Joshua 6 "Fear"

Joshua 6 – Brandon Hatmaker “Fear”
Thursday, July 31st, 2008

“Now Jericho was tightly shut up because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.” –Joshua 6:1

They were scared. It’s amazing how our minds can render us useless and/or ineffective when we’re scared. They heard about what God had done, and saw the evidence camped out beyond their walls, and they feared God. They didn’t attack during the season the Israelites were “healing”, instead, they shut up the city. And stayed put.

Fear paralyzes us when we’re on the wrong side of it. It keeps us from moving forward, from fighting, from seeking, from working hard, etc… the right kind of fear (of God) will motivate us to do what His will desires. Here the purpose of the “Fear of God” was to render Jericho “closed up” and it motivated the Israelites to action.

When it is our “will” (desire and passion) to chase after God’s “will”, we have nothing to fear. Or as FDR put it, “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”

And as Paul put it, “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline”

Joshua 5 "Part Two"

Just another quick thought on Joshua 5.

In Joshua 5:13-15 it says, "Now 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 went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"

What a great reminder. In our competitive world we often ask is God for us or for our enemy. What we must remember is that He is for neither side. Instead, he is for Himself. There is a way that seems right to man that leads only to death (It's in the Bible, look it up). The short of it is this: God is for His own side.. He is for His own will... Jesus prayed for His kingdom come, not ours. We should be doing the same.

God, we make things about us way too much. Teach us to remember your side. Teach us to will for Your will. Amen.

Joshua 5 “Ouch!”

Joshua 5 – Brandon Hatmaker “Ouch!”
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

“At that time the LORD said to Joshua, "Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again." So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.” – Joshua 5:3-4

Ouch! Seriously. Ouch!

Although I had read it before, I was surprised to see this scripture today. I guess I never caught the fact that they had neglected such a major and symbolic thing as circumcision. While the older generation who had died off had been circumcised, the new generation of Israelite men had not. They were the ones who were to receive the promise fulfilled and yet they weren’t circumcised. That seems like a huge mistake that would surely remove the hand of God from their journey. But even in their neglect, God had still led them and moved them into the promised land. God was still with them and still leading them.

I think sometimes we think God’s divine plan depends too much on us, and our obedience. That results in a bit of pride when we do see success. The reality is, God will accomplish what He has set out to do, regardless of us. Our honor is to simply be a part of it. He is sovereign. The key is, when we see we’ve been disobedient or even just “missed” something… are we willing to make up for it?

Most of the time I just say move forward and forget about the past (you can’t change it right, just learn from it?), but God is clearly telling them at this time to make things right. This probably has many significant lessons for us today relationally, spiritually, and even physically.

So two key lessons for me today…(1) remember God’s sovereignty and His plan and (2) knowing that I’m a mess, to remember to get as right with God as I can… don’t let a stone remain unturned. No matter how painful. It will not ultimately thwart His purposes, but it might change my role in it.

Joshua 4 “Remember”

Joshua 4 – Brandon Hatmaker “Remember”
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

Joshua 4 gives an amazing illustration of God’s direct leading of the nation of Israel, in the Life of Joshua, and in the life of the Priests who were a part of the crossing of the River Jordan. There are several challenges and life lessons found throughout this chapter. The first is obviously about the continued faith that we’ve seen reflected also in each of the first three chapters of Joshua. They continued to follow God. He continuously was found faithful.

The Second is a calling to remember God’s provision. We see this through the stones they were called to take from the river bottom, “Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever." – Joshua 4:5-7

They were called to remember. To remember God’s faithfulness. To not allow it to escape their minds. God knew there would be times of trial ahead, times they might begin to question the presence of God, but he told them to remember. We need to do the same. It’s amazing how quickly, in times of trial, we can clear the slate in the area of remembering all that God has done for us. Then doubt creeps in. The greatest way to fight this temptation is to recall His greatness.

But not only did he call them to remember, but to also pass it along from generation to generation. Verse 21 tells us that, "In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, 'What do these stones mean?' tell them, 'Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.'”

Verse 24 reminds us that, “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God."

Father, you have proven yourself over and over. Give us a faith that recalls your faithfulness. May we be faithful to passing along this faith to our children and our children’s children. And may we have action that accompanies that faith, through Your strength and your perspective. Amen.

Joshua 3 "Prepare the Way"

Joshua 3 – Brandon Hatmaker “Prepare the Way”
Monday, July 28th, 2008

Two thoughts stand out to me today in Chapter 3. The first is found in verse 5, “Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."

Joshua told the people essentially to prepare themselves to experience a work of God. Throughout scripture this is a pattern… whether we’re talking about John the Baptist’s exhortation to “prepare the way of the Lord” or Paul’s to search our hearts prior to communion… we are often challenged to take a moment to consider the gravity of what is to come. I’m challenged today to press into that more deliberately. To prepare myself more prior to worship, to prepare myself more prior to Bible Study, to prepare myself for my day, to lead, to love, to learn… in all things to be ready for God to move. I think it will increase my personal expectation for God’s movement and open my eyes more. I’ll probably see God moving more often. I doubt that will be because He has increased His activity, but more so that I finally see it.

The second thought comes from verses 15 and 16:

“Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.” Joshua 3:15-16

Twice now God has led the Israelites across a body of water. This water at one point seemed to be a huge obstacle. But God provided. The first time, He parted the Red Sea and showed the people the path prior to them moving. This time, He told them to step before they saw the path. When they did, and their “feet touched the water’s edge”, the water stopped flowing.

This is a reminder that sometimes we don’t see the path prior to stepping out. Sometimes we will. But that does not necessarily translate to the evidence of God’s leading, or lack there of. Sometimes we are called to step out on Faith… sometimes we can step out with all the details in place. God had given them the experiences in their past that strengthened their faith… each step of the way required more faith… and faith was grown.

My nature is to expect God to give me all the details prior to taking a step. But sometimes He just says, “Step and I’ll show you”. He’s up to something. We can be sure of that… our God is at work. He is building our faith. And He will be proven faithful. Like Rahab in the prior chapter, are we willing to be faithful? Even when the end does not appear to be in sight?

If we’ll look back, we’ll see where He has been proven faithful. We’ll see that He has built a strong foundation that can be trusted. Step and we’ll see.