covenant made by their ancestors at Sinai, and that would become an example to others of what happens

covenant made by their ancestors at Sinai, and that would become an example to others of what happens

Deuteronomy 28—29 there's not much hope for the followers. However, nobody in the camp was excluded, and this included the women and children, the resident aliens and the lowest servants. God could not truly be God to them if they refused to accept and obey His law. What He does for us depends a great deal on how we relate to Him (2 Cor. 6:14–18). The covenant He made with their fathers would stand forever, but their enjoyment of its promises depended on their obedience to the obligations.

reveal about our churches when the fire of chastening falls?

The covenant renewed (29:1–29) The word "covenant" is used seven times in this chapter; in fact, this chapter is the book of Deuteronomy in miniature. Moses reviewed the past (vv. 1–8), called the people to obey God's law (vv. 9–15), and warned them what would happen if they disobeyed (vv. 16–29). As we read and study Moses' farewell address, we may get weary of these repeated themes, but they are the essence of God's covenant with His people. While the priests and Levites had a copy of the law of Moses and could refer to it (17:18; 28:58; 29:20, 27; 31:26), the common people had to depend on their memories, and therefore repetition was important. "For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe" (Phil. 3:1 nkjv). Too often God's people forget what they ought to remember and remember what they ought to forget!

B.The terms of the covenant—29—30

It's important to note that what the Jews did that day affected their descendants in the years to come (Deut. 29:14–15). Just as Israel's decision at Sinai was binding to the new generation on the plains of Moab, so the new generation's decision would be binding to their descendants.

Warning of judgment (vv. 16–29). Moses reminded the people of the gross idolatry they witnessed while enslaved in Egypt and then while traveling through the wilderness. If they witnessed it with hearts devoted to the Lord, they couldn't help but be repulsed by what they saw, and they surely wouldn't want to participate in it. Nobody in Israel—no individual, family, or tribe—was to get involved in idolatry, for any idolater could become a "bitter root" that could defile the whole nation. Hebrews 12:15 applies this same warning to local assemblies of believers, for "one sinner destroys much good" (Eccl. 9:18 nkjv). Even if the offenders kept their sins hidden and were confident that they could escape judgment, the Lord would know and would judge. There could be no forgiveness; they would be plagued and killed and their names would be blotted out from under heaven (Deut. 9:14; Ex. 32:32–33). They would suffer from all the plagues named in Deuteronomy 28.

The covenant declared in Deuteronomy wasn't different from the covenant given at Mount Sinai. Rather, it was an explanation and application of that covenant to the new generation and their new situation in the Promised Land. If what Moses taught in Deuteronomy had been a separate covenant, he would have offered blood sacrifices to seal the covenant as he did at Sinai (Ex. 24:3–8; Heb. 9:18–22). Many of the people who accepted the covenant at Sinai had perished in the wilderness, but there was still a "nation of Israel" that was accountable to the Lord to obey that covenant (Deut. 4—5). Future generations in Great Britain were both benefited and obligated when King John signed the Magna Charta in 1215, and so were future generations of Americans when the Constitution of the United States went into effect in 1789. Future generations of Jews were bound by the covenant made by their ancestors at Sinai, and that covenant wasn't annulled until Christ died on the cross (Col. 2:11–14).

If the nation followed the idolaters and disobeyed the Lord, the Lord would judge the whole land and it would become an example to others of what happens when God's law is violated. Visitors would behold a country without people, farms without produce, land like the devastated land around Sodom and Gomorrah, and cities destroyed and left in ruin. The utter desolation of Israel would be a reminder that it's a costly thing to disobey the will of God.

Reviewing the past (vv. 1–8). Moses never seemed to tire of reminding the people of the grace and mercy of God bestowed on the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God judged the land of Egypt and delivered Israel from bondage (vv. 2–3), cared for the people in their wilderness journey (vv. 5–6), and gave them victory over the nations east of the Jordan (vv. 7–8). Because of all God did for them, Israel was now on the verge of entering the Promised Land and claiming their inheritance. During their long journey, God kept their shoes and clothing from wearing out,8 and gave them manna to eat and water to drink. A nomadic people wouldn't be able to harvest grapes for wine or grain for bread.

Will Israel be an obedient people? Would God send these curses? What does the future hold for the nation? Some of the Jews might have been asking themselves those questions, but this was not a time for speculation; it was a time for dedication. "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law" (29:29). Our responsibility as God's people isn't to try to pry open the doors of the future but to obey God's will here and now. When a man asked Jesus, "Lord, are there few that are saved?" His reply was personal and not philosophical. "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able" (Luke 13:23 nkjv). It's not necessary to know

Calling for obedience (vv. 9–15). The secret of prosperity was the blessing of God, and the secret of receiving that blessing was obedience to God's law. Moses began with the leaders of the nation (v. 10), for if leaders don't set the example as spiritual people,

Deuteronomy 29—30

God's secrets, but it is essential that we obey what the Lord has clearly revealed to us.

feel with, and a will to decide with, and God calls us to make right decisions. We're not robots; we can hear God's Word, learn God's will, and decide either to obey or disobey. Moses made it clear that making this decision isn't a difficult task. After all, we have the revealed truth of God in His Word, and that Word is available to us. We don't have to go up to heaven to get the Word, or even across the sea to another country, because God has brought His Word to us. Paul quoted this passage in Romans 10:6–10 to prove that righteousness isn't obtained by doing great feats but by exercising simple faith in Jesus Christ the Lord.

The blessings restored (30:1–20) So often in Scripture, the thundering voice of judgment is followed by the loving voice of hope. Alas, Israel did forsake the Lord and follow after idols, and the Lord did bring on His people the judgments stated in His covenant. No nation in history has suffered as much as the nation of Israel, and yet no nation has given so much spiritual wealth to the world. In this chapter, Moses looked down through the centuries and saw the future restoration of Israel in their land and under the blessings of God.

Furthermore, the choice is between life and death, and who would deliberately choose death? In Israel's case, the choice was between trusting God and enjoying the bounties of the land ("life and good"), or turning to idols and experiencing the curses given in the covenant ("death and evil"). It's either "life and blessing" or "death and cursing." Is this a difficult decision to make? Of course, today the choice is between eternal life and eternal death, salvation by the grace of God or condemnation by the righteousness of God. The only sensible decision is to choose life. "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36 nkjv).

Promise (vv. 1–10). "Heart" is one of the key words in this chapter (vv. 2, 6, 10); the others are "command" or "commandment" (vv. 2, 8, 10, 11, 16), "turn" or "return" (vv. 2, 3, 8, 10), and "life" (vv. 15, 19, 20). The connection is obvious: if God's people turn from their sins and return with all their heart to God and God's commandments and obey them, they will enjoy life as only the Lord can give. Moses is here looking forward to the time when a chastened Israel will repent, turn from their wicked ways, and come back to the Lord.

To some extent, a regathering occurred after the Babylonian captivity, when a believing remnant returned to the land and rebuilt the temple, but the fulfillment of this promise (vv. 3–6) will not take place until the end times. The people of Israel today are scattered throughout the world, while in the nation of Israel there are about 6 million people. But the Lord promises to regather His people, bring them back to their land, and bless them. But first, a spiritual "operation" must take place, the circumcision of their hearts so that they will receive their Messiah, love their Lord, and experience the spiritual life that He promised.

Moses called all creation to witness Israel's great opportunity to accept the covenant and enjoy its blessings (Deut. 30:19; 31:28; 32:1; Ps. 50:1; Isa. 1:2). God offered His people life, for God is our life (Deut. 30:20). "For in him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). We receive from Him not only physical life in our first birth but also spiritual life through our second birth (John 3:1–18).

This marks the end of Moses' farewell address, the review of the law, and the renewal of the covenant. He still has much more to say, and what he says is very important. Then Moses will die and the Lord will bury him where nobody can find the body. Joshua will then take over and lead Israel to triumph in their Promised Land.

Bible scholars disagree about the future of Israel. Some say that the church is now "spiritual Israel" and that all of these Old Testament promises are now being fulfilled in a spiritual sense in the church. Others say that the Old Testament promises must be taken at face value and that we should expect a fulfillment of them when Jesus Christ returns to establish His kingdom on earth. Moses seems to be speaking here to and about Israel and not some other "people of God" in the future, such as the church. The church has no covenant relationship to the land of Israel, for God gave that land to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 15), and the blessings and curses were declared to Israel, not the church. It would appear that there will be a literal fulfillment of these promises to Israel. When they repent, turn back to Jehovah, and open their hearts to the operation of His Spirit (Ezek. 37:1–14; Isa. 11:2; Joel 2:28–29), God will save them from their sins and establish them in Messiah's glorious kingdom (Zech. 12:10–13:1; 14:8–9). Choice (vv. 11–20). Because we're created in the image of God, we have minds to think with, hearts to

Notes

1 How much of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy Moses included in "all the words of this law" is not stated. Certainly the Ten Commandments would be written on the stones as well as the "book of the covenant" (Ex. 20:22—24:8). 2 The predictions of the curses God threatened to send on His disobedient people are give in 28:15–38. When God sent judgment to His people for their sins, He was only doing what they agreed for Him to do. 3 "The just shall live by faith" is one of the pivotal verses in Scripture (Hab. 2:4). It's quoted in the New Testament in Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; and Hebrews 10:38. Romans explains "the just," Galatians tells us how they "live," and Hebrews expounds "by faith." 4 The minimizing of God's holy law today has produced a shallow evangelism and brought into the churches "religious sinners" who have never repented of their sins because they've

Deuteronomy 31 prevent apostasy in the church today, for the church's record isn't much better than that of Israel.3 We have three responsibilities before the Lord: to honor godly leaders, to hear the Word of God, and to heed the warnings God gives us.

never felt conviction for their sins. "The person who will not repent still has his or her back turned on God" (A. W. Tozer, Men Who Met God, 45). 5 "Observe to do" (kjv) is translated "carefully follow" in the NIV and is found also in 16:12; 17:19; 19:9; 24:8; 28:1, 13, 15, 58; 29:9; 31:12. 6 God hasn't promised to make His spiritual children wealthy, but He has blessed His church with "all the blessings of the Spirit" (Eph. 1:3), and in Christ He has lifted us up "far above all" (vv. 20–23). We must not apply to the church today the covenant promises God gave only to Israel. 7 Job's friends criticized him because their theology said, "God always blesses the obedient and curses the disobedient." Since Job had lost his wealth, family, and health, he had to be a disobedient man for God was punishing him. They didn't see that God might also be perfecting him. Even our Lord's disciples thought that if anybody would be saved, it would be the rich people (Matt. 19:16–30). Jesus became poor to make us rich (2 Cor. 8:9), and He promised to bless the poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3; see 2 Cor. 6:10; Rev. 2:9; 3:17). 8 We must not assume that the children's clothing "grew" with them. God kept the garments from wearing out so that the children coming along had something suitable to wear. The clothing of the adults wouldn't require that much alteration since the nation was on a simple diet.

V. Replacing God's servant (31—34) A.Moses encourages his successor—31:1–13

Honoring God's servants (31:1–8, 23) Moses was 80 years old when God called him to lead His people (Ex. 7:7), and he was now 120, so he had been serving the Lord and His people for forty years. The time had come for him to step aside and let Joshua take over. Moses was still physically fit (Deut. 34:7), but the Lord had told him that, because of his sin at Kadesh, he wouldn't be allowed to enter Canaan (1:37–38; 3:23–27; 4:21–22; Num. 20:1–13). Moses had been a faithful servant in leading the people, delivering God's law to them, and building a nation, but Joshua was the man God chose to lead the army of Israel in conquering the land of Canaan. The phrase "go out and come in" (Deut. 31:2) describes the activities of a leader serving the people (Num. 27:15–17; Josh. 14:11), and Joshua would now be that leader.

Joshua wasn't a stranger to the people of Israel, for he'd been serving them well ever since they left Egypt. He was Moses' servant long before he became Moses' successor (Ex. 33:11; see Matt. 25:21). It was Joshua who led the Jewish army in defeating the Amalekites when they attacked the nation after the exodus (Ex. 17:8–16), and he had been with Moses on Mount Sinai (24:13; 32:17). Joshua was one of the twelve spies who scouted out Canaan, and he and Caleb stood with Moses and Aaron in encouraging the people to trust God and claim the land (Num. 13—14). In answer to Moses' prayer for a leader to succeed him, God appointed Joshua and Moses commissioned him before the whole congregation (27:12–23).

CHAPTER ELEVEN Deuteronomy 31:14—32:47 THE SONG OF MOSES T hese people will soon prostitute themselves to the foreign gods of the land they are entering" (31:16 niv).1 That's the message the Lord gave Moses after he finished his farewell address to the people he had served so faithfully for forty years.2 Certainly these words grieved his heart, but Moses knew that Israel had a long history of turning away from the Lord and worshipping idols. At Sinai they had made a golden calf and indulged in a pagan orgy (Ex. 32), and at Kadesh-Barnea they wanted to appoint a new leader and return to Egypt (Num. 14). In both rebellions, it was the intercession of Moses that saved the nation from being destroyed by God's judgment. During their wilderness journey, the Jews had frequently complained to Moses about the way he was leading them. When the new generation arrived at the border of Canaan, the men indulged in immorality and idolatry with the women of Moab, and God sent a plague that killed 24,000 Israelites (Num. 25). Israel's history was a tragic story indeed. How could Moses encourage his beloved people to stay true to their Lord who had done so much for them? Moses did what God commanded him: he appointed Joshua to be his successor; he gave the people the book of the law and told them how to use it, and he sang them a song of warning. What Moses did to help prevent apostasy in Israel needs to be done to

Moses encouraged Joshua by assuring him that God would go before His people and help them conquer the land and destroy the godless nations in Canaan (Deut. 31:3–6, 23). The "charge" in verse 23 is similar to the one the Lord gave Joshua after Moses died (Josh. 1:1–9). Joshua was to duplicate the victories the Lord had given Israel on the east side of the Jordan, when Israel defeated Sihon and Og, which meant destroying the Canaanite nations and everything connected with their religion. It's good to know that the same God who marched ahead of the armies of Israel still helps His people today (Heb. 13:5). In the work of the Lord, there's no substitute for godly leadership. As Moses did with Joshua, Christ with His apostles, and Paul with Timothy and Titus, the older generation must equip the younger generation to take their place (2 Tim. 2:2). The Lord has given us the qualifications for leaders in the church (1 Tim. 3; Titus 1), and we must give ourselves to mentoring and training qualified people to become those leaders. "The final test of a leader," wrote political columnist Walter Lippmann, "is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry

Deuteronomy 31

There's an important lesson here for the church today, for God has given His people the truth of His Word, and we must guard it, obey it, and pass it along to the next generation. (See 1 Tim. 1:11, 18–19; 6:20; 2 Tim. 1:13–14; 2:2.) The church of Jesus Christ is always one generation short of extinction, so it's important that each believer studies the Scriptures, receives the truth, practices it, and passes it on to others. We need faithful professionals like Ezra the scribe who "prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances" (Ezra 7:10). We also need dedicated and willing lay people like Priscilla and Aquila who can expound the way of the Lord more perfectly to believers who are confused (Acts 18:24–26).

on." Leaders must not only be qualified, but they must also be prepared and proved (1 Tim. 3:10) so that they aren't novices in serving the Lord (v. 6). The absence of gifted and qualified leaders is sometimes evidence of God's judgment on His people (Isa. 3:1–4, 12; 57:1). The situation is different today, but ancient Israelites would have been humiliated if young people and women were serving in places of leadership. It was the elderly men who had the wisdom and experience to lead the people.

Hearing God's Word (31:9–13, 24–29) At Mount Sinai, the Lord made it clear to Israel that, unlike the nations around them, they were to be a people of the word who would hear God's voice and obey it (4:15–20). The pagans could see their man-made idols but couldn't hear them speak, because their idols were dead (Ps. 115:1–8). If Israel forsook the living words of the living God and bowed down to dumb idols, they would be living by sight and not by faith and forsaking divine truth for human superstition. It was by the Word that the Lord created the universe, and it is through that same Word that He accomplishes His purposes in history (Ps. 33:6–13).

The doctrines of the Christian faith, recorded in Scripture, weren't invented by the early believers but were given by God to His chosen servants. Jude 3 calls this body of sacred truth "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (nkjv). In the local church, we are to teach no other doctrine (1 Tim. 1:3), nor are we to preach anything other than the inspired Word of God (2 Tim. 4:1–5). Paul called this treasure of truth "sound [healthy] doctrine" (1 Tim. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; 2:1) and "sound [healthy] words" (2 Tim. 1:13). If we want to have spiritually healthy churches, the saints must feed on "healthy" doctrine; anything else is "vain jangling" (1 Tim. 1:6; 2 Tim. 2:16) and a spreading infection like gangrene (v. 17). While it's a good thing for believers to encourage one another, we must be careful that our "sharing times" promote the truth of the Word and not just what individuals think about the Word.

During his long ministry, Moses had kept a record of what God had done and said (Ex. 17:14; 24:4–8; 34:27; Num. 33:2; Deut. 28:58; 29:20, 27), and he deposited that record with the priests who carried the ark of the covenant. He commanded them to put the book beside the ark in the Holy of Holies where He was enthroned on the mercy seat between the cherubim (Ps. 80:1 niv). God rules His world through His Word and God's people must respect His Word and obey it. In future years, Israel's king was required to write a copy of the law, study it, and keep it with him (Deut. 17:18–20). Each Sabbath year, at the Feast of Tabernacles, the law was to be read and expounded publicly to every man, woman, and child, whether Israelites or strangers, so that they would hear, fear, and obey (Neh. 8). It was especially important that the children hear the word (Deut. 31:13) so they could learn it early and enjoy a long life in the Promised Land.4

Local churches must imitate Israel and have special times when they meet together to read the Scriptures and hear them explained. In my own ministry I've been privileged to address large Bible conferences attended by believers who had only one thing in mind: to hear from God's Word what the Lord wanted them to do. Today, many churches can't hold Bible conferences because the people won't attend. Everybody is too busy, and an hour or two on Sunday morning once a week is all the time they can spare for the Lord. The Word isn't read and taught in homes as once it was, and unless they attend a Christian day school, the children receive Christian education during thirty minutes of Sunday School and perhaps an hour in a midweek club. Is it any wonder that families and churches are drifting farther from the faith?

Moses bluntly told the people what the Lord had told him: they were rebellious and stiff-necked and, after his death, would turn away from the Lord to worship idols (v. 27). When people are stiff-necked, they refuse to bow in reverent submission to the Lord, but harden themselves against the Lord and persist in doing what they want to do. (See Ex. 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut. 9:6, 13; 10:16.) Hearing God's Word, meditating on it, and obeying it was the best remedy against apostasy. Unfortunately, after the death of Moses and Joshua, the people of Israel listened to the false prophets and turned aside from God's truth and practiced idolatry (Judg. 2:6–7). Centuries later, Stephen accused his own nation of being "stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears" and always resisting the Holy Spirit as He spoke through the Word (Acts 7:51).

Heeding God's warnings (31:14–22, 30; 32:1–47) God instructed Moses to meet Him at the tabernacle and to bring Joshua, his successor, with him. Speaking from the glory cloud, the Lord told the two men that Israel would turn from the true and living God and worship idols ("play the harlot"), and that He would turn away from them and send the judgments named in the covenant (Deut. 28). The cause of their apostasy would be not only the pagan influence around them,

B.Moses warns the nation—31:14—32:52

Deuteronomy 31—32 biblical image for God that speaks of Him as stable, strong, unchanging, faithful, and enduring. Jacob called Him "the stone" (Gen. 49:24), and Jesus is frequently spoken of as "the Stone" or "the Rock" (Matt. 21:42–44; Acts 4:11; Rom. 9:32–33; 1 Peter 2:4, 7–8; see Dan. 2).

but also their own prosperity in the land (31:20). They would forget God the generous Giver and cease to thank Him for His goodness. If the nation obeyed God and served Him joyfully, His face would shine upon them (Num. 6:22–27), but if they turned to idols, God would hide His face from His people and chasten them.

At the very beginning of the song, Moses focused their attention on the greatness of God, for if they understood His greatness, the people wouldn't want to worship man-made idols. A.W. Tozer used to remind us that "no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God."7 He also said, "The first step down for any church is taken when it surrenders its high opinion of God."8

The Lord instructed Moses and Joshua5 to write down a song that He would give them, a song that the people could easily learn and remember. This song would warn the new generation and generations to come against the perils of idolatry and the tragic consequences of apostasy. It would also remind them of the goodness and mercy of the Lord. After Moses and Joshua wrote down the song (Deut. 31:19), they taught it to the leaders (v. 28) and to all the congregation (v. 30).6 Moses prefaced the song with the solemn reminder that, after his death, they would abandon the Lord and thereby invite the chastening of the Lord. This sounds something like Joshua's farewell speech to the officers and the people (Josh. 23—24) and Paul's last words to the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:17–37).

The goodness of God to His people (vv. 5–14). You would think that Israel would have exalted such a great God and counted it a privilege to know Him and serve Him, but they didn't. Instead, they turned to idols and corrupted themselves and blemished their own name and standing. "When they act that way, are they really his children? They are a deceitful and twisted generation" (v. 5 nlt). What a way to repay their Father for all He had done for them!9 We expect unconverted people to be twisted and corrupt (Phil. 2:15), but not the people of God (Matt. 17:17; Luke 9:41). One more time, Moses invited the people to remember what God had done for them in "the days of old." The younger ones could ask the older people what they remembered, because it's the responsibility of older believers to teach the younger (Ps. 78:5–8; Titus 2:1–8). The Lord is the God of history and geography; He divided the nations (Gen. 10) and put them on the earth where He wanted them (Acts 17:26). But He had a special plan for Israel, for they were His own people; and He made sure that they had a land adequate for them.10 The drama of salvation would be enacted in the land of Israel, so that land was very special to the Lord.

The song has four major divisions: the character of God (Deut. 32:1–4); the kindness of God to His people (vv. 5–14); the faithfulness of God to chasten His people (vv. 15–25); and the vengeance of God against His adversaries (vv. 26–43). The song traces God's dealings with Israel and is a concise review of the nation's history, from their wilderness sojourn to the judgments in the end times. It has both historic and prophetic aspects.

The character of God (vv. 1–4). Moses did the speaking, although Joshua was with him (vv. 44–45 niv), and he opened the song with two interesting images: a courtroom (v. 1) and a rain shower (v. 2). He called heaven and earth to bear witness to his words (30:19; 31:28), for the song would indict Israel for turning away from their God and breaking the covenant. This was the most serious offense the people could commit. Everything in creation obeys the Lord except His own people! (See Ps. 119:89–91; 148:5–9; Isa. 1:1–3.) But Moses didn't call for a storm; he gave his message as a quiet shower, trusting that the Word would soften the hard soil and produce fruit in the hearts of the people (Isa. 55:10–11). "Speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 4:15) is the best way to proclaim God's Word.

The Lord delivered Israel from Egypt and then came to them in the wilderness at Sinai. They were a helpless people and He claimed them for Himself. They were "the apple of his eye," referring to the pupil of the eye (Ps. 17:8; Prov. 7:2; Zech. 2:8).11 Moses used the image of the eagle to illustrate God's care for His people (Deut. 32:11–13a). At a certain stage in the lives of the young, the parents destroy the nest and force the young to fly. To make sure the young don't fall, the adult birds stay close to the young as they "try their wings," flying beneath them and even carrying them in their strong claws. It's a beautiful picture of the difficult process of maturity that God put all of us through just as He did the nation of Israel. Israel was made to "fly on the high places" (v. 13) and not grovel in the mire like the pagans. Every experience they had during their wilderness journey was another opportunity for them to grow up, but too often they regressed and acted like babies.

Learning the character of God should be our major concern in the school of life, and Moses was a star pupil (Ex. 33:12—34:9; Ps. 90). To the Jew, the name of the Lord was "Jehovah," the name God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:13–15). Moses didn't proclaim his own name, for he was a humble man (Num. 12:3); his desire was to honor the name of the Lord. The other "Song of Moses" (Ex. 15) also magnifies the attributes of God. In two brief verses, Moses ascribes to the Lord perfection, greatness, justice, truth, faithfulness, and righteousness, and he describes Him as "the Rock" (Deut. 32:4, 15, 28, 30–31). This is a familiar

Israel enjoying the land of Canaan is the theme of verses 13b-14. God gave them a rich land, one that

Deuteronomy 32 their land and care for them!" Moses was concerned about the glory of the Lord as well as the good of the nation. God knew that the Gentiles would boast about defeating and humiliating Israel, so He intervened and saved His people (Ezek. 20:8–29). He also severely punished the Gentile nations because they went too far and were cruel in their treatment of the Jews (Jer. 50:10–13, 17). It was the Lord who permitted Assyria and Babylon to capture His people, and the nations acted as though they were the great conquerors.

produced honey out of the rocks and in which olive trees could thrive in stony soil and produce much oil. Flocks and herds multiplied in the pastures and the fruit and grain prospered in the fields, orchards, and vineyards.12 Indeed, the Lord gave them a good land and nothing was lacking.

The faithfulness of God in chastening His people (vv. 15–25). Moses warned the people that their undeserved prosperity in the land would tempt them to become proud and forget the Lord (Deut. 8), and then He would have to chasten them, and that's exactly what happened. "Jeshurun" is a nickname for Israel (33:5, 26; Isa. 44:2) and means "the upright one." As far as their standing before God was concerned, "He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel" (Num. 23:21 nkjv), but when it came to their conduct, God stood ready to chasten His beloved people for not living up to their standing. He has a similar problem with the church today, for we don't always walk worthy of our high calling (Eph. 4:1ff.).

The reason for Israel's plight was not the strength of their enemies but their own lack of wisdom (Deut. 32:28–29; Isa. 1:3). They possessed the Scriptures that recorded the covenants, and all they had to do was obey God's laws and He would have blessed them. Those same Scriptures predicted the coming of their Messiah, yet when He arrived, Israel didn't know Him (John 1:26). Today there is a veil over their hearts when they read the Old Testament and they cannot see Christ in their Scriptures (2 Cor. 3:12–18; Rom. 11:25–36; John 5:39).

God's "jealousy" is that of a loving faithful husband whose wife has betrayed him. (This is the story in the book of Hosea, and see Jer. 2:25.) To worship idols is to worship demons (1 Cor. 10:20), so Israel was not only grieving the Lord but also playing right into the hands of the wicked one. They forgot their Rock who was both their Father ("who begot you") and their Mother ("who formed you," i.e., "gave you birth"). The Jewish people are His "sons and daughters" (Deut. 32:19). Their attitudes and actions prevented Him from loving them as He longed to do, so He had to show His love by chastening them.

If Israel had been faithful to the Lord, He would have given them victory over their enemies, and one Jewish soldier would have been worth twenty or even a hundred enemy soldiers (Lev. 26:6–8). Alas, their rebellion caused their Rock to "sell them" to the enemy, even though the enemy had nothing compared to what Israel had in Jehovah (Deut. 32:31–33). Their gods (rock) were certainly not like the living God of Israel, and their vine (nation) wasn't planted, as was Israel in the land (Isa. 5). To eat the enemy's grapes and drink their wine was to be poisoned, yet Israel worshipped their gods! "They are a nation void of counsel" (v. 28).

Since they moved Him to jealousy by following other gods, He decided to move them to jealousy by blessing and using other nations (v. 21; Hos. 1). Historically, this refers to God using various Gentile nations to chasten Israel in their land (the book of Judges), and then Babylon to take them into captivity. But prophetically it refers to God calling the Gentiles to salvation after Israel had turned against the message of the gospel (Rom. 10; 11:11ff.). Today, God wants to use the church to make Israel jealous of the spiritual blessing that we have that the Jews once had (Rom. 9:1–5; 11:13–14). We're to "advertise His virtues" (1 Peter 2:9) so that the lost will long to share in the blessings we have in Christ. It's sad to see words like fire, arrows, hunger, fever, beasts, serpents, swords, and calamities ("mischiefs," kjv) applied to God's special people, but those were the judgments He sent them (Lev. 26:14ff.). After the Roman conquest in AD 70, the nation was scattered, and today we find Jewish people all over the world.

God doesn't overlook the evil deeds of Israel's enemies but has His weapons ready so that He can vindicate His people (vv. 34–35). "This" in verse 34 refers to God's vengeance on the enemies of Israel and of God, something He had planned long ago. Here we have God presented as the righteous warrior who will defeat Israel's enemies and at the same time judge ("vindicate") His own people and have compassion on them ("repent himself," kjv). This is a message of hope for Israel, for His chastening is the first step toward restoring His people and returning to them the blessings that they forfeited when they turned to idols.13 The false gods that they trusted won't be able to help Israel, but the Lord will show His great power on behalf of His helpless people and deliver them from the enemy. We may have in verses 39–43 a description of the battle of Armageddon (see Rev. 14:17–20; 16:12–16). We have no record in Scripture or in history of any special time of vengeance when God vindicated the Jews by defeating the Gentile nations, so this prophecy has yet to be fulfilled.

The vengeance of God against His adversaries (vv. 26–43). On two previous occasions, the Lord had threatened to destroy His people, and Moses reminded Him of His covenant promises and of the fact that the Gentile nations were watching (Ex. 32:11–14; Num. 14:11–25). If God destroyed Israel, the Gentiles would say, "Their God isn't strong enough to take them into

The thrust of the closing section of the song (Deut. 32:34–43) is the ultimate vindication of Israel before the Gentile nations that have attacked her, humiliated her, and abused her. To some extent Israel was vindicated when Babylon was taken by Darius the Mede and

Deuteronomy 32—33 the Jews were allowed to return to their land, but surely these verses describe something far more extensive and dramatic than that event. The vivid language makes us think of the Old Testament descriptions of the day of the Lord and the slaughter that will take place (Isa. 2:10–21; Amos 5:18–20; Zeph. 1:7–18). While it will be a day of judgment on the Gentiles for the way they have treated Israel (Joel 3:1–3), it will also be a time of refining for Israel; and in the end, they will see their Messiah, repent, and be converted (Zech. 9—14).

10 It's not likely that verse 8 refers to Genesis 10 and the seventy nations that came from Shem (v. 26), Ham (v. 30) and Japheth (v. 14), and the seventy in Jacob's family that traveled to Egypt (Gen. 46). Throughout history, nations have come and gone and their number changed. 11 Literally it says, "The little man of the eye," that is, the reflection of someone who is looking into another person's eye. The Hebrew word implies "something precious and irreplaceable that must be guarded jealously." The English word "pupil" comes from the Latin pupillam, which means "apple." When the word was coined, people thought that part of the eye was a sphere like an apple. 12 "Fat of kidneys of wheat" (v. 14 kjv) simply means "the very finest wheat." In the sacrifices, the fat of the kidney was a choice part (Ex. 29:13, 22; Lev. 3:3–4, 9–10, 14–15). "Blood of grapes" refers to the richness of the grape juice and the wine (Gen. 49:11). 13 Verse 36 is quoted in Hebrews 10:30 and applied to God's new covenant people. The phrase in verse 35, "Their foot shall slide in due time," is the text of Jonathan Edwards' famous sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God."

Moses closed the song, Joshua standing with him, by appealing to the people to take the message to heart and teach the song to their children, so that future generations would obey the law and avoid idolatry. (See Deut. 4:9–10; 6:7; 11:19; Ex. 10:2; 12:26.) The Word of God is the life of God's people, just as God is our life (Deut. 30:20), for the Word communicates to us the truth about God and His gracious blessings. To receive and obey the Word is to share in the life of God. "They are not just idle words for you—they are your life" (32:47 niv). "For the word of God is living and powerful" (Heb. 4:12).

CHAPTER TWELVE Deuteronomy 32:48—34:12 THE END OF AN ERA S

Notes

1 Idolatry was described as prostitution because Israel had been "married" to Jehovah when she accepted the covenant at Mount Sinai. When condemning idol worship, the prophets often compared the nation to an unfaithful wife. See Hos. 1— 2; Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 2:1–3; 3:14; 31:32. The New Testament equivalent is loving the world (James 4:4). 2 It isn't easy to minister when you know that people will reject your messages, but we must be faithful to the end. Years before, Moses knew that Pharaoh would harden his heart (Ex. 7:1–7). Isaiah knew that the nation would become more blind and deaf (Isa. 6), and Jeremiah understood that calamity and captivity would come in spite of his ministry (Jer. 1:13–19). 3 At the end of the apostolic age, several of the churches addressed in Rev. 2—3 were already infected with false doctrine, idol worship, unspiritual leadership, and immorality. By the time you get to the church at Laodicea, Jesus is outside the church trying to get in (3:20)! 4 Modern educational philosophy advises us to use an agegraded approach, but there are times when the whole church needs to be together to hear the Word of God. If the Word is presented with clarity and simplicity, even the children can understand it and learn something from it, and it's good for families to worship together. The church today needs a John the Baptist who will "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children" and unite our homes and our churches (Luke 1:17). 5 The verb "write" in verse 19 is plural. Both men were involved. 6 In a society that didn't have printed books or convenient writing materials, a good memory was essential to success. Unlike people in our modern video age, the Israelites knew how to listen carefully and remember accurately what they heard. 7 A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy (Harper, 1961), 9. 8 Ibid., 12. 9 The Lord isn't called "Father" too often in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 32:6, [18–19]; Isaiah 63:16; 64:8; Malachi 2:10. See also Exodus 4:22.

o teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Ps. 90:12). Moses wrote those words probably after the great crisis at Kadesh-Barnea, when Israel rebelled against God and He numbered the days of the older generation (Num. 13—14). But Moses was now numbering his hours, for it would soon be time to leave the camp of Israel, climb Mount Nebo, and surrender into the loving arms of God to be put to sleep. Moses left the camp and left this life, but he also left behind some wonderful gifts for his people and for us today.

