Israel Chooses to Serve the Lord

Joshua 24 (KJV)

Joshua gathered all the Children of Israel to Shechem for a message from God. The message reviewed Israel's descendents before Abraham who 'served other gods' to Israel's present state in the Promised Land.

Israel was given the word not to serve other gods as their ancestors did, but to serve the Lord. Joshua said, "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (v. 15). Israel replied to Joshua, "God forbid that we should forsake the Lord, to serve other gods...(v. 16)[.] Israel acknowledged that it was God who delivered them from Egypt and throughout their journey to Canaan. God had done good for Israel. Yet, Joshua warned them, "If ye forsake the Lord, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good" (v. 20). The people chose to serve the Lord.

"So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the Lord which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance" (vs. 25-28).

"And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-serah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the Lord, that he had done for Israel" (vs. 29-31).

"And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim" (vs. 32,33).

Joshua Calls Israel for Meeting

Joshua 23 (KJV)

A long time had passed while Israel was at rest from their enemies. Joshua, in his old age, called Israel together to bring their attention to all that the Lord had done for them. Joshua said to Israel, "Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: But cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day. For the Lord hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day" (vs. 6-9). "Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God" (v. 11).

The Children of Israel were not to have anything to do with the remaining remnant of people in the nations. For if Israel did mingle with the remnant, things would become burdensome for them. The Lord would no longer drive any nations from before Israel. The nations would "...be snares and traps...and scourges in [Israel's] side, and thorns in [their] eyes, until [they] perish from off [the] good land [which God had given them]" (v. 13).

Joshua assured Israel that as all good things had come upon them that God had promised "...so shall the Lord bring upon you all evil things..." (v. 15). This was if Israel transgressed the covenant of the Lord by serving and bowing to other gods. God would become angry with Israel and they would quickly perish from the land.

Altar of Ed Built as Witness that the Lord is God

Joshua 22:10-34 (KJV)

When the tribes of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh made it to the Jordan River, they built a great altar. Word of the altar made it back to the Children of Israel. For fear that the tribes were rebelling against God, Israel prepared themselves for war against them because if the altar was for rebellion against God, the entire congregation would suffer wrath.

The Children of Israel sent Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the priest, along with ten princes, one from each tribe, to find out the reason for the rebellion against God. When the representatives of Israel came to the Reubenites, Gadites and the Manasseh half-tribe, they asked them why they must turn away from following the Lord. They also said "...if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the Lord, wherein the Lord's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the Lord, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the Lord our God" (v. 19).

The tribes replied, "The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, (save us not this day,) That we have built us an altar to turn from following the Lord, or if to offer thereon burnt-offering or meat-offering, or if to offer peace-offerings thereon, let the Lord himself require it; And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel? For the Lord hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the Lord: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord. Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice: But that it may be a witness between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the Lord before him with our burnt-offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace-offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the Lord, Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the Lord, which our fathers made, not for burnt-offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you. God forbid that we should rebel against the Lord, and turn this day from following the Lord, to build an altar for burnt-offerings, for meat-offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the Lord our God that is before his tabernacle" (vs. 22-29).

"And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the Lord is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the Lord: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Lord" (vs. 30, 31). The Children of Israel were delivered from the wrath of God.

"And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt. And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the Lord is God" (vs. 32-34).

Tribes Depart for Return Trip Across Jordan

Joshua 22:1-9 (KJV)

Before Joshua crossed the Jordan with Israel into the Promised Land, Moses had given land to the Reubenites, Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh. As commanded by God, the condition for the tribes to keep their inheritance was for them to cross the Jordan armed to help conquer the land for their brethren. The tribes agreed to do as the Lord commanded.

Since all had come to pass that the Lord had spoken, Joshua permitted the Reubenites, Gadites and the Manasseh half-tribe to return to the land they had been given on the other side of Jordan. Joshua said to them, "But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul" (v. 5).

Joshua blessed the tribes and they departed for their land of inheritance.

Israel Shares Inheritance with Levites

Joshua 21 (KJV)

Although an end came to the division of the country, the Levites sought cities from Israel to dwell in because they were not given any land. Their inheritance was the Lord God of Israel (13:33). "And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the Lord..." (v. 3). The Levites were given forty-eight cities and their suburbs.

