Joshua – Seek Grow Love

In our Joshua reading today, we see once again one of the primary reasons that the Israelites were seemingly obsessed with lineage: all of those “who begat who begat who” passages that we come across in scripture. The reason is, put simply, that’s where you got your inheritance, if you were a Jew. That’s how you knew what your inheritance even was. Your inheritance, to some degree, affected the level of your wealth, your occupation, everything. Let’s say you wanted to be a fisherman; well, if your inheritance of land doesn’t have a large body of water with fish in it, you might want to consider shepherding as an option. If you wanted to be a priest, you’d have to prove that Aaron was an ancestor of yours at some point. Joshua 13 breaks down a number of these very specific physical inheritances for the Israelites, which were non-negotiable and non-transferrable.

When you have been especially faithful though, and when you have the gumption to ask for it, sometimes you can receive an extra portion; this is what happens in Josh 14:6-15 (and continuing on some in chapter 15, as far as some of the details go) when Caleb approaches Joshua and says specifically “So now, give me this hill country about which Yahweh spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps Yahweh will be with me, and I will dispossess them as Yahweh has spoken.” (Josh 14:12, LSB). It then goes on to say: “Therefore, Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb…because he fully followed Yahweh the God of Israel.” (Josh 14:14, LSB). Read the whole section carefully, starting when he approaches Joshua.

If you have not read yesterday’s devotion, you should go back and do it now because we’re going to talk for just a little bit more about giants; also called “the Anakim” or “the sons of Anak” (among other things). Josh 14:15 gives us a big (no pun intended) clue here, when it says “Now the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba; for Arba was the greatest man among the Anakim…” (that’s from the LSB version, also note that Kiriath means “city”, so “City of Arba”).

Let’s consider for a moment. The only giant whose height and size we know fully in scripture is Goliath of Gath, and he stood approximately 9′ 9″ according to the masoretic text (which I tend to agree with, on the basis of their impeccable and zealous exactly accurate transmission of the scriptures). In contrast to this, the Septuagint, some of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the historian Josephus place his height at approximately 6′ 9″ (due to a textual transmission discrepancy between the Hebrew and the Greek). If you have any historical knowledge of the Masoretes and their almost psychotic zeal for accurately reproducing scripture, you’ll understand why I favor that first number of 9′ 9″. We also know that Og (one of the Rephaim, another group described as giants) the king of Bashan’s iron bed was 13.5′ long by 6’wide (see Deut 3:11), and that seems logically like it’d be a little too much empty head or foot space if you were just under 7′ tall, but pretty reasonable if you were around 10′-13′ tall. King Og is mentioned briefly in Josh 13:31.

So we don’t actually know how big this Arba fellow was, but we DO know that he was “the greatest among the Anakim”. So, let’s just say “really really big”. I could speculate that he was most likely well over 10′ tall, probably by a large portion, but that’s just speculation. The point is, he was really a big guy. So when Caleb asks for this special inheritance, it’s with the understanding that “Hey, even though I’m 85 years old now, I’m going to go whip the biggest giant there is, and take his land. Also, any offspring of his who are also giants, I’ll whip them too, and take their land as well.” (that’s clearly paraphrased, but spot on accurate, the bit about the offspring is noted in chapter 15). So what’s the point of this little digression into speculation and size?

The point is this: it’s not always easy to claim your inheritance. Sometimes, it’s going to take a bit of gumption, and maybe a scrap. You may have to be bold, and brave, and act with what some might call “temerity”. Sometimes, you have to look at the biggest guy there is and go “Yea, I can take that guy.”, and if you’re Caleb, that’s not always going to be a metaphor. In our case, it might be (or it might not, who knows?).

In Matt 25:34 it explains that our inheritance as followers of Ha’Mashiach (The Anointed One, or The Christ) provided that we obey God’s word, is the Kingdom of God. Please take a moment and read the words of our King in Matthew 25:31-46. This plainly explains to us that not our lineage, but our actions, will qualify us for our inheritance, the Kingdom of God. Jesus tells us that to actively seek our inheritance, the Kingdom of God, should be first in our priorities (Matt 6:33), and that all the other stuff will be taken care of.

