OT: The Book of Joshua, Chapter 7

Joshua 7:1-26

7:1 A member of the children of Israel commits a transgression that represents one of humanity's greatest weaknesses: he places material wealth over spiritual wealth. During the siege of Jericho, he takes some of the gold and silver for himself.

The reason why this is especially offensive to God is because it is a declaration that the man places his trust and love in money rather than God. Even though God has enabled the children of Israelites the inherit a nation, cross a wilderness and be freed from slavery without money,  this man still places value in material wealth over trust in God.

This lesson is important because we all benefit from learning that our true, lasting and abundant provision comes solely from God. God creates possibility out of impossible situations.  He redistributes atoms to create a path for His children; He does all of it without money.

In the New Testament, we are reminded that we cannot serve two masters, Luke 16:30. God understands that life is either lived obedient to money, power and vanity or to God. 1 Timothy 6:10 reveals to us that money is the root of all kinds of evils.  Desperation for money causes the disintegration of the soul. Greed is direct opposition to charity and selflessness, which are the root of God's philosophy.

The people of Jericho lived obedient to money and all kinds of evil festered within their walls. This man, Achan "troublesome", opposes the children of Israel and aligns himself with the people of Jericho. Achan lived as an example to us of how easy it is to abandon faith and choose material wealth. The situation here is black and white but warns us to be vigilant in the grey areas of life. The tiny moments in which we make big decisions.  If we choose to be obedient to God, that choice needs to be reaffirmed in every action, interaction and thought.

Most of us are no longer sacking cities. Therefore must of us do not have to choose between trusting God and literally walked away from piles of wealth. But Achan's situation is not altogether an ancient one. Our choices are often more opaque than his. But as long as we keep God at the forefront of all our ways, He will direct our paths, Proverbs 3:6. As long as we acknowledge God in all of the tiny moments and decisions, He will educate on choosing the right master. One cares about you, the other does not.

7:2-5 Joshua is not yet aware that there is corruption in the camp. Therefore, he sends an army against the people of Ai and it loses badly. The children of Israel, more than anything, are God's army of students. Achan represented dissension in the camp and the Israelites have to learn that dissension will not win them wars. Their fuel, direction and function is faith. Therefore if their faith is deficient, so is their fuel, direction and function.

You cannot accomplish must on an empty tank. You cannot accomplish anything on an empty spiritual tank. God has to educate the Israelites on the flaw in order to refuel them. The point is not to exact punishment; God loves to love His children. He reluctantly disciplines us out of love. He reinforces this lesson because it is imperative that we learn that only He is capable of propelling us to the places we dream to be.

The children of Israel are an example of how God transforms slave into ruler. Rich into poor. Orphan into claimed child. Without money or scheming, God accomplishes all of those things! His selfless nature rescues, preserves, frees, inspires, blesses, leads, protects. He wants us to understand that our own selfless nature can be too. More powerful than money could ever make us.

Why do people desire money? They wish to inherit happiness, joy, power, ability, respect. All of the various things money can buy are attempts to attain those aforementioned things. The spiritual philosophy of God manifests the happiness, joy, power, ability and respect we dream of. Money and the things it buys only make failed, temporary attempts. Through Achan, we and the children of Israel, are taught this fundamental life truth.

7:6-9  Joshua flabbergasted and distressed at the huge battle loss. He falls to earth before our Father. Joshua's natural response to anxiety, fear and confusion is to consult God. In humility.

The priests put ashes of mourning on their heads, a cultural practice at the time. The reason they mourn is because many men have just died. The metaphor here is that greed causes spiritual death. The earth and all the universe laments when greed consumes souls.

7:10 God's response to Joshua is to rise up from the ground. Although He deserves it, our reverence of God is not what warms Him. It is our love and trust in Him that warms Him. Father instructs Joshua to rise in faith.

As humans, we have a tendency of overreacting. Joshua's loss of one battle causes him to panic about his entire life! Every enemy he has every faced! Doom! Gloom! Lights out... or not. God's response is: Joshua, compose yourself. This is merely a hiccup, and one I am in total control over.

7:11 The situation is not hopeless because God did not fail or turn his back. Achan failed and turned his back. No situation is ever hopeless because God never fails or turns his back. The loss of the battle in Ai was due to human failure not divine failure. And if we are willing to learn and be redirected, God can correct what a human failure caused.

7:12 God states that we cannot face our enemies until we take away the accursed thing that enables them to have power over us. When faith in God, love for God, is your highest valued possession, no enemy can take anything away from you. Your love for God renders enemies powerless. 

God explains that until we eliminate the weakness we have that empowers our enemy, they will continue to beat us. We seem to only learn that lesson through experience, unfortunately. A house divided cannot stand, Mark 3:25. Because of Achan, and perhaps others' greed, the children of Israel are a divided house. Their intentions are no longer aligned. Their values are displaced. 

The things which weaken us are manifestations of greed: selfishness, vengeance, impatience, lust, desire, dishonesty, injustice, distraction, hypocrisy, arrogance, ignorance. Abandonment of these things is to claim God. To claim God is to inherit the wisdom He possess to disentangle us from all opposition.

Matthew 16:25 explains that when we shed selfishness, we inherit life. Spirit. But when we choose selfishness, when our intention in the world becomes to gain the riches and values of the world, we lose our lives. Because the values of the world smother the flame of our spirit. Corruption of the world disintegrates our soul.

When we understand that, we understand why the battle at Ai was lost. The Israelites and all humans need to understand what can corrode their claim and ability to eternal life. For this life is temporary but the next is not. 

Why cling to the one which is finite? Even if a fool manages to convince themselves that money, wealth, vanity and power have made them happy, proud and successful, it is short lived. Literally. Luke 16:19-31, Lazarus and the Rich Man, is corroboration of this lesson.

