God s Magnificent Leadership

Transcription

1 Adult Quarterly SUNDAY SCHOOL WINTER QUARTER, God s Magnificent Leadership Studies in Joshua, Judges and Ruth QUARTERLY AIM: The students will observe that there is peace and prosperity when people are governed by God s laws and that people incur divine wrath when they forsake God s laws. DECEMBER 1 Israel s New Leader Crossing the Jordan Conquest of Jericho The Sin of Achan Victory in Canaan JANUARY 5 The Division of the Land Joshua s Challenge to Israel A New Beginning Life and Exploits of Samson FEBRUARY 2 Spiritual Decline of Israel Ruth s Decision Ruth Serving Ruth Rewarded ADULT QUARTERLY, Sunday School, Vol. 90, No. 1, issued December 1, 2002, is published quarterly at $1.00 per quarter. Prepared by David Robinson; Cover design by Jeff Allen; Bill Johnson, Editor in Chief; Wayne Sewell, Business Manager. Copyright 2002, BAPTIST SUNDAY SCHOOL COMMITTEE of the American Baptist Association, 4605 N. State Line Ave., Texarkana, TX

2 American Baptist Association Through-the-Bible Series Sunday School Lessons Winter Spring Summer Fall Exodus Joshua Judges Ruth Mark Galatians Luke 1 13:21 Isaiah Chronicles Kings Ephesians John , 2, 3 John Genesis 1 11 Job Romans Acts Samuel Chronicles Kings 1, 2 1 Kings Chronicles Kings 1 13 Joel, Jonah, Obadiah, Nahum Luke 13:22 24 Isaiah Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Daniel Ezekiel Nehemiah Malachi Genesis Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Acts James 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Corinthians Hosea, Amos Micah, Zephaniah 2 Kings Philemon Philippians Colossians Jeremiah 2 Kings 24, 25 2 Chronicles 36 1 Peter 2 Peter Jude Revelation Matthew 1 13 Hebrews 1 Samuel 2 Samuel Chronicles 1 10 Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon 2 Corinthians 2 Kings Chronicles Lamentations Habakkuk John 1 12 Zechariah Ezra Haggai, Esther Revelation Matthew 14 28

3 1 Israel s New Leader Text: Joshua 1:1-18 Focus: Joshua 1:1-11 December 1, 2002 Key Verse: Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9 Sunday Devotional: Fear Not, Isaiah 41:8-14. Aim: By the conclusion of this lesson the students will discuss that God offers success to those who obey His will. A FIRST LOOK Change is a necessary part of our lives, but change is often unwelcome. For forty years the people of Israel had been led by Moses, and they were accustomed to seeing him as their leader and guide. Moses was a great man, but Moses was a man, and he was not going to be their leader forever. A whole generation of people had been born and raised in the desert, and Moses was the only leader they had ever known. As the Israelites stood on the brink of entering the land of promise, Moses was dead. A new leader had to be chosen for the work of the Lord. Even though God had given Moses one hundred twenty years on earth, Moses life had ended. But the work of the Lord did not die with him. The work of God is greater than any person who does it. The work had to go on, and God would raise up another leader to complete what Moses had begun. Daily Devotionals M. Man To Replace Moses, Deuteronomy 34:7-12. T. Joshua Charged, Deuteronomy 31: W. Captain of Army, Exodus 17:8-13. T. One of Twelve Spies, Numbers 13:1-25. F. Report of Spies, Numbers 13: S. Moses Counsel to Joshua, Deuteronomy 31:7, 8. 3

4 4 Israel s New Leader It is our tendency to compare one leader with another, but we are not wise in doing this. Moses was a great leader, and there was not another like him in Israel, but Joshua was also a great leader. Every servant of God has a unique job to do. We are all His workmanship and we are all created unto good works, and God has already planned that we should walk in those good works. We do not compete with each other in the service of God. God needs every one of His servants, and they are each special to Him. A CLOSER LOOK I. God s Promise to Joshua Joshua 1: Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses minister, saying, 2. Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 5. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. After Moses died, God chose Joshua to be the new leader of the people of Israel. Joshua was commanded to take the people over Jordan and to occupy the land of promise. Joshua was not a stranger to this land. Years before, he had been one of the twelve spies chosen to search out this land and report back to Moses. Joshua demonstrated his faith in God in his

