12 March

Bible in 365 Days

Joshua 5-8

Joshua 5

The effect on the people of this crossing of the Jordan is revealed in the words, "Their heart melted, neither was there any spirit in them any more." Therefore time must again be taken for matters distinctly of worship.

During the forty years in the wilderness the rite of circumcision evidently had been neglected. There could be no triumphal progress until this had been corrected. Moreover, the nation, so far as its men were concerned, was now becoming a nation of soldiers who were to conduct a campaign of judgment against the corrupt and depraved people. As there can be no doubt that the rite of circumcision was based on holiness and purity of physical life, we see the importance of its enforcement anew at-this juncture.

Following this the great Passover feast was solemnly kept and thus the people were reminded again of the nature of their national existence.

At this time there appeared to Joshua himself the Captain or Prince of the hosts of the Lord, and he was thus made to recognize that his authority and leadership depended on his submission and obedience.

Thus, in different ways before a blow was struck, leader and people were compelled to recognize their dependence on God and the fact that they were but instruments in His hand, moving forward for the accomplishment of His purpose.

Joshua 6

All the preparation being completed, the hosts of God moved forward as the scourge of God in judgment on the corrupt peoples of the land.

It is impossible to imagine anything more calculated to impress on these hosts their own absolute weakness than the method of their first victory. Those marching hosts and those blatant horns were patently utterly inadequate to the work of capturing a city, and by the standards of all ordinary human methods of warfare they were the instruments of foolishness.

Surely the tremendous lesson thus taught at the beginning was that victory must come not by might and not by power Yet it is equally true that what happened taught these people their absolute invincibility so long as they were trusting and obedient.

The peril of the lust of plunder was before them and they were solemnly warned against yielding to it.

The days passed as the hosts marched, and at last through the folly of the human method the divine power operated and Jericho was captured. The salvation of Rahab illustrates for all time the principle upon which men may be saved. It is faith in God, and here as always faith is seen to be conviction yielded to rather than rebelled against.

Joshua 7

This chapter opens with a significant and ominous "But." So far we have had the record of remarkable progress –but! We now see the triumphant people defeated and flying and the reason is declared. It was the sin of a man, but it was also the sin of the nation. Israel had now become a nation in very deed, and therefore no one person could act alone. Individualism is a far more tremendous responsibility when it has ceased to be mere individualism. The sin of the one became the sin of the community, and all the hosts of God were defeated and His enterprises checked because one man had disobeyed.

The story of Achan's sin as he told it is full of warning. Mark carefully its progress; "I saw," "I coveted," "I took."

The confession he made was complete, but it was worthless. The reason of its worthlessness lay in the fact that it was never made until there was no escape. Gradually the walls closed around him until not on his own confession, but by the appointed method of divine detection, he was manifested as guilty.

Joshua's cry to God as recorded here was a cry full of agony, and, as in the case of Moses, its deepest note of sorrow was created by his jealousy for the name of God.

Swift and terrible and yet necessary and just was the judgment which fell on the man who had so grievously sinned.

Joshua 8

As the result of the severity of the discipline exercised in the case of Achan, the nation returned to obedience, and consequently Jehovah immediately uttered the word of reassurance to Joshua and the campaign moved victoriously forward.

The story of the taking of Ai is one of brilliant military strategy. Thus again the fact was brought into prominence that in prosecuting the work of Jehovah there must ever be a recognition of the value and use of the best in human reason. Strategy without obedience is useless. Obedience includes the use of reason, the employment of common sense, and in a campaign such as that on which Joshua was engaged the employment of strategic methods.

Once more the first victories being won and the gates of entrance to the whole country being secured, Joshua paused to fulfil religious duties.

Among the final instructions given to the people by Moses were those which provided for setting up great stones on which the words of the law were to be written, the erection of an altar on Mount Ebal, the offering of sacrifices, and the uttering of the blessings and curses as appointed. These instructions were now being carried out by Joshua.