Joshua 23:16 "If you violate the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the LORD's anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you."
Chapter 23 begins the epilogue to the book of Joshua. An old man, Joshua wants to pass on the same challenge Moses gave near the end of his life. To follow God only, to stick to his covenant...not to turn aside to the right or the left. To go straight on, and not to associate or intermarry with other nations, lest they lead Israel into idolatry and immorality...then breaking the covenant, and bringing down the wrath of God.
Verse 3 talks about what God did to these nations "for your sake," referring to Israel. Israel may have been special here, and Israel appears (at least in this passage) to be much more than simply God's hand of judgment on the rest of the world.
Verse 13 is pretty vivid...God will "no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the LORD your God has given you."
Seems simple enough.
God would turn his back on Israel if they turned away from him. What choice was there? How could God abide sin in his holiness?
Verse 14 sheds a little light on one happens at death. We learn that Joshua will "go the way of all the earth." He will die, which means all the earth will die. Even back then, life was a terminal condition. None in the earth would be perfect, and live forever. What hope was there then in life?
Another point of interest on our little tour through chapter 22 is where Joshua says that just as God's promises of good can come true, so can God's promise of evil. Evil. Done by God. Is there a distinction between evil and sin? If God is sinless, what then can be said about evil? Is evil merely destruction? Am I lost in the semantics of the word "evil?" Perhaps it can just as easily say "nasty stuff." At any rate, Israel was being challenged to be good. They did not want to bring forth the wrath of God.
Showing posts with label Joshua. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joshua. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Friday, May 02, 2008
Jos. 5: The Second Circumcision
Joshua 5:12 "The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan."
What a visual. I love the description of "hearts melting" at the thought of the Israelites coming to town. The HACPHAJ had no will or courage left to face them. The heart is all that makes a person who they are...and for the Canaanites and Amorites...it melted. It completely changed states.
Anyway, since leaving Egypt, Israel didn't keep up with the circumcision on the eighth day law very well. In fact, they neglected it altogether. By this time a whole uncircumcised generation had passed (as is my understanding), and not one man was circumcised. So the LORD had Joshua make a flint knife and have every man's foreskin cut off. They even named a hill after it.
Another point of interest is in verse 6. "...promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey..." I believe this is the first time the Biblical narrative is told in first-person point of view. Us, meaning the Israelites, of course. So, at this point, we can identify the writer with the Israelites. Where previously, I don't know, I guess my assumption was that God was ghostwriting, and maybe He still is, but here we have a perspective.
Apparently, while ignoring the covenant of circumcision, Israel was still under the "reproach" of Egypt. Israel was still under the blame...the reputation of sin from Egypt. Which is quite the thought. But after this renewal of circumcision, it was a new life, and the Israelites were able to eat the produce of Canaan, which I suspect has more than a surface meaning. The manna no longer appeared after this point. And manna was to keep Israel alive while wandering...
Joshua is balls to the wall, man. He's hanging around near Jericho, and sees this guy with his sword drawn (presumably meaning he's ready to cave some faces in). Joshua goes right up to him in his courageousness and asks, flat out, "Are you for us or against us?"
"Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come."
Whoa, commander of the army of the LORD. Can you imagine how Joshua's heart must have leapt. I would have been scared 3/8ths to death. Joshua could only do what the commander told him to do, which was to take off his sandals, since he was on holy ground. The last time someone had to do this...Exodus 3:5, where someone named Moses was commissioned.
And what's this business about "Neither?" The commander of the army of the LORD was neither for the nation of Israel or for Israel's enemies. What does this mean? Is the army of the LORD something beyond earth? Something heavenly? Angels? Would this commander of the army of the LORD have a chat with Jericho's military leaders then, too? Curious.
And he has now come. That's another enigmatic piece of scripture. Where has he been? Why did he come, and why now? What's the significance? There wasn't any forewarning of this coming, otherwise Joshua would have known...would have expected it. I'm curious as to who this person is. And I'm about to find out.
What a visual. I love the description of "hearts melting" at the thought of the Israelites coming to town. The HACPHAJ had no will or courage left to face them. The heart is all that makes a person who they are...and for the Canaanites and Amorites...it melted. It completely changed states.