As gentiles, we should be very cognizant of the fact that we will have to qualify for our inheritance, it doesn’t matter what your lineage is. Note I didn’t say earn, nothing that we could ever do would be enough to enter in to the Kingdom of God, but to even qualify for consideration we need to represent the character of God correctly to our fellow creation, to enact tzedakah (look it up) and love our neighbor as ourself, and to successfully love YHVH God with all our heart, soul, and might. Sometimes as Christians, we tend to think we should be meek and quiet, but we know that James has written “you have not because you ask not” (James 4:2).

It may be that at times we have to act with temerity. We know that there are things that can disqualify us from our inheritance (1 Cor 6:9-11), so we must fight tooth and nail against the enemy who tries to present these things to us as desirable. We WILL have to fight giants, whether real or metaphorical. You are going to have to go through some things, in order to qualify. It doesn’t matter though, because nothing compares; no suffering which you may have to endure will in any way compare to the glory of the Kingdom of God (Rom 8:18). Be like Caleb, in other words, and go boldly to claim your inheritance.

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

What is it that you dread? If you are afraid of something that is hampering your obedience whether it’s a situation, a person, a conversation, starting an action, stopping an action, changing a habit, whatever it might be – that is your giant. Of course it’s scary, now go fight it. You need to identify it for yourself first though (we tend to be really good at pretending it’s not there).
What things have you allowed into your life that you are seeking first, instead of your inheritance (The Kingdom), and how can you change that?
Think for a moment about what steps you can take that would assist you in qualifying for entry into the Kingdom? List out 3, and then implement them into your routine.

PRAYER

Father God, thank you. All of these things I have, they have come from Your hand. Please help me, lead me and guide me, grant me wisdom and humility, and if it is Your will allow me to enter into Your kingdom. Grant me my inheritance Lord, and help me to be a servant who pleases. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Courage & Fear

Joshua 3 & 4

Psalm 33

Mark 16

-Devotion by John Railton (IN)

“Be strong and courageous!” Those were the words of God himself to Joshua in the first chapter which we read yesterday. In fact, God there challenged him three times with those exact words. At the end of the chapter, when the whole nation committed themselves to Joshua and his leadership, they too encouraged him with those same words, “Be strong and courageous!”

Joshua’s courage, and that of all the Israelites was tested in chapters 3 and 4. God was about to lead them into the promised land, but it meant getting to the other side of the Jordan River. There was no bridge and the river was at flood stage. A most amazing miracle was about to happen! The priests were to carry the ark of the covenant into the river. As soon as their toes got wet, the flow of the river was disrupted. The current, flowing from the north to the south, completely stopped, and the water heaped up to their right. It was an invisible dam, accomplished by the almighty power of God. There’s no way to know how high that wall of water heaped, but it must have been quite a sight! No water flowed to the left. People downstream must have wondered what happened to the river? Not only did God stop the flow, but the whole nation then walked across the riverbed into the promised land. Not only did they walk across the riverbed, but it says they walked on dry ground! You can imagine the mud and muck at the bottom of the Jordan. How long would that have taken to dry up naturally? A few years ago, I baptized a young lady in a pond. After immersing her, we attempted to return to shore, but my feet were quickly sinking into the mud, so much so that I began to sink. We both needed help getting out of the water. God not only stopped the flow of the Jordan, but he instantaneously dried up the riverbed. A miracle indeed!

One more thought before we move on. Joshua 4:24 says, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful, and so that you might always fear the LORD your God!” To fear God is to have a holy revere for him, that is, a deep respect and admiration.

Psalm 33 is a Psalm of praise and acknowledgment of who the LORD is, what he has done, his obvious worthiness of worship. Notice especially the teaching in V. 8, “Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him!” See also V. 18, “But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love . . .” This reveals the call, and good reason for all people to respect and worship the LORD!