7:13 God's directive and strong suggestion to the Israelites (and of us!) is for them to review their faith, values and intentions. Sanctify yourselves, God instructs. Set yourself apart from evil and declare your holy purpose.

We can all benefit from doing "inventory" now and then to ensure that how we are living is aligned with how God has taught us to live. Life consistently presents new battles and therefore we need to be consistently prepared for them.

Issac was a man of meditation and reflection in faith, Genesis 24:63. The son of Abraham was faithful raised to be a child of God. The moment we spend with God as students are the most instrumental in our lives. Consistent sanctification is the active separation from corruption.

7:14-15 The plan is made to literally rid the camp and spirits of the Israelite from accursed things. Each tribe. Each family. Each member. God is a particular God. A specific God. When He weeds out evil, He pulls it up from the root. 

When you invite God to do work in you, He is specific. Thorough. We are all flawed but He teaches us, every day, how to be better. Kinder. Wiser. More compassionate and generous. More selfless, more understanding of the entire fabric rather than just a string of thread.

7:16-18 The meticulous combing causes Achan's opposition to be found.

7:19 Joshua is deeply saddened and disappointed. His kindness to Achan is proof that Achan's opposition to God personally affects Joshua's own heart. Joshua was confident that the entire camp was steadfast in faith and love for God. Achan's betrayal hurts. 

Joshua's emotions echo God's own. We are made in His image, we feel what He feels. It hurts Him to be betrayed by a child He loves so much.

7:20-21 Achan's explains that he gave in to covetousness and desire. 

7:22-26  Achan's demise here is harsh but metaphorical and for a purpose.  Life in opposition to God is harsh. It is painful to the soul to live in contradiction to God's natural philosophy. Opposition to God causes discontentment, frustration, anger, confusion and so much more. Whether we realize it or not, our soul is wise... wiser than we are, and without its proper nutrients, it weakens. We must not let our bodies have the power our soul can so much better reign.

OT: The Book of Joshua, Chapter 6

Joshua 6:1-27

6:1 The city of Jericho finds itself walled in. The children of Israel surround their walls but more importantly, so does God. God encircles evil until it is cut off, asphyxiated. We have learned that what happened to the Israelites happened to serve as an example to us in our generation, 1 Corinthians 10:11. Therefore we have learned that God will surround the walls of an evil nation, person, force against us and cut it off. He will cut that evil off and then cause us to inherit the platform evil once thought it ruled from.

The people of Jericho cannot come in or out. They cannot defend themselves. This is how God approaches and confronts evil: comprehensively. God explained to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy 9:5 that their inheritance of this land is due to the evil which presently takes place in it. God promises that His children with inherit the earth, Matthew 5:5, (among so much else) and the reason why we inherit the earth is because He is going to evacuate evil from it. He is going to make this planet a home of safety, love and righteousness again. 

God's intentions with Jericho are consistent with His plans for the end of this current age. Evil surrounded, blocked in from escaping and yet forced out. 

6:2 The Lord exclaims to Joshua: this is yours! As in the children of Israel. As in His children, including you. With power and determination, love and justice in His heart, God strips evil of the reigns and places them directly in your hand. Our generous God shares the glory of the extermination of evil. From the very beginning God has sought and worked and died for a covenant with us, a mutual relationship. Though we are meek and feeble and fallible, God gives us powerful purpose and position and platform to step into. He becomes the strength we need to declare righteousness. 

6:3 God's methods are perfect, unlike our own. God's children who work arduously in love, in having compassing and exacting justice, do not have to do the heavy lifting of winning the war. The battles, day to day, God has joined with us in winning. He helps us to restore justice, inspire joy, create love in desolate places and people and ideas. Those are the battles. But the war... the war God wins as The Almighty that He is.

The destruction of Jericho will happen because of the Israelites commitment to faith. Because of their commitment to this philosophy, God's philosophy, which encourages a passionate, compassionate, righteous life. The walls of Jericho, the winning of the war, will be accomplished through the battles the Israelites have lived through. As long as we endeavor toward righteousness in the small moments, the day to day and moment by moment, we claim victory in every war. 

In the New Testament, God promises in Matthew 11:30 that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. God does not recruit you as His child, His fellow worker, because He strains under a burden. He recruits you as a fellow worker, His child,  because He can see that you strain under your burden. He does not just offer assistance, He absorbs, claims your burden as His own and instead places His light on you.

His burden is light. God does not put weight on our shoulders. What He does place on you is not only light in weight, but is luminosity. He places on you wisdom and patience, joy and hope and love. Those are the kind of "burdens" God doles out. 

In this chapter we will see and understand how God causes to win wars without any exertion except for in faith. For faith is a journey and process. Faith is a discipline. Mentioned in the previous chapter, the only military and life training we need is the training God gives us through our steadfast faith. Arduous faith produces a life of God's easy yoke and light burden. 

What does arduous faith look like? Arduous faith is moments spent deep in His word. Arduous faith is a life hopeful and trusting in His will. As a human being, we all know how difficult hope and trust can be to retain. Arduous faith looks like love. In every moment. For every person. For Him in every situation. Arduous faith is compassion without reservation. Arduous faith is stepping out of the boat onto the water, trusting that He will hold you up through impossible situations, Matthew 14:29. Arduous faith is expressed by Joshua himself in the previous chapter; arduous faith is waking up everyday with this on your heart: What does my Lord say to His servant?

Arduous faith is servitude. Faith is listening to His voice to learn what to learn. To learn what do to. To learn how to do. Arduous faith is waking up a student of faith and spirituality every morning. 

