask the Lord to give you a second chance to do the right thing in that circumstance, then watch for the opportunity to present itself!  

Let me offer you some strength:

Are you waiting on the fulfillment of a promise from the Lord?  Don't become discouraged in the midst of the waiting period.  Remember, God is never late but he is seldom early!

Instead, focus your attention on God.  Remind yourself that he has not forgotten you!  He is waiting for the perfect moment to answer your prayer.  In the meantime, stay close to the Lord, and he will renew your strength (Isaiah 40:31) so that you can eventually receive your answer.

   

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Joshua 2:14 – And the men said to her, "Our life for yours even to death!  If you do not tell this business of ours, then when the Lord gives us the land we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."

As we ended our last post, Rahab was in the middle of bargaining with the spies/scouts of Israel.  Both she and the scouts are fully aware that Jericho is going to fall to the Israelites; their destruction is only a matter of time because God is giving the land to his people.

In light of this, Rahab wants the scouts to swear an oath to God that they will spare her life and the lives of her family, because she spared their lives.

Oaths were a common yet serious commitment when given from one person to another.  However, oaths made between people can be subverted or broken, often without consequences. 

For example, let's assume this particular oath was only between Rahab and the spies.  Although she kept her part of the bargain by helping them escape, the spies could have broken the oath by simply letting her family die in the invasion and no one would have known.  In this scenario, no one would be able to hold the spies accountable for their oath.

But when God is involved, it's a whole different story!� By making God a witness to the oath, the men essentially declare that if they fail to save Rahab (and her family) or if evil/destruction befalls Rahab because of negligence on their part, the spies will give their own lives in payment/exchange.� The spies call upon God to punish them with death if they failed to do everything within their power to save Rahab.� Thus, their oath cannot be broken; God will hold them accountable for their promise.

We can take comfort in knowing that God ALWAYS keeps his promises.  In fact, the prophet Jeremiah tells us that God actively watches over his word, to make sure that he keeps those promises:

Jeremiah 1:12 - Then said the LORD unto me, You have well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

For her part, Rahab must agree to do three things.� First, she has to keep her mouth shut.� She cannot divulge anything that she knows about the spies or Israel; she cannot mention them in any way, at any time, to anyone.

It is unlikely that the spies required this because they did not trust Rahab.  If she intended to do them harm, she would have already done so when the king's soldiers showed up at her door. 

If that is the case, then why do the spies demand that she keep quiet?

The request could have been made for her own safety.  If she continued to drop idle comments about the matter, people would begin to gossip.  Word would get back to the king that Rahab might know more than she was telling.  If this occurred, it was entirely possible that the king of Jericho might have her arrested or put to death and in that case, the men of Israel would be unable to deliver her.

Alternatively, there may have been a plan (unknown to us) in which Rahab somehow assisted Israel in taking the city.  As of this time, no one knew that God was going to miraculously deliver Jericho into Israel's hands.  Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that a plan may have existed, even though they ended up not using it. 

However, it is more likely that her silence was to prevent anyone else from taking refuge under the oath.� For instance, if Rahab told her best friend about the matter, the friend would want to be saved too, along with her own family.� Those people would also want to save their families and friends, and so on and so on.� You can imagine what a chaotic scene the spies would encounter at Rahab's house if large numbers of people were seeking refuge there.

For this reason, the spies were cautious when making the oath; they wisely insisted on the silence of Rahab as part of the agreement.� They did not want to bind themselves to an oath that was too much for them to handle or that would go against the commands of God.� Jericho and all its inhabitants were devoted to destruction; the spies want to make sure that she is the only exception to this command.

Later, we will see that Israel makes a rash oath with the Gibeonites (Joshua chapter 9) which they will immediately regret, but they are still bound to keep the oath they made. 

Joshua 2:15 – Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was built into the city wall, so that she lived in the wall.

Once again, we find that this narrative is not in chronological order.� Rahab did not lower the spies outside the city walls and then continue making plans by shouting to the men from her window!�� Obviously, the three of them covertly finished negotiating their business BEFORE she lowered them outside the tightly shut gates.

She was eventually able to help them escape because the wall of the city formed the back wall of her house.� This meant that her window gave access to the open country outside the city wall.� By the time she lowered the men down, it was well past nightfall and the darkness provided cover for them as they left.

Here are two trivia questions for you:  What other bible character escaped his enemies by being lowered in a basket outside the city walls?  Who was this person escaping from?   The answers are at the end of this post.

Joshua 2:16 – And she said to them, "Go into the hills, or the pursuers will encounter you, and hide there three days until the pursuers have returned.  Then afterward you may go your way."

Rahab's parting advice told the spies the best way to avoid capture. 

The soldiers of Jericho were diligently searching the eight miles of road which led back to the fords of the Jordan.  For this reason, she cautions them to head straight for the mountains or hills that were close by the city and hide until the pursuers gave up the search. 

History tells us that a range of white limestone hills existed around the city, especially on the north side.  These hills rose to a height of about 1200-1500 feet, and they were perforated with many caves.  This provided a measure of safety, because it would be impossible for the soldiers to search every single one. 

The time frame of three days probably refers to two nights and one day.� The first night was the night they left the city.� The soldiers no doubt spent the entire next day searching for the spies during daylight hours. Failing to find them, they would probably return to Jericho sometime after nightfall.� So, any time after that point it would be safe for the spies to head back across the river.

Joshua 2:17-18 – The men said to her, "We will be guiltless with respect to this oath of yours that you have made us swear.  Behold, when we come into the land, you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and you shall gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's household."

The spies outlined three conditions that Rahab had to meet in order for them to be bound by the oath.  As we just noted, the first condition was silence. 

Secondly, Rahab had to tie a scarlet or red colored cord in the same window that she was going to use to get the spies out of the city.� Since her window looked outside the gates, the spies would be able to identify her house immediately on the day of battle.�

It is interesting to note that the original word translated 'cord' is most often translated 'web' or 'ribbon'.  So, the scarlet-colored item may not have been an actual rope or cord, which might have been difficult to see from the ground outside.  It may have been a larger piece of cloth, made from scarlet thread kind of like a flag. 

In either case, it must have been large enough to be easily identified by the spies when Israel returned to take the city.  It was something already in Rahab's house; it was not given to her by the spies.

As far as Rahab and the spies were concerned, the only purpose of the scarlet cord/cloth was to identify the house of Rahab.  But in retrospect, many scholars see a parallel with the spiritual realm.

Think back to the night before Israel left Egypt.  After killing the Passover lamb, they were to brush the blood of the lamb on the top and side door posts of their houses, and they were to remain in that house until morning (Exodus 12:7, 21-22).  The blood of the Passover lamb, which was a type/shadow of the blood of Christ, saved them from the death angel which passed through Egypt that night (Exodus 12:12-13, 23).

Similarly, in order to escape death Rahab had to hang a representation of blood (the scarlet cloth/cord) in her window and all of her family had to remain inside her house until they were personally rescued by the spies.

This brings our discussion to the third and final requirement of the spies – Rahab and all her family members who wished to be delivered from death had to be in her house with the door shut when the city was taken.

Joshua 2:19-20 – "Then if anyone goes out of the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we shall be guiltless.� But if a hand is laid on anyone who is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head.� But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be guiltless with respect to your oath that you have made us swear."

In a physical sense, the mandate to remain in the house was absolutely critical, for the soldiers of Israel had no way of distinguishing Rahab's family from any of the other people in Jericho. In order to stay safe, they had to separate themselves from the rest of the nation by staying indoors at her house.� If anyone chose to go outside of the protection of the house, they were taking their life into their own hands; the spies were no longer under an oath to guarantee their safety.

In the spiritual sense, the scarlet cloth/cord represented the blood of Christ.  Rahab's family had to separate themselves from the sinful world around them and obediently remain under the 'blood' in order to be saved from certain death.  If they dallied outside of the protection of the blood, they could be subject to death.

This story is a beautiful foreshadowing of God's ultimate plan to bring the Gentiles into his kingdom:     

Isaiah 49:6 - And he [God] said, It is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.

As a Gentile, I am so glad God opened up his kingdom to people of every 'tribe, tongue and race' (Revelation 5:9-10)!  What about you?   

Incidentally, Rahab has a lot of similarities to the Samarian woman who met Jesus at the well (John chapter 4).  What similarities can you find between these two women and their situations?

Joshua 2:21 – And she said, "According to your words, so be it."  Then she sent them away, and they departed.  And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

We don't know how much time passed between the spies being lowered outside the city and Rahab placing the cloth/cord in the window.�

Hanging the cord immediately, well before the siege, may have caused her neighbors to suspect that she was up to something.  She probably waited to place it in the window until the army of Israel had surrounded the city.  At that time, no one was likely to pay any attention to it.

Joshua 2:22 – They departed and went into the hills and remained there three days until the pursuers returned, and the pursuers searched all along the way and found nothing.

The spies have been successful in their mission.� They gained information about the crossing of the Jordan (specifically, that it would be impossible to cross without a miracle).� They had seen the walls of Jericho, been inside the city and learned that the Lord had put a spirit of fear upon the people of Jericho, just as he promised he would.�

Since they gained all of the information they desired, there was no further need for them to remain on that side of the Jordan.� Rahab no doubt supplied them with provisions and they wisely hid themselves in the limestone caves near the city for a time, until their pursuers had given up the chase. �Then they returned to the Israelite camp.