5 Text: Joshua 1: report. Of the twelve spies sent out, only Joshua and Caleb were in favor of proceeding to occupy the land. The other spies brought a bad report, and the people of Israel sided with the majority of the spies and were delayed many years in entering the Promised Land. Before that, Joshua had fought bravely in the battle with the Amalekites in Rephidim. When God chose Joshua, He chose a proven leader. Joshua had become the minister of Moses and no doubt had learned many valuable lessons during the time of wandering in the wilderness. Joshua was an old man when he was chosen to lead the people of Israel. Age is not nearly so relevant to God as it is to men. God can strengthen any man for any job He calls him to do. Moses had lived to be one hundred twenty years old and Joshua would live to be one hundred ten. God gave Joshua a description of the land that the people of Israel would occupy. There were two descriptions given so that there would be no mistake about the scope of the land of promise. First, God told Joshua that everywhere his feet had walked would be given to him. Then God described this land geographically. The land extended from the Sinai desert to the mountains of Lebanon and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. Note that only during the reign of Solomon did the Israelites actually control all of this territory. Over the years many other nations have ruled in parts of this land, but the Bible clearly states that God gave this land to His people. Along with the promise, God also gave the power to occupy the land. The power of the Israelites was not in their inherent military superiority. They were powerful because God was with them. God promised Joshua that no man would be able to stand before him, that is, to stop him from completing the task that God had given him. God had been with Moses and God would be with Joshua. Over the years the leaders would be replaced, but the promises of God would endure. When God calls us to do a job, He also gives us the power to accomplish the task. The power is His, not ours, but the power is there for us to use. He will never fail us and He will never forsake us. No matter what, we can do God s will.

6 6 Israel s New Leader II. What God Expected of Joshua Joshua 1: Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3:9 that we are labourers together with God. This means that God does not do all the work and that we do not do all the work. God made wonderful promises to Joshua, but there was a job for Joshua to do. This job required spiritual strength, and Joshua s spiritual strength was more important than any other characteristic that he could possess. Three times in this short passage God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous. These are spiritual qualities that come from an understanding and application of the Word of God to our hearts. Before Joshua could become a leader, he had to become a follower of God. This was and still remains the only true source of strength and courage. Joshua needed strength and courage to occupy and divide the land. He did not conquer this land so that he could be king of it. He conquered it so that it could be given to the families of Israel as an inheritance. This was keeping a promise that God had made to the fathers of this generation. It would take a strong and courageous man to keep God s Word in victory.

7 Text: Joshua 1: Then Joshua was to be strong so that he could know and observe all the Law that God had given. Joshua was admonished to keep the Law precisely. He was not to turn to the right or to the left. He was not to try to be more strict nor any less strict than the Law prescribed. The Law was not a series of suggestions that men could keep or not keep as they saw fit. The Law was the rule by which the Israelites were to be governed. It was the strength of the nation. Israel was not to be a nation of men; it was to be a nation of laws. For the people to prosper they had to realize that, and they had to hold the rule of the Law in great respect. The Law was to be more than a highly respected document. It was to be put to practical use in everyday life. For that to happen, the people had to know it. God admonished Joshua not to let the Law depart from his mouth. He was to meditate in it day and night. This suggests that he was to learn it and always be ready to apply these principles and precepts to every situation that he might encounter. Many treat the Bible as a kind of ornament. We are proud to have one and we have a reverence for it, but we will fail unless we make the Word of God a part of ourselves. We are to do as the psalmist declared in Psalm 119:11, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. This was what God was encouraging Joshua to do. Remember that it takes strength and courage to live righteously, but God rewards those who do. Finally, we read that Joshua needed strength and courage to face and conquer his own anxieties. This campaign would take many years and there would be setbacks along the way. The Israelites would not win every battle. There would be occasions when they were vastly outnumbered and when victory seemed far away, but Joshua was not to be fearful or dismayed. Fear relates to anxiety about the future. We are fearful when we do not know what the outcome will be, and we are not sure of what to do next. To be dismayed means to be at our wits end or not to know which way to turn in any given situation. There was no need for Joshua to have either of these troubles because God was with him. Joshua was not to