As you read Mark 16, you’ll probably see a note that verses 9-20 are not included in the most reliable early manuscripts. That’s not to suggest that those events never happened, nor that those words were never said. They may, or may not have happened or been said, but there’s doubt that they were originally part of Mark’s gospel. Most of these references are verified in other scriptural accounts. I will mention that some suggest a diminished importance for water baptism since Jesus’ words in verses 15 & 16 may or may not have ever been put quite like it’s worded here. One should never propagate a teaching or position based solely on one questionable passage. However, this questionable passage does not negate the numerous other scriptures that teach water baptism and its significance as a step in the process of salvation.

Reflection Questions

Joshua was clearly called and equipped to serve the LORD. In what ways do you feel called and equipped to serve?
Have you ever needed the encouragement to be strong and courageous when you knew you needed to do the right thing?
Have you yourself submitted to the waters of baptism as taught and practiced in the book of Acts, as symbolically explained in Romans 6, and with the promise of Galatians 3?

Prayer

“Heavenly Father, thank you for the historical record of men and events such as we read in the book of Joshua. Thank you for the teaching and challenge we find in Psalm 33, that we should fear, revere you, that we should put our hope in you, and that your eyes are upon those who do. Thank you again for your son Jesus, and for the hope we can have in the kingdom because of him! In his name. Amen!”

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Praise or Platitudes

Joshua 22-24

In these final chapters of Joshua, we read his deathbed advice to his people. Filled with nuggets of wisdom, Joshua calls the people to remember their history and God’s faithfulness, and he encourages them to continue following God. Joshua reminds the people that there is only One True God, YHWH, and that the household idols and the gods of the people around them are not truly going to save them. Yet still Joshua asks them to make a conscious decision, to declare their devotion one way or the other: “Choose this day whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD!” What a powerful charge to the people! If anyone had been unclear about Joshua’s position, there was no doubt after this profound declaration. Of course, the people agree that they will follow God, and of course, it wouldn’t be long before they would turn away yet again.

Joshua, famous among his people as a devoted follower of the One True God, knew humanity’s tendency to have idolatrous hearts. As he closed out his life, he wanted to remind the people to focus on what – WHO – is truly the most important. If you’re anything like me, you probably scoff at the ways in which the Israelites kept turning from God in spite of all His miraculous provisions, but in reality, all of humanity worships something; the idols are just different for each of us. We have an innate desire to worship, and that should be directed toward our Creator. However, our flesh can often lead us to worship the things of this world – money, entertainment, sex, identity, work, comfort, power, nature, and self – more than we worship our God. We must be alert to the things of this world that are vying for our devotion, keeping our eyes attuned and faithful to our God above all else.

Don’t let Joshua’s words be just an empty platitude on your dining room wall, but really take it to heart. Whom will you serve? Will you follow the empty gods of this age, or will you wake up every day willing to follow the One True God?

-Rachel Cain

Reflections:

What does it mean to really serve the Lord? What idols do you need to cast aside to really seek and serve Him?

Research the ways in which Joshua is a foreshadowing of Jesus. There are many interesting parallels!

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Safe Cities

Joshua 19-21

After studying the Underground Railroad, my family and I toured a local church that played a major role in helping escaped slaves reach freedom. Though the dismal, subterranean tunnel boasted no modern amenities, its hidden passage beneath the church’s sanctuary had served as a refuge for countless escapees on their way to freedom. How I wished the walls could talk! There are no written records of the tunnel’s guests from that time period, probably to protect the identities of the escaped slaves (and besides, most local records were destroyed in the 1913 flood that ravaged this region), but shards of pottery and discarded animal bones from choice cuts of meat provide evidence of the meals that were smuggled in to nourish the “fugitives.” I was speechless while envisioning the grueling journey a desperate, sweet soul must have endured to arrive this far north – more than 60 miles beyond the Ohio River – weighed down by the well-preserved foot chains that had been found in that very tunnel.

