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The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 63

Tue, 15 May 2012 20:37:52 GMT

Jos 8:25 And [so] it was, [that] all that fell that day, both of men and women, [were] twelve thousand, [even] all the men of Ai.

TWELVE: Perfection of government. Twelve is the number of the Church, both the Old Covenant Church of Israel founded by 12 physical fathers (the 12 sons of Israel) and the New Covenant Church founded by 12 spiritual fathers (the 12 Apostles). This number also has a relationship to rule along with multiples of 12:

12 signs of the zodiac (these ancient symbols are found in Jewish synagogues of the 1^st century AD).
The circle of the heavens = 360' (12 x 30).
The product of 3 (perfection of divinity) x 4 (the number of the earth).
12 tribes of Israel [Genesis 49:28].
12 pillars were erected at Mt. Sinai [Exodus 24:4].
12 statues of oxen held up the water basin in Solomon’s Temple [1 Kings 7:25].
12 men were selected by God to conduct the census [Numbers 1:2-16].
12 princes of Israel brought gifts to the Sanctuary on 12 days [Numbers 7:10-83].
12 spies sent to reconnoiter Canaan [Numbers 13:1-15].
12 months of a year.
Jesus is 12 when He questions the scholars in the Temple [Luke 2:41].
12 legions of angles [Matthew 26:53].
12 Apostles [Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:13].
144,000 servants of God (12 times 12) [Revelation 7:4].
12 gates of the New Jerusalem [Revelation 21:12].
12 foundations of the Heavenly Jerusalem [Revelation 7:4; 21:16, 17].
The Trees of Life in the new creation will bear 12 kinds of fruits [Revelation 22:2].

Jos 8:26 KJV - For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

Destroyed: The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the lord, often by totally destroying them.

Jos 6:21 And they utterly destroyed all that [was] in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

Joshua - Joshua seems to have been not only the general but the standard-bearer of the army, (Jos 8:18,) and continued in this employment, by holding up or extending his spear, during the whole of the battle; and did not slacken from the pursuit till the forces of Ai were utterly discomfited. Some commentators, however, understand this action in a figurative sense, like the holding up of Moses' hands, as if it implied that Joshua continued in prayer for the success of his troops, nor ceased till the armies of Ai were annihilated, and the city taken and destroyed.

Jos 8:18 KJV - And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that [is] in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward the city.

Exd 17:11 KJV - And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

Exd 17:12 KJV - But Moses' hands [were] heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Jos 8:27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.

Jos 8:2 KJV - And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

Jos 11:4 KJV - And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that [is] upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.

Num 31:22 KJV - Only the gold, and the silver, the brass, the iron, the tin, and the lead,

Num 31:26 KJV - Take the sum of the prey that was taken, [both] of man and of beast, thou, and Eleazar the priest, and the chief fathers of the congregation:

Psa 50:10 KJV - For every beast of the forest [is] mine, [and] the cattle upon a thousand hills.

Mat 20:15 KJV - Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

Jos 8:28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, [even] a desolation unto this day.

Jos 8:29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, [that remaineth] unto this day.

the king - The kings of Canaan lay under the same curse as their subjects and probably were more deeply criminal. The reserving of the king of Ai for a solemn execution, would tend to strike terror into the other kings, contribute to the success of Israel, and give their proceedings the stamp of a judicial process, and of executing the vengeance of God upon his enemies. Jos 10:26-28,30,33; Deu 21:22,23; Est 7:10; Psa 107:40; Psa 110:5; Act 12:23; Rev 19:17,18

Jos 10:26 KJV - And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.

Jos 10:27 KJV - And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, [that] Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, [which remain] until this very day.

Jos 10:28 KJV - And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that [were] therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.

Jos 10:30 KJV - And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that [were] therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.

Jos 10:33 KJV - Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.

Deu 21:22 KJV - And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree:

Deu 21:23 KJV - His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged [is] accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee [for] an inheritance.

Est 7:10 KJV - So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.

Psa 107:40 KJV - He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, [where there is] no way.

