joshua 7-8

AiAi

Joshua 7-8Joshua 7-8

““The Bible is The Bible is so Negative!”so Negative!”

So Untrue! So Untrue! (Heb. 6:18-19)(Heb. 6:18-19)

It It isis a book about a book about Real VictoryReal Victory..

Where: “God has given us both his Where: “God has given us both his promise and his oath. These two things promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie.”impossible for God to lie.”

Where: “…been enlightened and have tasted Where: “…been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the the good Word of God and the powers of the age to come."age to come."

Where: “we can take new courage, for we can Where: “we can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. This hold on to his promise with confidence. This confidence is like confidence is like a strong and trustworthy a strong and trustworthy anchor for our soulsanchor for our souls.”.”

““The Bible is The Bible is so Negative!”so Negative!”

So Untrue! So Untrue! (Heb. 6:18-19)(Heb. 6:18-19)

It It isis a book about a book about Real VictoryReal Victory..

It is It is notnot “Deep Thoughts…” “Deep Thoughts…”

It It isis victory rooted in victory rooted in The Real WorldThe Real World

Which sometimes gets messy…Which sometimes gets messy…6:20 So the people shouted, and priests blew the 6:20 So the people shouted, and priests blew the trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard trumpets; and it came about, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with the sound of the trumpet, that the people shouted with a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the a great shout and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.and they took the city.

6:21 And they utterly destroyed everything in 6:21 And they utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword.of the sword.

The Real World…The Real World…

Is a Is a veryvery dirtydirty world. world.–Consider the Canaanites.Consider the Canaanites.


Is a Is a veryvery dirtydirty world. world.

God is the final Judge.God is the final Judge.

Yet Yet unbelievablyunbelievably patient! patient!–Waited 400 years!Waited 400 years!

–Waits today!Waits today!

The Lord is not slow about The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to any to perish but for all to come to repentancecome to repentance.

2 Pet. 3:9




Yet Yet unbelievablyunbelievably patient! patient!

Offers ForgivenessOffers ForgivenessFor God made Christ, who never sinned, to be For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.made right with God through Christ. 2 Cor.5:21

Then the LORD passed by in front of him and Then the LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; Ex.33:6,7forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; Ex.33:6,7

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.but has passed out of death into life. Jn. 5:24




Yet Yet unbelievablyunbelievably patient! patient!

Offers ForgivenessOffers Forgiveness

But not Forever.But not Forever.

There comes a “point of no There comes a “point of no return…”return…”

The BanThe Ban6:18 “But as for you, 6:18 “But as for you, only only keep yourselves from the keep yourselves from the things under the banthings under the ban, lest you , lest you covet them and take some of covet them and take some of the things under the ban, so the things under the ban, so you would make the camp of you would make the camp of Israel accursed and bring Israel accursed and bring trouble on it. 19 But all the trouble on it. 19 But all the silver and gold and articles of silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron are holy to bronze and iron are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.”the treasury of the Lord.”

God: God: Victory from the Jaws of DefeatVictory from the Jaws of Defeat

From the ash-heap of Canaan…From the ash-heap of Canaan…

Raises Nation Israel.Raises Nation Israel.

By By HisHis Power and Leadership. Power and Leadership.Deut. 9:4 “Do not say in your heart when the Lord Deut. 9:4 “Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nationsbecause of the wickedness of these nations that that the Lord is dispossessing them before you.”the Lord is dispossessing them before you.”

Deut.9:3 Know therefore today that it is Deut.9:3 Know therefore today that it is the Lord your God who is crossing over the Lord your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them destroy them and He will subdue them before you…before you…

The Rape of the SabinesThe Rape of the Sabines


From the ash-heap of Canaan…From the ash-heap of Canaan…

Raises Nation Israel.Raises Nation Israel.

By By HisHis Power and Leadership. Power and Leadership.

Not for Their Selfish Gain.Not for Their Selfish Gain.

Despite Themselves…Despite Themselves…

7:1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully 7:1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, the son of Zerah, from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the Lord burned therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israelagainst the sons of Israel

““Israel Gets Butt Kicked!”Israel Gets Butt Kicked!”

7:2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho 7:2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.spied out Ai.

3 And they returned to Joshua and said 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men only about two or three thousand men need go upneed go up to Ai; do not make all the to Ai; do not make all the people toil up there, for they are few.”people toil up there, for they are few.”