The escaped slaves were hungry for safety. “Safety” is a concept that we often take for granted in this twenty-first century, first-world country; in many countries, simply proclaiming Christianity could cost one’s life. I find it interesting that God designated several cities of safety for his people in the Promised Land. These were cities to which anyone could escape who had accidentally killed someone, in which they would safely await trial without threat of the victim’s family avenging the (potentially innocent) murderer.

Though we no longer have similar cities of refuge, this concept is a foreshadowing of sorts to Jesus: in him, we sinners find refuge from our enemy. “We run to Christ to escape the danger we are in from the curse and condemnation of the law, from the wrath of God, and from an eternity in hell. Only Christ provides refuge from these things, and it is to Him alone that we must run. Just as the cities were open to all who fled to them for safety, it is Christ who provides safety to all who come to Him for refuge from sin and its punishment.” (quote source).

“He is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

“Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” (Hebrews 6:18, NLT)

I am so grateful for the hope that lies before us! Aren’t you?!

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

Look up synonyms for the word “refuge.” Which one stands out most to you in your journey of faith?

“He kept every promise he had made to the Israelites; each one came true.” (Joshua 21:45) What a powerful verse! God is always faithful. Reflect on his faithfulness in your life by writing a memoir or journal about how he has moved in your life, and share it with those close to you.

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Burn the Ships

Hesitant Hebrews

Joshua 16-18

It was so close they could almost taste the milk and honey on their lips – their Promised Land! After centuries of oppression and slavery under Pharaoh followed by 40 more years wandering free in the wilderness, the Israelites finally possessed the metaphorical keys to their inheritance. Many of the tribes ventured out right away for their assigned territories, ready to explore, conquer, and settle at last, but several tribes remained behind. Why wouldn’t they ropedrop this momentous occasion and charge with abandon straight to their inheritance?

Though I cannot speak for all the Israelites since I have not walked in their sandals, this is my speculation based on what I’ve read: they desired the path of least resistance. Though they were promised that the land would be theirs, they had to go in and take it. There were still other people living on those properties; it would require a lot of effort to drive them out. Yes, God had guaranteed that this land would be theirs, but that didn’t mean their possession of it would be effortless. In the beginning of their nomadic desert life, remember how they had longed to return to the familiarity of slavery and oppression in Egypt? Now, well accustomed to desert dwelling, they didn’t want to expend the energy to settle into the cities, which would still require them (albeit with the promise of success!) to conquer it. It was more comfortable to stay in their crummy environment than to embrace the best land that God had for them.

I am reminded of Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes who was determined to conquer the interior of Mexico, including the Aztec empire and a vast swath of land from the Caribbean to the Pacific. This fierce leader and fighter, frustrated that his men were too focused on the possibility of going home and too scared to invade this new territory, took away their temptation to retreat by doing what any extreme leader would do: he burnt the ships. Now, there was no turning back, no reason to not forge ahead and claim this land.

Perhaps the seven tribes had become so lazy or complacent in their faith that they didn’t even care that God had something infinitely better in store for them. As C.S. Lewis said, “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

Ultimately, in part because the Israelites did not fully drive out the inhabitants of their Promised Land, God’s people became immersed in the culture, false gods, child sacrifice, and overall moral corruption of the people around them, which perpetuated the spiral of falling away from God and then begging Him to save them. Though written much later, Romans 12:2 would have been good advice for the Israelites (who were called to be set apart for God), and it is still wise for us as present-day believers to heed its wisdom: “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”

So, what ships are holding you back? What comfort, familiarity, or apathy is keeping you from fully following God? Sometimes I am a lot like the 7 tribes and Cortes’ crew. While I claim to desire God’s calling on my life, I often let the comforts of the present and anxieties about the future hold me back from fully embracing His plan for my life. Let us pray for God’s strength to follow wherever He may lead us.

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

Watch this powerful music video about “burning the ships” and charging ahead into God’s will for our lives.

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Priestly Portion

Joshua 12-15

I’ve heard sad stories of siblings living hostilely toward one another for decades because of arguments regarding the inheritance from a late parent. I wonder if the Israelites assumed God picked favorites as he doled out their assigned territories in the Promised Land.