6:4 Arduous faith is marching around the earth in righteousness knowing that God will inevitably cause evil's defenses to crumble. God tells Joshua to have seven priests (holding of the representative covenant) carry trumpets.

Do you carry your trumpet? We have a blessed responsibility in our lives: to proclaim the word and will and love of God. To let our life speak. To let the way we live life and interact with others speak. We corner evil, encircle it, when we live lives in bold and direct opposition to it. 

To be an outspoken child of God, out speak evil. Speak louder, longer, and more boldly than evil does. Evil feeds on silence. Trumpet righteousness for all to hear and see. The Israelites will trumpet around the walls of Jericho. Without fear, they will trust in God to compensate for their inabilities and deficiencies. Do not miss the message in that. Without fear, they will continue to walk and trumpet their faith because God will provide, defend, protect, lead, restore, strengthen and encourage. 

6:5 Our faith is the shout that breaks the bonds of evil. Our faith causes evil to fall down flat. Because our faith is a substantial, powerful force. Faith enables us to walk forward toward opposition and claim victory. God explains this to Joshua and we learn from his faith because he listens. He trusts. Imagine being Joshua: leading a small, lackluster group of people against a mighty nation. By the world's calculations, Joshua was hopeless. But through and because of God, Joshua chose not just to be hopeful but to believe. Emphatically. 

Emphatic trust in God is a multi-step process of listening, trusting, obeying, receiving, and fulfilling.

God does not need to split the sea any longer because He's ready to split new seas. He's ready to split your sea. The old seas have been split. The purposes and intentions there fulfilled. There is now purpose and intention for your life to fulfill. We do not need to loiter desperately in faith waiting for Him to prove to us what He can do... that has already been done. God does not backtrack, He moves forward. He's ready to move forward with you, to order ink for new pages. 

God is holding a book after earth in Spirit, Revelation 20:12, and it has all the names of His children written it. Your history and your purpose are inked in as soon as you start living the story.

6:6-11 Joshua makes the exact arrangements God instructed him to make. The people will march around the wall of Jericho with their covenant prominently proclaimed. The people wearing these spiritual armor would lead the group. This is a battle, the Israelites will physically face evil. But their physical effort will not win the battle. Their faith will win the battle. Every time we enter a battle with our spiritual armor, Ephesians 6:10-18, we claim the land and the victor. We declare righteousness over the place God has caused us to inherit.

6:12 Joshua lives a life of fervent and consciousness service. He continues to rise early in the morning, eager to bring about the prophesy of God. Wake up every day in anticipation of, in devotion to, what God is going to accomplish in that day. In this day. Joshua is up early, his physical body rested enough to contain all of the energy his spirit is bursting with. 

Everyday find wonder in anticipation of what God is going to do, or teach, or organize. Every day the plan comes closer, further into completion. Every day the pieces of His plan are coming together. Wake up ready to be a part, a participator, in those plans.

6:13-14 The priests (bearers of the ark of the covenant, the physical representation of the bond between God and humanity) and the Israelites march around Jericho. For six straight days. While God arranges everything inside and outside of that city, that region, that continent, this planet, the galaxy and universe into order.... the children of Israel march and wait patiently for His timing.

Because they would not have won on the fifth day. They were not ready on the third. The city was too strong on the second day. Whatever His reasons for causing us to wait and trust and hope, they are necessary. He is bringing things into order, doing the calculations of math we can not yet comprehend. 

In the time of our waiting, through our faith, God is building. Inside of us. Outside of us. Near us. Away from us. He is building the conditions under which we can receive and retain our blessings, our dreams, our hopes. He is doing work in you.

As humans, we have difficulty with waiting. With trusting. With hoping. On our figurative six day walk around the thing we pray most to receive, our steps become heavier. Our steps made less bold by hesitation. Our desperation causes our steps to stumble. Our inability to trust Him causes us to doubt our direction... sometimes we even turn backward and regress. But faith puts us right back into order every time. 

By the fifth and sixth day we are tired. That's fine, we are humans are very limited by our physical body and emotions. What we must not let get tired is our faith. Our faith needs to be nourished. Our faith needs to be vibrant. So that when our bodies finally, inevitably does walk through the space a wall of waiting once barred, our body can have its rest. But our spirit already lived there, already rested in that space. Faithfully, we already existed in that blessing. We felt it because we knew it was already ours. It was ours before it was in our hands. 

Faith understands that during that long, arduous walk, you and God were already decorating the blessing you were walking toward but could not yet see. When your body reaches it, it is a good but unfamiliar place. When you spirit reaches it, it is a good and familiar place. Your spirit steps into that blessings and sighs with joy: I've been here before. Those walls are blue because I painted them blue. There are windows because I asked God to have them installed. Metaphorically. We plan the blessings God inevitably delivers.

So while you are walking around the walls of waiting, use that time to decorate with God. As He builds you and the life you are about to inherit, learn what you would like that life to look like. Learn what you would like your soul and spirit to be like. The brighter the soul, the brighter the blessing. The more building He does in you, the more building is building done ahead of where you are right now. 

A short period of building would render you deficient. Unable to maintain grand blessings. For grand blessings come with grand responsibilities. A long, meticulous period of building allows time for meticulous detail in your blessings.

6:15-16 Because the Israelites walk boldly, precisely in faith their journey of walking ends. God does not give us instruction to make us prove that we can be obedient to Him. God gives us instruction to show us that His precious instructions enable us to mathematically walk into precise blessing. He knows the way! He knows every turn you need to take, every step you need to climb. He doesn't say "Jump!" to prove that He's in charge, He says "Jump!" because there's a gap there and He doesn't want us to fall into it.

The shout of faith causes the destruction of the barrier.

