The Books of History of the Old Testament: The Record of God's Interaction With His Chosen People: Joshua 21:45, Amos 3:7, Jeremiah 1:5

By Rev. Harold E. Petersen

The Word of God, the Bible, has been a vital part of my life. We had family devotions. I went to Sunday school and memorized verses. In confirmation, we studied the Bible and catechism. And worship texts from the Old Testament, Epistles, and gospels were read every Sunday. These continue to draw me into the Word.

I was in high school when I began to read the Bible through in a year. As I would read, I would mark verses that had special meaning for me. Some chapters were so full of gems of truth that I chose several.

The Books of History reveal to us the record of the acts of the Lord God with his people, the family of Jacob or Israel. The history begins as they cross the Jordan, conquered the land. We read of the troubles during the time of the Judges. We follow the reigns of kings Saul, David, and Solomon. We sense the distress of the divided kingdom and the time of exile. These books are important to our life of faith. The details were written down so that we can avoid the same sins. I am drawn to the magnificence of our God’s grace as he forgives the sins of the people and calls them to obey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jul 25, 2022
• ISBN: 9798885403191

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The Books of History of the Old Testament

The Record of God's Interaction With His Chosen People: Joshua 21:45, Amos 3:7, Jeremiah 1:5

Rev. Harold E. Petersen

Copyright © 2022 by Rev. Harold E. Petersen

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

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Table of Contents

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

Chart of Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Combining Ezra and Nehemiah

Nehemiah

Esther

Preface

We use words daily as we converse with family, friends, and coworkers. We use words to prepare presentations, to write a doctoral dissertation. I use words to prepare a sermon or a lesson that I will teach. Words can be used to fill up time—purposeless chatter. Words can be used to make a presentation to inform, influence, or persuade people.

Books are written with words. Sometimes books use words that have lost their meaning. For example, in Shakespeare’s writings, there are words that no longer mean the same thing. Speeches and sermons may be recorded but over time are forgotten.

Translation is the process of taking words in one language and conveying it meaning in another. There was a missionary whose mother tongue was English, yet when he read the text for the Sunday sermon, he read the Greek text and spoke in Amharic, the language of his congregation. When I preached, I would preach in English for the sake of the students present, and another man would translate it into the language of the older member. Translations need to be updated because meaning of words change. For example, the King James Bible was written several centuries ago. Some words are archaic. There are many translations today. The important factor is to be faithful to the original Hebrew or Greek text. Sadly, there are translations today which have altered the basic meaning of the Word of God. It seems they have done this to be in sync with the society.

The Bible as it has come to us is the Word of God. It is inspired by God; it is an accurate presentation. The Bible is the source of our faith, our doctrine, and our teaching. I believe as Saint Paul say to Timothy, All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

The Bible as the Word of God is powerful, yes, dynamic, and alive. The writer to the Hebrews tells us, The word of God is living and active. Sharper that any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and Spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

We need only look at Genesis 1, to see the power in the Word of God. God said and everything came into being. In Jeremiah 23:29, we read, Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces

In the Bible, we have the Lord God’s activity, creating this universe for mankind. The Lord God worked with the family of Noah Abraham and Jacob. We have the Lord God’s communication with his people through the prophets and historians. Finally, we have the Living Word, Jesus, making his dwelling in the hearts of men. The Bible, the Word of God, is the one possession that will always be the most precious item I have. I find in the Word of God encouragement, correction, instructions on living and warnings. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105). No matter how many times I read it through in a year, there is always some truth that I find to refresh and renew my spirit.

The books from Joshua to Esther record for us the history of the people of God. We see the Lord action from the crossing of the Jordan River through the ups and downs of their walk of faith to the account of one of the people living in exile. We have the account of Joshua taking control of the land of Canaan. We have the sad account of the people trying to adjust to living under the Lord God’s covenant. Then we have three sets of two books detailing the history of the period of the kings. The books of Samuel follow the stormy years from the judges until David becoming king. The books of Kings relate the reigns of the kings from David through the division of the kingdom and then to the exile. The books of Kings are from a political point of view. We have in the books of Chronicles, the priestly perspective on the history of Israel. I end this devotional book with the life and work of three people, Ezra, Nehemiah as they restore the people to the land of Canaan and also the account of Esther. My prayer is that you will also see the hand of the Lord God in all that takes place in the life of his people.

