The Promised Land Conquered; Caleb's Faith and the Promises of God

Today's Reading:

• Joshua 13:1 - 15:63

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Joshua 13:1 - 15:63

Today's reading focused on the distribution of the conquered land by Joshua to the tribes of Israel. I did some online searching for a visual to show me the distribution, since I don't really have a mental map in my mind of the region. I found this image from the following URL: http://www.closerdaybyday.info/2010/06/joshua-18/

Looking at this map, I'm astounded by the amount of land they were able to conquer. When God makes a promise, He delivers - no matter how big the promise may seem.

This reading also talked more about Caleb, who was with Joshua when Moses sent the twelve scouts out to the land. We were told then that, out of the 12 scouts, 10 of them came back terrified and told the Israelites that the land could not be conquered. Only Joshua and Caleb had faith in God's promise to the people, and thus Joshua and Caleb were the only two who were allowed to go into the promised land.

In chapter 14, we are told that Caleb came to Joshua to ask for the land that God had promised him. We are told that Caleb had waited 45 YEARS for the fulfillment of that promise, and his faith was still just as strong. Joshua gave Caleb his allotment of land, and Caleb went and drove out the inhabitants and cashed in on the promise.

I am still blown away - 45 years is how long Caleb waited, faithfully, for the fulfillment of the promise. I am again reminded that all things happen with God's timing. It was said in verse 14:11 that, although Caleb was 85 years old, he was still just as strong as when he first went out to scout the land. So even though it took 45 years for the promise to be fulfilled, Caleb was still able to enjoy the gift when it was given.

All things with God's timing. Too often, when something doesn't happen right away, or in what we consider to be "reasonable" timing, we lose faith and turn away from the promise. But God loves it when we remain faithful to the very end, and will reward us accordingly for our faithfulness.

Joshua Defeats 31 Kings; Obeying the Lord

Today's Reading:

• Joshua 11:1 - 12:24

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Joshua 11:1 - 12:24

I'm learning that Joshua fought far more than just the battle of Jericho!  In my last reading I saw how a group of kings banned together against the Israelites but the Israelites easily defeated them with God's help. 

What I learned today was even more astounding.  Dozens of kings banded against Joshua.  Their numbers were so numerous that they "covered the landscape like the sand on the seashore (11:4)".  Dozens of kings banded together!  To a person who does not have the help of the Lord on his side, that entire situation is 100% hopeless.  It not only looks hopeless, it is hopeless.  It is only with the help of the Lord that Joshua defeated all these enemies without any trouble at all.  All together, 31 kings each of the Jordan were defeated by Joshua (12:24).

I don't have much to say about this passage today, just that with God all things truly are possible.  I did notice that in verse 11:15, we are told that Joshua did everything he was told and very carefully obeyed all the commandments that the Lord had given to Moses.  So yes, with God all things are possible, but there is also an expectation that we will obey Him.  He is faithful to those who place their faith in Him and obey Him.  I think we are quick to call on the Lord for help getting ourselves out of the situations that we put ourselves into.  The Lord will not forsake us, and we have our true salvation by putting our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.  That being said, when you are calling for help from the Lord, do a check and make sure that you are obeying both his commandments and his direction.  Joshua was successful in his conquest for three reasons:

(1) God directed path and Joshua followed

(2) Joshua had complete faith that the Lord would fulfill the promises made

(3) Joshua was careful to obey all the commandments the Lord gave to him

Too often we think about the love the Lord has for us and the saving grace, but we forget that we are also expected to obey Him.  If He is truly our Lord, then we should obey Him as we are his subjects and any loyal subjects would wholeheartedly obey their king as well as seek the king's direction in their lives.

Sun and Moon Stand Still; Seek the Lord Lest Ye Be Deceived

Today's Reading:

• Joshua 9:3 - 10:43

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Joshua 9:3 - 10:43
Joshua and his men continued to conquer all the lands that the Lord had instructed them too.  The kings of five lands were afraid, so they banded together to come at Joshua and his army.  They stationed together at Gideon and the Israelites went out to meet them.  There the enemy was defeated both by sword and by a terrible hailstorm.  This hailstorm, sent by the Lord, killed more people than the Israelites did.  I can't imagine a storm so powerful -- but it must have been terrifying for the enemy.