Psa 110:5 KJV - The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

Act 12:23 KJV - And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Rev 19:17 KJV - And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God;

Rev 19:18 KJV - That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all [men, both] free and bond, both small and great.

as soon -

a great heap -

Jos 7:26 KJV - And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

2Sa 18:17 KJV - And they took Absalom, and cast him into a great pit in the wood, and laid a very great heap of stones upon him: and all Israel fled every one to his tent

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 62

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 18:50:20 GMT

Jos 8:21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.

Jos 8:22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.

Jos 8:23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

Jos 8:24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.

Jos 8:25 And [so] it was, [that] all that fell that day, both of men and women, [were] twelve thousand, [even] all the men of Ai.

TWELVE: Perfection of government. Twelve is the number of the Church, both the Old Covenant Church of Israel founded by 12 physical fathers (the 12 sons of Israel) and the New Covenant Church founded by 12 spiritual fathers (the 12 Apostles). This number also has a relationship to rule along with multiples of 12:

• 12 signs of the zodiac (these ancient symbols are found in Jewish synagogues of the 1st century AD).

• The circle of the heavens = 360' (12 x 30).

• The product of 3 (perfection of divinity) x 4 (the number of the earth).

• 12 tribes of Israel [Genesis 49:28].

• 12 pillars were erected at Mt. Sinai [Exodus 24:4].

• 12 statues of oxen held up the water basin in Solomon’s Temple [1 Kings 7:25].

• 12 men were selected by God to conduct the census [Numbers 1:2-16].

• 12 princes of Israel brought gifts to the Sanctuary on 12 days [Numbers 7:10-83].

• 12 spies sent to reconnoiter Canaan [Numbers 13:1-15].

• 12 months of a year.

• Jesus is 12 when He questions the scholars in the Temple [Luke 2:41].

• 12 legions of angles [Matthew 26:53].

• 12 Apostles [Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:13].

• 144,000 servants of God (12 times 12) [Revelation 7:4].

• 12 gates of the New Jerusalem [Revelation 21:12].

• 12 foundations of the Heavenly Jerusalem [Revelation 7:4; 21:16, 17].

• The Trees of Life in the new creation will bear 12 kinds of fruits [Revelation 22:2].

This is the part that the wannabe gardener in me just loves.

Jos 8:26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.

Exd 17:11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

Exd 17:12 But Moses' hands [were] heavy; and they took a stone, and put [it] under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

The word destroyed here refers to the Hebrew term for the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.

“Do you see the synthesis of divine guidance and human strategy? Joshua placed his faith in God for the results, but did not hesitate to lay wise plans and execute them.” John Maxwell

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 61

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:34:53 GMT

“Joshua demonstrates a beautiful balance as he prepares a second attack on the city of Ai. He begins by asking the Lord whether his army should attack, and if so, when. God ordered the attack and instructed Joshua to set an ambush, but gave no further details. Joshua planned the particulars of the campaign, each step under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

He divided his troops into two divisions and told one to stage an attack on the city. The other group was to wait in ambush until the men of Ai came out. As the men of Ai chased their attackers, the ambush could close in and allow the Israelites to set the city afire. The plan worked perfectly. When the men of Ai saw the smoke rising above their homes, they lost heart and quickly fell in battle to Israel.” John Maxwell

Jos 8:14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw [it], that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that [there were] liers in ambush against him behind the city.

The first thing I see here that I love is that the move of the enemy was at a “time appointed.” That just confirms that God is in control in all adversity and situations. He and all his people moved against God’s anointed at a time appointed, not knowing that there was an ambush awaiting them. They came roaring out, with the attitude that they had this, because they had already beaten them once.

This just reminds me that this why you don’t give up. Even if you lose a battle or two in the beginning, or doors close in your face, it’s not over until God says it is.

Jos 8:15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.

This is where we are called to be shrewd. Some Christians think that being shrewd is deceptive, but scripture calls us to be wise as serpents yet gentle as doves.

Jos 8:16 And all the people that [were] in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.