6:16-17 Every ounce of evil is to be evacuated from the city. God remembers Rahab's faith and the Israelites will not harm her or her family. Our God would never harm an innocent or kind person. When these chapters speak of total destruction, they mean total destruction of everything and everyone evil. Like Rahab, we all, past and present, have opportunities to display our heart to God. Whoever has kindness is in it spared from removal.

6:17-19 God gives specific instructions for the Israelites to abstain from evil. From idol worship. From the covetousness of the people who live in Jericho. This city has hosted evil and is therefore filled with its materials. God is consistent in reminding them, and us, to remain from the things that will grab us off of our path of righteousness. 

6:20-21 Faith causes the wall to fall flat. You see, the metaphor comes into fulfillment. We only need our spiritual armor and our spiritual discipline to claim to victory over every opposition. Righteousness has an abundant, inevitable inheritance. Be righteousness and you will too.

6:22-25 The promise made to Rahab is fulfilled as all of God's promises are. Become a host for righteousness and God will deliver you into blessing and protection. With you, all that your heart loves. God's blessings abound. Luke 12:32, it is God's good pleasure to bless His children with His kingdom! And everything in it. Everything it stands for. 

6:24 The silver, gold, bronze and iron is reserved and given to the House of the Lord. The metaphor in this comes from the foundation set in:

Malachi 3:2-3

2 “But who can endure the day of His coming?
And who can stand when He appears?
For He is like a refiner’s fire
And like launderers’ soap. 

3 He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver;
He will purify the sons of Levi,
And purge them as gold and silver,
That they may offer to the Lord
An offering in righteousness.

God does not care about or need actual gold or silver. What He does care about are children who have faith that can stand the heat of fire. Faith as figuratively strong as metals. The people, the ideas, the relationships which are precious and strong and righteous are reserved for the House of the Lord. What is truly precious should not, cannot be consumed by fire.

Jericho faces utter destruction but the righteous are reserved for the House of the Lord.

6:25 Rahab is mentioned juxtaposed the aforementioned lesson because she is evidence that God reserves the righteous of faith. Everything in Rahab's life might be out of place but her heart is not. Her heart is for God and therefore she is reserved for the House of the Lord.

6:26-27 Joshua charges into Jericho with a declaration. Joshua's declaration is that anyone who opposes God will ultimately contribute to their own downfall. God has given the instructions, the blueprint, because He knows how to build lives. If we do not build a life according to His blueprint, then all we do is tear down.

OT: The Book of Joshua, Chapter 5

Joshua 5:1-15

5:1 Every nation which felt confident against the children of Israel begin to feel... doomed. God has explained that He is taking away land from nation which is evil, Deuteronomy 9:5. As a righteous army, led by God, moves against them, they begin to fear. 

God's children are always underestimated at first. Led by love, we are sometimes confused as weak. Yet through the love of God we learn what power actually is. Romans 8:31, no nation or person or force has any power against us as long as we are teamed with God.

The children of Israel appear to be a rag-tag army, undisciplined in military battle. What they do not realize that discipline in faith is the only battle-training they need. 

5:2-7 Joshua is told to circumcise the sons of Israel. Although circumcision is a defunct practice, it once served as evidence of submission to God. It was a symbol of cleanliness of faith. Although many of the Israelites were circumcised before, children have grown into men after 40 years in the wilderness. Moreover, some of the men previously defected from the faith. A renewal commitment to this faith takes place.

5:8-9 This symbolism of circumcision of the group is a restoration. The men who defected left a gap and God fills it in with faith.

5:10-12 Keeping tradition, the Israelites celebrate Passover. Their traditions of faith help them to maintain their spiritual faith, the true tether which binds and individual to God. The Israelites no longer subsist on manna, the angel food God provided in the desert. God is bringing this people into a fertile land... food for them will be abundant.

The transition from manna to typical food is evidence that the children of Israel have graduated in understanding: they now understand that God is the provider of all meals and things. Literal representation of that point is no longer necessary.

5:13 As Joshua approaches Jericho, he looks up and sees someone with a drawn sword. In complete strength of faith, Joshua walks over to the man... with the drawn sword! He approaches a fierce-looking person with a weapon because he trusts that God will protect him.

We should think of this in metaphorical terms: We need not shrink or hesitate from living boldly, walking toward where God leads us with trust in His path. The lifestyle of trusting God is something that must be created, supported and maintained by studious, passionate faith. Yet all children of God should endeavor toward the faith Joshua has in God. Joshua lives by God's directives and therefore knows that God will not forsake him. 

Joshua outright asks the man this question: Are you for us... or are you for our enemies? Joshua gets directly to the point. Yet as we read, we will see that even Joshua is on a quest of faith and understanding.

5:14 The man answers that is neither for them or for their enemies... He is for God. This is a beautiful moment because it disentangles us from the world and even from ourselves. This entity serves as a child of God. His identity is servant of God.

Joshua suddenly understands that He is speaking to an angel and bows deeply to the ground. When people in the Bible bow down to the Angel of the Lord and His messengers, it is not out of fear.... rather it is out of fascination. God's love is so overwhelming, so pure and luminous that the natural reaction is to bow in adoration.

Joshua answers: What does my Lord say to His servant?

Wow. Should we not begin each of our days with the very same question? Joshua immediately understands that he is about to receive a lesson and direction sent directly from God. Joshua takes the position of a reverent student. He opens his mind, heart and life to what God wills.

God causes us to bloom like spring flowers. From dirt we transition into tight little buds... in need of encouragement and a steady push against gravity. A steady push against opposition in all its forms: oppression, self-doubt...

And then when God causes us to bloom, our faith keeps our petals spread wide. Open in cheerful anticipation of the brilliant light, love and wisdom God streams into our lives, hearts, and minds. His bursting, warm, steady light feeds us, provides the nutrients we need to remain in bloom. Joshua opens his whole self to the love, direction, and wisdom of God. So should we.

