May 13, 2010
God told the Israelites to go and attack Ai again. This time the end result was entirely different. When the Israelites tried to defeat Ai in their own power (with sin in the camp) they were humiliated and they were soundly defeated. But once the sin was removed and the Israelites followed God's instructions, God granted the victory and Ai was defeated.
Joshua 8:1 - "Don't be afraid or give up...I will help you."
Joshua 8:7-8 -"The LORD your God will give you the power to win. After you take the city, burn it. See to it! You have your orders."
The LORD encouraged them.
If trouble comes and discouragement begins to set in, hang on! Hang on to the "I will" promises of God. Let HIM encourage you. Psalm 140 - "I will uphold the cause of the needy"; Isaiah 30 - "I will show you which way to go"; Jeremiah 33 - "I will restore the land." Psalm 1:5-6 - "So the wicked will not worship with God's people. This is because God takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." See Her Name Was Jane.
Joshua followed God's orders. God's orders were to put some men in front of Ai like before, but to also put men behind the city as well. When the people of Ai saw the men in front they came out to attack them. Joshua's men turned and ran like before. The people of Ai chased them leaving the entire city open and vulnerable. Joshua's men from behind entered the city and easily destroyed it. Joshua's men in the front turned back around and the people of Ai were totally trapped and destroyed. None of them escaped. After the victory an altar of stone was built and half the people stood on Mt. Ebal and half the people stood on Mt Gerizim and the blessings and curses were read to the people just as Moses instructed in Deuteronomy 27:23
The people of Ai were so confident in themselves. They were successful in chasing and humiliating the Israelites in the past. Why would it be any different this time? In their pride and selfishness they were only focused on "getting" the Israelites. They were single minded. They never took into account that what they were doing (their single minded intent to "get" them) was going to be the very thing that brought their destruction. They left themselves out in the open with nowhere to go and were easily, completely, and utterly destroyed.
Next Entry: Joshua 9:1 – 10:43
God told the Israelites to go and attack Ai again. This time the end result was entirely different. When the Israelites tried to defeat Ai in their own power (with sin in the camp) they were humiliated and they were soundly defeated. But once the sin was removed and the Israelites followed God's instructions, God granted the victory and Ai was defeated.
Joshua 8:1 - "Don't be afraid or give up...I will help you."
Joshua 8:7-8 -"The LORD your God will give you the power to win. After you take the city, burn it. See to it! You have your orders."
The LORD encouraged them.
If trouble comes and discouragement begins to set in, hang on! Hang on to the "I will" promises of God. Let HIM encourage you. Psalm 140 - "I will uphold the cause of the needy"; Isaiah 30 - "I will show you which way to go"; Jeremiah 33 - "I will restore the land." Psalm 1:5-6 - "So the wicked will not worship with God's people. This is because God takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." See Her Name Was Jane.
Joshua followed God's orders. God's orders were to put some men in front of Ai like before, but to also put men behind the city as well. When the people of Ai saw the men in front they came out to attack them. Joshua's men turned and ran like before. The people of Ai chased them leaving the entire city open and vulnerable. Joshua's men from behind entered the city and easily destroyed it. Joshua's men in the front turned back around and the people of Ai were totally trapped and destroyed. None of them escaped. After the victory an altar of stone was built and half the people stood on Mt. Ebal and half the people stood on Mt Gerizim and the blessings and curses were read to the people just as Moses instructed in Deuteronomy 27:23
The people of Ai were so confident in themselves. They were successful in chasing and humiliating the Israelites in the past. Why would it be any different this time? In their pride and selfishness they were only focused on "getting" the Israelites. They were single minded. They never took into account that what they were doing (their single minded intent to "get" them) was going to be the very thing that brought their destruction. They left themselves out in the open with nowhere to go and were easily, completely, and utterly destroyed.
Next Entry: Joshua 9:1 – 10:43
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