What this tells me is that their attitudes were like, “What?!? These little upstarts have the nerve to try us again?!? Let’s all go out and give them a sound thrashing they’ll never forget!”

Jos 8:17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

Jos 8:18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that [is] in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that [he had] in his hand toward the city.

I noticed that Joshua was told to stretch out his hand. This is what I found on that concept:

Exd 4:17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

Exd 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry [ground] through the midst of the sea.

Exd 14:27 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

Psa 44:3 For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.

It was the right hand, through which the power of God is seen. Just as in heaven, Jesus sits on the right hand of the Father, because He is the vessel through which the Father wanted His power to be seen.

Imagine. Here was Joshua’s group running from Ai, with their men in hot pursuit, and suddenly, the leader of Israel stops, turns around, and points his spear towards their city? They must have definitely been taken aback, wondering at this sudden display of audacity.

Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"

1) a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan

2) a city of the Ammonites on the east of the Jordan and apparently attached to Heshbon

Bethel = "house of God"

1) ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name)

2) a place in south country of Judah, not far from Beersheba and Ziklag

There's a footnote about Bethel. First of all, here, it is seen in association with Ai. Joshua 12:16 lists Bethel as one of the cities that had been conquered, but there is no mention of its conquest except in connection with that of Ai.

Ai, then, is a beautiful picture for us of those inward problems arising out of our own lusts for that which God says we cannot, and must not have. We play the hypocrite and then discover that we are prey to every evil force that comes our way. We have no power to stand. We experience failure and defeat, as Israel did. But the minute this sin was confessed, they went up to Ai and it was no longer a problem. It was a battle, but no problem. Through it, they gained victory over the problem of the flesh.

Now, if Bethel means “house of God,” and it’s people were coming out, in association with Ai, to fight Joshua; what that says loudly and clearly, is that a “house of God” can fall out of relationship with it’s owner. If this has occurred, and you do not step away from it; you will be prey, as Ray Stedman indicated in his commentary; of every evil force, because that institution will associate itself with “a heap of ruins” and eventually will come to ruin itself.

Jos 8:19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.

Jos 8:20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.

Imagine their surprise as they saw their destruction coming.

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 60

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 19:30:39 GMT

Exd 10:13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all [that] night; [and] when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

Exd 10:19 And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.

In this case, I was noting that it was an east wind that brought disaster in the form of locusts that ruined all crops and produce in the land. One bad decision can be your destruction, and everything that you did that was productive in your life can come to a complete halt, and you go into ruin.

Yet again, it was a west wind that took the ruin or locusts away. This made me research east and west and brought me to the winds.

The wind from the east is the one that blows from the desert and is the most mentioned one in the Bible. Besides bringing the locusts, it scorched the grain (Gen 41:6, 23, 27), withered the vine (Ezek. 17:9), and parched the fruit (Jon. 4:8). Blowing from “the wilderness,” it dried up the springs of water (Hos. 13:15)

Generally all such violent gusts of wind were attributed to the east. These winds were also called the winds of the wilderness. The blast that struck the home of Job’s sons and killed them was probably the east wind (Job 1:19). An east wind from God parted the Red Sea (Ex:14:21) and shattered the ships of Tarshish (Ps. 48:7). It was probably an east wind that wrecked Paul’s ship (Acts 27:14). It was said, in a figurative sense, that war was compared to the east wind (Jer. 18:17)

The west wind carries moisture from the Mediterranean Sea over Palestine between November and February. A west wind drove off the locusts in Egypt. The rain-bearing west wind also ended a severe drought in the days of the prophet Elijah (1Kin. 18:43-44).

Lastly, Persons of uncertain faith are said to be tossed about on “every wind of doctrine.” (Eph. 4:14). So it seems that to have the house of God to the west of you is a good thing, but to be in the house of God is a far better thing.

Jos 8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

Jos 8:11 And all the people, [even the people] of war that [were] with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now [there was] a valley between them and Ai.

Jos 8:12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.

Jos 8:13 And when they had set the people, [even] all the host that [was] on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.