Remember Caleb? At eighty-five years old, Caleb finally realized his dream of inheriting Hebron four decades after he had first explored it. He and Joshua were the only two of the dozen spies who had encouraged the nation to take their Promised Land; the ten other agents involved in the espionage had invoked great fear in their people. As a result of their collective lack of faith, the Israelite nation would wander for 40 more years in the wilderness while most of that unfaithful generation died off. Caleb, now an octogenarian, was very eager to finally claim the territory that had been promised to him two scores ago. He and Joshua had kept the faith, remained true to God, and waited patiently to receive their inheritance, just like we must wait patiently for our Promised Land, the Kingdom (Romans 8:25).

Perhaps the Levites, the tribe designated to serve as priests, initially felt slighted when they learned that they would inherit no land at all; rather, God promised to be their portion and take care of their needs as they served as religious leaders for His people. Though it might seem like they had received nothing tangible, they actually received the best gift: a closeness with and dependence on God that most would never experience.

We, too, are beneficiaries of a similar priestly portion: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

Unfortunately, we tend to chase temporary things in this life, like fortune and fame, rather than keeping our eyes on the eternal prize. None of this truly satisfies, and we can’t take it with us when we die – you’ll never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul, after all! Jesus reminds us to “store up treasures in heaven… for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:20-21). As followers of Jesus, we have a much greater inheritance promised to us, far better than all the riches of this world.

I leave you with the priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24-26:

The Lord bless you and keep you;

the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;

the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

-Rachel Cain

Reflection:

What does it mean personally to you that God is your portion? How does that impact your soul?

Meditate on these scriptures as you thank God for being your portion!

My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:22-24

And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus. Ephesians 3:6

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Gotcha!

Joshua 9-11

When the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they acted deceptively. They gathered provisions and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They wore old, patched sandals on their feet and threadbare clothing on their bodies. Their entire provision of bread was dry and crumbly. They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant land. Please make a treaty with us… Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the LORD’s decision. ¹⁵ So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them. Joshua 9:3-6;14-15 (CSB)

“Be skeptical of everyone, including the skeptics”. I don’t know where this quote or phrase came from, but I often find myself in that mindset. Why? Because of stories like this. There are those out there who would try to deceive and use this deception to take advantage of others. I used to get calls and emails all the time at the church from people who were looking for money to help with something. There was always a story about why they were in this tough situation. The second half of that quote also resonates because sometimes people just like the status quo or throw cold water on other people’s ideas.

Maybe some of those people were deceptive, and maybe some of them were genuine. I don’t know. What I do know is that there were occasions where I would try to give something, but there were times that I did not. I did my best to discern who was authentic, but I couldn’t really know. What I could do was pray about it and see if God gave me a push in one direction or another, but if he didn’t, I’d need to make a choice. In situations of meeting needs or requests, you can’t help everyone, we have finite resources. I do think it is important not to be dismissive of every request because there are people who genuinely have needs and come to churches as a last resort.

When the Gibeonites came to Joshua and the men of Israel, they did their best to pull one over them, and it worked. The leadership did appear to be skeptical and questioned the Gibeonites, but they neglected to check with something powerful that they had at their disposal: access to Almighty God! Rather than checking on what God wanted them to do, to seek wisdom in this situation that some of them even thought might be a little fishy, they made a knee-jerk decision and swore a treaty to do no harm.

Don’t you think that it would have been wise to consult God when there were treacherous peoples all about the land? The Gibeonites got their protection, but they found themselves indentured to the Israelites because of their shenanigans. I guess that beats death? Some might disagree.

When faced with big decisions, we should come before God and seek wisdom. Especially when we are the leaders of his institutions. Whether leading the Israelites four millennia ago or leading in Christ’s Church today, when we face big decisions (skeptical about what is going on or not), we must always ask what God would have us do. We have scripture to guide us, as well as the Spirit of God that will guide us when we are earnestly seeking after him. When we see leaders fall or make ruinous decisions, we can probably rest assured knowing that they did not honestly seek God’s will and input for that decision. Unless God is intent on making a statement with you like he did with Hosea, he is not going to tell you to make decisions that would be considered dubious by wise observers.

