Joshua 7

Joshua 7:1-15 – Defeated at Ai

• Joshua 7:1 – Achan violates the ban on plunder that God had put in place (see Joshua 6:17).
• Joshua 7:4-9 – Because of Achan’s sin, Israel loses a battle. Joshua went straight to God in prayer, which was the correct response.

Joshua 7:16-26 – Achan punished

• Achan “saw … coveted … took … concealed.” This is the way sin always works! Compare James 1:14-15.
• We must stop sin right at the beginning and not let it proceed.
• Joshua 7:22-25 – Achan’s punishment was swift and severe. See Deuteronomy 13:6-11.

Joshua 8

Joshua 8:1-8 – Instructions about Ai

• Joshua 8:2 – The firstfruits of the conquest were from Jericho and were dedicated to God. Thereafter, God allowed the people to plunder. Ultimately, God rules and can make commands as He wishes. (If only Achan had waited for one more battle, he could have had his plunder and still been acceptable to God! We must operate on God’s timetable.)

Joshua 8:9-29 – Defeat of Ai

• God instructs Joshua to set an ambush for Ai, utterly defeating them.

Joshua 8:30-35 – Altar and reading the law

Joshua 9

Joshua 9:1-27 – Gibeonite deception and covenant

• Joshua 9:14 – They did not consult God!

Introduction

• I Peter 2:12

Put a positive, spiritual spin on life.

• Matthew 5:13-16
• Matthew 5:10-12 – Christians react to things differently.
• Acts 5:40-6:1
• How do I react when things happen?
• Philippians 1:12-14 – Paul had a positive outlook on his imprisonment.

Tell stories about your repentance.

• I Corinthians 13:6
• Galatians 1:23-24 – They glorified God because of Paul’s repentance.
• I Timothy 1:13-15 – Paul talked about himself as a way of talking about Christ.

Choose words that reflect your spiritual mindset.

• Titus 2:7-8 – Every time we communicate, it’s an opportunity to turn toward spiritual things.
• “I’m blessed.”
• “I’ll pray for you.”
• “It’s a good day God has made.”
• Acts 9:1; Romans 1:7 – Look at how Paul talked to Christians before and after his conversion.
• Our speech should reflect our faith.
• I Peter 4:11
• If we’re too afraid to mention God around non-spiritual people, who is influencing who? We are to be salt and light in the world.

Invite someone to Benchley.

• John 4:7-42 – This woman saved many just be inviting people to hear Jesus. Can we do that?

Faith creates courage (continued)

• Terror: a state of intense fear
• Hebrews 11:30-40 – Through faith, these people had the courage to deal with all these troubles.
• Gideon goes from having no great faith and no courage to leading God’s people as one of the judges. Judges 6-8
• Gideon’s faith becomes stronger.
  • Obedience despite doubt. We may have doubts about our abilities and God’s plan for us. God uses us when we follow through.
  • God’s strength is in our weakness. God often uses the humble and unlikely to accomplish His purpose. Our weakness can become a platform for God’s strength and glory. Judges 7:20
  • Giving credit to God. Judges 7:13-15 (Gideon worshipped God.)
• The recounting of Gideon’s journey from fear to faith and the courage it instilled in him reminds us that:
  • God can work through our doubts and weaknesses.
  • When we submit to His will and trust in His strength, we can overcome obstacles.
  • Gideon shows us that God’s presence and power are with us, even in our moments of uncertainty.
• How does out faith grow our courage?
• How does our courage grow our faith?
• How does the world see our faith and the courage it brings us?
• John 15:13
• Hebrews 9:26 – How much faith and courage must this have taken for Christ to die willingly?
• II Peter 1:5

Faith dispels fear

• Fear
  • Torment: extreme pain
• Mark 4:40 – Fear and faith are incompatible.

Introduction

• Hebrews 11:32-34

God cares about each one of us.

• Judges 12:8-15 – Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon
• John 20:30-31; 21:25
• Jonah 4:11
• Genesis 1:16 – “… He made the stars also.”
• Luke 12:6-7 – God knows the number of hairs on your head. You are valuable to Him!
• God loves each one of us!

Humans repeat mistakes.

• Judges 2:16
• The judges may have been local leaders.
• The time periods of the judges may have overlapped.

There was a lot of peace.

• Oppression: 114 years
• Rest: 296 years
• Judges 3:30 – 80 years of peace. Some of the people living during this time may have known nothing other than peace!

The cycle of sin continued.

• Judges 10:1-5
• Ecclesiastes 1:4-9
• The cycle:
  • Sin: Judges 3:7
  • Oppression: Judges 3:8
  • Cries to God: Judges 3:9
  • Judge to deliver: Judges 3:9-10
  • Period of rest and peace: Judges 3:11
• God is a god of grace!
• What problem can God not help with?
• I John 4:14; 1:9

Strength comes through struggle.

• Judges 2:20-3:4 – God left these nations on purpose to test the Israelites.
• Judges 3:31 – Shamgar; more struggle, more fighting
• II Corinthians 12:7-9 – God allowed Paul to have a thorn in the flesh to keep him humble.
• II Timothy 3:11; 4:14-18
• James 1:2-4

Joshua 5

• Joshua 5:1 – Kings’ hearts melted
  • They were terrified of the Israelites!
• Joshua 5:2-8 – Circumcision
  • It did not make military sense to do this at this time, but God put fear into their enemies and they did not attack.
  • Leviticus 12:3 – Circumcision was supposed to be an ongoing law, but it had not been followed.
  • Joshua trusted that God would protect them while the army healed.
• Joshua 5:9 – Gilgal
  • God is calling this out as a new beginning.
• Joshua 5:10 – Passover
  • See Exodus 12:6. It’s not clear that the Passover had been observed since they left Mt. Sinia. Going by Exodus 12:25, it’s possible that observance was not to begin until they entered Canaan.
• Joshua 5:11-12 – Manna ceased
  • The manna continued from Exodus 16 to Joshua 5. If you multiply it out, God provided at least 50 billion meals!
  • Now they would eat the produce of the land.
• Joshua 5:13-15 – Captain of the Lord’s host

Joshua 6 – Jericho

• Joshua 6:1-5 – God gave them Jericho, but they had to meet His conditions.
• Joshua 6:6-9 – Modern day Tell es-Sultan could be the site of ancient Jericho. It is one of the most excavated archaeological sites in the world.
• Joshua 6:15-21 – The walls of Jericho fall and the Israelites take the city.
• Joshua 6:22-27 – Rahab and her family are spared.
  • Joshua 6:27 – Joshua’s curse was fulfilled in I Kings 16:34 when Hiel the Bethelite rebuilt the city, losing his firstborn and youngest son in the process.

Applications

God can “give” something with conditions

• Hebrews 11:30
• Ephesians 2:8

God rewards faith wherever it is found.

• Matthew 21:31
• Rahab was in the lineage of both David and Jesus.
• Isaiah 42:3
• God is willing to forgive and help us grow.

No stronghold can resist God.