He had his people set in ambush on the west side and the north side. I like the fact that he, himself, met the challenge head on; going that night into the midst of the valley. It tells me that our travels through the valleys at night can be a good thing, if we are prepared with a plan.

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 59

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 01:33:24 GMT

2Ki 4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought [the vessels] to her; and she poured out.

2Ki 4:6 it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, [There is] not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.

So she left the man of God, Elisha, and went and borrowed all of these empty pots from her neighbors, and not just a few. She borrowed a lot of pots. She went home and closed the door, as Elisha told her, so her neighbors couldn’t see what was happening.

She filled cruse after cruse with the oil from her pot, because her pot became like a spring of oil. Whereas she thought she had only a little, she actually had quite a lot, because God took the little she had, and her diligence in following the instructions she was given, and miraculously reproduced it, so that the oil did not stop flowing until every pot was filled. As soon as every pot was filled, the oil in her pot stopped flowing.

2Ki 4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

Look at the wisdom of this. She then turned around and sold that oil back to her neighbors in their own pots! She made such a profit from this that she was able to pay off all of her debts, and live comfortably with her children.

This is what happens when you honor God with the little that you have. You must look at your resources, and lay them at God’s feet; offer them to Him, and let Him do the rest, but you be mindful and listen to and follow whatever instructions you receive, and He will pour out a blessing that is 100 fold what you thought you had. Remember, we are called to be shrewd like the people of the world in our business affairs. This is what Joshua did.

Jos 8:9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.

I noticed that this was specific. First of all, they went to lie in ambush, and stayed between Bethel and AI.

Bethel = "house of God"

1) ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name)

2) a place in south country of Judah, not far from Beersheba and Ziklag

Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"

1) a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan

2) a city of the Ammonites on the east of the Jordan and apparently attached to Heshbon

This position is interesting because if you think back to what had just happened to them with Achan, it clearly speaks of making a choice. It’s like sitting on the fence. You have to jump down on one side or the other. You can’t stay on the fence forever.

It is also significant is the fact that they were on the “west” side of Ai. When I saw that, I started to look up the word west, because I wanted to know if there was some reason why that description was there. After all, it could simply have been written as, they were between Bethel and Ai, and nothing further. However, I did find something interesting about the west side.

Gen 12:5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

Gen 12:6 And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite [was] then in the land.

Gen 12:7 And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.

Gen 12:8 And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, [having] Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.

In this instance, Abram was not in compliance to what the Lord had originally told him, who knows how long ago; to do. See my study on Abraham.

However, what I noticed here is the position he moved into which is the same place that Joshua’s men were in. He went to the east side of Bethel, between Bethel and Ai, but on the west side of Ai. It’s almost like saying he was on the better side of, or upwardly moving side of hell, and the lower side of heaven. No. He was at the place of decision.

Clearly, he was still not being obedient because Lot was with him, and Lot was a veil over his eyes. (See the study) So basically, you have a choice in this place of decision, and your choice can either put you on the road to ruin, or on the road to God’s house.

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 58

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:46:23 GMT

Part of our responsibility is to find the resources that He has already provided. We can ask Him for directions towards that end, and must listen to really hear the answers. However, we are responsible to creatively utilize the resources He provides. The widow woman that Elisha helped is an example of this.

2Ki 4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

Her problem? Her husband died before the debts were paid off. Many women have this issue, but even worse in this day and age, is that many husbands just leave, divorcing the wife, and leaving her burdened with not just the responsibility of the children, but also the bills.

2Ki 4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

The first thing Elisha asked her was, “What do you want me to do for you?” You must know what you want specifically, prior to making your requests known. Ever notice in some town meetings, or even when disc jockeys are discussing something and attempts to answer a question from the audience; which people they basically disregard, or simply brush off, or ignore and move on from?

It’s always the person that comes in there with 9 yards of personal gripes on a toilet roll that rolls up the aisle towards the speaker as they begin to read off the list; or the person who is telling a personal problem without ever getting to the end or to the point; or, the person who simply tells their situation without asking a question that allows a relevant answer to a problem.

