dedicated or destroyed

Posted on August 15, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

dedicated or destroyed

Joshua 6:15-19 (JDV)

Joshua 6:15 Early on the seventh day, they started at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same way. That was the only day they marched around the city seven times.
Joshua 6:16 After the seventh time, the priests blew the trumpets, and Joshua said to the troops, “Yell! Because Yahveh has given you the city.
Joshua 6:17 But the city and everything in it are set apart to Yahveh for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and everyone with her in the house will stay alive, because she hid the messengers we sent.
Joshua 6:18 But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it.
Joshua 6:19 You see, all the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are dedicated to Yahveh and must go into Yahveh’s treasury.”

dedicated or destroyed

Barnes comments on verse 19: “Every living thing was put to death (Rahab and her household excepted) as a sacrifice to God, and the indestructible goods were brought into the treasury of the sanctuary.”

Why was Rahab and her family to be spared? She had dedicated herself to Yahveh and the preservation of his people. The whole city was dedicated to destruction — a prefiguring of the coming day of destruction commonly called hell. When Jesus returns, all those not dedicated to his kingdom will be destroyed. The “indestructible goods” will return to his treasury, because our creator has always owned them.

Sinners are not indestructible. Jesus reminded us that we should not fear man, but God, because he is able to destroy body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28). But God is also able to make those dedicated to him indestructible. Paul says this will happen when Jesus returns:

1 Corinthians 15:52 “in a split second, in a blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. Because it will blast, and the dead ones will be woken indestructible and we will be transformed.”

Faith in the gospel is our scarlet cord, protecting us from this day of terrible and irreversible destruction. There is no other decision more important in this life that the decision to follow Christ and be a part of his coming kingdom. On that day, you will be dedicated to him. You will either be dedicated for permanent life or dedicated to permanent destruction.

2 Thessalonians 1:9-10 “They will pay the penalty of permanent destruction from the Lord’s presence and from his glorious strength on that day when he comes to be glorified by his devotees and to be marveled at by all those who have believed, because our testimony among you was believed.”

LORD, draw more Rahabs to yourself this day!

Posted in deliverance, destruction in hell, faith | Tagged | 1 Comment

silent soldiers

Posted on August 14, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

silent soldiers

Joshua 6:8-14 (JDV)

Joshua 6:8 After Joshua had spoken to the troops, seven priests carrying seven trumpets in front of Yahveh moved forward and blew the trumpets; the ark of Yahveh’s covenant followed them.
Joshua 6:9 While the trumpets were blowing, the armed men went in front of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard went behind the ark.
Joshua 6:10 But Joshua had commanded the troops: “Do not yell or let your voice be heard. Don’t let one word come out of your mouth until the time I say, ‘Yell! ‘ Then you are to yell.”
Joshua 6:11 So the ark of Yahveh was carried around the city, circling it once. They returned to the camp and spent the night there.
Joshua 6:12 Joshua got up early the next morning. The priests took the ark of Yahveh,
Joshua 6:13 and the seven priests carrying seven trumpets marched in front of the ark of Yahveh. While the trumpets were blowing, the armed men went in front of them, and the rear guard went behind the ark of Yahveh.
Joshua 6:14 On the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

silent soldiers

The Lord had commanded Joshua to have all his troops give a strong yell, but not until the seventh day of the march. So, Joshua told them to remain silent until then. It takes a tremendous amount of self-discipline to stay quiet in such a circumstance. As a soldier, you know the role of noise for intimidation. It took faith and courage for these soldiers to remain silent until the time was right.

As soldiers for Christ, we also need to know when to speak up, and when to remain silent. We must be wise, knowing what tactic best succeeds at accomplishing our commander’s will.

LORD, give us the wisdom to know when to speak up, and when to remain silent.