4 So about three thousand men from the 4 So about three thousand men from the people went up there, but they fled from people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck the men of Ai. 5 And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as pursued them from the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent, so the hearts of the people descent, so the hearts of the people melted and became as water.melted and became as water.

The Real World:The Real World: Spiritual Failure Spiritual Failure

ComplacencyComplacency (too comfortable)(too comfortable)– Born from SUCCESS..Born from SUCCESS..

– From Victory From Victory LAZY LAZY PRIDEPRIDE

– Not Sober About Their Weaknesses…Not Sober About Their Weaknesses…

– Living Off Living Off Yesterday’s VictoriesYesterday’s Victories……

““Old Christian’s Disease”Old Christian’s Disease”

3 And they returned to Joshua and said 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not let all the people go up; to him, “Do not let all the people go up; only about two or three thousand men only about two or three thousand men need go upneed go up to Ai; do not make all the to Ai; do not make all the people toilpeople toil up there, for they are few.” up there, for they are few.”


ComplacencyComplacency (too comfortable)(too comfortable)DeceivedDeceived

– ““Common Sense”Common Sense”

– Forgot the Forgot the SpiritualSpiritualDimensionDimension

Alfred E. Christian


ComplacencyComplacency (too comfortable)(too comfortable)DeceivedDeceivedIndependence from GodIndependence from God

6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel; and both he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. they put dust on their heads.

7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, O Lord GOD, why did you ever bring this people over the Jordan, did you ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, willing to dwell beyond the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies?back before their enemies?

9 “For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of 9 “For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And us and cut off our name from the earth. And what wilt you do for your great name?”what wilt you do for your great name?”

10 So the Lord said to Joshua, “Rise up! Why 10 So the Lord said to Joshua, “Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? 11 Israel is it that you have fallen on your face? 11 Israel has sinned…they have even taken some of the has sinned…they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived.deceived.


ComplacencyComplacency (too comfortable)(too comfortable)DeceivedDeceivedIndependence from GodIndependence from God

– They They Never Consulted God!Never Consulted God!

– He is the God of the Jericho’s AND Ai’sHe is the God of the Jericho’s AND Ai’s

– God patches us up…we walk away…God patches us up…we walk away…

……come back: come back: “Ai! Ai! Ai!”“Ai! Ai! Ai!”


ComplacencyComplacency (too comfortable)(too comfortable)DeceivedDeceivedIndependence from GodIndependence from GodRebellious HeartRebellious Heart

7:1 But the sons of Israel acted 7:1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully…unfaithfully…

Achan: “Truly, I have sinned against Achan: “Truly, I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is the Lord, the God of Israel, and this is what I did: when I saw among the spoil what I did: when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.” underneath it.” 7:207:20


ComplacencyComplacency (too comfortable)(too comfortable)DeceivedDeceivedIndependence from GodIndependence from GodRebellious HeartRebellious Heart

The “Buried Treasure”The “Buried Treasure”

Achan: Achan: “… concealed “… concealed in the earth inside in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.” my tent with the silver underneath it.” 7:207:20

Spiritual Failure: The Point?Spiritual Failure: The Point?

People People Get HURTGet HURT

7:12 The one who has stolen what was set apart for destruction will himself be burned with fire, along with everything he has, for he has broken the covenant of the LORD and has done a horrible thing in Israel."



Other PeopleOther People Get Hurt! Get Hurt!– We’re in this together!We’re in this together!

– An ENORMOUS Price!An ENORMOUS Price!

And the men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men



Other PeopleOther People Get Hurt! Get Hurt!

Not Just a “Mistake”…Not Just a “Mistake”…– Reversed CommitmentReversed Commitment

7:1 But the sons of Israel acted 7:1 But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully…unfaithfully…

What Does God Want?What Does God Want?


““Consecrate!”Consecrate!”– Straighten out your Straighten out your

relationship with God!relationship with God!

– Reaffirm Your FAITH…Reaffirm Your FAITH…

13 “Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, 13 “Rise up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow…”‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow…”


““Consecrate!”Consecrate!”

He He HEALSHEALS

13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He 13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself.cannot deny Himself.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him. "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' "But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this son of mine was dead, and has come to life again; he was lost, and has been found.' And they began to be merry. Lk.15:21-24

ComplacencyComplacency (too comfortable)(too comfortable)

DeceivedDeceived

Independence from GodIndependence from God

Rebellious HeartRebellious Heart


joshua 7-8

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