The tribes of Judah, Simeon and Benjamin contributed thirteen cities. Ephraim, Dan and half of the tribe of Manasseh contributed ten cities. Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and the other half of Manasseh in Bashan contributed thirteen cities. Reuben, Gad and Zebulun contributed twelve cities.

"And the Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the Lord gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the Lord delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass" (vs. 43-45).

Land Divided for Children of Israel

Joshua 12-19 (KJV)

Chapter 12 in Joshua lists the kings who were defeated by Joshua and the Children of Israel. The division of the land to the tribes of Israel took place in Chapters 13 thru 19. The tabernacle of the congregation was set up at Shiloh (18:1). Shiloh was where "...Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot...before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country" (19:51).

Israel Battles More Forces for Inheritance

Joshua 11 (KJV)

Jabin, king of Hazor, sent word to other kings to join forces with them against Israel because he heard of all that Joshua had done. "...[H]e sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh" (vs. 1-3). When all of them came together at the waters of Merom, they formed a great multitude with many horses and chariots ready for battle against Israel.

"And the Lord said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire" (v. 6).

The following day Joshua and his people suddenly came upon the multitude by the waters of Merom. "...[T]he Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel..." (v. 8). "And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire" (v. 9). "And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded" (v. 12). "...[Joshua] left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses" (v. 15).

"So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war" (v.23).

Israel Defeats Southern Cities

Joshua 10:29-43 (KJV)

Moving on from Makkedah, Joshua continued to take five more cities in the region. The cities were Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron and Debir. King Horam of Gezer attempted to help Lachish, but was also defeated. "So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed as the Lord God of Israel commanded" (v.40). "...[T]he Lord God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal" (vs. 42,43).

Joshua and the Children of Israel fought evil with faith for their Promised Land. We have to fight evil in our spiritual battles to hold on to our Promised Land--Heaven. This is why we must armor ourselves with the Word of God to fight the good fight! (Ephesians 6:10-20; 1 Timothy 6:12).

Israel's Battles Continue

Joshua 10:15-28 (KJV)

Israel discovered the five Amorite kings hiding in a cave in the city of Makkedah. Joshua ordered for a stone to be placed over the cave opening while the Children of Israel pursued the enemies who God had delivered into their hand.

Time came when Joshua had the five kings removed from the cave to slay them. The kings represented Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon.

Joshua's agenda that day also included taking the city of Makkedah "...and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho" (v. 28).

Amorites Join Forces Against Israel

Joshua 10:1-14 (KJV)

Adoni-zedek, the king of Jerusalem, heard of all that had taken place from Jericho to Gibeon. Particularly disturbing to him was the news of how the people of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and joined them. For Gibeon was a great royal city with mighty men. As a result of the report on Gibeon, Adoni-zedek sent word to kings of surrounding cities to join forces with him to defeat Gibeon. "Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it" (v. 5).

"And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. And the Lord said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night" (vs. 6-9).

The Amorites fled from Israel. "[T]he Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them [to the city of Azekah], and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.

"Then spake Joshua to the Lord in the day when the Lord delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel" (vs. 12-14).

Israel Deceived by People of Gibeon

Joshua 9 (KJV)

Word spread to the inhabitants of the nearby city of Gibeon of what Joshua had done in Jericho and Ai. Fearing for their lives, the people devised a deceptive plan to save themselves. They dressed in old, worn apparel and packed old wine with dry and moldy bread for their provisions to appear to Joshua as his servants who had traveled a long journey "And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregations sware unto them" (v.15).

After three days, Israel learned that the people had not traveled far, but had come from the neighboring cities of Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth and Kirjath-jearim. "And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God. And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do. And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the Lord, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose" (vs. 22-27).

Ai Destroyed by Israel

Joshua 8 (KJV)

God instructed Joshua to set up an ambush behind the city of Ai. Israel was to take it like Jericho. The difference would be that the people would be allowed to keep the spoils for themselves.

Joshua did as the Lord commanded and gathered thirty thousand men to travel to Ai by night. Five thousand of the men were positioned on the west of Ai for the ambush. The remaining men worked with Joshua to lure the people of Ai away from the city.