When I was in college or seminary, I was inspired to mark a special verse of every chapter in the Bible. Some chapters were so full of gems that there are several. Yet now I would have marked even others. Mine were originally from the Revised Standard Version.

My mother had done a similar thing; she wrote each verse in a notebook. I believe hers are originally from the King James Version. Then I came across the book Great Verses Through the Bible by F. B. Meyer. He wrote a devotional commentary on key verses.

At some point, I put all three sets into an RSV Bible I had. Then in the early 1980s, I transferred them to the New International Version. In 2011, I was inspired to put them all down on paper and on a floppy disk.

In 2016, I began to write a devotional commentary on each of these verses. This book contains the devotional commentary on verses in the books of the prophets. There is also a brief outline of each book. It would be best if one reads the chapter before the devotional commentary.

The scriptural quotes and references are taken from the New International Version of the Bible (pictorial) copyrighted in 1978 and NIV Archaeological Study Bible copyright in 1984 by The New York International Bible Society and published by Zondervan Corporation.

The hymn verses are mainly public domain. Some are taken from Living Praise hymnal compiled by John W. Peterson and published by Singspiration Music of Zondervan Corporation.

There are repeats of hymn verses that I feel fit in the context. There are repeats of accounts of events in my life in various places. I hope that this repetition does not detract from the message.

Joshua

Outline

Possessing Canaan—the conquest (Joshua 1–12)

Preparation of Joshua and the people (Joshua 1–5)

Beginning the conquest (Joshua 6–8)

Completing the conquest (Joshua 9–12)

Partitioning Canaan—consolidation twenty-three years (Joshua 13–24)

Beginning the partitioning (Joshua 13–17)

Completing the partitioning (Joshua 18–21)

Challenge to unity and obedience (Joshua 22–24)

Overview

Joshua 1–3. The conquest of the land is an exciting part of the history of Israel. The elaborate preparation enhances the drama. The miracles also heighten the suspense. The spies confirm the ease of victory. Crossing the Jordan into the promised land becomes a symbol of the life of a Christian. A blessed experience is in store for each of us.

Joshua 4–6. The moving in and conquest of Jericho is a dramatic account. The awesomeness of our God is clearly displayed. The parting of the Jordan, the safety while they were circumcised and the celebration of the Passover, the plans to destroy Jericho had the feeling of a might beyond human description. I can feel the presence of the Lord, lo, these centuries later. What a unique Word God has given us. We can feel the force of his Word even centuries after it was spoken. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12).

Joshua 10–12. The conquest of the land is described in sweeping terms. There are the great battles but even these do not eliminate all the people they were to defeat. It seems Joshua did all that the Lord commanded. But somehow, he did not eliminate all the people. Maybe it was that he saw the command only as dealing with the high points, not all.

Joshua 13–21. The allotting of the land.

Joshua 22–24. The tribes east of the Jordan had completed what they promised and now were released to go home. But they felt there was a barrier between them, so they wanted a memorial to remind future generations of their commitment. The conclusion to the book reveals the struggle and confusion different interpretations can cause. The east bank people built an altar for a monument for future generations. The west bank people thought it smacked of rebellion. Joshua calls the people to a total commitment to the Lord. They quickly respond with what sounds like hollow words.

Preparing Joshua—a Courageous Leader (Joshua 1)

I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses…Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

—Joshua 1:3, 8–9

Moses is dead. Joshua had been commissioned to lead the people across the Jordan River. The crossing of the Jordan was as big an adventure as was the Exodus. What a tremendous task Joshua is undertaking. The Lord gives this assurance to Joshua—I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses (Joshua 1:3). He and Caleb were the two voices that insisted the people take the land forty years before. Now I wonder if the people were any more certain they could do it now. Joshua was not the charismatic leader Moses was. And yet he trusted the Lord to carry out the plan. The Lord assured Joshua that he will be with him and will not fail him. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you or forsake you (Joshua 1:5).

