Josh 7-10, Honor, Honesty, and Success

Joshua 7:1–5 (ESV) — 1 But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel.
2 Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, “Go up and spy out the land.” And the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 And they returned to Joshua and said to him, “Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil up there, for they are few.” 4 So about three thousand men went up there from the people. And they fled before the men of Ai, 5 and the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them before the gate as far as Shebarim and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.


• Look at map …
• So what were the rules regarding Jericho?
• Everything was to be destroyed
• One person sins, but where does God place the blame?
• Verse 1, "But the people of Israel broke faith …"
• That seems unfair, because of our view of independence and freedom?
• We view freedom as being independent of others and free to do as we choose without regard to others
• In his landmark study Habits of the Heart Bellah says that what makes Americans distinct comes down to one thing, a view of freedom. Yet when we look more closely, we see a one-sided view of freedom. Americans want freedom from rather than freedom for, an attitude of “I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it. No one better tell me otherwise.” Bellah concludes that this quality is not the stuff on which to build enduring relationships (such as marriage) or deep community. To the extent that the church is reduced to an aggregate of individuals who shop like consumers to meet their needs, we do not have the basis for community in any biblical sense. How can we possibly build countercultural communities out of such porous material? (Ogden, Greg. Transforming Discipleship: Making Disciples a Few at a Time (p. 31). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.)
• APPLICATION: No sin is victimless
• The gradual decay of creation is affected by the climate of sin (my opinion)
• The argument of "consenting adults" ignores the ramifications of discovery, personal health, and emotional implications


Joshua 7:16–21 (ESV) — 16 So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. 17 And he brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken. And he brought near the clan of the Zerahites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. 18 And he brought near his household man by man, and Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and give praise to him. And tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.” 20 And Achan answered Joshua, “Truly I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I did: 21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful cloak from Shinar, and 200 shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels, then I coveted them and took them. And see, they are hidden in the earth inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”


• Ignoring the miraculous nature of the event of the implication of trying to hide from God, there is a pattern repeated in scripture concerning sin, what is it?
• I saw : this part is not sin and is the easiest place to break the chain. Avoid the second look or remind yourself why it is wrong
• I coveted : We are told not to covet, but I still think it is possible to break the chain here if you recognize that you are coveting. Repent, give it to God
• I took : At this point, you have physically acted. There is little chance of turning back unless you are caught
• (I) hid : Most people don't bring this up and none of the commentators suggested it, but to me this is key. The individual knows he has sinned even if he denies it to others, the fact that he hides it is proof. Which is probably why it is so important to get certain sins accepted by the majority, because it takes away the guilt (the reason we try to hide it)
• The whole family (wife, sons, daughters, livestock, and all possessions are destroyed). What is the lesson to Israel?
• Disobedience has tremendous costs
• You are not just sinning against yourself, but against others as well
• As we look back at AI, Israel's first failure there may be two sins, what are they?
• Self-confidence: they did not consult God
• Disobedience: covetousness


Joshua 8:1–9 (ESV) — 1 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”
3 So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night. 4 And he commanded them, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready. 5 And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us just as before, we shall flee before them. 6 And they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us, just as before.’ So we will flee before them. 7 Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will give it into your hand. 8 And as soon as you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire. You shall do according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.” 9 So Joshua sent them out. And they went to the place of ambush and lay between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai, but Joshua spent that night among the people.


• Show map
• What is different and what is similar from the attack on Ai and the attack on Jericho?

SAME	DIFFERENT
God gives the plan	Supernatural vs conventional (no miracles)
Requires obedience	Emphasis on the ark
	Emphasis on the number 7
	Complete destruction vs saving spoil and animals
	Obedience vs one person's disobedience

• APPLICATION:
• God works through the conventional
• God's work is not evidence by only the miraculous


Joshua 8:30–35 (ESV) — 30 At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33 And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. 34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.


• See biblical places map
• Why is Joshua doing this?
• Moses commanded it (order is apparently slightly different)
• Deuteronomy 11:29 (ESV) — 29 And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that you are entering to take possession of it, you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.
• They now have two victories (only two victories), and Joshua takes then to a spiritual renewal conference. They are barely into the campaign and Joshua pauses, why?
• Time with God is never a bad idea
• Spiritual renewal is necessary
• Joshua was committed to obedience
• APPLICATION:
• Extended time alone with God is part of a healthy Christian life. Most of us have a week off from work, and a new year about ready to start
• This is a perfect time to take a half-day or full-day off to spend with God
• Find a safe place away from distractions
• Pray
• Sing
• Read bible
• Read books
• Read devotional journal from last year
• Write out observations


Joshua 9:1–15 (ESV) — 1 As soon as all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea toward Lebanon, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, heard of this, 2 they gathered together as one to fight against Joshua and Israel.
3 But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, 4 they on their part acted with cunning and went and made ready provisions and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, 5 with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes. And all their provisions were dry and crumbly. 6 And they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country, so now make a covenant with us.” 7 But the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a covenant with you?” 8 They said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them, “Who are you? And where do you come from?” 9 They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. 11 So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.” ’ 12 Here is our bread. It was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey on the day we set out to come to you, but now, behold, it is dry and crumbly. 13 These wineskins were new when we filled them, and behold, they have burst. And these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.” 14 So the men took some of their provisions, but did not ask counsel from the Lord. 15 And Joshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them, to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore to them.


• Two approaches to a threat, what are they?
• Peace through deceit
• Attack first in strength (probably the smartest and most honorable)
• What was Joshua's failure?
• It was okay to make peace with nations outside of the land (Moses allowed it)
• It was not okay to not seek God (there is a slight pattern occurring here)
• APPLICATION:
• Before we criticize Joshua, how often do we seek God in major decisions?


Joshua 10:1–11 (ESV) — 1 As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, 2 he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were warriors. 3 So Adoni-zedek king of Jerusalem sent to Hoham king of Hebron, to Piram king of Jarmuth, to Japhia king of Lachish, and to Debir king of Eglon, saying, 4 “Come up to me and help me, and let us strike Gibeon. For it has made peace with Joshua and with the people of Israel.” 5 Then the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon, gathered their forces and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon and made war against it.
6 And the men of Gibeon sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, “Do not relax your hand from your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us and help us, for all the kings of the Amorites who dwell in the hill country are gathered against us.” 7 So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valor. 8 And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” 9 So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. 10 And the Lord threw them into a panic before Israel, who struck them with a great blow at Gibeon and chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon and struck them as far as Azekah and Makkedah. 11 And as they fled before Israel, while they were going down the ascent of Beth-horon, the Lord threw down large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died. There were more who died because of the hailstones than the sons of Israel killed with the sword.


• Gideon acted with deceit. Why did that not invalidate their agreement with Israel?
• Some commentators suggest that it was a promise to God, and not just to Gideon and therefore was not revocable
• For Israel, an agreement was a binding thing, much more so than it is today
• How does God view it?
• God specifically helps (planning and action). BUT WHEN DOES GOD HELP?
• After Joshua moves to support Gibeon
• God kills more men with hailstones that Israel kills with sword
• APPLICATION:
• Our word is a precious thing. I believe God honors those who uphold their word
• Do not be flippant with your promises
• Do not back out on your word