Anyway, since leaving Egypt, Israel didn't keep up with the circumcision on the eighth day law very well. In fact, they neglected it altogether. By this time a whole uncircumcised generation had passed (as is my understanding), and not one man was circumcised. So the LORD had Joshua make a flint knife and have every man's foreskin cut off. They even named a hill after it.
Another point of interest is in verse 6. "...promised their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey..." I believe this is the first time the Biblical narrative is told in first-person point of view. Us, meaning the Israelites, of course. So, at this point, we can identify the writer with the Israelites. Where previously, I don't know, I guess my assumption was that God was ghostwriting, and maybe He still is, but here we have a perspective.
Apparently, while ignoring the covenant of circumcision, Israel was still under the "reproach" of Egypt. Israel was still under the blame...the reputation of sin from Egypt. Which is quite the thought. But after this renewal of circumcision, it was a new life, and the Israelites were able to eat the produce of Canaan, which I suspect has more than a surface meaning. The manna no longer appeared after this point. And manna was to keep Israel alive while wandering...
Joshua is balls to the wall, man. He's hanging around near Jericho, and sees this guy with his sword drawn (presumably meaning he's ready to cave some faces in). Joshua goes right up to him in his courageousness and asks, flat out, "Are you for us or against us?"
"Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come."
Whoa, commander of the army of the LORD. Can you imagine how Joshua's heart must have leapt. I would have been scared 3/8ths to death. Joshua could only do what the commander told him to do, which was to take off his sandals, since he was on holy ground. The last time someone had to do this...Exodus 3:5, where someone named Moses was commissioned.
And what's this business about "Neither?" The commander of the army of the LORD was neither for the nation of Israel or for Israel's enemies. What does this mean? Is the army of the LORD something beyond earth? Something heavenly? Angels? Would this commander of the army of the LORD have a chat with Jericho's military leaders then, too? Curious.
And he has now come. That's another enigmatic piece of scripture. Where has he been? Why did he come, and why now? What's the significance? There wasn't any forewarning of this coming, otherwise Joshua would have known...would have expected it. I'm curious as to who this person is. And I'm about to find out.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Jos. 1: Joshua Takes Over
Joshua 1:9 "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."
Moses is down. The LORD turns to Joshua, the son of Nun, an Ephraimite. We've met Joshua before, and his leadership capabilities were clear. He led the Israelites to victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17. He accompanied Moses up on the mountain to receive the law in Exodus 24. He and Caleb were the only ones of 12 scouts who brought back confident reports about the land of Canaan back in Numbers 14. He was picked to succeed Moses.
I think Joshua was a very different personality than Moses. Moses seemed kind of laid back, while Joshua seems to be more aggressive. There seemed to be none of the fear of leadership that Moses struggled with early on. Could it be that the LORD tells Joshua to "be strong" and "have courage" in some variant four times in the first chapter?
God makes a couple promises here that are very important and are contingent on following God's commands. One is that God "will give you every place where you set your foot." That would encourage me not to be lazy. I would be wandering constantly unless I had to govern something. The second is that God will be with Joshua all the days of his life. "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life." That would be heartening. The best way to keep the commands of God? To meditate on them day and night. To study them on a daily basis. That leads to prosperity and success. Would God just grant prosperity and success because Joshua studied the word? I doubt it. I think studying of the word leads to practical decisions that lead to wisdom, and in turn bring prosperity and success. Let's not discount, however, the idea that God would bless someone supernaturally because of their devotion.
Joshua's first task is to prepare the Israelites for war in three days. One thing he had to do was to remind the three West Bank tribes of the promise they made to God that they would enter the land with their brothers and fight, as compensation for the land they deemed worthy enough to settle and to farm outside of the promised land.
What a good start for those three tribes, who promised Joshua that they would follow him as they followed Moses...wait. Is that all that good? They did promise to go where ever Joshua sent them, and do whatever he asked of them. But Israel as a whole doesn't have the shiningest record when it comes to following a leader. The good thing is, Joshua didn't appear to face much static as the incoming leader after Moses. After all, he was replacing...Moses. He clearly was chosen by God, but had earned the respect of the people as a leader with his character as Moses' right hand man. Had to have.
Moses is down. The LORD turns to Joshua, the son of Nun, an Ephraimite. We've met Joshua before, and his leadership capabilities were clear. He led the Israelites to victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17. He accompanied Moses up on the mountain to receive the law in Exodus 24. He and Caleb were the only ones of 12 scouts who brought back confident reports about the land of Canaan back in Numbers 14. He was picked to succeed Moses.