You must know what you want when you come to an authority figure with a request. Then Elisha says, “What do you have in your house that can be used? Her answer speaks of her mindset, which dictates as well as demonstrates why she was in that situation.

In her self-deception perception or perspective, she had nothing, but a pot of oil. The fact that she was unaware that she had oil stored away spoke about her mindset as well. She had a valuable resource at hand, yet until Elisha asked her, she didn’t even recognize that she had this in her house.

God had already given Elisha a prophetic word to give her. Her mindset needed adjustment, because it was a poor person's mindset. She never recognized her own resources, because of her mindset was focused on her circumstance, but she actually had a resource she could use to better her situation.

2Ki 4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, [even] empty vessels; borrow not a few.

2Ki 4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.

He gives her some instructions and leaves her to do it. So the question is, when God (or the man of God)tells you to do something; after you have come with a request to change your situation; despite whether or not you can see the reasons, the value, the purpose or what-have-you; are you going to follow His instructions or not?

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 57

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:23:01 GMT

Note that God gave Joshua a general command, and left him to fill in the details as to how to accomplish it. This is the difference between human invention and human intervention. When we try to chart our own course, we attempt to take on more than we can handle. The human brain is better at handling a lot of small chunks of info, than it is at handling large ones. It’s better to break an idea into small chunks, in order to tackle it.

This is what Joshua did. God simply told him the ‘large chunk’ plan: to ambush the city, and once in possession of it; to set it on fire. That is a very general instruction. It was Joshua who then broke the ‘large chunk’ into several smaller chunks in his devised plan on how to accomplish this general instruction.

He told his team how to position themselves; both against the city and behind it. They were to make sure that they weren’t too far away, and also to be ready. In other words, take steps to get as close to the opportunity as possible; be alert, watch and wait for your opportunity, be prepared, and be ready to move when the move (opportunity) comes.

John Maxwell asks the question: “When does human planning get in the way of trusting God for results? Or conversely, when does faith become presumption, expecting God to do for us what we must grab hold of ourselves?”

John goes on to say that, “All Christian leaders must learn the proper balance between divine faith and human preparation.” I say that all Christians must learn this, not just Christian leaders. We all need to understand the difference between just waiting, and waiting on the Lord.

Some Christians just wait. They pray to God, asking for certain things, but never take stock of their current available resources that could be utilized to achieve the answer to that request. They just expect “magic wand” blessings from God, which is unrealistic.

Yet we have been told through Scripture that God has already provided for us; and not only that, but He has provided everything that we need already.

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 56

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:53:41 GMT

Jos 8:7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.

Jos 8:8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, [that] ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

This is an example of the move of God in stealth mode against the wicked. Thing is, most people see evil, and wonder why it seems that it is allowed to reign and oppress people. It sometimes seems like the wicked just keep getting away with it. However, we have God’s assurance that we don’t have to worry about that, because God is taking care of it, even when no one can see that He is. He’s simply giving them enough rope to hang themselves.

Deu 20:16 But of the cities of these people, which the LORD thy God doth give thee [for] an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth:

Deu 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; [namely], the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:

Deu 20:18 That they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the LORD your God.

The Hebrew term “destroy” refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.

Hittite = "descendant of Heth"

1) the nation descended from Heth, the 2nd son of Canaan; once inhabitants of central Anatolia (modern Turkey), later in north Lebanon

Until the 20^th centure the Hittites were unknown apart from the Bible. This once puzzling reference to them has, however, been illuminated by the findings of archaeology. From Egyptian monuments (Tell el-Amarna Tablets) and the Assyrian texts, it has been shown that these were the Kheta or Hatti. Expeditions in the first dozen years of this century have revealed that Boghaz-koi in Asia Minor (east of Ankara, Turkey) was the capital of the Hittite Empire. Periods of Hittite prominence: about 2000-1800 B.C. and about 1400-1200 B.C.