Joshua 2:23-24 – Then the two men returned.  They came down from the hills and passed over and came to Joshua son of Nun, and they told him all that had happened to them.  And they said to Joshua, "Truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands.  And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us."

The safe return of the men was a strong encouragement to Joshua.  God had divinely connected the spies with Rahab, given them the intelligence they wanted, and brought them safely back to the camp.  This was evidence of the divine protection and guidance of God.    

This verse also reveals the character of the men that Joshua sent into Jericho.  Many people, having faced the danger they did, would not be able to keep their mouths shut!  They would have burst into the camp and immediately began talking about their narrow escape from death.  This would have resulted in rumors and possibly fear circulating throughout the camp.  It could have caused a repeat of the defeat Israel suffered 40 years earlier!

But that is not what occurred.  Immediately upon their return, these men of integrity go directly to Joshua and give him a strong word of faith – the Lord was giving Israel the land!

Think about it for a moment – nothing had changed from the time of the ten spies until the time of the two.  The sons of Anak (giants) were still in the land.  The cities of Canaan were still just as fortified as ever and their walls were probably even stronger.  The army of Israel was still relatively inexperienced. 

Truthfully, the only change in the situation was the faith of the people!

What a difference faith made! Don't ever forget that faith is a powerful weapon!� Faith in God moves mighty mountains (Matthew 17:20)! �

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The two spies came to Joshua full of faith, confidence and praise for God.  When they said to Joshua 'truly the Lord has given all the land into our hands' they were thanking God and testifying of a victory that was yet to come. 

Let me encourage you to act in the same manner.  When you are in a battle, do NOT let fear, despair or failure come out of your mouth!  Remember, your words have power:

Proverbs 18:21 - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

With that in mind, make sure you are speaking victory over your life every time you open your mouth!

Let me offer you some relief:

Do the actions of Rahab disturb you?  If so, let me offer you some relief.

God's power to protect the spies was never dependent upon the words of Rahab.  It is true that she lied to the soldiers and secured their deliverance, but we can be sure that God could have protected them just as easily if she had told the truth. 

Rahab was acting in faith with the limited knowledge she had of God, and God honored her for that.� Although we know more about God than she did, our understanding of God is still imperfect.� Yet, we can be relieved to know that God will honor our faith too when we reach out to him using the knowledge that we have. �

Let me offer you some strength:

What are we to learn from the lesson of the spies and their interaction with Rahab?  One thing is clear:  Though the hand of God was evident in everything that happened to Israel, the people still had a part to play. 

It was up to them to use the resources, intelligence and strength which God had given them in order to secure the promise of God. 

The same is true for us.  What promises has God made to you?  How are you using the talents, resources and connections God has given you to make that dream come true?     

TRIVIA QUESTION ANSWERS:

Hundreds of years after the invasion of Jericho, the apostle Paul escaped from the king of Damascus by being lowered in a basket from a window in the city wall (II Corinthians 11:32-33). 

Did you get the answers correct?  If so, be sure to reward yourself!

���

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Joshua 2:1 – And Joshua the son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho."  And they went and came into the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab and lodged there.

In this chapter, we have the account of the two spies sent by Joshua to gather military intelligence about Jericho. 

We can't help but be reminded of the failed mission that occurred some 40 years earlier when the 12 spies were sent into the Promised Land by Moses.  Let's take just a minute to discuss how these two events are different.

When Moses sent the 12 spies into the Promised Land, their mission was to survey all the districts in the land and bring back information to the rest of Israel.  They were to assess the goodness and fertility of the land, the magnitude and number of the cities, and the nature of the inhabitants. 

The object in sending the spies was to give a positive and amazing witness to the people, who would then move with alacrity to conquer the land.  In other words, the purpose of sending the spies was to build the faith and confidence of the people.

Unfortunately, due to a complete and utter lack of faith on the Israelite's part, 10 of the spies responded in fear and the people refused to take the land as God commanded.

In the present instance, Joshua did not send the two spies out to inspect the land; Israel already knows what the land is like.� Also, there is no need to build faith in this generation – they have already defeated several enemies and they are ready to march forward and claim their inheritance.

This time, the spies or scouts are sent specifically for military intelligence.� Joshua wanted to know whether or not there was a passage over the Jordan, and if the people of Jericho were alert and ready for battle.� The spies/scouts were also examining the city's fortifications and looking for any other unexpected dangers. �

It's important to note that this did not reflect a lack of faith on the part of Joshua.� Anytime we partner with God to get things done, we must be diligent to do our part; when we act prudently and prepare as well as we can, we can rest assured that God will do the rest.� The key is that we must actively participate in the partnership by doing all we know to do.� This is exactly what Joshua did.

The two spies/scouts set out and arrived at the house of a prostitute named Rahab. Although some scholars maintain that she was an inn keeper, the original Hebrew word in this passage clearly means 'harlot'. 

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

However, there is really no need to try and 'clean up' the image of Rahab; ALL of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

As we will see, Rahab plays a pivotal role in the success of the spies' mission.  In the end, she becomes an Israelite.  In fact, the lineage of King David passes through her.  We will take a closer look at this later on in our study, but for now we can meditate on the goodness and grace of God, who welcomed this pagan sinner into the fellowship of Israel.

Now, scripture simply says that the spies came to Jericho (approximately eight miles from the river) and entered Rahab's house.  How do you suppose they wound up there?

One thing we should keep in mind is that the spies would have been anxious to avoid any public places.� Since strangers are always noticed and they didn't want to be arrested on charges of espionage, the fewer people who saw them, the better.�

With that in mind, one theory is that Rahab was 'out and about' looking for business when the two spies came upon her.� After reaching some agreement, she quickly led them directly to her house, which was built into the city wall.� This is one scenario which would keep the spies out of the more public thoroughfares.

Another theory says that the prostitutes were probably located all together in a kind of 'red light' district which was avoided by a large portion of the population, especially during daylight hours.  It may have been that the spies went directly there to avoid being seen in the general marketplaces.

A third theory speculates that Rahab was outside the city gates traveling the public roads when a 'chance' (divine) encounter brought her into contact with the spies.� After realizing who they were, she agreed to help them and took them into the city with her.

Regardless of how the scouts found Rahab, we can be sure that divine intervention and protection were involved because God led them to the one person in the city who was willing to help!

Joshua 2:2 –And it was told to the king of Jericho, "Behold, men of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land."

For the most part, the cities and towns of Palestine were individual kingdoms or states whose rulers were called kings.  This was clearly the case in Jericho.

The fact that the king of Jericho heard news of the scouts makes complete sense because news of the nation of Israel and her God had spread all throughout the region:

• God had delivered his people from slavery in Egypt.
• God led his people in a pillar of clouds and fire.�
• God parted the Red Sea, and his people crossed over on dry land.�
• God rolled the waters back upon Pharaoh and his officers, who then drowned.�
• God provided water and food (manna) for his people as they traversed the desert.�
• God fought for his people during their many battles.��

In fact, the pagan nations of Canaan were terrified of Israel because her God was much more powerful than any of their multiple deities.�

Given the circumstances, it is probable that watchman had been posted on the city walls and at strategic points within the city to watch for any/all suspicious strangers.� Despite their best efforts to remain unnoticed, the scouts were spotted and subsequently followed to Rahab's house.� News of their presence was reported to the king, who waited for nightfall.

Joshua 2:3-4 – Then the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land."But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them.  And she said, "True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from."

Once the city gate is shut for the night, and escape seemed impossible, the king sent soldiers to capture the men he correctly believed to be spies of Israel. 

But Rahab had anticipated this possibility and as a result, she had hidden the men on her rooftop, under some drying flax.

When questioned by the soldiers, she answers wisely; she does not deny the men were at her house.  To deny their presence completely would have resulted in her own arrest along with charges of treason and probable execution. 

Joshua 2:5 – "And when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out.  I do not know where the men went.  Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

Rahab deceives the soldiers by falsely claiming that the spies abruptly left immediately before the gates closed for the night. 

This lie succeeded in misleading the officers sent by the king.  After all, her story sounded plausible enough – the spies would not risk capture by being locked up in the city overnight.  Plus, as far as the soldiers knew, Rahab had no reason to lie to them; if Jericho was overtaken she would suffer the same fate as her countrymen.  For these reasons, the soldiers believed her story.

Furthermore, she plants the thought in their minds that if they act quickly and immediately search for the spies outside the gate, they will find their enemies and gain an advantage over Israel.  Thus, she kept them from searching her house – the only obvious place for the spies to be!

By hiding the spies and misdirecting the soldiers of Jericho, Rahab is actually demonstrating her faith in the God of Israel.  We are specifically told this by the apostle James:

James 2:25-26 - Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Why would Rahab choose to side with Israel?�

Her decision was based on spiritual awareness.  Rahab heard the same testimonies of the power of God that the rest of her nation heard.  But unlike her countrymen, she allowed those testimonies to build her faith in Jehovah as the only true God.  While they continued to trust in false idols and physical strength for deliverance, she cast herself on the mercy of the true God.  She did this in the only way possible – by assisting the scouts.   