Posted in obedience, spiritual warfare, submission, wisdom | 1 Comment

symbol of fear

Posted on August 13, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

symbol of fear

Joshua 6:6-7 (JDV)

Joshua 6:6 So Joshua son of Nun called the priests together and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant and have seven priests carry seven trumpets in front of the ark of Yahveh.”
Joshua 6:7 He said to the troops, “Move forward, march around the city, and have the armed men go ahead of the ark of Yahveh.”

symbol of fear

We are not used to thinking of the ark as a symbol of fear, but that was what it was for the inhabitants of Jericho. For seven days, seven priests blew seven trumpets as the people of Jericho watched. An army preceded the ark, but it was God’s presence in it that brought terror to the hearts of these people.

Until we are ready to see our God in all his almighty power, we have not seen him yet. Until we learn to respect his greatness, we are not prepared for his goodness. We must learn to abhor and fear the consequences of our sin before we can embrace his grace.

Lord, you are surrounding us with your power. Break down our walls so that we can experience the power of your renewal through repentance.

Posted in fear, renewal, repentance, reverence | Tagged | 1 Comment

conditional victory

Posted on August 12, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

conditional victory

Joshua 6:1-5 (JDV)

Joshua 6:1 Jericho was strongly fortified because of the Israelites – no one leaving or entering.
Joshua 6:2 Yahveh said to Joshua, “Notice, I have handed Jericho, its king, and its ablest soldiers over to you.
Joshua 6:3 March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days.
Joshua 6:4 Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the trumpets.
Joshua 6:5 When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a strong yell. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops can advance, each man straight ahead.”

conditional victory

God knew not only that the wall of Jericho would collapse, he knew when it would happen, and under what circumstances it would happen. His omniscience is revealed in this passage, as well as his omnipotence.

Yet neither of these doctrinal truths serves as grounds for passivity for Joshua and the Israelites. In fact, their obedience to God’s directives are a condition required for the victory to happen.

God’s sovereignty is never an excuse for us to be disobedient or passive, presuming upon his favor.

LORD, make us warriors who follow your directions, so that victory is sure.

Posted in obedience, sovereignty of God | Tagged | 1 Comment

all ears now

Posted on August 11, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Joshua - 1

all ears now

Joshua 5:12-15 (JDV)

Joshua 5:12 And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna stopped. Since there was no more manna for the Israelites, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
Joshua 5:13 When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
Joshua 5:14 “Neither,” he replied. “I have now come as commander of Yahveh’s army.” Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in worship and asked him, “What does my lord want to say to his servant?”
Joshua 5:15 The commander of Yahveh’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did that.

all ears now

He looked like a man, so Joshua knew how to size up a man. His only question to the “man” that he saw was essentially “whose side are you on?” But, after he learned that this “man” was actually the captain of Yahveh’s angelic army, Joshua’s attitude changed. He was suddenly “all ears” now — wanting to know the message that the LORD was sending through his messenger.

LORD, we are all ears. Tell us what you want to say.

Posted in listening, presence of God, relationship with God | Tagged | 1 Comment

Gilgal

Posted on August 10, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

Gilgal

Joshua 5:9-11 (JDV)

Joshua 5:9 Yahveh then said to Joshua, “Today I have pealed away the disgrace of Egypt from you.” Therefore, that place is still called Gilgal today.
Joshua 5:10 While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they observed the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.
Joshua 5:11 The day after Passover they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain from the produce of the land.

Gilgal

We need to pray for a Gilgal, even if it takes a painful experience to get there. It is a place of new beginning, where we let go of the failures of the past, and trust God for a disciplined, obedient future. Getting there took a supernatural work of God, but it was necessary to launch into the work that God called the Israelites to do.

Lord, bless us with a beginning, and take away the disgrace associated with our past.

Posted in restoration | Tagged | 1 Comment

the skipped generation

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

the skipped generation

Joshua 5:1-8 (JDV)

Joshua 5:1 When all the Amorite kings across the Jordan to the west and all the Canaanite kings near the sea heard that Yahveh had dried up the water of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their heart melted and their breath stopped continually because of the Israelites.
Joshua 5:2 At that time Yahveh said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelite men again.”
Joshua 5:3 So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelite men at Gibeath-haaraloth.
Joshua 5:4 This is the reason Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males – all the men of war – had died in the wilderness along the way after they had come out of Egypt.
Joshua 5:5 Though all the people who came out were circumcised, none of the people born in the open country along the way were circumcised after they had come out of Egypt.
Joshua 5:6 You see, the Israelites wandered in the open country forty years until all the nation’s men of war who came out of Egypt had died off because they did not obey Yahveh. So Yahveh vowed never to let them see the land he had sworn to their fathers to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey.
Joshua 5:7 He raised up their sons in their place; it was these Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised, since they had not been circumcised along the way.
Joshua 5:8 After the entire nation had been circumcised, they stayed where they were in the camp until they recovered.