Joshua's plan was to lure the people away from Ai by fleeing from them. When all of the people were lured away, the five thousand would seize the city from the west.

Joshua's plan worked. All the people of Ai left their city in pursuit of Israel. "And the Lord said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city" (v. 18).

"For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the Lord which he commanded Joshua. And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day" (vs. 26-28).

"Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Ebal, As Moses the servant of the Lord commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt-offerings unto the Lord, and sacrificed peace-offerings. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them" (vs. 30-35).

Israel Suffers for 'the Accursed Thing'

Joshua 7 (KJV)

Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai to gauge the situation. The men reported back to Joshua that it was only necessary for two or three thousand to defeat Ai. Joshua sent about three thousand who fled from the men of Ai. Thirty-six of them were beaten.

Joshua discovered from the Lord that Israel could not stand against their enemies because they were accursed. Also, God would no longer be with Israel until the accursed thing was destroyed from among them.

God commanded Israel to be sanctified for "[i]n the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the Lord taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households; and the household which the Lord shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel" (vs. 14,15). Israel had sinned against God and was going have to suffer the consequences.

"So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it" (vs. 16-21).

"So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the Lord shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, and after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day" (vs. 22-26).

Israel Takes Jericho

Joshua 6 (KJV)

Joshua was given commands by God to follow in order to take the city of Jericho that had been given to Israel. The commands were for the people of Israel to surround Jericho one time each day for six days and then on the seventh day to surround the city seven times. This was to be done with armed men going first followed by seven priests blowing trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the Lord and people following behind the ark. "And Joshua had commanded the people saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout" (v.10).

Then, it came to pass on the seventh day at the seventh time of surrounding Jericho that Joshua said to the people, "Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city" (v.16).

Jericho and all therein were accursed to the Lord. All in the city was to be destroyed and none of the spoils were to be taken by the people of Israel because they would be cursed for doing so. "But all the silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the Lord: they shall come into the treasury of the Lord" (v.19).

There was one person, however, named Rahab who was saved along with her father, mother brethren and her belongings because she had helped messengers sent by Joshua.

"So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city every man straight before him, and they took they city. And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord" (vs. 20, 24).

"So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country" (v.27).

Various Happenings Across the Jordan

Joshua 5 (KJV)

The Amorites and Canaanites had faint hearts and broken spirits when they received word that God had dried up the Jordan River to make way for the Children of Israel to cross.

The Lord commanded Joshua to circumcise the Children of Israel. The reason was because the children who were born during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness had not been circumcised. "And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day" (v. 9).

"And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land of the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year" (vs. 10-12).

"And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so" (vs.13-15).

Stones from Jordan Set for a Memorial

Joshua 4 (KJV)

After all the Children of Israel passed through the Jordan River, the Lord commanded Joshua to have a member from each of the twelve tribes to take a stone from where the priests stood in the Jordan. The stones were to be taken to Israel's lodge across the river for a future sign to the children when they ask their fathers, "What mean ye by these stones" (v.6)? The answer for the children wil be "[t]hat the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever" (v.7).

In addition to the stones taken by the Children of Israel, Joshua "...set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day" (v.9).

Included among those who crossed the Jordan were people from the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh which in all numbered about forty thousand who were armed and ready for war.

"On that day the Lord magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life" (v.14).

The Lord had Joshua to command the priests to come out of the Jordan with the ark of the testimony.

"And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before" (v.18).

"And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho" (v.19).

As God's hand safely helped the Children of Israel across the Red Sea, His hand safely helped them across the Jordan River. These miracles are a witness forever to all the earth of our loving and mighty God. "That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: they ye might fear the Lord your God for ever" (v.24).

Crossing the Jordan River

Joshua 3 (KJV)

Joshua and the Children of Israel left Shittim for the Jordan River. The time had not come to cross the river, so they lodged. After three days, the officers among the people commanded, "When ye see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it" (v.3). The people were to follow from a distance of about two thousand cubits so they would know the way to go.

Joshua had the people to sanctify themselves in preparation for the following day because the Lord was to do wonders among them.

Time came for Joshua to command the priests to take up the ark before the people. "And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee (v.7).

Joshua said to the people, "Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites" (v.10).

"Behold the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan" (v.11). "And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above..." (v. 13)[.]