There is one specific request the Lord makes of Joshua: Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it (Joshua 1:8). Moses had written down the details of the covenant in Exodus and Leviticus. He had given a summary of all that had taken place in the book of Deuteronomy. The Lord encourages Joshua not to forget what He, the Lord, had said.

The Lord told Joshua not to be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and he will complete his plan, and you will prosper.

I was overwhelmed when I finished the seminary training. The night before my ordination, July 17, 1966, the Lord came to me in a night vision. He told me I was not called to serve multitudes, nor was I called to preach to thousands. He was calling me that he could minister to one person. The years of ministry would be preparation, training for that one moment. I was further overwhelmed when I took off for Ethiopia. I had never been on an airplane, nor had I traveled far from home except for a few trips out west. What would it be like in Ethiopia? How would I relate to the people there? The Lord gave me the same assurance he gave Joshua: Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go (Joshua 1:9). His hand was with me in those years. His Spirit spoke to me often from the Word. His Spirit opened doors for me to minister to others.

Prayer focus—Lord, when the way seems overwhelming, hold my hand.

Preparing the People (Joshua 2–5)

A Cowardly Enemy (Joshua 2)

I know that the Lord has given this land to you.

—Joshua 2:9

Here is the account of the Lord speaking through one of those who were thought to be enemies of Israel. Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho. When the spies came to her house after seeing the layout of the city, she confirms to them this fact: I know that the Lord has given this land to you (Joshua 2:9). The city had been on locked down; the King had the army on alert. But they were staying inside the city.

Rahab tells the spies that the people are terrified, their hearts are melting with fear. She asks that her family be spared when they come in to destroy the city. And the spies make an agreement. She is to hang a scarlet rope from her window to signify her house and all will be safe. Rahab was convinced of the worth of the Israelites cause and wanted to be part of it. The spies escape and hide in the hills for a couple of days, and when they return to Joshua, they reported, The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us (Joshua 2:24).

It comes down to this—do the people believe the Lord who has been with them since Egypt, and all through the wilderness? Do the people remember how easy it was to defeat the two kings on the east bank of the Jordan, the kings of Sihon and Og? This is what it has all been about, taking the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Joshua is a type of Christ. His name means He who saves. Joshua had been in on the exodus from Egypt. He had been Moses’s right-hand man throughout the wilderness wandering. Christ died on the cross to deliver us from bondage to sin, death, and the devil. He walks with us even through the wilderness, the valley of the shadow of death. He is God the Father’s plan of salvation. Through him we enter the kingdom of God, the promised eternal life in heaven. What an awesome task!

What a ground-breaking responsibility! I am sure Joshua knew what was in store for him. He also knew who he could count on, though there are times when he seems to have a lapse of memory. For example, he is walking toward Jericho, and he meets a divine being and ask whose side he is on. Another time the Gibeonites deceive him, and he fails to ask the Lord for guidance. On the other hand, Jesus Christ spends a lot of time in conversation with the Father. He spends all night in prayer before he chooses his disciples. There is not a moment that Jesus has a lapse of memory as far as his relationship with the Father is concerned.

We may not be faced with such an awesome decision as Joshua. But we can learn that like Jesus we need to be in constant communication with the Father; we need to bring events, persons, responsibilities to him and hear his advice, his guidance.

Prayer focus—Lord, guide me always that I do not fail you.

Crossing the Jordan (Joshua 3–4)

Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.

—Joshua 3:4

Now the time has come. The people are to cleanse themselves that they might be ready for this most holy moment. The priests and Levites are commanded to be ready to take up the Ark of the Covenant and lead the way as the Lord directs. The Lord is saying to the people, Follow the ark; I am leading you into the unknown. Be sure to follow because I know the way.