-JJ Fletcher

Reflection Questions

Can you think of a time that not seeking God’s decision burned you? How did you respond or recover after?
Do you find yourself to have a healthy level of skepticism, or do you often find yourself being a bit too Pollyannish? Is there value in both? What are some of the drawbacks of each of these traits?
Do you think Joshua and the leaders learned something from this experience?
How do you think it best to navigate people who are too extreme on the scale of being too trusting or distrusting? What can we do to be a good emissary of Jesus in those situations?

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Burned by Sin

Joshua 5-8

But the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites. Joshua 7:1 (NRSV)

As God promised, He led the Israelites to victory over Jericho. It is to be ransacked and destroyed, and there are to be none left alive, aside from Rahab and her family. There were specific items (gold, silver, etc.) that were taken from the rubble that were to be set aside and placed in the treasury of the house of the Lord.

After this great blessing of victory, one would assume that everyone would honor the directives of God and be obedient to him, but alas, we’ve been here before. Despite God proving himself time and time again to be a God of his word, both in blessing and in punishment, this knucklehead named Achan decides to take a heap of these goods for himself, and he buries them underneath his tent.

The stuff is hidden, there was so much of it, no one is going to know. The only one that this affects is him, and he’s going to keep it a secret. Maybe, eventually, it will just seem like this is some of the swag that was received from the Egyptians as they sent their ancestors out of Egypt. I don’t know what exactly was going through Achan’s mind, but I’m sure we’ve all been there, deceiving ourselves, justifying the stupid decisions that we have made to disobey or to take something that we have no business possessing.

As I sit here, I am reminded of an instance where one of my brothers took something that did not belong to him. This would have been sometime in the mid to late 90s and I’m a little fuzzy on some of the peripheral details. But we get home after a trip to the grocery store (Bohning’s in Ponchatoula, LA, I believe), and we discover that my brother has in his possession a whistle pop. After further investigation, it is discovered that he has many of them; in fact, he has a FULL BOX of whistle pops. At some point while we were standing in the check-out line, he grabbed the box off the candy shelf and shoved it under his shirt or down his pants. Now, I’m assuming that my mom took him back to Bohning’s to return it, as had happened when other contraband candy items had “shown up” in our house.

Now, a 5-year-old is not going to get arrested for petty theft and is probably going to get some sort of punishment for their misbehavior, but that action did not just affect him. There is embarrassment when a parent brings their child in to cop to a misdeed, apologize, and return the uneaten contraband. The stakes are low in this situation, but the principle is there: sin and error do not just affect the perpetrator.

Israel is feeling a kind of high as their God has just handed their enemies to them, and they are going to press forward into the land. They go make military advances on Ai, but they are driven back; they do not experience deliverance against their enemies; they are driven back and several dozen of their comrades fall to the enemy.

How? Why? Why would God deliver them a fortress and then allow them to fall to a less powerful fortification?

Because sin doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Sin affects everything. You don’t have to sin against someone for them to be affected; there are plenty of indirect effects of sin. We don’t have to go into a laundry list of sins, but different sins can cause us to behave and think in certain ways that harm others. Sin can lead to anger. Sin can lead to spousal abuse or neglect. Sin can lead to broken relationships. Sin can lead to more and more sins being perpetrated. Sin can break hearts. Sin can put a wedge between a person and God, and I’m not talking about the person that sinned.

Achan’s sin caused God to be furious, and he withheld his blessing and protection from Israel. Achan’s misappropriation of riches, which had nothing to do with the battle against the people at Ai, led to the loss of a battle. The sin affected all of Israel. In this case, Achan lost his life because of his sin.