C.Moses blesses the tribes—33

A blessing for Israel (33:1–29) The "Song of Moses" had been a lesson in theology, history, and personal obedience, with several strong warnings included, but the final blessing Moses bestowed on his people is saturated with grace and mercy. It's quite a contrast to the "blessing" Jacob gave his sons before he died (Gen. 49), revealing their hidden character and exposing sin.1 Moses opened and closed his speech by extolling the greatness of the Lord he was about to meet on top of the mount (Deut. 33:1–5, 26–29), and then he named each tribe except Simeon2 and gave them a blessing from the Lord. Moses wrote and spoke of himself in the third person (vv. 1, 4), the same way David spoke to the Lord in 2 Samuel 7:20 when he was so overwhelmed by the promises of God. Both Moses and David were like little children, who often use their own names when speaking to adults.

The glory of God (vv. 1–5). As Moses looked back

Deuteronomy 32

28:15–30). We've already noted that Simeon is not mentioned, but all the other tribes are, including Joseph along with his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. The order is: over his long life, the one scene that gripped his mind was the revelation of God's glory at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19:16–25; 24:15–18; Heb. 12:18–21) and the giving of the law. But he had seen God's glory up close when he had been on the mount interceding with the Lord (Ex. 33–34). This same description is used in Deborah's song in Judges 5:4–5, and also by the prophet Habakkuk as he praised the Lord (Hab. 3:3). The better we know the Word of God, the more able we are to express proper worship to Him. There is no substitute for "psalms and hymns and spiritual songs" (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16) that are founded on Scripture.

Reuben, Judah, Levi—sons of Leah (Deut.

33:6–11) Benjamin, Joseph—sons of Rachel (vv. 12–17) Ephraim, Manasseh—sons of Joseph (v. 17) Zebulun, Issachar—sons of Leah (vv. 18–19) Gad—son of Zilpah (vv. 20–21) Dan, Naphtali—sons of Bilhah (vv. 22–23) Asher—son of Zilpah (vv. 24–25)

God came from3 the myriad of angels in heaven to meet with sinful Israel! Why? "Because he loved the people" (Deut. 33:3). Throughout the book of Deuteronomy, Moses has emphasized God's special love for Israel and His grace in choosing them to be His special people (4:31–40; 7:6, 13; 14:2; 26:19; 28:9). God's sovereign grace and love are never reasons for pride on the part of sinful people. Rather, they are truths that should humble us and make us want to serve Him with all our hearts. The "saints" (holy ones) in 33:2 are the angels, but the "saints" in verse 3 are the people of Israel, God's set-apart ones, Jeshurun "the upright one." In spite of their frequent disobedience, Israel is seen by God as His special people. "He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has he seen wickedness in Israel" (Num. 23:21 nkjv). There was much sin in the Corinthian church, yet Paul addressed the people as "saints" (1 Cor. 1:1–2). Our standing before God is that of being righteous in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:21), but our present state in this world is that of being tempted and frequently failing. The victorious Christian life means living up to our standing through faith in the power of God.

Since Reuben (v. 6) was Jacob's firstborn, he's mentioned first, although Reuben's sin (Gen. 35:22) cost him the rights of the firstborn (49:3–4) which were then given to Joseph (1 Chron. 5:1–2). But Moses says nothing about this! Jacob said that the tribe wouldn't excel, but Moses prayed that the tribe would live, i.e., grow and prosper. Hebrew students don't agree on the translation of the last clause. Is it "nor let his men be few" or "and let his men be few"? Is he asking blessing or judgment? In spite of his sin against his father, Reuben interceded for Joseph (Gen. 37:19–22; 42:22) and was willing to provide his sons as surety for Benjamin (42:37). The Reubenites settled with Gad and Manasseh in the territory east of the Jordan, but they marched at the head of the army in conquering Canaan (Josh. 4:12) and didn't return to their own land until after the conquest was completed (22:1–9). Between the first and second censuses in Numbers (Num. 1 and 26), Reuben lost 2,770 men, but the tribe had a reputation for being courageous soldiers (1 Chron. 5:10). It's interesting that no great civil or military leader or prophet ever came from the tribe of Reuben.

Moses describes our exalted position because of God's grace: loved by God, secure in His hand, and submissive at His feet (Deut. 33:3). We also dwell between His shoulders (v. 12) and have His everlasting arms beneath us (v. 27). No wonder Moses exclaimed, "Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord" (v. 29). Moses didn't see the law as a burden from God but as a rich inheritance (v. 4). Israel would inherit a good land, but their greatest inheritance was the Word of God that nourished them, protected them, and guided them. "Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart" (Ps. 119:111 nkjv). Unlike the nations around them, Israel didn't have a human king ruling the people, for God was their King, and His throne was the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant (Deut. 33:5; Ps. 80:1 niv). How tragic that later Israel asked for a king and put their faith in the arm of flesh (Deut. 17:14–20; 1 Sam. 8—9). God's blessings for the tribes (vv. 6–25). God saw not only the entire nation, the people of Israel, but He also saw the individual tribes and assigned blessings to them. Like the high priest, the Lord carried the names of the tribes individually over His heart (Ex.

Judah (Deut. 33;7) was the royal tribe (Gen. 49:10), but it was also a military tribe, for the men of Judah marched at the front of the army during the nation's journeys (Num. 2:9). Moses prayed that God would hear Judah's prayers, give them victory on the battlefield, and bring their armies back home safely.

The tribe of Levi (Deut. 33:8–11) was set apart to be the priestly tribe (priests and Levites), and the Levites assisted the priests at the sanctuary. Jacob linked Simeon and Levi (Gen. 49:5–7) and announced that, because of their sins, these two tribes would be scattered in Israel. Simeon became a part of Judah and the Levites lived in forty-eight special cities assigned to them (Josh. 21). Scattering the Levites turned out to be a blessing for the Jews because the Levites knew and taught the law and could instruct the people. Oddly enough, dying Jacob said nothing about the spiritual ministry of Levi's descendants.

The priests had the Urim and Thummim (Ex. 25:7; 28:30), which were probably two precious stones kept in the high priest's breastplate and used to determine

Deuteronomy 33 described as two tribes who will receive rich blessing from land and sea. Jacob identified Zebulun with the sea (Gen. 49:13) and Issachar with the land (vv. 14–15), although Issachar was near the Sea of Galilee and Zebulun just a few miles from the Mediterranean Sea. The two phrases "going out" and "in your tents" cover all of daily life: going out to work, coming home to rest. Moses was blessing every aspect of their life, what we might call the "routine tasks of life." The picture in Deuteronomy 33:19 is that of worship followed by a communal feast, but the Jews had to bring their sacrifices to the central sanctuary where they could enjoy family feasts. Some think it's a picture of the two tribes sharing their bounties with their brothers and sisters and giving thanks to God for His generosity, a Jewish version of a family picnic.

the will of God (1 Sam. 23:6–9). The "holy one" in Deuteronomy 33:8 ("the man you favored," niv) is probably Moses, who with Aaron came from the tribe of Levi. Moses was sorely tested at Massah (Ex. 17:1–7) and at Meribah (Num. 20:1–13), and the priests and Levites stood with him. It was the Levites who slew the idolaters after the golden calf episode (Ex. 32:25–29), showing their zeal for the Lord. They put obeying God's will ahead of their love for their own families and their own nation (see Matt. 10:37; Luke 14:26). It would be the privilege and responsibility of the priests to guard and use the Urim and Thummim, teach the people the law, and be in charge of worship at the sanctuary. Moses prayed that the tribe of Levi—his own tribe—would be given strength for their many ministries and be protected from their enemies.

The tribe of Gad (vv. 20–21) was located east of the Jordan (3:12–16) with Reuben and Manasseh. Moses knew that Gad had chosen the best land for their flocks and herds. But Gad was also a brave tribe that sent warriors into Canaan to help conquer the land (Josh. 1:12–18; 4:12–18; 22:1–4). When Israel defeated the nations east of the Jordan, Gad took a "lion's share" for themselves.

Jacob's youngest son Benjamin (Deut. 33:12) was greatly beloved by his father (Gen. 35:18; 44:20) and also beloved of the Lord and protected by the Lord. The little tribe of Benjamin was situated adjacent to Judah's northern boundary, and the city of Jerusalem was on the northern border of Judah and the southern border of Benjamin. Since the sanctuary would be at Jerusalem, Benjamin would be close to the Lord who dwelt there with His people. Like a father caring for a son, God would carry Benjamin on His back, between his shoulders,4 and shelter him from danger. The men of Benjamin had quite a reputation as warriors (Judg. 5:14). More space is devoted to Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh (Deut. 33:13–17) than to any other tribe, but Jacob followed the same pattern (Gen. 49:22–26). Jacob had given the rights of the firstborn to Joseph and had also made his younger son Ephraim firstborn over Manasseh (Gen. 48). Moses blessed Joseph with "precious [choice] things" in terms of plenty of water, good land, fruitful harvests, and valuable timber and minerals from the hills and mountains. He spoke of the "sun and moon" because these were the lights God put in charge of the seasons (1:14). "The one who dwelt in the bush" (Deut. 33:16) was the Lord Himself when He appeared to Moses (Ex. 3). The phrase "separated from his brethren" can also be translated "a prince among his brethren." This was true not only literally in Egypt but also spiritually and morally in the family. He was a godly man.

Comparing Dan (Deut. 33:22) to "a lion's whelp" suggests that the tribe wasn't quite mature yet, but it showed great promise and had great strength. A lion's cub grows up to be a lion! The second clause has been translated "he shies away from the viper." Jacob compared Dan to a serpent (Gen. 49:16–17), and the serpent and the lion are both associated with Satan (Gen. 3; Rev. 12:9, 14–15; 20:2; 1 Peter 5:8). The tribe of Dan became idolatrous and apostate (Judg. 17—18).

Naphtali (Deut. 33:23) is promised the fullness of the Lord's blessing and expansion to the south, where the Sea of Galilee is located, and the west, toward the Mediterranean Sea. Barak came from this tribe, and soldiers from Naphtali assisted him and Deborah (Judg. 5:18) and Gideon (7:23). Naphtali is mentioned in messianic prophecy (Isa. 9:1; Matt. 4:13–16).

The name Asher (Deut. 33:24–25) means "blessed," and Moses asked that the Lord bless the tribe with many children, the favor of his brothers, and great prosperity. To use precious olive oil on your feet would be a mark of wealth, and Asher's territory was blessed with many olive groves. The word translated "shoes" is also translated "bolts," referring to strong security at the city gates. So, the tribe would enjoy fertility, brotherly love, prosperity, and security, and the Lord would give them daily strength to accomplish their work. What more could they want?

Moses compared Joseph and his sons ("his glory") to a beautiful firstborn bull with sharp horns that defeat every enemy. The word "firstborn" ("firstling") is significant, because Joseph inherited the blessing of the firstborn when Jacob rejected Reuben, and Ephraim was made firstborn over his brother Manasseh. The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh were known for their fruitful lands, their large flocks and herds, and their military power. Unfortunately, they were proud of their ancestry and occasionally refused to cooperate with the other tribes and thereby created problems for the nation.

The happiness of God's people (vv. 26–29). These are the last written words of Moses, and they focus on the happiness of the people of God because of His blessings. As Moses finished blessing the tribes, he visualized the whole nation and the joy Israel ought to have because they know the true and living God. Their God isn't a dead idol sitting in a temple; He rides the heavens to come to the aid of His people!

Zebulun and Issachar (Deut. 33:18–19) are

Deuteronomy 33—34

God in His government allows our sins to work out their sad consequences in our lives.

(See Ps. 18:10 and 68:33.) But even more, God is Israel's "home" and dwelling place (see 90:1), and they abide in Him no matter where they go. As we go forward by faith, He defeats the enemy and holds us up in the battle.

God gave Moses the ability to view the whole land, with Naphtali on the north, Ephraim and Manasseh in the central area, and Judah, the Negev, and Zoar in the south. The Lord assured Moses that he would keep His covenant with the patriarchs and give Israel this wonderful land. However, all was not lost, for Moses did arrive in the Holy Land centuries later when he and Elijah joined Jesus in glory on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1–3; Luke 9:28–31). Moses even talked with the Lord Jesus about "His decease [exodus]" that He would accomplish on the cross at Jerusalem. (Moses knew something about an exodus!)

D.Moses leaves the people—34

Israel would face many enemies and fight many battles as they conquered the Promised Land, but God would give them victory. They would dwell in a safe and productive land, separated from the pagan nations but bearing witness to them about the God of Israel. God would be their helper, their shield, and their sword, so they had nothing to fear. Israel's greatest danger wasn't the armies around them so much as the appetites within them. Their hearts needed to be weaned away from their love for idols and the sins associated with idol worship. In the end, the Jews accepted and worshipped the gods of the nations they defeated, and this led to the spiritual and moral decay of the nation. Instead of "treading on their high places" (Deut. 33:29), Israel sank lower and lower into the pits of sin, until God had to send them into captivity.

After viewing the land, Moses died and the Lord and the archangel Michael (Jude 9) buried him on Mount Nebo, in a grave that nobody could ever locate or identify. What the dispute was between Michael and the devil isn't explained anywhere in Scripture. The main reason Jude mentioned this strange event was to refute those who speak evil of dignitaries (vv. 8, 10), something that even a holy archangel wouldn't do, though the "dignitary" was Satan himself! This event is not recorded in Scripture; it comes from an apocryphal book called The Assumption of Moses. Michael has a special ministry to the Jewish nation (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1) and is also an enemy of Satan, because Satan wants to destroy the Jewish people (Rev. 12:7–9). The name Michael means "Who is like God?" and Satan had said, "I will be like the Most High" (Isa. 14:14). Did Satan want to use Moses' dead body to create problems in the Jewish nation that was about to invade his strongholds in Canaan? Could he tempt the Jews to worship their dead leader? We don't know, and it's useless to speculate.

A warning for God's servants (34:1–8) The imminent death of Moses is a repeated theme in these closing chapters (31:1–2, 14, 16, 26–29; 32:48–52; 33:1; 34:1–8, 10, 12). Moses knew what was coming, for death is an appointment (Heb. 9:27), not an accident. Moses had begun his ministry as a lonely shepherd, caring for his sheep near Horeb (Sinai), the mountain of God (Ex. 3), and now he would end his ministry leaving his sheep with Joshua and going up Mount Nebo alone to meet God.

But the emphasis in these verses isn't so much his death as the fact that the Lord couldn't allow him to enter the Promised Land because of his rash sin at Kadesh (Num. 20). Instead of speaking to the rock, Moses struck the rock in anger and said, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" (v. 10 niv). His attitude, his actions (hitting the rock), and his words were all generated by the flesh and not the Spirit and were intended to glorify him and Aaron and not the Lord. Moses did not sanctify God in what he said and did, and for this he was kept out of the Promised Land (Deut. 1:37–40; Num. 20:12–13). He prayed earnestly that the Lord would change His mind, but the Lord refused to do so (Deut. 3:23–26; the verb indicates that Moses had often prayed this prayer). On Mount Nebo, Moses was perhaps six miles from the border of the Promised Land, but the Lord wouldn't allow him to go in.

Moses died "according to the word of the Lord" (Deut. 34:5), and that should be the goal of every believer. The death of God's saints is very precious to Him (Ps. 116:15), and therefore He'll not permit it to happen by accident, unless the believer is rebelling against His will. The days that God has "ordained for us" are written down (139:16), and though we can't live beyond them, we can by our foolishness and sin hasten our own death.

An example for God's servants (34:9–12) There were times when Moses complained to God because his work was difficult, and more than once he was ready to quit, but in spite of these very human weaknesses, Moses was a faithful servant. In fact, in the matter of faithfulness, Moses is even compared with Christ (Heb. 3:1–6).

Was the punishment greater than the offense? Not at all. "Any offense of Moses cannot be a small offense," said Alexander Maclaren. Moses was the leader of God's own people; he was the lawgiver and the architect of the Jewish nation and the Jewish religion. He knew that the greater the privileges, the greater the responsibilities. In what he did, Moses failed to glorify God, and for that sin he had to suffer chastening. God in His grace forgives our sins, but

Moses was faithful to walk with God, and he spoke to God as a man speaks to his friend (Ex. 33:11; Num. 12:7–8). The secret of his life wasn't his own abilities— he claimed he had none—or even his education in Egypt (Acts 7:22), but his humble walk with the Lord. He spent time with God, he listened to God's Word, and he followed God's orders.

Deuteronomy 34

The only perfect example is Jesus Christ, but when we read about Moses, he reminds us of our Lord and encourages us to become more like our Savior in all things.

Another exemplary thing about Moses was his devotion to his people. On two occasions, God offered to wipe out the Jewish people and begin a new nation with Moses, and Moses rejected the offer (Ex. 32:9–14; Num. 14:10–25). Moses was a true shepherd who was willing to lay down his life for his sheep (Ex. 32:30–35). Too many so-called "Christian leaders" are really only hirelings who do their work for what they can get out of it (John 10:12–14). When there's trouble or danger, the hireling flees to a safe place, but the true shepherd flees to the Lord for the strength needed to get the job done.

Notes

1 Genesis 49:28 calls Jacob's speech a "blessing," but the only son to whom the word was applied was Joseph (vv. 25–26). Jacob saw his words as a prophecy (v. 1), and he had some hard things to say to and about his sons. 2 The tribe of Simeon was later absorbed into Judah (Josh. 19:1–9). Jacob had exposed the anger of Simeon and Levi and announced that they would be scattered among the tribes (Gen. 49:7). 3 While angels were involved in the giving of the law (Gal. 3:19), the text indicates that the Lord came from the angelic hosts (Dan. 7:10) to Mount Sinai. See NIV margin.

Moses was a faithful intercessor. Many times he fell on his face and pleaded with God not to judge the people, and on the mountain, he prayed until he was certain the Lord would go with them on their journey. Like the apostles, Moses was a man who focused on "prayer and the ministry of the word" (Acts 6:4). As Jesus with His apostles, he taught the people the Word and then he prayed for them to receive it and grow.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN Review of Deuteronomy LEARNING TO REMEMBER— REMEMBERING TO LEARN M

The Lord prepared Moses for his ministry and took eighty years to do it. He was raised as a prince in Egypt and taught all that the wise men in Egypt knew. Some scholars believe that Moses was in line to be the next Pharaoh. Yet Moses gave all this up to identify with the people of God in their suffering (Heb. 11:24–27). God gave Moses a forty-year "post-graduate course" as a shepherd in the land of Midian, a strange place for a man with all the learning of Egypt in his mind. But there were lessons to be learned in solitude and silence, and in taking care of ignorant sheep, that Moses could never have learned in the university in Egypt. God has different ways of training His servants, and each person's training is tailormade by the Lord.

y memory is nearly gone," wrote John Newton at age eighty-two, "but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior."

That's the purpose Moses had in mind when he delivered the addresses we call the book of Deuteronomy: he wanted the people to remember the things that were really important. If they would remember who they were—sinners saved by God's grace and power—and what God had done for them, they would be able to enter the new land triumphantly, defeat their enemies, avoid the dangerous temptations all around them, and enjoy the inheritance God prepared for them.

In many respects, Moses comes across as a very Christlike person. Like Jesus, he was born into a godly home at a difficult time in Jewish history, and like Jesus, his life was threatened. When Moses gave up the treasures of Egypt, it was like Jesus, who became poor that He might share spiritual riches with many (2 Cor. 8:9). Like Jesus, Moses was rejected by his people when he tried to help them the first time (Ex. 2:11–15), but he was accepted by them when he came to them the second time (4:29–31; Acts 7:23–36). Israel rejected Christ at His first coming, but they will receive Him when He comes again (Zech. 12:10–13:1).

We can review the major lessons of Deuteronomy by noting what Moses tells us to remember.

"Remember the Lord" (8:18) The Word of God was given so that we might better know the God of the Word.1 Everything that Moses declared to the people was a revelation of the mind and heart of God. Each law, each ceremony, each prohibition, and each memory of past events pointed to Jehovah, the God of the Israelites. In mighty deeds of power and gracious words of truth, the Lord had revealed Himself to Israel as He did to no other nation, and Moses recorded these words and deeds for us to read today. The knowledge of God is life's most important knowledge.

Moses was a meek man, and Jesus said, "I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matt. 11:28–30). Moses finished the work God gave him to do (Ex. 39:42–43; 40:33) and so did the Son of God (John 17:4). Before He returned to heaven, Jesus left trained disciples behind to continue the work of world evangelism, and Moses left Joshua and the elders behind to guide the people in the ways of the Lord. Our Lord's face shone on the Mount of Transfiguration, and Moses' face shone when he came down from meeting God on the mount (Matt. 17:2; Ex. 34:29–30). Moses was "mighty in words and deeds" (Acts 7:22), and so was Jesus when He was ministering on earth (Luke 24:19).

Israel was to remember that the Lord was one Lord (6:4). They lived in a world of superstitious idolatry in which each nation had its own gods and goddesses, and when you moved from nation to nation, you changed

Deuteronomy

The fact that the Jews were once strangers in a foreign land should have motivated them to be especially kind to the strangers in their land (10:19). It should also have encouraged them to be kind to their own servants (24:14). "Love one another" simply means that we treat others the way the Lord treats us.

your gods! But the people of Israel believed that there was one supreme God, the true and living God whose name was Jehovah—"I am that I am." The first commandment said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Ex. 20:3), and the second commandment prohibited the Jews from making an image of their God or of any other thing in the universe that they might worship as a god.

"Remember how God led you" (8:2) "And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way." God didn't desert Israel when they came out of Egypt, but led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The Jews didn't always understand the route that the Lord took, but He never led them astray. We can be sure that the will of God will never lead us where the grace of God cannot keep us or the power of God enable us to glorify the Lord.

This one Lord is the reator of all things and possesses unlimited power. He demonstrated that power in sending the plagues to Egypt and then opening the Red Sea so that Israel could depart. He revealed His glory at Mount Sinai, but He also revealed His grace and mercy as He entered into a covenant with Israel (Deut. 4:32, 37). The Lord is the faithful God who keeps His word and will not be false to His people. The God of Israel loves His people and wants them to love Him. He is jealous over His people (v. 24; 5:9; 16:16), the way a husband is jealous over his wife.

One of the hardest lessons God's people must learn is to accept God's will and obey Him without protest or complaint. If the Jews had taken time to look back and recall their journey from Egypt to Canaan, they would have seen that each stage in the journey taught them more about themselves and about the Lord. They would see themselves as living in the past and afraid of the future, doubting God's love and His ability to see them through. Their frequent complaining revealed their lack of love for the Lord, and their rebellion showed their lack of submission to His will.

The God of Israel is the God who chastens His people if they disobey Him. His covenant makes it clear that He will bless when His people obey Him and send chastening when they disobey Him, and both activities are evidences of His love and faithfulness. In His mercy, He will forgive if the people repent and return to Him, but He will not tolerate rebellion.

God declares His Word through chosen servants like Moses, and He expects His people to listen to the Word, remember it, and obey it. Just as Israel is a people of the Word, so the church today is a people of the Word. Our faith isn't something that we manufactured ourselves, because it was graciously given to us in the Word of the Lord. God's Word is our life, and apart from that Word, we cannot know God, know the will of God, or worship and serve God acceptably. God's commandments are God's enablements. We're privileged to have the written Word in our own language and to enjoy the freedom to read it and share it with others. Like Israel, the church must be a "people of the Word," for everything we need for life and godliness is found in the inspired Word of God (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16–17).

Wherever he lived, missionary J. Hudson Taylor put up a plaque that read: "Ebenezer—Jehovah-Jireh." These Hebrew words mean, "Hitherto the Lord has helped us—The Lord will see to it" (1 Sam. 7:12; Gen. 22:14). As God's people look back, we see that the Lord has been faithful, and as we look ahead, we know He will provide; so, why worry and fret?

"Remember Mount Sinai" (4:9–13) The Lord didn't lead Israel directly from Egypt to Canaan because they weren't ready to enter the land and confront the enemy. Liberty isn't the same as maturity; in fact, without maturity, liberty is a dangerous thing. God didn't give His law to Israel as a means of salvation because He had already redeemed them by the blood of the Passover lamb. He gave them His law to mature them, for they were like little children who needed a babysitter (Gal. 4:1–7).

"Remember that you were slaves" (5:15) The admonition is also found in 15:15; 16:3 and 12; and 24:18–22. Each time the Jews celebrated Passover, they were reminded of the trials the nation experienced in Egypt, and this should have led them to love the Lord all the more for what He did for them. When the journey became difficult, the Jews frequently wanted to return to the security and slavery of Egypt instead of trusting the Lord and enjoying the freedom He gave them. While we don't want to repeat the sins of the past, it does us good to remember what the Lord saved us from when we trusted Christ. The Jews were to remember the day that the Lord brought them out of their slavery (16:3). There's nothing wrong with setting aside special "remembrance days" when we review the goodness of the Lord toward us.

What did the people of Israel learn at Mount Sinai? Of first importance, they learned that God is a holy God who must be feared and honored. God demonstrated His great power and glory at Sinai and the people shook with fear. But unless that fear becomes reverence in the heart, it can never transform the life. Israel also learned that God was a gracious and merciful God who provided forgiveness and a means to worship and serve Him.

However, it was also at Mount Sinai that the people discovered their impatience and unbelief when Moses stayed on the mount so long. In their hearts they had a craving for idols, and they worshipped the golden calf.

Deuteronomy thought that some of the men in Scripture who sinned greatly against the Lord didn't do so when they were young men: Abraham fleeing to Egypt and lying about his wife, Moses losing his temper, Aaron making a golden idol, David committing adultery and murder, and Peter denying his Lord. We never outgrow temptations and battles.

They saw how swiftly God judged their terrible sin, but they also learned that Jehovah would forgive them and give them a new beginning.

Every believer must learn to submit to the will of God as it is expressed in the Word of God. One test of our submission is a willingness to wait on the Lord and not run after substitutes. Even though the golden calf was approved by the high priest, it was wicked and contrary to the will of God.

"Remember what the Lord did to Miriam" (24:9) The story of Miriam's rebellion is found in Numbers 12. While Aaron was implicated with her, it seems that she was the ringleader in the matter because she was the one who was punished. Miriam was envious of Moses' wife and critical of her brother because of his marriage.2 God saw her heart and heard her words and punished her sin by giving her leprosy. Displaying his usual meekness and love, Moses interceded for her and God healed her. However, the leprosy had made her unclean and she had to leave the camp for a week until the priest could verify that the leprosy was gone. Her sin held up the march of Israel, for sin always hinders the progress of God's people.

"Remember how you provoked God" (9:7) "Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness" (nkjv). On at least two occasions the Lord threatened to destroy all the people and make a new nation from Moses. And yet, what did the Jews have to be provoked about? The Lord who graciously delivered them from Egypt also gave them everything they needed on their journey, defeated their enemies, and gave them a land flowing with milk and honey.

Their basic problem was unbelief (Heb. 3—4); they simply didn't trust God. They didn't believe His promises or obey His commands but tried to go their own way, and this led to rebellion and chastening. And they never seemed to learn their lesson! Like stubborn and rebellious children, the Jews took their spankings and went right back to their sins!

Sins of the spirit are as destructive as sins of the flesh, and sometimes they are worse. Miriam was guilty of pride, envy, evil speaking, and lack of love. But even more, sins within families are especially painful, as are sins among the leaders of God's people. If God gave leprosy to every leader who envied other leaders and criticized them, there wouldn't be many healthy people left!

As God's children, we need to confess that apart from God's grace, nothing good dwells in us (Rom. 7:18), and that our fallen nature can't be changed. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6)—and it always will be flesh! The ability to sin is still with us, but we should have less of an appetite to sin. Through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and the Word (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18), our inner person should conform more and more to Christ, desiring and delighting in the things of God.

These special reminders apply to us today. Bad memories can lead to bad attitudes and actions and often to unfaithfulness to the Lord. While the book of Deuteronomy is a long book, filled with a variety of material, the spiritual lesson that stands out is that we must be equipped by the Lord to face the challenges and opportunities of the future. That equipping comes from hearing His Word, cherishing it, and obeying it. While there are some things we must forget, there are also some things that we must remember if we're to please and glorify the Lord and accomplish the work He's given us to do.

"Remember your enemies" (25:17) This isn't a command to carry grudges but to recognize the true enemies that oppose the Lord and us. The Amalekites attacked Israel after the exodus and Joshua and the Jewish army defeated them (Ex. 17:8–16). It was then that God declared war on every generation of the Amalekites until the memory of the nation would be wiped off the face of the earth. The Israelites weren't attacked in Egypt but after the Lord had set them free from bondage. This reminds us that the world, the flesh, and the devil don't assault dead sinners because they already have them under their control (Eph. 2:1–3). However, once the Lord has set us free, these enemies come after us, and the war will go on until we see Jesus Christ.

Notes

1 One of the paradoxes of Jewish history is that the Jewish scribes honored the Scriptures and studied them meticulously and yet failed to recognize their Messiah when He appeared. Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me" (John 5:39 nkjv). The old hymn said it best: "Beyond the sacred page / I seek thee, Lord / My spirit pants for Thee / O living Word." ("Break Thou the Bread of Life" by Mary A. Lathbury.) 2 Moses' first wife had died and he took another wife. "Ethiopian" means "Cushite" and need not be seen as a woman of the black race, although the Bible doesn't prohibit such marriages (Acts 17:26). Miriam saw the new wife as a competitor to fear instead of a sister-in-law to love.

A young Scottish minister attended a "victorious Christian life" conference and came to believe that he had "gotten the victory" over the enemies of the spiritual life. He shared this good news with Alexander Whyte, noted minister in Edinburgh, who said, "Aye, it's a sore battle up to the very last!" It's a solemn

G e n e s i s E x o d u s L e v i t i c u s N u m b e r s D e u t e r o n o m y J o s h u a J u d g e s R u t h

1 S a m u e l 2 S a m u e l 1 K i n g s 2 K i n g s 1 C h r o n i c l e s 2 C h r o n i c l e s E z r a N e h e m i a h

E s t h e r J o b P s a l m s P r o v e r b s E c c l e s i a s t e s S o n g o f

J e r e m i a h L a m e n t a t i o n s E z e k i e l D a n i e l H o s e a J o e l A m o s O b a d i a h

J o n a h M i c a h N a h u m H a b a k k u k Z e p h a n i a h H a g g a i Z e c h a r i a h M a l a c h i

OUTLINE Key theme: Claiming our victory and our inheri-

CONTENTS

Introduction to the Book of Joshua 378 A New Beginning tance in Christ Key verse: Joshua 1:8

Joshua 1 381 Follow the Leader

I. PREPARING THE NATION (1—5)

A. Encouraging the leader—1 B. Spying out the land—2 C. Crossing the river—3 D. Affirming the covenant—5

Joshua 2 385 A Convert in Canaan

Joshua 3—4 388 Forward by Faith

Joshua 5 392 Preparing for Victory

II. DEFEATING THE ENEMY (6—12)

A. The Central Campaign—6—9 B. The Southern Campaign—10 C. The Northern Campaign—11 D. Summary of the victories—12

Joshua 6 396 The Conquest Begins!

Joshua 7 400 Defeat in the Land of Victory

III. CLAIMING THE INHERITANCE (13—22)

Joshua 8 404 Turning Defeat into Victory

A. Territory assigned to the tribes—13—19 B. Cities of refuge set apart—20 C. Cities for the Levites identified—21 D. Border tribes sent home—22

Joshua 9:1—10:28 407 We Have Met the Enemy and

He Is Our Neighbor

IV. RENEWING THE COVENANT (23—24)

Joshua 10:29—12:24 411

A. Joshua's final message to the leaders—23 B. Joshua's final message to the nation—24

Joshua 13—21 412 This Land Is Our Land!

Joshua 22 416 And When the Battle's Over

Joshua 23—24 419 The Way of All the Earth

A Great Life in Review 423

Joshua ders that God performed (Ex. 7—12), and he knew that Jehovah was a God of power who would care for His people. The Lord had humiliated the gods of Egypt and demonstrated that He alone was the true God (Ex. 12:12; Num. 33:4). Joshua saw the Lord open the Red Sea and then close the waters and drown the pursuing Egyptian army (Ex. 14—15). Joshua was a man of faith who knew the Lord and trusted Him to do wonders for His people.

CHAPTER ONE

Introduction to the Book of Joshua A NEW BEGINNING W hy should anybody today study the book of Joshua, an ancient book that gives a grim account of war, slaughter, and conquest? If the book of Joshua were fiction, we might accept it as an exciting adventure story; but the book conveys real history and is a part of inspired Holy Scripture. What does it mean to us today?

Joshua the soldier. The first official recorded act of Joshua in Scripture is his defeat of the Amalekites when they attacked Israel about two months after Israel's exodus from Egypt (17:8–16). Moses was a prophet and legislator, but Joshua was a general with exceptional military skills. He was also a man of great courage, who wasn't afraid to confront the enemy and trust the Lord for victory.

"There never was a good war, or a bad peace," Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1783, but it's possible that the wise old patriot was wrong for once. After all, God called Joshua to be a general and to lead the army of Israel in holy conquest. But there were bigger issues involved in that conquest than the invasion and possession of a land—issues that touch our lives and our faith today.