It can be a tense moment when one is preparing to make a major change. A change in job, a change in the house you live in. I think it is even a greater moment of high expectation when one is going on a trip overseas. When we went to Israel, it was an anxious moment for me each time. We were to board a plane. Somehow, I always felt like I was going to forget something or just be left behind. I don’t know where that fear comes from. It was especially tense for me in Rome, the language barriers, the different customs. And then when we got to Tel Aviv, being in Israel, uncertain about our group weighed heavily on me.

I wonder how the people of Israel were handling this move. They were expected to cross the river, Jordan. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during the harvest (Joshua 3:15). Can you imagine wanting to cross a raging flooded river with millions of people? I wonder if they were thinking, Does Joshua have this right? Given the way they reacted to Moses’s direction several times, it would not surprise me if they refused. The Lord had prepared his plan, they would walk over on dry land like they did coming out of Egypt. His plan was that the priest, who were carrying the ark of the covenant, would take the step of faith and put their foot in the water. And as soon as they did that the water would stop flowing down the riverbed. It was piled up near the town of Adam near Zarethan. Of course, the water that had been cut off continued to flow to the Salt Sea and all that riverbed became dry. The priests stayed in the middle of the riverbed until all had crossed over.

With the ark of the covenant very visible, then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before (Joshua 3:4).

These people had been covering unfamiliar territory since they left Egypt. Their wandering in the wilderness perhaps was somewhat like going around in circles. But now, this new adventure was going to be their last move. They were going home to the promised land.

His promise to us is this: When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they shall not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze (Isaiah 43:2).

Prayer focus—Lord, be with me in each new adventure you send me on.

*****

The flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

—Joshua 4:7

The ark was the symbol of the Lord’s presence among the people, so this signified that the Lord was in the cutting off the water and the crossing of the Jordan. 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 (Joshua 4:24).

The priests stayed in the middle of the riverbed until all had passed over. They stayed there while men chose twelve stones out of the riverbed and carried them over to their camp. I wonder if the priest were concerned about that water that was piling up at Adam? I wonder if they wished everyone would hurry up. Or did they have such deep trust in God that they were not concerned?

The ark of the covenant was a very important piece of their worship furniture. It was the symbol of the Lord’s presence among them. It was to be carried only by the Levites. Here the priests, who are Levites, were carrying the ark. The ark would be used when they marched around Jericho. The ark at times went with the army into battle. That was rather risky business once it was captured by the Philistines.

The resurrection of Christ is the memorial stone showing our position in the sight of God. From this, we should never retreat. The resurrection is the watch word of all Christians. He is Risen! is proclaimed as we worship each Sunday.

Charles Wesley wrote the hymn Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.

Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!

Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Like the ark, the symbol the people were to follow when they entered the promised land, so the cross is the symbol of Christ crucified and risen, the one we follow to eternal life. Jesus leads us in this life and ultimately will lead us to eternal life. Like Much Afraid in Hannah Hurnard’s book Hines Feet on High Places, I have collected memory stones over the years. Each one marks a pivotal and precious experience in my walk with the Lord. One from the prayer meeting in Edina where I saw the Lord calling me out. One from my ministry in each parish and mission station. One from my ministry with Teens Encounter Christ. The most significant one was given me during a prophecy conference in Spokane when the Lord Jesus took me to the throne room of the Father and revealed to me the depth of the love the Father has for me.

Prayer focus—Lord, help me be ready to cross the Jordan in your time.

Circumcising the Nation (Joshua 5)

Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.

—Joshua 5:9

Circumcision was a sign of the covenant. This act, after crossing, finished one stage of covenant living and was the mark to start the next stage. All males were to be circumcised as a show they accepted the covenant. Apparently, there had been no circumcision since they left Egypt. It was a miracle that they could do this to the whole community. Apparently, one was very sore for three days at least. The camp was vulnerable during this time, but the Lord protected them so that the reproach of their past would be taken away.

They had crossed the river Jordan, and now in their first camp, they made a clean break with their past. The second act that they performed was to celebrate the Passover. I wonder if they had celebrated it during the years in the wilderness. While this was intended to be a yearly feast, it seems that there were significant periods of time when it was neglected. We are not told why they let it go. It could be because they were on the move, but even after they settled in the land, there were times when they seem to have forgotten it. The third significant thing that happened was that the Manna stopped coming. The people were now able to eat the produce of the land.