So, if there is unrepentant sin in our homes, in our churches, in our relationships, and our individual hiding places, we can expect that it is going to affect others in one way or another. Sin cannot be reconciled with good. Jesus died to free you from sin, not to free you to sin. Yes, sin is crouching at our door; your enemy, the devil, is on the prowl like a lion to devour you with temptation that leads to sin (1 Peter 5:8). But when we sin, we are not to try to justify it or explain it away. I’ve cited it already this week, but here it is again:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9 (NIV)

Achan confessed his sin, but the damage had been done. He waited till he had been found out and others had suffered extreme loss due to his actions.

When we fall short, it is best to confess quickly before it becomes a bigger mess in our lives and the lives of those we love (or don’t even know).

-JJ Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

Why is it so easy to overlook God’s commands?
Is it difficult to read about the punishment for sin that is described in scripture? Does it lead you to a greater appreciation for the New Covenant in Christ’s blood?
What thoughts did you have on Achan’s sin as you read through today’s reading in Joshua 5-8?
Why is it easy to be blind to the way that our sin affects others?

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Messy Parts

Joshua 1-4

Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. Joshua 2:1 (NRSV)

Context is important. Out of context, this verse might convey something completely different from the story that follows. In the same way, when we hear an unsavory detail about an individual, it could easily prejudice our opinion of them. Everyone has messy parts of their lives, but those messy parts don’t tell the whole story.

Descriptors carry weight. Rahab the prostitute… If, in casual conversation, you hear that about someone, what do you think? The modern vernacular is “sex worker” trying to clean up a description about someone who works in a profession that is not lacking in crude descriptors. We won’t go there. You probably don’t think the best of that individual. You ask what happened that they went down that path in their life? So many questions… or maybe none. We write them off as someone who is living outside of God’s will and God’s grace.

The spies are commissioned to go and get a close-up of what Jericho is about. Boots on the ground in an espionage mission to help determine what will need to happen to eliminate a fortress city that is currently situated in the land that has been promised to God’s people.

The spies get there, they meet a prostitute, and they go lay low in her house. Probably not who they expected to find as a sympathizer. Rahab is knowledgeable about the God of Israel. She offers and provides help to these spies and ensures they remain hidden from the Canaanites, who are wary and fearful of the impending insurgence of Israelites into “their land”.

But a prostitute…

Everyone does not get to choose their lot in life. Millions of people are trafficked or remain in a human sex trafficking situation at any given time. These people do not enter this willingly, it is essentially slavery.

Rahab. A prostitute. By choice? We don’t get much clarity here, but Rahab was likely forced into this situation where she engaged in prostitution. Slavery of this kind would not have been uncommon. Perhaps she was widowed or divorced and had no other recourse? Again, we don’t know. What we do know is that this unlikely ally to the people of Israel changed the course of history. While her profession was unsavory, her heart was made of gold. She had respect for Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, and she was willing to help Israel for a guarantee of safety and liberation. Seems legit. It’s a bad situation Rahab has found herself in, but she has heard of the power of God and wants to be a part of the community that is protected by the almighty God.

The spies promise her safety if she protects them, and they uphold their end of the bargain after she keeps them safe (Josh 6:22). When Jericho is destroyed, Rahab and her household are spared.

James 2:23-26 says, “And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead” (NIV).

Describing Rahab as a prostitute, something that she did in Jericho, does not do her justice. We are, after all, talking about King David’s great-great-great grandmother. She is not just a footnote in history; she is in the genealogy of the savior of the world (Matthew 1:5)! Rahab is, in her actions, a savior for the Israelites, especially the two spies who trusted her, and is an ancestor to Jesus, the most consequential figure in human history. The Son of Man, the Son of God, the anointed king of the coming Kingdom of God.

When I think about Rahab, I think about a talk that Tony Campolo gave about throwing a birthday party for a prostitute at 3 AM. You can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWlMV-UmueM&ab_channel=EvanCourtney

Don’t write people off. They may be far from God or living in situations that, for lack of a better descriptor, we would call complex. No one is beyond redemption, and we should strive to extend grace and try to bring the joy that we find in Christ into the lives of everyone we meet, whether they be a pastor, an executive, that elderly woman who sits three rows in front of you every week at church, or the prostitute you bump into at a diner at 3 AM when you are adjusting to being many time zones away from home.