Where did Joshua learn to use a sword and to command an army? Certainly he was especially gifted by the Lord, but even heavenly gifts must be discovered and developed in an earthly setting. Had Joshua in some way been involved with the Egyptian army and received his early training in its ranks? This is possible, though the Scriptures are silent and we must not be dogmatic. Just as Moses refused a high position in Pharaoh's palace but received his education there (Heb. 11:24–26; Acts 7:22), so Joshua may have turned down army promotions that he might identify with his people and serve the Lord.

That's why we're embarking on this study. The book of Joshua is the book of new beginnings for the people of God, and many believers today need a new beginning. After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, Israel claimed their inheritance and enjoyed the blessings of the land that God had prepared for them, "as the days of heaven upon the earth" (Deut. 11:21). That's the kind of life God wants us to experience today. Jesus Christ, our Joshua, wants to lead us in conquest now and share with us all the treasures of His wonderful inheritance. He has "blessed us with all spiritual blessings" (Eph. 1:3), but too often we live like defeated paupers.

According to Exodus 17:14, the writer suggests that God had chosen Joshua for a special work in the future. Unknown to Joshua, the battle with Amalek was a testing time when God was examining his faith and courage. "Make every occasion a great occasion, for you can never tell when someone may be taking your measure for a larger place" (Marsden). Joshua's conflict with Amalek was the preparation for many battles he would fight in the Promised Land.

The new leader From Exodus 3 to Deuteronomy 34, the Bible focuses attention on the ministry of Moses, God's chosen servant to lead the nation of Israel. But Moses died, and though he would not be forgotten (he's named over fifty times in the book of Joshua), a new "servant of the Lord" (Josh. 24:29) would take his place. "God buries His workers, but His work goes on." We shall note later that this change in leadership carries with it a tremendous spiritual lesson for believers who want to experience God's best in their lives.

Joshua the servant. In Exodus 24:13, Joshua is called Moses' servant ("minister"), which indicates that Joshua was now an official assistant to the leader of Israel. He accompanied Moses to the mount and went with him when he judged the people for making the golden calf (32:17). It wasn't enough that Joshua be a good warrior; he also had to know the God of Israel and the holy laws God gave His people to obey. We shall discover that the secret of Joshua's victories was not his skill with the sword but his submission to the Word of God (Josh. 1:8) and to the God of the Word (5:13–15).

Joshua the slave. God spent many years preparing Joshua for his calling. He was born into slavery in Egypt and was given the name Hoshea (Num. 13:8), which means "salvation." Moses later changed it to Joshua (v. 16 niv), "Jehovah is salvation," which is the Hebrew form of "Jesus" (Matt. 1:21; see Acts 7:45 and Heb. 4:8). When his parents gave the baby the name "salvation," they were bearing witness to their faith in God's promise of redemption for His people (Gen. 15:12–16; 50:24–26). Joshua belonged to the tribe of Ephraim and was the firstborn son of Nun (1 Chron. 7:20–27). This meant that his life was in danger the night of Passover, but he had faith in the Lord and was protected by the blood of the lamb (Ex. 11—12).

During Israel's wilderness journey, Moses had a special tent set up outside the camp where he could meet with God (Ex. 33:7–11). It was Joshua's responsibility to stay at the tent and guard it. Not only was Joshua a warrior, but he was also a worshipper and knew how to live in the presence of God.

Joshua was jealous not only for the glory of God but also for the honor and authority of Moses. This is a good characteristic for a servant to have, and it

While in Egypt, Joshua saw all the signs and won-

Joshua asked God to give the people a leader, and God appointed Joshua (27:12–23; Deut. 3:23–29). In his final message to Israel, Moses told the people that God would use Joshua to defeat their enemies and help them claim their promised inheritance, and he also encouraged Joshua to trust God and not be afraid (31:1–8). Moses laid hands on Joshua, and God imparted to Joshua the spiritual power he needed for his task (34:9).

showed up when God sent His Spirit upon the seventy elders Moses had chosen to assist him in his work (Num. 11:16–30). When the Spirit came upon Eldad and Medad in the camp, two men who had not assembled with the other elders at the tabernacle, Joshua protested and asked Moses to stop them from prophesying. (For a New Testament parallel, see Luke 9:49–50.) The breadth of Moses' spirit must have moved Joshua as Moses claimed no special privileges for himself. It's worth noting that when the inheritance was allotted after the conquest of the Promised Land, Joshua took his share last (Josh. 19:49–51).

Like Moses, Joshua was human and made his share of mistakes; but he was still God's chosen and anointed leader, and the people knew this. This is why they said to Joshua, "Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you" (Josh. 1:17 nkjv). God's people in the church today need to acknowledge God's leaders and give them the respect that they deserve as the servants of God (1 Thess. 5:12–13).

Joshua the spy. When Israel arrived at Kadesh Barnea, on the border of the Promised Land, God commanded Moses to appoint twelve men to spy out the land of Canaan—Joshua among them (Num. 13). After forty days of investigating the land, the spies returned to Moses and reported that the land was indeed a good one. But ten of the spies discouraged the people by saying that Israel wasn't strong enough to overcome the enemy, while two of the spies—Caleb and Joshua— encouraged the people to trust God and move into the land. Sadly the people listened to the faithless ten spies. It was this act of unbelief and rebellion that delayed the conquest of the land for forty years.

The secret of Joshua's success was his faith in the Word of God (Josh. 1:7–9), its commandments and its promises. God's Word to Joshua was "Be strong!" (vv. 6–7, 9, 18; and see Deut. 31:6–7, 23); and this is His Word to His people today.

The new land The promise of the land. The word "land" is found eighty-seven times in the book of Joshua because this book is the record of Israel's entering, conquering, and claiming the Promised Land. God promised to give the land to Abraham (Gen. 12:1–7; 13:15–17; 15:7, 18; 17:8; 24:7), and He reaffirmed the promise to Isaac (26:1–5), Jacob (28:4, 13, 15; 35:12), and their descendants (50:24). The exodus narrative gives many reaffirmations of the promise (3:8, 17; 6:4, 8; 12:25; 13:5, 11; 16:35; 23:20–33; 33:1–3; 34:10–16), and these are repeated in Leviticus (14:34; 18:3; 19:23; 20:22–24; 23:10; 25:2, 38) and Numbers (11:12; 15:2, 18; 16:13–14; 20:12, 24; 27:12; 33:53; 34:2, 12). (See also 1 Chron. 16:14–18.) In Moses' "farewell speech" (Deut.), he frequently mentioned the land and the nation's responsibility to possess it. The word "land" is found nearly 200 times in Deuteronomy and the word "possess" over 50 times. Israel owned the land because of God's gracious covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1–5), but their enjoyment of the land depended on their faithful obedience to God. (See Lev. 26 and Deut. 28–30.) As long as the Jews obeyed God's law He blessed them, and they prospered in the land. But when they turned from God to idols, God first chastened them in the land (the book of Judges), and then He took them from their land to the land of Babylon. After they had been chastened for seventy years, Israel returned to their land; but they never fully recovered the glory and blessing that they once had known.

This crisis revealed some fine leadership qualities in Joshua. He was not blind to the realities of the situation, but he didn't allow the problems and difficulties to rob him of his faith in God. The ten spies looked at God through the difficulties, while Joshua and Caleb looked at the difficulties through what they knew about God. Their God was big enough for the battles that lay ahead!

Knowing he was right, Joshua wasn't afraid to stand up against the majority. He, Moses, and Caleb stood alone and risked their lives in so doing, but God stood with them. It has well been said that "one with God is a majority." It would take that kind of courage for Joshua to lead Israel into their land so they could defeat their enemies and claim their inheritance.

Think of the years of blessing in the Promised Land that Joshua forfeited because the people had no faith in God! But Joshua patiently stayed with Moses and did his job, knowing that one day he and Caleb would get their promised inheritance (Num. 14:1–9). Leaders must know not only how to win victories but also how to accept defeats. I have a suspicion that Joshua and Caleb met each other regularly and encouraged each other as the time of their inheritance drew near. Day after day, for forty years, they saw the older generation die off, but each day brought them closer to Canaan. (See Heb. 10:22–25 for a New Testament parallel.)

Joshua the successor. Throughout that wilderness journey, God was preparing Joshua for his ministry as successor to Moses. When Israel defeated Og, king of Bashan, Moses used that victory to encourage Joshua not to be afraid of his enemies (Deut. 3:21–28; Num. 21:33–35). When Moses was preparing to die, he

God called the Promised Land "a good land" (8:7–10) and contrasted it with the monotony and barrenness of Egypt (11:8–14). It was to be Israel's place of rest, her inheritance, and the dwelling place of God (12:9, 11). After enduring slavery in Egypt and misery

Joshua with the life of God's people and not their death! The book of Joshua records battles, defeats, sins, and failures—none of which will take place in heaven. This book illustrates how believers today can say good-bye to the old life and enter into their rich inheritance in Jesus Christ. It explains how we can meet our enemies and defeat them, and how to claim for ourselves all that we have in Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:3). What Paul's letter to the Ephesians explains doctrinally, the book of Joshua illustrates practically. It shows us how to claim our riches in Christ.

in the wilderness, the Jews would finally find rest in their Promised Land (Josh. 1:13, 15; 11:23; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1). This concept of "rest" will show up again in Psalm 95:11 and Hebrews 4 as an illustration of the victory Christians can have if they give their all to the Lord.

The prophet Ezekiel called the land of Israel "the glory of all lands" (Ezek. 20:6, 15), which the NIV translates "the most beautiful of all lands." Daniel calls it "the pleasant land" (8:9) and "the glorious land" (11:16 and 41). Often it is described as "a land flowing with milk and honey" (Ex. 3:8, 17; 13:5; 33:3; Lev. 20:24; Num. 13:27; Deut. 6:3; 11:9; etc.). This was a proverbial statement meaning "a land of plenty," a place of peaceful pastures and gardens where the herds could graze and the bees could gather pollen and make honey.

But it also shows us how to claim our rest in Christ. This is one of the major themes of the book of Hebrews and is explained in chapters 3 and 4 of that epistle. In those chapters, we find four different "rests," all of which are related: God's Sabbath rest after creating the worlds (Heb. 4:4; Gen. 2:2); the salvation rest we have in Christ (Heb. 4:1, 3, 8–9; Matt. 11:28–30); the believer's eternal rest in heaven (Heb. 4:11); and the rest God gave Israel after their conquest of Canaan (3:7–19).

The importance of the land. The prophet Ezekiel said that Jerusalem was "in the center of the nations" (5:5 niv) and that the land of Israel was "the center of the world" (38:12 nasb). The Hebrew word translated "center" also means "navel," suggesting that Israel was the "lifeline" between God and this world, for "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). God chose the land of Israel to be the "stage" on which the great drama of redemption would be presented.

God's promise to Moses was "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex. 33:14 nkjv). The Jews certainly had no rest in Egypt or during their wilderness wanderings, but in the Promised Land, God would give them rest. In his farewell message to the people, Moses said, "For as yet you have not come to the rest and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you" (Deut. 12:9 nkjv; and see 3:20; 12:9–10; 25:19). This "Canaan rest" is a picture of the rest that Christian believers experience when they yield their all to Christ and claim their inheritance by faith.

In Genesis 3:15, God promised to send a Savior to the world, and the first step in the fulfilling of that promise was the call of Abraham. Beginning with Genesis 12, the Old Testament record focuses on the Jews and the land of Israel. Abraham left Ur of the Chaldees to go to that new land, and there Isaac and Jacob were born. God announced that the Redeemer would come from the tribe of Judah (49:10) and the family of David (2 Sam. 7). He would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem (Isa. 7:14; Mic. 5:2) and one day die for the sins of the world (Isa. 53; Ps. 22). All these important events in the drama of redemption would take place in the land of Israel, the land that Joshua was called to conquer and claim.

The four geographic locations seen in the history of Israel illustrate four spiritual experiences. Egypt was the place of death and bondage from which Israel was delivered. They were delivered from death by the blood of the lamb and from bondage by the power of God who opened the Red Sea and took them across safely. This illustrates the salvation we have through faith in Jesus Christ, "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 nkjv). Through His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ delivers the believing sinner from bondage and judgment.

The new life It's unfortunate that some of our Christian songs have equated Israel's crossing the Jordan with the believer's dying and going to heaven, because this mistake brings confusion when you start interpreting the book of Joshua. "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is a beloved spiritual, but I fear its imagery is not biblical. The hymn "On Jordan's Stormy Banks" perpetuates that same error, as does the third verse of "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah":

The wilderness experience of Israel depicts believers who live in unbelief and disobedience and don't enter into the rest and riches of their inheritance in Christ, either because they don't know it's there or they know and refuse to enter. Like Israel, they come to a crisis place (Kadesh Barnea), but refuse to obey the Lord and claim His will for their lives (Num. 13–14). They are delivered from Egypt, but Egypt is still in their hearts, and like the Jews, they have a desire to go back to the old life (Ex. 16:1–3; Num. 11; 14:2–4; see Isa. 30:3; 31:1). Instead of marching through life as conquerors, they meander through life as wanderers and never enjoy the fullness of what God has planned for them. It's this crowd that is especially addressed in the epistle to the Hebrews.

When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside; Death of death, and hell's destruction, Land me safe on Canaan's side.

William Williams

The events recorded in the book of Joshua have to do

Canaan represents the Christian life as it ought to

Joshua 1 unbelief, God abandoned them to their own ways and they were humiliated in defeat. The same spiritual principle applies to the church today.

be: conflict and victory, faith and obedience, spiritual riches and rest. It's a life of faith, trusting Jesus Christ, our Joshua, the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10), to lead us from victory to victory (1 John 5:4–5). When Israel was in Egypt, the enemy was around them, making their lives miserable. When they crossed the Red Sea, Israel put the enemy behind them, but when the nation crossed the Jordan River, they saw new enemies before them, and they conquered these enemies by faith.

As you look at your life and the life of the church where you fellowship, do you see yourself and your fellow believers wandering in the wilderness or conquering in the Promised Land? In the wilderness, the Jews were a complaining people, but in Canaan, they were a conquering people. In the wilderness, Israel kept looking back, yearning for what they had in Egypt, but in the Promised Land, they looked forward to conquering the enemy and claiming their rest and their riches. The wilderness march was an experience of delay, defeat, and death; but their experience in Canaan was one of life, power, and victory.

The victorious Christian life isn't a once-for-all triumph that ends all our problems. As pictured by Israel in the book of Joshua, the victorious Christian life is a series of conflicts and victories as we defeat one enemy after another and claim more of our inheritance to the glory of God. The eminent Scottish preacher Alexander Whyte used to say that the victorious Christian life was "a series of new beginnings."

As you look at the "spiritual map" of your Christian life, where are you living?

According to Joshua 11:23, the whole land was taken, but according to 13:1, there remained "very much land to be possessed." Is this a contradiction? No, it's the declaration of a basic spiritual truth: In Christ, we have all that we need for victorious Christian living, but we must possess our inheritance by faith, a step at a time (Josh. 1:3), a day at a time. Joshua's question to his people is a good question to ask the church today: "How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the Lord … has given you?" (18:3 niv).

CHAPTER TWO Joshua 1 FOLLOW THE LEADER T

I. Preparing the nation (1—5) A.Encouraging the leader—1 wice during my years of ministry, I've been chosen to succeed distinguished and godly leaders and carry on their work. I can assure you that it wasn't easy to follow well-known Christians who sacrificially poured years of their lives into successful ministries. I can identify with Joshua when he stepped into Moses' sandals and discovered how big they were!

The fourth geographic location on Israel's "spiritual map" is Babylon, where the nation endured seventy years of captivity because they disobeyed God and worshipped the idols of the pagan nations around them. (See 2 Chron. 36; Jer. 39:8–10.) When God's children are willfully rebellious, their loving Father must chasten them until they learn to be submissive and obedient (Heb. 12:1–11). When they confess their sins and forsake them, God will forgive and restore His children to fellowship and fruitfulness (1 John 1:9; 2 Cor. 7:1).

When I succeeded D.B. Eastep as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Covington, Kentucky, I remember how his widow and his son encouraged me and assured me of their support. I recall one of the deacons, George Evans, coming to the church office to tell me he would do anything to help me, "including washing your car and polishing your shoes." I never asked George to do either of those things, but his words expressed the encouraging attitude of all the church staff and leaders. I felt like a raw recruit taking the place of a seasoned veteran, and I needed all the help I could get!

The leading person in the book of Joshua is not Joshua but the Lord Jehovah, the God of Joshua and of Israel. In all that Joshua did by faith, he desired to glorify the Lord. When the Jews crossed the Jordan River, Joshua reminded them that the living God was among them and would overcome their enemies (Josh. 3:10). Through Israel's obedience, Joshua wanted all the people of the earth to know the Lord and fear Him (4:23–24). In his "farewell addresses" to the leaders (chap. 23) and to the nation (chap. 24), Joshua gave God all the glory for what Israel had accomplished under his leadership.

Nearly a quarter of a century later when I succeeded Theodore Epp at Back to the Bible, I had a similar experience. The board and headquarters staff, the leaders in the overseas offices, the radio listeners, as well as many Christian leaders from all over the world, assured me of their prayer support and availability to help. When you feel like a midget taking the place of a giant, you appreciate all the encouragement God sends your way.

What a new leader needs is not advice but encouragement. "To encourage" literally means "to put heart into." General Andrew Jackson said "one man with courage makes a majority," and he was right. As God's people today face the challenges that God gives us, we would do well to learn from the threefold encouragement found in this chapter.

At least fourteen times in this book, God is called "the Lord God of Israel" (7:13, 19–20; 8:30; 9:18–19; 10:40, 42; 13:14, 33; 14:14; 22:24; 24:2, 23). Everything that Israel did brought either glory or disgrace to the name of their God. When Israel obeyed by faith, God kept His promises and worked on their behalf, and God was glorified. But when they disobeyed in

Joshua 1

God encourages His leader (1:1–9) Encouragement from God's commission (vv. 1–2). Leaders don't lead forever, even godly leaders like Moses. There comes a time in every ministry when God calls for a new beginning with a new generation and new leadership. Except for Joshua and Caleb, the old generation of Jews had perished during the nation's wanderings in the wilderness, and Joshua was commissioned to lead the new generation into a new challenge: entering and conquering the Promised Land. "God buries His workmen, but His work goes on." It was God who had chosen Joshua, and everybody in Israel knew that he was their new leader.

of God (24:29). The important thing is not the servant but the Master.

Joshua is called "Moses' minister" (1:1), a word that described workers in the tabernacle as well as servants of a leader. (See Ex. 24:13; 33:11; Num. 11:28; Deut. 1:38.) Joshua learned how to obey as a servant before he commanded as a general; he was first a servant and then a ruler (Matt. 25:21). "He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander," wrote Aristotle in his Politics.

God commissioned Joshua to achieve three things: lead the people into the land, defeat the enemy, and claim the inheritance. God could have sent an angel to do this, but He chose to use a man and give him the power he needed to get the job done. As we have already seen, Joshua is a type of Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10), who has won the victory and now shares His spiritual inheritance with us.

Over the years I've seen churches and parachurch ministries flounder and almost destroy themselves in futile attempts to embalm the past and escape the future. Their theme song was, "As it was in the beginning, so shall it ever be, world without end." Often I've prayed with and for godly Christian leaders who were criticized, persecuted, and attacked simply because, like Joshua, they had a divine commission to lead a ministry into new fields of conquest, but the people would not follow. More than one pastor has been offered as a sacrificial lamb because he dared to suggest that the church make some changes.

Encouragement from God's promises (vv. 3–6). Since Joshua had a threefold task to perform, God gave him three special promises, one for each task. God would enable Joshua to cross the river and claim the land (vv. 3–4), defeat the enemy (v. 5), and apportion the land to each tribe as its inheritance (v. 6). God didn't give Joshua explanations as to how He would accomplish these things, because God's people live on promises and not on explanations. When you trust God's promises and step out by faith (v. 3), you can be sure that the Lord will give you the directions you need when you need them.

J. Oswald Sanders writes: "A work originated by God and conducted on spiritual principles will surmount the shock of a change of leadership and indeed will probably thrive better as a result" (Spiritual Leadership, 132).

In describing the death of King Arthur, Lord Tennyson put some wise and profound words in the mouth of the king as his funeral barge moved out to sea. Sir Bedevire cried out, "For now I see the true old times are dead"; and Arthur replied:

First, God promised Joshua that Israel would enter the land (vv. 3–4). Over the centuries God had reaffirmed this promise, from His first words to Abraham (Gen. 12) to His last words to Moses (Deut. 34:4). God would take them over the Jordan and into enemy territory. He then would enable them to claim for themselves the land that He had promised them. There would be no repetition of the fear and unbelief that had brought the nation into defeat at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 13).

The old order changeth, yielding place to new, And God fulfills himself in many ways, Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.

"The Passing of Arthur"

God had already given them the land; it was their responsibility now to step out by faith and claim it (Josh 1:3; see Gen. 13:14–18). The same promise of victory that God had given to Moses (Num. 11:22–25), He reaffirmed to Joshua, and He carefully defined the borders of the land. Israel didn't reach that full potential until the reigns of David and Solomon.

"Would that life were like the shadow cast by a wall or a tree," says the Talmud, "but it is like the shadow of a bird in flight." Trying to clutch the past to our hearts is as futile as trying to embrace the passing shadow of a bird in flight.

A wise leader doesn't completely abandon the past but builds on it as he or she moves toward the future. Moses is mentioned fifty-seven times in the book of Joshua, evidence that Joshua respected Moses and what he had done for Israel. Joshua worshipped the same God that Moses had worshipped, and he obeyed the same Word that Moses had given to the nation. There was continuity from one leader to the next, but there wasn't always conformity, for each leader is different and must maintain his or her individuality. Twice in these verses Moses is called God's servant, but Joshua was also the servant

The lesson for God's people today is clear: God has given us all spiritual blessings … in Christ" (Eph. 1:3), and we must step out by faith and claim them. He has set before His church an open door that nobody can close (Rev. 3:8), and we must walk through that door by faith and claim new territory for the Lord. It is impossible to stand still in Christian life and service, for when you stand still, you immediately start going backward. "Let us go on!" is God's challenge to His church (Heb. 6:1), and that means moving ahead into new territory.

Joshua 1

God also promised Joshua victory over the enemy (v. 5). The Lord told Abraham that other nations were inhabiting the Promised Land (Gen. 15:18–21), and He repeated this fact to Moses (Ex. 3:17). If Israel obeyed the Lord, He promised to help them defeat these nations. But He warned His people not to compromise with the enemy in any way, for then Israel would win the war but lose the victory (23:20–33). Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. Since the Jews began to worship the gods of their pagan neighbors and adopt their evil practices, God had to chasten Israel in their land to bring them back to Himself (Judg. 1—2).

Joshua had to exercise faith and "be strong and of good courage" (1:6). Divine sovereignty is not a substitute for human responsibility. God's sovereign Word is an encouragement to God's servants to believe God and obey His commands. As Charles Spurgeon put it, Joshua "was not to use the promise as a couch upon which his indolence might luxuriate, but as a girdle wherewith to gird up his loins for future activity" (Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, 14:97). In short, God's promises are prods, not pillows.

Encouragement from God's written Word (vv. 7–8). It's one thing to say to a leader, "Be strong! Be very courageous!" and quite something else to enable him to do it. Joshua's strength and courage would come from meditating on the Word of God, believing its promises, and obeying its precepts. This was the counsel Moses had given to all the people (Deut. 11:1–9), and now God was applying it specifically to Joshua.

What a promise God gave to Joshua! "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you" (Josh 1:5 niv). God had given a similar promise to Jacob (Gen. 28:15), and Moses had repeated God's promise to Joshua (Deut. 31:1–8). God would one day give this same promise to Gideon (Judg. 6:16) and to the Jewish exiles returning from Babylon to their land (Isa. 41:10; 43:5), and David would give it to his son Solomon (1 Chron. 28:20). But best of all, God has given this promise to His people today! The gospel of Matthew opens with "Emmanuel … God with us" (1:23) and closes with Jesus saying, "Lo, I am with you always" (28:20 nkjv). The writer of Hebrews 13:5 quotes Joshua 1:5 and applies it to Christians today: "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (nkjv).

During the years of his leadership, Moses kept a written record of God's words and acts and committed this record to the care of the priests (Deut. 31:9). He wrote in it a reminder to Joshua to wipe out the Amalekites (Ex. 17:14). Among other things, the "book of the law" included "the book of the covenant" (24:4, 7), a record of the journeys of the people from Egypt to Canaan (Num. 33:2), special regulations dealing with inheritance (36:13), and the song that Moses taught the people (Deut. 31:19). Moses kept adding material to this record until it included everything God wanted in it (v. 24). We have reason to believe the entire five Books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy) comprised "the book of the law," the greatest legacy Moses could leave to his successor.

This means that God's people can move forward in God's will and be assured of God's presence. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31). Before Joshua began his conquest of Jericho, the Lord appeared to him and assured him of His presence (Josh. 5:13–15). That was all Joshua needed to be guaranteed of victory.

But it wasn't enough for the priests to carry and guard this precious book; Joshua had to take time to read it daily and make it a part of his inner person by meditating on it (Ps. 1:2; 119:97; see Deut. 17:18–20). The Hebrew word translated "meditate" means "to mutter." It was the practice of the Jews to read Scripture aloud (Acts 8:26–40) and talk about it to themselves and to one another (Deut. 6:6–9). This explains why God warned Joshua that the book of the law was not to depart out of his mouth (Josh. 1:8). In numerous conferences, I have often told pastors and seminary students, "If you don't talk to your Bible, your Bible isn't likely to talk to you!"

When my wife and I were in our first pastorate, God led the church to build a new sanctuary. The congregation was neither large nor wealthy, and a couple of financial experts told us it couldn't be done, but the Lord saw us through. He used 1 Chronicles 28:20 in a special way to strengthen and assure me throughout that difficult project. I can assure you from experience that the promise of God's presence really works!

God's third promise to Joshua was that He would divide the land as an inheritance for the conquering tribes (v. 6). This was God's assurance that the enemy would be defeated and that Israel would possess their land. God would keep His promise to Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land (Gen. 12:6–7; 13:14–15; 15:18–21). The book of Joshua records the fulfillment of these three promises: the first in chapters 2—5, the second in chapters 6—12, and the third in chapters 13—22. At the close of his life Joshua could remind the leaders of Israel that "not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed" (23:14 nkjv).

In the life of the Christian believer, prosperity and success aren't to be measured by the standards of the world. These blessings are the by-products of a life devoted to God and His Word. If you set out on your own to become prosperous and successful, you may achieve your goal and live to regret it. "In whatever man does without God," wrote Scottish novelist George MacDonald, "he must fail miserably, or succeed more miserably." The questions God's people need to ask are: Did we obey the will of God? Were we empowered by the Spirit of God? Did we serve to the glory of God? If we can answer yes to these questions, then our ministry

Before God could fulfill His promises, however,

Joshua 1 important that the people stayed strong because they were about to begin a series of battles for possession of their Promised Land.

has been successful in God's eyes, no matter what people may think.

Encouragement from God's commandment (v. 9). God's commandments are still God's enablements for those who obey Him by faith. Gabriel's words to Mary are as true today as when he spoke them in Nazareth: "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37). I especially like the translation of this verse found in the American Standard Version (1901): "For no word from God shall be void of power." The very word that God speaks has in it the power of fulfillment if we will but trust and obey!

Note that Joshua's words to his leaders were words of faith and encouragement. "You shall pass over! You shall possess the land! The Lord will give it to you!" Joshua had made a similar speech forty years before, but that generation of leaders wouldn't listen. Now that generation was dead and the new generation was ready to believe God and conquer the land.

It's unfortunate but true that sometimes the only way a ministry can move forward is by conducting a few funerals. A pastor friend of mine pleaded with his church board to build a new educational plant to house an exploding Sunday School. One of the long-time members of the board, a prominent businessman in the city, said to him, "You'll do this over my dead body!" And they did! A few days later, that officer had a heart attack and died, and the church moved ahead and built the much-needed educational plant.

In the years to come, whenever Joshua faced an enemy and was tempted to be afraid, he would remember that he was a man with a divine commission—and his fears would vanish. Whenever things went wrong and he was tempted to be dismayed, he would recall God's command—and take new courage. Like Moses before him, and Samuel and David after him, Joshua had a divine mandate to serve the Lord and do His will—and that mandate was sufficient to carry him through.

The older we get, the more danger there is that we'll get set in our ways and become "sanctified obstructionists," but it doesn't have to happen. Caleb and Joshua were the oldest men in the camp, and yet they were enthusiastic about trusting God and entering the land. It isn't a matter of age; it's a matter of faith, and faith comes from meditating on the Word of God (1:8; Rom. 10:17). How I thank God for the "senior saints" who have been a part of my ministry and have encouraged me to trust the Lord and move forward.

The leader encourages the officers (1:10–15) The nation of Israel was so organized that Moses could quickly communicate with the people through his officers who formed a chain of command (Deut. 1:15). Moses didn't assemble the leaders to ask for their advice but to give them God's orders. There are times when leaders must consult with their officers, but this was not one of them. God had spoken, His will was clear, and the nation had to be ready to obey.

Joshua had a special word for the two and a half tribes that lived on the other side of Jordan and had already received their inheritance (Num. 32). He reminded them of Moses' words of instruction and warning (21:21–35; Deut. 3:12–20) and urged them to keep the promise they had made. Joshua was concerned that Israel be a united people in conquering the land and in worshipping the Lord. The two and a half tribes did keep their promise to help conquer the land, but they still created a problem for Joshua and Israel because they lived on the other side of the Jordan (Josh. 22). In the nation of Israel it was the able men twenty years and older who went out to war (Num. 1:3), and the record shows that the two and a half tribes had 136,930 men available (26:7, 18, 34). But only 40,000 men actually crossed the Jordan and fought in the Promised Land (Josh. 4:13). The rest of the recruits stayed to protect the women and children in the cities the tribes had taken in the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead (32:1–5, 16–19). When the soldiers returned home, they shared the spoils of war with their brothers (Josh. 22:6–8).

Forty years before, at Kadesh Barnea, the nation had known the will of God but refused to obey it (Num. 13). Why? Because they believed the report of the ten spies instead of believing the commandment of God and obeying by faith. Had they listened to Caleb and Joshua—the minority report—they would have spared themselves those difficult years of wandering in the wilderness. There is a place in Christian service for godly counsel, but a committee report is no substitute for the clear commandment of God.

Instead of the command to prepare food, you would have expected Joshua to say, "Prepare boats so we can cross the Jordan River." Joshua didn't try to second-guess God and work things out for himself. He knew that the God who opened the Red Sea could also open the Jordan River. He and Caleb had been present when God delivered the nation from Egypt, and they had confidence that God would work on their behalf again.

Though he trusted God for a miracle, Joshua still had to prepare for the everyday necessities of life. In modern armies the Quartermaster Corps sees to it that the soldiers have food and other necessities of life, but Israel didn't have a Quartermaster Corps. Each family and clan had to provide its own food. The manna was still falling each morning (Ex. 16) and wouldn't stop until Israel was in their land (Josh. 5:11–12). But it was

It was a concession on Moses' part to allow the two and a half tribes to live outside the Promised Land. The tribes liked the land there because it was "a place for cattle" (Num. 32:1, 4, 16). Apparently their first concern was making a living, not making a life. They

Joshua 1—2 would rather have big flocks and herds than dwell with their brothers and sisters in the inheritance God had given them. They were far from the place of worship and had to erect a special monument to remind their children that they were citizens of Israel (Josh. 22:10ff.). They represent the many "borderline believers" in the church today who get close to the inheritance but never quite claim it, no matter how successful they may seem to be. They are willing to serve the Lord and help their brethren for a time, but when their appointed job is finished, they head for home to do what they want to do.

Lord's orders if we feel like it, if it's convenient, and if we can get something out of it. With soldiers like that, Joshua would never have conquered the Promised Land!

Finally, they encouraged him by reminding him of the Word of God (v. 18b). Moses told Joshua to "be ye of good courage" when he sent him and the other men into Canaan to spy out the land (Num. 13:20). Moses repeated the words when he installed Joshua as his successor (Deut. 31:7, 23). These words were written in the book of the law, and Joshua was commanded to read that book and meditate on it day and night (Josh. 1:8).

The officers encourage their leader (vv. 16–18) The pronoun "they" probably refers to all the officers Joshua had addressed and not to the leaders of the two and a half tribes alone. What an encouragement they were to their new leader!

Four times in this chapter you find the words "be strong and of good courage" (vv. 6–7, 9, 18). If we are to conquer the enemy and claim our inheritance in Christ, we must have spiritual strength and spiritual courage. "Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10).

To begin with, they encouraged him by assuring him of their complete obedience (vv. 16–17a). "Command us and we will obey! Send us and we will go!" These officers had no hidden agendas, and they asked for no concessions. They would obey all his commands and go wherever he would send them. We could use that kind of commitment in the church today! Too many times we are like the men described in Luke 9:57–62, each of whom put something personal ahead of following the Lord.

Soldiers of Christ, arise, And put your armor on, Strong in the strength which God supplies Of His eternal Son.

Charles Wesley

The first step toward winning the battle and claiming our inheritance is to let God encourage us and then for us to encourage others. A discouraged army is never victorious.

In his novel The Marquis of Lossie, author George MacDonald has one of the characters say, "I find the doing of the will of God leaves me no time for disputing about His plan." That's the attitude Joshua's officers displayed. They were not so attached to Moses that they put him above Joshua. God had appointed both Moses and Joshua, and to disobey the servant was to disobey the Master. Joshua didn't have to explain or defend his orders. He simply had to give the orders, and the men would obey them.