This leaves us with a bit of a quandary� how can she be rewarded by God for lying?

This is a question that has been debated at length by many people. You are welcome to study this issue on your own, but for our purposes we will simply say this: Rahab was a sinner and a pagan who knew nothing of the holy ways of God.� Upon hearing of Jehovah she reached out to him in faith in the only way she could, and because of that she was accepted by him despite her folly.

Hebrews 11:31 - By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Siding with Israel against her own people was a huge step of faith in God!

Joshua 2:6 – But she had brought them up to the roof and hid them with the stalks of flax that she had laid in order on the roof.

When was the last time you were up on the roof of your own house?  For many people that answer is 'never'!

Our roofs are steep/angled and they have only one purpose – to keep our houses dry.  But back in the days of ancient Israel, the homes were all made with flat roofs, which essentially made them additional living space.  They used them much as we would use a patio.  You could meet guests there, enjoy the cool breeze in the evening, eat or even sleep there.  For example:

• King David was on his roof when he first saw Bathsheba (II Samuel 11:2).

• The people of Israel used their roof tops to set up booths for the feast of booths (Nehemiah 8:16).�

• The friends of the paralytic tore a hole in the roof and lowered him down into the house in front of Jesus (Mark 2:4).�

Evidence also suggests that in ancient times, people (pagans and Israelites alike) often prayed on their roof tops.  This space could also be used for work or household related purposes, such as drying flax or hemp.

The roof was an obvious place for the scouts to hide and an easy place for the soldiers to search, yet they did not do so.  So, we see that God provided a safe place for his servants, even in the midst of enemy territory.   

Joshua 2:7 – So the men pursued after them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords.� And the gate was shut as soon as the pursuers had gone out.

Based on the information of Rahab, the king's men leave the city and follow the same course the spies would have taken – the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan.  As we previously noted, this was a distance of about eight miles. 

The soldiers must have been searching for the men all along the way, in case they had hidden themselves.  This delay gave Rahab enough time to safely send the scouts on their way back to Israel.

Joshua 2:8-9 – Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, "I know that the Lord 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."

Having sent the king's men on a wild goose chase, Rahab now returns to bargain with the men of Israel.  She begins by mentioning two things which, in her mind, specifically confirm that Jehovah is the one true God. 

First, only the true God of the universe could have caused such utter terror to fall upon the people of the region.  The soldiers of Jericho were a formidable army who had often struck fear into the hearts of their enemies.  But now, hearing rumors of Israel and her God, they were so terrified that their strength and courage drained away like wax melting before a fire (Exodus 15:15).  This is exactly what God promised he would do for Israel:

Deuteronomy 11:25 – No one shall be able to stand against you.� The Lord your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread, as he promised you.

Rahab is also firmly convinced that all of the land (the entire earth) belongs to the one true God, who is the ultimate ruler of the nations.  He is able to give the land to whatever nation he chooses.  She understands that God has resolved to give the entire region of Canaan (including Jericho) to his people.  Since this is the case, there is nothing that Jericho or its idols can do to stop Israel.

Let's consider the example of Rahab for a minute.� She knew nothing of the covenant between God and Israel; she herself had no right to claim any of his promises.� She had heard limited testimonies of the power of God and seen him perform one or maybe two mighty acts, yet she fully and completely believed on him, doubting nothing.

What about us?  We have a better covenant with God that Israel did.  We have the scriptures which describe, in great detail, the promises that God has made to us.  These promises include forgiveness, healing, provision, protection, power and many others.  Yet, we sometimes fail to trust him!  Why is that?  Where is our faith?

Joshua 2:10 – "For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction."

It is interesting that Rahab brings up the crossing of the Red Sea when Israel left Egypt.  That event had occurred forty years before she met the spies.  Forty years is basically half of a lifetime.  If Rahab was alive then, she would only have been a child.  This means that her knowledge of that event came from others – the stories of her parents or grandparents.

There is a valuable lesson here for us.  We need to be diligent in starting our children off with a good foundation in scripture.  We can help 'hide' biblical truths deep in their hearts, so that these teachings will resurface later in life, just as they did for Rahab. 

Psalm 119:11 - Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Perhaps current events (the victories that Israel won over Sihon and Og) served to stir up and confirm the teaching she received from her parents as a child.� Maybe this is why she responded to the testimonies of God with faith, instead of fear like the rest of her countrymen (Luke 8:37-39).�

If you have a chance to impart scriptural principles or narratives into the children in your life, do it!  You are sowing seeds that will sprout in the future!

Joshua 2:11 –"And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath."

This is clear evidence that Rahab considered Jehovah to be the only true God, not just a minor deity among many others in this polytheistic society.�

It was common for the pagans to believe in multiple gods (example: Egypt).  Their belief was that each god had power/authority/influence over a select region: 

1 Kings 20:23 - And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their [Israel's] gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.

But Rahab declares, in absolute terms, that all power and might belong to the God of Israel alone; he rules and reigns over all of heaven and earth.  He will determine the outcome of the battle between Israel and Jericho because nothing occurs without his consent/permission.

Joshua 2:12-13 – "Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father's house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death."

Rahab's faith is astonishing!  Israel hasn't even crossed the Jordan; Jericho certainly hasn't been threatened, yet she sees the 'things that are not as though they are'  – she is certain that Israel will be successful in breaking through the fortified walls of Jericho and capturing the entire city.  At that point, the people of Jericho, including Rahab and her family, will be at the mercy of Israel.

Because of her faith in of God, she has dealt mercifully with the spies.� She now requests mercy in return – she wants safety for herself and her family.� She is justified in doing so, because the Lord tells us that those who bless Israel will themselves be blessed:

Genesis 12:3 - And I will bless them that bless you, and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed. �

She then asks the spies to do something significant – to swear an oath to the Lord.  An oath was the greatest security she could hope for in this situation.  All nations believed that their gods would avenge those who broke oaths.  She must have concluded that the God of the universe was no different; in fact, if an oath were sworn to him, it would surely be honored. 

When Rahab asks the spies for lives of her family, what exactly is she asking for?� In her mind, the best possible outcome would be for them to remain alive as slaves of Israel.� But look how God honors her faith – the entire family is assimilated into the nation of Israel.� Instead of being slaughtered, they are free people who enjoy all the covenant privileges given to proselytes of the faith!�

Let me offer you some encouragement:

One of the central concepts in today's post is faith.  Obviously, Rahab had faith in God, which she demonstrated by showing mercy to the scouts.

But don't forget, the scouts had faith too!  When Joshua asked them to assess the military position of Jericho, they simply took the first step – they left camp and looked for a way to cross the Jordan.

They demonstrated their faith by moving forward with the assignment, trusting that God would open a door each time they needed it (as opposed to seeing the whole plan up front). 

God often works this way with us – we simply need to take the first step of faith, then he will provide the next open door when we need it.� Whatever you are asking God for, I encourage you to take that first step of faith today!� And remember, when God opens a door for you, no man can shut it!

Let me offer you some relief and strength:

In today's post we noted that Rahab deceived the soldiers who came looking for the spies.  Deception is an important strategy in warfare; military opponents are always trying to gain an upper hand through secrecy or deception.   

As Christians we need to remember that we are engaged in a spiritual war against Satan, the enemy of God. 

Satan is a master of deceit (Revelation 20:3).  His whole strategy is to deceive us into thinking that God is unfair, unjust or that he is withholding good things from us.  This is exactly what he implied when he convinced Eve to eat from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1-6). 

But we can strengthen our faith and avoid being deceived by knowing the word of God and walking according to the Spirit.  When we do these things, we move confidently into the future being firmly convinced that God is always working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).  He is always good to us all the time! 

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Joshua 1:10-11 – And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, "Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, 'Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.'"

We have begun our study of Joshua.  Last time we looked at the renewed commission that God gave to Joshua after the death of Moses.  God assured Joshua that he was going to be the general who would lead Israel in the conquest of the Promised Land. 

And as we also noted last week, 'conquest' is the proper term.  God was going to lead, guide and give divine assistance to Israel, but they were going to have to step out in faith and fight to take the land.  No wonder God ordered Joshua to be 'strong and courageous' no less than three times!   

As we begin to look at the second half of chapter one, it is obvious that this story is not in chronological order.  Specifically, the events recorded in chapter two happened between verses 9 and 10 of chapter one.   

Please keep in mind that in our Western culture, we routinely relate events and tell stories in chronological order, but the Eastern people (including the Israelites), do not.� They often group events together which they feel are related in some way rather than being concerned about the order in which they occurred.�

In this case, it is obvious that the first nine verses of chapter one certainly came first - the nation mourned the death of Moses and subsequently God began to speak to Joshua.

However, the next event that certainly took place was the sending of the two spies into Jericho.  Just as certainly, we know Joshua sent these two men secretly. 

As you no doubt recall, the first time God invited his people to take the land, 12 spies were sent out to gather intelligence.  Upon their return, 10 responded in fear, saying that Israel could not take the land.  Only Joshua and Caleb responded in faith encouraging the people to go out at once and fight, since the Lord was on their side and would give them victory (Numbers chapter 13).

The end result was that because of their rebellion and unbelief, Israel was forced to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until that generation of fighting men had died.