8 8 Israel s New Leader fear because God was there to protect him, and he was not to be dismayed because God was there to lead him. III. What Joshua Told the People Joshua 1:10, Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11. Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it. Joshua began his leadership of Israel by giving commands to the officers and through them to the people of Israel. Evidently, he did not relate all the things that God had told him at that time, but he did offer three important orders and encouragements to the people of Israel. At this time, the Israelites were in the land of Moab. They were preparing to cross the Jordan River and to encounter some of the fiercest people on the face of the earth. Canaan had stood for hundreds of years and had not been conquered by anyone. Walled cities and fierce people were there, but none of this matters when God is with His people. Joshua s first order was to prepare food. The people were going to be traveling soon, and they would need provisions. Up until this time, they had been receiving manna every day. Shortly after they crossed the Jordan, the manna would cease, and they would be on their own for provisions. They were to prepare food so that they could cross the Jordan and fight successfully. Spiritual preparation never conflicts with physical preparation. God knew that these people needed spiritual strength, but He also knew that they needed food to eat. Then Joshua gave them a timetable. Within three days they would be crossing the Jordan River. He did not give them a date and a precise time; instead, he gave them a time frame within which this event would take place. It is difficult

9 Text: Joshua 1: to respond to a nonspecific request. Often we are told to do what s right, but we are left to decide for ourselves what that might be. God does not work like that. He tells us precisely what He wants and then gives us enough information to carry out His will. Note that Joshua did not delay the task before him. There was no benefit in delaying any longer. Then Joshua told them exactly what was happening. God was giving them the land, and they were to go in and possess it. It was up to the people to actually enter the land, take it over and then live there as if it were theirs. Here is a wonderful example of being laborers together with God. God used Joshua and these people to accomplish His will and give the people of Israel a homeland. A FINAL WORD Change is inevitable, and change is not a bad thing. It was true that Moses had died and would not be there. God had chosen Joshua, a great leader in his own right, to lead the people of Israel. The leadership had changed, but the plan of God had not changed. One of the great lessons from these verses is the constancy of the work of the Lord. Those who lead us will come and they will go, but the work of the Lord will go on. Each of us should take our place in the service of God, realizing that we are not to strive as Paul told Timothy (2 Tim. 2:24). That is, we are not to compete with each other. We are to exercise the talents that God has given us and do our best to be strong and courageous enough to carry out the will of God in whatever circumstance we may face. When we do, we have the assurance of success, as Joshua was assured when he took over as leader of the people of Israel.

10 2 Crossing the Jordan December 8, 2002 Text: Joshua 2:1 5:15 Focus: Joshua 3:1-13 Key Verse: And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. Joshua 3:5 Sunday Devotional: Divine Protection, Isaiah 43:1-7. Aim: By the conclusion of this lesson the students will discuss the power of God to open the way for His people when they act in faith. A FIRST LOOK As a young man, Joshua had been present when the Israelites were set free from Egypt. He was there when they crossed the Red Sea. He had witnessed the power of God to part the waters and to save His people from the pursuing Egyptian army. Now a new generation had arisen, and the Israelites were facing a new challenge. There was no army pursuing them, but there was still a challenge before them. They had to cross the Jordan River and begin the occupation of the land of promise. Joshua had sent men to spy out the land, and they had returned with a favorable report. The great things God had done for the people of Israel were known in the land and the timing was right for the great battles that lay ahead. Evidently, it was not too difficult for one or two men to cross the river, but Joshua had to get a large number of people across. This was the time of harvest and the Jordan Daily Devotionals M. Plain of Jordan, Genesis 13:7-11. T. Jacob Crossed Jordan, Genesis 32:1-11. W. Israel To Pass over Jordan, Deuteronomy 11: T. Swelling of Jordan, Jeremiah 12:1-5. F. Beyond Jordan, John 1: S. Jesus Baptized in Jordan, Mark 1:

11 Text: Joshua 2:1 5:15 11 overflowed its banks. The river was at its highest stage for the year; nevertheless, the people of Israel needed to cross it. This was no obstacle for God. God parted the Red Sea and God would part the Jordan River. When God leads His people, He also provides for His people and protects His people. His power was available to make this impossible crossing a walk on dry ground. God had done it before and He would do it again. All the Israelites had to do was to listen to the instructions and follow where the Lord led them. A CLOSER LOOK I. The Instructions of the Officers Joshua 3: And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; 3. And they commanded the people, saying,when ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. 4. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. After hearing the report of the spies, Joshua moved immediately to cross the river. At this time he was acting in faith. He had no knowledge of exactly how they would cross, but he knew that they needed to cross the river and that God was leading them in this direction. Joshua did not lead the people in a wild charge to the river s edge; instead, they camped

12 12 Crossing the Jordan near the river for three days while the officers went through the crowds communicating the plan to the people. Neither Joshua nor the officers knew all that God was going to do. They did know about the power of God, and they were following His leadership. The officers told the people to pay close attention to the ark of the covenant. This ark was a part of the furnishings of the Tabernacle. It was moved in a carefully prescribed manner. It represented the presence of the Lord among His people, and the officers informed the people that they were to proceed at the will of God. They were not going into Canaan alone nor were they going there in their own will. They were doing the work of the Lord, and He was leading them. The people were to stay back about two thousand cubits or about a half mile from the ark. This was to allow everyone there to see which way the ark would go. If they all rushed in, only those in front would be able to see the ark. All of these people were putting their lives at risk in a combat situation. They were going into Canaan to fight and everyone needed to know personally that God was with him. Likewise, everyone needs a personal knowledge of Jesus as his Savior and needs a personal relationship with Jesus as his guide in life. We need to know for ourselves what God can and will do to help us and to provide for us. It is not enough that the person in front knows; we need to see God s power and know Jesus for ourselves. These people were going into an adventure. They had not passed this way before. No doubt as they wandered through the desert, they came to places they had visited before. Now they were going into unfamiliar territory. The land of Canaan consisted of city-states, and each town had an army and a king. This system had endured for hundreds of years, and the people in the land were considered unconquerable. But God had already been there to soften the hard-hearts of these difficult people, and the Israelites would go on to win a great victory. However, no one knew that at the time. They were walk-

13 Text: Joshua 2:1 5:15 13 ing by faith and they were walking into the unknown, but everything would be all right because God was leading them. II. Instructions to the Priests Joshua 3: And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you. 6. And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying,take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people. 7. And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. 8. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. Joshua s statement in verse 5 is a statement of great faith. God had not yet told him exactly what to expect when they got to the swollen river, but Joshua believed God. He knew that no matter how great the obstacle was before him, God could lead him through it. He also knew that the power and presence of God accompanied the ark of the covenant. Joshua instructed the priests to prepare to take the ark and pass before the people. The priests did as Joshua said and the ark was carried before all the people. Joshua was trusting God to do wonders on that day. He had shown his faith and he had given God the credit. Joshua did not repeat the mistake that Moses made when he struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Joshua did not try to convince anyone of his power. Even before a miracle took place, Joshua had given God all the credit for the wonders that would happen. This shows us the heart of the man. He had faith in God to lead him, and he was willing to give God the glory for all that happened.

14 14 Crossing the Jordan At this point, God communicated with Joshua. God responds to our faith. When we believe in Him and act on what we believe, God adds His blessing to our actions. God did not forsake His people, and He did not make Joshua look foolish. God gave Joshua two wonderful assurances and a strange command. First, God assured Joshua that He would be with him. God had been with Moses and Joshua had seen God s blessing in the wilderness. Now God promised to be with Joshua in the same way. God was going to magnify Joshua before the people. This was not so that Joshua could be praised; it was so that the people would know that God was with Joshua. It was important for the Israelites to know that although the people whom God used would change, God would not. His plans and purposes were greater than any individual. Often when a great leader dies, we wonder what will become of the work of the Lord. Our concern is admirable, but we must never fear. God is greater than any of those who are doing His work. As we look back, we can see great servants of God who were used mightily of God. Although our vision is limited, God can look forward, and He is able to see others who will be raised up to take their place in His service. God always has a man for the job. Joshua was there to lead the nation of Israel and God was with him in as powerful a way as God had been with Moses. Then God gave Joshua a strange command. The priests were to actually carry the ark into the river. They were to actually walk into the water and stand in the river. This must have seemed strange to the priests. The ark was a precious thing and walking into an overflowing river could be dangerous; yet, there is no evidence that anyone questioned this strange order at all. The priests were willing to do exactly as Joshua instructed them. We should follow the orders of God when we understand them, and we should carefully and preciously follow the orders of God when we do not understand them. Whether we realize it or not, God is sovereign and He is in control. We can do no better than to do as He tells us.

