Friday, January 09, 2004
Joshua 7 the conquest, part 3
baptism in fire
It is true that despite God’s clear leading, many times, we do not put all that should be put to destruction to destruction:
Joshua 7:1 But the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan 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 Israelites.
We want to cling to some of those things we found precious even though we knew that they were intended by God for destruction. These are the lusts of the flesh, the pride of the eye -- the beautiful side of evil.
And so, the witness of the Lord in us is weakened. And when the witness of the Lord in us is weakened, our ability to witness for the Lord is necessarily weakened, as well. The assault of Ai, is the story of our diminished spiritual capacity because Ai is the place of the secret treasures that we have held back from the Lord. Self-deceived, we thought we would have the same wonderful spiritual experience that we had when the walls of Jericho fell, but when we attacked Ai:
Joshua 7:5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from outside the gate as far as Shebarim and killing them on the slope. The hearts of the people melted and turned to water.
And so, having suffered loss, we turn to God and God tells us what has happened:
Joshua 7:11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I imposed on them. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have acted deceitfully, and they have put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies;... I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.
It is serious and alarming message to hear God say, “I will not be with you anymore.” Faced with that choice, we realize that we have put to death that which is rebellious against God within us. Only then is the possibility of spiritual victory and power again possible. Joshua searches out and finds that Achan son of Zera and his sons and daughters had taken things intended for destruction.
Joshua 7:25 Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD is bringing trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him to death; they burned them with fire, cast stones on them,
The victory of Ai is the story of our baptism. (Baptism is the putting to death within us that which would live without God. For this, see Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
Joshua 7:1 But the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan 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 Israelites.
We want to cling to some of those things we found precious even though we knew that they were intended by God for destruction. These are the lusts of the flesh, the pride of the eye -- the beautiful side of evil.
And so, the witness of the Lord in us is weakened. And when the witness of the Lord in us is weakened, our ability to witness for the Lord is necessarily weakened, as well. The assault of Ai, is the story of our diminished spiritual capacity because Ai is the place of the secret treasures that we have held back from the Lord. Self-deceived, we thought we would have the same wonderful spiritual experience that we had when the walls of Jericho fell, but when we attacked Ai:
Joshua 7:5 The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from outside the gate as far as Shebarim and killing them on the slope. The hearts of the people melted and turned to water.
And so, having suffered loss, we turn to God and God tells us what has happened:
Joshua 7:11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I imposed on them. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have acted deceitfully, and they have put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies;... I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you.
It is serious and alarming message to hear God say, “I will not be with you anymore.” Faced with that choice, we realize that we have put to death that which is rebellious against God within us. Only then is the possibility of spiritual victory and power again possible. Joshua searches out and finds that Achan son of Zera and his sons and daughters had taken things intended for destruction.
Joshua 7:25 Joshua said, "Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD is bringing trouble on you today." And all Israel stoned him to death; they burned them with fire, cast stones on them,
The victory of Ai is the story of our baptism. (Baptism is the putting to death within us that which would live without God. For this, see Romans 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