Obviously, Joshua does not want a repeat of the last failure of Israel, but he still needs information.  Think about it this way:  Joshua wasn't going to blindly take a million-plus people (including women, old people and children), all of their possessions and all of their animals into a hostile territory without any military intelligence.  To do so would have been foolish; their enemies could have easily destroyed them all.

But once he had that intelligence, and spoke to the Lord about how to proceed, then he could issue the command to prepare for the move with utter confidence.    

We will examine that adventure of the spies in detail next week, but in the meantime, here is the report they gave Joshua:

Joshua 2:23-24 - So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them:  And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD has delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us. 

So the command we see here in verses 10-11 (prepare to go over the Jordan) occurred after the spies returned and spoke to Joshua. 

The chronological order of events probably went something like this:

• 3^rd of Nisan – spies are sent out (Joshua 2:1)�
• 6^th of Nisan� spies return (Joshua 2:23)�
• 7^th of Nisan� the camp is moved from Shittim to the bank of the Jordan (Joshua 3:1), and the command to prepare is issued (Joshua 1:10-11)�
• 10^th of Nisan – Israel crosses the river.

In addition, there can be no doubt that Joshua also waited until he received instructions from God before he gave word to the people that they would cross the river in three days.� Remember, the Jordan was at flood stage and they had absolutely no means to cross over; God was going to have to divinely make the way for them.

Now that everything is in order, Joshua sends his officers as messengers among the people, instructing them to prepare their provisions and get ready for the move.

What provisions were there to prepare?

The word 'provisions' refers to items taken in hunting or gathering.  It likely refers to items they took from the nations they had already conquered (the kingdoms of Sihon and Og - Deuteronomy 3:7) such as corn, oxen, sheep, etc. 

Manna could also be included in that list because at this point, God was still providing manna for Israel six days a week.  However, as we will soon discover, the miraculous supply of manna will cease just a few days after the people cross the Jordan. 

Joshua 1:12-13 – And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, "Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, 'The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.'"

Here Joshua references a situation which occurred while Moses was still leading Israel.  When the people had traveled to the west side of the Jordan, the defeated several key enemies such as Og king of Bashan and Sihon, king of the Amorites.  (Israel obtained huge amounts of 'spoil' from their victories, which accounts for many of the provisions they prepared for themselves.)   

At that time, three tribes of Israel – Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh – asked Moses if they could simply settle on the western side of the Jordan, instead of crossing over into new territory:

Numbers 32:5 - Therefore, said they, if we have found grace in your sight, let this land be given unto your servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

This portion of land is often referred to as the 'Transjordan'; sometimes these three tribes are referred to as the Transjordan tribes.  So whenever you see that description keep in mind that is refers to the land possessed by Israel on the western side of the river.  Although this land falls within the overall boundaries of the land promised to Israel (Deuteronomy 11:24), the scriptures sometime seem to place these tribes outside of the Promised Land.  We will look at these instances as we find them in our study.  

I recommend reading the entire account of the Transjordan in Numbers chapter 32, but in case you don't have time, let me give you a summary:

When the three tribes made this request, Moses was seriously unhappy. In fact, he seems to be angry.  He made it very clear that it would not be fair for the three tribes to inherit this land, build houses and move on with life while their brothers still had to cross the river and wage war in order to take the bulk of the Promised Land. 

In other words, some/part of Israel could not enter into a state of rest, while the remainder was still actively fighting for their inheritance.� The three tribes could not abandon their brothers before the war was over. ��

In the end, they were allowed to possess the land of Goshen provided that, at the appropriate time, all of the fighting men would cross the Jordan with their brothers and assist them until the land was taken/subdued for Israel.  Only then could they return home in peace.  Moses made it very clear that if they refused to do this, it would be a sin in the sight of God and they would be punished for it. 

Joshua 1:14-15 – "'Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them.� Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise."

Joshua now reminds the men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh that it is time for them to keep the vow they swore to the Lord in front of Moses.� Their wives, children and possessions could stay on the western side of the Jordan, but all the valiant men of fighting age must cross over and assist in the war.

Eventually we find that the three tribes sent approximately 40 thousand of their best soldiers (mighty men of valor) to assist the other tribes, while about 70 thousand stayed behind to protect the property they had already inherited (Joshua 4:13). 

Joshua 1:16-17 – And they answered Joshua, "All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.  Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you.  Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses!"

The overall context of this verse occurs when Joshua is addressing ALL the officers of the people (verse 10).  He specifically reminded the officers of the Transjordan tribes of their obligation to participate in the conquest of the remainder of the Promised Land, but it would have been the officers of all twelve tribes that now freely pledged their allegiance to God and to his servant, Joshua. 

On behalf of the people they represent, these officers first promise obedience.� This is not only obedience to Joshua as their governor/civil leader.� In their role as soldiers, they are vowing to obey Joshua as their general.� They are asserting that they will follow his battle commands without murmuring, and without disputing his decisions.� They will immediately go wherever he sends them, regardless of how difficult or dangerous the mission seems to be.� This was a serious commitment.� There can never be war without death; many of those making this pledge would die in the conquest.

In the same way, as Christians we swear allegiance to our commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ.� We are to be about his business, going where he leads/directs and taking ground for his kingdom without murmuring or rebelling against his orders.� Although most of us will live rich, full lives, some people will be asked to pay the ultimate price for their service to God (martyrdom).�

For his part, Joshua may have had reason to doubt Israel's loyalty to him.  If Moses had trouble with rebellion in the ranks, how could he expect any less?

But keep in mind that the extremely rebellious generation had perished in the wilderness wandering.  This new generation was a witness of that judgment, so they were much more inclined to be obedient.  Joshua could count on their pledge of loyalty.    

The officers also pray for God to lead Joshua, as Joshua leads them.  Their prayer is that God will be with Joshua, to bless and prosper him, giving him the same degree of success that he gave Moses.

When we read that, we can't help but be reminded of the New Testament command to pray for our own leaders: �

1 Timothy 2:1-3 - I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;� For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.� For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

Is this something you do on a regular basis?  If so, are you praying for ALL of your/our leaders?  It's easy to pray for those you agree with, but what about those who oppose your values and beliefs?

I readily admit that it is much more difficult to pray for leaders who follow our enemy Satan.  What/how can we pray for a leader like that?

First of all, let's remind ourselves that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against agents of Satan:

Ephesians 6:12 - For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  

If the people in authority over you (such as our President and Vice President), are making decisions that war against the principles of God, we need to recognize that they are people who have been blinded by Satan, the ruler of this world (II Corinthians 4:4). 

We can earnestly pray for the light of the gospel of Christ to tear through the veil of darkness that blinds them to the truth.  We can pray for God to send Christians across their path, to sow (and harvest) the gospel in their lives. 

We can pray that God will bind the demonic spirits that control them and we can pray for Holy Spirit to make himself known to them.� We can pray that they will be unsuccessful in establishing policies that oppose the will of God.� We can pray that the Christians of this nation rise up and protest these policies. (Abortion, for example.)

In addition to this kind of spiritual warfare, we can also do things in the natural realm, such as supporting candidates/leaders who are in step with God's principles.  Ask God how you can be involved and if  you are a Christian, you should consider running for political office yourself!

Joshua 1:18 – "Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death.  Only be strong and courageous."

They were so fully committed to Joshua (and God), that the officers made it a law that any Israelite who disobeyed or rebelled against his command would be put to death.  Perhaps, if there had been such a law under Moses, many of the rebellions of Israel could have been prevented. 

In any case, there was a real need for this law during the time of the conquest – in times of war, military discipline is crucial to victory.� If there is any rebellion within the armed forces, Israel will be divided against herself and she will be defeated by her enemies.�

The officers may have based this law upon the command given in Deuteronomy 18:18-19.  In those verses, God commands Israel to obey the prophet/leader which he raises up to lead the nation; anyone who does not will be cut off from his people.  While we typically understand these verses to prophetically refer to Jesus the Messiah, Joshua would certainly be an Old Testament type or example of this prophet. 

Finally, the officers implore Joshua to be strong and courageous, just as God had commanded.  In essence, they are promising to do the same thing; to boldly and cheerfully (without murmuring or complaining) follow his orders.  This must have been a great encouragement to Joshua.

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The book of Joshua is a story of conquest.  God was going to lead, guide and give divine assistance to his people, but they were going to have to step out in faith and claim the land. 

This is a very timely lesson for us today.  Jesus is at the helm of the church; he still leads, guides and gives divine assistance to his people.  But it is up to us to step out in faith and claim the world around us for the kingdom of heaven.

Today, I encourage you to do just that – every day, in everything you do, look for ways to push the enemy back and take people captive for Christ!� He wants to expand the kingdom of heaven and build his church through you!

Let me offer you some relief:

In today's post, the people of Israel were told to prepare to enter the Promised Land.  Specifically, they were preparing the food they would need to complete their journey.

In the same way, Christians today need spiritual nourishment in order to complete the journey Christ has set before us.  We obtain that nourishment by reading the word, by receiving sound spiritual instruction, by praying (especially in the Spirit), and by encouraging one another. 

