Introduction to the Reading: Let me start out by saying that I am not a soldier. I have never been in the military. I know nothing about military strategy. But I think anyone would admit that this plan went against all common sense.
Joshua himself was in quite a predicament. Forty years earlier he had said, "If the LORD is pleased with us, He will bring us into this land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and give it to us" (Numbers 14:8 HCSB). How many times over the last 40 years didn't he think about those words? How many nights did he fall asleep thinking, "If only..." Now here he was, about to lead a whole nation into battle. Here he was about to go to war. Like the soldiers on the boats at Normandy waiting to hit the shore, I wonder what thoughts now went through Joshua's head. Was he second guessing the passionate, go-get-em remarks he made in his youth when he returned with the other 11 spies? In his maturity was he rethinking the wisdom of taking on the Canaanites? Was he afraid that things might not go so well and that his foot might end up in his mouth?
And what about the soldiers? Were they afraid? Were they ready to face death? Perhaps even more scary, were they afraid that they might let down the expectations of the many generations that had awaited this day?
Not to mention that the enemy wasn't one to joke about. You remember last week what the spies reported, "All the people we saw there are of great size...We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them" (p. 75). According to archaeological explorations, the walls of Jericho were between 11 and 13 yards tall. If bets were being placed, the spread was definitely against the Israelites.
So back to the plan...what did Joshua tell the Israelites they would do to start the attack? I was watching the movie Moneyball this last week. The movie is about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its manager Billy Beane. Compared to teams like New York Yankees, they were small time. They had no money for good players. They needed a plan. So Billy Beane turned to statistics. He found players that were just good enough to get wins. His scouts thought he was crazy because he wasn't spending money on the big name players. Instead, he worked with what he had. Joshua needed a plan to beat the odds. He had to work with what he had.
What plan did Joshua follow? First of all they would cross a river without any bridge. Then they would circumcise all the males (not exactly what a coach would recommend before a game nevertheless a general before a war). Finally, they would pack up their weapons - trumpets. Oh, and there was one last command, "Don't be afraid." Really? Like the scouts in Moneyball, the men of Israel may have thought Joshua was crazy.
Well I guess I did leave out one detail. This wasn't Joshua's battle or Joshua's plan. This wasn't the Israelites' battle. This was the Lord's battle. Perhaps the odds weren't so bad after all. Let's see how it goes....
Time to Slow it Down - Pages 98 "He left no survivors."
Perhaps you may ask why the Lord told his people to be so violent. If God is such a loving God, why would he promote such destruction? Why not, at least, leave the women and children behind? Why the command to destroy everyone? I've asked myself those questions. But that was until I took a step back and looked at things from an upper story viewpoint.
You remember last week when the Lord told the people why he would drive out the Canaanites? He said, "After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, 'The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.' No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you" (p. 86; Deut. 9:5). The Lord wasn't so much handing the land over to the Israelites as much as he showing his justice and punishment on the wicked Canaanites.
The Canaanites were a wicked people. Their sins corrupted those around them. Remember last week how the Israelite men began to indulge in sexual relations with the Moabite women? (p.82) In the land of Canaan, not only was prostitution common, it was encouraged. Prostitution was directly connected with the worship of their gods. The thought was that if you could be fruitful, the land would be fruitful as well. You can see where Israelite men would not only be lured into sins against the 6th Commandment, but also sins against the 1st Commandment as well. In addition, worship of other gods in Canaan went as far as burning infants in a fire as sacrifice. The Lord does not tolerate sin. The Israelites were to be a beacon of morality in the world and there could be none of this wickedness among them.
How do people in our society look at God? Often, I think, they have a view that he doesn't mind how you live your life, as long as you aren't hurting anyone around you. It's ok to choose your own idea of who God is and what his will is for life and morals. They believe that he won't punish sin and wickedness. How different a viewpoint of God have we seen! God does not tolerate a willful disregard for his word.
But doesn't he give us time to repent? He indeed does. And this is where we see his love. He had given the Canaanites over 400 years to turn from their wicked ways. The Lord said to Abraham, "In the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure." The Lord is giving us time to repent. Our lives are a time of grace - a time to turn from sin and trust in his grace and forgiveness.
When You're Done Reading - Thoughts to Ponder:
Home...finally. Although it took 400 some years, the Lord did keep his promise. We may wonder when the Lord is going to bring us home. When is the end coming? When will I get to go to heaven? When is the last day? Although we may be scared when the moment of death is imminent, just as the Israelites may have been a bit fearful as they stood on the banks of the Jordan, we know where we are going. Peter reminds us, "The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Like he gave the Canaanites time to repent, he gives us time to proclaim the Gospel to every corner of the world so that they may know of him, his love, and the forgiveness that comes through his Son. But let there be no doubt in our minds what lies ahead: home - forever - with the Lord.
Making it My Own:
I heard Keith Tozer, the soccer coach of the Milwaukee Wave, talking on the radio this morning about his pre-game pep talks. He admitted that he liked getting the players fired up. Some coaches are more subdued. Some have long, drawn out speeches. Others' speeches are very cut and to the point.
The Lord gave a bit of a pre-game pep talk to the Israelite soldiers. He told them, repeatedly, "Be strong and very courageous." But did you notice what tactics he advised? Did he tell them, "Remember, the Canaanite's Achilles' heal is..." Or did he say, "Remember to hold your swords just like this..." Not at all. He gives advice that seems to have nothing to do with battle. What was the key to success? "Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go" (p. 89).
How often in life do we tweak ourselves in order to try to gain success? We get more degrees so that we can get a better job. We spend more hours working out so that we can finish better in the race. We take more medications so that we can fight illness. I'm not saying any of these things are bad. The Israelites' men had to do work to conquer the land. They actually fought. They physically ran. There was sweat and sore muscles. Yet, when it came down to it, the key to happiness wasn't found in their victories, but in keeping God's will for their lives.
When the battles were over, like a coach giving a post-game wrap-up, Joshua reminded the people of the importance of making the Lord's will the center of their lives. In words fitting for a family emblem or framed on the family mantle, Joshua strongly shows where his allegiance lies. He says, in effect, "I pledge allegiance to the Lord!" He says to the people, "Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."
It's easy to get caught up in day to day life here in the "lower story" with the thinking that happiness depends on our successes. We are afraid that we might fail in our endeavors because we think happiness rides on our success. But we can be strong and courageous once we realize that this isn't the case. The battle is the Lords. What we do is seek to serve the Lord with our lives - whether it be by taking care of our families, by sharing the Gospel, by being a friend to those around us, or in whatever other place the Lord puts us - and trust him to bless us, just as he has already given us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hymn:
by. Wilhelm E. Arends
Rise! To Arms! With prayer employ you,
O Christians, lest the foe destroy you,
For Satan has designed your fall.
Wield God's Word, a weapon glorious;
Against each foe you'll be victorious;
Our God will set you o'er them all.
Fear not the prince of hell-
Here is Emmanuel!
Sing hosanna!
The strong ones yield
To Christ, our shield,
And we as conqu'rors hold the field.
Pray: Jesus, all your children cherish,
And keep them that they never perish
Whom you have purchased with your blood.
Let new life to us be given
That we may look to you in heaven
Whenever fearful is our mood.
Your Spirit on us pour
That we may love you more,
Hearts o'er-flowing;
And then shall we,
From sin set free
Sing praise through all eternity.
A Note From Pastor Ben:
Here's a link you might find interesting if you'd like to pursue a little more what we can learn from archaeology about the fortified city of Jericho and the biblical record of its fall to the Israelites under Joshua.
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