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Synopsis
Joshua and the nation acknowledged their sins and purified themselves as instructed by God. As such, God's power was restored upon Israel. God encouraged Joshua to take the city of Ai and instructed for all lives to be destroyed as a punishment for their sins. However, Israel was allowed to take the spoils of war from Ai, unlike in Jericho.
For the battle of Ai, God did not give specific instructions for them to follow, like in Jericho. He gave the strategy to Joshua, that is, to "take the whole army, set up an ambush, kill all the inhabitants and keep the spoils of war". Although assured by God of victory, Joshua took responsibility as Israel's commander to plan for success. He detailed a military plan to his army and for which, God saw the plan to success.
Major Verses
V1 - 2 - Once again, God gave Joshua the assurance of success - "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." were significant words for Joshua. God issued the strategic plan for the battle.
What I learnt - Reassurance from God was very important for Joshua, especially after the failure of the first attack of Ai. God is always ready to forgive us if we acknowledge our failure to Him and repent. He goes beyond that - He reassures us of His presence and the victory He has for us. And He will give us directions for the next move.
V3 - 8 - As the commander of the nation, Joshua took the responsibility to plan for success. He went into the tactical details, and clearly expressing it to the army. However, he was careful to issue the same assurance to his people (v7) that God was the real commander who would give them the victory. He reminded all to obey God's instructions.
What I learnt - God gave us talents and we must use them appropriately. "Appropriately" means that we must listen to Him and work within His guidance. This constant reverence for Him and willingness to listen to Him will assure us of victory.
V14 - 29 - Throughout the battle, Joshua was listening to the Lord's guidance. V18 records that "the Lord said to Joshua ...". This time, the nation followed God's instruction and as such, destroyed Ai completely. They also took the spoils of the war as were allowed by God this time.
What I learnt - The battle, once again, belonged to God. The victory was His. Once sin was dealt with, God's power and victory returned to the nation. I thank God that unlike the old covenant that Israel had with Him, the new one which Jesus gave to us assures us of God's love and His presence at all times.
While we may still fail along the way, our failures do not separate us from God. We must always remember that our Lord and Saviour had done a complete job at Calvary. Because of Him and His sacrifice, God declared that we are His children and specifically that He will "remember our sins NO more!" (Heb 8:12).
This is not to say that we can live licentiously or continue in the old sinful ways. Rather, by acknowledging His love for us and our need for His guidance, we will be spurred to Godly living and greater works for His kingdom. The most important time to remember God's love for us, is at the times when we fail Him. Knowing that He loves us despite our failings will spur us to repent and revere Him more. This will prevent Satan from putting a wedge in our relationship with God.
V30 - 35 - An altar was built with uncut stones to honor the Lord. The reason for using uncut stones was to keep the altar holy; no skills of man were involved. It was also to remind the people that no one should worship any workmanship of the craftsman, but God alone. At the celebration, Joshua made it a point to read the Book of the Law to the entire assembly.
What I learnt - It is always important to revere God and thank Him for our blessings. It keeps our mind focused on the Giver and not the gifts. It is just as important to keep our self refreshed with God's words constantly. Joshua made it a point to read God's words to the nation. We must make it a point to read God's word constantly to our soul and to those around us.
Summary
Because we are saved through the Lord Jesus, God's presence and love are always with us. Let us constantly revere Him and be reminded of His goodness and to read His words. Let us spur each other to be more intimate with Him and to good works daily.
Next up.....
Joshua 9 teaches us yet again that we need to keep focused on God to avoid making mistakes. Israel made another major mistake of which its consequence lasted a few generations. Check it out next Monday....
(Request - Please leave your comments after reading this blog. Bless others with your own sharing too. Click "Comments" right at the end of this page. Thanks.)
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