the commander’s commander

Posted on August 1, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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the commander’s commander

Joshua 3:7-8 (JDV)

Joshua 3:7 Yahveh spoke to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just like I was with Moses.
Joshua 3:8 Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: When you reach the edge of the water, stand in the Jordan.”

the commander’s commander

Joshua was learning about the role of a leader who wants to follow God. The LORD told Joshua that the people would know that God was with him because God was going to verify the relationship miraculously. We should expect the same thing if we are leading people to follow God. But we cannot just say what comes into our minds. We have to first get our commands from our commander, and then pass them on.

Lord, thank you for being the commander’s commander.

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following the ark

Posted on July 31, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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following the ark

Joshua 3:6 (JDV)

Joshua 3:6 Then he said to the priests, “Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.

following the ark

If the ark of the covenant had to go ahead of the people, even when they were walking in his will, that tells us something about how much God values our seeking his guidance for every day. He does not just want our allegiance to traditions that honor him, he wants us to follow him. His covenant is only as good as his presence. Should God decide not to go with us, it would not matter which direction we went. Every step would be away from him.

Lord, we seek your presence and guidance, every day.

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not too close

Posted on July 30, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

not too close

Joshua 3:3-5 (JDV)

Joshua 3:3 and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of Yahveh your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it.
Joshua 3:4 But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to walk, because you haven’t traveled this way before.”
Joshua 3:5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because Yahveh will do miracles among you tomorrow.”

not too close

The ark was to guide the Israelites so that they could accomplish the mission. But there was the danger of their becoming distracted and narrowly focused by the ark, so Joshua encouraged them to not follow it too closely.

There are elements of religion which have a purpose, and are important, but which can also become means to prevent us from accomplishing our mission. Traditions and pet doctrines can do this. They may not be wrong in themselves, but we have to make sure that we don’t allow them to obscure our vision from the path to our mission — the mission of the whole congregation.

Lord, help us to pursue your mission without becoming distracted, even by good things.

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hurry up and wait

Posted on July 29, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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hurry up and wait

Joshua 3:1-2 (JDV)

Joshua 3:1 Joshua started early the next morning and left the Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing.
Joshua 3:2 After three days the officers went through the camp

hurry up and wait

If the people had to wait three days at the Jordan, why didn’t they just stay those three days at the Acacia Grove? One of the reasons is momentum. Joshua urged the people to pick up and leave as soon as he got the favorable report from the spies. They were setting off for war, and they were to take no time to second-guess that decision.

But once they got to the Jordan, they needed the time to consecrate themselves to the task, and they needed to wait on God’s timing to jump-start their faith with a new miracle.

Lord, make us sensitive to your timing.

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faith that sees beyond

Posted on July 28, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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faith that sees beyond

Joshua 2:22-24 (JDV)

Joshua 2:22 So the two men went into the hill country and stayed there three days until the pursuers had come back. They searched all along the way, but did not find them.
Joshua 2:23 Then the men came back, came down from the hill country, and crossed the Jordan. They went to Joshua son of Nun and reported everything that had happened to them.
Joshua 2:24 They told Joshua, “Yahveh has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”

faith that sees beyond

It took faith for those two men to hide from their pursuers for three days, and then come back to Joshua and tell him that Yahveh had handed over the land. Really, guys! You just spent several days hiding, and now you report “We’ve got this!” ?

That was not what they said. They said “Yahveh has handed over the entire land to us. Everyone who lives in the land is also panicking because of us.”

Yes, they had been pursued, and they were risking their lives to scout out the land. But they looked beyond that circumstance and reported the truth that their enemies were panicking because God was at work.

Lord, give us the faith to see beyond unpleasant circumstances.

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tying the scarlet cord

Posted on July 27, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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tying the scarlet cord

Joshua 2:15-21 (JDV)

Joshua 2:15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, because she lived in a house that was built into the wall of the city.
Joshua 2:16 “Go to the hill country so that the men pursuing you won’t find you,” she said to them. “Hide there for three days until they return; afterward, go on your way.”
Joshua 2:17 The men said to her, “We will be free from this oath you made us swear,
Joshua 2:18 unless, when we enter the land, you tie this scarlet cord to the window through which you let us down. Bring your father, mother, brothers, and all your father’s family into your house.
Joshua 2:19 If anyone goes out the doors of your house, his death will be on his own head, and we will be innocent. But if anyone with you in the house should be harmed, his death will be on our head.
Joshua 2:20 And if you report our mission, we are free from the oath you made us swear.”
Joshua 2:21 “Let it be as you say,” she replied, and she sent them away. After they had gone, she tied the scarlet cord to the window.

tying the scarlet cord

The scarlet cord would remind the Israelites of the sign that they placed on the doorposts of their homes in Egypt. It was a covenant of protection and rescue. Even though Rahab believed that God was going to overthrow Jericho, that belief alone would not save her and her family. She had to tie the scarlet cord to her window if she wanted her family to be safe.

Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God’s salvation? If you said yes, that is a good thing. But it is not enough to save you. Yes, salvation is by faith alone, but not faith that fails to confess. Rahab had to confess her faith by tying the scarlet cord. Have you confessed your faith in Christ? The clock is ticking.

Lord, we tie the scarlet cord to our windows, confessing that Christ alone is our salvation.

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her only hope

Posted on July 26, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

 

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her only hope

Joshua 2:8-14 (JDV)

Joshua 2:8 Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof
Joshua 2:9 and said to them, “I know that Yahveh has given you this land and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and everyone who lives in the land is panicking because of you.
Joshua 2:10 You see, we have heard how Yahveh dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings you completely destroyed across the Jordan.
Joshua 2:11 When we heard this, our heart melted, and everyone’s breath continually failed because of you, because Yahveh your God is God in the sky above and on land below.
Joshua 2:12 Now please swear to me by Yahveh that you will also show kindness to my father’s family, because I showed kindness to you. Give me a sure sign
Joshua 2:13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and save us from death.”
Joshua 2:14 The men answered her, “We will give our lives for yours. If you don’t report our mission, we will show kindness and faithfulness to you when Yahveh gives us the land.

her only hope

Rahab knew that the Israelites were an unstoppable force, and she knew why. She told the scouts “because Yahveh your God is God in the sky above and on land below.” She knew her family’s only hope of rescue was joining with them.

My friend, if you are still considering your options when it comes to religion, listen to Rahab. She had no personal experience with God other than the stories of his impact. It is probable that the two scouts she protected were the only Israelites she knew. But she reasoned correctly that her only hope was to become one of God’s people.

Lord, draw to yourself the Rahabs of this generation. Show us how to make such an impact that people seek to join your congregation because of what you do among us.

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Rahab’s biggest fear

Posted on July 25, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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Rahab’s biggest fear

Joshua 2:2-7 (JDV)

Joshua 2:2 The king of Jericho was told, “Notice, some of the Israelite men have come here tonight to investigate the land.”
Joshua 2:3 Then the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab and said, “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they came to investigate the entire land.”
Joshua 2:4 But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. So she said, “Yes, the men did come to me, but I didn’t know where they were from.
Joshua 2:5 At nightfall, when the city gate was about to close, the men went out, and I don’t know where they were going. Chase after them quickly, and you can catch up with them!”
Joshua 2:6 But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them among the stalks of flax that she had arranged on the roof.
Joshua 2:7 The men pursued them along the road to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as they left to pursue them, the city gate was shut.

Rahab’s biggest fear

We celebrate Rahab’s courage and compassion, but from the standpoint of Jericho, it was treason. Yet there was no real choice, knowing what she knew about Israel and its God.

Jesus calls us all to put our fear in the right place. At points in our lives, there will be demands on our allegiance that will force us off the fence. When those times come, we must remember that God is bigger than the king.

Lord, thank you for being our biggest fear, and our source of courage.

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a pair of scouts

Posted on July 24, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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a pair of scouts

Joshua 2:1 (JDV)

Joshua 2:1 Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two men as spies from the Acacia Grove, saying, “Go and scout the land, especially Jericho.” So they left, and they came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab, and stayed there.

pair of scouts

Joshua had been one of the original twelve scouts sent by Moses to get a sense of the task before Israel and report back. He and Caleb had given the minority report, and encouraged the people to obey God and possess the land without delay. But they had been overruled by the majority which had expressed fear and doubt.

Now it was Joshua’s turn to send out a party, and he chose only two scouts. Everyone knew about the past failure, and nobody wanted to repeat it. If either of the two spies had come back with a negative report, it would be Joshua who would have the final say.

One of the frustrating things about news is that people tend to take it seriously, and one negative comment can do a world of damage. Yet, we are hard-wired to expect bad news. It takes courage to look beyond the superficial facts and trust God in challenging circumstances. Even if what you and I are facing will take a miracle (Jericho did) we should be ready to face it. God does miracles.

Lord, give us the courage to face the facts, but still keep going in the direction you send us.

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encouraging our leaders

Posted on July 23, 2021 by Jefferson Vann
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encouraging our leaders

Joshua 1:16-18 (JDV)

Joshua 1:16 They answered Joshua, “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go.
Joshua 1:17 We will obey you, just like we obeyed Moses in everything. Certainly Yahveh your God will be with you, as he was with Moses.
Joshua 1:18 Anyone who rebels against your order and does not obey your words in all that you command him, will be put to death. Above all, be strong and courageous!”

encouraging our leaders

Good leaders are supposed to encourage their team, but it sure feels good when the team also encourages the leader. That is what is happening here with Joshua.

As we go about reaching the nations for Christ, let us show our appreciation for those the Lord has called to lead us in the task, and commit ourselves to submitting to their leadership.

Lord, thank you for those leading the charge to make disciples. Make us people eager to encourage them.

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