just keep doing it

Posted on September 14, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

just keep doing it

Joshua 11:6-15 (JDV)

Joshua 11:6 Yahveh said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for at this time tomorrow I will cause all of them to be killed in front of Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”
Joshua 11:7 So Joshua and all his troops surprised them at the Waters of Merom and attacked them.
Joshua 11:8 Yahveh handed them over to Israel, and they struck them down, pursuing them as far as greater Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and to the east as far as the Valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, leaving no survivors.
Joshua 11:9 Joshua treated them as Yahveh had told him; he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.
Joshua 11:10 At that time Joshua turned back, captured Hazor, and struck down its king with the sword, because Hazor had formerly been the leader of all these kingdoms.
Joshua 11:11 They struck down everyone in it with the sword, completely destroying them; he left no one breathing. Then he burned Hazor.
Joshua 11:12 Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and struck them down with the sword. He completely destroyed them, as Moses Yahveh’s servant had commanded.
Joshua 11:13 However, Israel did not burn any of the cities that stood on their mounds except Hazor, which Joshua burned.
Joshua 11:14 The Israelites plundered all the spoils and cattle of these cities for themselves. But they struck down every person with the sword until they had annihilated them, leaving no one breathing.
Joshua 11:15 just like Yahveh had commanded his servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that Yahveh had commanded Moses.

just keep doing it

Joshua was involved in leading a life-or-death struggle, and it had to cause him great anxiety. But he had a guideline that he chose to follow that helped him make decisions. He chose to follow the commands of God as they had been given by Moses, Joshua’s predecessor.

When you know what the right thing is to do, just keep doing it. God will bless your perseverance.

Lord, thank you for the commands you gave us in your word.
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the enemy’s escalation

Posted on September 13, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

the enemy’s escalation

Joshua 11:1-5 (JDV)

Joshua 11:1 When King Jabin of Hazor happened to hear this news, he sent a message to: King Jobab of Madon, the kings of Shimron and Achshaph,
Joshua 11:2 and the kings of the north in the hill country, the Arabah south of Chinnereth, the Judean foothills, and the Slopes of Dor to the west,
Joshua 11:3 the Canaanites in the east and west, the Amorites, Hethites, Perizzites, and Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites at the foot of Hermon in the land of Mizpah.
Joshua 11:4 They went out with all their armies – a crowd as numerous as the sand on the seashore – along with a vast number of horses and chariots.
Joshua 11:5 All these kings joined forces; they came and camped together at the Waters of Merom to attack Israel.

the enemy’s escalation

The conquest of the promised land is happening a bit differently than Joshua expected, because God is allowing the enemy kings to strike first. They are organizing vast, countless numbers in hopes of intimidating Israel into turning back and fleeing the fight. But it does not work. Instead, by organizing against Israel, those kings are stepping up the progress of the conquest.

When we face insurmountable odds, we need to keep in mind that the conflict will only serve to escalate God’s plan, which cannot be overturned.

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every breathing being

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

every breathing being

Joshua 10:40-43 (JDV)

Joshua 10:40 So Joshua conquered the whole region – the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the slopes – with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every breathing being, as Yahveh, the God of Israel, had commanded.
Joshua 10:41 Joshua conquered everyone from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and all the land of Goshen as far as Gibeon.
Joshua 10:42 Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign, because Yahveh, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.
Joshua 10:43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

every breathing being

The image of the Israelite captains with their feet on the necks of the Amorite kings (10:24) is fulfilled in the words of verse 40 “leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every breathing being.” The word for “breathing” is neshemah, the same “breath of life” that God breathed into Adam, causing him to be alive (Genesis 2:7). In the flood, everyone not protected by the ark (in whose nostrils was the neshemah) died (Genesis 7:22). Moses had commanded the Israelites to not leave anyone in these cities alive who has the neshemah (Deuteronomy 20:16).

It was important that the Israelites carry out this policy for many reasons. One is that God was to create a new nation in that land, and the former nations would only sidetrack and distract the Israelites from that task.

Also, from the prophetic standpoint, this new nation was to be a symbol of God’s ultimate plan for a new creation at the end of the age, where the former things are all passed away.

Lord, help us to rid our lives of all the former things which are not to be our permanent destiny.