Amorite = "a sayer"

1) one of the peoples of east Canaan and beyond the Jordan, dispossessed by the Israelite incursion from Egypt

Canaanite = see Cana "zealous"

1) descendant of inhabitant of Canaan

2) a merchant, trader

Perizzite = "belonging to a village"

1) a people who inhabited southern Canaan prior to the conquest

Hivite = "villagers"

1) 6th generation of descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham, who were living in northern Canaan near Mount Hermon at the time of the conquest

Jebusite = "descendants of Jebus"

1) descendants of the 3rd son of Canaan who lived in or around the site of Jebus, the early name for Jerusalem.

The reason for this was a command to be separate.

Deu 7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;

Deu 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, [and] utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:

Deu 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.

Deu 7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.

Deu 7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.

Deu 7:6 For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that [are] upon the face of the earth.

What caught my attention here was the number seven. Now, I realize that it has come up before, and I have, I’m sure, given a brief description of it in some other study. However, since I don’t recall which ones right at this moment, I’m gonna go there again, because in looking this number up, I see that it is appearing a lot in scripture. This makes me wonder the context and the reason why it was specifically “seven” nations to come against the (12) Jews.

Seven:

This number occurs frequently in Scripture, and in such connections as lead to the supposition that it has some typical meaning. On the seventh day God rested, and hallowed it (Gen 2:2,3). The division of time into weeks of seven days each accounts for many instances of the occurrence of this number. This number has been called the symbol of perfection, and also the symbol of rest. "Jacob's seven years' service to Laban; Pharaoh's seven fat oxen and seven lean ones; the seven branches of the golden candlestick; the seven trumpets and the seven priests who sounded them; the seven days' siege of Jericho; the seven churches, seven spirits, seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, and many others, sufficiently prove the importance of this sacred number" (see Lev 25:4; 1Sa 2:5; Psa 12:6; 79:12; Pro 26:16; Isa 4:1; Mat 18:21,22; Luk 17:4). The feast of Passover (Exd 12:15,16), the feast of Weeks (Deu 16:9), of Tabernacles (13:15), and the Jubilee (Lev 25:8), were all ordered by seven. Seven is the number of sacrifice (2Ch 29:21; Job 42:8), of purification and consecration (Lev 4:6,17; 8:11,33; 14:9,51), of forgiveness (Mat 18:21,22; Luk 17:4), of reward (Deu 28:7; 1Sa 2:5), and of punishment (Lev 26:21,24,28; Deu 28:25). It is used for any round number in such passages as Job 5:19; Pro 26:16, 25; Isa 4:1; Mat 12:45. It is used also to mean "abundantly" (Gen 4:15,24; Lev 26:24; Psa 79:12).

What’s clear is that this number is highly significant. What I’m seeing is that the challenge of seven nations amounts to perfecting them. It seems oddly reminiscent of challenging the “seven” deadly sins. If I had the time to do that deep of a research into those seven nations, I’d probably find that they line up with that idea, and that this seems like a purging of the land that God was going to bless them with. However, that research is for another study. Defeating these seven nations and utterly destroying them, was a cleansing process for the people and the land. This is the impression I have from seeing this info on the number seven.

The Victorious Life of Joshua Part 55

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 21:34:25 GMT

Jos 8:1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:

Here, we see God reminding Joshua not to be afraid. God reminded Joshua of what He had already told him, but God reiterated it in light of the cleansing of the camp of the sin. It was a reminder that God was still with Joshua, and that he could now move forward in God’s plans as before.

I have noticed, in my own life, the number of times that God reminded me of something He had already shown me or promised me. There were times when I questioned Him, because I had yet to see the fulfillment of the vision, or dream, or whatever had been promised. So I’d ask God, “What about that,” or, “Is this still an option? Is it going to happen?”

Sometimes I’d be the one forgetting about it, or giving up, and then He would just remind me again, either repeating the promise, or bringing the dream or vision back into my consciousness, so that I’d remember it, and showing me something different that I hadn’t seen any time prior upon examining it.

The point is, when you mess up or may think the situation is beyond hope, through no particular fault of your own; God reminds us that He’s still got us, and for us not to give up, but press forward.