In addition, God has provided us with the 'water' of his Holy Spirit to sustain and refresh us as we conquer this world for him.�

Are you fully prepared to conquer your world for Christ?� If not, let me offer you some relief – you can stock up on spiritual supplies today.� In this electronic age, it has never been easier to find good teaching as well as 'readable' versions of the Bible.� Be sure to take advantage of the resources God has given you, and spend time in prayer this week! Get prepared to be a soldier for Christ!

Let me offer you some strength:

As a member of the church, you are one of God's chosen people!� He has not chosen you for failure, but for victory!� If you will do your part – live in faith and prepare for battle – God will do his part.� He will make you successful in winning people for Christ and destroying the works of the devil.

��

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Joshua 1:1 – After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant...

The death of Moses is recorded at the end of the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 34:5-8).  Because of a sin he committed, Moses never had the privilege of setting foot in the Promised Land himself. 

However, the death of Moses did not change God's plans.  He still fully intended to lead the nation of Israel into the inheritance he promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:7, Genesis 13:14-17).  He would now accomplish his purposes through Joshua, son of Nun.

Joshua had already been publicly named as the successor to Moses.  You can read about the ceremony in Numbers 27:12-23, but the gist is that God publicly confirmed Joshua as the next leader of Israel, before the death of Moses.  In fact, Moses was the one who transferred authority to Joshua by the laying on of hands:

Numbers 27:18-20 – So the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey."

Now that it is time for Joshua to fully assume the mantle of leadership/power, we find that God begins the process by speaking directly to him. This personal message was no doubt a much-welcomed confirmation for Joshua.

Some scholars believe God spoke to him in a dream or vision.  Others think God spoke to him out of the tabernacle of the congregation (tent of meeting), as he often did with Moses (Leviticus 1:1).  In either case, Joshua was now ready to assume the role as leader of the nation.

This was a job he had been specially prepared and trained for.  Not only was he filled with the Spirit, he had also spent years and years as Moses' right-hand man.  He observed how Moses evaluated problems, asked advice from God and then deal with the people.  He would now be taking Moses' place as the mediator between God and Israel.

The sequence of events went something like this: after Moses died, Israel spent 30 days in mourning. During this time, there was a pause in all public councils/plans. Israel needed this time to mourn the loss of their great leader and perhaps to repent of their disobedience and obstinance under his rule. But now the time of mourning is past. God is ready to move forward, and he calls Joshua to step up as leader of his people.

Joshua 1:2 – "Moses my servant is dead.  Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel."

The death of Moses was probably a tough thing for Israel.  He was the one who led them out of captivity.  He was the one who led them during their failed attempt to take the Promised Land, and subsequently he led them for 40 years in the desert.  In fact, he was the only leader the current generation knew; the older generation had perished in the wilderness.

However, as God points out to Joshua, Moses was simply his servant.  He was the liaison between God and the Israelites; he led the people as God directed.  Joshua would now have the exact same role and the exact same authority – servant of the Lord, and leader of God's chosen people.  The reassuring part is that no matter what, God is still in charge.

And God declared that it was now time to lead those people across the Jordan river and into the Promised Land which he swore to give to Abraham and his descendants forever.  The accomplishment of all that God had promised was now about to take place!  What an exciting day for Israel!

But what was exciting for Israel, was a test of faith for Joshua. Passing over the river Jordan was not a matter of simply crossing a shallow creek bed. The Jordan was a major river, currently flowing at flood stage. It was deep and wide with a swift current.

                                                                     

Joshua has no boats, no bridges and no pontoons.  In short, he has absolutely no possible way in the natural realm to get a million plus people with all their livestock and possessions safely across the river.  His only option was to trust in God when he did not see a way over, around or through this problem. It was an act of faith on his part to even order the people to get ready to cross. 

How can we apply this lesson to our own lives? Has God made you a promise, but the fulfillment of it looks impossible? If so, follow Joshua's example and step out in faith. You can be confident that what God has promised, he will do! Even when we don't see a way for that promise to be fulfilled, God has a way!

One other thought:  You may not agree with me, but I personally see some parallels between the children of Israel taking the Promised Land and the church taking back America. 

Through his prophets, God has promised to save America and bring an unprecedented revival in our midst.  When we look around at the world today, we may wonder how that could ever happen!  But let's choose to be strong and courageous.  If God has promised it, he will bring it to pass. 

Joshua 1:3 –"Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses."

The phraseology in this verse is just amazing!  In God's prior dealings with Israel, he always promised, 'I WILL give you the land'; it was referred to as a future promise:

Genesis 17:8 - And I will give unto you, and to your descendants after you, the land in which you are a sojourner, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

But now, God speaks as if the event has already occurred; he clearly says, 'I HAVE given to you'.  In God's eyes, the land is already theirs, even though they had not yet even crossed the river! 

Notice that even though God called the land theirs, they still had to do their part. By faith they had to believe the promise of God and take appropriate action - they had to rise up, cross the river and engage the enemy in order to take the land.

The same is true for us as New Testament believers.  We receive the promises of God by faith. 

For instance, think back to the day you received your salvation.  How did you get it?  You believed that you needed forgiveness for sin and that Christ was willing to do that for you.  Then, you simply reached out to him in faith and accepted it by saying a prayer or raising your hands or something similar. 

How did you receive the baptism of Holy Spirit and your new prayer language? You read the scriptures that promised it to you, you believed it, you asked for it, then you opened up your mouth and in faith you began to speak. In other words, you received it by faith.

Faith is the channel for receiving all the blessings of God.  What do you need or want today?  I encourage you to dig into the scriptures, to enter your prayer closet with Holy Spirit and to discover the promises God has in store for you.  Then, receive them by faith!

As for the particular case found in the first chapter of Joshua, God has promised the land to Israel.  Specifically, he says that 'every place the sole of their foot treads upon' will be theirs.  What does that mean?

First of all, we want to understand that Israel was not creating the borders of their future nation.  Those had already been pre-determined by God, just as he determines the boundaries of every nation (Deuteronomy 34:1-4).

Some people think the phrase refers to the ease with which Israel was going to take the land.  They refer to the conquest of Jericho, in which Israel simply marched around the walls and they fell.  

But we might point out after reading this book that the conquest was anything but simple and easy.  However, proponents of this theory contend that it was only the unfaithfulness of Israel that made the conquest a difficult matter.  Perhaps they are right.  What do you think?

Another interpretation sees that phrase as referring to the responsibility of each individual tribe/person in the taking of the land. Let me explain.

Joshua was clearly God's chosen military leader for Israel, and God himself certainly fought for his people.  But the actual conquest of Canaan was a limited conquest.  Joshua took a specific, limited number of strongholds throughout the country, utterly crushing the armies that came against Israel.  He then established Israel in those places, and divided the land, conquered and unconquered, among the tribes of Israel (Joshua 13:1-7).  At that point, it was the responsibility of each individual tribe/person to finish the job. 

Thus, they had to fight/battle in order to gain all the land that they 'tread upon with the sole of their foot'. For example, God 'gave' Caleb the region of Hebron, but he still had to fight claim that promise:

Joshua 15:13-14 – According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron.  And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.

By the same token, if Israel did not engage the enemy at all or if they did not persevere to victory, they would not gain the territory.  We have clear evidence that there were parts of the Promised Land that Israel failed to take from the Canaanites:

Joshua 17:12 - Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would persist to dwell in that land.

(See also Joshua 16:10, 17:15-18, etc.) Although God promised victory, gave them a strong competent leader and assisted them in battle, Israel had to fight for what she wanted! We might say the people had 'skin in the game'.

What territory do you want to take for the kingdom of heaven?  Your neighborhood or the people surrounding your church?  The neighborhood in which you live and/or worship is a stronghold that God has given you.  But you will need to take action if you want to win that community to Christ.  How might this understanding change the way your church relates to the surrounding community?  How does it change the way you view your street or your neighborhood?

Joshua 1:4 – "From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory."

This text describes the boundaries of the land.  The 'wilderness' refers to the Desert of Arabia, which was the southern boundary.  Lebanon was the northern limit with the east and west boundaries being the 'great sea' (Mediterranean Sea) and the Euphrates River.  'All the land of the Hittites' seems to refer to the complete territory in general.

The Israelites under Joshua never fully ruled/dominated this entire tract of land.  They had the power and ability to possess it in due time, but they failed to do so. This was not a reflection of the inability of God to deliver his promise; it was due to the cowardice, laziness and disobedience of the Israelites.

Again, we must ask ourselves this: What areas has God given the church to possess? Are we looking to him to lead us in battle to take those areas, or are we satisfied having Satan as our next-door neighbor?

Joshua 1:5 – "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.  Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  I will not leave you or forsake you."

Put yourself in Joshua's place for just a moment.  You are now the leader of a nation who is tasked with defeating some very strong military opponents. 

The nations Israel was to subdue were highly trained in war, well supplied, well-armed and physically bigger than the Israelites.  Their towns and cities were well fortified and they had political alliances which would provide further assistance in any war against Joshua and the Israelites.

As if that were not enough, they had advanced warning that Israel was on its way, so they had been busy making every possible preparation for war or for a siege.  They were determined to defeat Israel and save their country, or to lose their lives trying.  They were very formidable enemies.

Joshua can't help but remember that in the past, the people failed to fully trust the Lord, which resulted in 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Furthermore, there was no guarantee they would fully trust God this time either. Given the entire set of circumstances, do you think Joshua might have had some feelings of fear or anxiety?

