Lesson 5
Defeat
(JOSHUA 7—8)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read Joshua 7—8. This lesson references chapters 7–8 in Be Strong. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
The ominous word but that introduces Joshua 7 is a signal that things are going to change, for Joshua is about to descend from the mountaintop of victory at Jericho to the valley of defeat at Ai. Joshua was a gifted and experienced leader, but he was still human and therefore liable to error. In this experience, he teaches us what causes defeat and how we must handle the discouragements of life.
—Be Strong, page 101
1. What must it have been like for the Israelites to go from such a miraculous victory at Jericho to a sudden defeat at Ai? What overall lesson did God teach the Israelites through this experience?
More to Consider: The sinner described in Joshua 7:1 is named Achan, or Achar. Not surprisingly, his name means “trouble.” Because of Achan’s disobedience, Israel was defeated at Ai, and the enemy killed thirty-six Jewish soldiers. But Achan’s story isn’t unique. Read about Abraham in Genesis 12:10–20; David in 2 Samuel 24; and Jonah in Jonah 1. What do these stories teach us about the damage one person can do outside the will of God?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from Joshua 7—8 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
Like every good commander, Joshua surveyed the situation before he planned his strategy (Num. 21:32; Prov. 20:18; 24:6). His mistake wasn’t in sending out the spies but in assuming that the Lord was pleased with His people and would give them victory over Ai. He and his officers were walking by sight and not by faith. Spiritual leaders must constantly seek the Lord’s face and determine what His will is for each new challenge. Had Joshua called a prayer meeting, the Lord would have informed him that there was sin in the camp, and Joshua could have dealt with it. This would have saved the lives of thirty-six soldiers and spared Israel a humiliating defeat.
It’s impossible for us to enter into Joshua’s mind and fully understand his thinking. No doubt the impressive victory at Jericho had given Joshua and his army a great deal of self-confidence, and self-confidence can lead to presumption. Since Ai was a smaller city than Jericho, victory seemed inevitable from the human point of view. But instead of seeking the mind of the Lord, Joshua accepted the counsel of his spies, and this led to defeat. He would later repeat this mistake in his dealings with the Gibeonites (Josh. 9).
—Be Strong, pages 104–5
3. Review Joshua 7:2–5. In what ways did Joshua walk by sight and not by faith? Why shouldn’t he have assumed God would give his men victory? What steps did he miss in preparing for the battle?
From the Commentary
Since Israel had sinned, Israel had to deal with its sin. God told Joshua that the nation had stolen that which belonged to Him and had hidden it among their own possessions as if it were theirs.… The nation had been sanctified in preparation for crossing the Jordan (3:5), but now they had to be sanctified to discover an enemy in the camp. They had to present themselves to God so He could expose the guilty man.
What the Lord said to Joshua helps us see Achan’s sin (and Israel’s sin) from the divine point of view. What they did was sin (7:11), a word that means “to miss the mark.” God wants His people to be holy and obedient, but they missed the mark and fell short of God’s standard. It was also transgression (v. 11), which means “to cross over.” God had drawn a line and told them not to cross it, but they had violated His covenant and crossed the line.
—Be Strong, page 108
4. Underline the occurrences of the word accursed (or devoted [to destruction]) in Joshua 7:6–15. What does this term mean? Why the emphasis on this theme? Does it seem like overkill? Why or why not? What message was God giving to the Israelites through this word?
From the Commentary
The phrase “Give glory to God” was a form of official oath in Israel (John 9:24 NIV). Achan had not only sinned against his own people, but he had also grievously sinned against the Lord, and he had to confess his sin to Him. When he said “I have sinned,” he joined the ranks of seven other men in Scripture who made the same confession, some more than once, and some without sincerity: Pharaoh (Ex. 9:27; 10:16), Balaam (Num. 22:34), King Saul (1 Sam. 15:24, 30; 26:21), David (2 Sam. 12:13; 24:10, 17; Ps. 51:4), Shimei (2 Sam. 19:20), Judas (Matt. 27:4), and the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:18, 21).
—Be Strong, pages 109–10
5. Read the Scripture passages noted above. How do each of these confessions compare to Achan’s? How can you tell which were sincere and which were insincere? Why would a sincere confession matter in Achan’s story? What does this teach us about the role of confession in the life of an individual believer? In a community?
From the Commentary
Since a law in Israel prohibited innocent family members from being punished for the sins of their relatives (Deut. 24:16), Achan’s family must have been guilty of assisting him in his sin. His household was judged the same way Israel would deal with a Jewish city that had turned to idols. Achan and his family had turned from the true and living God and had given their hearts to that which God had said was accursed—silver, gold, and an expensive garment. It wasn’t worth it!
At the beginning of a new period in Bible history, God sometimes revealed His wrath against sin in some dramatic way. After the tabernacle had been set up, Nadab and Abihu invaded its holy precincts contrary to God’s law, and God killed them. This was a warning to the priests not to treat God’s sanctuary carelessly (Lev. 10). When David sought to restore the ark to its place of honor, and Uzzah touched the ark to steady it, God killed Uzzah (2 Sam. 6:1–11), another warning from God not to treat sacred things carelessly. At the beginning of the church age, when Ananias and Sapphira lied to God and God’s people, the Lord killed them (Acts 5:1–11).
