The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Joshua 8:2,
"You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves."
After an initial false start, the Israelites were told by God to destroy the second city in the promised land, Ai. The first attempt failed because an Israelite had disobeyed the Lord when they conquered Jericho.
When Joshua commanded the army to destroy Jericho, he told them, "The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord." Joshua 6:17. One of the men, Achan, kept some of the booty for himself which resulted in the Lord's judgment of them as seen in Israel's initial defeat when attacking Ai.
Now, however, the fighting men of Israel were told to keep the spoils of the war for themselves. Why was it not okay to do so at Jericho and, then, okay at Ai?
In speaking of the plunder at Jericho, the Quest NIV Bible says "... the Israelites honored the Lord by giving the first victory to him." I think also that the Lord wanted to set Israel on a straight path at the very beginning by teaching them the object lesson of the importance of following him. They experienced victory when following the Lord and they experienced defeat when they failed to do so. The Lord taught that lesson at the outset.
"You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves."
After an initial false start, the Israelites were told by God to destroy the second city in the promised land, Ai. The first attempt failed because an Israelite had disobeyed the Lord when they conquered Jericho.
When Joshua commanded the army to destroy Jericho, he told them, "The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord." Joshua 6:17. One of the men, Achan, kept some of the booty for himself which resulted in the Lord's judgment of them as seen in Israel's initial defeat when attacking Ai.
Now, however, the fighting men of Israel were told to keep the spoils of the war for themselves. Why was it not okay to do so at Jericho and, then, okay at Ai?
In speaking of the plunder at Jericho, the Quest NIV Bible says "... the Israelites honored the Lord by giving the first victory to him." I think also that the Lord wanted to set Israel on a straight path at the very beginning by teaching them the object lesson of the importance of following him. They experienced victory when following the Lord and they experienced defeat when they failed to do so. The Lord taught that lesson at the outset.
It causes me to wonder if that isn't a feature in some of our lives today. Might it be that some initial failure at doing something for the Lord is his way of getting us set to do it in a proper direction? I suspect some just shrug their shoulders and abandon what they were doing for the Lord when an initial failure took place - when it might just have been the Lord wanting them on the right path in doing whatever it was in service to him?
Anyway, something to consider...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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