5:15 The Angel instructs Joshua to take his shoes off, as he is on holy ground. Joshua complies. Taking his shoes off is like the rolling up of sleeves. Time to acknowledge the situation and give it the attention it deserves and requires. Time to get to work. 

OT: The Book of Joshua, Chapter 4

Joshua 4:1-24

4:1-3 Everyone crosses over the Jordan river, feet on dry ground because God has made a way. Joshua receives a directive from God; he is told to have each representative of each of the 12 tribes carry a stone from the river they have just crossed over. The stones are to be carried to the camp they make on the other side.

4:4-5 Joshua relates the direction to the Israelites. 

4:6-7 The stones are to represent the love and ability of God. The stones will serve as a memory for the Israelites to pass onto their children. God understands how fickle and forgetful these humans (all humans) can be. If they physically carry proof of God graciousness on their shoulders, the more likely the pass the covenant on to further generations.

4:8-9 Joshua and the Israelites do as God commands. Following God's commandments always serves our own benefit. Every directive God gives is meant to further establish us in here sphere of love and protection... propulsion. For to be with God is to be propelled through purposeful, meaningful lives.

God understands that if the Israelites keep His philosophy as the foundation and anchor of all that they do, they will excel beyond their imagination. God strives to maintain a relationship with us because He knows that through it, we will have an endless source of life and joy and blessing.

4:10 The Levites carry the ark according to the precise directions of God. Recall that the Levites were chosen as the teachers and organizers of the faith because of their own strong faith, Numbers 18:24. The ark is physical representation of the covenant between God and the Israelites. 

4:11-14 As Joshua is able to organize 40,000 for battle through faith, he is exalted by God and respected by the Israelites. Joshua leads the group into what would have been an impossible situation without God. Crossing the river, having it split by God, was encouragement for the group to continue to follow his lead as they did Moses'. It also serves as proof of Joshua's complete and fervent faith in God: imagine leading a small group of people with limited to no military training against a mighty enemy nation? Every single step would have to be taken in steadfast faith or you would immediately turn around.

4:15-17 that Joshua does exactly what God says... exactly when he says it. God does not vocally speak to us, but He does speak through other ways. God had this book of scripture written, compiled and preserved for each of us, individually, to receive personal, heart to heart communication with Him. When we ask Him to lead, He ensures that we hear Him navigate. 

4:18 As soon as the Levites carry the ark of the covenant onto land, the river waters rush back into place. This is an example of God's precision and intention. Of His ability to restore. To lead. To make a way out of the impossible and cause no harm doing so.

4:19 The Israelite army, after crossing the Jordan, make camp in Gilgal. Gilgal is east of Jericho, the city God will cause them to take over.

4:20 Joshua places the 12 stones from the Jordan river in Gilgal.

4:21-24 The stones represent the history of the Israelites under God's leadership. While the stones are a reminder to the children of Israel and a memory to pass onto their children, the stones are also a testimony to outside nations. They are a testimony of God's goodness and ability.

OT: The Book of Joshua, Chapter 3

Joshua 3:1-17

3:1 Although subtly stated, there are bold recommendations within the verses we read. Joshua rose early in the morning. From the simple statement, we learn a lot about Joshua's faith. He is productive, passionate, committed, invested. Without delay, Joshua continues to follow directives from God. Having received the information he needed to be prepared (from the two spies in the previous chapter) Joshua is ready to proceed and he wastes no time doing so.

As children of God, we make our greatest impact when we contribute to His will in the same way as Joshua. We learn from James 2:14-26 that faith without works is dead. It speaks volumes then, of a person's faith, when they rise early to begin working.

Joshua and the children of Israel make camp by the Jordan in preparation to cross over.

3:2-3 For three days, the Israelites are prepared for the cross over. They are instructed to wait to cross over until the see the Levites with the ark of the covenant. The ark of the covenant is their form of physical faith, their reminder of the promise from God they agreed to participate in. We learn from this to always allow our faith, our God, to go before us into a place.

Our patient faith allows God time to prepare the circumstances we journey toward. When we are patient, He is able to take the time to tailor those places for our benefit. Not only that, God prepares us. Established in faith, God teaches us all that we need to know to progress efficiently through life and circumstance. God strengthens our patience, hope, and ability.

It is important for the children of Israel to remember that God will win this territory for them. Humans tend to become proud and even haughty over things that were accomplished by God rather than themselves. A child of God learns that their success comes through obedience rather than personal ability. God trains us and makes us able through Him.

3:3-4 The metaphor in this verse is to follow after God. Yet the caution here is to remember never to consider yourself as a god. Never become so arrogant that you forget how to follow. Keep God in view, not underfoot. 

The Israelites need to understand that God will lead them into victory. Yet if they lose sight of the covenant or become so confident that they stumble right into it, they can no longer be lead. Instead they will spiral into chaos and defeat.

3:5-6 Joshua recommended each person humble themselves before God in faith and trust. The quiet moments of gratitude, learning and trust we spend with God determine our outcome when we enter the battle. It is in this quiet time that He prepares us for what lays ahead. 

3:7 God ministers to Joshua and informs Him that He will display Himself to the Israelites as the same God who has been with them since Moses' leadership. The lesson is one in consistency. It is our same God who led the Israelites who ministers to us now. Although generations change and leaders change, our God who presides over all of earth, has never and will never change.

3:8 God commands Joshua to have the priests carry the covenant to the end of the water and then to stand with it in the water. The Israelites must cross the Jordan river to enter into the promised land.