"See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deut. 1:21 niv).

B.Spying out the land—2

Be strong! The battle is the Lord's!

CHAPTER THREE Joshua 2 A CONVERT IN CANAAN O

The officers encouraged Joshua by praying for him (v. 17). "The Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses." The best thing we can do for those who lead us is to pray for them daily and ask God to be with them. Joshua was a trained man with vast experience, but that was no guarantee of success. No Christian worker succeeds to the glory of God apart from prayer. "Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?" asked Corrie Ten Boom, a question that especially applies to those in places of leadership. When Joshua did not pause to seek the mind of God, he failed miserably (Josh. 7 and 9), and so will we.

nly two women are personally named in Hebrews 11, "The Hall of Fame of Faith": Sarah, the wife of Abraham (v. 11), and Rahab, the harlot of Jericho (v. 31).

Sarah was a godly woman, the wife of the founder of the Hebrew race, and God used her dedicated body to bring Isaac into the world. But Rahab was an ungodly Gentile who worshipped pagan gods and sold her body for money. Humanly speaking, Sarah and Rahab had nothing in common. But from the divine viewpoint, Sarah and Rahab shared the most important thing in life: They both had exercised saving faith in the true and living God.

They encouraged Joshua by assuring him that their obedience was a matter of life or death (v. 18). They took his leadership and their responsibilities seriously. Later, Achan didn't take Joshua's orders seriously, and he was killed (Acts 7:15). "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46 nkjv). If God's people today saw obedience to Christ a matter of life or death, it would make a big difference in our ministry to a lost world. We obey the

Not only does the Bible associate Rahab with Sarah, but in James 2:21–26, it also associates her with Abraham. James used both Abraham and Rahab to

Joshua 2

But there is no escape, for in James 2:25 and Hebrews 11:31, the writers use the Greek word that definitely means "a prostitute."

illustrate the fact that true saving faith always proves itself by good works.

But there's more: The Bible associates Rahab with the Messiah! When you read the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 1, you find Rahab's name listed there (v. 5), along with Jacob, David, and the other famous people in the messianic line. She has certainly come a long way from being a pagan prostitute to being an ancestress of the Messiah! "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound" (Rom. 5:20).

It's remarkable how God in His grace uses people we might think could never become His servants. "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence" (1 Cor. 1:27–29 nkjv). Jesus was the "friend of publicans and sinners" (Luke 7:34), and He wasn't ashamed to have a former prostitute in His family tree!

But keep in mind that the most important thing about Rahab was her faith. That's the most important thing about any person, for "without faith it is impossible to please Him [God]" (Heb. 11:6). Not everything that is called "faith" is really true faith, the kind of faith that is described in the Bible. What kind of faith did Rahab have?

Rahab took her life in her hands when she welcomed the spies and hid them, but that in itself was evidence of her faith in the Lord. True saving faith can't be hidden for long. Since these two men represented God's people, she was not afraid to assist them in their cause. Had the king discovered her deception, he would have slain her as a traitor.

Courageous faith (2:1–7) Both Hebrews 11:31 and James 2:25 indicate that Rahab had put her faith in Jehovah God before the spies ever arrived in Jericho. Like the people in Thessalonica, she had "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Thess. 1:9). She wasn't like the people of Samaria centuries later who "feared the Lord, and [at the same time] served their own gods" (2 Kings 17:33). Jericho was one of many "city-states" in Canaan, each one ruled by a king (see Josh. 12:9–24). The city covered about eight or nine acres, and there is archeological evidence that double walls about fifteen feet apart protected the city. Rahab's house was on the wall (2:15).

Since Rahab was a believer at that time, how do we defend her lies? On the one hand, she demonstrated her faith in the Lord by risking her life to protect the spies, but, on the other hand, she acted like any pagan in the city when she lied about her guests. Perhaps we're expecting too much from a new believer whose knowledge of God was adequate for salvation but certainly limited when it came to the practical things of life. If seasoned believers like Abraham and Isaac resorted to deception (Gen. 12:10–20; 20; 26:6–11), as well as David (1 Sam. 21:2), we had better not be too hard on Rahab. This is not to excuse or encourage lying, but simply to take her circumstances into consideration lest we condemn her too severely.

Meanwhile, Jericho was a strategic city in Joshua's plan for conquering Canaan. After taking Jericho, Joshua could then cut straight across and divide the land, and then it would be much easier to defeat the cities in the south and then in the north.

Lying is wrong (Prov. 12:22), and the fact that God had Rahab's lies recorded in Scripture is no proof that He approved of them. However, let's confess that most of us would hesitate to tell the truth if it really were a matter of life or death. It's one thing for me to tell the truth about myself and suffer for it, but do I have the right to cause the death of others, especially those who have come under my roof for protection? Many people have been honored for deceiving the enemy during wartime and saving innocent lives, and this was war! Suppose we looked upon Rahab as a "freedom fighter"; would that change the picture at all?

Forty years before, Moses had sent twelve spies into Canaan, and only two of them had given an encouraging report (Num. 13). Joshua sent two men to spy out the land and especially to get information about Jericho. Joshua wanted to know how the citizens were reacting to the arrival of the people of Israel. Since Joshua knew that God had already given him the land and the people, the sending of the spies wasn't an act of unbelief (see 1:11, 15). A good general wants to learn all he can about the enemy before he goes into battle.

Ethical problems aside, the main lesson here is that Rahab's faith was conspicuous, and she demonstrated it by receiving the spies and risking her life to protect them. James saw her actions as proof that she was truly a believer (James 2:25). Her faith wasn't hidden; the spies could tell that she was indeed a believer.

How did the two spies make their way through the city without being immediately recognized as strangers? How did they meet Rahab? We certainly have to believe in the providence of God as we watch this drama taking place. Rahab was the only person in Jericho who trusted the God of Israel, and God brought the spies to her.

Confident faith (2:8–11) Faith is only as good as its object. Some people have faith in faith and think that just by believing they can make great things happen. Others have faith in lies,

The Hebrew word translated "harlot" can also mean "one who keeps an inn." If all we had was the Old Testament text, we could absolve Rahab of immorality and call her the "proprietress of an inn."

Joshua 2 which is not faith at all but superstition. I once heard a psychologist say that the people in a support group "must have some kind of faith, even if it's faith in the soft drink machine." But faith is only as good as its object. How much help can you get from a soft drink machine, especially after you've run out of money?

and in earth beneath" (Josh. 2:11). What a confession of faith from the lips of a woman whose life had been imprisoned in pagan idolatry! She believed in one God, not in the multitude of gods that populated the heathen temples. She believed He was a personal God ("your God"), who would work on behalf of those who trusted Him. She believed He was the God of Israel, who would give the land to His people. This God whom she trusted was not limited to one nation or one land, but was the God of heaven and earth. Rahab believed in a great and awesome God!

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds us that "faith shows itself in the whole personality." True saving faith isn't just a feat of intellectual gymnastics by which we convince ourselves that something is true that really isn't true. Nor is it merely a stirring of the emotions that gives us a false sense of confidence that God will do what we feel He will do. Nor is it a courageous act of the will whereby we jump off the pinnacle of the temple and expect God to rescue us (Matt. 4:5–7). True saving faith involves "the whole personality": the mind is instructed, the emotions are stirred, and the will then acts in obedience to God.

Our confidence that we are God's children comes from the witness of the Word of God before us and the witness of the Spirit of God within us (1 John 5:9–13). However, the assurance of salvation isn't based only on what we know from the Bible or how we feel in our hearts. It's also based on how we live, for if there hasn't been a change in our behavior, then it's doubtful that we've truly been born again (2 Cor. 5:21; James 2:14–26). It isn't enough to say "Lord, Lord!" We must obey what He tells us to do (Matt. 7:21–27). Rahab's obedience gave evidence of a changed life.

"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet [the intellect], moved with fear [the emotions], prepared an ark [the will]" (Heb. 11:7). Rahab's experience was similar to that of Noah: She knew that Jehovah was the true God [the mind]; she feared for herself and her family when she heard about the great wonders He had performed [the emotions]; and she received the spies and pleaded for the salvation of her family [the will]. Unless the whole personality is involved, it is not saving faith as the Bible describes it.

Rahab's conversion was truly an act of God's grace. Like all the citizens of Canaan, Rahab was under condemnation and destined to die. God commanded the Jews to "utterly destroy them" and show them no mercy (Deut. 7:1–3). Rahab was a Gentile, outside the covenant mercies shown to Israel (Eph. 2:11–13). She didn't deserve to be saved, but God had mercy on her. If ever a sinner experienced Ephesians 2:1–10, it was Rahab!

Of course, this doesn't mean that the mind must be fully instructed in every aspect of Bible truth before a sinner can be saved. The woman with the hemorrhage only touched the hem of Christ's garment and she was healed, but she acted on the little knowledge that she did possess (Matt. 9:20–22). Rahab's knowledge of the true God was meager, but she acted on what she knew, and the Lord saved her.

Concerned faith (2:12–14) Rahab, however, wasn't concerned only about her own welfare, for once she had personally experienced the grace and mercy of God, she was burdened to rescue her family. After Andrew met the Lord Jesus, he shared the good news with his brother Simon and brought him to Jesus (John 1:35–42). The cleansed leper went home and told everybody he met what Jesus had done for him (Mark 1:40–45). "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Prov. 11:30).

Rahab showed more faith in the Lord than the ten spies had exhibited forty years before, when she said, "I know that the Lord has given you the land" (Josh. 2:9 nkjv). Her faith was based on facts, not just feelings, for she had heard of the miracles God had performed, starting with the opening up of the Red Sea at the Exodus. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17 nkjv).

Rahab wanted assurance from the two spies that when the city was taken, they would guarantee her family's safety. The men gave her that guarantee in two ways: They pledged their word, and they pledged their lives that they would not break their word. In other words, they became surety for Rahab's family, the way Judah became surety for Benjamin (Gen. 43:8–9). The book of Proverbs warns against "suretyship" in the business world because it involves a risk that could lead to your losing everything (Prov. 6:1ff.; 11:15; 20:16; 27:13). However, in the realm of the spiritual, we are saved because Jesus Christ, who owed no debts, was willing to become surety for us (Heb. 7:22 niv). The next time you sing "Jesus Paid It All," remember that Jesus has pledged Himself as "the guarantee of a better covenant" (Heb. 7:22 niv). He died for us, and as long as He lives, our salvation is secure. Because of the

Since the report of the Lord's power had traveled to the people of Canaan, they were afraid, but this is what Israel expected their great God to do. "The people shall hear, and be afraid: sorrow shall take hold on the inhabitants of Palestine. Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. Fear and dread shall fall upon them" (Ex. 15:14–16). God promised to do this for Israel, and He kept His promise. "This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the nations under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you, and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you" (Deut. 2:25 nkjv). "The Lord your God, He is God in heaven above,

Joshua 2 whose occupants the Jewish soldiers were to protect. Rahab let the men down from the window with that rope and kept it in the window from that hour. This was the "sure sign" of the covenant that she had asked for (Josh. 2:12–23).

promise of His Word and the guarantee of His eternal suretyship, we have confidence that "He is able to save completely [forever] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" (v. 25 niv).

It's important to note that Rahab and her family were saved by faith in the God of Israel and not by faith in the rope hanging out the window. The fact that she hung the rope from the window was proof that she had faith, just as the blood of the slain lamb put on the door posts in Egypt proved that the Jews believed God's Word. Faith in the living God means salvation, and faith in His covenant gives assurance, but faith in the token of the covenant is religious superstition and can give neither salvation nor assurance. The Jews depended on circumcision to save them, but they ignored the true spiritual meaning of that important rite (Rom. 2:25–29; Deut. 10:12–16; 30:6). Many people today depend for their salvation on their baptism or their participation in the Lord's Table (the Eucharist, Communion), but this kind of faith is vain. Rahab had faith in the Lord and in the covenant promises He had made through His servants; and she proved her faith by hanging the scarlet rope from the window. When the Jews captured Jericho, they found Rahab and her family in her house, and they rescued them from judgment (Josh. 6:21–25).

The spies warned Rahab that she must not divulge any of this information to anybody in the city other than the members of her family. If she did, their agreement was canceled. What a contrast to the believer's relationship to Jesus Christ, for He wants everybody to know that He has paid the price of redemption and that they can be saved by trusting Him. If Rahab talked too much, her life was in danger, but if we don't talk enough, the lives of lost people around us are in danger.

Covenant faith (2:15–24) A covenant is simply an agreement, a contract between two or more parties, with certain conditions laid down for all parties to obey. You find a number of divine covenants recorded in Scripture: God's covenant with our first parents in Eden (Gen. 2:16); God's covenants with Noah (Gen. 9), Abraham (12:1–3; 15:1–20), and Israel (Ex. 19–20); the covenant concerning the land of Palestine, as explained in Deuteronomy; the messianic covenant with David (2 Sam. 7); and the new covenant in the blood of Jesus Christ Jer. 31:31; Matt. 26:28; Heb. 12:24). You also find human covenants, such as the agreement between David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:3; 20:16) and between David and the people of Israel (2 Sam. 5:1–5).

C.Crossing the river—3

Rahab was a woman of great courage. She had to tell all her relatives about the coming judgment and the promise of salvation, and this was a dangerous thing to do. Suppose one of those relatives told the king what was going on. She also had to give a reason for the scarlet line hanging out her window. Since Jericho was "securely shut up" (v. 1 nkjv), it isn't likely that there were people outside the walls, but a stranger coming into the city for safety might have seen the scarlet cord. Or somebody visiting Rahab's house might have asked about it.

Before the two spies left Rahab's house, they reaffirmed their covenant with her. Since the men didn't know God's plan for taking the city, they couldn't give Rahab any detailed instructions. Perhaps they assumed that the city would be besieged, the gates smashed down, and the people massacred. The men were certain that the city would fall and that ultimately the land would be taken.

The spies left Rahab's house and hid until they were sure their pursuers had given up the chase. Then they returned to the camp of Israel and gave Joshua the good news that the fear of the Lord had brought the people of the land to a place of helplessness. Rahab not only brought hope to her family, but she also gave great encouragement to Joshua and the army of Israel.

Often in biblical covenants, God appointed some physical or material "token" to remind the people of what had been promised. His covenant with Abraham was "sealed" by the rite of circumcision (Gen. 17:9–14; Rom. 4:11). When God established His covenant with Israel at Sinai, both the covenant book and the covenant people were sprinkled with blood (Ex. 24:3–8; Heb. 9:16–22). God gave the rainbow as the token of the covenant with Noah (Gen. 9:12–17), and the Lord Jesus Christ used the broken bread and the cup of wine as tokens of the new covenant (Luke 22:19–20; 1 Cor. 11:23–26). In the case of Rahab, the spies instructed her to hang a scarlet rope out of the window of her house, which was built into the wall (Josh. 2:18). This scarlet rope would identify the "house of safety" to the army of Israel when they came to take the city. The color of the rope is significant for it reminds us of blood. Just as the blood on the door posts in Egypt marked a house that the angel of death was to pass over (Ex. 12:1–13), so the scarlet rope marked a house on the Jericho wall

The people of Israel, however, weren't ready yet to cross the river and conquer the enemy. They had some "unfinished business" to take care of before they could be sure of the blessing of the Lord.

CHAPTER FOUR Joshua 3—4 FORWARD BY FAITH W e've just examined the faith of an individual, Rahab, and now the focus in the book of Joshua moves to the faith of an entire nation. As you

Joshua 2—3

The Word of faith (3:1–13) As the nation waited by the Jordan River, the people must have wondered what Joshua planned to do. He certainly wouldn't ask them to swim the river or ford it, because the river was at flood stage (3:15). They couldn't construct enough boats or rafts to transport more than a million people over the water to the other side. Besides, that approach would make them perfect targets for their enemies. What would their new leader do?

study, keep in mind that this book deals with much more than ancient history—what God did centuries ago for the Jews. It's about your life and the life of the church today—what God wants to do here and now for those who trust Him. The book of Joshua is about the victory of faith and the glory that comes to God when His people trust and obey. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli said, "The world was never conquered by intrigue; it was conquered by faith."

In the Christian life you're either an overcomer or you're overcome, a victor or a victim. After all, God didn't save us to make statues out of us and put us on exhibition. He saved us to make soldiers out of us and move us forward by faith to claim our rich inheritance in Jesus Christ. Moses said it perfectly: "He brought us out … that he might bring us in" (Deut. 6:23). Too many of God's people have the mistaken idea that salvation—being delivered from the bondage of Egypt—is all that's involved in the Christian life, but salvation is only the beginning. Both in our personal spiritual growth and in our service for the Lord, "there remains very much land yet to be possessed" (Josh. 13:1 nkjv). The theme of the book of Joshua is the theme of the book of Hebrews: "Let us go on" (Heb. 6:1), and the only way to go on is by faith. Unbelief says, "Let's go back to where it's safe," but faith says, "Let's go forward to where God is working" (see Num. 14:1–4). Forty years before, Joshua and Caleb had assured the Jews, "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." That's faith! But the people said, "We are not able!" That's unbelief, and it cost the nation forty years of discipline in the wilderness (see Num. 13:26–33). "And this is the victory that has overcome the world—your faith" (1 John 5:4 nkjv).

Like Moses before him, Joshua received his orders from the Lord, and he obeyed them by faith. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17 nkjv). It has been well said that faith is not believing in spite of evidence but obeying in spite of consequence. When you read Hebrews 11, the great "faith chapter" of Scripture, you discover that the people mentioned there all did something because they believed God. Their faith wasn't a passive feeling; it was an active force. Because Abraham believed God, he left Ur and headed for Canaan. Because Moses believed God, he defied the gods of Egypt and led the Jews to freedom. Because Gideon believed God, he led a small band of Jews to defeat the huge Midianite army. Living faith always leads to action. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:26 nkjv).

In this paragraph, you find five different messages, all of them based on the Word of God, which is the "word of faith" (Rom. 10:8). The people obeyed these messages by faith, and God took them over the river.

The officers' message to the people (vv. 1–4). Joshua was an early riser (6:12; 7:16; 8:10), who spent the first hours of the day in communion with God (1:8). In this, he was like Moses (Ex. 24:4; 34:4), David (Ps. 57:8; see 119:147), Hezekiah (2 Chron. 29:20), and our Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 1:35; see Isa. 50:4). It's impossible to live by faith and ignore the Word of God and prayer (Acts 6:4), for faith is nurtured by worship and the Word. The people God uses and blesses know how to discipline their bodies so that they can give themselves to the Lord in the early morning hours.

One of the joys of my Christian life has been the study of Christian biography, the lives of the men and women whom God has used—and is using—to challenge the church and change the world. The Christians I've read about were all different in their backgrounds, their training, their personalities, and their ways of serving God; but they had one thing in common: They all believed God's promises and did what He told them to do. They were men and women of faith, and God honored them because they believed His Word.

Joshua ordered the camp to move ten miles from the Acacia Grove (Shittim) to the Jordan, and no doubt the people in Jericho watched this march with great apprehension. It probably took Israel a day to make this journey; they rested another day; and on the third day, the officers gave them their orders: The people were to cross the river, following the ark of the covenant.

God hasn't changed, and the principle of faith hasn't changed. What seems to have changed is the attitude of God's people: We no longer believe God and act by faith in His promises. His promises never fail (Josh. 21:45; 23:14; 1 Kings 8:56), but we can fail to live by the grace of God and not enter into all that He has promised for us (Heb. 3:7–19; 12:15). God has "brought us out that He might bring us in," but too often we fail to "enter in because of unbelief" (Heb. 3:19). In Joshua 3 and 4, God illustrates for us three essentials for moving ahead by faith and claiming all that He has for us: the Word of faith, the walk of faith, and the witness of faith.

The ark is mentioned sixteen times in chapters 3 and 4. It's called "the ark of the covenant" ten times, "the ark of the Lord" three times, and simply "the ark" three times. It was the "throne of God," the place where His glory rested in the tabernacle (Ex. 25:10–22) and God sat "enthroned between the cherubim" (Ps. 80:1 niv). The law of God was kept in the ark, a reminder of God's covenant with Israel, and the

Joshua 3 enemies, and enable the tribes to claim their inheritance. "Who is so great a God as our God? You are the God who does wonders" (Ps. 77:13–14 nkjv). "How great are His signs, And how mighty His wonders!" (Dan. 4:3 nkjv).

blood of the sacrifices was sprinkled on the mercy seat on the annual day of Atonement (Lev. 16:14–15).

The ark going before the people was an encouragement to their faith, for it meant that their God was going before them and opening up the way. God had promised Moses, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex. 33:14 nkjv). When the nation had marched through the wilderness, the ark had gone before them (Num. 10:33), and Moses would say, "Rise up, O Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you" (v. 35 niv). On that occasion, the presence of the ark was a guarantee of the presence of the Lord.

Joshua's message to the priests (v. 6). The priests had the responsibility of bearing the ark of the covenant and going before the people as they marched. It was the priests who had to get their feet wet before God would open the waters. The priests would also have to stand in the middle of the riverbed until all the people had passed over. When the priests arrived on the other side, the waters would return to their original condition. It took faith and courage for these priests to do their job, but they trusted God and relied on the faithfulness of His Word.

Each of the tribes had an assigned place in the camp and an assigned order in the march when they broke up camp (Josh. 2). When the leaders of the tribes saw the priests bearing the ark and moving toward the river, they were to prepare their people to follow. Since the people had not traveled this way before, they needed God to guide them. But they were not to get too close to the ark, for this was a holy piece of furniture from the tabernacle, and it was not to be treated carelessly. God is our companion as we go through life, but we dare not treat Him like a "buddy."

The message of the Lord to Joshua (vv. 7–8). When Moses led the nation through the Red Sea, this miracle magnified Moses before the people, and they recognized that he was indeed the servant of the Lord (Ex. 14:31). God would do the same thing for Joshua at the Jordan, and in so doing, He would remind the people that He was with Joshua just as He had been with Moses (Josh. 4:14; see 1:5, 9). Both Moses and Joshua had received their authority from the Lord before these miracles occurred, but the miracles gave them stature before the people. It takes both authority and stature to exercise effective leadership.

Joshua's message to the people (v. 5). This was both an order and a promise, and the fulfillment of the promise depended on their obedience to the order. Some of God's promises are unconditional, and all we have to do is believe them; while other promises require that we meet certain conditions. In meeting these conditions, we're not earning God's blessing; we're making sure our hearts are ready for God's blessing.

Joshua's message to the people (vv. 9–13). Having instructed the priests bearing the ark, Joshua then shared the words of the Lord with the people. He didn't magnify himself; He magnified the Lord and His gracious blessings to the nation. True spiritual leadership focuses the eyes of God's people on the Lord and His greatness. Much of what Joshua said in this brief speech was recalled from Moses' last speech to Joshua (Deut. 31:1–8), as well as the Lord's words to Joshua when he took Moses' place (Josh. 1:1–9). Joshua didn't give the people a "religious pep talk." He simply reminded them of the promises of God—the Word of faith—and encouraged them to trust and obey.

If the experience of Israel at Mount Sinai was the pattern (Ex. 19:9–15), "sanctify yourselves" meant that everybody bathed and changed their clothes and that the married couples devoted themselves wholly to the Lord (1 Cor. 7:1–6). In the Near East, however, water was a luxury that wasn't used too often for personal hygiene. In our modern world we're accustomed to comfortable bathing facilities, but these were unknown to most of the people in Bible times.

In the Bible the imagery of washing one's body and changing clothes symbolized making a new beginning with the Lord. Since sin is pictured as defilement (Ps. 51:2, 7), God has to cleanse us before we can truly follow Him. When Jacob made a new beginning with the Lord and returned to Bethel, he and his family washed themselves and changed their garments (Gen. 35:1–3). After King David confessed his sin, he bathed, changed clothes, and worshipped the Lord (2 Sam. 12:20). The imagery is carried over into the New Testament in 2 Corinthians 6:14—7:1; Ephesians 4:26–27, and Colossians 3:8–14.

But Joshua's God was more than just the God of Israel. He was "the living God" (3:10) and "the Lord of all the earth" (vv. 11, 13). Because He is "the living God," He can defeat the dead idols of the heathen nations that then inhabited the land (Ps. 115). Because He is "the Lord of all the earth," He can go where He pleases and do what He wishes with every land and nation. "You shall be a special treasure to Me above all people," God had told them at Sinai, "for all the earth is Mine" (Ex. 19:5 nkjv). "The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth" (Ps. 97:5).

The promise was that the Lord would do wonders among them. As He opened the Red Sea to deliver Israel from Egypt, so also He would open the Jordan River and take them into the Promised Land. But that would be just the beginning of miracles, for the Lord would go with them into the land, defeat their

Joshua explained to the people that God would open the river as soon as the priests bearing the ark put their feet into the waters of the Jordan. He also ordered each tribe to appoint a man to perform a special task that was explained later (Josh. 4:2–8). God was going before His people, and He would open the way!

Joshua 3—4

3—4, the writer used Israel's experience at Kadesh Barnea to warn foolish Christians not to come short of all that God had planned for them. We never stand still in the Christian life; we either move forward in faith or go backward in unbelief.

As you review these five messages, you can see that the Lord gave them all the information they needed to accomplish what He wanted them to do. You find conditions that the people had to fulfill, orders they had to obey, and promises they had to believe. God always gives His "Word of faith" to His people whenever He asks them to follow Him into new areas of conflict and conquest. God's commandments are still His enablements, and God's promises do not fail. The counsel of King Jehoshaphat centuries later is still applicable today: "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper" (2 Chron. 20:20 nkjv). "There has not failed one word of all His good promise" (1 Kings 8:56 nkjv).

The witness of faith (4:1–24) The Lord was in control of all the activities at the Jordan River that day. He told the priests when to enter the river and when to leave and go to the other side. He told the water when to roll back and when to return. Both the water and the people obeyed Him, and everything worked out as God planned. It was a day that glorified the Lord and magnified His servant Joshua (v. 14).

The walk of faith (3:14–17) During most of the year, the Jordan River was about a hundred feet wide, but at the spring flood season, the river overflowed its banks and became a mile wide. As soon as the priests bearing the ark put their feet into the river, the water stopped flowing and stood like a wall about twenty miles away upstream, near a city called Adam. It was a miracle of God in response to the faith of the people.

Two heaps of stones were set up as memorials of Israel's crossing of the Jordan River: twelve stones at Gilgal (vv. 1–8, 10–24), and twelve stones in the midst of the river (v. 9). They were witnesses that God honors faith and works on behalf of those who trust Him.

The stones placed at Gilgal were carried over by twelve previously selected men, one from each tribe (3:12). When these men reached the midst of the river, they each picked up a large stone and carried it about eight miles to Gilgal where the nation camped for the night. Gilgal was about two miles from Jericho and excluding the Transjordan was the first territory in Canaan claimed by Israel for their inheritance. In later years Gilgal became an important center for the nation Israel crowned their first king at Gilgal (1 Sam. 11); there David was welcomed back after Absalom's rebellion was subdued (2 Sam. 19); and Samuel thought Gilgal important enough to include it in his "ministry circuit" (1 Sam. 7:16). There was a "school of the prophets" at Gilgal in the days of Elijah and Elisha (2 Kings 2:1–2; 4:38). Gilgal was important to Joshua because it became his camp and center of operations (Josh. 9:6; 10:6, 15, 43; 14:6).

Unless we step out by faith (1:3) and "get our feet wet," we're not likely to make much progress in living for Christ and serving Him. Each step that the priests took opened the water before them until they were standing in the midst of the river on dry ground. They stood there as the people passed by, and when the whole nation had crossed, the priests walked to the shore and the flow of the water resumed.

When God opened the Red Sea, He used a strong wind that blew the whole night before (Ex. 14:21–22). This was not an accident, for the wind was the blast of God's nostrils (15:8). When Moses lifted his rod, the wind began to blow, and when he lowered the rod, the waters flowed back and drowned the Egyptian army (14:26–28). When Israel crossed the Jordan River, it was not the obedient arm of a leader that brought the miracle but the obedient feet of the people. Unless we are willing to step out by faith and obey His Word, God can never open the way for us.

This heap of twelve stones was a reminder of what God did for His people. The Jews were great believers in teaching the next generation about Jehovah and His special relationship to the people of Israel (4:6, 21; Ex. 12:26; 13:14; Deut. 6:20; see Ps. 34:11–16; 71:17–18; 78:1–7; 79:13; 89:1; 102:18). To an unbeliever, the heap of twelve stones was simply another stone pile, but to a believing Israelite, it was a constant reminder that Jehovah was his or her God, working His wonders on behalf of His people.

As I mentioned before, the crossing of the Jordan River is not a picture of the Christian dying and going to heaven, contrary to what is said in some songs. The crossing of the Red Sea pictures the believer being delivered from the bondage of sin, and the crossing of the Jordan River pictures the believer claiming the inheritance in Jesus Christ. Joshua is a type of Jesus Christ our Conqueror who leads us from day to day into the inheritance He has planned for us (1 Cor. 2:9–10). "He shall choose our inheritance for us" (Ps. 47:4). What a tragedy it is when God's people fail to claim their inheritance and wander aimlessly through life as Israel did in the wilderness. The book of Hebrews was written to challenge God's people to go on in spiritual maturity and not go backward in unbelief. In Hebrews

But also note that Joshua put an obligation on the Jews to fear the Lord and bear witness of Him to the whole world (Josh. 4:24). The God who can open the river is the God everybody ought to fear, love, and obey! Israel needed to tell the other nations about Him and invite them to trust Him too. The God of Israel cares for His people, keeps His promises, goes before them in victory, and never fails. What a witness to give to the world!

It's unfortunate that this memorial at Gilgal gradually lost its spiritual meaning and instead became a

Joshua 4—5

(Deut. 6:23), and He brings us in that we might overcome and claim our inheritance in Jesus Christ. Because God's people are identified with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Rom. 6; Gal. 2:20), they have "overcoming power," and the world (6:14), the flesh (5:24), or the devil (John 12:31) need not defeat them. In Jesus Christ, we are overcomers (1 John 5:3).

shrine where the Jews sinned against God by worshipping there. The prophet Hosea condemned the people for worshipping at Gilgal instead of at Jerusalem (Hos. 4:15; 9:15; 12:11), and Amos echoed his warnings (Amos 4:4; 5:5). Unless we teach the next generation the truth about the Lord, they will turn away and start following the world.

Joshua set up the monument in the midst of the river (v. 9); and to the Jews, it must have seemed a strange thing for their leader to do. After all, who but God could see twelve stones heaped together in a riverbed? We aren't told that God commanded Joshua to set up this second monument, but it's likely that He did. At least, He didn't reproach him for doing it.

If you want to claim your spiritual inheritance in Christ, believe the Word of faith and get your feet wet! Step out in a walk of faith, and God will open the way for you. Surrender yourself to the Lord and die to the old life (Rom. 6), and He will bring you into the land and give you "days of heaven upon the earth" (Deut. 11:21). The Israelites were now in the land, but they were not yet ready to confront the enemy. There was still some spiritual preparation necessary for the people and for Joshua.

The monument at Gilgal reminded the Jews that God had opened the Jordan River and brought them safely across into the Promised Land. They had made a break with the past and were never to think of going back. The monument in the depths of the river reminded them that their old life was buried and they were now to "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:1–4). (When we study Josh. 5, we will see the spiritual significance for the Christian today of the establishing of this monument and the circumcising of the new generation.)

CHAPTER FIVE Joshua 5 PREPARING FOR VICTORY T

Meanwhile, whenever the Jewish children asked about the twelve stones at Gilgal, the parents would explain the miracle of the crossing of the river. Then they would add, "But there's another monument in the middle of the river where the priests stood with the ark. You can't see it, but it's there. It reminds us that our old life has been buried, and we must live a new life in obedience to the Lord." The children would have to accept this fact by faith, and if they did, it could make a great difference in the way they related to God and to His will for their lives.

he nation of Israel arrived safely on the other side of the Jordan River. Their crossing was a great miracle, and it sent a great message to the people of the land (5:1). The Canaanites were already afraid (2:9–11), and now their fears totally demoralized them.

D.Affirming the covenant—5

You would have expected Joshua to mobilize the army immediately and attack Jericho. After all, the people of Israel were united in following the Lord, and the people of the land were paralyzed by fear. From the human point of view, it was the perfect time for Joshua to act.

These two heaps of stones were the first of several stone monuments that the Jews put up in the land. In obedience to Moses' instructions, they also set up the two "stones of blessing and cursing" at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim (Deut. 27:1–8; Josh. 8:30–35). They raised a heap of stones over Achan and his household (7:25–26), and at the close of his life, Joshua set up a "witness stone" at Shechem (24:24–28; Judg. 9:6). The two and a half tribes that lived east of the Jordan set up a "great altar" to remind their children that they were a part of the nation of Israel, even though the river separated them from the other tribes (Josh. 22:10ff.).

But God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55:8–9), and Joshua was getting his orders from the Lord, not from the military experts. The nation crossed the river on the tenth day of the first month (Josh. 4:19). The events described in Joshua 5 took at least ten days, and then the people marched around Jericho for six more days. God waited over two weeks before giving His people their first victory in the land.

God's people must be prepared before they can be trusted with victory. The triumphant conquest of the land was to be the victory of God, not the victory of Israel or of Joshua. It was neither the expertise of the Jewish army nor the emotions of the enemy that would give Israel the victory, but the presence and blessing of the Lord. There were three steps of preparation necessary before God would give His people victory over the nations in the land of Canaan.