These three events mark a major transition in the life of the Israelites. It had been over four hundred years since their family had last been in the land of Canaan. The past was over, they had crossed the Jordan, and they were no longer on the move. The past was over. Now they celebrated Passover to remember how God had saved them from slavery. The past was over, and the reproach of Egypt had been rolled away. The past was over, and now they could eat food from the land and not rely on the bread from heaven.

William Williams wrote the hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.

Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,

Pilgrim thru this barren land;

I am weak, but Thou are mighty

Hold me with Thy pow’rful hand:

Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven,

Feed me till I want no more,

Feed me till I want no more.

When I tread the verge of Jordan,

Bid my anxious fears subside;

Bear me thru the swelling current,

Land me safe on Canaan’s side:

Songs of praises, / songs of praises

I will ever give to Thee,

I will ever give to Thee.

Today in the Christian Church, we have baptism which marks our belonging to Christ. We have Holy Communion which continually remind us of God saving act in the death and resurrection of his Son. We have the Word of God which is the bread from heaven that by the power of the Holy Spirit leads us to a deeper walk of faith as we wait for that day when Christ shall come and take us home.

Prayer focus—Lord, help me be ready when you come to take me home.

Jericho—Obedience Brings Victory (Joshua 6)

See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands.

—Joshua 6:2

The people were now ready. They had celebrated the feast of Passover. Joshua had met the commander of the army of the Lord. It was uniquely God’s way to promise victory before the battle! We hope to win; God promises a victory. The Lord God gave Joshua a plan for defeating Jericho. A rather strange plan, hardly military strategy! But he assured Joshua, See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands (Joshua 6:2).

The plan was that the ark of the covenant would lead the army around the city once each day for six days. It was both, I imagine, intimidating and absurd. Perhaps to the people of Jericho it was intimidating to see the ark leading the army. The ark was a symbol of the power of Israel’s God, the God who opened the sea for the people to cross and drowned the Egyptians. It would have looked absurd to see the army just walk around the city once each day. And they were not to make any noise. There were seven priests with trumpets and then the four carrying the ark. What was going on? What was this army up to? They led with religious symbols and priests. Were they trying to psych them out? Then on the seventh day the people got an early start and walked around the city seven times. Then the seven priests with the trumpets blew their trumpet and the people gave a loud shout, the walls collapsed; so, every man charged straight in, and they took the city (Joshua 6:20). Everyone, every animal, was slaughtered except for those in Rahab’s house.

There is a story, rather strange, about the angels stomping on the walls and driving them straight into the ground. What a neat way to deal with it. Again, that would be further evidence that God was in this defeat.

Rahab’s family was saved and joined with the people of Israel. The precious metals were dedicated to the Lord, but the rest of the city was burned, and Joshua put a curse on anyone who would rebuild the city. There are no walls of superstition and sin strong enough to resist faith’s shout when God says that the shouting time has come. What a miracle! What a demonstration of the power of God! I can imagine that now the people of Israel were very sure that they would win all the land.

When I went to my first Teens Encounter Christ Retreat, I discovered that I had a wall surrounding my heart. It was thick and strong. But the prayers of the people and the Spirit of God tore that wall to pieces, and I was free. What an exhilarating experience! I witnessed the Spirit moving through me in powerful ways of ministry. Yes, there are no walls that can withstand the will of the Father. If he desires the walls to come down, they do! I can imagine the people of Israel rejoicing with song and dance that night. There would be no problems with defeating the nations of Canaan now. Their confidence in God was very high.

Prayer focus—Lord, tear down the walls I keep trying to erect.

Disobedience Brings Defeat (Joshua 7)

That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies, they have turned their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction.

