Recap

So far in Joshua we've read as Joshua has picked up the reins where Moses left off. Joshua is now in charge, and we God commanded him to be courageous and loyal to his word. In turn, the Israelites were courageous and faithful to Joshua. Continuing from Deuteronomy, we see this theme of faithfulness and obedience leading to blessing.

Joshua sent out spies, just as Moses did, but these spies were successful. Not because of their incredible spy craft, but because God led them to a woman named Rahab. Despite being a Canaanite woman, and a prostitute, Rahab had grasped something of who God is and what he will do to the Canaanites and so help the Israelite spies.

After the spies brought back the report, Joshua told the people to consecrate themselves and then led them across the Jordan. Just as God split the Red Sea so Moses could lead the people through, God did the same for Joshua and the Jordan. On their way through, God charged Joshua with getting the people to collect twelve stones from the river bed. These stones would serve as a memorial to future generations of what God did.

In all of this, the people were obedient.

Joshua 5-8

Before going up against the people of Jericho, there is one thing left for the people to do. Confirm their commitment to God with circumcision. This was the seal that God had given to his people as a sign of their commitment to him. It was also something that had fallen by the wayside while the people had been in the wilderness.

After this, the people had their first Passover in Canaan. In both circumcision and Passover, the Israelites are showing the obedience and faithful to God. We see them cut off some of the things they weren’t to bring with them into the land (both figuratively and literally) while also holding on to other things, i.e. the Passover.

At this point, you’re meant to get a sense of hope rising. For all the flaws and failures of Israel’s history, they are now entering the land promised to their ancestors. Deuteronomy told us that obedience led to blessing and these people are being obedient.

As Joshua got up to look out over Jericho, he meets the commander of the army of the Lord. This character is very similar to the 'angel of the Lord' who spoke to Hagar, Sarah's slave, and to Abraham back in Genesis. There is a lot of debate about whether this angel is just a normal angel or whether this is God himself.

My personal thought is that this is God himself come down in a human form. The reason is that Joshua is told to take his shoes off because he is standing on holy ground. The last time we read this is when Moses met God at the burning bush. When in the presence of God, people are on holy ground. Joshua is also not told off for worshipping this being.

Upon meeting this man, Joshua is thinking about whether they’re for Israel or for Canaan. The response? No. The commander of the army of the Lord draws Joshua’s perspective to the bigger picture. The oncoming conquest isn’t about Israel or Canaan. It’s about God’s plans.

We then get the story of Jericho. The main lesson of this conquest is Israel’s obedience. God asks them to do something bizarre. They’re not to wage war against the walls, but walk around them in silence. Six days they walk around those walls, and on the seventh God gives them victory. It was the Israelites' obedience that gives them victory, not their might.

But in the midst of this, they are told that entire city is devoted to God. Some of it is to be devoted to destruction, like the people, because of their wickedness. God wants to remove them from the land. Other things, like silver, gold, bronze, and iron are to be given to God’s treasury for his purposes.

And in this, the Israelites are not obedient. One man in particular, Achan, took some of the devoted things. Rather than give them over to God, Achan claimed them for himself.

After the Israelites conquer Jericho, they get overconfident. They decide to fight against the city of Ai, and only send a few of their soldiers. Their problem is that they never ask what God wants them to do first. If they had, they would have saved themselves a defeat. For us, often one of the times we are most vulnerable is after a win. We can push on without stopping and asking God what he wants us to do next.

In the space of just two chapters, we see the immediate consequences of obedience and disobedience. When the Israelites were obedient, they experience victory. When they were disobedient, they experienced defeat.

Their defeat brings Joshua back to God, who reveals to him what Achan had done. This sin had polluted the camp, and God couldn't go with them into battle like he had with Jericho. Joshua then seeks out the man responsible and removed him and his sin from the camp.

Then he listens to God and follows God's new plan for their battle against Ai. Both in dealing with the sin of Achan, and with seeking God’s plan for Ai, the Israelites proved themselves once again obedient. The result? They win another complete victory, and this time they get to enjoy some of the spoils of their war.

Having learnt their lesson afresh, the Israelites once again commit themselves to their covenant relationship with God. They will be obedient and faithful.

Psalm 66

This psalm is attributed to king David and is a mixture of praise and thanksgiving. Psalms 65-68 are often grouped together as a mini-cluster. They are all communal praise psalms that talk about ‘we’ and ‘us’.

Psalm 66:1-4 - Sing praise to God

Psalm 66:5-7 - See what God has done

Psalm 66:8-9 - Bring blessings to God

Psalm 66:10-12 - Reminder what God has done

Psalm 66:13-15 - Bring offerings to God

Psalm 66:16-19 - Hear what God has done

Psalm 66:20 - Bring blessings to God

In this psalm, the psalmist alternates between bringing praise, blessing, or offerings to God, and reminding themselves and others what God has done for them.

We start with singing praise. God is glorious and powerful. He deserves the praises of all the earth.

Then the psalmist points back to the Exodus. Of when he calmed the chaotic sea and turned it into dry land so his people could walk through. He is a God who watches over the people of the earth and is in control. And so the psalmist encourages over to bless God. He has provided for and guided his people.

Then we’re back to what God has done. In Israel’s history, God has tested them, like silver in the fire. He has laid burdens on them, and allowed their enemies to defeat them. But through all those trials and testing, God has led his people to a place of abundance.

This leads the psalmist to promise to bring offerings to God. When they were struggling, they promised God much if he would rescue them. Now they are flourishing, they have much to bring back to God and give back to him.

And so the psalmist calls to those around them to hear what God has done. Through all their struggles, the psalmist had cried out to God. They didn’t try to hold on to their sin, or continue in it. Because of this, God listened to them and answered them.

At this, the psalmist turns back to God and blesses him once again, for he is a faithful and loving God. In this psalm, we see the way that praise and thanksgiving work together. We need to not only remember all the good that God has done and tell others. We also need to come back to God with our praise and offerings. To let his generosity and goodness, spark the same in us and we give back to him.