I don't see how he couldn't have had those feelings! But obviously, God had already taken that into account. As part of his instructions to Joshua to move forward, he steadfastly declares that no enemy will be able to defeat him for the rest of his life. In other words, there would not be a repeat of Israel's past failure.

God gives him further tangible assurance of victory with the statement 'As I was with Moses, so I will be with you'. 

Remember, Joshua had been the assistant of Moses for a long time.  He saw how God strengthened him, directed him, and gave him success in the great undertaking of bringing Israel out from Egypt. 

In the same practical ways, God would be with Joshua guaranteeing him victory in bringing the people into their inheritance.  God also guaranteed never to leave or forsake Joshua all the days of his life, no matter what situation he faced.  This was a reiteration of the promise he had already been given by Moses:

Deuteronomy 31:8 - It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

The promise of God was enough to suppress any fear or anxiety that tried to overwhelm Joshua.  God would be with him continually assisting him against the enemies of Israel as well as the difficulties he faced in governing a somewhat fickle and rebellious people.

God gives us the same assurances of help and victory in our lives today (Hebrews 13:5).  Though the forces against us may be strong and numerous, we know that if God be for us, it doesn't matter who is against us (Romans 8:31)!

Joshua 1:6 – "Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them."

The command to 'be strong and courageous' is repeated again and again and again to Joshua. However strong and courageous he might naturally be, this was going to be a long and arduous task!  He was going to need divine assistance to get the job done. 

The command itself implies that the task assigned to him will contain multiple obstacles or problems.  He will need strength and courage not only to deal with the problems that surface, but to continue in his mission day after day.  He must be prepared to persevere in the struggles that are a part of bringing the people into their inheritance. 

But Joshua can take comfort in the assurance of God that he will definitely be the one to get this job done!

The same is true for us. During the course of our time on earth, troubles and difficulties will surface. But we don't face them alone. We have the armor of God, the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and divine assistance when needed.

With that in mind, let's be committed to walking through any/all difficulties without thoughts of giving up.  Let's continue to pray for the salvation of our loved ones, even if it seems they will never change.  Let's continue to live holy lives and stand for righteousness in the face of opposition because if we persevere, we will gain the victory.

Joshua 1:7 – "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you.  Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go."

Not only does God want his servant to be strong and courageous, he commands him to know the law of God and to abide by it.  As Joshua well knew, Israel did not have the military might and experience to defeat her enemies in her own power; all victory would come through divine assistance.  The condition of this divine assistance/victory was two-fold.  One, they had to pick up arms and fight.  Two, the nation must be faithful to the laws of God.

This verse plainly shows that God's promise of assistance was conditional.  If Israel suddenly became full of pride and abandoned the laws/ways of God, their blessings, protection and victories would vanish.  They needed to remain faithful to the covenant they made with God, serving and worshiping him only. 

Sadly, in the book of the Judges, we find Israel failing in this regard.  She sins, loses the blessing and protection of God, and becomes enslaved by her enemies.  Then, when she eventually repents, God sends a deliverer to rescue her.  This happens over and over again in the history of Israel.

As for us, let's take God's demand to heart – let us study his word and strive to live by its principles, just as God commands Joshua.

Joshua 1:8 – "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.  For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

Even though Joshua was a man of great power and authority, he himself is under the direct orders of God.

To start with, he must read and meditate on God's word. He must store it in his heart and mind, so that it pops to the surface when he needs it.

But mere knowledge is not enough; he must train himself to act, judge, lead and govern according to those same laws, without exception. 

Part of being strong and courageous is to do exactly that – live one's life in accordance with the commands of God, even when they differ from popular culture or government regulation. 

Joshua had already exemplified his ability to do this 40 years earlier when he disagreed with the 10 spies who claimed Israel could not take the Promised Land (Numbers 14:1-9).  Nevertheless, God once again admonishes him to DAILY meditate on the law of God.  Those who do will receive wisdom and understanding from the Lord.  When we act on that wisdom, God will prosper us in all we do:

Psalms 1:1-3 – Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.  He is like a tree planted by streams of water in all that he does, he prospers.

As we all know, obedience to God's will is better than sacrifice! As Joshua endeavored to make his life and actions conform to God's word, God blessed and prospered him. What a privilege to be governed by such a leader! It would be wonderful if the leaders of our nation did the same. Perhaps we should consider that during the next election.

Joshua 1:9 – "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

In closing, God gives Joshua the absolute promise that he had commanded this work to be done and therefore it WOULD be done, no matter how great the difficulties/obstacles that were in the way. 

Joshua's part in all of this was to meditate/act on God's word and to courageously move forward in battle.  As he did so, God would bring the victory.

 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The death of Moses was a sad loss for the Israelites; he was the only leader they knew and trusted.  But it was important for the people to understand that Moses was not their real leader – God was!

We could say that God was the Shepherd of his people, and Moses was his under-shepherd who watched over the specific flock of Israel.  Though the people dealt with Moses on a daily basis, it was God who was in control. 

This is a good lesson for us as well.  Sometimes a long-time leader dies or leaves a church/ministry.  That can be an unsettling time for the group of Christians who followed him/her. 

But be encouraged by this:  Under-shepherds are subject to change, but the true Shepherd, God, never leaves us or forsakes us!  We can also be encouraged that if God moves a particular under-shepherd, he has already prepared a new person to take that position.  He will not leave his people without a leader to watch over them on a daily basis. 

 

Let me offer you some relief:

God called Joshua to perform a seemingly impossible task – to lead Israel in the conquest of Canaan.  But God did not just drop that responsibility on Joshua and leave.  He promised to be with him all the days of his life, and to give him divine assistance in completing his task.

What has God called you to do in this world? Does it seem like an impossible task? If so, let me give you some relief – God will be with you all the days of your life too. If you lean on him and act on the wisdom/understanding he gives you, you too will be victorious!

 

Let me offer you some strength:

Not only does God command Joshua to be strong and courageous, he commands him to know the law of God and to abide by it.  Knowing the word of God is one of the keys to a successful and blessed life, because it gives us the option of making decisions based on the wisdom and knowledge of God. 

It's kind of like operating equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions – since they made it, they know the best way to use it. They know how you can get the optimum performance out of the product, so you should read and follow the manual.

Since God made us, we can be sure that acting according to his 'instruction manual' will be the best way to ensure success in our lives. Obeying his commands will bring us peace, joy, victory and fulfillment in this life.

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Introduction to Joshua:

Welcome back, dear readers!  I hope you enjoyed our prior study on the book of John.  As we move into summer, I want to switch gears and take a look at one of the most popular and well-loved Old Testament books – Joshua. 

Joshua is considered a historical book.  It details the conquest of the Promised Land by the children of Israel.  Let's examine some background information before we dive into this book.

Who wrote the book of Joshua? The scriptures do not name the official writer of this book. The Talmud (the book of Jewish civil and canonical law not included in the Pentateuch) maintains that Joshua son of Nun was indeed the author. The fact that the work bears his name is further proof of authorship. There are some incidents in this book that take place after the death of Joshua; the Talmud attributes these additions to either Eleazer or Phinehas who were priests back in that day.

If Joshua is indeed the author (which is likely), it gives this book the additional credibility of being written by an eyewitness to the accounts contained in the book.

It could also be true that after Joshua wrote this book under divine direction, it was 'updated' or put into its present form by someone else (possibly Ezra the scribe, after the captivity).  Another theory suggests that it was penned by someone else entirely, using Joshua's journals or memoirs.

In any case, we know this history was divinely inspired, prepared and preserved so that we can benefit from it today.

When did the events of this book take place? This is a good question, and for the most part two answers are widely accepted.

Traditionally, the date for the conquest of the Promised Land has been established as around 1400 BC. This is based on the account of I Kings 6:1, which specifies that the fourth year of King Solomon's reign was the 480^th year after the Exodus. Since the fourth year of Solomon's reign was about 966 BC, this puts the Exodus from Egypt at 1446 BC and the conquest of the Promised Land 40 years later, roughly 1400 BC.

The second theory has the Exodus at 1260 BC and the conquest of the Promised Land around 1220 BC.  This theory is based on the Rameses of Exodus 1:11 being the historical Rameses II who lived around 1290 BC.  This theory says that the 480 year period mentioned in I Kings does not represent an actual number, but 12 generations of 40 years.  If that is the case, then the actual number could vary, because the definition of a 'generation' is sometimes as low as 25 years. 

You can decide for yourself which theory you feel is correct.  In either case, it is the events themselves that we should be concerned about, as opposed to the actual date they occurred.

What happens in this book? Joshua tells us the history of Israel under his command/government. He details the events pertaining to the entrance into the Promised Land, the actual conquest of Canaan, the division of the land among the 12 tribes of Israel, and the establishment of religion during that time. All of these events are successful due to the divine intervention of God.

Why did Joshua write this book and why was it included in the cannon of Scripture? The purpose of Joshua's writing seems to be two-fold:

• To show that God had been completely faithful in fulfilling his promise to give the land of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants.  In other words, God kept his part of the covenant with Abraham.
• To show that God would bless his people only if they were obedient to his word; they must keep their side of the covenant in order to receive his blessings.