—Joshua 7:12

I am puzzled! Why did Joshua not seek the Lord’s guidance before going to attach Ai? I would hold that if he had, they would not have suffered this first defeat. It would have been clear that someone had violated the covenant agreement concerning Jericho. The spirits of the leaders are so high, because of their win at Jericho, that they say we don’t need a large army just a few thousand. And they were soundly defeated.

Then Joshua goes to the Lord. What is going on, Lord? We would have been better staying on the other side of the Jordan. The Lord replies, Stand up! What are you doing on your face? Israel has sinned. The command was for the complete destruction of Jericho, except for the precious metals. Someone had violated this command. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies, they have turned their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction (Joshua 7:12). Here is a clear rule: if one within a body of believers defies the Lord’s commands the whole body is affected. Sin often affects a community.

So in the morning, Joshua calls the camp together and begin the selection to find out who has done this deed. The Lord narrows it down to Achan of the tribe of Judah. He candidly admits taking some things and hiding them in his tent. When they find them, the severe punishment is death for his whole family. Why does the family have to pay for his greed? I suppose because they knew of the crime and did not report it.

Often, we find that the sons will take after their fathers and turn out like them. If the father was addicted to alcohol, the son would also. The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. (See Exodus 20:5.) But Ezekiel quotes the Lord, The soul who sins is the one who will die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20). The soul of the one who commits a sin if they are unwilling to repent and ask for forgiveness will receive the punishment. But if one has committed sin and if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

J Edwin Orr wrote the hymn Cleanse Me.

Search me, O God, and know my heart today;

Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.

See if there be some wicked way in me;

Cleanse me from ev’ry sin and set me free.

I praise Thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin;

Fulfill Thy Word and make me pure within.

Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame;

Grant my desire to magnify Thy name.

Oh, if only Joshua had consulted the Lord before going to Ai.

Prayer focus—Lord, purify my soul that I might not sin against you.

Restoration Brings Victory (Joshua 8)

For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and land.

—Joshua 8:1

This time, Joshua consults the Lord, and the Lord gives him the plan for defeating Ai. The army is to approach Ai as they had done, with a frontal assault. But there will be a second army who during the night sneaks around the city and hides, waiting to ambush the city. Joshua and the main army would attack and draw the army of Ai out of the city and be chased as they were the first time. The signal for the second army is Joshua raising his javelin. The Lord tell Joshua even the time to do this. This was, as should all attack be, the Lord directing the attack. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and land (Joshua 8:1). Again, we have the assurance of the Lord that the victory is already won. With the Lord, the battle is over. The reason why the army of Israel had difficulty in taking the whole land of Canaan, they seldom consulted the Lord about the battles.

With this victory behind them, Joshua renews the covenant commitment and makes a copy of the law of Moses at the altar on Mount Ebal. This was a reminder to the people that the Lord had establish the relationship. The Lord had taken the lead, now they should continue to seek his direction in all they do.

Isn’t that what has been the problem since the garden of Eden? Adam and Eve did not consult the Lord concerning what Satan had said. They made a judgment themselves which got them into sin. That was the way of the people of Israel throughout their history. They would decide based on what they saw around them rather than seek the will of the Lord God. And we do the same thing. Though the Lord has promised us many things, we ignore that and decide what is best on our own. That is disastrous! Though we have the Word of God clearly laid out for us in the Bible, we think we know better how to accomplish what we want.

How many times have I thought I knew what the Lord wanted but neglected to talk to him about it and I failed miserably?

The sin of Achan had caused the people of Israel to be defeated by the Ai army but also to be defeated by fear. After this, they never seem to be all that sure if they would win. They were always second-guessing God. They had followed the plan of the Lord for Jericho but had not asked for the plan to defeat Ai. How strong the desire is to do it myself, in not only the Israelites, but in us also.

Sin, the desire to do it myself, be master of my own life, continues to get everyone in trouble. And sin, because it is selfishness, affects everyone around us. We need to confess, turn away from sin, and seek the Lord more diligently so that we may not fail again.

Prayer focus—Lord, teach me to seek you first in all that goes on in me.

Compact—Deception by Gibeon (Joshua 9)

The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them.