3:9-11 Joshua follows God's order exactly. Our Father is a God of precision. He is present in every detail and organizing every detail. Following His precise specifications will always lead to the greatest most efficient blessings. 

Joshua explains to the children of Israel that God will show them that He is still the same Entity Who has been with them since the beginning. The Israelites are reassured that God will transport them through this battle as the victors. All they (and we) have to do to receive God's promises is to listen to Him and follow.

3:12 Joshua ensures that each tribe is represented. God has made this promise to each of them (and has since extended it to all people) and so it is only right that each actively participate. God has worked for generations to get us to understand that we are active-participants with Him, 1 Corinthians 3:9.

3:13-14 God has promised to clear a path directly through the Jordan for the Israelites to pass through. 1 Corinthians 10:11 explains to us that the events in the Israelites' lives happened as examples to us in these final generations. Therefore, we need to understand the metaphor and meaning of these events. God splits the waters to show us that He is able to manipulate even impossible situations to ensure our success. As long as we follow Him, He can split seas to enable us to keep up. It is so important to Him that we reach Home, Him, our destination and blessings. 

3:15-16 As promised, once the children of Israel followed God's exact directions, the waters were pulled back and a path was created. God's promise to us is that if we follow His philosophy of life, He is always going to ensure that we have a path toward blessing. God's philosophy encourages kindness, humility and passionate, consistent participation in creating good fruit. If we do that, He will bless so thoroughly, John 14:13.

3:17 The priests who held the ark of the covenant stood firmly in the middle of a centuries old river, on dry ground. The children of Israel were able to cross over because God cut off the river's source. These things happened as an example to us. God will continually cut off the source of power of our enemy, barrier and fear. But we must invite Him to do so; we must host Him well.

In the Garden of Eden, in Genesis, Adam and Eve serve as representations of a choice humanity made. Instead of living under the perfect organization of God, we seized our autonomy. God always knew that we would fail with such responsibility but we did not trust Him. Our time on earth is an opportunity to begin the process of returning our autonomy and trading it in for our original perfect state. Invite God to be the Organizer in your life again. Let Him restore order. Follow Him. Listen to Him. Let Him part the seas and rivers.

OT: The Book of Joshua, Chapter 2

Joshua 2:1-24

2:1 Before entry into the land, Joshua sends two men to go ahead of the group. Joshua himself served as a spy for Moses in the previous book. The intention is for the men to bring back information about the layout. 

The men enter the land and find haven in a women's house. The woman's name is Rahab and she is described to be a "harlot." Although Rahab's lifestyle is not ideal, we will learn from this chapter that her faith is strong. Even though she is not an Israelite, she trusts God and his fellow workers. In fact, she becomes a fellow worker by helping these spies: Rahab provides a safe, secret place for the men to stay.

2:2 The king of Jericho receives word that there are spies in his country. Rahab's faith is made clear here: although she could be killed by the king for her actions, she aligns herself with God.

2:3 The rumors are strong enough to pin Rahab to the spies Joshua sent. Soldiers of the king of Jericho tell Rahab to release the men who have now been identified as spies.

2:4 Instead of following the orders of the king of Jericho, Rahab hides the men. She claims that she did not know the men's intentions and that they have already left her house.

2:5 Sending the soldiers on a wild-goose-chase, she pretends that the two men fled the city and are still in range to be caught for the king.

2:6 What actually happened: Rahab hid the men on her roof and covered them with stalks of flax.

2:7 The soldiers follow Rahab's advice and leave to go look for the men.

2:8 Rahab reveals her faith in God: she knows what the two men's intentions are (to bring back information that will help the Israelites take over the land). Our faith is determined by our works, James 2:25: Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

2:9 Yet Rahab also knows what God intents to do to the land through the Israelites: cleanse it of evil. The Israelite's God reputation precedes Him, people know that wherever these people go, their God causes them to triumph.

2:10 Nations outside of the camp of the children of Israel have heard how God performed miracles for the Israelites and rescued them out of slavery.

2:11 Although the Israelite's themselves had a difficult time trusting God, some people outside of their camp did not. They understood by God's actions that He alone was powerful and that all human-kings were weak in comparison.

Rahab explains that believers like her began to place their faith and courage in God. Undoubtedly, God led these two Israelites directly to Rahab for safe haven. God always allows His children, those who believe in Him, to be fellow workers with Him as He accomplishes on the earth.

Rahab's statement of faith: "For the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." Rahab's circumstance teaches us to never judge. Although Rahab has a societally-dishonorable profession, her heart is committed to God. She has not been presented with the commandments as the children of Israel have. She likely has not had direct communication with Him, but she believes in God. Although she does not fully understand His philosophy, she believes He is God of all things and people. Her faith is firmly planted in Him.

2:12-13 Rahab asks for the two men to protect her and her family from the Israelites takeover of the land.

2:14 The men promise to honor Rahab's wish, and tell her that she will be dealt with kindly once the Lord has given them the land. Notice how both Rahab and these two Israelites keep God continually in the conversation. It is prudent for each of us to keep God in the details of our lives. When we do so, we invite Him to be our deliverer, our savior, our Father, our provider.

2:15 Rahab helps the men escape her home to journey back to their camp outside the gates.

2:16 She tells the men to go to the mountain, hide there for three days until the men who went after them return, and then carry on back to their group.

2:17-20 The men tell Rahab to tie a red cord in her window. The red cord will alert the invading Israelites that her home is to remain undisturbed. As long as Rahab keeps up her end of the deal and ties the red cord in her window, she and her family will be safe.

2:21 Rahab agrees to the terms and sends the men away. Immediately she ties the red cord to her window. We should ask ourselves whether we have this figurative red cord tied in our own windows. Do we signify to both God and the world that we are believers, followers and workers of God? Our faith in Him provides protection in every circumstance.