—Be Strong, page 110
6. Review Joshua 7:24–26. Why do you think God responded to Achan’s sin in this manner? What message was He giving to the Israelites? Why do you think God chooses to use such dramatic events in key points of His people’s history? (See other examples in the Be Strong excerpt above.)
More to Consider: Read Isaiah 65:10 and Hosea 2:15. How does God reframe the “valley of Achor” in these passages? What message does this give us about how God can turn sorrow into hope?
From the Commentary
Once the nation of Israel had judged the sin that had defiled their camp, God was free to speak to them in mercy and direct them in their conquest of the land. “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the LORD upholds him with His hand” (Ps. 37:23–24 NKJV). No matter what mistakes we may make, the worst mistake of all is not to try again; for “the victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings” (Alexander Whyte).
You start with the Word of God. We today don’t hear God’s audible voice as people often did in Bible times, but we have the Word of God before us and the Spirit of God within us, and God will direct us if we wait patiently before Him.
—Be Strong, page 116
7. Respond to this statement in light of Joshua 8:1–2: “No matter what mistakes we may make, the worst mistake of all is not to try again.” How did the Israelites try again? How did God provide second chances for them? How does God give us second chances today?
From the Commentary
God is not only the God of new beginnings, but He’s also the God of infinite variety. Remember the words of King Arthur that I quoted in chapter 2? “And God fulfills himself in many ways, / Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.” God changes His leaders lest we start trusting flesh and blood instead of trusting the Lord, and He changes His methods lest we start depending on our personal experience instead of on His divine promises.
The strategy God gave Joshua for taking Ai was almost opposite the strategy He used at Jericho. The Jericho operation involved a week of marches that were carried on openly in the daylight. The attack on Ai involved a covert night operation that prepared the way for the daylight assault. The whole army was united at Jericho, but Joshua divided the army for the attack on Ai. God performed a mighty miracle at Jericho when He caused the walls to fall down flat, but there was no such miracle at Ai. Joshua and his men simply obeyed God’s instructions by setting an ambush and luring the people of Ai out of their city, and the Lord gave them the victory.
It’s important that we seek God’s will for each undertaking so that we don’t depend on past victories as we plan for the future.
—Be Strong, pages 117–18
8. Why did Joshua initially depend on past victories when he tried to defeat Ai? How does past success affect the way people view future challenges? What does God’s infinite variety teach us about His nature? About the role of constantly seeking His will? How do we go about doing that?
From the Commentary
When morning dawned, the king of Ai saw the army of Israel positioned before the city, ready to attack. Confident of victory, he led his men out of the city and against the Jews. “They are the most in danger,” said Matthew Henry, “who are least aware of it.” Joshua and his men began to flee, and this gave the men of Ai even more assurance of victory.
According to Joshua 8:17, the men of Bethel were also involved in the attack, but no details are given. Whether they were already in Ai or arrived on the scene just in time, we aren’t told, but their participation led to the defeat of their city (12:16) as well as Ai.
—Be Strong, pages 119–20
9. What causes nations (and their leaders) to become overconfident about their strength or safety? What leads to overconfidence in individuals’ lives? How can we find the proper balance of confidence and caution?
From the Commentary
At some time following the victory at Ai, Joshua led the people thirty miles north to Shechem, which lies in the valley between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim. Here the nation obeyed what Moses had commanded them to do in his farewell speech (Deut. 27:1–8). Joshua interrupted the military activities to give Israel the opportunity to make a new commitment to the authority of Jehovah as expressed in His law.
—Be Strong, page 121
10. Read Moses’ farewell speech to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 27:1–8. What was his commission to the people? In what ways do the Israelites follow through with his wishes? (See Josh. 8:30–35.)
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Joshua 7—8. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. When have you walked by sight and not by faith? How did that go? What prompted your faithless approach to the situation? How might it have played out differently had you sought faith first?
12. God turned a place of sorrow into one of hope (the valley of Achor). How has God turned your sorrows into hope? How have you grown closer to God in this process?
13. Have you ever fallen prey to overconfidence when you should have been cautious? Describe that situation. Why were you overconfident? What was a positive reason for your confidence? What did you miss that could have saved you from failing? Is overconfidence always a sign of having missed God’s will? Explain.
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do so poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you want to practice trusting God to lead you in uncertain times? Be specific. Go back through Joshua 7—8 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Ideas: In Joshua 7—8, we learn about the dangers of trusting the past instead of continually seeking God’s will. Take stock of your own faith life. Are there areas in your life where you tend to trust “what has always been” instead of regularly seeking God’s will? Perhaps there are long-established patterns that you take for granted. Look closely at your habits and behaviors and the way you relate to others. If you find areas where you don’t regularly seek God’s will, make a determined effort to do so right away (and henceforth).
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve noted above. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read Joshua 9—12. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read chapter 9, “We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Our Neighbor,” in Be Strong.