Moving On! Joshua 13

 

Joshua 13 – Moving On!

 

Joshua is an old man, stricken in years. He was the leader God used to take the land of Canaan, but the wars are over. He was about 80 years old when God called him, and now he is over one hundred years old.

 

From all outward appearances Israel seemed to be doing very well. They went into the land and drove a wedge right into the center of it. They conquered the South and the North, but the Lord reminded Joshua that there remained much land to be possessed. His next duty was to divide the land and especially, to make sure that Moses’ promises to the two and one-half tribes werre confirmed.  Joshua’s commission not only included the conquering of the land, but also the dividing of it. He allocated not only those portions of Canaan that had already been conquered, but also those parts that were yet to be taken.

 

He had a job to do, and he wanted to complete it before he died. He was not satisfied to defeat thirty-one kings. He urged the tribes to possess the land they had conquered and claim it for the Lord.

 

No matter how much God has enabled you to accomplish in life, there is always much more land to possess. In the Christian life, we never stand still; we go either forward or backward. The challenge to the believer is Hebrews 6:1 “Let us go on!”

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. J. Vernon McGee Commentary and NKJ Bible and Nelson’s Quick Reference.

 

Joshua Fights A Battle - Joshua 11, 12

 

Joshua 11& 12 – Joshua Fights a Battle

 

The enemy in the north of Canaan united to resist Israel’s advance, and their forces were great.  But God assured Joshua that he would win the battle, and he did.  God assures us before the battle, fights for us during the battle, and commands us after the battle.  How we follow orders after the victory is as important as what we do before the battle begins.

Joshua conquered the whole land and did it to provide each Israelite with his inheritance from the Lord. God helped him defeat thirty-one kings and claim their land and their wealth for the Lord and His people. The Son of God has defeated every spiritual enemy and now reigns in heaven. Through Him, we can “reign in life” Romans 5:17 and claim the victory.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com. Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary

 

Five Kings Conquered Joshua 10

 

Joshua 10 Five Kings Conquered

 

Adonizedec -King of Jerusalem, Hoham – King of Hebron, Piram- King of Jarmuth, Japhia- King of Lachish, Debir – King of Eglon.  These five kings heard of the treaty between the Gibeonites and Israel and decided to make war against the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites reached out to Joshua for help. Joshua came to their help because of the treaty and because God had told Joshua to exterminate the enemy in that land. So, his army took out after them. It was a surprise attack, and the Lord routed them before Israel.

Joshua wanted more daylight in which to fight; so, God stopped the solar system and cut down the heat of the sun by a hailstorm. God caused the sun to stand still so that Joshua might be victorious in battle. God stopped the entire universe for one man! He also sent His Son into the world to die for sinners, which was more wonderful that stopping the sun. If you were the only person that had ever been born, Christ would have died for you.

These kings and their people were given 420 years to make up their minds to turn to God. Israel had to stay out of the land for 420 years until the iniquity of the Amorites was full. God had chosen Joshua and this time to fulfill his purpose for the Israelites.

Joshua had the captains of his army put their feet upon the necks of these kings to strengthen the heart of the people.  They were frightened. Then Joshua killed the kings and hanged them on five trees until that evening. If these kings had been turned loose, they would have led a rebellion against Joshua that would have caused literally thousands of people to die.

It is God who gave Israel victory and possession. Today our victory is in Christ. The victorious life is His life lived in us. Then we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, which are the possessions He has promised to us.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.

Clever Gibeonites Joshua 9

 

Joshua 9  Clever Gibeonites

 

The Gibeonites were very clever, and they were a bunch of liars. They pretended to be envoys from a far country when, in fact, they lived only a few miles from Jerusalem. They told Joshua that they really wanted to worship the living and true God. They showed Joshua their old sacks and wineskins, their old shoes and threadbare clothing, and their moldy beard.  It was all a hoax, but Joshua fell for it. God had ordered the Israelites to completely wipe out the people of the land and to make no treaties with them. He was deceived into making peace with them. Neither Joshua nor any of the men of Israel asked the mind of God before entering this alliance.

 The Gibeonites represent for us the devil. “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Ephesians 6:11.  “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Deut. 6:12. Satan tries to trick you into following him. He went to church last Sunday, and he will be there next Sunday.  He wants to be religious, and he wants you to fall down and worship him. Unfortunately, you and I are sometimes ignorant of his devices. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7. We are to have nothing to do with that which we are not well informed.

When Israel discovered that the Gibeonites were neighbors, and had tricked them, they still honored the treaty they had made with them. A man’s word is very important. And that is the way God wants it today.

 Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible.

 

Cursing's and Blessings Joshua 8

 

Joshua 8 Cursing’s and Blessings

 

God says to take all the men of war when they go against Ai. In our last lesson we said Ai represents the flesh The flesh is the greatest enemy we have, and we need all the resources we have to get the victory. God tells Joshua to take Ai by ambush. The strategy worked as Joshua planned, and the city of Ai fell easily into the hands of Israel.

 

We all have our defeats in our life, as Joshua did with Ai in his first encounter. We must examine very carefully the reasons for our defeats. We must realize that the greatest enemy you and I have is ourselves. The reason for our defeat is our dependence upon our own ability. You and I cannot control the flesh. Only the Spirit of God can do that. Christ died not only that you might have salvation, but He died that this sin nature might be dealt with.. “God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh.” Romans 8:31. Paul stated in Gal. 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

 

After the victory at Ai, Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal. There Joshua read the blessings and the cursing’s. (Deut. 11”26-32). They did not read just a part of it; they read all of it. This was to be the law of the land, and it was time for Israel to be reminded of the conditions of God’s covenant with her.

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.

 

Defeat At Ai - Joshua 7

 

Joshua 7 – Defeat at Ai

 

Because of one man, Achan, who committed a sin, the whole nation had to suffer. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.” I Cor.12:26

Jericho represents the world. Ai represents the flesh. The flesh has many people under its charge. They think they are living the Christian life, yet they do not know what it is. The victorious life is His life. He is the One who gets the victory and not us.

They had overcome Jericho, it was God’s victory, but Israel thought of it as their victory. They said, “Ai is nothing compared to Jericho.” Israel was defeated by the men of Ai. You and I are defeated by the flesh. Like us, the Israelites did not recognize their weakness. God wants to live the Christian life through you. It is only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit of God that we can live the Christian life.

Joshua could not understand why he lost the battle. He cried out and torn his clothes. He didn’t know his people had sinned. God told Joshua that sin was in the camp and that he would have to deal with it. The tribe of Judah and the family of the Zarhites were found to be guilty. Achan saw, he coveted, and he took. Gossip, criticism, envy, and jealousy are all sins of the flesh. They cause strife and trouble. Achan confessed his sins.

The thing to do is to keep the communication open between you and God. And the only way you can do it is by confessing your sins. True confession spells it out as Achan did. “I saw them, I coveted them; I took them.” Tell God everything that is in your heart- just open it up to Him. You might as well tell Him because He already knows all about it. There can be no joy in your life, no power, no victory in your life until confession is made.

“For if you live after the flesh you shall die; but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live.: Romans 8:13.

 

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

 

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible. Nelsons Quick Reference Commentary.

 

the Conquest of Jericho Joshua 6

 

Joshua 6 – The Conquest of Jericho

 

The people of Israel are camped on the west side of the bank of the Jordan River. This is the land that God had promised them, a land of milk and honey. They have been conditioned for victory by circumcision. Joshua made sharp knives for the circumcision. According to J. Vernon McGee this speaks of the Word of God, which “…is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” Heb. 4:12.

In our country today all the morality lines are rubbed out, but there is still black and white in the Word of God. We need to get back to Bible morality, because there is no blessing to this nation or any people until they come back to the Word of God.

The first step of conquest is Jericho. By taking the cities of Jericho and Ai, the center of the land will be theirs.

Jericho was prepared for the attack of the Israelites. They did not think they would arrive as quickly as they did, but they shut up the city and prepared for the attack. Joshua follows the Lord’s instructions exactly. They are marching toward the city. In front of the procession is the ark carried by the priests, and the priests carries horns. The forces of Jericho gather at the gate. 

 

The Israelites go all the way around, and instead of attacking, they go back into camp! The next six days they do the same thing. If you had asked Joshua why he was doing this, he probably would have said, “I take my orders from the Captain of the hosts of the Lord. This is what he has told me to do, and I am doing it.” So, on the 7^th. Day they march around the wall again. They do it seven times, and the people shouted when the priests blew the horns. The walls of Jericho fell flat! “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were encompassed about seven days.” Heb. 11:30 God got the victory; Israel got the possession.

A great problem that many believers have today is that they are trying to “fit the battle of Jericho” and overcome the world.  But you and I need to start taking orders from the Captain of our Salvation.

True to their promise they saved Rahab and all her family that was with her in the house.

 

Please read the chapter listed so that you can understand God’s Word better.

If you have missed any lessons, you can go to: God Plans For You at https://sherrysouthard.blogspot.com.

J. Vernon McGee Commentary and New King James Bible.