There is nothing wrong with memorials, provided they don't become religious idols that turn our hearts from God, and provided they don't so link us to the past that we fail to serve God in the present. Glorifying the past is a good way to petrify the present and rob the church of power. The next generations need reminders of what God has done in history, but these reminders must also strengthen their faith and draw them closer to the Lord.

Renewing the Lord's covenant (5:1–9) After triumphantly crossing the Jordan River, the nation had to pause at Gilgal while the men submitted

God brings us out that He might bring us in

Joshua 5 people, they could live just as they pleased! Moses warned them about this sin (Deut. 30:6), and so did the prophets (Jer. 4:4). When John the Baptist called them to repent, the Jewish spiritual leaders said, "We have Abraham as our father" (Matt. 3:9 nkjv). They were not unlike some people today who feel sure they're saved and are going to heaven because they're baptized, confirmed, and participate regularly in Communion. As good as these religious rites can be, they must never become substitutes for faith in Jesus Christ. (See Rom. 2:25–29.)

to painful surgery. Why did God command this ritual at this time?

To restore their covenant relationship (vv. 2–7). Israel is a covenant nation, a privilege God has given to no other nation on earth (Rom. 9:4–5). God gave His covenant to Abraham when He called him out of Ur of the Chaldees (Gen. 12:1–3), and He sealed that covenant with a sacrifice (Gen. 15). God gave circumcision as the sign of the covenant to Abraham and his descendants (17:9–14, 23–27; note especially v. 11). Other nations in that day practiced circumcision, but the ritual didn't carry with it the spiritual meaning that it did for the Jews.

To test their faith (5:8). Israel was camped in enemy territory, just a few miles from Jericho. Now they were going to temporarily disable every male in the nation, including every soldier in the army! What a golden opportunity for the enemy to attack and wipe them out. (See Gen. 34.) It took faith for Joshua and the people to obey the Lord, but their obedience to the law was the secret of their success (Josh. 1:7–8). In their weakness they were made strong, and through faith and patience they inherited the promises (Heb. 6:12).

Through this ritual the Jews became a "marked people" because they belonged to the true and living God. This meant that they were under obligation to obey Him. The mark of the covenant reminded them that their bodies belonged to the Lord and were not to be used for sinful purposes. Israel was surrounded by nations that worshipped idols and included in their worship rituals that were sensual and degrading. The mark of the covenant reminded the Jews that they were a special people, a separated people, a holy nation (Ex. 19:5–6), and that they were to maintain purity in their marriages, their society, and their worship of God.

Shortly after Israel departed from Egypt, God tested them at Meribah, and they failed the test (Ex. 17:1–7; Ps. 81:7). Shortly after Israel entered the Promised Land, God tested them by commanding the men to be circumcised, and they passed the test. The people had faith to obey God, and this act gave evidence that they would obey His orders as they marched through the land.

The Jews had not practiced circumcision during their years of wandering in the wilderness. Thirty-eight years before, at Kadesh Barnea, they had refused to believe God and enter the land (Deut. 2:14; Num. 13–14). God disciplined the people by making them wander in the wilderness until the entire older generation had died off, except Caleb and Joshua. During that time, God had suspended His covenant relationship with Israel and didn't require the mark of the covenant on their male children. He performed wonders for them and met their every need even though they were temporarily not His covenant people.

After we've experienced an exciting victory of faith, God often permits us to be tested. Abraham arrived in the land of promise and was confronted with a famine (Gen. 12). Elijah triumphed over Baal and was threatened with death (1 Kings 18–19). After His baptism in the Jordan, the Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan (Matt. 3:13—4:11). Since great victories can lead to great pride, God allows us to be tested in order to remind us to depend on Him. The Scottish preacher Andrew Bonar (1810–92) used to say, "Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle."

The new generation was now in their inheritance, however, and it was important that they renew their covenant relationships with the Lord. If during their wilderness journey Israel was tempted to sin (see Num. 25), how much more they would be tempted now that they were living in the land! They would be surrounded by pagan people with immoral religious practices, and they would be tempted to compromise with their enemies. Later, this is exactly what future generations did, because they forgot the true meaning of circumcision.

To remove their reproach (v. 9). The word Gilgal is similar to the Hebrew word galal which means "to roll." But what was "the reproach of Egypt"? Some suggest that this means their reproach for being slaves in Egypt, but it wasn't Israel's fault that the new pharaoh turned against them (Ex. 1:8ff.). The Jews were in Egypt because God had sent them there (Gen. 46:1–4), not because they were disobedient.

This physical operation on the body was meant to be a symbol of a spiritual operation on the heart. "Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer" (Deut. 10:16 nkjv). No amount of external surgery can change the inner person. It's when we repent and turn to God for help that He can change our hearts and make us love and obey Him more. (See Rom. 2:25–29.)

It's also been suggested that "the reproach of Egypt" refers to the nation's shame because they had worshipped idols in Egypt (Ezek. 20:7–8; 23:3) and even during their wilderness wanderings (Amos 5:25–26; Acts 7:42–43). But that older generation was now dead, and the younger Israelites certainly shouldn't be blamed for the sins of their fathers. Furthermore, it's difficult for me to see the relationship between crossing the river, circumcision, and the Jews' idolatry in Egypt.

But over the years, the Jews came to trust in the external mark of the covenant and not in the God of the covenant who wanted to make them a holy people. They thought that as long as they were God's covenant

I think that "the reproach of Egypt" refers to the ridicule of the enemy when Israel failed to trust God

Joshua 5 the old life) and their crossing of the Jordan River (entering into the new inheritance).

at Kadesh Barnea and enter the Promised Land. When Aaron made the golden calf at Mount Sinai and the people broke God's law, God threatened to destroy them and make a new nation from Moses. But Moses argued that God would lose glory if He did that, because the Egyptians would only say that God delivered them in order to kill them (Ex. 32:1–12). At Kadesh Barnea Moses used the same appeal when God said He would destroy Israel (Num. 14:11–14). Moses didn't want the Egyptians to spread the word that the God of Israel couldn't finish what He had started.

We have also been identified with Christ in His circumcision. "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead" (Col. 2:11–12 nkjv).

The Christian's circumcision is in contrast to that of the Jews. They had external physical surgery, while believers have internal "spiritual surgery" on their hearts. The Jews' surgery involved only a part of the body; while for the believer, the whole "body of the sins of the flesh" (Col. 2:11) was removed. When you accept this fact and reckon on it, you have victory over sins of the flesh that would enslave you. Faith "in the working of God" (Col. 2:12 nkjv) can give you overcoming power.

Israel's sin at Kadesh Barnea was a reproach to them, but now that was all in the past. The nation was actually in the Promised Land! They had captured the territory east of the Jordan, and their people were already occupying it (Num. 32). They had crossed the Jordan River and were ready for conquest. No matter what the Egyptians and the other nations had said about Israel because of their sin at Kadesh Barnea, that reproach was now completely gone. Each man bore on his body the mark that reminded him that he belonged to God, he was a son of the covenant, and the land was his to conquer and possess.

In the early church there were false teachers who said the Gentile Christians had to be circumcised and obey the law of Moses, or they couldn't be saved (Acts 15). They were adding human works to God's grace (Eph. 2:8–10; Gal. 5:1). Paul called these false teachers "dogs" (that's what some Jews called the Gentiles) and called circumcision "the concision" ("mutilation"), and he affirmed that Christian believers were the "true circumcision" (Phil. 3:1–3). God's children have experienced in Christ an inward "spiritual surgery" that has given them a new heart and new desires (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10; see Ezek. 11:19; 36:26). Just as the Jewish men at Gilgal had to submit to God's will, so believers today must yield to the Spirit and allow Him to make true in their personal experience what God says is true in His Word. We must practice "dead reckoning" (Rom. 6:11ff.).

To qualify them to eat the Passover (Ex. 12:43–44, 48). No male could participate in the annual Feast of the Passover unless he had been circumcised and was a true son of the covenant. I'll have more to say later about this great Passover celebration.

To picture some important spiritual truths. Old Testament events are often illustrations of New Testament doctrines (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). Israel's Exodus from Egypt pictures the sinner's deliverance from the slavery of sin through faith in Jesus Christ (John 1:29; 1 Cor. 5:7; Gal. 1:4). Israel's crossing of the Jordan River is a picture of believers dying to self and entering by faith into their inheritance. This truth is explained in Hebrews 1–6, especially chapters 3 and 4. God doesn't want us to wander in the wilderness of unbelief. He wants us to claim our inheritance by faith, conquer our enemies, and enjoy the spiritual "rest" that He has for those who walk by faith.

Remembering the Lord's goodness (5:10–12) "Forgetting those things which are behind" (Phil. 3:13) is wise counsel for most areas of life, but there are some things we must never forget. In his farewell address to the nation, Moses repeatedly commanded the Jews to remember that they were once slaves in Egypt and that the Lord had delivered them and made them His own people (Deut. 6:15; 15:15; 16:12; 24:18, 22). This great truth was embodied in their annual Passover feast. They were never to forget that they were a redeemed people, set free by the blood of the lamb.

Because the Holy Spirit baptizes all believers into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13), all believers are identified with Christ in His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension (Rom. 6:1–10; Eph. 2:1–10). This truth is pictured in Israel's crossing of the river. We're saved from the penalty of sin because of substitution: Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). But we're saved from the power of sin because of identification: We died with Christ (Gal. 2:20). We must believe what God says is true and reckon ourselves to be dead to sin and alive in Christ (Rom. 6:11–23). We have crossed the river!

Forty years before, Israel had celebrated the Passover on the night of their deliverance from Egypt (Ex. 11–14). They also celebrated Passover at Mount Sinai, before leaving for Kadesh Barnea (Num. 9:1–14), but there is no evidence that they commemorated the Passover at any time during their years of wilderness wandering. The fact that the new generation wasn't circumcised prevented them from participating, and God had temporarily suspended His covenant with His people because of

Many New Testament scholars believe the apostolic church practiced baptism by immersion. The candidate was submerged into the water and then raised up, picturing the believer's identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Israel pictured this truth in their crossing of the Red Sea (separated from

Joshua 5 move until he was sure the Lord's presence was with him.

their rebellion at Kadesh Barnea. That one act of unbelief had cost Israel dearly.

This paragraph records one of the pre-incarnation appearances of the Lord Jesus Christ recorded in the Old Testament. To Abraham the pilgrim, the Lord came as a traveler to share in a friendly meal (Gen. 18:1–8). To Jacob the schemer, He came as a wrestler to bring him to the place of submission (32:24–32). The three Hebrew men met Him as their companion in the furnace of fire (Dan. 3:25), and Joshua met Him as the Captain of the Lord's armies. Our Lord always comes to us when we need Him and in the way we need Him.

The death of Jesus Christ is typified in the slaying of the Passover lamb (1 Cor. 5:7), and His resurrection is typified in the "wave offering" that was presented on the day after the Sabbath that followed Passover (Lev. 23:10–14; 1 Cor. 15:23). The day after the Sabbath would be the first day of the week, the Lord's Day, the day of Christ's resurrection (Matt. 28:1). Again, we see the picture of death and resurrection, which is our only means of life and victory (Rom. 6:4).

The Passover was followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread when for a week the Jews avoided leaven (yeast) and ate unleavened bread (Ex. 12:15, 18–20). When Israel entered Canaan, it was time for the barley harvest; thus grain was available. No doubt the inhabitants of the area had left grain behind when they fled to Jericho for safety; thus that grain was also available. The Lord prepared a table for His people in the presence of their enemies, and Israel didn't have to be afraid (Ps. 23:5).

It must have been a great encouragement to Joshua to realize that he was not alone. There is a loneliness to leadership that can be disturbing and even depressing as you realize how much your decisions affect the lives of others. "To be President of the United States is to be lonely," said Harry Truman, "very lonely at times of great decisions." Joshua must have been feeling some of that loneliness.

God had promised to be with Joshua (Josh. 1:5, 9), and the people had prayed that the Lord would be with him (vv. 16–17). The enemy knew that God was with Israel (2:8ff.), and Joshua had encouraged his people with this promise (3:9ff.). Joshua was now experiencing the reality of that promise! The Lord met him as Captain of the Lord's armies, whether in heaven or on earth. "The Lord of hosts [armies] is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge" (Ps. 46:7, 11). Joshua would recall the song Israel had sung at the Red Sea: "The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is His name" (Ex. 15:3).

On the day after Passover, the manna ceased, and thus ended a forty-year miracle (Ex. 16). If the Passover reminded the Jews of their redemption from Egypt, the manna reminded them of their desire to go back to Egypt! "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full" (Ex. 16:3). God fed His people the bread of heaven, the food of the angels (Ps. 78:23–25), and yet they still lusted for the food of Egypt (Num. 11:4–9). God easily took His people out of Egypt, but it was difficult for Him to take Egypt out of His people.

I appreciate the courage of Joshua as he confronted this stranger, for he wanted to know whose side he was on. With Joshua, there was no compromise: You were either for the Lord and His people or against them (Matt. 12:30; Luke 11:23). When Joshua discovered the visitor was the Lord, he fell at His feet in worship and waited for His orders.

Too many professed Christians contradict their profession by exhibiting an appetite for what belongs to their past life. "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1–2 nkjv). Using the imagery from Joshua, this means, "You've crossed the river and are now in your inheritance. Don't look back and desire the things of Egypt or the wilderness. Let God feed you and satisfy you with the harvest in the inheritance."

In Christian ministry great public victories are won in private as leaders submit to the Lord and receive their directions from Him. It's doubtful that anybody in the camp of Israel knew about their leader's meeting with the Lord, but that meeting made the difference between success and failure on the battlefield. The Chinese Bible teacher Watchman Nee wrote, "Not until we take the place of a servant can He take His place as Lord."

The harvest is another image of death and resurrection. The seed is buried in the ground and dies, but from that death comes forth beauty and fruitfulness. Jesus applied to Himself both the image of the manna (John 6:26–59) and the harvest (12:20–28), for He is the nourishment upon which we must feed.

Joshua was reminded that he was second in command. Every father and mother, pastor, and Christian leader is second in command to the Lord Jesus Christ, and when we forget this fact, we start to move toward defeat and failure. The Lord came to Joshua that day, not just to help but to lead. "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 nkjv). Joshua was an experienced soldier, whom Moses had trained for leadership. Yet that was no guarantee of success. He needed the presence of the Lord God.

Reaffirming the Lord's presence (5:13–15) Joshua had read in the book of the law what Moses had said to the Lord after Israel had made the golden calf: "If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here" (Ex. 33:15 nkjv). The Lord had promised to be with Joshua just as He had been with Moses (Josh. 1:5), and now He reaffirmed that promise in a personal way. Like his predecessor, Joshua refused to

The Lord's first order to Joshua revealed to him

Joshua 5—6

Notes 1 Dr. and Mrs. Howard Taylor, Biography of James Hudson Taylor (London: China Inland Mission, 1965), 271. 2 Andrew A. Bonar, Memoir and Remains of Robert Murray McCheyne (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1966), 282.

that he was standing on holy ground. This reminds us of God's words to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:5). Joshua was standing in "heathen territory," yet because God was with him, he was standing on holy ground. If we are obeying the will of God, no matter where He leads us, we are on holy ground, and we had better behave accordingly. There's no such thing as "secular" and "sacred," "common" and "consecrated," when you are in the Lord's service. "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31 nkjv).

CHAPTER SIX Joshua 6 THE CONQUEST BEGINS! Y

The sequence here is significant: first humble worship, then holy walk, then heavenly warfare. This parallels the "spiritual postures" found in the epistle to the Ephesians. Joshua first bowed the knee (Eph. 3:14); then he submitted to a holy walk (4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15), and then he went out to battle the enemy in the power of the Lord (6:10ff.). Like Joshua, we have already been given our inheritance (described in Eph. 1–2) and we must overcome the enemy in order to claim it for ourselves and enjoy it.

ou are but a poor soldier of Christ if you think you can overcome without fighting, and suppose you can have the crown without the conflict." The courageous Syrian preacher and martyr John Chrysostom (347–407) said that, and he was right, for the Christian life involves challenge and conflict whether we like it or not. Our enemies are constantly waging war against us and trying to keep us from claiming our inheritance in Jesus Christ. The world, the flesh, and the devil (Eph. 2:1–3) are united against Christ and His people just as the nations in Canaan were united against Joshua and the Jewish nation.

II. Defeating the enemy (6—12) A.The Central Campaign—6—9

When Joshua met the Lord, he discovered that the battle was the Lord's and He had already overcome the enemy. All Joshua had to do was listen to God's Word and obey orders, and God would do the rest. God had already given Jericho to Israel (Josh. 6:2); all they had to do was step out by faith and claim the victory by obeying the Lord.

It's unfortunate that many of the "militant songs" of the church have been removed from some hymnals, apparently because the idea of warfare disturbs people and seems to contradict the words and works of Jesus Christ. But these zealous editors with scissors seem to have forgotten that the main theme of the Bible is God's holy warfare against Satan and sin. In Genesis 3:15, God declared war on Satan, and one day He will declare the victory when Jesus comes as Conqueror to establish His kingdom (Rev. 19:11–21). If you eliminate the militant side of the Christian faith, then you must abandon the cross, for it was on the cross that Jesus won the victory over sin and Satan (Col. 2:13–15).

In a meeting with a small group of missionaries in China, James Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission (now Overseas Missionary Fellowship) reminded them that there were three ways to do God's work: "One is to make the best plans we can, and carry them out to the best of our ability … or, having carefully laid our plans and determined to carry them through, we may ask God to help us, and to prosper us in connection with them. Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and to offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes.''1

A pastor attended a court hearing to protest the building of a tavern near his church and a public school. The lawyer for the tavern owners said to him, "I'm surprised to see you here today, Reverend. As a shepherd, shouldn't you be out taking care of the sheep?"

Joshua followed the third plan, and that's why the Lord blessed him.

The main lesson of Joshua 5 is that we must be a spiritually prepared people if we are going to do the Lord's work successfully and glorify His name. Instead of rushing into the battle, we must "take time to be holy."

The pastor replied, "Today I'm fighting the wolf!" Too many Christians cultivate only a sentimental emphasis on "peace and goodwill" and ignore the spiritual battle against sin, and this means they've already lost the victory and are working for the enemy. We must never forget Paul's warning about the savage wolves that are ready to destroy the flock (Acts 20:28–29). The Christian's warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against enemies in the spiritual realm (Eph. 6:10–18), and the weapons we use are spiritual (2 Cor. 10:3–6). Satan and his demonic armies use people to oppose and attack the church of God, and if we don't take our stand with Christ, we've already lost the battle. In the army of Jesus Christ there can be no neutrality. "He that is not with Me is against Me," said Jesus, and

In a letter to his missionary friend Rev. Daniel Edwards, the saintly Scottish preacher Robert Murray McCheyne wrote: "Remember you are God's sword— His instrument—I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God."2

That letter was written in 1840, but its admonition applies to God's people today. All of us are His ministers, His servants, and we want to be holy instruments that He can use successfully.

Joshua 6

The promise of the Lord (v. 2). It's possible that the Lord spoke these words to Joshua when He confronted him at Jericho (5:13–15). The tense of the verb is important: "I have given Jericho into your hand" (6:2 nkjv, italics added). The victory had already been won! All Joshua and his people had to do was claim the promise and obey the Lord.

He spoke those words in the context of spiritual warfare (Matt. 12:24–30). Since the apostle Paul often used the military image to describe the Christian life, we dare not ignore the subject (Eph. 6:10ff.; 2 Tim. 2:1–4; Rom. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:8). Israel's victory at Jericho illustrates three principles of spiritual conflict and victory applicable to our lives today, no matter what challenges we may be called to confront.

Victorious Christians are people who know the promises of God, because they spend time meditating on God's Word (1:8); they believe the promises of God because the Word of God generates faith in their hearts (Rom. 10:17); and they reckon on these promises and obey what God tells them to do. To "reckon" means to count as true in your life what God says about you in His Word.

Before the challenge: remember that you fight from victory, not just for victory (6:1–5) The Christian soldier stands in a position of guaranteed victory because Jesus Christ has already defeated every spiritual enemy (John 12:31). Jesus defeated Satan not only in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1–11), but also during His earthly ministry (12:22–29), on the cross (Col. 2:13–15), and in His resurrection and ascension (Eph. 1:19–23). As He intercedes for His people in heaven, He helps us mature and accomplish His will (Heb. 13:20–21), and "if God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).

"Be of good cheer," Jesus told His disciples; "I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Gal. 5:24). "Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the prince of this world be cast out" (John 12:31). Christ has conquered the world, the flesh, and the devil; and if we reckon on this truth, we can conquer through Him. It's possible to believe a promise and still not reckon on it and obey the Lord. Believing a promise is like accepting a check, but reckoning is like endorsing the check and cashing it.

Consider the factors involved in Joshua's victory: The fear of the Lord (v. 1). The land of Canaan was divided up among a number of "city states," each ruled by a king (see 12:9–34). These cities were not large; Ai, which was smaller than Jericho (7:2–3), had about 12,000 people (8:25). Excavations at Jericho indicate that the city covered perhaps eight acres and was protected by two high parallel walls, which stood about fifteen feet apart and surrounded the city. It was the sight of cities like Jericho that convinced ten of the Jewish spies that Israel could never conquer the land (Num. 13:28).

The instructions of the Lord (vv. 3–5). "Joshua did not take the city merely by a clever, human military tactic," wrote Francis A. Schaeffer. "The strategy was the Lord's."1

No situation is too great for the Lord to handle, and no problem is too much for Him to solve. When He saw more than 5,000 hungry people before Him, Jesus asked Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" Then John adds, "But this He said to test him; for He Himself knew what He would do" (John 6:5–6 nkjv). God always knows what He will do. Our responsibility is to wait for Him to tell us all that we need to know and then obey it.

But the news of Israel's Exodus from Egypt and their recent victories east of the Jordan had already spread to Canaan and put the people in panic (Josh. 2:9–11; see Deut. 2:25; 7:23; 11:25; 32:30). "I will send My fear before you," God had promised; "I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you" (Ex. 23:27 nkjv).

At the close of the last chapter, I quoted J. Hudson Taylor's words about three different ways to serve the Lord: (1) to make the best plans we can and hope they succeed; (2) to make our own plans and ask God to bless them; or (3) to ask God for His plans and then do what He tells us to do. Joshua received his orders from the Lord, and that's why Israel succeeded.

It was said that Mary Queen of Scots feared John Knox's prayers more than she feared an enemy army. But is society today afraid of what God's people may do? Probably not, and it's mainly because the church hasn't done very much to display the power of God to a skeptical world. The church is no longer "terrible as an army with banners" (Song 6:4, 10). In fact, the church is so much like the world that the world takes little notice of what we do. We imitate the world's methods; we cater to the world's appetites; we solicit the world's approval; and we measure what we do according to the world's standards. Is it any wonder that we don't gain the world's respect?

God's plan for the conquest of Jericho was seemingly foolish, but it worked. God's wisdom is far above ours (Isa. 55:8–9), and He delights in using people and plans that seem foolish to the world (1 Cor. 1:26–29). Whether it's Joshua with trumpets, Gideon with torches and pitchers (Judg. 7), or David with his sling (1 Sam. 17), God delights in using weakness and seeming foolishness to defeat His enemies and glorify His name. "For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him" (2 Chron. 16:9).

But not so with Joshua and Israel! They were a conquering people who made no compromise with the enemy but trusted God to give them the victory. Theirs was a march of triumph that put the fear of God into the hearts of the enemy.

God's instructions were that the armed men march

Joshua 6

During the challenge: Remember that you overcome the enemy by faith (6:6–16, 20) "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days" (Heb. 11:30). "And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith" (1 John 5:4 nkjv).

around Jericho once a day for six days, followed by seven priests each blowing a trumpet. The priests carrying the ark of the Lord would come next, and the rear guard would complete the procession. The only noise permitted was the sound of the trumpets. On the seventh day the procession would march around the city seven times, the priests would give a long blast on the trumpets, and then the marchers would all shout. God would then cause the walls to fall down flat so that the soldiers could easily enter the city. In this plan the emphasis is on the number seven: seven priests, seven trumpets, seven days of marching, and seven circuits of the city on the seventh day. The number seven is written clearly into the life of Israel: The Sabbath celebrated on the seventh day of the week; seven weeks from Passover is Pentecost; the seventh year is the Sabbatical Year; and after forty-nine years (seven times seven) comes the Year of Jubilee. Three of Israel's feasts fall in the seventh month: the Feast of Trumpets, the day of Atonement (Lev. 16), and the Feast of Tabernacles. (For details about this remarkable calendar, see Lev. 23.)

Faith is not believing in spite of evidence, for the people of Israel had been given one demonstration after another proving that God's Word and God's power can be trusted. The Lord had opened the Red Sea, destroyed the Egyptian army, cared for His people in the wilderness, defeated great kings, given Israel their land, opened the Jordan River, and brought His people safely into the Promised Land. How could they do anything other than believe Him!

Joshua first shared the Lord's plan with the priests. It was important that the ark of the Lord be in its proper place, for it represented the presence of the Lord with His people. When Israel crossed the river, the account mentions the ark sixteen times (Josh. 3—4), and here in 6:6–15, the ark is mentioned eight times. Israel could march and the priests blow trumpets until all of them dropped from weariness, but if the Lord wasn't with them, there would be no victory. When we accept God's plan, we invite God's presence, and that guarantees victory. (See Ex. 33:12–17.)

In biblical numerology the number seven represents completeness or perfection. The Hebrew word translated "seven" (shevah) comes from a root that means "to be full, to be satisfied." When God finished His work of creation, He rested on the seventh day and sanctified it (Gen. 2:3), and this helped give the number seven its sacred significance. The Jews noted that there were seven promises in God's covenant with Abraham (12:1–3) and seven branches on the candlestick in the tabernacle (Ex. 37:17–24). Anything involving the number seven was especially sacred to them. It spoke of God's ability to finish whatever He started.

Then Joshua instructed the soldiers. He probably didn't enlist the entire army for this important event, for that would have involved far too many people. According to the military census of Numbers 26, there were over 600,000 men able to bear arms. Think of how long it would take that many men to march around the city walls! And when the walls fell down, Joshua certainly didn't need hundreds of thousands of soldiers to rush in and overcome the people. The men would have been falling over one another!

The Jews used two different kinds of trumpets, those made of silver and those made of ram's horns. The silver trumpets were used especially by the priests to signal the camp when something important was happening (Num. 10). The ram's horns were used primarily for celebrations. The common Hebrew word for "trumpet" is shofar; for "ram's horn," it is jobel, which is the root of the word jubilee. The "Year of Jubilee" was the fiftieth year after seven Sabbaticals, and was a special time of celebration in Israel (Lev. 25; 27:17–14). The priests blew the ram's horns to "proclaim liberty throughout all the land" (25:10).

Over 2 million people were in the nation of Israel, and marching all of them around the city of Jericho would have been time-consuming and dangerous. The people no doubt watched in silence from a distance and then participated in the great shout on the seventh day. It was a victory for Israel and Israel's God, and not just for the priests and soldiers.

It's important that leaders receive their orders from the Lord and that those who follow them obey their instructions. As with the crossing of the Jordan River, so also the conquest of Jericho was a miracle of faith. Joshua and his people listened to God's orders, believed them, and obeyed, and God did the rest. When God's people rebel against spiritual leadership, as Israel often did in the wilderness, it leads to discipline and defeat.

The priests didn't use the silver trumpets in this event because Israel was not declaring war on Jericho, for there was no war! The Jews were announcing the arrival of the "Year of Jubilee" for Israel in their new land. God's people today can march in triumphal procession because of the victory of Jesus Christ over all the enemies of God (Rom. 8:37; 2 Cor. 2:14; Col. 2:15). We should be living like victors, not victims. "The wall of the city shall fall down!" (Josh. 6:5) was God's promise, and His promises never fail (21:45; 23:14). God's people don't simply fight for victory but from victory, because the Lord has already won the battle. Reckon on His promises and obey what He tells you to do, and you shall have the victory.

The activities of the week were a test of the Jewish people's faith and patience. No doubt some of them were anxious to get on with the invasion so they could claim their inheritance and settle down to enjoy the rest God had promised them (Josh. 1:13). To some of them, it may have seemed a futile waste of time to devote an entire week to the taking of one city. Impatience was one of Israel's besetting sins, and God was helping them

Joshua 6 war—and He could do with it whatever He pleased. In this first victory in Canaan, Jericho was presented to God as "the firstfruits" of the victories to come. Ordinarily the soldiers shared the spoils of war (Deut. 20:14), but not at Jericho; for everything there belonged to the Lord and was put into His treasury (Deut. 13:16; 1 Kings 7:51). It was this command that Achan disobeyed, and his disobedience later brought Israel defeat and disgrace and brought Achan and his family death.

learn patient obedience, for it's through "faith and patience" that God's people inherit what He has promised (Heb. 6:12). God is never in a hurry. He knows what He's doing, and His timing is never off.

If the week's schedule was a test of their patience, the divine command of silence was a test of their selfcontrol. People who can't control their tongues can't control their bodies (James 3:1–2), and what good are soldiers whose bodies are not disciplined? "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10). In the Christian life there's "a time to keep silence, and a time to speak" (Eccl. 3:7), and wise is the child of God who knows the difference. Our Lord is the perfect example of this (Isa. 53:7; Matt. 26:62–63; 27:14; Luke 23:9). How did the people in the city of Jericho respond to this daily procession around the city? It's likely that the march on the first day frightened them, for they probably expected the army to raise a siege against the city. But the Jews neither built ramps against the walls nor did they try to batter down the gates. When the marchers returned to camp after making only one circuit of the walls, the citizens must have felt greatly relieved. However, as the march was repeated day after day, tension must have grown in the city as the people wondered what would happen next. They knew that the God of Israel was a "great God of wonders," whose power had defeated Egypt and the kings east of the Jordan. What would Jehovah now do to Jericho?

Rescue Rahab and her family (vv. 22–23, 25–26). When the walls of the city fell down, it appears that the section of the wall that held Rahab's house (2:15) didn't fall down! It wasn't necessary for the spies to look for a window with a red cord hanging from it (vv. 18–19), because the only house that was preserved was the house in which Rahab and her family waited. When the spies made their covenant with Rahab, they didn't know exactly how God would give them the city.

God saved and protected Rahab because of her faith (Heb. 11:31), and because she led her family to trust in Jehovah, they were also saved. These Gentile believers were rescued from a fiery judgment because they trusted the God of Israel, for "salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). They were "afar off" as far as the covenants were concerned (Eph. 2:11–12), but their faith brought them into the nation of Israel, for Rahab married Salmon and became an ancestress of King David and of the Messiah (Matt. 1:5)!

When the procession went around the walls seven times on the seventh day, the tension within the city must have increased to frightening proportions. Then came the blast of the trumpets and the victory shout of the people, and the walls fell down flat! All that the soldiers had to do was rush into the city and take over.

Rahab and her relatives were put "outside the camp" initially because they were unclean Gentiles, and "outside the camp" was the place designated for the unclean (Num. 5:1–4; 12:14; Deut. 23:9–14). The men in the family would have to be circumcised in order to become "sons of the covenant," and all of the family would have to submit to the law of Moses. What grace that God spared Rahab and her loved ones, and what abundant grace that He chose her, an outcast Gentile, to be an ancestress of the Savior!

The Holy Spirit directed the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews to use this event as one of the "by faith" examples in Hebrews 11. The fall of Jericho is an encouragement to God's people to trust the Lord's promises and obey His instructions, no matter how impossible the situation may appear to be. You and I may not capture a city as Joshua did, but in our everyday lives we face enemies and high walls that challenge us. The only way to grow in faith is to accept new challenges and trust God to give you victory. "Do not pray for easy lives," said Phillips Brooks; "pray to be better men and women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for power equal to your tasks."

Like Jericho of old, our present world is under the judgment of God (John 3:18–21; Rom. 3:10–19), and His judgment will eventually fall. No matter what "walls" and "gates" this present evil world will try to hide behind, God's wrath will eventually meet them. God has given this lost world plenty of evidence so that sinners can believe and be saved (Josh. 2:8–13; Rom. 1:18ff.). The tragedy is, lost sinners willingly reject the evidence and continue in their sins John 12:35–41).

After the victory: Remember to obey God's commands and give Him the glory (6:17–19, 21–27) Let me quote again Andrew Bonar's wise counsel: "Let us be as watchful after the victory as before the battle." Because one soldier didn't heed this warning, Israel's next challenge in Canaan turned out to be a humiliating defeat. Joshua gave the soldiers four instructions to obey after they had taken the city.

Destroy the people (v. 21). It disturbs some people that God commanded every living thing in Jericho to be killed. Isn't our God a God of mercy? After all, it's one thing for the Jews to kill the enemy soldiers, but why kill women, children, and even animals?

To begin with, this commandment was not a new one. The Lord had given it to Moses years before. In the "divine law of war" found in Deuteronomy 20, the Lord made a distinction between attacking cities that were far off (vv. 10–15) and cities in the land of Canaan where Israel would dwell (vv. 16–18). Before

Devote the entire city to God (vv. 17–19). This meant that everything was dedicated to the Lord—the people, the houses, the animals, and all the spoils of

Joshua 6—7 now I understand. The Lord will not share my life if there are rival gods in my heart. He will not permit me to compromise with the enemy. When you grasp this truth, you also better understand His admonition in 2 Corinthians 6:14–7:1.

besieging a city afar off, the Jews were to give that city an offer of peace, and if the city surrendered, the Jews would spare the people and make them subjects. But the people in the cities in the land of Canaan were to be destroyed completely, and their cities burned.