2:22 The men follow Rahab's advice: they travel to the mountain and remain there for three days. The kings soldiers do not find them.

2:23 The men return to Joshua and the group with their information.

2:24 The men explain to Joshua that God has done as He has promised: He has prepped this land for their arrival. Most of the inhabitants are afraid to challenge the children of Israel because they realize how powerful their (our) God is. God always shuts evil down; He sends evil scurrying away, frightened and without power.

OT: The Book of Joshua, Chapter 1

Joshua 1:1-18

The name Joshua in Hebrew means "Jehovah (God) saves." Joshua is Moses' successor and will lead the Israelites into the land of Canaan. The land of Canaan was promised to Abraham's descendants in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. The Israelites (children of Israel) are comprised of twelve tribes. Each tribe is named after one of Jacob's (Abraham's grandson) children.

The reason why God is guiding and blessing the children of Israel is because they are a group of people (at least trying) to follow the word of God. God has given them commandments and life-guidelines on how to live a joyful and compassionate life. God has extended this covenant to any person who will follow Him. If we maintain a faithful relationship with Him, He will faithfully bless our lives well beyond our journey on earth.

God knows that as humans, we have many weaknesses and vulnerabilities, Deuteronomy 7:7. He has compassion on us and seeks to restore us and bless us through all tribulation. Each of us has our own metaphorical "wilderness" but as long as we cling to Him, Deuteronomy 13:4, and remain faithful, He leads us directly into abundant blessing.

After 40 years in the wilderness, the children of Israel have finally reached their destination. The only reason it took so long was because they Israelites needed time and space to learn and grow in their faith. Many of the Israelites are children who grew up in the wilderness, their parents were formerly enslaved in Egypt. As a group, each member is still working on the development of their faith.

Joshua's God-assigned quest is to continue where Moses left off. Not only will he need to lead the Israelites into the land, but also through battles and the journey of faith. Joshua has deep, solid faith in God and will follow His commands... the difficulty for him will be to convince the twelve tribes to do the same.

1:1-2 Joshua receives his first command from God as appointed leader of the Israelites: it is time to lead these thousands into the land God has promised.

1:3 As we move forward in faith, God gives us the ground we continue to cover. The space of every step we take toward Him becomes ours. Our space to live and thrive and worship. For the Israelites this is a literal promise, they will actually be walking into land given to them by God. In contemporary time, land has been distributed among humanity. We have well established nations (many of them settled by these 12 tribes long ago).

God's promise for us extends even beyond physical land. God gives us a home within ourselves. He converts our soul into a temple in which He is ever-present. He restores and reestablishes our external life as well as our internal life. When God says to us "Arise, go..." His intention is for us to be animated by our faith as we make our way through earth. Not only to journey with Him but to journey toward Him, living a purposeful and blessed life along the way.

1:4 God outlines the area he is giving to the Israelites: "From the wilderness...". It is helpful to always remember from where God pulled you. No matter who we are, God found us in some kind of wilderness. Out of place, directionless, maybe even desolate or in direct opposition to Him. He takes us from one place and then plants us in another. Deeply rooted in an abundant home, the living water rushing beneath us. Providing us life, sustenance and spiritual nutrition.

God blesses the Israelites with a beautiful place to create a nation. Not because they are better than anyone else, in fact they are quite pitiful, but because they are at least trying to be good in an evil world, Deuteronomy 7:8.

As Creator, all land on all planets is God's to give. God arranged for the cities of this place to be build by their enemies, Deuteronomy 16:10. The only reason they lose it is because of their evil actions, Deuteronomy 9:5.

1:5 Joshua inherits a monumental task. He is bold in faith but not naive or reckless; Joshua understands that the only way to accomplish the task ahead is to give God full authority over it. Compared to their enemies, the children of Israel are a feeble, nomadic group. Without God by their side, this task would be laughable even in concept.

Joshua, like us, needs encouragement from God. Our empathetic God is continually willing to provide us with reassurance: I will not leave you nor forsake you. These are the words Joshua needs to here from God before he enters into enemy territory. These are the words we need to hear before we enter into any territory. We are needy creatures but God is prepared and patient enough to fill our every need.

Like Moses, Joshua has the voice of God leading him on. Because of Jesus, we know that we have the Holy Spirit leading us on, actually dwelling within us, 1 Corinthians 3:16. It is a tool God has promised each of us... we need only to remember to utilize it. To bring Him into every situation, thought, and action.

God promises Joshua that no enemy will be able to break through God's barrier of protection. With the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, we have a secret weapon. Our enemies and our fears have no idea the power and influence that is present within us. Our fears and enemies do not not but we should.

God can advocate for each of us. He brought thousands out of enslavement, split seas, crushed kingdoms and will conquer nations purely on the faith of His children. He can handle your problem! He is present inside of you and when you acknowledge that, He is patiently, meticulous doing maintenance on everything you need fixed. You are temple! We just read it. You don't think He's going to respond when a light goes out? Or the foundation is cracked? If you are His home, He's going to make YOU a place fit for a King. The King.

1:6 Be strong and of good courage, God tells Joshua, because he will conquer and tell divide up the land between the 12 tribes. Be strong and of good courage, God tells each of His children, because whatever our specific task it, He's going to cause us to conquer it.

1:7 God is always present to reinforce our strength should we falter. We do not have to be afraid when we trust Him but He understands that sometimes we will still be weak. He is going to supplement our weaknesses. As long as we stay in range. If we venture out from the sphere of God, we declare to Him that we do not want His help. How do we venture out? We neglect our faith. We live and act in opposition to His philosophy.

God's directive to Joshua is to maintain his faith and to live according to the philosophy He has given. God's philosophy serves as the cobblestone path that leads us directly into His blessings. When following Him, we cannot go wrong or get lost.