When the waters were cut off from above, dry ground was formed in the midst of the Jordan for all the people to pass over to the other side.

Rahab Helps Spies Sent by Joshua

Joshua 2 (KJV)

Before traveling into the Promised Land, Joshua sent two men as spies into Jericho to search the country. On their journey, the two men lodged in the home of Rahab, a harlot.

The King of Jericho received word of the spies and sent some of his men to Rahab's to have the spies brought forth. Rahab hid the spies among flax stalks on her roof and told the king's men that the spies had left when the gate was closed. She told the king's men that if they pursue the spies quickly that they should be able to overtake them. The king's men left in pursuit of the spies.

When all was clear, Rahab went to the roof and expressed to the spies how the people of the land became discouraged because they had heard how the Lord parted the Red Sea. They also heard how Sihon and Og, the Amorite kings, were destroyed. Rahab knew how their land had been given by the Lord; therefore, she sought to have her life and her family's life spared from death. The spies said to Rahab, "Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the Lord hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee" (Joshua 2:14).

Then, Rahab helped the spies to escape by lowering them from her window. She instructed them to hide themselves in the mountain for three days until the king's men return. Before departing, the spies said to Rahab, "Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and they brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window" (Joshua 2:18-21).

The spies followed Rahabs instructions to remain in the mountain for three days before returning to report to Joshua. "And they said unto Joshua, Truly the Lord hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us" (Joshua 2:24).

Resume Old Testament Search in Joshua

Joshua 1:1-18 (KJV)

Time has come to return to the Old Testament book of Joshua to learn of God and His hand in matters.

God spoke to Joshua after Moses' death to inform him to divide the land across the Jordan among the Children of Israel. God assured Joshua that He would be with him throughout his life as He was with Moses. God said to Joshua, "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest" (Joshua 1:9).

The Children of Israel accepted Joshua as their leader. They said, "According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage" (Joshua 1:17,18).

Encouraged for the Good Fight

Words to show that the Christian walk is a stuggle come to light in 1 Timothy 6:12 where we are exhorted to "[f]ight the good fight of faith...". There are so many distractions in society vying for our attention that we must fight to remain focused on our belief in Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins so that we can "...lay hold on eternal life..." (1 Timothy 6:12). That is eternal life in heaven.

Keep Your Footing Along the Path

Along with the Christian walk comes suffering and affliction. Jesus' steps are difficult to follow. This is why we cannot go it alone and must rely on Jesus' help. Following are words from Psalms 17:5 to utter for help along the way: "Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not." Amen!

We Should Walk in Christ's Steps

1 Peter 2:21-25 (KJV)

21) For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

22) Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

23) Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered he thereatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:

24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

25) For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.

New Year Christian Progress

Paul gives good advice for the New Year and always in Philippians 3:13,14. Paul does not count himself perfect, but he forgets "...those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.." and "...[presses] toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
Similar to Paul, we, as Christians, are not perfect, but we hope to become more Christlike in our walk! Amen!

Spiritual Mind Brings Peace to Struggle

For believers in Jesus, there is an inward struggle. The believer wills to do good or follow God's commandments, but similar to Paul tends not to do good. In Romans 7:18,19, Paul says "...for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." Paul continues and discovers deliverance in Jesus Christ (Romans 7:24,25). Freedom from sin and death is found through the 'Spirit of life in Jesus Christ' (Romans 8:2). Thus, life and peace is found through becoming spiritually minded (Romans 8:6). In trusting God and keeping our mind on Him, we will be kept in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3).

Loving God Works for Good to Us

In the blog entry dated for 01/01/11, we learned that the idea of "anything goes" in Christianity comes to a stop where the line of love is drawn. This line is to love Jesus. To love Jesus is to keep His Words (John 14:23). To love Jesus is to love God for Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus (John 14:11). "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). With this verse, we know that if we love God and follow His will, good is going to come out of all things going on in our life.

The Line is Drawn at Love

At times in Christianity it can be easy to fall into the thinking that "anything goes." If anything does not go, then where is the line? The line is drawn at love. The fact is that anything does not go. Jesus says, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me" (John 14:23,24).

Prayer: Jesus, I pray, help me this new year to show my love for You through following Your commandments. Amen!