Joshua 7

Joshua and the tribe of Israel has just successfully captured Jericho - the city that was believed to be beyond capture. They were successful because they followed God's instructions to the letter. But, oh how soon we forget the provisions of God.......

Jericho is destroyed and "Joshua's fame spread throughout the entire country" (6:27). Then comes verse 7:1, "But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things......so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel" (emphasis mine). They had just entered a city completely destroyed by God's hand, in the most unorthodox way imagined, and instantly choose to sin against the God that delivered victory to them.

Joshua sends men from Jericho, from their victory, to Ai to spy out the country (v. 2). Ai was the next stop on their way through the promised land. The spy's come back and report that it should take no more than 2,000-3,000 men to conquer the country because there are so few people (v. 3). Joshua sends the men. Instead of being great conquerors, they turn and flee at the sight of the men of Ai (v. 4). The men of Ai chased them down and killed 36 of the men of Israel (v. 5), the mighty conquerors. The response of Joshua and the elders to this defeat is to tear their clothes, put on ash, fall on their face before God and cry out to Him asking Him why He is allowing His people to be defeated. Joshua believes that God has brought them over the Jordan only to be delivered to their enemies and why is God so cruel? (v. 6-9)

Let's stop and take a quick recap here: The children of Israel faced a most formidable foe in Jericho. They ask God what to do. He tells them. Even though it sounds like the craziest idea ever, they follow God's instructions. God hands the city over to the Israelites. They rejoice in God's provision. While the rejoicing lingers in the air, they choose to sin against God. The next time they go into battle, they are defeated. Joshua and the elders then blame God for lying to them and not protecting them.

What is God's response to Joshua laying in the dirt with ash on his head bemoaning to God? He says, "Get up!" (v. 10) God looks at Joshua like a parent looking at a child throwing a tantrum - "Get up!" Get up and get over yourself. You want to know what is wrong? Get up and I'll show you! See, we want to constantly blame God for the things not going well in our life, for not getting what we want, or for pain that we have to endure. BUT, have we stopped to truly take a look at what is going on. Joshua didn't, he just blamed God. God then showed Joshua the TRUTH.

God said, "Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived, and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you." (v. 11-12)

God lays it out very clearly - the fault lies with the children of Israel. Their choices, their actions has separated God from their lives. This is a Truth for today - my choices, my actions will either draw me closer to God or repel Him. Repel means to ward off or keep away; to drive back; to cause aversion to distaste in; to be incapable of absorbing or mixing with; to present an opposing force to (American Heritage Dictionary). The sin of the children of Israel, our sin, my sin, does not mix with the goodness, the purity of God and He is kept away from them, us, me by it.

God's instructions to Joshua are for him to sanctify the people, for the people to sanctify themselves because they next day Joshua would be searching the camp for the accursed items and the offenders (v. 13-14). God is calling the people to search their hearts and get right with Him. God knows exactly who it is that has sinned, just as He knows every time each one of us sins.

Joshua's instructions were to burn the accursed items, the person that had taken them and all of his family (v. 15). Fortunately Jesus paid the price for our sin, so stoning is no longer necessary. What is still necessary though is a removal, and burning if needed, of all the things in our life that is accursed to God. See, the things that are in this world do one of two things - they either draw us closer to God, or push us away (repel) from Him. There is no middle ground. The movies we watch, the t.v. shows, the books we read, the music we listen to, the websites we visit, relationships in our lives - they either bring us closer to God or push us from Him. Those are the only options and to believe otherwise is foolish, sinful pride.

So why does it feel like God has abandoned me at times? The better question is, have I abandoned God? Am I on my face calling out to Him asking why? Is He standing over me saying, "Get up!"? What in my life is accursed and is repelling God? What needs to be tossed the fire - figuratively or literally? I must remember the blessings of God and what He has brought me through. I must trust that He wants to replace the accursed things with something that is more valuable than all the treasures on earth combined - a closer relationship with Him and a peace that passes all understanding.

I must cling to God and not the accursed items that will easily be consumed by fire as I walk toward Jesus.