Burn the city (v. 24). "Thy God is a consuming fire" was spoken by Moses in Deuteronomy 4:24 long before it was quoted by the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 12:29. Moses was warning the Jewish people against idolatry and the danger of following the religious practices of the people in Canaan. Moses added a phrase that isn't quoted in Hebrews but is still important for us to know: "even a jealous God." God is jealous over His people and will not permit them to divide their love and service between Him and the false gods of the world (Ex. 20:5; 34:14). We cannot serve two masters.

Why? For one thing, the civilization in Canaan was unspeakably wicked, and God didn't want His holy people contaminated by their neighbors (7:1–11). We must never forget that God put Israel in the world to be the channel for His blessing (Gen. 12:1–3), which involves, among other things, the writing of the Scriptures and the coming of the Savior. Read the Old Testament record, and you will see Satan doing everything he could to pollute the Jewish nation and thus prevent the birth of the Messiah. When the Jewish men married pagan women and began to worship pagan gods, it was a threat to the purposes God had for His chosen people (Neh. 13:23–31). God wanted a "holy seed" (Mal. 2:14–15) so that His holy Son could come to be the Savior of the world.

Jericho was a wicked city, and sin is only fuel for the holy wrath of God. Jesus compared hell to a furnace of fire (Matt. 13:42), fire that is eternal (25:41, 46), and John compared it to a lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 20:10, 14). John the Baptist described God's judgment as "unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:12). The burning of Jericho, like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 7), is a picture of the judgment of God that will fall on all who reject the truth.

"God is perpetually at war with sin," said G. Campbell Morgan. "That is the whole explanation of the extermination of the Canaanites."2 Because the Jews didn't fully obey this commandment in later years, it led to national defilement and divine chastening (Ps. 106:34–48). The book of Judges would not be in the Bible if the nation of Israel had remained true to the Lord (Judg. 2:11–23).

Even after he had burned the city, Joshua put a curse on Jericho. This would warn any of the Jews or Rahab's descendants who might be tempted to rebuild what God had destroyed. The curse was later fulfilled in the days of evil King Ahab (1 Kings 16:34).

There is a second consideration: The people in the land had been given plenty of opportunity to repent and turn to the Lord, just as Rahab and her family had done. God patiently endured the evil of the Canaanites from the time of Abraham (Gen. 15:16) to the time of Moses, a period of over 400 years. (See 2 Peter 3:9.) From the exodus to the crossing of the Jordan was another forty years in Israel's history, and the Canaanites knew what was going on! (See Josh. 2:8–13.) Every wonder that God performed and every victory that God gave His people was a witness to the people of the land, but they preferred to go on in their sins and reject the mercy of God. Never think of the Canaanites as helpless ignorant people who knew nothing about the true God. They were willfully sinning against a flood of light.

As He promised, God was with Joshua (Josh. 1:5, 9), and God magnified Joshua's name in the land (v. 27; 3:7; 4:14). God's servants must never magnify themselves, and if the Lord magnifies them, they must be careful to give Him the glory. It's when we are strong that we get overconfident and forget to trust the Lord (2 Chron. 26:15).

Notes 1 Francis A. Schaeffer, Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1975), 102–3. 2 G. Campbell Morgan, Living Messages of the Books of the Bible (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell, 1912), 1:104. 3 Ibid., 114.

We should also keep in mind that these historical events were written "for our learning" (Rom. 15:4) as we seek to live for Christ today. In the destruction of Jericho and its population God is telling us that He will tolerate no compromise with sin in the lives of His people. To quote Campbell Morgan again: "Thank God that He will not make peace with sin in my heart! I bless His name for the thunder of His authority, and for the profound conviction that He is fierce and furious in His anger against sin, wherever it manifests itself."3

CHAPTER SEVEN Joshua 7 DEFEAT IN THE LAND OF VICTORY M oses described the Promised Land as "a land of hills and valleys" (Deut. 11:11). That statement, I believe, is much more than a description of the contrast between the hilly landscape of Canaan and the flat monotonous topography of Egypt. It's also a description of the geography of the life of faith that is pictured by Israel's experiences in Canaan. As by faith we claim our inheritance in Christ, we experience

When I was a child in Sunday school, the superintendent often chose the song "Whiter Than Snow" for us to sing in general assembly. While we sang "Break down every idol/Cast out every foe," I confess that I didn't understand at the time what I was singing, but

Joshua 7

(6:17–21, 24). Since Jericho was Israel's first victory in Canaan, the firstfruits of the spoils belonged to the Lord (Prov. 3:9). But Achan disobeyed and took the hazardous steps that lead to sin and death (James 1:13–15): "I saw … I coveted … [I] took" (Josh. 7:21). Eve did the same thing when she listened to the devil (Gen. 3:5), and so did David when he yielded to the flesh (2 Sam. 11:1–4). Since Achan also coveted the things of the world, he brought defeat to Israel and death to himself and his family.

peaks of victory and valleys of discouragement. Discouragement isn't inevitable in the Christian life, but we must remember that we can't have mountains without valleys.

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.

Achan's first mistake was to look at these spoils a second time. He probably couldn't help seeing them the first time, but he should never have looked again and considered taking them. A man's first glance at a woman may say to him, "She's attractive!" But it's that second glance that gets the imagination working and leads to sin (Matt. 6:27–30). If we keep God's Word before our eyes, we won't start looking in the wrong direction and doing the wrong things (Prov. 4:20–25).

A disobedient soldier (7:1, 20–21) The sinner (v. 1). His name was Achan, or Achar, which means "trouble"; and he was from the tribe of Judah (v. 16). (See 1 Chron. 2:7; note in v. 26 that "Achor" also means "trouble.") He is known in Bible history as the man who troubled Israel (Josh. 7:25). Because of Achan's disobedience, Israel was defeated at Ai, and the enemy killed thirty-six Jewish soldiers. It was Israel's first and only military defeat in Canaan, a defeat that is forever associated with Achan's name.

His second mistake was to reclassify those treasures and call them "the spoils" (Josh. 7:21). They were not "the spoils"; they were a part of the Lord's treasury and wholly dedicated to Him. They didn't belong to Achan, or even to Israel; they belonged to God. When God identifies something in a special way, we have no right to change it. In our world today, including the religious world, people are rewriting God's dictionary! "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa. 5:20 kjv)

Never underestimate the amount of damage one person can do outside the will of God. Abraham's disobedience in Egypt almost cost him his wife (Gen. 12:10–20); David's disobedience in taking an unauthorized census led to the death of 70,000 people (2 Sam. 24); and Jonah's refusal to obey God almost sank a ship (Jonah 1). The church today must look diligently "lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble" (Heb. 12:15 nkjv). That's why Paul admonished the Corinthian believers to discipline the disobedient man in their fellowship, because his sin was defiling the whole church (1 Cor. 5).

If God says something is wrong, then it's wrong, and that's the end of the debate.

Achan's third mistake was to covet. "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed" (James 1:14 nkjv). Instead of singing praises in his heart for the great victory God had given, Achan was imagining in his heart what it would be like to own all that treasure. The imagination is the "womb" in which desire is conceived and from which sin and death are eventually born.

God made it clear that it was Israel that had sinned and not just Achan alone (Josh. 7:1, 11). Why would God blame the whole nation for the disobedience of only one soldier? Because Israel was one people in the Lord and not just an assorted collection of tribes, clans, families, and individuals. God dwelt in the midst of their camp, and this made the Jews the Lord's special people (Ex. 19:5–6). Jehovah God walked about in their camp, and therefore the camp was to be kept holy (Deut. 23:14). Anyone who disobeyed God defiled the camp, and this defilement affected their relationship to the Lord and to one another.

His fourth mistake was to think that he could get away with his sin by hiding the loot. Adam and Eve tried to cover their sin and run away and hide, but the Lord discovered them (Gen. 3:7ff.). "Be sure your sin will find you out" was originally said to the people of God, not to the lost (Num. 32:23), and so was "The Lord shall judge His people" (Deut. 32:36; Heb. 10:30). How foolish of Achan to think that God couldn't see what he was doing, when "all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Heb. 4:13 nkjv).

God's people today are one body in Christ. Consequently, we belong to each other, we need each other, and we affect each other (1 Cor. 12:12ff.). Any weakness or infection in one part of the human body contributes to weakness and infection in the other parts. So it also is with the body of Christ. "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it" (1 Cor. 12:26 niv). "One sinner destroys much good" (Eccl. 9:18 nkjv).

Achan's sin becomes even more odious when you stop to realize all that God had done for him. God had cared for him and his family in the wilderness. He had brought them safely across the Jordan and given the army victory at Jericho. The Lord had accepted Achan as a son of the covenant at Gilgal. Yet in spite of all these wonderful experiences, Achan disobeyed God just to possess some wealth that he couldn't even enjoy. Had he waited just a day or two, he could have gathered all the

The sin (vv. 20–21). Achan heard his commander give the order that all the spoils in Jericho were to be devoted to the Lord and were to go into His treasury

Joshua 7 spoils he wanted from the victory at Ai! "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Matt. 6:33 nkjv).

mortified. If some of your best plans have ever been dashed to pieces, then you can identify with Joshua and his officers.

Remorse (v. 6). The hearts of the Canaanites had melted when they had heard about the conquests of Israel (2:11). But now the tables were turned, and it was the Israelites whose hearts were melted as water! The general who had not known defeat spent the rest of the day prostrate before the ark at Gilgal and his leaders with him. They tore their garments, put dust on their heads, lay on the ground, and cried, "Alas! Alas!" This is the way Jewish people behaved whenever they experienced great distress, such as a military defeat (1 Sam. 4:12) or personal violence and shame (2 Sam. 13:19). It was the prescribed course of action whenever the Jews turned to God in times of great danger or national sin (Neh. 9:1; Est. 4:1). Had Joshua humbled himself before the battle, the situation would have been different after the battle.

A defeated army (7:2–5) 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).

The ark of the covenant was a reminder of the presence of God with His people. The ark had gone before Israel when they had crossed the river (Josh. 3:11ff.), and the ark had been with them when they had marched around Jericho (6:6–8). God hadn't told them to carry the ark to Ai, but God's presence would have gone with them if there had not been sin in the camp. Without God's presence, the ark was simply a piece of wooden furniture, and there was no guarantee of victory just because of the presence of the ark (1 Sam. 4).

The spies said nothing about the Lord; their whole report focused on the army and their confidence that Israel would have victory. You don't hear these men saying, "If the Lord will" (James 4:13–17). They were sure that the whole army wasn't needed for the assault, but that wasn't God's strategy when He gave the orders for the second attack on Ai (Josh. 8:1). Since God's thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8–9), we'd better take time to seek His direction. "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18 nkjv). What Israel needed was God-confidence, not self-confidence.

Reproach (vv. 7–9). In his prayer Joshua sounded like the unbelieving Jews whenever they found themselves in a tough situation that demanded faith: "Oh, that we had stayed where we were!" They said this at the Red Sea (Ex. 14:11), when they were hungry and thirsty in the wilderness (16:3; 17:3), and when they were disciplined at Kadesh Barnea (Num. 14:1–3). The Jews had frequently wanted to go back to Egypt, but Joshua would have been willing to cross the Jordan and settle down on the other side.

"But read his prayer, and you will catch a strange note in it," wrote George H. Morrison; "Joshua reproaches God."1 He seems to be blaming God for Israel's presence in Canaan and for the humiliating defeat they had just experienced.

Ai was in the hill country, about fifteen miles from Jericho; and one went up to Ai because it was situated 1,700 feet above sea level. The Jewish army marched confidently up the hill but soon came down again, fleeing for their lives and leaving thirty-six dead comrades behind them.

When you walk by faith, you will claim all that God has for you, but unbelief is always content to settle for something less than God's best. This is why the epistle to the Hebrews is in the Bible, to urge God's people to "go on" and enter into the fullness of their inheritance in Christ (Heb. 6:1). God sometimes permits us to experience humiliating defeats in order to test our faith and reveal to us what's really going on in our hearts. What life does to us depends on what life finds in us, and we don't always know the condition of our own hearts (Jer. 17:9).

Moses had warned Israel that they couldn't defeat their enemies unless the nation was obedient to the Lord. If they were following the Lord by faith, one Jewish soldier would chase 1,000, and two would put 10,000 to flight (Deut. 32:30)! Three Jewish soldiers could have defeated the whole city, if the nation had been pleasing to the Lord (Josh. 8:25). "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear" (Isa. 59:2).

Repentance (vv. 8–9). Now Joshua gets to the heart of the matter: Israel's defeat had robbed God of glory, and for this they had to repent. If the people of

A discouraged leader (7:6–15) The leader who had been magnified (6:27) was now

Joshua 7 in secret places that I shall not see him?" (23:24). Whether sinners run to the top of the mountains or dive to the bottom of the seas, God will find them and judge them (Amos 9:3). "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil" (Eccl. 12:14).

the land lost their fear of Israel's God (2:8–11), this would make it difficult for Joshua to conquer the land. But the important thing was not Joshua's fame or Israel's conquests, but the glory of the God of Israel. Joshua's concern was not for his own reputation but for the "great name" of Jehovah. Joshua had learned this lesson from Moses (Ex. 32:11–13; Num. 14:13–16), and it's a lesson the church needs to learn today.

God's approach was methodical. First He singled out the tribe of Judah, then the family of the Zerahites, then the household of Zabdi, and finally the culprit Achan. Perhaps the high priest used the ephod to determine God's direction (1 Sam. 23:6, 9; 30:7–8), or Joshua and the high priest may have cast lots. It must have been frightening for Achan and his immediate family to watch the accusing finger of God point closer and closer. "My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes" (Jer. 16:17 niv). Read Psalm 10, especially verses 6, 11, 13 to see what may have been going on in Achan's mind and heart during this tense time of scrutiny.

Rebuke (vv. 10–15). The Lord allowed Joshua and his leaders to stay on their faces until the time for the evening sacrifice. He gave them time to come to the end of themselves so that they would obey His directions, and then He spoke to Joshua. There is a time to pray and a time to act, and the time had now come to act.

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. Note the repetition of the word "accursed," which is used six times in this paragraph. 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.

When Joshua singled out Achan as the offender, the people watching must have asked themselves, "What evil thing did he do that the Lord was so displeased with us?" Perhaps the relatives of the thirty-six slain soldiers were angry as they looked at the man whose disobedience caused the death of their loved ones.

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.

The confession (vv. 19–23). 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 also he had 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). Before he could execute the Lord's judgment, Joshua had to present the evidence that substantiated Achan's confession. The messengers dug under Achan's tent and found "the accursed thing" that had brought defeat to Israel. The stolen goods were spread out before the Lord so He could see that all Israel was renouncing their hold on this evil treasure. The confession and the evidence were enough to convict the accused man.

This sin involved stealing from God and then lying about it (v. 11). Achan had taken the forbidden wealth but pretended that he had obeyed the Lord. Achan had done a foolish thing (v. 15) in thinking he could rob God and get away with it. Israel couldn't face any of her enemies until their sin had been put away. The tribes could never claim their inheritance as long as one man clung to his forbidden treasures. Everything God had done for His people up to this point was to no avail as long as they couldn't go forward in victory. What a lesson for the church today!

That evening Joshua sent word throughout the camp that the people were to sanctify themselves and prepare for an assembly to be held the next morning. You wonder whether Achan and his family got any sleep that night, or did they think they were secure?

The judgment (vv. 24–26). 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 (Josh. 13:12–18). 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!

A discovered sinner (7:16–26) The investigation (vv. 16–18). "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" asked the prophet (Jer. 17:9), and he answered the question in the next verse: "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."

At the beginning of a new period in Bible history,

Nobody can hide from God. "Can any hide himself

Joshua 7—8

Life, like war, is a series of mistakes, and he is not the best Christian nor the best general who makes the fewest false steps. Poor mediocrity may secure that; but he is the best who wins the most splendid victories by the retrieval of mistakes. Forget mistakes; organize victories out of mistakes.1

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).

Henry Ford would have agreed with Robertson, because Ford defined a mistake as "an opportunity to begin again, more intelligently." Joshua would also have agreed, because he is about to "begin again, more intelligently" and organize a victory out of his mistakes.

The death of Achan and his family was certainly a dramatic warning to the nation not to take the Word of God lightly. The people and the animals were stoned, and their bodies burned along with all that the family possessed. The troubler of Israel was completely removed from the scene, the people were sanctified, and now God could march with His people and give them victory. The name Achor means "trouble." The Valley of Achor is mentioned in Isaiah 65:10 and Hosea 2:15 as a place where the Jews will one day have a new beginning and no longer be associated with shame and defeat. The Valley of Achor will become for them "a door of hope" when they return to their land and share in the blessings of the messianic kingdom. How wonderful the Lord is to take Achor, a place of sorrow and defeat, and make it into a place of hope and joy.

A new beginning (8:1–2) 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.

The heap of stones in the valley would be a reminder that God expects His people to obey His Word, and if they don't, He must judge them. The heap of stones at Gilgal (Josh. 4:1–8) reminded them that God keeps His Word and leads His obedient people to the place of blessing. Both memorials are needed in the walk of faith. God is love (1 John 4:8, 16) and longs to bless His people, but God is also light (1 John 1:5) and must judge His people's sins. It had been a trying two days for Joshua and his leaders, but the situation was about to change. God would take charge of the army and lead His people to victory. When you surrender to the Lord, no defeat is permanent and no mistake is beyond remedy. Even the "Valley of Trouble" can become a "door of hope."

The word of encouragement (v. 1a). Discouragement over the past and fear of the future are the two reactions that often accompany failure. We look back and remember the mistakes that we made, and then we look ahead and wonder whether there's any future for people who fail so foolishly.

The answer to our discouragement and fear is in hearing and believing God's Word: "Fear not, neither be thou dismayed" (v. 1). I recommend that you take your Bible concordance and study the "fear not" statements of the Bible. Note that God spoke these words to different kinds of people in various circumstances, and His Word always met the need. Be sure to check the "fear not" statements in Genesis, Isaiah 41–44, and the first eight chapters of Luke. God never discourages His people from making progress. As long as we obey His commandments, we have the privilege of claiming His promises. God delights "to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect [wholly devoted] toward Him" (2 Chron. 16:9).

Notes 1 George H. Morrison, The Footsteps of the Flock (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1904), 106.

CHAPTER EIGHT Joshua 8 TURNING DEFEAT INTO VICTORY T

The word of instruction (vv. 1b–2). God always has a plan for His people to follow, and the only way for us to have victory is to obey God's instructions. In his first attack on Ai Joshua followed the advice of his spies and used only part of the army, but God told him to take "all the people of war"(v. 1). The Lord also told Joshua to use an ambush and take advantage of Ai's self-confidence stemming from Israel's first defeat he following quotation runs contrary to what most people today think about life, including people in the church. It was said in a sermon preached on August 12, 1849, by the famous British preacher F. W. Robertson.

Joshua 8 ministries to dig their way into administrative ruts that eventually become graves, simply because the leadership fails to discern whether God wants to do something new for them. The American business leader Bruce Barton (1886–1967) said, "When you're through changing, you're through."

(7:1–5). Finally, God gave the soldiers the right to claim the spoils, but they were to burn the city. Had Achan waited only a few days, he could have picked up all the wealth that he wanted. God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him. When we run ahead of the Lord, we usually rob ourselves and hurt others.

The strategy for Ai was based on Israel's previous defeat, for God was organizing victory out of Joshua's mistakes. The people of Ai were overconfident because they had defeated Israel at the first attack, and this overconfidence would be their undoing. "We did it before, and we can do it again!"

The word of promise (v. 1c). "I have given" was God's promise (see 6:2) and Joshua's guarantee of victory as long as he obeyed the instructions of the Lord. "God never made a promise that was too good to be true," said evangelist D. L. Moody, but every promise must be claimed by faith. Unless the promises of God are "mixed with faith" (Heb. 4:2), they accomplish nothing. Because Israel acted presumptuously in their first attack against Ai, they failed miserably. The promises of God make the difference between faith and presumption.

At night Joshua and his army marched fifteen miles from Gilgal to Ai, and, using 30,000 soldiers, Joshua set up an ambush behind the city from the west (vv. 3–9). He put another 5,000 men between Ai and Bethel, which was about two miles away (v. 12). This detachment would make sure that the army from Bethel wouldn't make a surprise attack from the northwest and open another "front." The rocky terrain in the highlands around Ai made it easy for Joshua to conceal his soldiers, and the whole operation was done at night.

You can never exaggerate the importance of the Christian soldier spending time daily in the Word of God. Unless daily we take the sword of the Spirit by faith (Eph. 6:17), we go into the battle unarmed and therefore unprepared. Spiritually minded believers are victorious because they allow the Word of God to "saturate" their minds and hearts. The Spirit using the Word controls their desires and decisions and this is the secret of victory.

The plan was simple but effective. Leading the rest of the Jewish army, Joshua would make a frontal attack on Ai from the north. His men would flee as they had done the first time and by fleeing draw the self-confident people of Ai away from the protection of their city. At Joshua's signal the soldiers lying in ambush would enter the city and set it on fire. The people of Ai would be caught between two armies, and the third army would deal with any assistance that might come from Bethel.

No matter how badly we have failed, we can always get up and begin again, for our God is the God of new beginnings.

A new strategy (8:3–13) 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.

Being a good general, Joshua lodged with his army (v. 9). He certainly encouraged them to trust the Lord and believe His promise for victory. The Captain of the host of the Lord (5:14) would go before them because they obeyed His Word and trusted His promises.

The work of the Lord requires strategy, and Christian leaders must seek the mind of the Lord in their planning. Like Joshua, we must get the facts and weigh them carefully as we seek the will of God. Too often, the work of the Lord only drifts along on the tide of time, without any rudder or compass to give direction, and the results are disappointing. Our English word strategy comes from two Greek words that together mean "to lead an army." Leadership demands planning, and planning is an important part of strategy.

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.

A new victory (8:14–29) Ai emptied (vv. 14–17). 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.

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. The World War II song "We did it before/And we can do it again!" doesn't always apply to the work of the Lord. How easy is it for Christian

According to verse 17, the men of Bethel were also involved in the attack, but no details are given.

Joshua 8 king of Ai under a heap of stones, there must have been a new sense of faith and courage in Israel, for they had won another victory. The people saw that not one word of God's promise had failed. The disgrace and defeat caused by Achan had now been erased, and Israel was well on her way to conquering the Promised Land.

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.

It was careless of the people of Ai to leave their city undefended, but such are the follies of self-confidence. When a small army sees a large army flee without even fighting, it gives them a feeling of superiority that can lead to defeat.

A new commitment (8:30–35) 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.

Ai captured (vv. 18–20). Conscious that the battle was the Lord's (1 Sam. 17:47; 2 Chron. 20:15), Joshua waited for further instructions. God then told him to lift up his spear toward the city (Josh. 8:18). This was the signal for the other troops to enter the city and burn it, but the signal had to be given at just the right time. The men of Ai and Bethel were trapped, and it was a simple matter for the army of Israel to destroy them. Joshua held up his spear until the victory was won (v. 26), an action that reminds us of the battle Joshua fought against Amalek when Moses held up his hands to the Lord (Ex. 17:8–16).

Joshua built an altar (vv. 30–31). Since Abraham had built an altar at Shechem (Gen. 12:6–7), and Jacob had lived there a short time (chap. 33–34), the area had strong historic ties to Israel. Joshua's altar was built on Mount Ebal, "the mount of cursing," because only a sacrifice of blood can save sinners from the curse of the law (Gal. 3:10–14).

Ai's army and people destroyed (vv. 21–29). Seeing the smoke of the city, Joshua's men stopped fleeing, and they turned and attacked the army of Ai that was pursuing them. After the Jewish soldiers in Ai left the city, they joined in the battle. The enemy was then caught between two armies. "Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives" (v. 22 niv).

In building the altar, Joshua was careful to obey Exodus 20:25 and not apply any tool to the stones picked up in the field. No human work was to be associated with the sacrifice lest sinners think their own works can save them (Eph. 2:8–9). God asked for a simple stone altar, not one that was designed and decorated by human hands, "that no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Cor. 1:29). It's not the beauty of manmade religion that gives the sinner forgiveness, but the blood on the altar (Lev. 17:11). King Ahab replaced God's altar with a pagan altar, but it didn't give him acceptance with God or make him a better man (2 Kings 16:9–16).

Once the army was annihilated, the rest of the population of the city was destroyed, just as at Jericho (vv. 24–25; 6:21, 24). Keep in mind that this was not the "slaughter of innocent people" but the judgment of God on an evil society that had long resisted His grace and truth.

Ai's king slain (vv. 23, 29). This was the final symbolic gesture of complete victory on the part of Israel. The king had no army, subjects, or city, for the Lord had destroyed them all. It was total victory on the part of Israel. Joshua killed the king with a sword and then ordered that the corpse be humiliated by hanging it on a tree until sundown (Deut. 21:22–23). The body was then buried under a heap of stones at the entrance of the gate of the ruin that had once been Ai. The previous heap of stones that Israel had raised was a memorial to Achan who had caused their defeat at Ai (Josh. 7:25–26). But this heap of stones at Ai was a memorial of Israel's victory over the enemy. By obeying the Word of the Lord, they had organized victory out of mistakes.

The priests offered burnt offerings to the Lord as a token of the nation's total commitment to Him (Lev. 1). The peace offerings, or "fellowship offerings," were an expression of gratitude to God for His goodness (3; 7:11–34). A portion of the meat was given to the priests and another portion to the offerer so that he could eat it joyfully with his family in the presence of the Lord (7:15–16, 30–34; Deut. 12:17–18). By these sacrifices, the nation of Israel was assuring God of their commitment to Him and their fellowship with Him.

Joshua wrote the law on stones (vv. 32–33). This act was in obedience to the command of Moses (Deut. 27:1–8). In the Near East of that day it was customary for kings to celebrate their greatness by writing records of their military exploits on huge stones covered with plaster. But the secret of Israel's victory was not their leader or their army; it was their obedience to God's law (Josh. 1:7–8). In later years, whenever Israel turned away from God's law, they got into trouble and had to be disciplined. "And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?" asked Moses (Deut. 4:8 nkjv).

Ai's spoils claimed (v. 27). Since the firstfruits of the spoils of war in Canaan had already been given to God at Jericho, He permitted the army to claim the spoils at Ai. Furthermore, at Jericho, the victory was theirs because of a miracle of God; while at Ai, because the men actually had to fight, they earned their reward. (For the laws governing the distribution of spoils, see Num. 31:19–54.) We aren't sure that these rules were strictly followed in every situation, but they give you an indication of how Israel handled the spoils of war.

When at the close of the day the men buried the

Joshua 8—9 ligence. By shouting "Amen" to the statements that were read, the people admitted that they understood the law with its blessings and curses, and that they accepted the responsibility of obeying it. This included the women, children, and the "mixed multitude" (sojourners) who had joined Israel (Ex. 12:38; 22:21; 23:9; Deut. 24:17–22; 31:12). If they wanted to share in Israel's conquest, they had to submit to the law of Israel's God.

Believers today have the Word of God written on their hearts by the Holy Spirit of God (Rom. 8:1–4; 2 Cor. 3). The law written on stones was external, not internal, and could instruct the people but could never change them. Paul makes it clear in the epistle to the Galatians that while the law can convict sinners and bring them to Christ (Gal. 3:19–25), it can never convert sinners and make them like Christ. Only the Spirit of God can do that.

God's people today stand in a valley between two mounts—Mount Calvary, where Jesus died for our sins, and Mount Olivet, where He will return in power and great glory (Zech. 14:4). The Old Testament prophets saw the Messiah's suffering and glory, but they did not see the "valley" between their era and this present age of the church (1 Peter 1:10–12). Believers today aren't living under the curse of the law, because Jesus bore that curse "on a tree" (Gal. 3:10–14). In Christ believers are blessed with "every spiritual blessing" (Eph. 1:3 nkjv) because of the grace of God. For them life means the blessings of Gerizim and not the curses of Ebal.

This is now the fourth public monument of stones that has been erected. The first was at Gilgal (Josh. 4:20), commemorating Israel's passage across the Jordan. The second was in the Valley of Achor, a monument to Achan's sin and God's judgment (7:26). The third was at the entrance to Ai, a reminder of God's faithfulness to help His people (8:29). These stones on Mount Ebal reminded Israel that their success lay only in their obedience to God's law (1:7–8).

Joshua read the law (vv. 34–35). The tribes were assigned their places in front of the two mounts, according to Moses' instructions in Deuteronomy 27:11–13. Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali were at Mount Ebal, the mount of cursing; and Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh), and Benjamin were at Mount Gerizim, the mount of blessing. The tribes at Mount Gerizim were founded by men who had either Leah or Rachel for their mother, while the tribes at Mount Ebal were descended from either Zilpah or Bilhah, handmaids of Leah and Rachel. The only exceptions were Reuben and Zebulun, who belonged to Leah. Reuben had forfeited his status as the firstborn because he had sinned against his father (Gen. 35:22; 49:3–4).

However, because Christians "are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom. 6:14; 7:1–6), it doesn't mean that we can live any way we please and ignore the law of God or defy it. We aren't saved by keeping the law, nor are we sanctified by trying to meet the demands of the law, but "the righteousness of the law" is "fulfilled in us" as we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:4). If we put ourselves under law, we forfeit the enjoyment of the blessings of grace (Gal. 5). If we walk in the Spirit, we experience His life-changing power and live so as to please God.

Let's give thanks that Jesus bore the curse of the law for us on the cross and that He bestows all the blessings of the heavenlies on us through the Spirit. By faith we can claim our inheritance in Christ and march forth in victory!

In the valley between the two mountains stood the priests and Levites with the ark, surrounded by the elders, officers, and judges of the nation. The people were all facing the ark, which represented the presence of the Lord among His people. When Joshua and the Levites read the blessings of the Lord one by one (see Deut. 28:1–14), the tribes at Mount Gerizim responded with a loud united "Amen!" which in the Hebrew means "So be it!" When they read the curses (see Deut. 27:14–26), the tribes at Mount Ebal would respond with their "Amen" after each curse was read.

Notes 1 Frederick W. Robertson, Sermons Preached at Brighton, First Series (London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co., 1898), 66.

CHAPTER NINE Joshua 9:1—10:28 WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS OUR NEIGHBOR A

God had given the law through Moses at Mount Sinai (Ex. 19—20), and the people had accepted it and promised to obey. Moses then repeated and explained the law on the Plains of Moab at the border of Canaan. He applied that law to their lives in the Promised Land and admonished them to obey it. "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God" (Deut. 11:26–28 niv; note vv. 29–32).

n anonymous wit reminds us that a dentist's mistake is pulled out, a lawyer's mistake is imprisoned, a teacher's mistake is failed, a printer's mistake is corrected, a pharmacist's mistake is buried, a postman's mistake is forwarded, and an electrician's mistake could be shocking. The novelist Joseph Conrad wrote, "It's only those who do nothing that make no mistakes."

Joshua now reaffirmed the law in the land of promise. Since the area between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim was a natural amphitheater, everybody could hear the words of the law clearly and respond with intel-

In Joshua's case, however, doing nothing was his

Joshua 9

(Josh. 9:6, 9) when they actually lived twenty-five miles away. Then they lied about their clothing and food. "This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is" (v. 12 niv). They also lied about themselves and gave the impression that they were important envoys on an official peace mission from the elders of their city. They also called themselves "your servants" (vv. 8, 9, 11), when in reality they were the enemies of Israel.

mistake, and this chapter explains what happened. It records the three stages in his second failure (after Ai) in the conquest of the Promised Land. It also tells us how Joshua turned his mistake into a victory.

Believing the enemy (9:1–15) While Israel was at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, reaffirming their commitment to the Lord, the kings in Canaan were getting ready to attack. They had heard about the defeat of Jericho and Ai and were not about to give up without a fight. It was time for them to go on the offensive and attack these Jewish invaders. The city-states in Canaan were not always friendly with one another, but local rivals can often come together when they have a common enemy (Ps. 2:1–2; Luke 23:12).

These four lies were bad enough; but when the visitors said they had come "because of the name of the Lord" (v. 9), it was blasphemous. Like the citizens of Jericho (2:10), the people in Gibeon had heard about Israel's march of conquest (9:9–10), but unlike Rahab and her family, they didn't put their faith in the Lord. These men were wise enough not to mention Israel's victories at Jericho and Ai, for that news couldn't have reached their "far country" that quickly. Satan's ambassadors can lie more convincingly than some Christians can tell the truth!

After an experience of great blessing, God's people must be especially prepared to confront the enemy, for like Canaan, the Christian life is "a land of hills and valleys" (Deut. 11:11). But Israel's greatest danger wasn't the confederation of the armies of Canaan. It was a group of men from Gibeon who were about to enter the camp and deceive Joshua and the princes of Israel. Satan sometimes comes as a devouring lion (1 Peter 5:8) and sometimes as a deceiving serpent (2 Cor. 11:3), and we must be alert and protected by the spiritual armor God has provided for us (Eph. 6:10–18).

Satan knows how to use "religious lies" to give the impression that people are seeking to know the Lord. In my pastoral ministry I've met people who have introduced themselves as seekers, but the longer they talked, the more convinced I was that they were sneakers, trying to get something out of me and the church. They would make their "profession of faith" and then start telling me their sad tale of woe, hoping to break my heart and then pick my pocket. Of all liars, "religious liars" are the worst. If you need to be convinced of this, read 2 Peter 2 and the epistle of Jude.