I believe we can also add a third item to this list.  The examples of physical warfare in the book of Joshua give us insight into the spiritual warfare that the church should be engaged in today.  Although Joshua did not know that as he wrote this book, I believe Holy Spirit knew that we would need this information in our day.  

What are the theological themes found in this book? The book of Joshua has a lot to reveal about God. Here are some of the theological themes we will encounter as we study it:

• God is holy. He does not tolerate wickedness, sin or rebellion. The Canaanites are driven from the land because of wickedness; later Israel will be exiled from the land for the same reason.

• God is not only holy, he is also gracious and merciful. Anyone who turns from evil and seeks him will be spared. Examples of this in the book of Joshua are Rahab and the Gibeonites.

• God is the great Creator of all things; he is sovereign over nature. Because of that, he can work miracles in nature. An example of this is when the sun stands still as Israel battles her enemies.

• God is not only the creator, he is also the owner of the universe. The land is his to give to whom he will. He alone determines the boundaries of the nations in all ages.

• Although God is love, he is also the Lord of Hosts; he directs/determines wars and warfare. In the book of Joshua, we find that God fights for Israel in many ways. He provides strategy to Israel, he commands the actual battle and he assists his people with supernatural acts. In short, God gives victory to his people. (Again, I feel this applies to our generation in the spiritual realm.)

What about 'injustice'? The events in the book of Joshua took place under the Old Testament covenant. There we find a clear definition of God's laws, clear penalties for breaking them and clear rewards for keeping them. There is no question that God has defined right and wrong. While those who keep his laws will be blessed, those who choose to rebel against him will experience judgment.

In today's culture, people do not like to face the reality of right and wrong.  In general, society is eager to affirm anything that anyone wants to do, regardless of God's laws.  In fact, the more something opposes God's laws, the more they endorse it.  They will completely condemn any teaching that seeks to define sin, and they will vehemently oppose anyone who differs with their opinion.  They are not afraid to judge the God of the universe based on their own blind and foolish reasoning!    

It is true that we now live in the age of grace. However, that does not give man the right to rebel against God. Sin is even more clearly defined in the New Testament as are the consequences for rejecting Christ and pursuing evil.

Grace defers the judgment of sin in order to allow mankind a chance to repent and find forgiveness, but if man chooses not to do so, he will suffer judgment just as those in the Old Testament did.  (In the Old Testament, people suffered physical death because of sin, but under the age of grace, people are in danger of eternal spiritual death.)

One reason I bring up this truth, is that people in our culture have been taught to denounce or revile any form of judgment which they consider unjust.  Think about it – 'injustice' is the catch phrase of our current culture!  But people do not have the authority to judge; God does.  In the book of Joshua, we will see that God endorsed the deaths of men, women and children.  Entire cities and people groups were to be completely destroyed in judgment.

Modern day sinners will revile their destruction as hateful and unjust.  However, keep in mind that people do not have possession of all the facts; they never have been and never will be in a position to question God's judgment. 

Furthermore, it is clear that God did not destroy people just to give Israel the land. The Canaanites were destroyed because of their own wickedness. And God was not partial to Israel; they too were eventually slaughtered and removed from the land because of sin. Rather than denouncing the justice of God, people should be grateful for the warning of judgment which we find in the books of the Old Testament.

God's severity in the judgment of sin is the counterpart of his infinite grace and love.  As we studied in the book of John, God so loved the world, he sent his only Son Jesus to earth to atone for our sin:

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

As a Christian, you may still have lingering questions regarding some of the concepts and actions which occurred in the Old Testament in general or the book of Joshua in particular.  All I can tell you is that God is perfect in all that he does.  We don't understand everything fully now, but you can ask God for clarification in eternity. 

In the meantime, let us endeavor to serve Christ, who gave himself as a sacrifice for our sin, so we could enjoy the many blessings of God as his children.

I believe our study of Joshua is going to be encouraging, enlightening, thought provoking and beneficial! Thank you for joining me in this study!

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John 21:1 – After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way.

In the final chapter of his gospel, John gives us additional infallible proofs that Jesus has risen from the dead.

At this point, all the disciples of Jesus are well aware that he has risen; they have seen and interacted with him themselves.  Their eyewitness accounts give us faith to believe in the resurrection.

As this chapter opens, we find the disciples have left Jerusalem, the site of the crucifixion and resurrection.  In some ways we might say that Jerusalem is now a forsaken city; it rejected Christ and now it is slated for destruction.  That destruction would happen in 70 AD at the hands of Rome. 

Although the Jews will face intense and terrible persecution there, God has not completely rejected his city or his people.  He will preserve the Jewish nation and restore it to its homeland once again (1948 AD).

As you recall, the Sea of Tiberius is the same as the Sea of Galilee.� This shows that the disciples have gone to Galilee, the place where they were told to meet the Lord (Mark 14:28, Matthew 26:32, Matthew 28:10). Galilee was a natural choice for the meeting; Jesus often ministered here and it is far away from the politics of Jerusalem. As far as we know, this account is the third time that Jesus has revealed himself to his disciples.�

And of course, we find a lesson for ourselves in this verse.  Jesus told the disciples where to meet him – in Galilee.  He has also told us where to find him – in the place of prayer.  He desires to reveal himself to us there, just as he revealed himself to the disciples in Galilee.  If we want to fellowship with him, get to know him, and allow him to work in our lives, we must seek the place of prayer.

John 21:2 – Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together.

Here we find seven of the disciples 'together' in Galilee.� The meaning is that they were residing together in the same place.� While they were in Galilee, waiting for Jesus and the outpouring of Holy Spirit, they went back to work.�

This was a logical thing to do.  Remember, as long as they traveled with Jesus their needs were met by people who supported the ministry through donations (Luke 8:2-3).  With Jesus gone, that source of income was gone.  Because they had no idea how long they would need to wait for Holy Spirit to come, they had to find a means of support.  Hence, they returned to fishing.

Notice that two of the disciples mentioned here are not identified by name.  Many scholars suppose they were Philip and Andrew, but there is really no clear basis for this identification – it is purely a guess.  The two 'other' disciples may have simply been followers of Jesus and not two of the apostles. 

However, we can clear up any mystery about the apostle 'Nathanael' – we know him better as Bartholomew.

John 21:3 – Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing."  They said to him, "We will go with you."  They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

First, let us remind ourselves that these men are experienced fishermen.  Not just recreational fishermen like many of us, but commercial fishermen – they had formerly gained all their living in this manner.  Therefore, we can conclude that they have all the necessary equipment, skills and knowledge to be successful in their venture.  We would expect them to succeed. 

Yet, they labor all night long, without the least bit of success.� They didn't catch even a single fish!� How can this be?

There can be no doubt that God permitted the men to work all night long without the least bit of success, so that it would dramatically draw their attention to the miracle that was about to take place.

John 21:4-5 – Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, "Children, do you have any fish?"  They answered him, "No."

How is it possible that the disciples did not recognize Jesus?� We know it was very early in the morning (twilight) and because of the distance to shore, they could not clearly see him.� Since they were not expecting to see Jesus, they probably thought he was a common person, looking to buy some fish.

One thing we should note here is the timing of the appearance of Christ.  The disciples were at a point of hopelessness and possibly even despair.  Nothing was going as they thought it would, and they had exhausted all their own earthly strength and knowledge.  When they came to the end of their own strength, then Christ appeared to offer hope and assistance.

Jesus addresses his disciples with a term of endearment (children), which infers both friendship and affection.  The greeting itself would not necessarily have revealed his identity because the word was commonly used by superiors offering a greeting to those of a lower station. 

By asking them if they have any fish, he again draws attention to their true situation – they have nothing.  Once again, this will make the upcoming miracle an astonishing event in their minds.

John 21:6 – He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some."  So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish.

Does this situation seem at all familiar?� It should!� In Luke 5:1-11 we have an almost identical situation.� Simon, along with James and John, had fished all night and caught absolutely nothing.� They headed for shore and were washing out their nets when Jesus came and asked them to put him in their boat and push off from the shore, so he could teach the crowd.�

When he had finished, he instructed Peter to launch out from the shore and let down his net.  Peter was skeptical, but he did as Jesus instructed.  He caught such a huge catch of fish that his net broke.  He called for James and John to bring their boat and help him gather the fish.  The catch was so enormous that they filled both ships until they began to sink!

At that point, Jesus told them to follow him, and he would make the fishers of men.

Matthew 4:19 - And he said unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

This scenario is now played out a second time.

Again, the disciples had fished all night with no results.  This time, a man on shore whom they do not know instructs them to specifically cast their nets on the right side of the boat. 

We really do not know what prompted them to obey him.  Perhaps they remembered the command of Jesus from years before.  Perhaps they were simply at a loss as to what else to do, after an exhausting and unfruitful night of work.  In any case, they obeyed him.  After all, what harm could it do?  Maybe this stranger was acquainted with the lake and knew where the fish gathered, or maybe he could see a school of fish from his vantage point.  What was one final casting of the net, in this long night of frustration?  At least they would have the satisfaction of knowing they did all they could to succeed. 

Immediately upon their obedience to his command, the miracle occurred. 