Verse 4:12 mentions one other supernatural thing that occurred.  Joshua declared that the sun and the moon should stand still until the enemy was completely defeated.  We are then told that the sun did not set that day because the Lord answered his prayer, and that there has never been a day before or since like that (10:13-14).

Joshua called to the Lord to stop the sun and the moon in the sky.  The Lord answered him as he requested.  This made me think of Mark 11:22, where Jesus tells us that if we had the faith, we could tell the mountain to jump into the sea and it would listen.  Can you imagine the faith it would take to request the sun and the moon to stand still, and believe without a doubt in your heart that it will be done?  The faith Joshua had was immeasurable.  

There was one more part of today's reading that really caught my attention.  In chapter 9 we learn that the people of Gideon decided to deceive the Israelites into creating a peace treaty with their people.  They knew that Joshua had the Lord on his side, and the people were rightly terrified.  Some people of Gideon dressed up in old, worn clothes and sandals.  They packed old wineskins and moldy, dry bread.  They then road up to Joshua's camp and pretended as if they had been on a very long journey.  They asked Joshua for a peace treaty with their people, and Joshua granted it to them. 

Verse 9:14 says something very important -- that the people did NOT consult the Lord before making this decision.  How often do we let ourselves be deceived?  And not just by things that you need divine guidance to discern?  For example, how many people get hooked into phony or misleading social media stories and pictures?  We have the resources to validate these things at our fingertips, yet too many choose to stay in ignorance and be deceived. 

There are many people in this world who try to deceive others.  It might not be as easy to find out about the person who appears to be suffering -- usually with some financial matter.  It is the Christian thing to do to help these people out, is it not?  But just because we are Christians does not mean that we have to accept deception.  So what can we do about it?  Well, verse 9:14 tells us precisely what to do -- we must seek the Lord about those situations.  Seek the Lord, read His word, and listen for His answer.  He is there and He WILL guide us. 

Achan is Stoned, Ai is Destroyed

Today's Reading:

• Joshua 7:16 - 9:2

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Joshua 7:16 - 9:2
The last reading in Joshua left off with a cliff hanger -- someone had sinned against the Lord and that person was going to be singled out and punished.  The people were first dived into tribes, where the tribe of Judah was identified.  Next, that tribe divided into clans, and the clan of Zerah was singled out.  Next, the family of Zimri was singled out.  Out of that family, Achan was identified as the offender.

Achan admitted to taking what belonged to the Lord.  Achan and his entire family was stoned to death.  Reading stuff like this is very hard; after all we live in an age where people are taught mainly about love, grace, forgiveness.  But we must remember that sinning against God makes him angry, and it will be punished if we do not repent.  Achan had a direct order from God to not take any of that plunder from the battle, yet he directly disobeyed God's orders.  The result was that the Israelites failed at their battle to taking the town of Ai. 

After the sin of Ai was addressed, the Israelites went on to successfully ambush the town.  Verse 8:28-29 says:

So Joshua burned the town of Ai, and it became a permanent mound of ruins, desolate to this very day.   Joshua impaled the king of Ai on a sharpened pole and left him there until evening.  At sunset the Israelites took down the body, as Joshua commanded, and threw it in front of the town gate.  They piled a great heap of stones over him that can still be seen today. 

The reading ends with all the other kings conspiring to gather together in an effort to beat the Israelites.  We'll see what happens, but somehow I have a feeling that all will turn in the favor of God's people.  

The Battle of Jericho

Today's Reading:

• Joshua 5:1 - 7:25

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Joshua 5:1 - 7:15
The main focus of today's reading was the battle of Jericho, which was told in chapter six.  I was surprised at the brevity of the story, as it was told in a mere 27 verses.  Nonetheless it is a very powerful story -- the men were told to march around the city once a day for six days.  On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times, then shout after the long ram's horn was blown.  That is when the walls of the city utterly collapsed and the town was captured.

