For forty years I led you through the desert … yet your sandals did not wear out." Duet. 29:5
“In all, thirty-one kings were defeated.”
The Lord meant what He said when he promised to rid the land of Canaan of the wicked peoples who dwelt there. There is a day of judgement for everyone. For some, it is near at hand. For others, it is years—perhaps decades away. But certain nonetheless.
No doubt the kings of the land thought their kingdoms would last for countless generations. They were all destroyed in a matter of months.
“Do not be afraid of them.”
Joshua was bold—fearless against seemingly overwhelming odds. But it was not because he was super-human. It was because he listened to the Lord and obeyed. When the Lord said, “Do not be afraid of them”, he took it to heart.
“So the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place until the nation of Israel had defeated it’s enemies.”
Had Joshua understood astronomy and the solar system as we do today, perhaps he would have hesitated to make such a truly outrageous request.
But perhaps not. Joshua was a fierce warrior, but he had a childlike faith.
“My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth.
Achan was a condemned man, singled out by the Lord for destruction. And yet it was expected of him to bring glory to God by telling the truth.
As human beings, we exist to bring glory to God. There is no higher purpose; no other value.
“Joshua fell with his face to the ground in reverence.”
Joshua fell down before the angel of God. Joshua was a godly man, but any man would do the same. It wasn’t so much the right thing to do; it was the only thing to do.
“Joshua piled up the twelve stones taken from the Jordan river. ”
Memorial stones. Markers. Yet another way for the people to be reminded of what the Lord did for them. Never forget. Never forget.
“As soon as the feet of the priests who were carrying the Ark touched the water…”
Most of the time, the steps that we take through life are ordinary steps. None of us has ever taken a step like this, where the waters parted at our feet.
Nevertheless, our ordinary steps can be just as important to God as were these. The Lord takes notice of our obedient steps, no matter how ordinary they may seem.
“They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close.”
Rahab lied to the men who were searching for the spies, yet was not condemned for it.? Had she told the “truth”, it would surely have displeased the Lord.
As hard as it may be to grasp, and as easy as it may be to overemphasize, truth itself is a servant.
“The Lord buried him… in Moab… but to this day no one knows the exact place.”
Moses is the only person in Scripture who was actually buried by the Lord. And buried in an unknown place, lest the people of Israel make a shrine of the burial site.
“The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you.”
What security, what comfort, what purpose, what destiny!