Their net was so completely full of fish, they were not able to haul it into the boat!  In fact, they were barely able to drag it to shore.  Of course, you and I know that the 'stranger' was Jesus!

This miracle shows the divinity of Jesus in two ways: The quantity of fish that were taken as well as the preservation of the net, which would ordinarily have broken under the strain.

The multitude of fish was intended as an example for the disciples – it represented the immense number of souls that would be 'caught' for Christ through their ministry (Matthew 4:19).�� The prophets had 'fished' for souls for years and years, but caught very little.� However, things had now changed.� As Holy Spirit worked through the disciples, 3000 souls would enter the kingdom of heaven on a single day (Acts 2:41)!

In addition, the miracle provided an ample supply of provision for the disciples to support themselves and their families as they waited in Jerusalem for the coming of Holy Spirit.  Clearly, Jesus is revealing himself to the disciples as Jehovah Jireh – the provider of all of their needs.

Consider this: God is the author/fountain of every blessing to mankind; the immense quantity of fish in the net was an act of kindness and provision from God to the disciples. 

In the same way, the money that we earn today is a result of the blessing of God.� Scripture tells us that it is God who gives us the 'power' to get wealth:

Deuteronomy 8:18 -But you shall remember the LORD your God: for it is he that gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore unto your fathers, as it is this day.

This power includes things like intelligence, opportunities, creative ideas, health, strength, capital, connections and anything else that we need to succeed.  Like the disciples, we must take this power and earn/work for the wealth we need. 

When we reap the rewards of a job well done, we need to remember that our success cannot be solely attributed to our own labor; God has made it possible.  Since that is the case, we should happily and gratefully bring our tithes and offerings into the house of God.  Furthermore, because God has been generous towards us, we ought to freely and generously give to those in need.  

John 21:7-8 – That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, "It is the Lord!"  When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off.

As we know, 'the disciple whom Jesus loved' was none other than the apostle John, the writer of this gospel.  He realized Jesus was the man on the shore, but not because he could physically see him.  His recognition was based on the miraculous catch of fish – John perceives that the great multitude of fish could only have come to him by the hand of God; therefore, it was God who guided his hands in obtaining it.

He shares this information with Peter, who reacts with his usual zealousness.

Peter (and probably the others as well) had been clothed only in his inner garment, which was his normal working attire.� But immediately upon hearing the Lord was on shore, he puts on his outer garment and jumps into the water.�

While some feel he swam for the shore, leaving his friends behind to bring in the fish, others believe that since the boat was fairly close to land (roughly 100 yards), his intent was to assist in quickly drawing the boat to shore.� The latter explanation makes more sense because it would have been much more difficult to swim to shore wearing an outer garment.�

In either case, we see that his actions are a reflection of his intense desire to be with Christ.

It is interesting to note how different each of the disciples were, both then and now.  Some members of the church are contemplative, like John.  They serve the church with their great gifts of knowledge and wisdom.  Others (like Peter) are strong and active, making sure that things get done. 

It is easy to see why the apostle Paul likens the church to a mortal body with different members such as ears, hands, shoulders, etc. Each and every member is vital to the health of the collective body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:12-31). 

John 21:9 – When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread.

Remember, the disciples have been up all night, working a very physical job.  They are tired, hungry, wet and probably cold.  When they get to shore with Jesus, they find that he is ready to minister to their bodily needs.  He has prepared a warm fire and a hot meal. 

This is an example of a truth that Jesus taught while he was physically on earth – our Father knows all that we have need of in this life Matthew (6:25-34), and he will provide it as we seek him first.

Matthew 6:32-33 -(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.� But seek you first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Scholars are divided on the origin of the bread, fish and fire.  The scriptures do not specifically indicate they were miraculously produced, although that is certainly possible.  What do you think?

John 21:10-11 – Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish that you have just caught."So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them.  And although there were so many, the net was not torn.

Jesus asks the disciples to go back to the shore and bring him some of the fish they just caught.� Why would he do that?

We can be sure it had nothing to do with a shortage.  The scriptures tell us that Jesus fed 5000 men plus women and children with just five small loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:21).  Jesus already had bread and fish cooking on the coals.  Feeding seven disciples wasn't going to be a problem, no matter how much they ate.

The answer is that Jesus wanted them to taste the gifts of his miraculous bounty, so they could be witnesses of his power and goodness.  The blessings he gives us are not to be hoarded for ourselves; as we have freely received we should freely give to others. 

It also represents the partnership between Jesus and mankind.  Jesus made us fishers of men, but we are only able to catch people in our gospel nets by the power and influence of Holy Spirit.  Once we bring them to Christ, we still need his assistance to train and disciple them.  Only Christ can complete the good work that he begins within the heart of every believer (Philippians 1:6). 

Many mysterious and silly explanations have been given regarding the exact number of fish (153).  None of them are supported in scripture.  The number may simply have been recorded because the disciples counted the fish in order to divide them equally amongst themselves. Besides, if you landed the biggest catch of fish ever in your whole life, wouldn't you count them too, just out of curiosity? 

Keep in mind, the miracle here is not the exact number of the fish, but the enormity of the catch and the preservation of the net.

John 21:12 – Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast."� Now none of the disciples dared ask him, "Who are you?"� They knew it was the Lord.

In asking the disciples to breakfast, Jesus is revealing his true nature to his followers.  Specifically, he is both God and man.

The miracle of the fish proves his divinity.� By eating breakfast with them, he proves his humanity – Jesus is not just an apparition or a spiritual figment of their imaginations.

This assures us that Jesus is our living high priest, our brother and our kinsmen redeemer, who now makes intercession for us in the throne room of God, while dwelling in our hearts through his Holy Spirit.� He continues to be clothed in the body which once hung upon the cross in a pool of blood and gore, only now it is exalted and glorified, shining brighter than the sun.

Besides the proof of his nature, Jesus also invites his disciples to eat because he is concerned about their physical welfare.  Our bodies are temples of his Holy Spirit and he provides what we need so that our bodies can be refreshed and in good working order! 

One can't help but wonder if this is one of the reasons why the gift of healing was included in the sacrifice of the cross.

John seems to make a big deal out of the fact that none of the disciples 'asked' Jesus who he was.  It was not that they did not recognize him; they were all well aware that it was Jesus sitting with them at breakfast. 

The Greek word translated 'ask' means 'to prove or inquire'.  John's point seems to be that a proper awe of the deity of Christ had settled on their hearts and minds and as a result, they approached him in reverent silence. Asking him for any further kind of proof would be to display unbelief and hardness of heart, and they certainly didn't want that!

John 21:13-14 – Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish.  This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.

When John references the 'third time' Jesus appeared, he means the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples collectively.� Since John is giving us his own personal account/witness in his gospel, he skips over the instances where he was not personally present.� These would include Jesus' visitation of Mary as well as well as the two disciples on the road to Emmaus and others.�

John does not specifically say that Jesus ate breakfast with them, but it is certainly implied in the context.  Besides, in the book of Acts, Peter specifically tells the Gentile Cornelius that the disciples both ate and drank with Jesus after his resurrection.  This is one of the infallible proofs that Jesus provided to show that he was alive after the crucifixion (Acts 10:41). 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

In today's post we talked about the disciples meeting with Jesus in Galilee.� Let's stop and consider this for a moment.�

Under the Old Testament law, NO ONE could come into the presence of God except the high priest, and he could only do so once a year.� Fellowship with God was not possible because of our sin.� Think of the millions and millions of people who lived during that era – they had zero access to the presence of God.

When Jesus came to earth, his disciples (especially the twelve) were able to fellowship with him on a limited basis, but he was only one person and he still had to eat, sleep and teach.  Plus, access to Jesus continued to be almost nonexistent for everyone else (especially the Gentiles).  

But now that Jesus has risen and he abides in heaven, you and I have UNLIMITED access to the throne room of God 24/7!  What a privilege to be able to meet/fellowship with the God of the universe at any time, in any place, regarding anything on your heart and mind!

If you still think of prayer as an obligation, I encourage you to think again – the opportunity to meet with Jesus is a priceless gift!

Let me offer you some relief:

Several of the disciples went back to their fishing boats in order to provide for the daily needs of themselves and their families.  They toiled without success until Jesus came into the picture, bringing them relief.  But keep in mind, the relief came in the form of work – they still had to cast the net, catch the fish, drag them to shore and eventually sell them.

The bible assures us that God knows what our needs are, and he is here to assist us.� However, it is very unlikely that he is going to make money grow on a tree in your backyard.� Rather, he will open doors of opportunity for you to work/earn what you need.� So, if you are praying for relief in your finances, be aware that most likely something will be required on your part – God isn't going to do your work for you!

Let me offer you some strength:

The period of time between Jesus' the resurrection and his ascension to heaven was an unusual one.   The disciples encountered Jesus at different times and in different ways. 

Jesus was furnishing them with proof, after proof, after proof of his resurrection, so that they could spread the gospel message with confidence.  Overall, we could say that Jesus was preparing them for their future role as his apostles.

What is Jesus doing in your life right now?  Have you considered the fact that whatever you are going through right now is training for a future ministry or good work that he has prepared for you to do?

Remember, if you are still on this planet, then God still has plans and purposes for your life.  So stay strong in your faith, and keep an eye out for new opportunities to serve the Lord!