I am surprised there wasn't any more detail to the story than I already knew.  The people did not complain or question the Lord's instructions, they merely followed.  There was no talk of how the people of Jericho reacted. 

I have to imagine that the people of Jericho were utterly unprepared for this invasion.  After all, they are watching this army simply walk around the town, doing no harm to them.  Then, out of no where, the walls to the city simply collapse!  How could they prepared for that?  It's amazing.

All the people of Jericho were destroyed, save for Rahab and her family.  All of the things were destroyed, save for precious metals that were to be dedicated to the Lord's treasury. 

The people of Jericho then go on to defeat their next enemy -- AI -- only to utterly fail.  Joshua then discovers (when the Lord tells him) that someone in the camp has stolen items from Jericho.  The next day, the Lord would point out the guilty party, and he will be punished.  And that is where today's reading leaves off -- with a cliff hanger!

An Introduction to Joshua

Today's Reading:

• Joshua 1:1 - 2:24

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Joshua 1:1 - 2:24

Today is a monumental day, because today I started the book of Joshua.  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Number and Deuteronomy as well as many parts of the New Testament- those are all books that I have at least read parts of here or there over the course of my life.  Joshua is one that I have yet to ever even begin to read.  Don't get me wrong - I know the most famous story of Jericho - but I have not yet read it.  So today I embark on a journey further into the Word of God; and I am very excited to do so.

Joshua was the appointed successor of Moses - he was the man who was to lead the people of Israel into the promised land.  He had the full support of the people he was leading (1:16-17) and they were ready to take the promised land for themselves. 

Joshua sent out two scouts to spy on the area around Jericho (2:1).  Those scouts met a prostitute named Rahab who had remarkable faith in the Lord (2:11).  Rahab hid the scouts from the king's men and helped them to escape the city after the gates had been closed.  In return the scouts agreed to spare Rahab and her family, so long as she remained true to her oath not to betray them.

Chapter two ends with the scouts recounting the fact that the people were already terrified of the Israelites (2:23).  It looks like I should soon be reading the account of the battle of Jericho.  I am very excited to continue my studies!

When God Slams the Door (The Lord Condemns the Israelites to Die in the Wilderness)

Today's Reading:

• Numbers 14:1 - 15:16
  
• Proverbs 11:4

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Numbers 14:1 - 15:16
Moses and the Israelites got near the land the Lord had promised to them.  Twelve scouts were sent ahead to scope the land for 40 days.  When they returned, 10 of the scouts spread fear throughout the people.  The other 2 scouts were Joshua and Caleb, and they did their best to assure the people that the land was attainable with the glory of God.

The people (once again) began to whine and complain.  They stayed up the entire night, crying about how they were going to die in battle; their wives and children carried off in plunder.   They once again cried that it would be better to die in Egypt.  In fact, it would be better to die in the wilderness.  (Wasn't their previous complaint how it would be better to die in Egypt than the wilderness?)

The Lord had finally had enough. (He sure is patient, isn't He?  I lost my patience with those people long ago!).  The Lord declared that He would destroy them all, but Moses begged the Lord otherwise.  The Lord listened to Moses and did not destroy the people, but he did condemn them to die in the desert.

The Lord told Moses that not a single person, aged 20 or older (with the exception of Caleb and Joshua ) would enter that land.  Each and every single one of those people would die in the wilderness, just as they had bemoaned the entire journey up to that point. 

The people, when they heard that, decided (once again) to rebel.  They said they had sinned, but were now ready to enter the land.  So they tried to do it themselves, but they failed without the Lord by their sides.  God had shut that door to them.

God is insanely patient to have put up with what He did up to that point.  But at some point, enough was enough.  The Lord was upset because He had sent sign after sign after sign to these people.  He had lived in their camp, led them, and guided them all along.  Yet the entire way they moaned and cried and threw fits. 