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thorn removal

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

thorn removal

Joshua 10:28-39 (JDV)

Joshua 10:28 On that day Joshua captured Makkedah and struck it down with the sword, including its king. He completely destroyed it and everyone in it, leaving no survivors. So he treated the king of Makkedah as he had the king of Jericho.
Joshua 10:29 Joshua and all Israel with him crossed from Makkedah to Libnah and fought against Libnah.
Joshua 10:30 Yahveh also handed it and its king over to Israel. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, and left no survivors in it. He treated Libnah’s king as he had the king of Jericho.
Joshua 10:31 From Libnah, Joshua and all Israel with him crossed to Lachish. They laid siege to it and attacked it.
Joshua 10:32 Yahveh handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua captured it on the second day. He struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword, just like he had done to Libnah.
Joshua 10:33 At that time King Horam of Gezer went to help Lachish, but Joshua struck him down along with his people, leaving no survivors.
Joshua 10:34 Then Joshua crossed from Lachish to Eglon and all Israel with him. They laid siege to it and attacked it.
Joshua 10:35 On that day they captured it and struck it down, putting everyone in it to the sword. He completely destroyed it that day, just like he had done to Lachish.
Joshua 10:36 Next, Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it.
Joshua 10:37 They captured it and struck down its king, all its villages, and everyone in it with the sword. He left no survivors, just like he had done at Eglon. He completely destroyed Hebron and everyone in it.
Joshua 10:38 Finally, Joshua turned toward Debir and attacked it. And all Israel was with him.
Joshua 10:39 He captured it – its king and all its villages. They struck them down with the sword and completely destroyed everyone in it, leaving no survivors. He treated Debir and its king as he had treated Hebron and as he had treated Libnah and its king.

thorn removal

Joshua’s goal was to obey God, not to win the favor of the surrounding nations. He knew that if he left any kings and kingdoms occupying the territory that God had given Israel, those nations would become thorns in the side of Israel. Thus, the campaign described in today’s text was God-ordained thorn removal.

Our mission today is not to destroy the nations around us, but to win them to Christ. The gospel of Christ is good news for them just as it is for us. But we can still learn from today’s text by seeking to fulfill our commission quickly and efficiently.

Lord give us a fervor to complete our mission to the nations.

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an unforgettable visual aid

Posted on September 10, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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an unforgettable visual aid

Joshua 10:22-27 (JDV)

Joshua 10:22 Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings to me out of there.”
Joshua 10:23 That is what they did. They brought the five kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon to Joshua out of the cave.
Joshua 10:24 When they had brought the kings to him, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the military commanders who had accompanied him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So the commanders came forward and put their feet on their necks.
Joshua 10:25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, because Yahveh will do this to all the enemies you fight.”
Joshua 10:26 After this, Joshua struck them down and executed them. He hung their bodies on five trees and they were there until evening.
Joshua 10:27 At sunset Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden. Then large stones were placed against the mouth of the cave, and the stones are still there today.

an unforgettable visual aid

Joshua provided an unforgettable visual aid for his military commanders. He had them step on the necks of these five kings. The neck is the primary symbol for the life of an individual. By stepping on the necks of these enemy kings, the commander learned that their lives were forfeit — they were about to die. Furthermore, Joshua explained that God would do this to all the enemies that they fought.

Fast-forward to the time of the Israelite monarchy, and God promises David and his seed something that harkens back to this event:

“The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” (Psalm 110:1).

The same promise is applied to Jesus by himself (Luke 20:43) and Peter (Acts 2:35) and the author of Hebrews (1:13; 10:13).

God wants us to know that Jesus will survive all his enemies. the date of their destruction is set. Our Lord is sitting at his Father’s right hand, not fearing a single enemy. Their fate is sealed, and his destiny is sure.

Lord, thank you for the certainty of Christ’s victory over all his enemies.

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back to the camp safely

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

back to the camp safely

Joshua 10:16-21 (JDV)

Joshua 10:16 The five defeated kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
Joshua 10:17 It was reported to Joshua: “The five kings have been found; they are hiding in the cave at Makkedah.”
Joshua 10:18 Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and station men by it to guard the kings.
Joshua 10:19 But as for the rest of you, don’t stay there. Pursue your enemies and attack them from behind. Don’t let them enter their cities, because Yahveh your God has handed them over to you.”
Joshua 10:20 So Joshua and the Israelites finished inflicting a terrible slaughter on them until they were destroyed, although a few survivors ran away to the fortified cities.
Joshua 10:21 The people returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. And no one dared to threaten the Israelites.

back to the camp safely

The enemy learned several things as a result of this battle with the Israelite army under Joshua. First, they learned that Joshua keeps his commitments. The Gibeonites could not be attacked without reprisal from Joshua’s army. Second, they learned that the Israelites have God on their side, so fighting them is fighting their God.

Whenever our Adversary, the devil seeks to attack us. We only need to stay true to our God and our commitments, and wait for the tide of battle to turn in our favor. We can confidently expect God to show up in some way, and make a difference. The battle will probably go on for a while, but we can expect to return safely to the camp in the end.

