“But the city and everything in it is to be set aside for Adonai and therefore to be destroyed completely; only Rachav the prostitute is to be spared, she and everyone with her in her house, because she hid the messengers we sent.”-Joshua 6:17
In verse 17, we run headfirst into a God-principle the gentile believing world knows absolutely nothing about.
I’m talking about the principle of HEREM or the “Law of the Ban”.
So how does this apply to where we’re at in our current study of Joshua?
Simple, the Lord has declared that the city of Jericho has been set aside for Him.
Therefore, Israel’s soldiers are banned from taking the conquered people of Jericho as slaves and their possessions as war booty.
This is a God-ordained Holy War and the rules governing a holy war are different than a regular war.
In a regular war, the soldiers ARE allowed to take the conquered people as slaves, the women as their wives and mistresses and their possessions as war booty.
But not in a holy war.
In a holy war, the Lord is to take possession of all the booty including the people.
However, since Hashem is a Spirit, how in the world does He take possession of physical things?
The answer is simple.
The physical things, both living and non-living, are to be destroyed unto Him.
They are to be reduced to complete ashes by fire.
We see this same pattern reflected in the burnt offerings that are offered up to Adonai at the Temple called OLAH.
Gifts are offered up to God by burning them up on the holy altar.
HEREM or the “Law of the Ban” was to be applied to almost everything in Jericho…
However, there were two categories of things or possessions that did NOT fall under the ban.
The first category was all the weapons, instruments and utensils made out of the precious metals like gold, silver, bronze and iron.
These were to be turned over to the Levitical priesthood.
However, if you think about it, in a sense, this was still like turning these things over to God since the priests were the Lord’s ambassadors and keepers of the Torah on this planet.
So what was the second category?
The second category of things that escape the ban are those people who surrendered their lives over to the Lord.
In this case, we’re talking about the innkeeper/whore Rahab and her family.
Because once she made that oh so fateful decision to be grafted into to Israel by accepting their God and then backed up her faith with action by helping those 2 spies, in an instant her future was changed for all eternity.
Folks, I’m here to let you know that this same principle still applies today.
Because once Messiah returns to conquer the world and all the enemies of Israel, the whole world will be under HEREM or the ban.
At that point, it will be too late to place your bets with the Lord.
The day to be grafted into Israel and for salvation is NOW!
Call on HASHEM now while you still have a chance.
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