the skipped generation

The generation that wandered in the open country could have had the faith to trust God, but they didn’t. They were the skipped generation. This new generation would be circumcised because it was the sign of the covenant, a covenant they would have the chance to keep.

Our generation has all the chances for greatness and holiness that the last generation had. Will we be skipped, or prove ourselves faithful?

Lord, use this generation to reach the nations for Christ and his kingdom.

Posted in faithfulness, new covenant | Tagged | 1 Comment

the power behind the grace

Posted on August 8, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

the power behind the grace

Joshua 4:21-24 (JDV)

Joshua 4:21 and he said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’
Joshua 4:22 you should tell your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground’
Joshua 4:23 because Yahveh your God dried up the water of the Jordan in front of you until you had crossed over, just like Yahveh your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up in front of us until we had crossed over.
Joshua 4:24 This is so that all the peoples of the land may know that Yahveh’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear Yahveh your God.”

the power behind the grace

Can we really fear a God who rescues people? Yes we can, if we realize the mighty hand behind the rescue. Those stones represented the grace of God in action, and their presence should cause us to fear him — always.

When we come to God in prayer, we should not just criticize and complain. We should respect the power behind the grace.

Lord, forgive us for our casual disrespect. Teach us to respect the power behind your grace.

Posted in appreciation, deliverance | Tagged | 1 Comment

miracle memorial

Posted on August 7, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky

miracle memorial

Joshua 4:19-20 (JDV)

Joshua 4:19 The people came up from the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho.
Joshua 4:20 Then Joshua set up in Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan,

miracle memorial

It was important to Joshua to follow through after the miracle to make sure the memorial was set up in Gilgal. Future generations needed to know what their parents and ancestors had experienced here.

We need to ensure that our children and descendants have a good record not only of what we believe, but also what we are experiencing. This is a gift to them from their past, and a sign of God at work that they will consider when making their life choices.

Lord, enable us to share our faith with our descendants.

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confidence in the captain

Posted on August 6, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky

confidence in the captain

Joshua 4:10-18 (JDV)

Joshua 4:10 The priests carrying the ark continued standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything was finished that Yahveh had commanded Joshua to tell the people, in keeping with all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people rushed across,
Joshua 4:11 and after everyone had finished crossing, the priests with the ark of Yahveh crossed in the sight of the people.
Joshua 4:12 The Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh went in battle formation in front of the Israelites, like Moses had instructed them.
Joshua 4:13 About forty thousand equipped for war crossed to the plains of Jericho in Yahveh’s presence.
Joshua 4:14 On that day Yahveh exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they revered him throughout his life, like they had revered Moses.
Joshua 4:15 Yahveh told Joshua,
Joshua 4:16 “Command the priests who carry the ark of the testimony to come up from the Jordan.”
Joshua 4:17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up from the Jordan.”
Joshua 4:18 When the priests carrying the ark of Yahveh’s covenant came up from the middle of the Jordan, and their feet stepped out on solid ground, the water of the Jordan resumed its course, flowing over all the banks like before.

confidence in the captain

Imagine being an ordinary Israelite on that day. You saw the water in the river cease to flow as soon as the priests set foot in it. You saw a mighty army march through the miraculous riverbed to the other side. You, yourself, passed through, viewing the amazing ark of the covenant as you passed it in the center of the path. Then you heard the command of Capatin Joshua, as he gave word for the priests to come up the rear, and then the water came back.

An event like that stays with you. You learn to respect people whom God uses in such a dramatic way. You learn to trust their judgment.

Lord, bless us with events which give us confidence in those whom you have ordained to lead us.

Posted in leadership | 1 Comment