Tag Archive | Jericho

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 83

Mar23

    Day 83—  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 83 – Joshua 5 – 8  (Circumcision & Passover, Jericho, Achan, Ai, Sin)

Joshua 5 tells of the beginnings of the conquest of Canaan. But first first things, first. There were a few steps of preparation.  Not sharpening of swords, but of HEARTS.

God first puts fear into the hearts of the kings of Canaan because of Israel. Then He commands all of Israel to renew their Covenant with Him by circumcising all the males. (It seems that during the wilderness wanderings, that had not been done. Why?  Maybe the “old guard” who knew they would not be entering the Promised Land rebelled and didn’t circumcise their baby boys.  Who knows?)

Next, Israel celebrated the Passover, the first in the new Land.  And they ate of the produce of the land… so the Manna stopped. Lots of changes, lots of preparation.  Even Joshua’s heart had to be prepared, so God met him in much the same way as Moses before he began his work in Egypt. God, claiming to be the “Commander of the army of the LORD,” accepted Joshua’s worship, and reminded him to take off his sandals for he was on “holy ground.”

Thus prepared, Chapter 6 tells of the unusual conquest of Jericho.  Around the city, the Ark, the priests, and the army would walk once, silent except for the blowing of ram’s horns for six days, then seven times around on the seventh day. Then at their SHOUT as the LORD commanded, the walls all fell down. The army went in and completely destroyed the city and all in it – EXCEPT for Rahab and her household, whom the two spies took to safety outside their camp. ALL was destroyed accept for the silver, gold, bronze and iron vessels. Those would go into Israel’s treasury.

And Joshua curses the rebuilding of Jericho forever. (see later in 1 Kings 16:34, when the curse happened.)

Chapter 7 tells of the victorious Israel going on to the next city, Ai. (NOT Artificial Intelligence! haha). A small town, easily won, and yet Israel is soundly defeated and runs with their tails between their legs!  What’s up???  What has happened to the mighty Israeli army led by their mighty Commander?

Sin.  That’s what happened. When Joshua falls before the LORD, virtually blaming HIM for not helping them, God tells him to stand up, for there is SIN IN THE CAMP.  By process of elimination, the finger of God points to Achan of the tribe of Judah.  He coveted some of the wealth he saw in Jericho, stole it (from God’s destruction), hid it in his tent (with his family’s knowledge) and told no one.  But God saw and knew.

Achan and his family (after his confession of sin) were stoned to death, and all he had and stole were burned with fire.  And so Israel was cleansed… and learned an important lesson.

In Chapter 8, in their second attempt, the now cleansed Israel soundly defeated Ai, killed the inhabitants and took much loot (if only Achan would have waited!). Had they learned their lesson. One hopes.

And afterwards, Joshua built an alter to the LORD of uncut stones and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD. And all the people stood on opposite sides of the Ark carried by the Levitical Priests, half on Mt. Ebal and half on Mt Gerizim while Joshua read the blessings and curses of obedience to the Law of the LORD. In fact, he read ALL the law to them, men, women, and little ones.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 82

Mar22

    Day 82—  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 82 – Joshua 1 – 4  (Commissioning & command of Joshua, Spies & Rahab, Crossing the Jordan, Memorial stones)

Today we begin the 7th book so far, and move from the Torah (& Job) to the Historical books. In the First Chapter, God commissions Joshua to take over the leadership of Israel. He encourages him by telling Joshua that;

  • 1) his campaign to conquer will be successful,
  • 2) that He, Himself will be with Joshua and will not forsake him.
  • 3)  that this success and prosperity will come as he meditates day and night in the Law of the LORD, and obeys everything he reads.

God commands him to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua’s first order is for the people to prepare to cross the Jordan River and enter the Promised Land in three days.  He reminds the Eastern-settling 2.5 tribes, of their promise to fight and conquer the land WITH their brothers.

In Chapter 2, Joshua sends two spies out to “view the land, especially Jericho.”  They obey (and as God led them) entered the house of Rahab. She was a prostitute, but also possibly a “hotel” owner. Her house was on the wall that surrounded the city and was accessible.  She hides the two Israeli spies when the king’s men come looking for them, and sends those soldiers on a “wild goose chase,” while sending the spies on a different route.

Why? Why would this female, pagan prostitute help enemy spies? Verses 8-12 explains that she KNOWS that the LORD has given the land to Israel. Everyone is in terror because of them. They’ve all heard about Israel’s miraculous crossing of the Red Sea and their successes with Kings Sihon and Og and their hearts are melting.  Then her proclamation of faith: “The LORD your God, He is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”  

She then requests, that for her helping them to escape, that they will save her and her family when they attack.  The spies agree, with one caveat. She and all of hers must stay within the house, and she must hang a red rope from her window down the outside of the wall.  When Israel sees that red cord, they will pass over her house, and save her and hers alive.

The spies report back to Joshua that the LORD has indeed given all the land into their hands. And the hearts of all the inhabitants “melt away because of us.”

In Chapter 3, Israel crosses the Jordan River into Canaan, much like they crossed the Red Sea out of Egypt. Except, it is the action of the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, who step into the water, that God  uses it to stop it flowing and open a way through. So, as the “soles of the feet” of the priests carrying the Ark stepped into the water, it bunched up in a heap. The priests/Ark stood in the middle of the dry river bed until ALL OF ISRAEL passed over into the land.

Chapter 4 describes how Joshua, at God’s command, had a representative from each tribe take twelve stones from the river bed, and carry them to Gilgal where they were to camp and laid them down. Joshua set them up as a memorial, something these people would tell their children about in years to come.

When the priests & the Ark followed the people out of the river bed, all the water came rushing back again.  And it was the first day of the preparation for Passover.  (Fitting, huh?)