I think Joshua was a very different personality than Moses. Moses seemed kind of laid back, while Joshua seems to be more aggressive. There seemed to be none of the fear of leadership that Moses struggled with early on. Could it be that the LORD tells Joshua to "be strong" and "have courage" in some variant four times in the first chapter?
God makes a couple promises here that are very important and are contingent on following God's commands. One is that God "will give you every place where you set your foot." That would encourage me not to be lazy. I would be wandering constantly unless I had to govern something. The second is that God will be with Joshua all the days of his life. "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life." That would be heartening. The best way to keep the commands of God? To meditate on them day and night. To study them on a daily basis. That leads to prosperity and success. Would God just grant prosperity and success because Joshua studied the word? I doubt it. I think studying of the word leads to practical decisions that lead to wisdom, and in turn bring prosperity and success. Let's not discount, however, the idea that God would bless someone supernaturally because of their devotion.
Joshua's first task is to prepare the Israelites for war in three days. One thing he had to do was to remind the three West Bank tribes of the promise they made to God that they would enter the land with their brothers and fight, as compensation for the land they deemed worthy enough to settle and to farm outside of the promised land.
What a good start for those three tribes, who promised Joshua that they would follow him as they followed Moses...wait. Is that all that good? They did promise to go where ever Joshua sent them, and do whatever he asked of them. But Israel as a whole doesn't have the shiningest record when it comes to following a leader. The good thing is, Joshua didn't appear to face much static as the incoming leader after Moses. After all, he was replacing...Moses. He clearly was chosen by God, but had earned the respect of the people as a leader with his character as Moses' right hand man. Had to have.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Dt. 31: I Predict...Uh-Ohs.
Deuteronomy 31:21b "...I know what they are disposed to do, even before I bring them into the land I promised them on oath."
Chapter 31 had to be one of mixed emotions for Moses. On one hand, his death is near. On the other hand, he will rest with his fathers. So...death ushers in rest. On one hand, the people he has been leading for one-third of his 120 years are about to enter the promised land. The big payoff. The fulfillment of everything God has ever promised. On the other hand, Moses got himself banned from the promised land back in Numbers 20. On one hand Moses was telling the Israelites that God would go ahead of them and destroy the current occupants of the Promised land. A few verses later, on the other hand, God reveals how Israel would rebel and great disaster and agony. So...kind of sad.
I think it's interesting that in spite of the untold disobedience and grumbling and commandment-disregarding, all of Israel is still able to enter the promised land, while Moses will not be able to, in spite of his record and rapport with God. Something as seemingly innocuous as striking the rock at Meribah would keep him out of the promised land.
Three times in this chapter is given the command to be strong. Four times to not be discouraged. Is this a harbinger of the adversity to come?
The second half of chapter 31 is God's revelation that Israel will rebel, and it will be a result of their complacency, their self-satisfaction and their outright worship of other gods. God merely says that this will happen. Not that he would step in and stop it. Free will, anyone? God could only offer His end of the covenant. Even before God brought them into the promised land, He knows "what they are disposed to do." I think that is most telling about God. Even though He knows the future...knows what trouble people will get themselves into, He still wants good for them. God still leaves the offering of this great promised land on the table. It's as though... expected...a disposition to sin is not enough for God to break His end of the covenant. God even acknowledges that Israel will place the blame for these disasters on God breaking His promise to them...abandoning them. Even though it is all their fault...their choice...their doing.
Moses reacts with anger to this. Not at God though. He calls Israel a stiff-necked people, and I love how he goes after them fiestily, saying, "I've seen how rotten you can be when I was leading you, how much more evil will you be after I die."
Put yourself in Moses shoes...relief...disappointment...anger...
In the shoes of the tribal leaders...fear?...resolution...resentment?
Joshua...apprehension...fortitude...preparation? But nothing is going to be the way it was meant to be.
God even wrote a song about it...
Chapter 31 had to be one of mixed emotions for Moses. On one hand, his death is near. On the other hand, he will rest with his fathers. So...death ushers in rest. On one hand, the people he has been leading for one-third of his 120 years are about to enter the promised land. The big payoff. The fulfillment of everything God has ever promised. On the other hand, Moses got himself banned from the promised land back in Numbers 20. On one hand Moses was telling the Israelites that God would go ahead of them and destroy the current occupants of the Promised land. A few verses later, on the other hand, God reveals how Israel would rebel and great disaster and agony. So...kind of sad.