Lord, thank you for the fact that we need not fight our battles alone.

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Sun, stand still

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

Sun, stand still

Joshua 10:12-15 (JDV)

Joshua 10:12 On the day Yahveh gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to Yahveh in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
Joshua 10:13 And the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on its enemies. Isn’t this written in the Book of Jashar? So the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed its setting almost a full day.
Joshua 10:14 There has been no day like it before or since, when Yahveh listened to a man, because Yahveh fought for Israel.
Joshua 10:15 Then Joshua and all Israel with him returned to the camp at Gilgal.

Sun, stand still

Pastor Steve Furtick says “If you’re not daring to believe God for the impossible, you may be sleeping through some of the best parts of your Christian Life” in his book Sun Stand Still. He challenges Christians to dare to ask God for the outrageous, because that is what God wants to give those who follow the pattern of Joshua here.

Lord, give us this generation for your kingdom.

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a slew of Amorites

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

a slew of Amorites

Joshua 10:6-11 (JDV)

Joshua 10:6 Then the men of Gibeon sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Don’t give up on your servants. Come quickly and deliver us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings living in the hill country have joined forces against us.”
Joshua 10:7 So Joshua and all his troops, including all his best soldiers, came from Gilgal.
Joshua 10:8 Yahveh said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.”
Joshua 10:9 So Joshua caught them by surprise, after marching all night from Gilgal.
Joshua 10:10 Yahveh threw them into confusion before Israel. He defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, chased them through the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah.
Joshua 10:11 As they fled before Israel, Yahveh dropped large hailstones on them from the sky along the descent of Beth-horon all the way to Azekah, and they died. More of them died from the hail than the Israelites killed with the sword.

a slew of Amorites

Joshua probably felt by now that his army could handle any one city that they came against — with God’s help of course. But then a messenger from Gibeon comes into his headquarters tent, and informs him that “all the Amorite kings” are attacking Gibeon. Just one, he probably felt he could handle. But, all of them?

That is often what happens to us. We have a few good experiences with God, and feel relatively confident we can handle any battle, but then we face a slew of Amorites. That is when we have to trust God to intervene.

Lord, we cannot handle everything that challenges us, today. Help!

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mistakes and miracles

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

mistakes and miracles

Joshua 10:1-5 (JDV)

Joshua 10:1 King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem happened to hear that Joshua had captured Ai and completely destroyed it, treating Ai and its king as he had Jericho and its king, and that the inhabitants of Gibeon had made a peace treaty with Israel and were living among them.
Joshua 10:2 So Adoni-zedek and his people were greatly alarmed because Gibeon was a large city like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors.
Joshua 10:3 That is why King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent word to King Hoham of Hebron, King Piram of Jarmuth, King Japhia of Lachish, and King Debir of Eglon, saying,
Joshua 10:4 “Come up and assist me. We will attack Gibeon, because they have made a peace treaty with Joshua and the Israelites.”
Joshua 10:5 So the five Amorite kings – the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon – joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it.

mistakes and miracles

Sometimes we think God is punishing us because we made a mistake in judgment. In this situation, there was another factor at work. God in his sovereignty allowed Israel to make a treaty with the Gibeonites, knowing that it would incite the surrounding Amorite kings to attack them. God wanted to demonstrate his power by delivering the Gibeonites, through the army under Joshua’s command and through his direct intervention.

Thank you, God, for working your miracles for us, even when we make mistakes.

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uninterrupted freedom

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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uninterrupted freedom

Joshua 9:21-27 (JDV)

Joshua 9:21 They also said, “Let them stay alive.” So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, like the leaders had promised them.
Joshua 9:22 Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said to them, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us?
Joshua 9:23 Therefore you are cursed and will always be slaves – woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”
Joshua 9:24 The Gibeonites answered him, “It was clearly reported to your servants that Yahveh your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you. We greatly feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this.
Joshua 9:25 Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever you think is right.”
Joshua 9:26 This is what Joshua did to them: he rescued them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them.
Joshua 9:27 On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers – as they are today – for the community and for Yahveh’s altar at the place he would choose.

uninterrupted freedom

The Gibeonites chose to be servants of Israel, rather than die at the hands of the Israelite army, empowered by Israel’s God. Their present freedom would not last, so they sought uninterrupted freedom by becoming attached to Israel as their servants. It is better to serve in the kingdom of God than to face the consequence of the other choice.

Say whatever you will about your personal freedom, would you trade it for your life? What about permanent life?

The irony is, there is no freedom without life, and no permanent freedom without permanent life. God offers you both.

God of freedom, we surrender to your will, because only you offer uninterrupted freedom.

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