Joshua Part Two: Dive

QUICK GRABS OF WISDOM FROM JOSHUA

For the Dives for Joshua, I wanted to change things up a bit. In the Dives I am going to show you quick grabs of wisdom that jumped out at me as I studied the book. Joshua has so much in it that I didn't want to limit our study to one topic, so here are my first seven grabs of wisdom as you read this book.

GOD PREPARES THE PATH BEFORE HE SAYS TO GO

When God says to do something he doesn’t leave everything to you. He prepares the way for you, he opens the doors, he gives you favour, he defeats the enemies before you, all you need to do in obedience to God is to walk where he is asking you to go.

How can I say that with such confidence? Let me show you one of the saddest verses in the Bible, Joshua 2:8-11 in the words of Rahab.

J 2:8-11 I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord, your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

This is one of those gems in the Bible, that rock your world when you read it. When I read this I had to read it over and over again and study it because I couldn’t believe what it was saying.

So let’s study it for a bit. When was the whole country scared and afraid of the Israelites? When they crossed the Red Sea and came out of Egypt. That was 40 years ago. Do you mean to say that they were scared from the first crossing? So if the spies had come back and said “Go” the enemy was already terrified of them because God had prepared the way for them to enter the promised land 40 years ago? Yes, that is what it is saying! Oh, my goodness that is so sad and so annoying all at once.

So today remember when God says go he has already prepared the pathway, don’t hesitate, don’t stop, be bold and full of faith. Your God has paved the path that you will walk on, all you have to do is take the steps and walk. Don’t find out 40 years later that your victory was already prepared but you were too scared to step into your promised land.

RAHAB IS BOAZ’S MUM

Chapter 2 is more than just saving Rahab, this redemption contains so much more. Rahab is this seemingly insignificant lady who helps the spies out of a bit of a bind. But you find out in the New Testament that Rahab is included in the lineage of the people of God, this is in fact, Boaz’ mum (Boaz the redeemer in the story of Ruth), King David’s great-grandmother. This prostitute that helped them enter the promised land is in the lineage of Jesus.

Matthew 1:5 says Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab
Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth
Obed the father of Jesse
Jesse the father of King David

There is so much more going on in chapter two than we realize. So when she asks in 2:12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you.” She has no idea that her family will be the most blessed of all, in the lineage of the Messiah.

Trashing tip: Study the scarlet cord as the forerunner of the blood of Jesus that saves us from death. Oh, there is so much in the Bible!

GOD’S TIMING IS NOT NECESSARILY THE EASIEST TIME

Did you notice in Joshua 2:15 'Now the Jordan’s at flood stage all during the harvest'?

The Israelites would have known when God said to go that the Jordan was at flood stage, but this time they were not going to say no–they were not going to spend another 40 years in the wilderness. They were going to go to faith, even if it didn’t look like the best time they knew God was going to do amazing things.

This was their moment. You can imagine years later at the altar that they built in chapter 4 saying – the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the Lord but that’s not all, it was in full flood at that time.

God’s timing doesn’t necessarily look like the greatest timing but it is the time that he will get the greatest honour and glory. He wants to show off and scare the enemy all over again! Look at Joshua 4:24 'He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.' What, is in your life today that doesn’t look like great timing, but it is now that God is calling you to part the sea and walk on through anyway?

Trashing tip: Did you notice where the water stopped flowing–at a town called Adam (3:16)! Study that!

DID HE JUST WEAKEN ALL OF HIS FIGHTING MEN?

How does Chapter 5:2-12 fit into any Army strategy to take a city? My plan would be to get my best warriors into a training camp, get them fit and full of superfoods so we have the best chance to win this war. No not God, his plan was to get through the Jordan by an incredible miracle and then circumcise all of the men, all the fighting men, so they can’t walk until they are healed, and then take the promised land.

This story for me screams of the importance of all of these men entering the promised land consecrated to God. Remember circumcision is the sign of the covenant between the Israelites and God (Genesis 17), and this was more important to the victory than the ability and preparation for war. Today in our lives, ability and human strength is not the key to winning the battles, the battle is won by our covenant relationship with the God who brings the walls down to gain the victory!

IMAGINE WHAT CHAPTER 6 SOUNDED LIKE TO THE ENEMY IN JERICHO

As I read the account of the Fall of Jericho, I imagine what it must have sounded like to the enemy inside. They could hear the marching, the trumpets; imagine the expectation: “When are they going to attack?” The fear would have been overwhelming! They were already terrified of the God that marched with this army and you can imagine them peeking out and being terrified seeing the Ark of the Covenant where the presence of God was. Then came the seventh day and all they could hear was marching, the sound of silence was horrifying. And then that shout and crash–the walls came down! God took Jericho with silence and obedience.

‘BUT’ – THE MOST DISAPPOINTING WORD IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

Did you notice another sad moment in the book of Joshua, contained in one word BUT? God had just given them the city and the only restriction was “keep away from the devoted things so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them.” You had been waiting 40 years for this, actually your whole life, and now God was giving it to you, they couldn’t be faithful and BUT…

Joshua 7 starts with ‘but the Israelites’ were unfaithful–and so it begins again we have the two buts–but the Israelites were unfaithful, but God delivers them. This becomes almost comical in Judges–'But they did evil in the eyes of the Lord' and 'But God sends another Judge to rescue them.'

Remove the but in your life and live a life of victory. There is so much in this book, keep reading and see you next week for some more grabs from the Book of Joshua!