What the Gibeonites did (vv. 3–5). Gibeon was located only twenty-five miles from the camp of Israel at Gilgal and was on Joshua's list to be destroyed. In Deuteronomy 20:10–20, God's law stated that Israel must destroy all the cities in Canaan. If after the conquest Israel was involved in other wars, they could offer peace to cities that were outside the land. (See also 7:1–11.) Somehow the Gibeonites knew about this law and decided to use it for their own protection. Since the enemy knows how to use the Word of God for their own purposes, God's people must keep alert (Matt. 4:5–7). The Gibeonites assembled a group of men and equipped them to look like an official delegation from a foreign city. Their clothing, food, and equipment were all designed to give the impression that they had been on a long and difficult journey from a distant city. Satan is a counterfeiter and "masquerades as an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14 niv). He has his "false apostles" and "deceitful workmen" (v. 13 niv) at work in this world, blinding the lost and seeking to lead believers astray. It's much easier for us to identify the lion when he's roaring than to detect the serpent when he's slithering into our lives.

Why they succeeded (vv. 14–15). The reason is simple: Joshua and the princes of Israel were impetuous and didn't take time to consult the Lord. They walked by sight and not by faith. After listening to the strangers' speech and examining the evidence, Joshua and his leaders concluded that the men were telling the truth. The leaders of Israel took the "scientific approach" instead of the "spiritual approach." They depended on their own senses, examined the "facts," discussed the matter, and agreed in their conclusion. It was all very logical and convincing, but it was all wrong. They had made the same mistake at Ai (chap. 7) and hadn't yet learned to wait on the Lord and seek His direction.

The will of God comes from the heart of God (Ps. 33:11), and He delights to make it known to His children when He knows they are humble and willing to obey. We don't seek God's will like customers who look at options but like servants who listen for orders. "If any of you really determines to do God's will, then you will certainly know" (John 7:17 tlb) is a basic principle for victorious Christian living. God sees our hearts and knows whether we are really serious about obeying Him. Certainly we ought to use the mind God has given us, but we must heed the warning of Proverbs 3:5–6 and not lean on our own understanding. If this group of men had been an authentic official

What the Gibeonites said (vv. 6–13). Satan is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44), and human nature is such that many people find it easier to tell lies than the truth. With tongue in cheek, the American political leader Adlai Stevenson said, "A lie is an abomination unto the Lord—and a very present help in trouble." The Gibeonites told several lies in their attempt to get out of trouble.

First, they said they were "from a very far country"

Joshua 9—10

Gibeonites and their neighbors might influence the Jews with their pagan practices and lead them away from the Lord. Moses had given Israel stern warnings against compromising with the people of the land (Deut. 7), and now they had foolishly made a covenant with the enemy. However, we wonder what decisions the common people would have made had they been in the place of the leaders. It's easy to criticize after the fact!

delegation, it would have comprised a much larger company bearing adequate supplies, including sufficient provisions for the trip home. Real ambassadors would have thrown away their "dry and moldy" bread because their servants would have baked fresh bread for them. As officials, they would have packed the proper attire so that they might make the best impression possible as they negotiated with the enemy. Had Joshua and his leaders paused to think and pray about what they saw, they would have concluded that the whole thing was a trick. "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5 nkjv).

That wasn't the end of the story. Joshua and his associates teach us an important lesson: If you make a mistake, admit it, and then make your mistake work for you! The leaders put the Gibeonites to work hauling water and fuel for the service of the tabernacle, where both water and wood were used in abundance. In later years the Gibeonites were called the Nethinim ("given ones" = given to assist the priests) and labored as servants in the temple (1 Chron. 9:2; Ezra 2:43, 58; Neh. 3:26). In Joshua 10, we shall see that God overruled Joshua's mistake and used it to give him a signal victory over five kings at one time.

True faith involves exercising patience (Heb. 6:12). "Whoever believes will not act hastily" (Isa. 28:16 nkjv). Moses had told the Jews, "Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land where you are going, or they will be a snare among you" (Ex. 34:12 niv). But in their haste Joshua and the Jewish leaders broke God's law and made a covenant with the enemy. Since their oath was sworn in the name of the Lord (Josh. 9:18), it could not be broken. Joshua and the princes of Israel had sworn to their own hurt (Ps. 15:4; Eccl. 5:1–7), and there was no way to revoke their oath or be released from their promise.

Of course, the Gibeonites would rather submit to humiliating service than be destroyed as were the inhabitants of Jericho and Ai. There's no evidence in Scripture that the descendants of the Gibeonites created any problems for the Jews.

Like Joshua and the nation of Israel, God's people today are living in enemy territory and must constantly exercise caution. When you believe the enemy instead of seeking the mind of the Lord, you can expect to get into trouble.

It's likely that their service in the tabernacle, and later in the temple, influenced them to abandon their idols and worship the God of Israel. The fact that over 500 Nethinim returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity (Ezra 2:43–58; 8:20) suggests that they were devoted to the Lord and His house.

Enlisting the enemy (9:16–27) How did the leaders of Israel discover that they had made a big mistake? Knowing that they were now out of danger, perhaps the "ambassadors" openly admitted what they had done. Or maybe the Gibeonites were overheard rejoicing in their success. Did some of Joshua's spies return to camp after reconnaissance and recognize the enemy? Perhaps the Gibeonites overheard the plans for Israel's next attack and had to inform the leaders that a solemn oath now protected those cities. However it happened, Joshua discovered that he and the princes had blundered, and no doubt they were humbled and embarrassed because of it.

Defending the enemy (10:1–28) When you make agreements with the enemy, expect to end up paying a price and having to defend them in order to protect yourself. This is why God's people must remain separated from the world (2 Cor. 6:14–18). I wonder whether Paul had Joshua in mind when he wrote, "No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier" (2 Tim. 2:4 nkjv).

B.The Southern Campaign—10

The king's call to the armies (vv. 1–5). The king of Jerusalem, whose name means "lord of righteousness," heard what the Gibeonites had done and announced that these traitors had to be punished. If a great city like Gibeon capitulated to the Jews, then one more barrier was removed against the advancement of Israel in the land. It was important for the Canaanites to recover that key city, even if they had to take it by force. Four other Canaanite kings allied with Adonizedek, and their combined armies encamped before Gibeon. The poor Gibeonites had made peace with the invaders and were now at war with their former allies!

We must give the leaders credit for being men of their word. To violate their oath would have been to take the holy name of Jehovah in vain, and this would have brought about divine judgment. Years later King Saul violated this oath, and God judged the nation severely (2 Sam. 21). Military leaders of lesser character than Joshua might have argued that "all's fair in love and war" and forced the Gibeonites to divulge information that would help him conquer their city. Instead, when the Jewish army arrived at Gibeon and the neighboring cities, they didn't attack them.

As this confederation of armies and kings assembled, God in heaven must have laughed (Ps. 2:1–4), because unknown to them He was using these events to accomplish His own purposes. Instead of having to defeat these five city-states one by one, He would help

Why did the Jewish people grumble at what their leaders had done? Because this covenant with Gibeon would cost the soldiers dearly in plunder they would never get from the protected cities. Furthermore, the

Joshua 10 greater miracle was the fact that the stones hit only the enemy soldiers. God took His special "ammunition" out of His storehouse and used it to good advantage (Job 38:22–23). When God's people are obeying God's will, everything in the universe works for them, even "the stars in their courses" (Judg. 5:20). When we disobey God's will, everything works against us. (Read Jonah 1 for a vivid illustration of this truth.)

Joshua conquer them all at one time! Just as God used the defeat at Ai to form a battle plan for victory over Ai (Josh. 8), so also He used Joshua's mistake with the Gibeonites to protect Gibeon and accelerate the conquest of Canaan.

The mistakes we make embarrass us, especially those mistakes that are caused by our running ahead of the Lord and not seeking His will. But we need to remember that no mistake is final for the dedicated Christian. God can use even our blunders to accomplish His purposes. Somebody defined success as "the art of making your mistakes when nobody's looking," but a better definition would be "the art of seeing victory where other people see only defeat."

The prayer. But the miracle of the hailstorm was nothing compared to the miracle of extending the day so that Joshua could finish the battle and secure a complete victory over the enemy. His men were weary and the task was great, and if night came on, the enemy could escape. Joshua needed a special act from God to enable him to claim the victory the Lord had promised.

The Gibeonites' call to Joshua (vv. 6–7). In spite of their paganism, these Gibeonites are a good example for people to follow today. When they knew they were headed for destruction, they came to Joshua ("Jehovah is Savior") and obtained from him a promise of protection. Would that lost sinners realize their plight and turn to Jesus Christ by faith! When the Gibeonites found themselves in danger, they believed Joshua's promise and called on him for help. That's what God's people need to do when they find themselves facing the battles of life. The Gibeonites turned the whole burden over to Joshua and trusted him to keep his word, and he did.

This is the last miracle recorded in Joshua and certainly the greatest. Joshua prayed for God's help, and the Lord answered in a remarkable way. This event is questioned by those who deny the reality of miracles and look only to science for truth. "How could God stop the rotation of the earth and extend the length of a day," they ask, "without creating chaos all over the planet?" They seem to forget the fact that days are normally of different lengths in various parts of the world without the planet experiencing chaos. At two o'clock in the morning, I read the newspaper by sunlight in Norway.

Joshua's call to the Lord (vv. 8–15). Three factors combined to give Joshua success in this attack: believing a divine promise (v. 8), using sound strategy (v. 9), and calling on the Lord in prayer (vv. 10–15).

But how do you explain a miracle, any miracle? Of course, the simplest answer is the answer of faith: The Lord is God and nothing is too hard for Him (Jer. 32:17, 27). Day and night belong to God (Ps. 74:16), and everything He has made is His servant. If God can't perform the miracle described in Joshua 10, then He can't perform any miracle and is imprisoned in His own creation, unable to use or suspend the very laws He built into it. I have a difficult time believing in that kind of a God.

The promise. Joshua's actions here illustrate two important verses: "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23) and "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (10:17). Whenever we believe the promises of God and obey the commands of God, we act by faith and can expect God's help. The Jews didn't have to be afraid because God had already promised them victory. God's promises of victory had encouraged Joshua when he became leader of the nation (Josh. 1:5–9), when he anticipated attacking Jericho (6:2), and when he attacked Ai after a humiliating defeat (8:1). God's promises would be fulfilled because "there has not failed one word of all His good promise" (1 Kings 8:56 nkjv).

An Old Testament expert, Gleason L. Archer, points out that the phrase "hasted not to go down" in verse 13 indicates "a retardation of the movement" and not a complete cessation.1 The sun and moon didn't stand still permanently and then suddenly go down but were held back so that the daylight was lengthened. God stopped the sun and moon and then retarded the rotation of the planet so that the sun and moon set very slowly. Such a process would not create chaos all over the globe.

The strategy. But faith apart from works is dead, and Joshua proved his faith by using wise strategy. He ordered an all-night march and a surprise attack on the enemy army, strategy he had used before when attacking Ai (8:3ff.). It was a long trek from Gilgal to Gibeon, and the road was uphill, but Joshua assembled his troops and made the journey as quickly as possible. No doubt the men were weary when they arrived, but the Lord was with them and gave them victory. What kept the soldiers going? They believed God's promise and knew that the victory was assured.

A corollary to this view is that the sun and moon remained on their normal course and it only appeared that the day was lengthening because of the way God caused their light to be refracted. But verse 13 states twice that the sun "stood still" and once that the moon "stayed." However, these verbs need not describe a permanent situation but only the beginning of the miracle. God stopped the sun and moon in their courses and then controlled their gradual descent, all the while causing the light to be refracted for a much longer period of time.

God assisted the weary Jewish soldiers by killing the enemy army with large hailstones. The timely occurrence of the storm was itself a miracle, but an even

Joshua 10—11 monument in the land speaking of the power and victory of the Lord.

Since verses 13b-15 are poetical in form, a quotation from the unknown book of Jasher (see 2 Sam. 1:8), some students interpret the words symbolically. They say that God so helped Israel that the army was able to accomplish two days' work in one day. But Joshua's words sound very much like a prayer that the Lord would intervene, and the description of what occurred doesn't read like the report of an efficiency expert.

In verse 25, Joshua's words must have thrilled the hearts of his brave soldiers. They echo the words God spoke to him when he began his career (1:6–9). Since Joshua is a type of Jesus Christ, we can apply this scene and these words to Christ and His people. Jesus has defeated all His enemies and will one day return and destroy them forever. No matter how they may rage and rebel (Ps. 2:1–3), our Lord's enemies are only the footstool at His feet (Ps. 110:1; 1 Cor. 15:25). Through Him, we can claim victory and put our feet on the necks of our enemies (Rom. 16:20).

Why try to explain away a miracle? What do we prove? Certainly not that we're smarter than God! Either we believe in a God who can do anything, or we must accept a Christian faith that's non-miraculous; and that does away with the inspiration of the Bible, the Virgin Birth, and the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Certainly there's room for honest questions about the nature of the miraculous; but for the humble Christian believer, there's never room for questioning the reality of the miraculous. C. S. Lewis wrote, "The mind which asks for a non-miraculous Christianity is a mind in process of relapsing from Christianity into mere 'religion.'"2

As you review the whole episode of Joshua and the Gibeonites, you can't help but be both warned and encouraged. These events warn us to be alert and prayerful lest the enemy deceive us and we start walking by sight instead of by faith. Then we'll find ourselves making decisions that are wrong and getting into alliances that are dangerous. But there's also a word of encouragement: God can take even our blunders and turn them into blessings. This isn't an excuse for carelessness, but it is a great encouragement when you've failed the Lord and His people.

You find seemingly contradictory facts stated in Joshua 10:15 and 21. Why would the army go all the way back to Gilgal when the battle wasn't over? The best explanation is to see verse 15 as the completion of the quotation from the book of Jasher, beginning at verse 13b. The temporary Jewish camp was at Makkedah, which was near Libnah, and the army didn't return to Gilgal until they had established their control over central Canaan.

"And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith" (1 John 5:4 nkjv).

Notes 1 See Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, by Gleason L. Archer (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982), 161–62. 2 C. S. Lewis, Miracles (New York: Macmillan, 1960), 133.

C.The Northern Campaign—11 D.Summary of the victories—12

Joshua's call to his army (vv. 16–28). At the end of an incredible battle, Joshua performed a public ceremony that gave encouragement and strength to his soldiers. Their past victories had given them control over the central part of the land, but now they faced campaigns in both the south and the north of Palestine. "Divide and conquer" was Joshua's strategy, and it worked. Joshua wanted to remind his men that the Lord would give them victory throughout the land.

INTERLUDE Joshua 10:29—12:24 T his section of the book of Joshua summarizes Israel's conquest of the southern (10:29–43) and northern cities (11:1–15) in Palestine, and closes with a list of the names of some of the kings whom Israel defeated (11:16—12:24). Since there is probably a map of the conquest located in the back of your Bible, consult it as you read these chapters.

Knowing that the five kings were trapped in a cave, Joshua temporarily left them and led his men in the "mopping up" operation, which verse 20 describes as "slaying them with a very great slaughter." Only a few of the enemy soldiers escaped to the cities, but since those cities would eventually be destroyed anyway, those fugitives had no hope.

Two things stand out in this record: It was the Lord who gave the victory (10:30, 32, 42; 11:6, 8), and Joshua obeyed the Lord by utterly destroying the enemy, just as Moses had commanded (11:9, 12, 15, 20). The only exception was Gibeon. Joshua's strategy was to cut across the land and divide it, then conquer the southern cities, then the northern cities. On more than one occasion, he made a surprise attack on the enemy (10:9; 11:7), and the promises of the Lord encouraged him (v. 6; see 1:9; 8:1).

Returning to the camp, probably the next day, Joshua ordered the kings to be taken from the cave and put on the ground, their faces in the dirt. This humiliating posture announced that Joshua had won a total victory and their end had come. But there was more. He called for his officers to put their feet on the necks of the kings, symbolic not only of the past victory but also of the victories the Lord would give His people in the days ahead. The kings were slain and the five corpses hung on five trees until sundown. Then their bodies were put into the cave, with a pile of stones closing up the entrance. This pile of stones was another

In 10:29–35, you have the record of the army fighting in the foothills; but in verse 36, the campaign moves to the mountains. The northern coalition of kings was unable to defeat Israel even though their army was much larger than that of the Jews (11:1–9).

Joshua 11—13 land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants" (Lev. 25:23 niv). Imagine having God for your landlord!

The "long time" of verse 18 is about seven years. Israel's failure at Kadesh Barnea (Deut. 2:14), at which time Caleb was forty years old (Josh. 14:7) to their crossing of the Jordan was thirty-eight years. He was eighty-five when the conquest was over (v. 10), which means that at least seven years had been devoted to the campaign.

The "rent" God required was simply Israel's obedience to His law. As long as the Jewish people honored the Lord with their worship and obedience, He would bless them, make their land productive, and keep their nation at peace with their neighbors. When Israel agreed to the blessings and curses at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal (Josh. 8:30–35), they accepted the conditions of what is called "The Palestinian Covenant." Their ownership of the land was purely the gracious act of God, but their possession and enjoyment of the land depended on their submission and obedience to the Lord. (See Lev. 26 and Deut. 27–30 for the details of the Palestinian Covenant.)

The Anakim mentioned in 11:21–22 were a race of giants, descendants of Anak, who were greatly feared by the ten unbelieving men who had spied out Canaan (Num. 13:22, 28, 33). The two believing spies, Joshua and Caleb, didn't fear them but had trusted the Lord for victory. Joshua's victory over the Anakim is recorded in Joshua 11:21–22 and Caleb's victory in 14:12–15.

The apparent contradiction between verses 11:23 and 13:1 can easily be explained. Joshua and his army did take control of the whole land by destroying the key cities with their kings and people. Israel didn't take every little city or slay every citizen or ruler, but they did enough to break the power of the enemy and establish control over the land. Once this was accomplished and there was rest in the land, Joshua was able to assign each tribe its inheritance, and within each inheritance, the tribes had to gain mastery over the remaining inhabitants who were still there. Even after the death of Joshua and his officers, there was additional land to be taken (Judg. 1–3).

The Promised Land was a gift of God's love, and if the Israelites loved the Lord, they would want to obey Him and please Him in the way they used His land (Deut. 4:37–39). Unfortunately, they eventually defied the Lord, disobeyed the law, and defiled the land, and God had to chasten them in the land of Babylon.

There were four main stages in the distribution of the land, and in each of these stages, you will find spiritual lessons for God's people today who want to enjoy their spiritual inheritance in Christ. As you study these chapters, I suggest you consult a map of the Holy Land that shows the boundaries of the twelve tribes and the cities that are involved.

Thirty-three kings are named in Joshua 12, beginning with Sihon and Og whose lands were east of Jordan and had been conquered under the leadership of Moses (vv. 1–8; Num. 21:21–35). The sixteen kings defeated in the southern campaign are listed in Joshua 12:9–16 and the fifteen northern kings in verses 17–24. Now we turn to the actual assigning of the land to the tribes (chaps. 13–21) to discover the spiritual truths we need to learn and apply as we claim our own spiritual inheritance in Jesus Christ.

The assignments made at Gilgal (13:1—17:18) Throughout the conquest of Canaan, Gilgal had been the center of operations for Israel. Later, Joshua moved the camp and the tabernacle to a more central location at Shiloh (18:1).

We don't know Joshua's exact age at this time in Israel's history, although he could well have been 100. Caleb was 85 (14:10), and it's likely that Joshua was the older of the two. Joshua lived to be 110 (24:19), and the events described in the last half of the book could well have taken over ten years.

CHAPTER TEN Joshua 13—21 THIS LAND IS OUR LAND! J

III. Claiming the inheritance (13—22) A.Territory assigned to the tribes—13—19

The system for assigning the territories in Canaan is given in 14:1–2. Eleazer the high priest, Joshua, and one representative from each of the tribes (Num. 34:13–29) cast lots before the Lord and in this way determined His will (Prov. 16:33). When Joshua relocated the camp at Shiloh, they changed the system (Josh. 18:1–7).

oshua had successfully completed the first half of his divine commission: He had conquered the enemy and was in control of the land and the cities (1:1–5). Now he had to fulfill the second part of that commission and divide the land so that each tribe could claim their inheritance and enjoy what God had given them (v. 6). (See Num. 34–35.)

The two and a half tribes east of the Jordan (13:1–33). Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh had agreed to help the other tribes conquer the land before they returned to the east side of the Jordan to enjoy their inheritance (Num. 32). They had asked for this land outside the boundaries of Canaan because it was especially suited to the raising of cattle. The fact that these two and a half tribes would not be living within God's appointed land didn't seem to worry them. Moses graciously agreed to their choice and let them settle across the Jordan. When we study the twenty-second chapter of Joshua,

The word inheritance is found over fifty times in these nine chapters and is a very important word. The Jews inherited their land. They didn't win their land as spoils of battle or purchase their land as in a business transaction. The Lord, who was the sole owner, leased the land to them. "The land must not be sold permanently," the Lord had instructed them, "because the

Joshua 13—15

19:49–51). Caleb reminded his friend Joshua of the promise Moses had made to them forty-five years before (Num. 14:24, 30; Deut. 1:34–36), that they would survive the years of wandering and receive their inheritance in the land. This promise gave Joshua and Caleb joy and courage as they endured years of wandering and waiting.

we'll learn that while their choice may have been good for their cattle, it created serious problems for their children.

These tribes became a sort of "buffer zone" between the Jews in Canaan and the heathen nations like Moab and Ammon. Of course, their location made them extremely vulnerable both to military attack and ungodly influence, and both of these liabilities eventually brought about their downfall (1 Chron. 5:25–26). The boundaries are given for Reuben in the south (Josh. 13:15–23), and the half tribe of Manasseh in the north (vv. 29–32), with Gad sandwiched between (vv. 24–28).

Lesson #2. Be encouraged in your pilgrim journey! You have already received your inheritance in Christ and can claim "every spiritual blessing" (Eph. 1:3 nkjv). Since you have a glorious inheritance before you (1 Peter 1:3–6), keep looking up! The best is yet to come!

Lesson #1. Don't become a "borderline believer." Enter into the inheritance God appoints for you and rejoice in it. "He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves" (Ps. 47:4 nkjv). The will of God is the expression of the love of God and is always the best for us.

Caleb was eighty-five years old, but he didn't look for an easy task, suited to an "old man." He asked Joshua for mountains to climb and giants to conquer! His strength was in the Lord, and he knew that God would never fail him. The secret of Caleb's life is found in a phrase that's repeated six times in Scripture: "he wholly followed the Lord God of Israel" (Josh. 14:14; also see Num. 14:24; 32:12; Deut. 1:36; Josh. 14:8–9). Caleb was an overcomer because he had faith in the Lord (1 John 5:4).

Since the tribe of Reuben had taken its territory from Moab, it was logical for the story of Balaam to be mentioned here (Josh. 13:22–23; see Num. 22–25). When Balaam saw that God was turning his curses into blessings, he advised Balak to be friendly to the Jews and invite them to one of the Moabite religious feasts. This resulted in some of the Jewish men taking Moabite women for themselves and thus violating the law of God. What Satan couldn't accomplish as a lion, cursing Israel, he accomplished as a serpent, beguiling Israel and leading the men into wicked compromise.

Lesson #3. We are never too old to make new conquests of faith in the power of the Lord. Like Caleb, we can capture mountains and conquer giants if we wholly follow the Lord. No matter how old we become, we must never retire from trusting and serving the Lord.

Four times in these chapters, we are reminded that the Levites were given no inheritance in the land (Josh. 13:14, 33; 14:3–4; 18:7), because the Lord was their inheritance (Deut. 18:1–8; 10:8–9; Num. 18). The priests received certain portions from the sacrifices as their due, and both the priests and Levites shared in the special tithes and offerings that the people were commanded to bring.

In Joshua 15:13–19, we see Caleb providing for the next generation. Some of Caleb's daring faith rubbed off on his son-in-law Othniel, who later became a judge in the land (Judg. 3:7–11). Caleb's faith also touched his daughter, for she had the faith to ask her father for a field and then for springs of water to irrigate the land. Caleb's example of faith was more valuable to his family than the property he claimed for them.

But other factors were probably involved in scattering the tribe of Levi. For one thing, God didn't want tribal responsibilities to distract the priests and Levites; He wanted them to devote themselves fully to serving Him. (See 2 Tim. 2:4.) Also, He wanted them to be "salt and light" in the land as they lived among the people and taught them the law. Simeon and Levi were also scattered in fulfillment of the prophecy of Jacob (Gen. 49:5–7, see chap. 34). Simeon eventually became a part of Judah.

Lesson #4. The older generation must provide for the next generation, not only materially but most of all spiritually. "Senior saints" must be examples of believers and encourage the younger generation to trust the Lord and wholly follow Him.

The two and a half tribes west of the Jordan (Josh. 14:1–17:18). The next tribes to be settled were Judah in the south (14:6—15:63), Ephraim across the middle of the land (16:1–10), and the other half of Manasseh in the north (17:1–18).

The inheritance of the rest of the tribe of Judah is described in Joshua 15:1–12 and 21–63. We're not sure why verse 32 says twenty-nine cities when thirtysix are named, but perhaps the names of some of the "villages" outside the city walls are included in the list. At that time the Jews couldn't take Jerusalem (v. 63). They held it temporarily later on (Judg. 1:8), and

Since Caleb belonged to the tribe of Judah (Num. 13:30) and had been one of the two faithful spies, he received his inheritance first. Joshua, the other faithful spy, was the last to receive his inheritance (Josh.

Joshua 15—18 those who talk the most accomplish the least.

then David captured it permanently and made it the capital city (2 Sam. 5:6–10).

Ephraim and Manasseh were the sons of Joseph, whom Jacob "adopted" and especially blessed (Gen. 48:15–22). Since the tribe of Levi wasn't given any territory, these two tribes made up the difference so that there were still twelve tribes in Israel. The birth order was "Manasseh and Ephraim" (Josh. 16:4; 17:1), but Jacob reversed it. God rejects our first birth and gives us a second birth. He accepted Abel and rejected Cain; He rejected Ishmael and accepted Isaac, Abraham's second-born son; He rejected Esau and accepted Jacob.

The assignments made at Shiloh (18:1—19:51) Five tribes now had been given their inheritance as Joshua, Eleazer, and the twelve tribal leaders cast lots at Gilgal. Then Joshua moved the camp to Shiloh, in the territory of Ephraim, where the tabernacle remained until David moved the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6). The Lord must have directed Joshua to make this move or he would not have done it (Deut. 12:5–7). Shiloh was centrally located and was more convenient for all the tribes.

In the nation of Israel the sons inherited the property but the daughters of Zelophehad saw to it that the daughters weren't discriminated against (vv. 3–6; Num. 27:1–11). Like the daughter of Caleb, these women had the faith and courage to ask for their inheritance, and they even changed the law!

Seven tribes still had to have their inheritance marked out for them, and apparently they were slow to respond to the challenge. Unlike Caleb and the daughters of Zelophehad, these tribes didn't have faith and spiritual zeal. These tribes had helped fight battles and defeat the enemy, but now they hesitated to claim their inheritance and enjoy the land God had given them. "The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man's precious possession" (Prov. 12:27 nkjv).

Lesson #5. God wants to give all His people their inheritance. "You do not have because you do not ask" (James 4:2 nkjv). In Jesus Christ, all believers are one and are heirs of God (Gal. 3:26–29). Nothing from your first birth should hinder you from claiming all that you have in Jesus Christ.

At this point, Joshua and the leaders inaugurated a new system for allocating the land. After each of the seven tribes appointed three men, all twenty-one men went through the remaining territories and listed the cities and the landmarks, describing each part of the land. They brought this information back to Joshua, who then assigned the various portions to the remaining seven tribes by casting lots before the Lord.

Joshua had a problem with the children of Joseph (Ephraim and Manasseh), who complained because the Lord didn't give them enough room (Josh. 17:14–18)! You can detect their pride as they told Joshua what a "great people" they were. After all, didn't Jacob personally adopt and especially bless them? And hadn't they multiplied in a great way? And wasn't Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim (Num. 13:8)? They were a special people who deserved special treatment.

Since Benjamin was the full brother to Joseph, his territory was assigned adjacent to Ephraim and Manasseh (Josh. 18:11–28). Simeon shared his inheritance with Judah (19:1–9; see Gen. 49:7) and eventually inhabited the cities assigned in Joshua 15:21ff. The children of Joseph wanted more territory, but weren't willing to fight for it by faith, but the people of Judah had so much land that they shared it with Simeon. What a contrast!

If you compare the statistics given in 1:32–35 and 26:34 and 37, you learn that the descendants of Joseph had increased from 72,700 to 85,200, although Ephraim had 8,000 fewer people. But six other tribes had increased their number since the last census. Thus the children of Joseph weren't the only ones who were fruitful.

The area north of Manasseh was assigned to Zebulun (19:10–16), Issachar (vv. 17–23), Asher (vv. 24–31), and Naphtali (vv. 32–39). Zebulun and Naphtali later became "Galilee of the Gentiles" (Matt. 4:15–16), where our Lord ministered when He was here on earth. The "sea of Chinneroth" (see Josh. 12:3; 13:27) is the Sea of Galilee. The Hebrew word chinnereth means "harp," and the Sea of Galilee is shaped like a harp.

Joshua told his brethren that, if they were such a great people, now was their opportunity to prove it! Let them do what Caleb did and defeat the giants and claim the mountains! It's worth noting that the people of Ephraim and Manasseh seemed to be given to criticism and pride. They not only created problems for Joshua but also for Gideon (Judg. 8:1–3), Jephthah (12:1–7), and even David (2 Sam. 20:1–5). "For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there" (James 3:16 nkjv).

The last tribe to receive its assignment was the tribe of Dan (19:40–48), which immediately went to work and expanded its territory. Dan and Benjamin formed a "belt" across the land, connecting the Dead Sea with the Mediterranean.

Being the leader that he was, Joshua waited until the very last to claim his own inheritance, and the Lord gave him the city of Timnath-Serah (vv. 49–50). Like

Lesson #6. It's not your boasting but your believing that gives you the victory and gains you new territory. Sometimes

Joshua 19—21 that were cared for and marked (Deut. 19:3 niv). God wanted it to be easy for the fugitives to find their way to safety.

his friend Caleb, Joshua preferred living in the mountainous region of the land.

B.Cities of refuge set apart—20 C.Cities for the Levites identified—21

The assignment of the cities of refuge (20:1–9) When the nation was still on the other side of the Jordan, God told Moses to have the people set aside special cities for the Levites (Num. 35:1–5), as well as six "cities of refuge" (Ex. 21:13; Num. 35:6–34; Deut. 19:1–13). Now that the tribes had received their territories, Joshua could assign these cities.

Beyond this, the picture is one of contrast. When we come to Christ for salvation, there's no need for an investigation or a trial, because we know we're guilty, and we admit it! The only people Jesus can save are those who confess their guilt and throw themselves on His mercy.

If the fugitive prematurely left the city of refuge, he could be killed, but our salvation in Christ is not conditional. Our High Priest will never die, and we are forever secure. "But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:24–25 nkjv).

Even before the law of Moses was given, God had laid down the basic rule that those who shed blood should pay for their crime with their own blood (Gen. 9:5–6). This principle was enunciated repeatedly in the law, but God made a distinction between murder and manslaughter (Ex. 21:12–14; Lev. 24:17; Num. 35:16–21; Deut. 19:11–13). "Blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit" (Num. 35:33–34 nkjv).

The meanings of the names of the cities are interesting. Taking them in the order listed in Joshua 20:7–8, you have: Kedesh = "righteousness"; Shechem = "shoulder"; Hebron = "fellowship"; Bezer = "fortress" or "strong"; and Ramoth = "heights." Hebraists do not agree on what Golan means, but the Gesenius Lexicon says it means "exile."

The six "cities of refuge" were needed because society in that day had no police force to investigate crimes. It was the responsibility of each family to see to it that murders were avenged, but how could they tell whether it was a case of premeditated murder or accidental manslaughter? In the heat of anger a relative of the dead person might kill somebody who was really innocent of a capital crime.

These names then can be used to describe what sinners experience when they flee by faith to Jesus. First, He gives them His righteousness, and they can never be accused again. There is no condemnation (Rom. 8:1)! Like a shepherd, He carries them on His shoulders, and they enter into fellowship with Him. He is their fortress, and they are safe. They dwell in the heights even though they are exiles, pilgrims, and strangers in this world.

Joshua set apart three cities of refuge on each side of the Jordan River. On the west side, Kedesh was farthest north, in the territory of Naphtali; Shechem was in the middle of the nation in the tribe of Manasseh; and Hebron was in the south in the tribe of Judah. On the east side of the Jordan, the cities were Golan in the north in Manasseh, Ramoth in Gad, and Bezer farther south in the tribe of Reuben. Since the Holy Land is about the size of the state of Maryland, you can see that nobody was very far from a city of refuge.

Lesson #7. Unless you have fled by faith to Jesus Christ, you aren't saved! Since our sins put Jesus on the cross, all of us are guilty of His death. He is the only Savior, and apart from faith in Him, there is no salvation. Have you fled to Him?

The law was really quite simple. Anybody who killed another person could flee to a city of refuge and be protected from "the avenger of blood" until the elders of the city could investigate the circumstances. If they found the fugitive guilty, he or she was put to death, but if they concluded that it was a case of manslaughter, the fugitive was allowed to live in the city and be protected from the avenger. Upon the death of the high priest, the fugitive could go home again. It was a case of forfeiting freedom in order to save his or her life.