Here, God doesn’t just remind Joshua of His previous mandate not to be in fear, but He also tells him not to be dismayed. In other words, don’t let this little step backwards cause you to stop moving forwards altogether. I’m still with you, so walk forward in the knowledge that I haven’t gone anywhere.

However, the instructions were specific. Take the whole army with you. So he was not to go with the 3 thousand he went with before, but with 30 thousand.

Not only that, it’s winning the war, not the individual battles that matters. Here, God is telling Joshua, “I’ve got this. I’ve already given them to you, their people, livestock, and land.

Jos 8:2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"

1) a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan

2) a city of the Ammonites on the east of the Jordan and apparently attached to Heshbon

Now that the sin, the things that had been stolen from the Lord has been removed from the camp, God is telling Joshua that He going to give him the victory over the king of Ai.

Additionally, God is telling Joshua that he is not only going to do to them what he did to the people of Jericho, but the exception is that the Israelites may now carry off plunder and livestock for themselves. This is due to Joshua’s lack of hesitation in cleansing the camp per God’s word.

Jos 8:3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.

Jos 8:4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, [even] behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:

Jos 8:5 And I, and all the people that [are] with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,

Jos 8:6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.

Joshua had a definite plan. His plan was to take advantage of the cockiness of the people he was facing. Once someone thinks they have you beaten, they’re approach to you is always full of overconfident arrogance. Joshua knew that this would be the case with the people of Ai.

First of all, they would think that since they had beaten them before, and the Israelites were forced to retreat in defeat, all they had to do was come out with measurable ferocity, and they could just intimidate the Israelis, an send them off running again.

However, because Joshua was a wise leader, who was God lead, and also a good strategist, he recognized this fact. The people of Ai would not be as cautious as they might have been the first time the Israelites attacked, because they had beaten them.

The fear of the Israelites would no longer be on them, so they would not shore up their gates, or be as attentive to ensuring they had a battle plan to begin with.

Joshua’s plan was to use their own lack of preparation against them. He knew their rear guard would be down, if they even had one at all. When you don’t have God covering you, no one’s got your back, literally.

What's wrong with xanga?

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:46:17 GMT

I write in several other sites. If you've been following me, via my pulses, or sometimes in my posts, you should have already found me in several other spots on the web. Those of you that have been following me to my other sites may have noticed that I have the ability to have affiliates on those sites, and at the very least, widgets in which I can import other feeds. On some of the sites, I can even add a widget that allows me to see where some of you are from, and which tells me what parts of the world my visitors are coming from.

Now, granted, I can see that in my feed here, which is great, however, the other options I mentioned are not even an option here in xanga. It is quite frustrating to those of us that are serious writers trying to make a name for ourselves, that these options are not available in xanga; particularly considering the current economic climate. One would think that most people are looking for every opportunity to make a little extra cash, and thus, xanga should be addressing that issue, and making provisions for those of us that have been here for a while supporting this site.

Instead, they've spent more time trying to branch out versus building what's already here and making it better. Most writers want as many readers as possible to see what they are saying. I didn't start out here with that goal. I was just writing what God showed me, and if I had one reader, I was happy. However, I have grown in this whole thing; and not only that, I have branched out myself, because xanga didn't offer me enough options. So I started going to other sites, and creating other blogs to get those options, but that doesn't mean I'm not still frustrated with xanga.

I have a lifetime membership here, and I'd like to use it. However, once again in frustration, I'm considering whether or not I should stay with this site and support it. I mean, after all, everyone's got to grow up sometime, and it's about time xanga grew up and got up to date with the whole social networking game. They need to get current with the tools that are available in blogs, and create a better system for their bloggers. They've been lagging behind in the blogging world for long enough, don't you think?

At the very least, there should be some widgets that allow us to add adsense, amazon, or other affiliate programs to our pages, and a widget that allows basic html to added as much as we want. If it is our blog, we should have much more control over what we can put on it, and over how we chose to promote ourselves here. Anyone agree?