15 Text: Joshua 2:1 5:15 15 III. Instructions to the People Joshua 3: And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. 10. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. 12. Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. 13. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap. The purpose of this event is clearly stated. God wanted the people to know that He was with them. This miracle that would get them across the Jordan was to be assurance that God would be with them in the battles that were ahead. The Israelites did not win a great victory because they were exceptional soldiers, although they were. They did not win because they were dedicated, even if they were. They won because God was with them. If God is for us, who can be against us? God was with them, and they needed to remember that every time they went into a battle or took possession of a piece of ground. They were God s people and they were doing God s will. The people were to select twelve men, one man from each tribe. We read later that each of these men was to carry a stone from the riverbed. These stones were used to erect a monument for a memorial to this event. When future generations would ask about the monument, then the story of the river crossing was to be retold.

16 16 Crossing the Jordan The priests were not going to walk into the river in vain. When the feet of the priests entered the waters, the waters of the Jordan would be cut off from above, and they would be left standing on a rise that would allow them to pass through the river on dry ground. Note that the priests had to get their feet wet. They were not going to see the water recede until they actually had the faith to wade out in it. This may have seemed like an improbable plan, but the people of Israel were willing to follow it to the letter, and God blessed those who followed His instructions. A FINAL WORD The people of Israel were successful that day, and they crossed the swollen Jordan River as easily as walking across on dry ground. No one was injured and no one suffered in the least. Only the priests that carried the ark got their feet wet, and that was surely a minor inconvenience. God had completely honored His words, and Joshua was magnified in the sight of the people. The Israelites had learned a valuable lesson. They had learned to listen to the man whom God had chosen to lead them. This is a lesson we all need to learn today. They had learned to trust in the power of God no matter what obstacle was ahead. Again, we need to learn this lesson today. The Israelites had learned something about victory. They had won a great victory, and they were instructed to erect a memorial to it. This memorial would last for generations to remind the Israelites of the power and presence of God among them. We need to know that when we dedicate ourselves to doing as God asks and to completing the things He tells us in His Word, we will have the power of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us and to assure us of victory.

17 3 Conquest of Jericho December 15, 2002 Text: Joshua 6:1-27 Focus: Joshua 6:1-11, 20, 21 Key Verse: So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. Joshua 6:20 Sunday Devotional: The Faith of Joshua and Israel, Hebrews 11:30. Aim: By the conclusion of this lesson the students will understand how the Israelites conquered Jericho. A FIRST LOOK The Israelites were now in the Promised Land, and the battles began. Joshua was an accomplished soldier and leader. He had fought as Moses minister and understood military strategy, but now his ability was not an issue. All he had to do to win this great victory was obey the instructions of the Lord. It is important to note that this was not a random battle. God had a master plan for the occupation of this land. There were three campaigns that were fought for the control of Canaan. First, the central campaign cut the land in two and prevented a unified resistance. Then the southern campaign brought the cities of the south under the control of the Israelites. Finally, the northern campaign gave them the land extending to Mount Hermon. Daily Devotionals M. A Great Victory, 2 Samuel 23:8-16. T. Majestic Victory, 1 Chronicles 29: W. Marvelous, Psalm 98:1-9. T. Victory in Jesus, Romans 6:1-14. F. Victory over Death, 1 Corinthians 15: S. Final Victory, Revelation 21:

18 18 Conquest of Jericho But first things first. Before the Israelites could advance any farther, they had to deal with Jericho. Jericho was a walled city. When the city was under siege, the people shut up the gates and waited until the enemy had exhausted themselves. This was a viable strategy until the invention of gunpowder. Most of the time the city was spared, and the attackers just moved on. But in this instance, God was fighting for the Israelites, and the outcome was already determined. Joshua did not need a strategy session. He only needed to heed the instructions that God gave him. As we will see, these were strange orders, but the people followed them explicitly, and the victory was won. There is a great lesson here for all of us. When we follow the orders that God gives, then God will fight for us. A CLOSER LOOK I. God s Instructions to Joshua Joshua 6: Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 2. And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once.thus shalt thou do six days. 4. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 5. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. As the spies had reported, the people of Jericho had heard of the children of Israel. They knew about the victories that

