Well, this is it folks!
Once Israel crossed over the Jordan River, the trials and tribulations of the Wilderness Journey had finally ended and…
…the next stage of Israel’s journey had begun.
One of the many lessons the people learned during their walk with Hashem in the wilderness is that He does NOT automatically help His people in their time of need.
Divine assistance is linked to obedience to the Lord’s commands.
That’s right.
Hashem will only help His people when they obey His Torah (instructions AND Law) and this is an unchangeable principle that Israel will break many times causing them much tragedy.
This is also a principle the gentile church denounces entirely.
This whole ridiculous idea that all you have to do is walk down the aisle at some evangelical gathering, pray to receive Christ and then after that there is nothing you ever have to do again is why I just can’t take the religion of Christianity seriously.
I’m not even joking.
A Christian really believes that once they have “Jesus in their hearts” (their way of speaking, not mine), any need to obey the Father has officially ended.
Actually, it’s even worse than that.
They believe that to even attempt to obey God’s Laws is demonstrating a lack of faith.
Some churches even teach that it’s no longer necessary to pray for guidance, that it will just magically come.
Or that’s it not even necessary to study His Word to live a life pleasing to God, that just being saved is all that matters.
Unfortunately, to be fair, the people of Israel also have historically chosen to NOT be obedient to Hashem’s Torah and this statement would accurately apply even today.
However, although rare, when God’s people were obedient to the Lord’s commands, the glory and power of God so strongly pulsated through them that Israel literally struck terror into the hearts of all who dared to come against them.
And the beginning of the Book of Joshua is a perfect example of this.
Take a look at the very first verse of Joshua 5.
“When all the kings of the Emori on the west side of the Yarden and all the kings of the Kena’ani near the sea heard how ADONAI had dried up the Yarden River ahead of the people of Isra’el until they had crossed it, their hearts failed them, and they fell into depression because of the people of Isra’el.”-Joshua 5:1
And on that note…
NEXT TIME WE BEGIN JOSHUA CHAPTER FIVE
As a follower of The Way for over 31 years and a lover of Israel, the accepting of Yeshua into my heart was just the beginning of the grafting in process. I was filled with Ruach Ha Kadesh at that first declaration and there began the journey. So may I suggest it is “Yes And” rather than Either Or.
Good point. Thanks for sharing. Be blessed and SHALOM!