There’s something really special about Joshua Chapters 7 and 8 that I want you to catch.
These 2 chapters play a key role in defining and solidifying the identity of the people of God.
Or maybe a better way to put it is to say that in these chapters…
…the people of God are finally learning what it means to be chosen by the Creator of the universe…
…and that it’s not always going to be all rainbows and unicorns.
After Israel’s miraculous victory over Jericho, the people were all giddy with excitement and felt untouchable but then soon after they were soundly trounced when they attempted to attack the city of AI (due to Achan’s sin).
This was a rude wakeup call for Israel as they realized there was another side to the coin of being God’s chosen.
When in disobedience, they could expect to face God’s anger and judgement.
While there would be great moments of triumph and inspiration such as when they crossed the Jordan on supernaturally dried ground…
…or marched around a Jericho doomed for destruction, more often than not, the Lord’s treasured people would find themselves devastated by failures and defeat and falling before Hashem on their knees begging for mercy.
After the Israelites became settled in the land, we’ll see that they not only had problems relating to the Lord, they would often have problems relating to one another and as a result tribal warfare would often break out between them.
Through all of the failures such as being defeated by their enemies and warring among themselves, over time, the Hebrews would learn one key lesson.
They would learn what it really meant to be in a covenant relationship with the Living God.
They would learn something that is utterly foreign to Christianity which only believes that all one has to do is simply accept “Jesus as their Lord and Savior” and then life thereafter will be nothing but a bed of roses.
No…Israel learned that at the heart of their relationship with God was obedience to His divinely ordered way of living.
It meant obeying the ritual of circumcision (for the men) and observing the yearly festivals.
It meant that every aspect of their life would from now on be under the guidance of divine leadership and that they would have to throw away the worldly principles of personal self-confidence and manmade rules.
It also meant that if Israel decided they no longer wanted to accept God’s leadership, as a stern disciplinary measure, God’s people would have their salvation history literally reversed!
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