1:8 Joshua is told by God to keep this philosophy in his mouth, in the words that he speaks and the orders he gives. To meditate on God's word: for as we contemplate His guidelines we realize they are lifelines. There is much wisdom in each directive that He gives us. We are constantly students in Him, graduating to new levels of understanding and spirituality.

God promises that following Him will always be a prosperous and successful journey. Prosperity and success to each of us means accomplishments in a myriad of aspects. God wants us to understand that whether we are leading a group into a new land, attending a university, beginning a new career, creating a family, painting a masterpiece, composing a song... no matter what is is, God is going to make us prosperous and successful in it. But He can only do that if we are willing to listen and follow His advice.

Prosperous and successful to God is always rooted in some kind of creation. As children of a creator, He is most proud when we create things: justice in places where there is none, friendships in places and hearts of loneliness, joy in sadness, opportunity in hopelessness. Whatever our talent or interest or position in life is, God is ready to propel us through it, by faith, into prosperity and success.

As mortal, imperfect beings, we cannot plan for perfection. We can only be delivered into it. And there is only one Capable Deliverer - Our God. He establishes us in places we never even dreamed we could thrive. He exceeds expectations, all we need is the faith to trust that, the patience to wait for Him to build it (and He takes His time so that we have time to learn, grow and become prepared for what He builds).

1:9 God asks: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. If He has said it (and He has) it is because He can get it done. God understands the concept of "with" better than we do. He knows that He is right beside us but we frequently doubt. If we faithfully fight through that doubt, we find ourselves rooted in the foundation of our Father's love. 

1:10 Joshua is now ready to command with the authority given to Him by God. It is beautiful to see the previous moment and this moment juxtaposed. We just witnessed the very personal pep-talk God has given Joshua (of the same promise and nature that He gives to us) and now we witness Joshua command with confidence and belief in himself as a child of God.

Without God's encouragement and wisdom, we enter into situations in either of these two ways: foolish or frightened. Joshua did not step out to the officers of the Israelites and say "Umm... I think..." because there is no hesitation to follow God's commands. There's no doubt necessary. Therefore he is no longer frightened. Neither does Joshua command in this way: "I know what to do!", because Joshua is not foolish. This wisdom, this directive is not born of his own ability but of God's.

Let God give you the same personal pep-talk. Walk into every situation, out into life with squared shoulders, confident in the promises and ability of God.

1:11 Following the command of God, Joshua tells the leaders of each tribes to prepare to set forth within three days. To enter into the land, they will need to cross the Jordan river. 

1:12-14 Joshua gives the Israelites their own pep talk: this is the moment God has been promising and preparing us for! Each tribes and the families within it will settle in this place of abundance, a gift that keeps on giving from God.

1:15 The women, children and livestock will remain safely where they are while the soldiers go in to conquer the new land. God has provided haven for the mothers, the young and the animals while their home is being acquired. Each solider of each tribes is expected to remain while each portion of land is acquired (for example: the tribe of Gad must not stop fighting once they have received their own inheritance).

God teaches us unity in our lives. Accomplishment is achieved by Him but ideally attained by each of His children together. They have journeyed with each other through the wilderness and were enslaved together before that. God is gathering back the family. Although we have distinctive characteristics on earth and in our personalities, God wants us to understand that we are of the same fabric. 

In every task God prepares us for, He teaches us compassion, work-ethic, selflessness, justice. It is only right the children of Israel would help each other receive their allotment of land. Rest and enjoyment come when everyone can settle peacefully. Reminiscent of our spiritual home, where everyone is able to rest and enjoy life. While there is work to be done (like right now on earth) we are meant to be working (for compassion with selflessness toward justice).

Notice that Moses is continually called God's servant. It is ironic because God's servants are treated like royalty. Spiritual royalty. Yourself included. The harder we work for Him, the harder He works for us. Moses was constantly busy helping, leading, teaching and praying on behalf of this task, his purpose, the Israelites. Yet in the midst of that, God provided for him. Moses had a wife and children. God built courage and self-confidence in Moses. He restored Moses from orphan to claimed child of God. He rescued Moses from death. Split the seas for him! 

We have the opportunity and spiritual responsibility to be tools through which God's good will and work comes into the world. Yet while we devote ourselves to His task, selflessly, He pours blessings into us personally.  A child, a fellow-worker of God, does not have license to be lazy and entitled. Children of God are workers with Him, 1 Corinthians 3:9. The more selflessly we live, the more abundant and spectacular our blessings from Him are.

1:16-18 The Israelites promise to follow Joshua's commands. With the prize right in front of them, their faith is strong. Yet we are as fickle as the children of Israel have been: it is easy to believe when we can see the blessing. Yet in the wilderness, they were flooded with doubt. This serves as a lesson to each of us: God can see what we cannot yet see. He always new of this promised land. He always knew they would reach it. 

There is something in each of our lives that we want but might not believe we will have. If God has determined that it is good for us, then we will have it. He will enable us to receive it. But we cannot be fair-weather believers. We need to be in it as deeply as God is in it. Are you wadding in up to your kneecaps? Because God is is submerged for you. 

Each blessing is a process. God prepares us to receive; He teaches us to be grateful, respectful, wise. He prepares us to achieve; He teaches us perseverance, work-ethic, purpose, intention. He prepares a place in a heart and soul ready to take on the responsibility of the blessing we ask for. He maneuvers the furniture so to speak, to fit it right into the perfect space. Because when we receive a blessing, God wants us to be capable of keeping it. Fostering it. Pushing it forward, expanding it.

Be willing to follow His command faithfully, confidently in the interim. In waiting. In the learning.