—Joshua 9:14

Here is another example of how not to win over a land. Joshua and the elders are deceived by the Gibeonites. They came with a story that praised the people of Israel and their God as being so great. The compliment seemed to go to the Israelite’s heads, and they forgot to ask the Lord’s guidance. They ate some of their dry moldy bread. To many in the Middle East, to eat with someone was like sealing a deal. Here they made a treaty with the Gibeonites, a treaty of peace and mutual support. Joshua tries to make up for this mistake by making the Gibeonites basically slaves forever. They were to serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God (Joshua 9:23).

So the children of God were imposed upon again. This was due to their relying on their own judgment and not asking counsel of God. Do not believe every spirit but test the spirits to see whether they are of God, because many false spirits are gone into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God (1 John 4:1–3).

The specialty of Satan is deception! Like he did in the garden of Eden, he makes it sound so good, so true, that one accepts it as the best way of doing something. It was he who deceived Joshua and the elders here. I think Satan’s plan was to wear down the resolve of the leaders of the people so that they would not destroy the nations of Canaan. Then he could get them to compromise on their worship, adding some of the practices of the Canaanites.

Satan’s deception still goes on. He comes up with concepts that call into question what the Lord God says in his Word. He had created in the midthirties a philosophical process that looks at the Word and separates what is spoken for one culture and then says it is not for us. This has led some of the leading theologians of the Church to preach that there are certain parts of the Bible do not have to be believed, especially the significance of the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Most of the stories of the Old Testament are called myths and thus are not to be believed as truly happening.

The Lord God had given the people of Israel a written copy of the covenant and its requirements and details. There were people who could read it and teach it, but the people perhaps thought it belonged to Moses’s day and not to theirs. We all want to get along with people and are easily led to compromise the truth of God’s Word that we might live at peace. We desperately need leaders who will consult with the Lord about how to understand and work out the Lord’s will in our world today.

Prayer focus—Lord, give me insight into how easily we are deceived.

Coalition (Joshua 10–11)

Destruction of the South (Joshua 10)

The Book of Jashar—The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

—Joshua 10:13–14

Now what a day! The Lord listened to a man and stopped what seemed like the rotation of the earth. It seems to be that there is scientific proof that this event, and the sun going back up the stairs, did happen (2 Kings 20:10). This is another proof that the Lord God was still in charge and involved. It was unusual for a people to have a God who was involved in their life. Often the gods of other nations seem to give command to cover a situation and let the people work it out. Not so with the Lord God.

These five kings ganged up and attacked Gibeon trying to draw Joshua into battle. Joshua talks with the Lord, and the Lord gave them a plan. They attacked these kings, but the battle took longer than planned, so the Lord gave Joshua the long day as he asked. It was recorded in the Book of Jashar—The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day (Joshua 10:13–14). The Book of Jashar is traditionally taken to be a book on the wars of Israel.

The battle is won, the kings are killed, and Joshua and the army swept through the south and had little resistance. The battle was the Lord’s, and as the army obeyed and destroyed those kingdoms, they were satisfied. There was very little loss of life for the Israelites.

I have the sense that these campaigns were not thought of as being much. With the Lord doing the defeating, it seems that the army was rather bored. The matter-of-fact way the defeat is recorded tells me that there was not much excitement after the battles.

For you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings (Malachi 4:2). For us there is one Son that goes not down, the precious Son of Righteousness, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When once he has risen upon your soul, you shall know no setting. Oh, to know the depth and the riches of the glory of God that brought about this great salvation. God has a plan for us today as the people of God. He has given us a plan for victory over the evil one. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 6:12).

It is glorious that for us today, the Son of Righteousness never sets. Thus we can give battle to the evil one, day and night. And it lasts not just for one day but for all eternity. St. Paul prays in Ephesians 3:16–18 (adapted) I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, to grasp the full measure of God.

Prayer focus—Lord, keep my spirit alert to all that Satan has in store.

Defeat of the North (Joshua 11)

Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them to Israel, slain. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.

—Joshua 11:6

This account is in sweeping details also. The whole of the northern region is taken in one battle. Yet as we