I really don't have anything else to say about this.  People are fickle, and for many, you can show them all the signs in the world, but they still won't believe.  I also learned today that sometimes God slams the door in your face and locks it for good.  I can't think of anything I've done that has caused God to slam a door in my face, but I can see it does happen.  Don't bemoan the Lord.  He is here for you always, even when you aren't there for Him. 

Proverbs 11:4

Riches won't help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.

Here we are told that riches won't help us out when it's judgment time.  Note it doesn't say riches are evil -- I have yet to the bible say that -- but simply that it won't help you.

Right living can save you from death.   Obviously we are each condemned to die, it is a sure thing, save for a lucky few (when compared to the billions who have already died) who are still alive when Jesus returns.  So are we talking about eternal death?  Are we talking about early death?  Are we talking about both?

I have seen how sins -- especially adultery -- lead to the grave.  I've seen it occur both figuratively and literally in the bible.  It can spell the end of everything you have accomplished in life, in one fell swoop.  I have read other passages that talk about our sins as ropes that hold us captive.

In the end only our salvation in Jesus Christ can save us.  But walking the right path while we are here on earth will help us to avoid pain, keep us closer to the Lord, and ensure an easier time for us on judgement day.  I'd best make sure these feet of mine are walking in the right direction!

Are All Sins Equal?

Today's Reading:
• Exodus 17:8 - 19:15
• Proverbs 6:27 - 35

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Exodus 17:8 - 19:15
Moses and his people are now in the Sinai wilderness.  The first account of today's reading tells of how they fought the armies of the Amalekites.  The bible states that Moses told Joshua to gather an army to fight the men while Moses, Aaron and Hur climbed a mountain top. 

I'd like to stop briefly here for a quick question: Who is Joshua?  I think this is the first I have seen him mentioned.  I wonder if he is the same Joshua as is written in the book of Joshua?  I imagine he probably is, I just don't yet have a good enough frame of reference of the bible yet.

Moses had the task of raising his staff over his head as the battle raged on.  Whenever he lowered the staff his people would start to lose, and whenever he raised it they would again be winning.  The bible says that Hur and Aaron helped Moses keep his arms up as he became too tired.  Can you imagine?  Try keeping your arms up in the air for 15 minutes with nothing in them -- you would get extremely tired.  But the bible says that Moses held his staff above his head until sunset when the people of Israel won the battle.

Then Jethro (the father in law of Moses) came to visit Moses in the wilderness and to bring Moses his wife and children back.  I don't know at what point they were sent away, I don't recall reading anything about them being sent off. 

It also seems that Moses was trying to handle all the problems of the 600,000 men (plus women and children!) all on his own.  Jethro saw this and suggested to Moses that he teach others the decrees of God and then appoint leaders to groups of 1000, 100, 50 and 10.  Moses implemented that suggestion.  I imagine he was quite relieved after that point!

The story ends as the people of Israel prepare for God's coming to the base of the mountain.  God said that He would let all the people hear Him speak to Moses.  The Israelites were to spend the next three days in preparation. 

Proverbs 6:27 - 35
We read here that adultery will not be left unpunished by man.  Verses 31 and 32 say that thieves might sometimes have excuses -- they will have to pay back what they have stolen -- but they still might have an excuse (for example, they were starving).  But the adulterer destroys himself and will be utterly disgraced with shame that will never be erased (6:33).

I would like to note here the comparison between the sins of thieving and the sin of adultery.  I find it highly interesting how a distinction is made between the two, with the adultery being the higher crime. 

I know that other distinctions are made elsewhere in the bible for sins and their punishments; some come with death, others do not.  So there are levels of severity in sin.  This is significant to me because I have come from the thoughts that all sins are the same -- someone who steals is no less bad than someone who murders another.  I am not so sure that is the truth anymore. 

Of course any and all sin keeps us from the Lord and that is why we need the blood of Jesus Christ.  I realize that without question.  But I'll have to decide throughout my reading if sin has tiered severity -- not just in the eyes of humans, but in the eyes of God.