19 Text: Joshua 6: God had given them over Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites. When they saw that this great army had crossed the Jordan, the city was on alert and the gates were shut up so that no one went out or came in. The strategy of Jericho was to wait until the Israelites went away. This strategy usually worked quite well. Walled cities survived many attacks from most armies. But in this case, a different kind of power was being brought to bear on this ancient city. God promised Joshua a victory. As God told Joshua, the city had already been given into Joshua s hand before the first sword had been drawn. All Joshua had to do was follow God s explicit instructions. Joshua was no stranger to battle. He was a fighter and these must have seemed like unusual orders, but he listened patiently and obeyed completely. This is the key to winning a victory in any battle. God told Joshua to march around the city of Jericho taking all his valiant soldiers with him. They were to march completely around the city once a day for six days. The priests were to be a part of the procession, and they were to carry the precious ark of the covenant and the ram s horns that were used in part of the worship in the Tabernacle. On the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times and blow the trumpets. When the people heard the long blast of the trumpets, they were to shout as loud as they could, and then the wall of the city would fall down flat. Then the army was to ascend into the city in a straight line. Notice that Joshua did not question any part of these orders. He had seen the power of God, and he knew that whatever God said was right. Joshua s response was the response of faith. This lesson was given again in the first miracle of Jesus. When He told the servants to fill the large waterpots, the servants asked Mary about it, and she told them simply, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it (John 2:5). This should be our attitude when what God asks is crystal clear to us, and it should especially be our attitude when we may not understand all He is asking us to do. This is the response of faith, and without faith it is impossible to please God.

20 20 Conquest of Jericho Note also that if the leaders were uncertain, the people would not readily follow them. Joshua was certain in his own heart that God s plan would work. Therefore, he could lead his people in following this plan. II. The Discipline of Obedience Joshua 6: And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams horns before the ark of the LORD. 7. And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD. 8. And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. 9. And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. 10. And Joshua had commanded the people, saying,ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. 11. So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. Joshua passed on the orders from God almost word for word to the people. Note that the priests and the soldiers had not heard directly from God. God had spoken to Joshua and then Joshua spoke to the people. The people had the discipline and faith to follow their leader. The Word of God does not lose any of its power or effect because of the messenger. We receive the Word of God through the Bible, which was completed over two thousand years ago; yet, the message is

21 Text:Joshua 6: as fresh and relevant as it ever was. God does not have to speak directly into your ear. He speaks through His Word and through the convicting and leading power of the Holy Spirit as His Word is preached. When Joshua had spoken, the people immediately obeyed. The priests took the ark and the ram s horns and began to obey the orders of the Lord. The ark was the most precious thing in Israel; yet, the people were willing to risk it in obedience to God. In truth, the ark was never safer than it was here. God was protecting it and those who carried it. As instructed, the priests blew the trumpets only once, and the armed soldiers went before them. After the priests came the rereward. This refers to those who were last or the other soldiers or priests who were marching. The orders were given to be completely silent except for the blast from the ram s horns. There were to be no shouts, not even a word was to be said. This was a completely silent march. What a strange sight this must have been for the inhabitants of Jericho. There was no attack on their city. Not a single soldier ran at the gates to try to enter. Just once a day the ram s horns would sound and the silent procession would march completely around the city. No doubt this drew the attention of everyone inside. They likely would go to the wall every day to see this spectacle and then would debate for hours what it all meant. Finally, on the seventh day the silence was broken. The horns sounded and Joshua ordered the people to shout because God had given them victory. To his credit, every soldier in Israel obeyed his orders precisely and completely. What victories could we win if every one of God s children did exactly as God asked? Can this ever happen? It is possible. Remember that Jesus taught us to pray that God s will would be done on earth as it is in Heaven (Matt. 6:10). In Heaven, God s will is instantly and completely done. It should be so on earth as well.

