Judges 1

Judges 1

The book of Joshua ended differently than some of the other books of the Bible so far. It ended on a positive note, with the Israelites dedicated to God, living in obedience to His commands. So the book of Judges starts off in a positive manner. Unlike their fathers, this generation of Israelites took God’s word seriously, and when He promised them something, they took Him for His word. They believed that the land was theirs to take, so they went into their battles with confidence, knowing that God would give it to them. Judges 1 outlines the continuing conquest focusing on the tribe of Judah. Joshua had allotted the land to the different tribes, telling them it was theirs for the taking, and Judges 1 goes into more detail of what Judah had to do to take their land. First they went in and defeated 10,000 men in the land of Bezek. Then, they defeated both the Canaanites and the Perizzites that lived in their land. Next, they went up to Jerusalem and captured it as well. God had promised them that He would reward their obedience with the possession of the land, and that is exactly what happened.


The chapter continues by outlining many of the other cities that Judah captured along the way. However, as was seen in Joshua, Israel never inherited the entire Promised Land. Certain tribes neglected to drive out all the inhabitants of the land. They may have had different reasons for not doing so, but the point was that by those acts, they were being disobedient to God’s commands. First, Benjamin neglected to drive out the Jebusites. Then Joseph made peace with a family of a city who moved away and started a new city. Manasseh failed in many cities, allowing the Canaanites to remain in their lands. They eventually put the Canaanites to work for them, but God had commanded the destruction of the Canaanites, not their enslavement. The same was true for the tribes of Ephraim, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. At least half of the tribes failed in completing their task.

Now one might argue that Israel had indeed conquered the land. All the tribes were settled in some area of the Promised Land, and none of the other nations had any control. Israel had successfully taken control over the land. The problem, however, was that in allowing the other nations to stay, Israel was also allowing their customs, religions, and gods to stay. The main reason God sought their destruction was because they had not worshipped Him. Instead, these other nations had created their own gods who they falsely worshipped. Furthermore, God knew that if these false religions were in the land, Israel would be tempted to follow them and turn away from Him. So although Israel had the upper hand in the land at the time, their partial obedience (which is actually disobedience) was going to lead to some severe problems. God gives us instructions for a reason. He does not create laws and commands just to give us some ridiculous standard to live by. He does it so that we can draw closer to Him and grow in Him. He does it so that we can be holy before Him. Although Israel had prospered so much and it seemed as if Israel was going to continue to prosper after Joshua’s death, these mistakes were going to have severe consequences.

Matt

Joshua 23-24

Joshua 23-24

As the book of Joshua nears its end, several years pass by and Joshua 23 places Joshua near his death.  Knowing that he would soon be gone, Joshua called the leaders and elders of Israel to his side to give them a final charge.  He was passing off the leadership of Israel to them.  Now that Israel had the land, they did not need that one major leader (such as a king) ruling over them.  They had their regional rulers and the Law of Moses.  As long as they followed the Law, as Joshua had instructed them, then they would continue to prosper in the land.  They had seen God provide for them for years, and Joshua reminded them that He would continue to be with them no matter what happened in their life.  Their responsibility was to remain obedient to His commands.

Joshua warned them about turning away from the Law.  If they began to mix with the other nations or serve the other gods, then God promised to remove His hand of protection.  Joshua warned them of the possibility of the nations striking back, but this would only happen if Israel left God.  Israel understood that God kept His promises, but up to this point, they had only seen the blessings.  Because of their faithful obedience, they had not yet endured the curses of God.  Joshua feared that they would become complacent and begin to think that God would never punish them.  Se he continued to remind them of the importance of their obedience knowing that God would also keep His promises of curses if Israel fell away.

After addressing the elders, Joshua finally addressed the nation of Israel.  In Joshua 24, Israel gathered together again.  Joshua told them what God had done for them from the time that Abraham was called through the conquest.  He reminded them of the victories that they had won as well as the hard times they had faced.  Through it all, God had been with them.  But Joshua did not want them to think that they had gotten them this far.  God was the one who gave them the victories.  God was the one who prepared the land for them.  God was the one who gave the land to them freely.  God was the one who deserved all the glory. 

So Joshua gave them one final command: decide who you are going to serve today.  He warned them against serving the gods that their fathers had served (like the Golden Calf).  Their fathers had suffered the consequences for those actions.  He also encouraged them to serve God, the one who had been with them through all their struggles, through all their trials, and through all their victories.  As Israel did through much of the book of Joshua, they listened to Joshua and showed great hope for the future of their nation.  They declared that they would serve God asking how they could not after all that they had seen Him do for them.

Whereas the generation from Numbers that disobeyed God illustrated the dangers of disobedience, the generation from Joshua illustrated how to follow God.  There were still those that messed up and turned from God, but in general this was an obedient generation.  Under Joshua’s leadership, they chose to follow what was written in the book of Law.  They chose to remain obedient to God, to trust God, and to allow God to work in their lives.  They faced many tough times and probably wondered how they would win some of the battles they encountered, but through it all God stood by them and gave them everything that He had promised them.  The closing verses of Joshua say that they continued to obey God in the years that followed Joshua’s death.  They upheld the promise that they made to Joshua and most importantly to God and give us a great picture of what obedience looks like.  We should consider the question that Joshua gave Israel in Joshua 24.  Who will we serve?  I am sure that we have all seen God work in mighty ways in our lives as well.  Are we going to just forget about those moments and forsake God or are we going to serve Him?  It is a decision that each of us has to make, and I encourage you to love and serve God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Matt

Joshua 22

Joshua 22

Now that the conquest was complete, Joshua gathered the men from the 2 ½ tribes that had chosen land on the eastern side of the Jordan River. They had been commanded by Moses to help their brothers in the conquest of the land since their brothers had helped them previously. They had done all that they had been commanded, and Joshua was ready to send them back to their homes to be with their families and to settle in that land. Before they left, Joshua gave them one last charge. He wanted to make sure that they had their minds set on God as they began their new chapter in life. They had seen God work in many mighty ways and had grown up around Moses and Joshua. Their entire life had been with the nation of Israel as a whole. Now they were headed back across the Jordan to their lands without the nation’s leader right in their backyards. So Joshua gave them his final plea to stay true to God and His Word. That was the most important thing Joshua could have told them as they started a new chapter in life. They understood the importance of obedience and had seen God at work. Now they had to make a choice as to whether they would continue to follow God in their new freedom.


In so many ways this is similar to a kid leaving for college (leaving home for the first time). If they have been raised in the church, then they are like Israel. They have always been around the truth and had authority figures in their lives to point them in the right direction. They may say that they believe it, but it is not until they are on their own that they discover whether it is real or not. It is easy to fill that time with other activities in college. Each student has to figure out what role God will play in their lives. Will they continue to grow in Him, plug into a church through obedience and serve Him or will they forsake all that they had been taught? It is a pivotal moment in everyone’s life, but we all must figure out what we really believe at some point. Hopefully we will stay true to God’s commands and serve Him.

The second of half of Joshua 22 appears to be an immediate falling away from what they taught by Moses and Joshua. After Joshua told these 2 ½ tribes to follow God, they built a magnificent altar by the Jordan, and Israel feared that it was not to God but to themselves. Therefore, Israel declared war on their brothers, fearing that their brothers were worshiping themselves and not God. They feared that they had another Achan on their hands. Thankfully, this was not the case. Although the situation seemed bad, and it looked as if they had fallen away from the Lord, it was just the opposite. Come to find out the 2 ½ tribes built the altar as a sign between the two portions of the land. It was a sign that unified all 12 tribes together under God. They thanked God for what He had done for them on both sides of the river, and wanted the altar to serve as a reminder to their children that Israel was not defined by the Jordan River. They did not want their descendants on either side of the Jordan to fight over who was truly a part of Israel. Although it seemed like a major case of idolatry, it was actually a worshipful experience, praising God for what He had done and asking that He would be with their children in the future.

Sadly, this is not the case for many people. Although there are those great stories of people who stick with God and continue to follow Him, too many fall away. We probably all know someone who has drifted from the faith or may have only played the game (maybe they never really were a child of God). We must have the concern for them that Israel had for their brothers. Although Israel was proven wrong, and they were glad that the situation had been clarified, they showed how much they loved their brothers by confronting them in their possible sin. It is hard to go to someone we love and tell them that they are living in sin, especially since we are sinners ourselves. We might be accused of being judgmental. However, if we have the right motives and we seek to see them come back to the Lord, then we must confront them. It may not be easy, but it is a command. We should never forsake our brothers and sisters in Christ leaving them to wander down a dangerous path of sin.

Matt

Joshua 18-21

Joshua 18-21

We have seen that some of the tribes did not do exactly as they were supposed to in taking their inheritance. Some allowed other nations to co-exist with them, which had been forbidden. Now the remaining seven tribes are still with Joshua, and they have not yet gone into their lands. Joshua questions them as to why they had not yet done so, and it appears as if the blame lies on them. By what Joshua says, it seems as if they were being lazy. The land had been given to them, and it was not up to Joshua to send them in. Seeing their hesitation, however, Joshua took charge again. He sent three men from each tribe into the land to divide it up. He understood that it was their responsibility and not his. So they divided up their own land, and then Joshua cast lots to see which tribe got which portion.

