DBG - March 13 - Joshua 5-7

In this chapter God Isreal prepares themselves for the battle ahead.

vs. 1 – The word of Israel’s crossing of Jordan has caused the Canaanites to panic. Their defeat seems inevitable before a people whose God can part the Jordan.

vs. 2-9 – Male circumcision was the physical sign of God’s covenant with the descendants of Abraham.  It was initiated in Genesis 17:10-11 but its practice lapsed in the wilderness journey.  The reason for this is unclear, and many think it was part of the judgment of God against Israel.   Joshua reinstates the practice once in the Promised Land.  The place they camped at is called Gilgal (“rolling”) because the reproach of Egypt was rolled away (vs. 9).

vs. 10 – We noted in the previous chapter that it was nearing Passover when Israel crossed Jordan.  They observe Passover in the Promised Land for the first time.

vs. 11-12 – Now that Israel was in the Promised Land the manna ceases and they live off the land.  It is the time of barley harvest, so there are likely fields ready for harvest that the Canaanites had abandoned along with grain stores.  God no longer supplied through supernatural means because the natural means were now available.

vs. 13-15 – Joshua encounters the Preincarnate Christ.  Joshua recognizes Him and worships Him.  He has come to as the Hope of Israel to instruct Joshua on how to lead the upcoming campaign. 

In this chapter we see the fall of Jericho.

vs. 1-5 – The famous march around Jericho is ordered.  For six days the men of war march once around the city.  On the seventh day, they march seven times around the city.  The priests then blow their trumpets and the people shout.  God will cause the walls to fall.

vs. 6-19 – The marches around Jericho are ordered and completed.  Joshua commanded that no spoils from the city were to be taken and everything was to be consecrated to God. 

vs. 20-25 – The walls fall and Israel takes the city, killing all the inhabitants except Rahab’s family in her home.  The city is burned.  Archeology proves the Bible true: https://answersingenesis.org/archaeology/the-walls-of-jericho/

vs. 26-27 – Joshua pronounces a curse upon the man that rebuilds Jericho.  The rest of the story is I Kings 16:34.

In this chapter Israel is defeated at Ai and Achan’s sin is revealed.

vs. 1-5 – Unbeknownst to Joshua and Israel, a man named Achan (“troubler”) had disobeyed the order to not take of the spoils of Jericho.  When Israel attacks its next target, the village of Ai, they are soundly defeated. 

vs. 6-15 – Joshua knew that God had promised victory and is shaken by the defeat.  He and the elders of Israel mourn the defeat in the Tabernacle.  God reveals the cause of the defeat was the sin in the camp.  He tells Joshua to have the children of Israel march by tribe and family and God would reveal the one that had sinned.  That person was to be killed and burned with all their goods.  It is harsh punishment for a terrible crime against God.

vs. 16-23 – Achan’s sin is revealed.  He confesses to taking spoils from Jericho and hiding them in his tent.  The contraband is a Babylonian Garment (fashionable clothes are always coveted!), 200 shekels of silver (~$7,000), and 50 shekels of gold (~$100,000). 

vs. 24-26 – Achan, his family, and his livestock taken outside the camp and stoned.  Stoning is a communal form of execution, showing that the nation rejected the sin.  The remains were then burned and buried under a pile of stones.  The name of the place is called the Valley of Achor (“trouble”). 

We cannot take the blessing of God for granted.  Joshua and Israel did this and were humbled before Ai.  Sin creeps in when we are not vigilant and God, and often we do not recognize it until its deadly poison costs us dearly.

We are going to go with another spiritual today, “Joshua Fought The Battle of Jericho”.  It is believed to have been written before the Civil War and was first published in 1882.  My favorite version is the arrangement performed by the Vocal Majority: https://youtu.be/JKkVC3xu-Wc?si=rEbwQJtcsNeQv1x3

Refrain:
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho, Jericho, Jericho,
Joshua fought the battle of Jericho,
and the walls came tumbling down.

1 You may talk about the men of Gideon,
you may talk about the men of Saul,
there's none like good old Joshua,
at the battle of Jericho. (Refrain)

2 Up to the walls of Jericho
he marched with sword in hand,
"Go blow those ram's horns," Joshua cried,
"for the battle is in God's hands." (Refrain)

3 Then the horns began to bellow,
the trumpets began to sound,
and Joshua commanded the children to shout,
and the walls came tumbling down. (Refrain)