-JJ Fletcher

Reflection Questions:

Why is it so easy to dismiss “unsavory” people?
Do you have “unsavory” parts to your life that you don’t want anyone to know about? What if people knew? How would they treat you? Is there a way you can use the messy parts of your story to help someone else?
What can we glean from the role of Rahab in the victory of the Israelites over Jericho? What can we glean from how the spies treated and trusted her?
Sin is sin. Why does sexual sin have a different gravitas than most other sins?

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Be Careful

Old Testament: Joshua 23 & 24

Poetry: Psalm 51

New Testament: 1 Corinthians 11

Today’s Old Testament reading of Joshua 23 and 24 provides such good closure and an excellent way to wrap up the week. A farewell address from a man who had helped lead the Israelites into the promised land, and reminiscent of some of the things Moses said at the end of his life to the same people.

As I read Joshua 23 a phrase jumped out at me that was used several times. “Be careful!” As a mother, an occasional babysitter, a friend, neighbor, wife, and occupational therapist, this phrase is……one I try to avoid. Well, unless used more like Joshua. We’ve all said it, and chances are if we’ve survived this far, we’ve all had it said to us. It pops out before we even have the chance to think sometimes. What else would you say when seeing someone……dangling from the top of the climbing rainbow at Camp Mack, driving back to college, hiking with middle-aged directionally-challenged individuals in the Upper Peninsula, climbing up the bookcase while drinking from a bottle, using a walker to get around while trying to carry a cat, or pretty much any of the very exciting choices made by my “sensory seekers” at work.

The thing is, the phrase “be careful” is super abstract and subjective, and it just has very little meaning in most cases if left hanging in the air as it often is before…..kaboom/crash/oops. Given it is often said to children with little to no abstract reasoning capabilities, or in the case of many of my friends of all ages who come to see me at work, those who may not be emotionally or cognitively able to process that abstract language at the time…..it is far more useful with something concrete attached. You won’t hear it much where I work, though I assure you we witness many choices which are the opposite of careful. Instead, you will hear things like….“keep both hands on the monkey bars”, “push up from the chair first, then place your hand on the walker”, or a fun conversation I got to have recently, “Do you think that was too rough, too light, or just right?”…… “I agree. Bikes are for riding. The balls are for throwing.”

It seems as Joshua was saying farewell, he wanted the Israelites alerted to potential concerns, but he left them with excellent concrete directions. In verse 6 they are told to be careful, but at the same time instructed to know and obey the Book of the Law of Moses, to not associate with pagan nations, and to “hold fast” to the LORD. In verse 11 they are cautioned again to “be careful”, and instructed to love the LORD, to avoid intermarrying with pagan nations, throw away pagan gods, and serve the LORD alone. One would think the Israelites must have known a bit themselves by now that they kind of struggled with these things historically, and they were certainly still in reach of potential corruption and distraction. Joshua’s farewell address to them is a beautiful balance of cautious reminders and powerful directives laying out the choice they were given. Joshua chose for himself as stated in verse 15, and the people answered with their choice that day in verse 18….again in 21….and again in 24. We have the same choice, and we are blessed to have such tremendous access to the Bible for the concrete foundation on which to establish our worldview. We also have so many resources, commentaries, and Christians surrounding us with the freedom to seek clarity for the things we don’t understand or might need help getting tightened up from abstract to concrete.

So many rights could be wronged, if we all did what the Israelites said they would do….

“And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

(Joshua 23: 24)

-Jennifer Hall

Questions:

If you tend toward being a “nervous Nellie” sort, or perhaps are just struggling with worry and being careful today, how could you redirect some of your attention to what you should be doing and who you should be trusting and serving?

If you might benefit from a few more cautious reminders in life or perhaps have some contamination from the world to throw away today, what can you extract from Joshua to apply to your life and mind?

What can you do right now to serve and obey the LORD?

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Category: Joshua