I think it's interesting that in spite of the untold disobedience and grumbling and commandment-disregarding, all of Israel is still able to enter the promised land, while Moses will not be able to, in spite of his record and rapport with God. Something as seemingly innocuous as striking the rock at Meribah would keep him out of the promised land.
Three times in this chapter is given the command to be strong. Four times to not be discouraged. Is this a harbinger of the adversity to come?
The second half of chapter 31 is God's revelation that Israel will rebel, and it will be a result of their complacency, their self-satisfaction and their outright worship of other gods. God merely says that this will happen. Not that he would step in and stop it. Free will, anyone? God could only offer His end of the covenant. Even before God brought them into the promised land, He knows "what they are disposed to do." I think that is most telling about God. Even though He knows the future...knows what trouble people will get themselves into, He still wants good for them. God still leaves the offering of this great promised land on the table. It's as though... expected...a disposition to sin is not enough for God to break His end of the covenant. God even acknowledges that Israel will place the blame for these disasters on God breaking His promise to them...abandoning them. Even though it is all their fault...their choice...their doing.
Moses reacts with anger to this. Not at God though. He calls Israel a stiff-necked people, and I love how he goes after them fiestily, saying, "I've seen how rotten you can be when I was leading you, how much more evil will you be after I die."
Put yourself in Moses shoes...relief...disappointment...anger...
In the shoes of the tribal leaders...fear?...resolution...resentment?
Joshua...apprehension...fortitude...preparation? But nothing is going to be the way it was meant to be.
God even wrote a song about it...
Friday, March 14, 2008
Nu. 27: Inheritance; Joshua
Numbers 27:22-23: "He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, as the LORD instructed through Moses."
Joseph's great-great-great-grandson Cephalopod, I mean...Zelophehad, apparently didn't have any sons. This was listed in the previous chapter. Anyway, his daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah took this before Moses. They cited that their father never aligned himself with Krazy Korah, rather he died for his own sin in the desert. Because of this, they had no inheritance. Instead of telling them to go get husbands (which would have been my solution), Moses kindly took it before God. God put down an order of succession in case there was no one capable of assuming ownership. Son - daughter - brothers - nearest relative. So there it was. The five women were able to inherit some land. And, good for them.
Then, God is clearing the way for Moses to be gathered to his people, as Aaron was. He tells Moses to go up on the mountains and view the land promised to the Israelites. You'll remember he was not allowed to enter the land, because he whaled on the rock instead of speaking to it. Moses' concern is not for himself at this time of impending death. His first thought is of the Israelites, and he pleaded with God not to leave them like sheep without a shepherd. God has Joshua in line to go before Eleazar and be commissioned, and to make decisions using Urim...those chance things mentioned back in Exodus 28:30. Here, a little more is revealed. Joshua will "obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD." It was an obvious way for God to work. Joshua is commissioned and given authority.
Joseph's great-great-great-grandson Cephalopod, I mean...Zelophehad, apparently didn't have any sons. This was listed in the previous chapter. Anyway, his daughters, Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah took this before Moses. They cited that their father never aligned himself with Krazy Korah, rather he died for his own sin in the desert. Because of this, they had no inheritance. Instead of telling them to go get husbands (which would have been my solution), Moses kindly took it before God. God put down an order of succession in case there was no one capable of assuming ownership. Son - daughter - brothers - nearest relative. So there it was. The five women were able to inherit some land. And, good for them.
Then, God is clearing the way for Moses to be gathered to his people, as Aaron was. He tells Moses to go up on the mountains and view the land promised to the Israelites. You'll remember he was not allowed to enter the land, because he whaled on the rock instead of speaking to it. Moses' concern is not for himself at this time of impending death. His first thought is of the Israelites, and he pleaded with God not to leave them like sheep without a shepherd. God has Joshua in line to go before Eleazar and be commissioned, and to make decisions using Urim...those chance things mentioned back in Exodus 28:30. Here, a little more is revealed. Joshua will "obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD." It was an obvious way for God to work. Joshua is commissioned and given authority.
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