Again, the best way to read this section that describes their inheritances is to find a map as a guide. I get lost in the names of the cities and boundaries because I do not know the geography of Israel that well. Joshua 18-19 outlines the land that belonged to Benjamin, Simeon (who found their inheritance in Judah), Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan. Finally, Joshua received his inheritance. Like Caleb, he had been faithful in his report to Moses more than 45 years prior to this point. As a result, he too was given the land of his choice. So after all the tribes had received their inheritance, Joshua chose his own place to settle. At this point, the land was completely divided out.

After the tribes received their inheritances, the cities of refuge and the cities for the Levites had to be identified. Joshua 20 alludes back to the time in which Moses had told Israel the purpose of the cities of refuge. They were the places that people could go to if they had accidentally killed someone. They were not for those who had purposefully murdered someone, and if they tried to take refuge, they would be killed. This was God’s provision for those who had such accidents. Whereas there was a law specifically against murder, God understood that in the fallen world, these accidents would happen as well. Not wanting those people to suffer “harsh consequences” for their accidents, he provided these cities of refuge for them.

Finally, Joshua 21 outlines the 48 cities that the Levites received. Although they did not have an inheritance unto themselves, since their inheritance was their service in the priesthood, each tribe was expected to give up cities for them. So the Levites were scattered throughout all of Israel so that they could perform the priestly duties for all 12 tribes. So at the end of Joshua 21, Israel was finally settled in the Promised Land. The long journey that began in the middle of Exodus when Israel first left Egypt was finally over. They had received the land that God had promised Abraham back in Genesis 12. He had promised to provide for them every step of the way, and He came through for them just as He promised (just as He always comes through for any of His children). They had made mistakes along the way, but in every battle they went into, God gave them the victory just as He had promised. What lesson can be learned from this long story? God always keeps His promises!

Matt

Joshua 12-17

Joshua 12-17

After several chapters of battles, Joshua 12 is a summary of all that has happened up to this point. It goes back into Numbers and Deuteronomy and quickly recaps the battles that Moses led Israel into. It lists the lands that Israel conquered under his leadership and lists the tribes that gained it as an inheritance. These were the 2 ½ tribes that asked to remain on the eastern side of the Jordan River. They had gone with Israel through the river to help conquer the rest of the land, but this was their inheritance. Next, Joshua 12 recaps the lands that Israel gained under Joshua’s leadership. In all, this section lists 31 different kings that Israel defeated in their conquest on the western side of the Jordan River. That seems like a lot at first, but Joshua 13 shows how the conquest was not over.


God had given Israel a lot of land at this point, but Joshua 13 shows how their job was not over yet. There was still a lot of land to gain, and God promised that He would give them that land as well. However, He knew that Joshua was growing older, so He needed Joshua to do something else first. The 2 ½ tribes already knew their allotments, but God wanted Joshua to outline what land the other 9 ½ tribes would get once the land had been completely conquered.

The next several chapters will outline what lands each tribe gained as an inheritance, and to start this off Joshua 13 looks at the land that Moses gave the 2 ½ tribes. From Joshua 13-19, there is going to be a series of lists of cities. There is no easy way to look at these chapters in written form. The best thing to do is take out a map, like one in the back of your Bible, and see where these boundaries were and see what cities were in each tribe’s allotment. Every tribe of Israel will be listed except Levi, for Levi did not receive an inheritance of land. Instead, they were given the opportunity to live in every tribe for they were the priests for the nation of Israel. Although they did not have land that they could call their own, the rest of the tribes were asked to provide for them since they were carrying out the priestly duties for the nation.

Before listing out each tribe’s inheritance, there was one more matter to be settled. Caleb, who was one of the two spies along with Joshua that gave the good report of the land to Moses more than 40 years prior to this point, requested that he be given the land that had been promised to him. Because of his faithfulness to God on that day, God promised that very land that they had been in to him. Now 45 years later, Caleb reminded Joshua of that promise, and Caleb and his family became the first to receive their inheritance. Their inheritance was in the middle of the land of Judah, and together they drove out many of the inhabitants of that land. Remember that God told Joshua that there was still land to be conquered, so when Judah began moving into their land, they started by destroying the cities that were already there. There was, however, one group of people that they did not drive out, the Jebusites. As a result, they ended up sharing the land with this foreign group of people.

Next, Ephraim and Manasseh received their inheritances. Like Judah, Ephraim moved in and cleared out the land. However, also like Judah, they were unable to get rid of a certain group of people, the Canaanites. As a result, they too ended up sharing their inheritance with a foreign nation. These mishaps are what would later lead to fierce battles and troubling times for Israel, because they did not completely clear out the lands. Manasseh followed suit and also found that they were unable to drive out the Canaanites, who lived in many of the prominent cities of the land. They were able to put the Canaanites into forced labor, and they had the upper hand on the Canaanites. Yet this is not what they were commanded to do. It seems as if they were scared of the Canaanites. Joshua assured both Ephraim and Manasseh at the end of Joshua 17 that if they cleared the forests around them, they would have more land to dwell in. He also assured them that God would be with them and would give them that land. They were unwilling to do this, and instead of trusting God and taking the land, they retreated back in fear and in essence remained disobedient to God’s commands. All had been going so well for Israel up to this point, but these simple acts of disobedience (or partial obedience) were the sparks of some of Israel’s future major problems.

Matt

Joshua 10:16-11:23

Joshua 10:16-11:23

The battle that was raging when the sun stood still was a two-part battle. The first battle was Joshua’s defense of Gibeon. After the five nations that had aligned decided to strike Gibeon, Israel had come to their defense due to the covenant they had made and God’s direction. God gave them victory over these nations. Joshua knew, however, that the battle was not over. They still needed to strike at these nations on their soil. They had done well in striking down the brunt of their military forces, but there was still more to conquer. So when he received word that the kings had hid from Joshua and the Israelites, Joshua trapped them in their cave. He then sent forces to their cities and destroyed each one. Afterwards, he brought all five kings before him and executed all five of them.


Israel was now up to seven great victories in the Promised Land. They had successfully taken over seven large cities/nations and were on the verge of being able to settle in the land for good. There were still battles to be fought and land to be won, but Israel was on the right track. For the most part, they were remaining obedient to God (minus a few setbacks), and God was truly blessing them. He had promised that they would gain this land, and He was providing them with the victories that they needed. Before Israel left the area where this two-part battle occurred, they successfully conquered one other city, Makkedah. This was the place where the five kings had fled, so Joshua destroyed this city as well.

God’s presence and Israel’s obedience only becomes more evident as Joshua 10 continues. Joshua led Israel into six more battles (the battles that are listed anyways). As they had done in places like Jericho, the cities were destroyed, the kings were executed, and they did with the spoils as God had commanded. There were no disobedient situations like they had had with Achan in the conquest of these lands. It seemed as if Israel had finally understood what God expected from them, and as a result, they continued to see God’s blessings poured out on them. By the end of Joshua 10, Israel had conquered much of the land in the southern part of the Promised Land.

The conquest continued in Joshua 11, and Israel moved to the northern lands. As some of the southern kings had done, many of the northern kings joined together as one to fight against Israel. They had seen what Israel had done from the time they left Egypt, and the most recent events had them worried. So they aligned together for war and prepared for battle against Israel. God once again assured Joshua that Israel would be given the victory and that they had nothing to worry about. So Joshua led Israel to war once again, and they did many of the same things. They destroyed the cities, many of which they burned to the ground, they executed the kings, and did with the spoils as God commanded. Again, it seemed as if Israel had finally grasped the idea of what it meant to be obedient. As a result, they had conquered most of the land in a very short time span. The end of Joshua 11 says that at that time there was a time of rest from war. It was time to divide the land up according to each tribe’s inheritance. So for at least a time, the land was able to rest from war and enjoy a more normal, less hectic life.

Matt

Joshua 10:1-15

Joshua 10:1-15

So far in Joshua it has become clear that the nations are recognizing the God of Israel and His power. They have seen countless times how He has provided for them in giving them victories. They had already captured two large cities in the Promised Land, and the remaining nations were starting to worry. In Joshua 10, the king of Jerusalem begins to grow fearful of Israel’s power, but his main concern is how Gibeon had aligned with Israel. Gibeon was one of the larger nations in the land, and the king of Jerusalem became upset with their decision. He would have much rather had them on his side, hopefully to fight with him against Israel. Now he was looking at a battle against Israel with the help of Gibeon. He more than likely felt as if he was already defeated. So he gathered some of the surrounding nations by his side and prepared for war, but his war was not against Israel. Instead, he decided to attack Gibeon.


Gibeon immediately went to Joshua for help. Because of the covenant they had made with Israel, they expected Israel to help them in this battle. Joshua could have simply said no, allowed Gibeon to be destroyed, and return to Israel back to its normal state, as they had been before Gibeon tricked them. However, Joshua recognized that Gibeon was now a part of Israel. Even through man’s mistake, God had brought Gibeon to them, and in the process He was able to reach out to people from another nation. Therefore, God told Joshua to go and defend Gibeon and promised a victory once again. So Joshua led Israel alongside Gibeon and attacked the nations that had gathered against them.

What is truly amazing in this story is not what Joshua, Israel, or Gibeon was able to accomplish in this battle. This story hinges on God’s miracles. God promised victory, but He did not say that the victory would come from the hands of Israel. Israel killed a good amount of the soldiers from these opposing nations, but that is not what won the battle. God sent large hailstones to the ground, killing the soldiers as they fled. Furthermore, He allowed the sun to stand still, for much longer than 24 hours, in order that the battle could be finished.

Yes, Joshua was the military leader and he did request from God that the sun stand still, but the central figure in this story is God. More and more people around the world (or at least that part of the world) were discovering the God of Israel. They may not have like all He was doing, but they knew who He was. His name was spreading throughout the world at a rapid pace. One of the main reasons His name was becoming known was because of what He was doing. He was splitting rivers, raining down hailstones, and holding the sun in place. He was defying all the laws of nature (which He can do since He put those laws in place), and showed the nations that who He truly is. He worked with Israel through their mistakes, and after they repented, He continued to bless them with victory. If we lose sight of God in this story, then we lose sight of the whole meaning of it as well. God is to be obeyed, and those who choose not to will endure His wrath. As for those who obey His commands, life may still be hard, and hard times (such as a league of armies) may come against you, but you can always depend on God and find strength in Him. It may not be easy, and victory may not come immediately, but God will be on your side, and what is better than that?

Matt

Joshua 9

Joshua 9

Once again, it seemed like all was well in Israel. They had now soundly destroyed two major cities in the Promised Land and were ready to move on to their next great battle. They had been so successful that all the nations around them had begun to team up against Israel. The nations were scared that they would be next. They had seen what God had done for Israel up to this point, and they knew that He would take care of them as well. Through their conquest, God’s name was becoming known throughout all the land. The Egyptians, the nations on the eastern side of the Jordan, and the nations in the Promised Land had all discovered Him. They were being destroyed for their disobedience to Him, but He was also giving them a chance to come to Him. Rahab was one of the stories that showed how God was not only reaching out to Israel. Sadly, there were not many Rahab’s in the land, and instead of following God, the nations only continued to reject Him.

In fact, the people who lived in Gibeon developed a scheme to preserve their lands. They really had two choices: start following the God of Israel or continue to live in disobedience and be destroyed by the God of Israel. They chose to remain in their disobedience but took a step further. They disguised themselves and made it look as if they were poor. They then went out to meet Israel and told them that they were travelers from a distant land. Then, instead of actually following God, they lied about their desire to be followers of God. They told of how they had heard of the great things He had done for them and asked to be aligned with Israel. They desired to have a covenant, which would ultimately ensure their protection against Israel’s conquest of the land.

This left Israel with two choices: either investigate the situation some more and decide what to do with the people later on or give in to their suggestions and make a deal. Sadly, Israel made a covenant with this group of people in God’s name. They were quick to use their Law to make a covenant in God’s name, but they neglected to go to Him in the first place. Joshua and the leaders of Israel made the covenant without even asking God for guidance. As a result, they later discovered that they had been tricked. They were able to go around and take the land from some of the other nations that had been aligned with Gibeon, but Gibeon was protected.

Joshua realized his mistake and did his best to resolve the problem. Israel had been told to not align with any nation. They were in the land for one reason only, destruction. They were to completely take over the land, taking care of all the different nations within its boundaries. There were no exceptions. Yet after neglecting to turn to God for help, they found themselves in a position that they should have never been in. They had no choice but to allow Gibeon to stay, but Joshua made them the lowest slaves in the land. The people did not argue, for they were just glad to still be alive, knowing that if they had not tricked Israel, they would have been dead. They agreed to Joshua’s commands, and Joshua was able to make some good out of a costly decision.

The lesson here is to always go to God for guidance. Israel was really confused as to what to do with Gibeon. They did not know the people, did not know if they were telling the truth, and did not know if they could be trusted. Yet instead of going to God, they made what they thought was their best decision. Our finite wisdom can get us in a lot of trouble. Why depend on our wisdom when we can go to the One who has all the answers?

Matt

Joshua 8

Joshua 8

After Israel got back in line with God, or more specifically, after Achan’s sin had been dealt with, God allowed Israel to destroy Ai. The same group of people who had killed 36 Israelites just days before would suffer defeat just like Jericho. God had promised Israel that He would give them the land, which meant that He would grant them victory in each battle they faced. God also required that Israel remain obedient to Him. Achan’s story showed that God was serious about their obedience and that He would punish their disobedience. Since the evil had been dealt with, God once again granted them victory.

So He told Joshua His plan for Ai. He had Joshua send 30,000 men behind the city in hiding to remain for the night. The rest of Israel would then approach the city the next morning, drawing its inhabitants out into the open. Once they thought Israel was fleeing from them, the other 30,000 men would attack and destroy the city and gain victory yet again. No one questioned Joshua. They followed his every instruction. Even though this mission was more dangerous than what they had done to Jericho, Israel followed in obedience. They camped where Joshua told them to, engaged Ai in battle as he had instructed, and fled out of “fear” to distract the inhabitants of Ai. Joshua had given them God’s instructions, and since they followed His instructions, they gained victory over Ai.

The men that were chasing them soon realized that their city had been destroyed, and they had nowhere to turn. Israel was before them and 30,000 Israelite soldiers were behind them. All of the men of Ai were then killed, and Israel had conquered their second city. This time they did as God had instructed in regards to the spoils of the city. God allowed them to take more from Ai than He had from Jericho, and the people did accordingly. The king of Ai was then hung outside the destroyed city and buried with the rest of the rubble after his death.

It would have been easy at this point for Joshua and the Israelites to praise themselves for their incredible victory. They had pulled off a very impressive battle plan. Yet instead of praising themselves, they praised God. Joshua built an altar to God and all of Israel gathered around it. They made sacrifices to God and thanked Him for what He had done for them already. Joshua then wrote the law on some stones and left them in that place so that men could read them there. Finally, he opened up the Book of Law that Moses had given them and reread all of the laws God had given. Just as Moses had done in Deuteronomy for the new generation, Joshua read all of the law to them. It was the same group of people, but it was a new chapter in their lives, and Joshua began that new chapter with God’s Word.

We face victories and defeats all of the time in life. Now obedience does not always lead to victories and defeats to do not always come from only disobedience. Knowing this we must determine why things happen. If we are in a tough time, we should check ourselves and see if we are living in obedience to God’s commands. If we are, then we should hold even tighter to Him and trust that He will eventually see us through that hard time. If we are facing victories, then we should never cease from praising God for those good times in our life. He is the only one who deserves the glory. Finally, we must stay in His Word. The Bible is His written Word to us. It can provide us with comfort and encouragement in those hard times, direction for our lives, and show us how to praise God. We must never neglect to read God’s Word.

Matt

Joshua 7

Joshua 7

After such a great victory in Jericho it seemed as if Israel would have no problem in taking over the rest of the Promised Land. Joshua 7, however, paints a different picture. Achan, a man out of the tribe of Judah took some spoils from their victories that God had told them to destroy. He had disobeyed God’s specific commands. We find out later in the chapter that he was not the only one to do this. So when Israel went to their next city, Ai, God did not grant them victory. Instead, He allowed them to be defeated so that they would once again turn back to Him and realize that He deserves complete obedience, for partial obedience is disobedience.

This story shows that God is the one who is in control in our lives. We may think at times that we are the ones accomplishing great tasks and making life great for ourselves. When life throws us a tough situation and we overcome it, it is easy to be tempted to keep all the praise for ourselves. We must be careful not to forget about the One who is in control, God. He may give us the ability to overcome these tough situations, such as Israel’s defeat of Jericho, but we must in turn praise His name and not our own name. After this defeat, Joshua and Israel fall on their faces before God in repentance saying that they want His name to be glorified. They repent of the sin that had crept into their camp, and ask God for another chance.

God was willing to give them a second chance, but on one condition. They had to fix the mistake that they had made. The spoils that they had taken that God had ordered to be destroyed had to be destroyed before He would grant them His protection again. So the next morning, the nation of Israel was present before Joshua and before God as Joshua sought out who was responsible for that great sin. He went tribe by tribe and then man by man until he found the one responsible, Achan.

Achan confessed that he had taken a few items and hidden them in his tent where he and his family lived. So that signifies that Achan was the one that took them but that others knew about it. After confessing his sin to the nation of Israel and destroying all that he had taken, Joshua ordered that he and his family be stoned to death. Now you might wonder how it was fair for his family to endure the same punishment. They did not take the things, Achan did. The problem with the rest of the people was that they knew about his sin and did nothing about it. They did not confront him about what he had done or gone to a leader to find help in this situation. Instead, they sat on that knowledge and allowed Israel to be defeated at Ai. They allowed God to punish all of Israel for their mistake, and 36 Israelites died as a result. As Jesus taught us in Matthew 18 we should go to our brothers and sisters in Christ and confront them about their sins. We should not do this out of pride and self-righteousness but out of love and humility. We should also expect them to do the same to us if they see us living in a sinful manner. There is a fellowship amongst believers, and we are to live this life together so that God can be glorified through our lives. If we are hiding sin in our lives or hiding the sins of other, then we are not living our lives for the glory of God.

Matt

Joshua 5:13-6:27

Joshua 5:13-6:27

This final scene of Joshua 5 sets the stage for the Fall of Jericho in Joshua 6. This passage, however, is a very confusing passage and goes back to a paper I wrote back at Union. In a class on the doctrine of God, I wrote a paper on who this person that Joshua is speaking with actually is. There is this “angel” that appears to several people throughout the Old Testament: Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, and Samson’s parents. At times it is called an angel, and at other times it is referred to as a man. For Abraham, there were three men. Some believe that this is a pre-incarnate Jesus. Others believe that it was simply a messenger from God, such as an angel. I believe that all these instances cannot be summed up into one solid conclusion. Maybe all the theories are right in their own way. There could have been times that it was an angel, and there could have been times that it was some other messenger. I think each instance has to be taken separately, and in this case, this seems to be an angel.

What is interesting though is this person’s answer to Joshua’s question. He asks if this mysterious person is for them or for their enemies. The messenger’s answer is, no. He states that he is the commander of the Lord’s army. Now in this particular instance, he would have been on Joshua’s side because they were the nation obeying God at that point in history, and they were the nation that was about to go on a conquest, destroying God’s enemies (or those who were following after false gods). But just because he was on Joshua’s side in this instance did not mean that he would always be. This commander of the Lord’s army would be on the side that was following God, therefore his answer was quite appropriate. Another interesting aspect of this scene is how it parallels Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, where Moses was actually speaking with God. In both instances, the men were told to remove their sandals for they were standing on holy ground. Again, this helps show that God had indeed called Joshua to an important role as the leader of Israel, and he was God’s chosen man to replace Moses.

In Joshua 6, Israel begins their campaign to take the Promised Land. Although they had previously been involved in battles, already gaining land, this was their first battle inside the Promised Land. God gives Joshua the instructions for taking over Jericho, and I imagine it was not what Joshua expected. Instead of hearing about some great battle scheme that involved fighting and war, Joshua discovered that they were to walk around the walls for seven days. Now Scripture does not say that Joshua was shocked at this plan or that he questioned God. It is mute on this point, so we must assume that Joshua completely trusted God, no matter how crazy the plan might seem to us. He had been walking with God for quite some time, and we must assume that he did not question God in this plan. Instead, he went straight to his army and told them the plans. Again, Scripture does not say that the questioned the plan either. The people instead did exactly as Joshua instructed. They were at this time in complete obedience, and as a result, Jericho fell on the seventh day.

Rahab and her family were spared as a result of her help when the spies came into the land. God promised to protect her, and the two spies along with Joshua made sure that they found her and her family when the walls came down. She became a part of the nation of Israel and lived with Israel from then on out. Other than Rahab, nothing else but the gold, silver, bronze, and iron remained. This was put into the treasury of the Lord, and everything else was burned to the ground. The Israelites completely obeyed God’s instructions, and it seemed as if the conquest was going to go quickly and easily. Most importantly, God was exalted, and His name was becoming even more well known throughout the land as the other nations discovered that the nation of Israel had taken down Jericho.

Matt

Joshua 4:11-5:12

Joshua 4:11-5:12

Now that the Israelites were on the other side of the Jordan River, God began to put into motion His plans for their conquest. First, He made sure that the people understood the position Joshua held in Israel. He was Moses’ successor, and the people of Israel were to follow him just as they had followed Moses, understanding that he acted on the authority of God. Then, God had Joshua call the priests out of the river basin and up onto the dry land. Immediately, once the priests were all on dry land, the river went back to its original state as if nothing had ever happened. Yet to mark that something had indeed happened at this spot, Joshua collected the twelve stones and constructed an altar to God between the Jordan River and Jericho. This would be a sign to them and to future generations of what God had done for Israel on that day.

Joshua 5 begins by commenting on the reaction of some of the surrounding nations. Reports went out that the Israelites were now near their lands, and the report was that they had crossed through a divided Jordan River. These nations had probably heard the stories of what happened when Israel left Egypt, and many of them were worried about what that meant. Scripture says that “their hearts melted.” This is a way of saying that reality struck them in the face. They understood what it meant that Israel was now in their lands, and they knew that even though Israel was small in number (as in the number of warriors) they were still very powerful. Although they probably did not want to admit it to their people, I bet some of them knew right then that they were as good as defeated.

Joshua’s next task was to circumcise Israel. Circumcision was the sign of the covenant when God originally made the covenant with Abraham. Every male from that point forward had been circumcised. However, the last group to be circumcised had been the generation that came up out of Egypt. The newer generation that was born along the way had not been circumcised by their fathers. So as Israel was beginning life in a new land (really a fresh start for them all), Joshua circumcised all the men of Israel, showing that they were committed to keeping their end of the covenant. This was a sign that they were ready to follow God wherever He led them.

You may have forgotten that the Israelites were still eating manna each day (I had actually forgotten this detail). Although manna has not been mentioned for quite some time in their story, God had not ceased from providing for His children. From the time they began their journey to the time that the entered the Promised Land, God provided manna for them. Here near the end of Joshua 5, it gives the day in which the manna stopped. Israel celebrated their first Passover in the Promised Land just days after they had entered. On that day, they were able to eat of the food of the land. For this reason, the manna was held back. Yet this should not lead us to think that God stopped providing for Israel. Although He was no longer giving them manna, He still had His ways to provide for them and meet their needs. Now that they were in the Promised Land, their provisions came from the food of the land. Remember that God had given them this land, and He had told them on many occasions about all the great things that they would find their (“a land flowing with milk and honey”). Therefore, just because Israel is not being fed manna everyday should not be viewed as if God is no longer providing for them. He was actually providing for them in a much greater way.

Matt

Joshua 3:1-4:10

Joshua 3:1-4:10

After years of waiting (and five books of Scripture), the Israelites cross the Jordan River and enter into the Promised Land in Joshua 3-4. The three days that Joshua gave the Israelites to prepare for their journey had passed, and now he sent those same messengers back to the people with a new message. They told the people that as soon as they saw the Levitical priests carrying the ark through the camp, they were to pack up their things and begin following the ark at a safe distance. That would be their sign that it was time to leave and head for the Promised Land. It was important for Israel to stay behind the ark for God had given Joshua directions, and Israel did not know the way into the land. In some ways this was a test of faith. They were entering a part of the world that none of them had ever seen, and they had to trust that Joshua was not leading them astray and ultimately trust God. In some ways these are the moments when we find it easiest to be excited about what God is doing and to jump right in. Yet in other ways, these are the times when we have the most trouble because we doubt God. We wonder if it is too good to be true and wonder if God will really hold true to His word. We must remember that God always keeps His word, and He will always see us through the major changes of our lives. He has proven it time and time again, and this story is just one of those times.

So God gave Joshua clear instructions on how to cross the Jordan, and He began to exalt Joshua into a place of leadership like that of Moses. God needed the Israelites to completely trust Joshua and follow him, for he was speaking on God’s behalf. He was God’s instrument at the time. Joshua told the Israelites that it was time to cross and he needed one man from each tribe to come forward. They would be the first to enter the river, and when all twelve were standing in the waters, God would split the waters so that Israel could pass through safely. This generation was one generation removed from the splitting of the Red Sea. They had heard the stories, but they had not experienced it themselves. They were about to see God at work in a major way. The priests entered the water, and the Jordan River split, allowing Israel to cross.

I imagine the Israelites trusted God more at this moment than they ever had. They might have been fearful of what was to come, with the battles ahead, but at this moment their faith was probably greater than ever. Sometimes it takes these types of moments to get us back in line with God. The sad thing is that once the river closes in and we are safely on the other side, we gradually forget about what God did. We begin to fall away from God again, and we do not stay on fire for Him. While these moments are good for us to have in life, we should not live for the next great moment to come. We should instead live for God every day, realizing that He is at work even in the small details of our lives. It is not an easy task, but we must daily see where God is at work and join Him there.

As they were passing through, the twelve men who had been selected were commanded to pick up twelve stones from the river and construct an altar to God at their camp. This would be a sign for generations to come to point back to what God had done for Israel on that day. This would be one way to not lose their “spiritual high.” These stones would serve as a reminder of what God had done to them, and they would be able to relive the moment when they saw them or told someone what they meant. It is not always easy to stay on fire for God, but just like Israel, we too can go back to those moments in our life where it was so evident that God was at work. Those moments can serve as encouragement for us to press on in Christ.

Matt

Joshua 2

Joshua 2

So the Israelites had three days to prepare to enter into the Promised Land which gave Joshua just three days to line out his plan of action. He had to be ready for some type of battle when they crossed the river. So he sent some spies into the land to scout it out and figure out some plan of action. But not long after entering the land, they ran into their first problem. Someone spotted them, and I doubt they were glad to see Rahab when they first ran into her.

It is amazing that God had this planned out all along, but the spies were probably wondering if they had gotten in over their heads when a prostitute took them in for the night. In that initial encounter, I bet they were scared that they had been found out and were going to be handed over to the king. Yet Rahab stood up for them, and not because she was going to gain anything from the encounter. She did it because she knew it was the right thing to do. She did not only hide the spies in her house, but she also lied to the guards by saying that they had already left the city. Rahab knew something was up, and she knew which side she wanted to be on.

There is only one way to God, and that is through Jesus, but people arrive at that knowledge in different ways. Some see the evidence in the lives of others and question their faith. Others are presented with the Gospel and begin to believe through that encounter. While others encounter Scripture or church on their own through their own personal journey and come to God. For Rahab, it was the first. She had heard of what happened in Egypt. She saw what happened to the kingdoms on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Now she was confident that the Lord of the Israelites was the real deal. She knew that her city was on the wrong side of the battle, and she wanted to know more about this God the Israelites served. To do that, she began by hiding the spies.

This led to an arrangement between her and the Israelites, and this is a great picture of how God was redeeming people from all nations unto Himself, not just Israel. They promised before God that when they came to destroy Jericho, they would be sure not to do anything to her household. They would protect her family because of how she had protected them. Rahab would receive a blessing from the Lord. God used a non-Israelite to help preserve His people. As the Old Testament continues, there will be more and more foreigners who play pivotal roles in Israel’s story. Rahab is one of the first.

The Israelites escaped the land and were more confident than ever that God had given the land into their hands. Through that moment of protection, those men saw the awesome power of God. They knew that He had been watching over them during those days, and they were convinced that He would do the same when their entire nation entered the land during the conquest. So they reported to Joshua that they were ready to enter into the Promised Land, knowing that God was on their side.

So this raises an important question for us. Do we really believe that God is redeeming people from all walks of life and all nations today? Scripture says that all the nations will hear the Gospel before He comes back, and it shows us that God loves all people: poor, rich, sick, healthy, etc. Therefore we should not exclude anyone from having the opportunity to hear the Gospel. We are all equally sinful in God’s eyes, and we need to get over our prejudices and fears and just share Christ with those around us. You never know what influence a person might have on others. Therefore, we should not hesitate to share our faith with everyone we meet.

Matt

Joshua 1

Joshua 1

God does not hesitate with Joshua. From the start of this book, God begins preparations to get His children across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. Now the end of Deuteronomy said that Israel went through their 30 days of mourning in Moab, so it was at least 30 days separating the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of Joshua. It was probably not much longer after this, however, that God spoke to Joshua about Israel’s next set of instructions.

As He had told Moses (and the rest of Israel’s ancestors) on many occasions, God explained to Joshua where the Promised Land was. He told Joshua about the boundaries and how He would give them all the land that they stepped foot on. God was preparing Joshua for a major task, and so He also reminded Joshua of His presence. One of the major themes of the book of Joshua is trusting God, not being fearful or cowardly. God had previously told Joshua to be strong and courageous, back when he was being commissioned as the next leader of Israel. Now Moses is dead, and Joshua does not have that extra support from a man he looked up to. Yes, God should always be enough for us, but Joshua probably felt more alone than ever without Moses’ leadership in his life. God reassured him that he would be fine if he trusted in God and followed all His commands. The Law was Israel’s authority, and if Joshua expected the Israelites to follow it, then he had to make sure he was living according to the Law first.

After meeting with God and getting his first set of instructions, Joshua did not hesitate to start setting things in motion. He immediately went to the officers of Israel and asked them to get everyone ready to leave. He told them that they would be crossing the Jordan River in three days. 9 ½ of the tribes had to get all of their possessions together so that they would have all that they needed in their new home. They were just one final leg away from the end of their journey. The other 2 ½ tribes had already made it to their portion of the Promised Land on the eastern side of the Jordan River. However, they acquired that land on a condition. God agreed to give them the land as long as they helped their brothers acquire their land as well. Israel had fought hard to gain these 2 ½ tribes the land they owned, and so they were expected to return the favor. Joshua made sure that all that had been commanded under Moses’ leadership was fulfilled. So the women and children of these 2 ½ tribes remained in their homes as their men packed up with the rest of Israel.

This being Joshua’s first set of instructions to the nation of Israel, he probably wondered how they would respond to his leadership. It is hard to be the one who follows such a great leader. Moses’ had set such a high bar for leadership. Although he had messed up just like everyone else, he had been well respected by all of Israel, and God had used in mighty ways. Joshua was probably wondering if he could live up to Moses’ leadership. Yet Israel responded in a positive manner. They told Joshua that they respected his role of leadership and that they would follow him just as they had followed Moses. They trusted that God had put him in that position, and they knew that they had to follow his commands, because God was speaking through him. They were even bold enough to say that if any of them did not listen, they should be put to death. In the opening chapter of Joshua, we see a united nation, a nation ready to follow God, follow Joshua, and conquer the land. Instead of crumbling after the death of a great leader, Israel was strengthened and ready to follow God into their next journey.

Matt

Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12

Deuteronomy 32:48-34:12

The end of Deuteronomy 32 explains how Moses will die. Because of his disobedience in the wilderness, God promised that he would no longer be able to enter into the Promised Land. However, God did want Moses to at least see it. So He commanded Moses to go up a nearby mountain so that he could gaze into the Promised Land before he died. Moses is a great example for us to live by in so many ways. He followed God even when everyone around him was living in disobedience. He allowed God to use him even when the future seemed uncertain and difficult. He stood in the face of opposition many times because he knew he was standing with God. Yet Moses was a sinner, just like us, and he had a weak moment as well. His moment of disobedience came in the wilderness, and because of it he lost his privilege to enter into the land. We can learn so much from Moses, especially from how he led Israel so faithfully. We can also learn from Moses’ life that God does not tolerate disobedience, so we must be careful to remain faithful to Him.

Before his death, Moses’ final words to Israel were a blessing to each tribe. He commended those who had done well. He gave instructions to others. He told them what they needed to do in the Promised Land, which was primarily to remain obedient to God. He praised God for who He is and all He had done for them up to that point. Moses knew that they were about to enter the land. He had no doubt in his mind about that. So he encouraged them to remember that God would continue to be with them. There was no enemy too great and no obstacle that could get in their way. Through obedience to God’s commands, they would be able to conquer every nation that stood in their way, for they would have God on their side.

Finally, in Deuteronomy 34, Moses went up the mountain to see the land. He saw the inheritance of each tribe, and then he died. God told him that the promise He had made to Abraham so many years before would indeed be fulfilled in the coming days. So Moses died in peace, knowing that he had done his best to follow God’s commands and knowing that Israel was still in good hands. Joshua rose up as the new leader of Israel, and immediately the people turned to him for guidance. Moses had asked them to follow Joshua just as they had followed him, for Joshua had been called out by God to be the new leader. It was not Joshua’s choice; it was not Moses’ choice. God was the one who had decided to use Joshua in this next phase of their history. Joshua had responded in obedience to God’s call, and now it was time for Israel to do the same. In following Joshua’s commands, they were following God. We can do the same by following those whom God has put in authority over us. We may not always like it, but if they are following God, and if God has put them in that position, then we should not hesitate to do as they say. That is where Israel was as they stood on the eastern side of the Jordan River ready to enter into the Promised Land.

Matt

Deuteronomy 31:30-32:47

Deuteronomy 31:30-32:47

The song that God gave Moses to teach Israel is now given in Deuteronomy 32. The beginning of the song begins by singing praises to God. Moses declares just a few of things that God is, calling Him just, faithful, and sinless. He then describes how Israel has treated Him. Now remember this song was to be taught to them so that future generations could go back to it once they had turned away from God. God knew that His people would begin following after other gods, which is the reason He was giving them this song, so that they would recognize their mistakes and turn back to Him. So in a way this song is more prophetic and was not as relevant to the people that Moses had taught it to. However, it was also a good reminder for them to remain obedient to God and not go astray.

It becomes more obvious that this was written for future generations when Moses begins saying that they should look to their fathers who have inherited the land. At this point in their history, they were still on the outskirts of the land, waiting to enter. So again, it is talking about a future rebellion. But at the same time this song also fulfills God’s promise. God is the one who gave this song to Moses, and it is a small reminder to Israel that He is going to remain faithful and that they are going to inherit the land soon. His faithfulness is then shown in a listing of what He had already done for them. The song points back to their times in Egypt and the wilderness. It shows how even through their disobedience, God cared for and provided for them. He continued to draw them to Himself, and at this point He had a people who were truly following Him.

The future generations that will be born in and grow up in the Promised Land will not know how life was outside the land. They would have only been told of the stories. Just like the current generation did not know what life was like in Egypt, future generations would not know what it was like in the wilderness. As a result, they would turn away from their God and start following after new gods that their fathers had never known. So God sent them a warning in this song, promising them that when those things happened, He would rain down punishment. They would be overtaken by foreign nations, endure horrific disasters, endure famine and diseases, and see war. All this would happen so that they would realize that the false gods they had followed were no god at all. God would use these hard times to draw Israel back to Himself.

Now although we know that all these events actually happened, that is if we continue reading the Books of History, Israel had hope that they would remain faithful. Moses and Joshua asked them to use this song as a warning, hoping to encourage them to remain faithful in the land. Moses then promised them that as long as they remained obedient to God, they would prosper in the Promised Land. However, if they turned from Him, these judgments would come.

Matt

Deuteronomy 31:9-29

Deuteronomy 31:9-29

As Deuteronomy 31 continues, we see one of the reasons why the Feast of Booths was important. Once Israel crossed into the Promised Land, they would not be able to gather together in one large group, something that they had probably grown accustomed to. The land was so large, that they would be spread out with miles between each tribe. In fact, some tribes would live on the eastern side of the Jordan River once the land had been conquered. This is why the Feast of Booths would be significant. It would be a time in which all of Israel could gather together as one and worship God. So Moses asked them to read the law, which he had just finished reading, at this time. It would be an opportunity for the new Israelites to hear the law for the first time and a great reminder to everyone else about what God commanded of them.

The rest of Deuteronomy 31 is devoted to the transfer of power from Moses to Joshua. Moses’ days were drawing to a close, so God called both him and Joshua into the tabernacle to commission Joshua for service. But when God began to speak, it was not about Joshua. Instead, he told both of them what Israel was about to do. This is a perfect example of God’s foreknowledge. He knows everything that is going to happen in our lives before it happens. That is why nothing ever surprises God. He has a plan for our lives because He knows how it will turn out in the end. So He told Moses and Joshua that Israel was about to turn their backs on Him. Those laws where God laid out the punishments and curses for disobedience would have to be enacted. In one way, God was preparing Joshua for what was to come, for he might actually see some of their disobedience. Ultimately though, God was speaking about years after Joshua when Israel would turn from God and be taken into Exile. So God gave Moses a song to write for the Israelites to remind them of who God is so that when they enter into those times of disobedience, they would be reminded of God.

Then God commissioned Joshua as the new leader of Israel. He promised that he would be the one to take the Israelites into the land, but even better than that, He promised that He would be with Joshua through it all. Joshua knew that those hard times would indeed come one day. He knew that being the leader of Israel was not a small, easy task. He also knew that God would be with him, and with Him, He had nothing to fear.

Finally, Moses finishes writing down all that he had told Israel. The Book of the Law, which we now know as the Pentateuch, or first five books of the Bible, was complete. He gave it to the Levites to put with the ark, so that they would continue to have the law in the years to come. Moses then gave them one final warning. He told them that he knew that they would become disobedient in the days ahead. Moses had seen this first hand during his time as Israel’s leader. He feared what Israel would become after his death, but he knew that God had a plan, and that God would continue to be with His children through it all.

Matt

Deuteronomy 30:11-31:8

Deuteronomy 30:11-31:8

The conclusion of this long section about the Law is found at the end of Deuteronomy 30 and just happens to be the verse that has pretty much always been at the top of this blog. Moses concludes his long speech by clearly laying out two choices for Israel. First he explains how it is not hard to keep the Law. God was not asking some ridiculous task from the Israelites. He was simply asking for obedience. Sure, He had given them quite a long list of commands, but many of them were practically common sense. The others were doable, and none of them require too much of Israel, especially considering what God had already done for them. The same is true for us today. In some ways we might have it easier than Israel in that we do not have to keep up with all the different commands about sacrifices and offerings. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, that portion of the Law has been replaced. Yet because of what Jesus did on the cross, we should be even more careful about keeping the laws that God has given us. Our obedience is one way that we thank God for what He has done for us.

Moses then gives Israel the two choices one last time: life or death. God promised that for those who kept the Law and were careful to obey Him would have life and blessings. For those who chose to disobey God, He would give them death and curses. There was no gray area between these two choices either. They could not keep part of the Law, or the parts that they like the most. They had to keep all of the Law. In the same way, we have a choice under the New Covenant. We can either choose life, that is Jesus or choose death, that is rejecting Jesus. We should still remain obedient to His commands, but when we choose Jesus, to obey and follow Him, obedience should become our nature. We will still sin, but our desire from that point forward should be to remain obedient to our Lord. So just like Moses gave Israel, we have a choice as well: life or death. Will you choose to believe in, trust, and follow Jesus or will you choose to reject Him and endure the consequences?

The story continues in Deuteronomy 31 with a transfer of leadership. Moses, now 120 years old realizes that his time as Israel’s leader is drawing to a close. He knows that the time of their entrance into the Promised Land is not far away, which means that his death is close as well. Because of his disobedience on the way to the Promised Land, God stripped him of his chances of entering into the land. Moses accepted the punishment, but instead of being angry with God, he turned his life around and continued to serve God to the best of his ability. Although he knew that God would not change his mind, Moses knew it was far more important to be obedient to God.

So Moses gave Israel one last charge, reminding them of what God had done to the nations on the eastern side of the Jordan River. Some of the tribes already had their possession. Moses assured Israel that when they began to conquer the land on the western side, God would give them the same power and protection. He would overthrow those nations as well, ultimately giving them the land. So Moses encouraged them to obey God and listen to their new leader, Joshua. A theme that will come up in Joshua begins here at the end of Deuteronomy. In the face of large tasks and overwhelming odds, it is easy to become discouraged and give up. Moses encouraged both Joshua and Israel to find confidence in God. He told them to be strong and courageous, having no fear, even if the numbers end up being stacked against them. God will provide, and they can find their strength in Him. This should serve as encouragement to us as well. We may seem like the odds are against us at times or that we will never make it through life’s latest challenge. Like Israel, we can always turn to God, and He will be our source of strength.

Matt

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10

Deuteronomy 29:1-30:10

So Israel was on the edge of the Promised Land in Deuteronomy 29, and Moses gave them one final summary about the covenant that God had made with them. He reminded them one final time of where they had come from and where they had been as a nation. He reminded them of all that God had done when they left Egypt and traveled toward the Promised Land. He told them about how their ancestors had disobeyed God and wandered in the wilderness for forty years, but he also reminded them of how God had provided for them even in that time. So he warned them of the danger of falling away from God, telling them that there would surely be consequences if they drifted from God. God had dealt with His children in severe ways in the past and would most definitely do that again if the need arose. Therefore, it was important for Israel to be sure to hold up their end of the covenant so that God would be glorified through them. This would also proclaim God to the nations.

But just as in Deuteronomy 28, God knew that there would be times in which Israel would become disobedient, so He set forward a series of curses. These curses were a form of discipline and punishment for Israel’s disobedience (if the need ever arose, which we will find out will). The good news, however, is that God does not end it with punishment and wrath. He in turn offers up in love a chance for forgiveness. Although He was serious about punishing His children for their disobedience, He was also ready to forgive them and draw them back to Himself if they came to Him in repentance. So God promised Israel in Deuteronomy 30 that if they ever found themselves in a state of disobedience and they had been taken away from all the promises and blessings that God had given them, then they could come back to Him in repentance and He would forgive them and move on. He would be willing to start over with them if they truly sought to be obedient to Him again.

This offer of forgiveness is prophetic in two distinct ways. First, we have seen how God has alluded to Israel’s eventual disobedience and their exile already. Now, in Deuteronomy 30, He seems to allude to their eventual return to the Promised Land and the rebuilding of the temple and the city. Secondly, this also seems to illustrate what Christ does for us under the New Covenant. Now although we do not lose our salvation when we are disobedient to Christ’s commands, our relationship is temporarily damaged. We are not in fellowship with Christ as we should be when we are living in sin, and this not only hurts our relationship with Him, but also with those around us. People will notice the difference and we will be hurting our reputation in this lost world. The good news is that Christ does not go anywhere. We may drift off in sin for a time, but we can always find Christ right beside us, waiting for us to turn to Him for forgiveness. He will indeed forgive us, for if we are Christians, He already has. We can come back to Him and restore that relationship, and He will continue to stay by our side just like always.

Matt

Deuteronomy 28:15-68

Deuteronomy 28:15-68

After telling Israel about the blessings they would receive for their obedience, Moses closes out this section of Deuteronomy by reminding them once again of the consequences of not following God’s commands. Expounding on what he already mentioned in Deuteronomy 27, Moses outlines how every aspect of their lives will be affected by their disobedience. Remember that one of the blessings God promised them was to make them a great nation over all the other nations in the world. It would be through Israel that He would bless everyone else. So the opposite of this promise is Israel’s destruction. If Israel became disobedient to God’s commands, then He promised to send in these other nations into the Promised Land to destroy Israel. As a result, every aspect of their lives would be changed. Their physical bodies would endure pain, their crops and livestock would not produce as much as it once had, their homes and towns would be destroyed, they would be removed from their lands, and these other nations would gain control.

God had big plans for Israel, and He needed them to remain obedient so that He could work through them. Now understand that His plans are not dependant on us. God can accomplish anything He wants to and is powerful enough to overcome any of our shortfalls; He proves this time and time again in Scripture. God, however, chooses to use us in His plans, and that is what He was doing through Israel. To make sure that they remained faithful, the law had to be established, and so that they would remain obedient, these consequences or curses had to be outlined as well.