Before leaving this theme, we should note that there is also an application to the nation of Israel. The people were guilty of killing the Lord Jesus Christ, but it was a sin of ignorance on the part of the people (Acts 3:12–18). When Jesus prayed on the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34), He was declaring them guilty of manslaughter rather than murder (1 Cor. 2:7–8). The way was open for their forgiveness, and God gave the nation nearly forty years to repent before He brought judgment. This same principle applied to the apostle Paul (1 Tim. 1:12–14). However, no lost sinner today can plead ignorance, because God has declared the whole world guilty and without excuse (Rom. 3:9–19).

Many students have seen in the cities of refuge a picture of our salvation in Jesus Christ, to whom we "have fled for refuge" (Heb. 6:18). The lost sinner, of course, is in danger of judgment because "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23). The avenger of blood is after him or her! God's appointed Savior is Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12), but the sinner must come to Him by faith in order to be saved (Matt. 11:28–30; John 6:37). The way to each city was kept open with roads

The assignment of the Levitical cities (21:1–45) As we noted before, the tribe of Levi didn't have territory

Joshua 21—22 can depend on as we claim our inheritance in Jesus Christ.

assigned to it but was scattered throughout the land. This way, they could teach the people the law and influence each of the tribes to be faithful to the Lord. But the Levites needed places to live and pastures for their cattle. Thus God assigned forty-eight cities for them to live in, along with a specific amount of land for pasture (Num. 35:1–5). The pasture land could not be sold, but their houses could be sold, and the Levites even had special privileges for redeeming their property (Lev. 23:32–34).

CHAPTER ELEVEN Joshua 22 AND WHEN THE BATTLE'S OVER I

D.Border tribes sent home—22 t was on VE-Day, May 8, 1945, when the nation heard President Truman announce over the radio: "General Eisenhower informs me that the forces of Germany have surrendered to the United Nations. The flags of freedom fly all over Europe."

The two lists of Levitical cities that we have— Joshua 21 and 1 Chronicles 6:54–81—do not always agree, but names of cities and spellings change over the years, and it's possible that from time to time new cities were selected and old ones abandoned.

I remember VJ-Day, August 14, 1945, when the downtown area of our city was jammed with people and total strangers were hugging one another and cheering. The Japanese had agreed to the Allied terms of surrender, and the war was over. My two brothers serving in the Marine Corps would be coming home!

There were forty-eight Levitical cities, six of which were also cities of refuge. Each of the tribes contributed four cities, except Judah and Simeon, who together contributed nine, and Naphtali, who contributed three. The descendants of the three sons of Aaron—Kohath, Gershon and Marari—were assigned to the various cities, although other Jews also lived in them. In Numbers 26:62, the writer states that there were 23,000 Levites before Israel entered the land, a big crowd to distribute among forty-eight cities.

The soldiers from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh must have been especially euphoric when the Jewish conquest of Canaan ended. For over seven years they had been away from their families on the other side of the Jordan, and now the victorious soldiers were free to go home.

But their return home was not without incident. In fact, what they did, well-meaning as it was, almost provoked another war. Let's consider the events involved and the lessons we can learn from them.

It was important that Israel have qualified and authorized people to minister in the tabernacle and later in the temple, and we must never minimize the teaching ministry of the priests and Levites (2 Chron. 17:7–9). Since the common people didn't own copies of the Scriptures, it was important that the Levites identify with the people and explain the law to them. These Levitical cities were so located that nobody was too far away from a man who could help them understand and apply the law of Moses.

Their honorable discharge (22:1–8) "In defeat unbeatable; in victory unbearable." That's the way Sir Winston Churchill described a British army officer famous in the Second World War. The first half of the description would apply to Joshua, because he knew how to win victory out of defeat. But the last half doesn't apply at all; for as commander of the Lord's army, Joshua was magnanimous in the way he treated his troops after the victory. An Italian proverb says, "It's the blood of the soldier that makes the general great." But this general made his soldiers great! This is clearly seen in the way he discharged the tribes who lived on the east side of the Jordan.

This long section in the book of Joshua closes with three wonderful affirmations:

First, God was faithful and gave Israel the land (Josh. 20:43). He kept the covenant that He made, first with Abraham (Gen. 12:7) and then with his descendants.

Second, God gave Israel victory over all their enemies and then gave them the rest from war (Josh. 20:44; see 1:13, 15; 11:23). What the ten unbelieving spies at Kadesh Barnea said could never happen did happen, because Joshua and the people believed God and obeyed His Word.

He commended them (vv. 1–3). These two and a half tribes had promised Moses that they would remain in the army until all the land was conquered, and they kept their promise (Num. 32; Deut. 3:12–20). After the death of Moses, they pledged that same loyalty to Joshua, their new leader (Josh. 1:12–18). These tribes had been loyal to Moses, to Joshua, and to their brothers from the other tribes. "For a long time now—to this very day—you have not deserted your brothers but have carried out the mission the Lord your God gave you" (22:3 niv).

Third, God kept His promises (20:45). At the close of his life Joshua would remind the people of this (23:14), and Solomon reminded them of it when he dedicated the temple (1 Kings 8:56).

As the people of God, we can claim these assurances by faith. God's covenant with us is not going to fail; God's power and wisdom can give us victory over every foe; and God's promises can be trusted, no matter what the circumstances may be.

Why had they been so loyal to their leaders and fellow soldiers? Because they were first of all loyal to the Lord their God. It was His mission they were carrying

The covenant of God, the power of God, the promises of God—these are the spiritual resources we

Joshua 22 on others, especially a leader upon his people or a father upon his family (Gen. 27:4; 48:9; 2 Sam. 6:18, 20; 1 Kings 8:55). What a sight to see a great general asking God's blessing on his troops!

out and His name they were seeking to glorify. In the service of the Lord, far above our devotion to a leader, a cause, or even a nation is our devotion to the Lord. "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ" (Col. 3:23–24 nkjv).

This blessing also involved sharing the rich spoils of battle with them and their family members back home. It was the custom in Israel that those who stayed home, or who couldn't participate in the battle for some good reason, also shared the spoils (Num. 31:25–27; 1 Sam. 30:23–25). After all, these people had protected the home cities and kept the machinery of the community going while the men had been out fighting, and it was only fair that they share in the spoils.

He discharged them (v. 4). Having fulfilled their mission and kept their promise, the tribes were now free to go home, for God had given His people rest. The concept of rest is important in the book of Joshua and means much more than simply the end of the war. The word carries with it the meaning of both victory and security, and it involved Israel having their "resting place" in the land. God promised to give His people rest (Ex. 33:14; Deut. 12:9–10; 25:19; Josh. 1:13, 15), and He kept His promise (11:23; 14:15; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1). The spiritual application of this rest for God's people today is made in Hebrews 3 and 4. When we trust Christ as Savior, we enter into rest because we're no longer at war with God (Rom. 5:1). When we yield ourselves completely to Him and claim our inheritance by faith, we enter into a deeper rest and enjoy our spiritual riches in Christ. (See Matt. 11:28–32 for our Lord's invitation.) When we come to Him, He gives us rest. When we take His yoke of discipleship, we find that deeper rest.

Indeed, for the two and a half tribes that lived east of the Jordan, it was an honorable discharge.

Their honest concern (22:9–10) As the men of Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh made their way east and passed landmarks that brought back memories of the great things God had done, their hearts began to disturb them. Happy as they were to be going home, it wasn't easy to say goodbye to their brothers and leave behind the nearness of the priesthood and the tabernacle. They were leaving the land that God had promised to bless. Yes, they were going home to the land that they had chosen for themselves, but somehow they began to feel isolated from the nation of Israel.

Imagine what it would be like for these soldiers to return home after being away for so many years! Think of the love they would experience, the joys they would find, the treasures they would share! That's just a small picture of what happens when the children of God enter into the rest God gives to those who will yield their all to Him and trust His Word.

When you read and ponder Numbers 32, you discover that there is no record that Moses consulted the Lord about this decision. The thing Moses was most concerned about was that the men of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh do their share in fighting the enemy and conquering the Promised Land, and this they agreed to do. Moses' first response was that of anger mingled with fear, lest God judge the nation as He had at Kadesh Barnea. Perhaps this first reaction was the right one.

He admonished them (v. 5). Like any good leader, Joshua was more concerned about the spiritual walk of his people than anything else. The army had experienced victory in Canaan because Joshua loved the Lord and obeyed His Word (1:7–8), and that would be the "open secret" of Israel's continued peace and prosperity. Just as they had been diligent in battle, obeying their commander, so they must be diligent in worship, obeying the Lord their God. This was the promise each of the tribes made to the Lord at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal.

There's no question that Canaan was God's appointed land for His people; anything short of Canaan wasn't what He wanted for them. The two and a half tribes made their decision, not on the basis of spiritual values, but on the basis of material gain, for the land east of the Jordan was ideal for raising cattle. I'm reminded of the decision Lot made when he pitched his tent toward Sodom (Gen. 13:10–11). In both instances, the people walked by sight and not by faith.

The motive for their obedience had to be love for the Lord their God. If they loved Him, then they would delight in walking in all His ways and obeying all His commandments. Instead of trying to serve two masters, they would cling (cleave) to the Lord and serve Him alone, with all their heart and soul. Jesus said this was the first and greatest commandment (Matt. 22:36–38); therefore, to disobey it would mean to commit the greatest sin. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15 nkjv).

By making this decision, the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh divided the nation and separated themselves from the blessings of the land of Canaan. They were farther away from the tabernacle and closer to the enemy. They became what I call "borderline believers." You'll recall that Egypt represents the world and Canaan the believer's inheritance in Christ. The wilderness wanderings represent the experience of believers who don't enter by faith into the rest God has for them (Heb. 3–4). The two and a half tribes portray believers who have experienced the blessings

He blessed them (vv. 6–8). It was the ministry of the high priest to bless God's people (Num. 6:22–27), but the common people could invoke God's blessing

Joshua 22

There was to be one altar of sacrifice at the one sanctuary that God had appointed (Deut. 12; Lev. 17:8–9).

and battles of Canaan—their inheritance in Christ— but prefer to live on the border, outside God's appointed place of blessing.

The appeal (vv. 15–20). It's likely that Phinehas made the speech, but note that his address represented the agreement of all the tribes. Phinehas called what they had done a trespass (vv. 16, 20, 22 [transgression, kjv], 31), which means "an act of treachery." Joshua had commended these two and a half tribes for their loyalty, and now they had proved faithless. They had turned away (vv. 16, 18, 23, 29), which meant they were no longer following the Lord (see v. 5). This word carries the idea of "backsliding," gradually moving away from the Lord.

"Faith can never be satisfied with anything short of the true position and portion of God's people," wrote C. H. MacIntosh in his Notes on Numbers. "An undecided, half-and-half Christian is more inconsistent than an open, out-and-out worldling or infidel" (457, 460). How did they decide to solve the problem which they themselves had created? By building a large altar of stones by the Jordan River, on the Canaan side, as a reminder to everybody that the two and a half tribes also belonged to the nation of Israel. Had these tribes been living in the land of Canaan where they belonged, nobody would have questioned their nationality. But living outside the land, they gave the impression that they were not Israelites.

The strongest word used was rebel (vv. 16, 18–19 [twice], 22, 29), which means deliberately resisting God's will and disobeying His law. In building an unauthorized altar, these two and a half tribes were guilty of apostasy. "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (1 Sam. 15:23).

This is now the eighth memorial erected in Canaan (Josh. 4:9, 20–24; 7:26; 8:29–32 [three memorials]; 10:27). But it's unfortunate when believers have to resort to artificial means to let people know they're God's people. In recent years we've seen a spate of "religious" bumper stickers, jewelry, decals, and other items (including mirrors and combs with Bible verses on them), all of which are supposed to help identify the owners with Jesus Christ. While these things might occasionally open doors of opportunity for witness, how much better it would be if our Spirit-led conduct and speech made the lost sit up and take notice. When we're living as God wants us to live, we're salt and light, and the Lord uses our witness for His glory.

From the nation's recent history Phinehas cited two serious cases of rebellion as warning to these tribes. The first was the participation of Israel in the heathen rites of the Moabites, when the men committed harlotry with the Moabite women (Josh. 22:17; Num. 25). As a result, 24,000 people died. The second was the sin of Achan after the victory at Jericho, when he deliberately took the spoils that belonged to the Lord (Josh. 22:20; see Josh. 7). His sin led to defeat at Ai and the deaths of thirty-six Jewish soldiers. It also led to his own death and that of the members of his family.

The delegation gave a wise word of counsel: "Come over and dwell with us, because we have the Lord's tabernacle in our land" (22:19, paraphrase). No man-made altar could substitute for the presence of the Lord among His people in His tabernacle. It's too bad the two and a half tribes didn't take this advice and claim their inheritance within the land that God had promised to bless (Deut. 11:10–32).

If the people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh faithfully attended the feasts in Jerusalem (Ex. 23:17), honored the Lord by obeying His Word, and talked about His Word in their homes (Deut. 6:6–9), they would be able to raise their children to know and serve the Lord. The altar on the Jordan bank, however, was no guarantee of such success.

The argument (vv. 21–29). The accused tribes invoked the name of the Lord six times as they replied to the charges, and in so doing, they used the three fundamental names for the Lord: "El [the Mighty One], Elohim [God], Jehovah [the Lord]." It was a solemn oath that their intentions were pure and that the Lord knew their hearts.

Their humble submission (22:11–29) The alarm (vv. 11–14). The word traveled quickly that the tribes east of the Jordan had erected an altar. While these Transjordanic tribes had been very sincere in what they did, their action was misunderstood, and the other tribes prepared for possible war. But wisely, they waited while an official delegation investigated what was going on. "He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him" (Prov. 18:13 nkjv).

Of course, the fact that the Lord knows our hearts, and that we've taken an oath, is no guarantee that our actions are right, because we don't know our own hearts (Jer. 17:9). All sorts of questionable activities can be shielded by, "But the Lord knows my heart!" Paul gives us the right approach in 2 Corinthians 8:21; "For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men" (niv). When a whole nation misinterprets what is supposed to be a good deed, and it brings them to the brink of war, then there must be something wrong with that deed.

The delegation of ten princes, one from each tribe, was led by Phinehas, the son of the high priest, a man who had already proved himself courageous in defending the law of the Lord (Num. 25; Ps. 106:30–31). It was the responsibility of the tribal leaders and the priests to investigate every situation in Israel that appeared to be a breach of the law (Deut. 13). God had instructed the Jews to destroy the altars of the heathen nations in Canaan and not to build altars of their own.

The accused tribes made it clear that they weren't setting up a rival religion because the altar they built

Joshua 22—23 that is from above is first pure, then peaceable" (James 3:17, italics mine). The peace that God's people achieve at the price of purity and truth is only a dangerous truce that eventually explodes into painful division. There is always a place in human relations for loving conciliation, but never for cowardly compromise. "I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality" (1 Tim. 5:21 nkjv).

wasn't for sacrifices. Rather, they were putting up a witness that would remind the tribes west of the Jordan that Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were a part of the Jewish nation.

It's interesting that the Transjordanic tribes pointed to the children as their concern. But it wasn't their children who would ask, "What have we to do with the Lord God of Israel?" No, their children would be provoked by the children of the tribes in Canaan! Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh were not even living in the land of God's choice, yet they feared lest the children across the river would lead their children astray! It seems to me that the danger was just the opposite.

The Transjordanic tribes named their altar "A witness between us that the Lord is God" (niv). (The Hebrew word edh means "witness.") But if the Lord is God, why didn't they obey Him and live in the land He had appointed for them? The stones may have been a witness, but the people certainly were not. Surrounded by heathen nations and separated from their brothers and sisters across the river, these tribes quickly fell into idolatry and were eventually taken by Assyria (1 Chron. 5:25–26).

Not only did the Transjordanic tribes accuse their fellow Jews of having worldly children, but they even accused God of creating the problem in the first place! "For the Lord has made the Jordan a border between you and us" (Josh. 22:25 nkjv). No! They were the ones who had made the Jordan River the dividing line! In choosing to live east of the Jordan, the two and a half tribes separated themselves from their own people and from the land God had given to all of them. They put their cattle ahead of their children and their fellow Jews, but they blamed God and the other tribes for the problem that they created.

On September 30, 1938, British Prime Minister Sir Neville Chamberlain, just back from Germany, told a gathering at 10 Downing Street: "My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds."

What kind of "witness" was this huge pile of stones? Was it a witness to the unity of the nation and to the obedience of the Transjordanic tribes? No, it was a witness to expediency, the wisdom of man in trying to enjoy "the best of both worlds." The two and a half tribes talked piously about their children, but it was their wealth that really motivated their decision to live east of the Jordan.

Less than a year later, England was at war with Germany, and World War II had burst upon the world.

Church history is replete with agreements and accords that magnified unity over purity and truth, and therefore never lasted. Whether in our personal relationships in our homes and churches, or in our nation, the only peace that lasts is peace that is based on truth and purity. It's a peace that demands sacrifice and courage, and a willingness to stand up for God's Word, but the results are worth it.

Somewhere near this "witness altar" were the twelve stones that the men had carried from the midst of the Jordan River (4:20–24). It reminded the Jews that they had crossed the river and buried their past forever. Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh had crossed the river and gone back again. Their "altar" contradicted the altar that Joshua had erected to the glory of God. "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1 nkjv).

The well-known Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, said it best: "Peace is such a precious jewel that I would give anything for it but truth."

CHAPTER TWELVE Joshua 23—24 THE WAY OF ALL THE EARTH T

Their happy agreement (22:30–34) Phinehas was pleased, the delegation was pleased, and the children of Israel across the Jordan were pleased; but was the Lord pleased? The delegation rejoiced that the purpose of the altar was for witness and not sacrifice, and this seemed to settle the matter. They rejoiced that God wouldn't send judgment to the land (v. 31) and that there would be no civil war in Israel (v. 33). But the nation was divided, in spite of the "altar of witness." Like Abraham and Lot (Gen. 13), part of the nation had a spiritual outlook while the other part was concerned with material things.

he well-known psychoanalyst Eric Fromm wrote in Man for Himself, "To die is poignantly bitter, but the idea of having to die without having lived is unbearable."

IV. Renewing the covenant (23—24) A.Joshua's final message to the leaders—23

Joshua the son of Nun had lived! His long life started in Egyptian bondage and ended in a worship service in the Promised Land. In between those events God had used him to lead Israel in defeating the enemy, conquering the land, and claiming the promised inheritance. With the apostle Paul, Joshua could sincerely say, "I have fought a good fight, I

"Peace at any price" isn't God's will for His people. This decision in Gilead was made on the basis of human wisdom and not God's truth. "But the wisdom

Joshua 23

Word, He would help them completely conquer the land. "For the Lord your God is He who has fought for you" (Josh. 23:3 nkjv).

have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7 kjv).

Joshua was about to go "the way of all the earth" (Josh. 23:14), the way you and I must go if the Lord doesn't return first. But at the end of a long and full life, Joshua's greatest concern wasn't himself. His greatest concern was his people and their relationship to the Lord. He didn't want to leave until he had challenged them once again to love the Lord and keep His commandments. His life's work would be in vain if they failed to keep the covenant and enjoy the blessings of the Promised Land.

This is a good reminder to God's people today. As we read the Bible and see what God did in the past for those who trusted Him, it encourages us to trust Him today and face all our enemies with courage and confidence. The Presbyterian missionary leader A. T. Pierson used to say that "history is His story," and this is true. From age to age, God may change His methods; but His character never changes, and He can be trusted.

What the Lord said to Israel (vv. 5–10). The secret of Joshua's success, and therefore the reason for Israel's victories, was his devotion to the Word of God (vv. 6, 14; see 1:7–9, 13–18; 8:30–35; 11:12, 15; 24:26–27). He obeyed God's commandments and believed God's promises, and God worked on his behalf. But even more, his devotion to the Word of God enabled Joshua to get to know God better, to love Him, and to want to please Him. It isn't enough to know the Word of God. We must also know the God of the Word and grow in our fellowship with Him.

He first called a meeting of the leaders of the nation (v. 2), either at Shiloh or at his home in Ephraim, and warned them what would happen if they deserted the Lord. Then he gathered "all the tribes of Israel to Shechem" (24:1) and gave a farewell address which reviewed the history of Israel, starting with Abraham, and challenged the people to love the Lord and serve Him alone. In these two addresses Joshua emphasized three important topics.

Israel's future dangers (23:1–16) Having assembled the leaders of the nation, Joshua presented them with two scenarios: Obey the Lord, and He will bless you and keep you in the land; disobey Him, and He will judge you and remove you from the land. These were the terms of the covenant God had made with Israel at Mount Sinai, which Moses had repeated on the Plains of Moab, and which Israel had reaffirmed at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim.

God kept all His promises, and He had every right to expect Israel to keep all His commandments as well. Some of God's promises are unconditional, but some of them are conditional and depend on our obedience for their fulfillment. Israel entered and conquered the land as the fulfillment of God's promise, but their enjoyment of the land depended on their obedience to the law of the Lord. God would enable them to claim all their inheritance if they would obey Him with all their hearts.

Joshua's emphasis was on possessing the land (v. 5) and enjoying its blessings (vv. 13, 15–16). While Israel had gained control of Canaan, there still remained territory to possess and pockets of resistance to overcome. (See 13:1–13; 15:63; 16:10; 17:12–13; 18:3; Judg. 1–2.) The task of the tribes wasn't finished! The great danger, of course, was that the people of Israel would gradually change their attitudes toward the pagan nations around them and start accepting their ways and imitating them.

The most important thing was that Israel remain a separated people and not be infected by the wickedness of the Gentile nations around them (23:7–8; see Ex. 34:10–17; Deut. 7:2–4). Joshua warned them that their disobedience would be a gradual thing. First they would associate with these nations in a familiar way; then they would start discussing their religious practices; and before long Israel would be worshipping the false gods of the enemy. The Jewish men would then start marrying women from these pagan nations, and the line of separation between God's people and the world would be completely erased. Imagine the folly of worshipping the gods of the defeated enemy!

To counteract this danger, Joshua gave the people three strong motives for remaining a separated people and serving the Lord faithfully.

What the Lord did for Israel (vv. 3–4). From the day that Israel left Egypt, the Lord had fought for His people and delivered them from their enemies. He drowned the Egyptian army in the sea and then defeated the Amalekites who attacked the Jews soon after they left Egypt (Ex. 17). The Lord defeated all of Israel's enemies as the nation marched toward Canaan, and He gave His people victory over the nations in the Promised Land.

All of us feel the pressures of the world around us, trying to force us to conform (Rom. 12:1–21; 1 John 2:15–17), and it takes courage to defy the crowd and stay true to the Lord (Josh. 23:7). But it also takes love for the Lord and a desire to please Him (v. 8). The word translated "cleave" in verse 8 is used in Genesis 2:24 to describe a husband's relationship to his wife. Israel was "married" to Jehovah at Mount Sinai (Jer. 2:1–3; Ezek. 16) and was expected to be a faithful spouse and cleave to the Lord (Deut. 4:4; 10:20; 11:22; 13:4). How tragic that she became an unfaithful wife, a prostitute, as she turned to the gods of other nations.

This review of history reminded Israel of two great facts: Those Gentile nations were God's enemies and therefore must be Israel's enemies, and the same God who overcame the enemy in the past could help Israel overcome them in the future. God had never failed His people, and, if they would trust Him and obey His

The promise in Joshua 23:10 is quoted from Deuteronomy 32:30, which shows how well Joshua

Joshua 23—24 compromised with the enemy but also have capitulated to the enemy, and the Lord is not first in their lives.

knew the Word of God. (See also Lev. 26:7–8.) He meditated on God's Word day and night (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2) and hid it in his heart (Ps. 119:11). What the Lord would do to Israel (vv. 11–16). The Word of God is like a two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12): If we obey it, God will bless and help us; if we disobey it, God will chasten us until we submit to Him. If we love the Lord (Josh. 23:11), we'll want to obey Him and please Him, so the essential thing is that we cultivate a satisfying relationship with God.

B.Joshua's final message to the nation—24

Israel's past blessings (24:1–13) In the April 15, 1978 issue of Saturday Review, the late author and editor Norman Cousins called history "a vast early warning system," and philosopher George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." A knowledge of their roots is very important to the Jews because they are God's chosen people with a destiny to fulfill in this world.

Joshua reminded the people that God's Word never fails, whether it's the Word of promise for blessing or the Word of promise for chastening. Both are evidences of His love, for "whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth" (Prov. 3:11–12; Heb. 12:6). Charles Spurgeon said, "God will not allow His children to sin successfully."

Shechem was the ideal location for this moving farewell address by Israel's great leader. It was at Shechem that God promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land (Gen. 12:6–7), and there Jacob built an altar (33:20). Shechem was located between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, where the people of Israel had reaffirmed their commitment to the Lord (Josh. 8:30–35). Shechem was indeed "holy ground" to the Israelites.

Moses had warned Israel against compromising with the evil nations in the land (Ex. 23:20–33; 34:10–17; Deut. 7:12–26), and Joshua reaffirmed that warning (Josh. 23:13). If Israel began to mingle with these nations, two things would happen: God would remove His blessing, and Israel would be defeated; and these nations would bring distress and defeat to Israel. Joshua used vivid words like snares, traps, scourges, and thorns to impress the Jews with the suffering they would experience if they disobeyed the Lord. The final stroke of chastening would be Israel's removal from their land to a land of exile. After all, if you want to live and worship like the Gentiles, then live with the Gentiles! This happened when God permitted Babylon to conquer Judah, destroy Jerusalem, and take thousands of the Jews into exile in Babylon.

If nation and land were the key words in Joshua's first address, then the Lord is the major focus in this second address, for Joshua refers to the Lord twentyone times. In fact, in 24:2–13, it is the Lord who speaks as Joshua reviews the history of the nation. Another key word is serve, used fifteen times in this address. Jehovah gave them their land and would bless them in their land if they loved Him and served Him.

God chose Israel (vv. 1–4). Abraham and his family were idolaters when God called Abraham to leave Ur of the Chaldees and go to Canaan (Gen. 11:27— 12:9). "The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham," declared Stephen in his own farewell speech (Acts 7:2), reminding the Jews that their national identity was an act of God's grace. Abraham didn't seek after God and discover Him; it was God who came to Abraham! There was nothing special about the Jews that God should choose them (Deut. 7:1–11; 26:1–11; 32:10), and this fact should have kept them humble and obedient.

Three times in this brief address Joshua called Canaan "this good land" (vv. 13, 15–16). When God called Moses at the burning bush, He promised to take Israel into a "good land" (Ex. 3:8), and Joshua and Caleb described Canaan as "a good land" after forty days of investigation (Num. 14:7). In his farewell message Moses used the phrase "good land" at least ten times (Deut. 1:25, 35; 3:25; 4:21–22; 6:18; 8:7, 10; 9:6; 11:17). The argument is obvious: Since God has given us such a good land, the least we can do is live to please Him.

"You did not choose Me," Jesus told His disciples, "but I chose you and appointed you" (John 15:16 nkjv). Believers were chosen in Christ "before the foundation of the world" (Eph. 1:4) and are called "God's elect" (Rom. 8:33; Titus 1:1). One of my professors in seminary used to say, "Try to explain election and you may lose your mind, but explain it away and you may lose your soul." No matter what "school" of theology we belong to, all of us must admit that God takes the first step in our salvation.

Meditating on the goodness of God is a strong motivation for obedience. James connects the goodness of God with our resisting of temptation (James 1:13–17), and Nathan took the same approach when he confronted King David with his sins (2 Sam. 12:1–15). It was not his own badness but his father's goodness that brought the prodigal son to repentance and then back home (Luke 15:17). "The goodness of God leads you to repentance" (Rom. 2:4 nkjv). The danger is that the material blessings from the Lord can so possess our hearts that we focus on the gifts and forget the Giver, and this leads to sin (Deut. 8).

Abraham's firstborn son was Ishmael (Gen. 16), but God rejected him and gave His covenant to Isaac, the child of Abraham and Sarah's old age (17–18, 21). Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau, and God chose Jacob. Paul called these choices God's purpose "according to election" (Rom. 9:11). Esau became the ancestor of the Edomites in Mount Seir, and Jacob became the father of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Joshua's three main admonitions in this address need to be heeded by God's people today: Keep God's Word (Josh. 23:6), cleave to the Lord (v. 8), and love the Lord (v. 11). Too many Christians have not only

Joshua 24

Deut. 7:20) may have been the insect whose sting is extremely painful, but it's possible that the word is an image of something else. Invading armies are compared to bees (Deut. 1:44; Ps. 118:12; Isa. 7:18), and some students think that's the meaning here. God sent other armies into Canaan to weaken the people and prepare them for the invasion of Israel.

Eventually, the children of Israel went to Egypt, where God made them into a great nation.

One of the repeated titles for God in the book of Joshua is "the Lord God of Israel," used fifteen times (7:13, 19–20; 8:30; 9:18–19; 10:40, 42; 13:14, 33; 14:14; 22:16, 24; 24:2, 23). The Jews were indeed an elect and a special people, for the Lord of heaven chose to associate His great name with them and be their God.

But perhaps the hornets better represent the reports that came to Canaan of Israel's conquests, reports that frightened and almost paralyzed the inhabitants of the land. The words of Rahab describe the panic of the Canaanites because of what they heard about Israel: "And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you" (Josh. 2:11; see 5:1 and 9:24). God had promised to do this and He kept His promise (Deut. 2:25).

God delivered Israel (vv. 5–7). God sent Joseph ahead to Egypt to preserve the nation during the famine (Ps. 105:16–22), and then He sent Moses and Aaron to deliver the nation from bondage (vv. 23–45). Egypt had been saved from starvation because of the Jews, but instead of being grateful, the rulers of Egypt eventually enslaved the Jews and made their lives bitter (Ex. 3:7–9). All of this was a fulfillment of what God had promised to Abraham centuries before (Gen. 15:1–17), but their suffering in Egypt only made the Israelites multiply more.

In Joshua 24:13, God's words remind us of what Moses said to Israel in Deuteronomy 6:10ff. Once again, the emphasis is on the goodness of God and all that He did for Israel because He loved them. When the Jews started taking their blessings for granted, they began drifting away from sincere worship of the Lord. A grateful heart is a strong defense against the devil's temptations.

God judged the gods and rulers of Egypt by sending ten plagues to the land, climaxing with the death of the firstborn (Ex. 7–12). Only then did stubborn Pharaoh give the Jews permission to leave the land, but then he changed his mind and sent his army after them. God not only brought His people out, but He also led them through the Red Sea and drowned the Egyptian army in its waters (chaps. 14–15).

Israel's present responsibilities (24:14–33) One of the key words in this section is serve, used fifteen times. To serve God means to fear Him, obey Him, and worship only Him. It means to love Him and fix your heart upon Him, obeying Him because you want to and not because you have to.

God instructed His people to observe the Passover as an annual reminder of their redemption from Egyptian bondage (chaps. 12–13). In his farewell speech Moses frequently reminded the Jews that they had once been slaves in Egypt but the Lord had set them free (5:15; 6:12; 8:14; 13:5, 10; 15:15; 16:3, 6; 20:1; 24:22). It does a believer good to remember what it was like to be in bondage to sin and then to rejoice in the redemption that was purchased so dearly for us on the cross. It's a dangerous thing to take the gift of salvation for granted.

Decision (vv. 14–18). Joshua made it clear that the people of Israel had to make a decision to serve the Lord God of Israel. There could be no neutrality. But if they served the Lord, then they would have to get rid of the false gods that some of them secretly were worshipping. Even after the great experience of the Exodus, some of the Jews still sacrificed to the gods of Egypt (Lev. 17:7; Amos 5:25–26; Acts 7:42–43; Ezek. 20:6–8). Jacob had given this same warning to his family (Gen. 35:2), and Samuel would give the same admonition in his day (1 Sam. 7:3ff.).

God guided Israel (vv. 8–10). God brought Israel out that He might bring them in (Deut. 6:23). His goal for them was the Promised Land, but their sin at Kadesh Barnea caused them to wander in the wilderness until the old unbelieving generation had died off. As Israel marched behind the ark of God, the Lord defeated their enemies. When Balaam tried to curse Israel, God turned the curse into a blessing (Num. 22–24; Deut. 23:5; Neh. 13:2). Whether Satan came against Israel as the lion (the army of the Amorites) or as the serpent (the curses of Balaam), the Lord defeated him.

Joshua wasn't suggesting that the people could choose to worship the false gods of the land, and God would accept it, for there was no other option but to serve Jehovah. Being a wise and spiritual man, Joshua knew that everybody must worship something or someone, whether they realized it or not, because humanity is "incurably religious." If the Jews didn't worship the true God, they would end up worshipping the false gods of the wicked nations in Canaan. His point was that they couldn't do both.

God gave them their land (vv. 11–13). The same God who took Israel through the Red Sea also took them across the Jordan River and into their inheritance. Except for a temporary defeat at Ai (Josh. 7), and a humiliating compromise with Gibeon (chap. 9), Joshua and his army defeated every enemy in the land because the Lord was with them.

The people assured Joshua that they wanted to worship and serve only the Lord God of Israel, and they gave their reasons. The Lord had delivered them from Egypt, brought them through the wilderness, and taken them into their Promised Land. (The first half of Joshua's address [Josh. 24:1–13] had made an

The "hornet" mentioned in 24:12 (see Ex. 23:28;

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