22 22 Conquest of Jericho III. A Great Victory Joshua 6:20, So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 21. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. When the people shouted, the wall of the city fell down flat as God had promised. The wall was no longer an obstacle, and the soldiers of Israel easily took the city. Jericho had trusted in its wall for protection. However, when God removed the wall, the people of Jericho had few other means to defend themselves. Over the years there has been much speculation about how this happened and exactly what took place on this day. Archaeologists have attempted to locate the ancient wall and solve the mystery. But the simple truth is that this was a miracle. There was no natural force involved because God brought this wall down. He did it so that the city could fall into the hands of the people of Israel. No other explanation is needed. The walls that we build to defend ourselves look formidable to us and perhaps to others, but, when God removes them, there is little defense left. We may think that we are somehow protected by our wealth, our fame or other things of our world, but like the wall around Jericho, they can be gone in a heartbeat, and we can find ourselves defenseless. On this great day of victory there was not a single Israelite casualty not one. And there was not a single hostile survivor in Jericho. Could there be a more complete victory? All the enemies were dead, and all the people of God were pro-

23 Text: Joshua 6: tected and alive. This is a great example of what happens when men trust and obey the things that God teaches. The city was burned, and the gold, silver, brass and iron were put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. There had been an order to take nothing from the city. This was a test of the Israelite soldiers, and, as we will see later, one of them failed. But this was a day of great victory. God had honored His word and His people had been obedient to Him. One notable exception to the killing of the people of Jericho was Rahab. She and her household were spared because she had sheltered the spies that Joshua had sent to Jericho. This was in keeping with a promise that had been given to her. God is a God of details and He always sees to it that His word is kept in every way. Rahab and her household were spared and lived in Israel. A FINAL WORD There was no precedent for this kind of battle in all of history, and this event has never been repeated. God never again asked Joshua to conquer a city in this way. But on this day the marching priests and the shout of the people brought the power of God to bring down a mighty city. Jericho is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth. This city has seen many armies come and go. Years later, Jesus would visit Jericho several times; yet, on this day it fell quickly and decisively to God s people. There are many lessons here for us today. It is important that we receive our orders from God. We should consult Him before we begin the battle. It is vital that we follow the orders that God gives. When we see and understand what God is saying to us, we should heed Him. But especially when we do not understand what God is saying, we should heed Him. God knows what He is doing. We often do not, but God always knows, and we can do no better than to simply hear His Word and obey His Word. If God is for us, who can be against us?

24 4 The Sin of Achan December 22, 2002 Text: Joshua 7:1-26 Focus: Joshua 7:1-6, Key Verse: And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done. Joshua 7:20 Sunday Devotional: Futility of Sin, Ecclesiastes 8: Aim: By the conclusion of this lesson the students will explain how the sin of one person can adversely affect others. A FIRST LOOK Israel had a great army, but that army was made up of individuals. The army as a whole was no stronger or more dedicated than was each individual soldier. As we shall see from our lesson today, the actions of one man can affect many others. We read in Romans 14:7, For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. Our actions are never isolated. What we do will help or harm those around us. This is true in every part of our lives but especially in the lives of soldiers. Soldiers are seldom asked to understand their orders. Instead, they are trained to obey orders, especially when they do not understand them. Achan received an order he did not want to obey. He was told plainly in Joshua 6:18 that taking anything from Jericho would make the camp of Israel accursed and would bring trouble to Israel. But Achan disregarded that order in pur- Daily Devotionals M. Adam s Sin, Genesis 3:1-7. T. Sin and Death, Romans 5: W. One Without Sin, Hebrews 4: T. Guilty World, Romans 1: F. Results of Sin, Romans 1: S. All Have Sinned, Romans 3:

25 Text: Joshua 7: suit of personal gain. He put his own desires ahead of the welfare of God s people. He acted out of covetousness, not out of obedience, and, when he did, he brought about the death of innocent people. He paid a great price for his sin, and this incident warns us never to repeat this sin. A CLOSER LOOK I. A Great Sin Joshua 7:1 1. But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel. Disobeying an order like this might seem like a small thing to us, but God treats all sin seriously. Joshua had given a direct order to those who won the victory over Jericho. Individuals were not to take anything at all from the city. Instead, all the silver and gold and vessels of brass and iron were to be turned over to the treasury of the Lord. When Achan sinned, he was not taking something that would have gone to waste if he had not taken it. He was stealing something that was set aside for the work of the Lord. Note in this verse that God knew what Achan did the moment it took place. It would be much later when Joshua heard Achan s confession, but God knew immediately that this man had sinned. God knew exactly who Achan was. God knew his father, grandfather and his great-grandfather and even his tribe. What a difference it would make in our actions, if we could only realize, that, no matter what we do or when we do it, God watches what we do. What Achan did was to violate the order and take for himself the things that were in Jericho. Specifically, he took a Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a