Deuteronomy 28 is somewhat prophetic. It mentions that Israel will one day have a king, stating that Israel would set a king over themselves. There would come a day when Israel would reject God as their king and request to have an earthly king like the rest of the nations. It also mentions that a nation far away, a nation with a different language, will come in and take over. This will later be seen when both kingdoms of Israel fall to nations that would come out of the East.

Moses wraps this all up in the closing verses, stressing why it is so important that they remain obedient. The promise that God originally made to Abraham was to make him a great nation, with numbers as many as the stars in the heavens. Here, God promises that if they do not remain obedient, He will reverse that blessing. Instead of being quite numerous in the world, they will be decimated to just a few. Instead of receiving God’s protection and blessings, such as they had since the time that they left Egypt, God would reign down the same amount of curses. Instead of leaving them in the Promised Land as one united nation, they would be scattered across the entire world. Instead of being free, they would once again become slaves. God grants so much freedom to His children, and the least that we can do is obey His commands. When we decide to live in sin, we are basically telling God that we do not care what He has done for us. We end up taking for granted all of the blessings that God has given us. Like Israel, God will also reign down curses on us, maybe not in the same way that He had promised Israel, but curses will come just the same. Yet even in the midst of this we see God’s love. God uses discipline to draw us back to Him. As we will soon see how Israel ended up in Exile, we will also see how they came back to God.

Matt

Deuteronomy 27:1-28:14

Deuteronomy 27:1-28:14

Moses’ speech continues in Deuteronomy 27, but the focus is no longer on the long lists of laws that the Israelites were expected to keep. Moses now shifts to the results of obedience and disobedience. First, he tells the Israelites that when they cross the Jordan they must immediately build an altar to God, lest they forget how they entered the land. Moses did not want them to lose sight of who was really in control. It was not anything that they had done from the time that they lived in Egypt to the time that they would enter the land. If it was on account of their actions, they would have never made it. They constantly disobeyed God, doubted God’s leadership, and tried to do things their own way. Despite all their struggles and moments of disobedience, God remained faithful to the promise He had made and was ready to lead them into the Promised Land. Therefore, Moses wanted to make sure that they understood who was leading them there, and that He would get all the praise and glory for it.

The remainder of Deuteronomy 27 lists a series of curses. God expected obedience from His children, which is quite obvious from the last several chapters, but how can there be obedience if there are not also consequences for disobedience. If we were given a series of instructions, and these instructions would cause us to not be able to enjoy our favorite hobby or activity, would we follow these instructions if there was not a set of consequences? I would dare say that we would not. Since there are no consequences, we have no reason to follow the instructions, and we would end up doing exactly what we would want to do rather than obey the person in authority over us. Therefore, God had to give Israel a series of consequences so that they would understand why they should obey. Now obviously, when it comes to God we should want to obey Him no matter what. He is not just some ordinary hobby or activity; He should be our life! We should want to obey Him period; however, this is not always the case. We are all tempted, and we all fall, and when we do, God has laid out consequences.

Just as there were consequences for disobedience, there were also blessings for obedience. Once again, we should want to obey God anyways, but God promised the Israelites that they would be blessed if they were careful to follow His commands. Deuteronomy 28 lays out what those blessings would like. The biggest blessing mentioned is found in the opening verses. God promised Israel that if they would remain obedient to Him that He would make them greater than any other nation on earth. They were the nation that God was using to reach all the rest. God had specifically chosen them for this task. They were the light to the other nations, and the other nations would see God through them if they chose to remain obedient.

We tend to want to disregard the long lists of laws in the Old Testament thinking that they no longer apply. In reality, many of them do not apply anymore because they were given specifically to Israel under the Old Covenant. I wonder then how many people would want to say that the beginning of Deuteronomy 28 does not apply any longer either. Probably not many. The reason for this is that everyone wants to be blessed. We tend to think today that as long as we follow God, our lives will be easy and prosperous. We will not ever have to worry about anything in life because will supernaturally take care of any of our problems and worries. The reality is, however, that this is not true. We experience difficulties just like anyone else. It would be easy to try and apply the beginning of Deuteronomy 28 to our lives today and say that God is going to make us the most prosperous and wealthiest people on the earth due to our obedience, but I wonder if this only applied to the situation that Israel was in at the time. Maybe this promise of blessing was for them so that God could use them to reach out to the other nations. Nowhere in the New Testament under the New Covenant do we see that being a Christian will bring us prosperity. On the contrary, we see people being persecuted and suffering. Now do not get me wrong and think that God no longer blesses us, because He certainly does! But do not think that being a Christian will bring about a perfect life either. We are still blessed, just in different ways. We may not be made the greatest among the nations like Israel had been promised, but we have a Savior who is with us through every situation in life, the good and the bad. He provides for us, protects us, and stays with us through it all, and we can always call on Him when we need Him. That is the greatest blessing we could ever have, Jesus!

Matt

Dooley Time!

Well last weekend was the start of the NCAA College Football Season, and I started it off by going to Knoxville! We went to the season opener at Neyland Stadium and watched the Vols take on UT Martin. It was one of the most exciting games I have ever been to, not because of the competition level, but because of the significance of the game. I've seen Tennessee beat Florida, Alabama, and Arkansas (in 6 or 7 overtimes). I have seen Tennessee blow out teams in season openers before, and those go down as some of the best games that I have seen. I watched Peyton Manning, Chad Clifton, and several others play football at Tennessee. But this game was neat because it was my favorite football team (Tennessee) playing my hometown college (UT Martin).

Now no one really expected UTM to come away with a win, although it would have been quite a story if that had of happened, but most people expected a pretty good game. I honestly expected UTM to score at least once and possibly put up a fight in the first half. Just 2 seasons ago, UTM gave Auburn quite a game, almost winning the game. But Tennessee came out fighting and although they had their share of rookie/first game mistakes, they put on a good show. No one really knows what to expect from Tennessee this year. We are a new team, with a new quarterback, and several first time players. There is also a new coach, Derek Dooley. Although we still do not know what to expect for the rest of the season, the first game went off well and gave Tennessee fans hope for the season. The true test will come this Saturday when we play Oregon. It could end ugly, but with it being in Neyland Stadium and with people not knowing what to expect, Tennessee could pull off the upset.

Also this weekend, the NFL season begins. Tonight is the season opener. The Saints will take on the Vikings, and although I am not a Saints fan and was not pulling for them in the Super Bowl last season, I hope they beat the Vikings tonight. I want Favre to start this season off with a loss. Then if the Packers can win on Sunday, we will have a 1 game lead on them. It should be an exciting weekend of football with the NFL opener, the Packers game on Sunday, and 2 Monday Night Football games. Plus Tennessee plays in a big game, and the end of the regular season for NASCAR is Saturday night at Richmond. This weekend will be all about sports for me.

Matt

Deuteronomy 25:5-26:19

Deuteronomy 25:5-26:19

As this long section of laws begins to come to a close, the next topic discussed is that of marriage. This time the issue is what to do when a woman’s husband dies. One problem here is that she would be alone if no one took her as their new wife, and another problem is that her first husband’s name would be lost if they had had no son. Therefore, the responsibility fell on the shoulders of the husband’s brother (if he had one), and they would then take the woman as their wife, and if they had a son, he would be named after the first husband. This is a very technical process, but it shows God’s provision. This was God’s way of providing for a woman who lost her husband so that she would not be alone in the world and so that she would be able to survive. So like any other law, there were consequences when this process was not followed. If the man did not want to take the woman as his wife, then a curse was put on his household by the woman, and justice was served. Even in these cultural laws that do not apply to us today, we can see the importance of obedience. God expects us to obey Him in all aspects of life.

The final verses of Deuteronomy 25 offer up a few final commands that fall into the same category as the ones mentioned at the end of Deuteronomy 23 and the end of Deuteronomy 24. It is one last list of miscellaneous laws, and the above application applies to these just as it does to any other law given by God.

The final chapter of laws is Deuteronomy 26. God gives the Israelites a few final instructions on what they shall do once they enter the Promised Land. The Promised Land was a gift from God given to Israel to fulfill the covenant that God had made with Abraham in Genesis 12. Since then, throughout Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, God has been showing Israel His power, His love, His protection, His provision, and Himself. He has been with them every step of the way, making it possible for them to inherit the land. Despite their shortcomings along the way, God has remained faithful. Therefore, He requests in Deuteronomy 26 that Israel show their gratitude for all He has done by giving Him the first fruits of the land, what we would think of as a tithe. God gives us so much in life. He provides for and protects us just like He did for Israel, and we can always depend on Him to be there with us every step of the way. If Israel was expected to give back to God for all that He had done for them, then shouldn’t we be willing to do the same? Instead of being selfish with our money and time, we must come to a point where we are willing to give back to God. Giving for the sake of giving is not what God wants. He wants us to give out of a willing heart. If we truly are His children, then that should become very natural to us, and it is the least we can do for our God who has given us so much!

Matt

Deuteronomy 23:15-25:4

Deuteronomy 23:15-25:4

Another set of miscellaneous laws is given at the end of Deuteronomy 23. Once again they seem to focus on how we are to treat our neighbors. From how to treat the property of others to not charging interest to our brothers and sisters, these verses continue to show how Israel was supposed to live in unity. But even more important than treating each other with respect, they were also to treat God with respect. In doing so, God did not want them making vows to Him if they did not have any intention in keeping their word. How many times do we try to bargain with God? The question is do we ever intend to hold up our side of the bargain? Furthermore, will God respond to that type of prayer? It is best to follow His commands from the start, and live a life that honors Him. Then, with whatever happens in life, good or bad, we will know that God is looking out for us, and He will remain with us through the good times and the bad.

Divorce is the next topic discussed, and it only mentions one particular situation in Deuteronomy 24. Does this mean that there was only one situation in which divorce was permitted? I am not sure how to take this discussion without looking also at Matthew 19. Obviously, God would rather no man seek divorce, for marriage is a binding covenant between two people, but since sin is in the world, divorce is an unfortunate reality. So when a relationship did come to this point, God gave the Israelites a certain set of instructions. In Deuteronomy 24, the only situation mentioned is that of taking a woman back to be your wife after you have previously divorced her and she has remarried. God strictly commanded them not to do this. So as for the divorce itself, it seems to be permitted, although probably not suggested, but even in divorce, Israel was to remain obedient to God.

Moses next lists a much longer list of miscellaneous laws, and much of what was mentioned about then of Deuteronomy 23 applies here as well. It would take too long to discuss each individual law; however, the fact that they are not specifically grouped with another set of laws does not lessen their importance. God expected the Israelites to follow all of the commands that He was giving them, and all together, these first five books of the Bible gave an outline of what God expected from His people. In general, they taught Israel how to love God and as a result love others. Their love for God was shown through their obedience to all of His commands, and their love for others was shown in how they treated them. If they followed God’s commands, then their neighbors would notice that they were being treated with respect. There are just a few more chapters about the Law, and then Moses will transition into the final section of this book.

Matt

Deuteronomy 22:1-23:14

Deuteronomy 22:1-23:14

The first half of Deuteronomy 22 deals with a variety of laws that really do not fit in any other category. The laws range from strange cattle to how to dress to what to do when you find a nest on the ground. Some of these laws were just customs of the day that we do not necessarily practice today. Some of these laws, although not practiced today, provide some practical ways of living. In general, this set of laws continues off of Deuteronomy 21 on how we should be sure that we treat others honorably and with respect.

The second half of Deuteronomy 22 deals with sexual immorality. Again, I am not going to go into great detail about each law that is mentioned in this section, but there are some general principles we can learn from these verses. Once again, we see the importance of treating each other with respect, and this most definitely applies in these types of situations. God demanded holiness from His children, and He particularly expected holiness in marriage. We see in the midst of these verses laws about being honest with one another, laws dealing with relationships, laws about purity, and laws about rape. These last few chapters have stressed the importance of treating one another with respect, and in the area of sexual relations, this is all the more important.

The opening verses of Deuteronomy 23 are more historical and cultural in nature than anything else. It is a listing of who can and who cannot enter into the assembly of the Lord. Due to the way different groups of people had treated God or His Laws, certain people were not allowed to enter into the assembly. It is rather hard to find an application for these verses, but one thing that they do seem to be stressing is the importance of obedience. In the cases of many of these people, it was due to their disobedience that they were not allowed to enter into the assembly of the Lord.

The next set of laws stress the importance of cleanliness in the camp. The Israelites had to have a place outside of the camp where they could go when they had been declared as “unclean.” The reason for this practice was to keep the camp itself clean. God was walking through the camp, dwelling with His children. For that reason, He expected the Israelites to keep the camp clean and holy for Him. For those of us who are Christian, God lives inside of us. If Israel was commanded to keep their camp clean, don’t you think we ought to strive to keep our bodies and our lives clean and holy before God? Our body is the temple of God, and we should strive daily to be holy before Him.

Matt

Deuteronomy 21

Deuteronomy 21

There have already been a few discussions on how to deal with murder and what the punishments should be for intentional and unintentional murder. Deuteronomy 21 brings forth a new situation. If anyone was found out in the open dead, then the city closest by was to make atonement for that person to avenge for their death. We have to remember that in this day there was no such thing as C.S.I., and there was no way of determining who might have killed this man, or if he was killed at all. Therefore, other provisions were made to honor the person who was dead. Obviously there was an appreciation for human life embedded in this law. Even in their death, these people were to be honored and not just tossed to the side. If they took this much effort to honor someone who had died, how much more of an effort should we make to treat our brothers and sisters in this life with honor?

Generally, God commanded the Israelites to stay away from the other nations, forbidding intermarrying. But these laws are generally seen when a single person or a small group enter into another nation. The next portion of Deuteronomy 21 presents a different situation. What about when just one of those women from the other nation enters into your household? After conquering a city, the Israelites were allowed to bring a woman in, but they were to wait for a period of time before they made her their wife. Furthermore, it was forbidden to treat her wrongfully or make her a slave. She would be a stranger in their land, and they were commanded to at the very least treat her with respect. Remember that God’s mission is to bring all nations to Himself so that they can all worship Him. By treating this woman wrongly, what message would that send her, and would she ever consider worshipping the God of Israel? In the same way, we must think carefully about how we treat those among us who may be different in a number of ways. Ultimately, we should be seeking to bring others to Christ, for His glory, so we must think carefully about how we treat those around us.

The next section also continues this theme of treating people honorably or with respect. The example given here is a man giving his firstborn what he deserves, no matter the situation. Even if his firstborn is from a wife that he no longer loves, he is not allowed to treat his son wrongly. A promise is a promise, and it does not matter what the situation, we should always uphold our end of the bargain. Again, we must be the example of Christ in the world, and if we are known for breaking promises or being dishonest, then what message does that send to others?

As the chapter comes to a close we find a rather disturbing passage on discipline. First off, you will be thankful that discipline is not practiced this way any longer. However, this does show the importance of being obedient to those who have authority over us, like our parents. God obviously thought that obedience to our parents was important, because in this set of commands, He permitted the stoning of a rebellious child who had no interest in obeying his parents. The point here was to show the importance of obedience and show that there was no room for evil acts in Israel.

Finally, the chapter ends with a very prophetic set of verses. The passage itself talks about how it was an abomination to leave a man to die on a tree (such as through hanging). There was no law against this sort of punishment, but once the man was dead, he was not to be left on the tree. Instead, he was to be buried immediately. Thousands of years later, Israel’s Messiah would die in this manner. Although it would not be a hanging, Jesus died nailed to a tree. According to the law of Israel, this is a curse, and it shows how much Jesus endured on the cross. He took all our sin and shame and punishment on Himself! We should always be thankful for what Jesus endured to bring us salvation, and we should never cease from praising Him!

Matt

Deuteronomy 19:15-20:20

Deuteronomy 19:15-20:20

The end of Deuteronomy gives another discussion on the importance of having more than one witness in a situation. Every believer has the responsibility to look out for their brothers, whether that be to stand by them in their time of need, such as persecution, or to confront them in the midst of sin. In this passage the focus is on the danger of bringing a false witness. Whether it is one, two, or a group of people, there were consequences of those who falsely accused someone of some wrong doing. We saw earlier that the reason for having more than one witness was to prevent false accusations, but as we see here, those false accusations were still possible. Therefore, God was sure to warn the Israelites of such an instance, showing how important honesty is. Bringing false testimony not only harms your reputation, but it will also harm the reputation of the one you are accusing. There is no room in the family of God for such an offense.

The next chapter introduces a new set of laws that deal specifically with the conquest that Israel was about to embark on. God laid out a series of laws that dealt specifically with warfare. After reminding them that He will be by their side through all their battles (meaning that they would have no reason to fear no matter how bad the odds looked), God explained how they should go about the conquest. What is interesting is that He does not tell them to go into the land and start killing. These nations that they were about to encounter had defied God in many ways. They worshipped other gods and did not follow His commands, and yet God was willing to give them one more chance. As we will continue to see over and over again throughout Scripture, God has a heart for the nations, not just Israel. He was using Israel to reach out to these other nations on many occasions. In this situation, God wanted Israel to first offer terms of peace to the various cities. If they accepted the truce, then they would become slaves to Israel. This would allow Israel to have a positive effect on that group of people, hopefully showing them where they had faltered (in worshipping false gods) and who they needed to follow. On the other hand, if they were not willing to make peace, then Israel was commanded to go in and destroy the city. This was to protect Israel from being influenced by their false religions. God had only one thing in mind, drawing the nations to Himself. This could only be done through complete destruction or through the positive influence of Israel on the nations. There was no room for compromise.

This discussion has implications for us today. It is so easy to be influenced by the ways of the world. Like Israel, we must constantly be on guard, knowing that God is right by our side, in the different situations that will confront us in life. When a situation arises, we too have two choices. We can either confront the situation, trying to turn it over for good, and hopefully be able to be a good influence in that situation, and give it to God, or we can let it rule us and end up finding ourselves in a situation of compromise. We must not let the second option become reality. We are called to be the salt and light of the earth, directing people to God so that they might know Him and worship Him. Therefore, we cannot afford to let those situations, confrontations, or temptations gain victory over us. There is too much at stake to let that happen.

Matt