26 26 The Sin of Achan gold wedge weighing about fifty shekels. Like many misers, he hid his treasure, burying it under his tent. We are left to imagine where he was going to wear the Babylonish garment. How could he not stand out in such a robe? Where was he going to spend the silver and gold? How would he account for having such a treasure? We do not know, but we do know that sin never makes sense in the clear light of the truth of God s Word. This garment and this gold and silver cost Achan all that he had. Was it worth his life? Of course not, but Satan is a liar, and he tells us that we can get away with sin and that we will not be punished. When we believe that lie, we can behave as foolishly as Achan. II. A Lost Battle Joshua 7: And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on the east side of Beth-el, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country.and the men went up and viewed Ai. 3. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. 4. So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 5. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. God knew that Achan had sinned, but Joshua did not. So Joshua began to prepare for the second battle in the central campaign. The city of Beth-aven had an outpost named Ai. The word Ai literally means the ruin. Joshua sent men to scout out this next target, and they brought back an inter-

27 Text: Joshua 7: esting report. After a time, and we do not know how long, the spies returned and told Joshua that they could win an easy victory. All the people did not need to join the attack. Only two or three thousand men would be needed to win this battle. At least this was what the spies reported. Interestingly, we find no record of Joshua turning to the Lord in this matter. We do not know why, but Joshua evidently listened to the report of the spies and did as they suggested. He took the high estimate of the spies and sent three thousand soldiers into this battle. The spies were not wrong. No doubt these were honest and well-trained men who knew what they were doing. If God had been fighting for the Israelites as He did in Jericho, the battle could have been easily won. But now things were different. In this case God was not with the people of Israel because of the sin of Achan. The men of Ai were able to put the Israelites to flight, and in the process, thirty-six men of Israel fell in battle. This was the only battle that Joshua lost in the entire conquest of Canaan. Joshua would lead the Israelites in many more battles, but Ai would remain as the only time his army was turned away from its objective. The trouble was not the fighting ability of the Israelites. The problem was what was going on in secret the sin of Achan. Often it is not what we see, but what we do not see that determines the outcome of the battle. When Joshua had fought the Amalekites as a young man, he fought valiantly, but it was Moses who turned the tide of battle (Ex. 17:8-13). When Moses hands got tired from holding up his rod, Aaron and Hur propped them up, and the Israelites won a great victory over the Amalekites. In the battle of Ai, it was the secret sin of Achan that brought about the defeat, not anything the men of Ai or the Israelites did that day. When this battle was over, there were thirty-six new widows in Israel and perhaps as many or more fatherless children. All of this happened because one man was too greedy to pass up things he would never use.

28 28 The Sin of Achan III. A Repentant Leader Joshua 7:6 6. And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. Joshua did not blame his soldiers, question their tactics or their bravery. Instead, he sought wisdom from the Lord. This shows us the spiritual side of Joshua. When his men lost a battle, he immediately mourned for them and turned to the Lord for help. What a wonderful lesson for all of us! When we lose a battle, we often want a physical solution to the problem. We need more money or we need more men. We redouble our efforts in a lost cause and wonder why we never find victory. What we should do is seek the face of the Lord and endeavor to find out why God is not blessing us. Then we can go on to victory. To his credit, Joshua did not try to pretend that everything was going to be all right. He did not send his men back into battle until he found out why they lost this fight. God answered his prayer and told him plainly what had happened. The Israelites had sinned. This was why they could not stand in the face of their enemies. The sin of one man had a consequence in the lives of others. But this was not a hopeless case. Joshua was told exactly how to remedy the situation and get back in the will of God. God told Joshua to take specific action, and, when he did, the problem was solved. We must deal with sin and we must do it according to God s instructions IV. A Confession and Judgment Joshua 7: And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: