Joshua 8:1, “And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:”

The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings. The book of Joshua illustrates that and no chapter more so than chapter 8 (c.f. Psalm 37:23-24). We must take our mistakes, including the ones which are sins, and by the power of God’s Spirit, turn defeat into victory. There are times when we must move forward through our failures. The first movement in that turn is repentance, and let’s recognize that repentance is more than just confession. Repentance requires forward movement in obedience. In other words, a change of mind that results in a change of behavior. To claim the victory that God has promised requires forward movement, because obedience is not passive but active. Even though God promised the victory and fights the battles, we cannot stand back and await the outcome. We must confidently move forward, trusting God to do what He said He would do, and we should understand that victories do not always come in the same manner.

The victory God provided over Jericho was accomplished through a miracle. The Israelites simply marched around the city, obeying God’s every direction, and at the appointed time the walls fell. The victory God provided over Ai was accomplished through a military strategy rather than a miracle, and the people were allowed to retain all the spoil (8:2). The point is that God works in different ways in different situations according to His good purpose. While God is still in the miracle business. He is also at work in the mundane areas of life. We should not discount one for the other or be more in earnest for the former rather than the latter.

Joshua 7:24—26, “And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? The LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.”

Achan, his family, and even his livestock were stoned to death. Their bodies were burned and buried under a heap of stones. As we have worked our way through Joshua, we have seen memorials of God’s deliverance. Here is a memorial of His judgment. These stones call us to self-examination. Is there hidden sin in our lives? 

Do you think this is harsh? Are you wondering how a loving, merciful God could allow not just Achan but his wife, his kids, and even his livestock to be destroyed? Do not blame God. Remember, the wages of sin is death, and He means that. God warns that disobedience to Him only brings hurt and heartache to us and to others.

Praise God that the story of redemption does not end with Achan’s execution. Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world, willingly sacrificed Himself for our public and private sins. If you will turn to Him in repentant faith you will be saved! 

Be ruthless in your self-examination. Pray along with David, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

Joshua 6:18—19; 7:1a, “And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD…But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing…”

The sublime victory of Joshua 6 is contrasted with the shameful defeat of Joshua 7. By God’s power the walls of Jericho had collapsed, and the Israelites were victorious. Also, by God’s power, the nation was soundly defeated by the small town of Ai. Just as obedience leads to victory, disobedience causes defeat. Part of their orders concerning Jericho was to not take any spoil from the city. God desires our first and our best of everything. Jericho was the first city taken in Canaan, and all of the spoil was to go into the treasury of the Lord, not the pockets of the people. Remember, at the center of Canaan’s conquest is not the Israelites. God is at the center. This is more about God keeping His promises and His covenant than it is about Israel. Chapter 6 reveals obedience as the secret to the victorious Christian life. Chapter 7 reveals what we must not have, and that is secret sin. While chapter 6 demonstrates what results from obeying God and trusting Him with the consequences, chapter 7 reveals the consequences when God’s Word is disobeyed. As 2024 begins, let’s recognize that to move forward God’s Word must be fully believed and followed, and this commitment must be renewed every day. With God’s Word being the lamp for our feet and the light to our path, we will be able to joyfully move forward together behind Christ.

Psalm 37:5, “Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass.”

Trust equals commitment. There is no commitment apart from trust. To trust God, no matter what, means that we are committed to Christ, no matter what. It is worth noting that the Hebrew word translated “commit” – galal – is more often translated “roll,” as in roll on or with something. Ever heard the phrase “Roll with it”? Depending on your company, that may or may not be sound advice, but when it comes to Christ, trust Him and be committed to His Word. God will act on your behalf and for His glory. Roll forward with that.

Joshua 6:20, “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.”

If you are saved, you are a soldier of the cross, and you are engaged in a war where many enemy strong holds need to be conquered. They are everywhere: in your world, your nation, your church, your family, and, yes, in ourselves. These ancient outposts of our enemy are strategically placed, heavily fortified, and well defended. The way to victory is through obedience. God has given us the victory, but we must fight. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. We are to put on the armor of God: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, as shoes for our feet, the gospel of peace. On our head the helmet of salvation. In one arm the shield of faith, and in the other the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, and soaking everything in prayer (Eph. 6:10-18).

If you are not saved, do you understand that you are also a soldier, only you stand against the Lord Jesus, and that only leads to destruction. Would you consider Rahab the harlot? She was spared. She was saved because she trusted God’s promise. The only wall left standing at Jericho was the one in which she lived, the one from which the scarlet cord hung from the window, the sign of God’s promise to her (Josh. 6:17, 22-23).

Faith is taking God at His Word and living accordingly. That was the only difference between the Israelites and the Canaanites. The people of Israel were not morally superior to the people of Canaan. The Jews were every bit as sinful as the people of Jericho. The only difference was that the Jews faithfully followed the one true God. The people of Jericho, except for Rahab and her family, would not.

Do not let past failure keep you from presently moving forward behind God. The only way to gain victory is to do this one thing. Forget those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before and press on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (see Phil. 3:13-14).

Joshua 6:12-15, “And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.”

Joshua and the Israelites’ victory at Jericho is a prime example of obeying all the way through. Israel did not just march around the city one day or every other day. They did not wait until the seventh day and then march around the city thirteen times. They did not rotate tribes for the march. They faithfully followed God’s Word every step of the way. Silent march after silent march, all the way until God did what He said He would do. This is how we move forward, trusting God’s promise with perseverance and persistence.

Our natural expectation is for God to do for us, and for Him to do for us now. That is especially true in our consumeristic culture of immediacy. Who wants to wait? Who wants to persevere? Not many people today, and that often is true in our churches.

We need to learn, or be reminded, that not only is there no substitute for complete obedience to God, but we are to obey day after day, in every situation and for every circumstance. When God does not act as quickly as we think He should or according to our preconceived notions of how He should act, we are still not justified in pulling back or adopting an alternative procedure. A.W. Pink wrote, “Seeming failure did not warrant them in adopting other measures; they must adhere to the divine directive unto the end.”

Trusting God over the long haul, faithfully moving forward according to His Word every day, who has the patience for that? Those who see strong holds pulled down in their life. That’s who. Let’s be faithful all the way through to the end.

Joshua 6:10, “And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.”

Did you notice Joshua’s command of absolute silence as they marched? What a difficult thing for people to do. Silence is a test of self-control. Ever play the quiet game? “Let’s see who can go the longest without making any noise.” If you have children, you may play that game with them to gain a little peace and quiet, but all the while it is testing the players’ self-control.

That’s actually an excellent lesson to learn, especially from a young age. People who cannot control their tongues are essentially out of control (see James 3:3-5), and do you know what undisciplined soldiers are good for? Good for nothing. If you’re saved, do you know what you are? A soldier of the cross. Are you a disciplined or an undisciplined soldier? All anyone has to do is listen to what comes out of your mouth and how much comes out of your mouth to know the answer to that question. “There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak;” (Ecclesiastes 3:7), and wise is the child of God who knows the difference. Jesus exemplified this (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 26:62-63; 27:14; Luke 23:9), and so too must those who will move forward in faith behind Him. Nothing will halt an individual’s or a church’s progress like undisciplined, unholy speech. Be quiet before the Lord after you’ve poured out your heart to Him, and let God speak through His Word.

Joshua 6:3-5, “And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.”

Jericho sat on an elevated position. The city was most likely 8-9 acres in diameter and was fortified by double walls of mud-brick and stone that were several feet thick, and probably spaced 12-15 feet apart. To attack such a city meant charging up the embankment, attempting to breach the walls, all the while being shot at from their top. The tactician’s textbook would have suggested starving them out and building siege ramps to eventually attack. But the Captain of the LORD‘s host (Joshua 5:15) thought otherwise. The whole point of this strategy is to publicly demonstrate both to God’s people and those who oppose them, that God is doing this. Their obedience to this strategy was a public declaration of the congregation’s dependence on God rather than their own resources to deliver the city.

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world (1 John 5:4). Obedience is simply faith in action. Which is why we read in Hebrews 11:30, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.” God is not honored by the exercise of natural talents, abilities, or by appearances. Many people have squandered their talents and their abilities by their disobedience to God’s Word, and appearances are not always what they seem (1 Sam. 15:22). Saul was a great physical specimen. He stood head and shoulders above his countrymen, and while he started well, he finished poorly. The reason is because he only sort-of obeyed. Instead of running God’s play He called an audible.

Faith in Christ is the victory that overcomes the world because Christ has overcome the world, and the only way we may be overcomers is through obedience. Faithfulness equals obedience, not good intentions, or quick starts, or big plans, or spectacular skills, or charismatic personalities, but faithfulness to Christ. Does that describe you?

Luke 2:25-32, “And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him after the custom of the law, Then took he Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

The Christmas story is so familiar that taking it for granted comes easy, but there is nothing common about God the Son being made flesh. Our familiarity with Christmas may cause us to miss the mystery of the event, yet the Apostle Paul wrote, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16a). Think about it. God was made flesh! The Creator of the universe became a baby! It seems unbelievable to think that a man could actually hold God in his arms, and yet that is what happened when a just and devout man named Simeon took up the baby Jesus at the Temple in Jerusalem.

The trappings of Christmas are fantastic, but let’s be sure to not get trapped with the trappings. The surest way to a merry Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus our Lord like the man who held Jesus. Neither you nor I will ever hold God in our arms, but we will one day stand before God face to face. If we are clothed in Christ’s righteousness, then that shall be a glorious day. The glory of Christmas is the glory of God’s Son, and that glory is endless. Do not wait to open your heart to the Christ that Simeon once embraced in his arms. Trust Him right now by grace through faith, and then move forward behind Him every day.

Psalm 103:11-13, “For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him.”

Sinful is the default condition of mankind. Thankfully, everyone does not behave as wickedly as is possible, but regardless of how “good” one may be, our righteous deeds, according to the prophet, are like a filthy garment, and we will all wither like a leaf (Isaiah 64:6). But there is Good News! While our sin is great and beyond our capacity to fix, God’s love and mercy is immeasurable and limitless for those who fear Him. Do not think that fearing God is cowering in the corner, shielding yourself from a potential blow. To fear God is to love Him and to draw near to Him by His grace through faith. Think about this. Jesus Christ gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from the penalty of our sin and purify us a people who will serve His glorious purposes. If you have chosen to follow Jesus, if you have believed, if you fear Him, then you are the recipient of his matchless, limitless love. Your sins are removed as far as the east is from the west. This means that when God forgives your sin, your shame is gone forever, and your guilt is pardoned forever and your debt has been paid forever! He truly is a good, good Father, and His grace, love, and mercy motivates those that fear Him to be zealous for good works.

Joshua 6:1-2, “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor.”

Joshua 6 is probably the most recognizable chapter of Joshua, because here we read that “Joshua fit the battle ‘round Jericho and the walls come tumbling down!” If you’ve been around church world at all, then you’ve heard about the Battle of Jericho. Nothing wrong with that. Just be sure to not allow your familiarity to cause us to miss the point because Joshua 6 reveals the primary point of the entire book. Believers claim the victory God has promised as we fight from, not for victory, and faith is the victory that overcomes the world. What does faith look like? Faith is trusting in spite of the consequences. Faith is obedience. Believing that God has already won the victory. Understanding that we must still fight the battle.

          Must I be carried to the skies

          On flow’ry beds of ease,

          While others fought to win the prize

          And sailed through bloody seas?

          Sure, I must fight if I would reign

          Increase my courage, Lord!

          I’ll bear the toil, endure the pain,

          Supported by Thy Word.

That is how Isaac Watts poetically stated this truth in the hymn Am I a Solder of the Cross? That is a good question to ask yourself, believer, because the Christian life involves challenge and conflict whether we like it or not. Our warfare, according to Eph. 6:12, is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and rulers of this present darkness, against spiritual forces of evil. Elsewhere, Paul reminds us that though we walk in the flesh we don’t wage war according to the flesh (2 Cor. 10:3). The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.

What strong holds need pulled down in your life? Not listening to God? Not acting on what you know to do? Some root of bitterness? Some rebellion or restlessness? Immorality? Fearfulness? Faithlessness? Believer, we are in a war, and we cannot be passive. We must fight. We will struggle, but we do not achieve the victory. God does! He brings the walls crashing down, and we move forward through obedience, claiming the victory God promised.

Joshua 5:13—15, “And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.”

This passage reveals what is termed a Christophany, which is an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ. These final verses are the summation and the point of the entire chapter, and that is the reverence of God’s person. Consider who God is. The more we learn who God is and pursue Him, the more we become like Him, and the more we enjoy and appreciate the mundane as well as the miracle.

God reveals Himself to Joshua as a warrior, with drawn sword in hand. Do not buy into the milquetoast representation of Jesus. Yes, He is meek, but that does not translate into effeminate or weak. Meekness is power under control. Jesus has a drawn sword. He fights against those who oppose Him, and He fights for those who are with Him. Pay attention to those two words: with Him. Joshua asked a simple question: “Are you for us, or for our adversaries.” Joshua assumed those were the only two possible answers, but Jesus answered, “No.” Then He declared who He was, and that is when Joshua’s face went to the floor. The question isn’t: Is God for you? The question is: Are you with God?

Another wrong view of Christ is as a Being that exists only to meet our needs; to basically function as a genie who wants to grant our wishes. Too often our theology places ourselves in the center, but we are not at the center. God is. God is not just some convenient method for meeting our needs. What if, when we are in turmoil, pain, and loneliness, instead of asking God to alleviate our pain we asked Him to use it to make us more like Him? Be honest. Does your prayer life focus on your comfort and your glory, or is it focused on you becoming more and more like Him?

God is for Himself. We dare not project that statement as conceit on God’s part. It is not, because conceit is only possible for one who does not deserve the glory. God does. We do not. This was not about the Israelites. This was about God’s glory. The same is true in our lives today. We must understand this.

Let’s take an honest look at our lives. Is there renewal that needs to take place? Have you been wandering in the wilderness, not keeping your promises, putting yourself at the center instead of Jesus? Remember, the question isn’t: Is God for you? The question is: Are you with God?

Joshua 5:11—12, “And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the Passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna anymore; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.”

After observing the Passover, and once they had finished the last installment of manna from heaven, the Israelites began to eat the fruit of the land. Both the manna from heaven and the fruit of the land were God’s provision to them. God provides in different ways for different situations. The manna was a miracle. The fruit was mundane. Both were God’s provision for moving forward. Our problem is that we are so often enamored with the miracle – or the idea of a miracle – that we take for granted, even despise, the mundane. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) illustrates this. The rich man was convinced that his five brothers would repent if one came back from the dead and preached to them. Abraham said that if they would not heed the Scriptures then neither would they listen to one risen from the dead.

Salvation is a miracle. Nearly every provision from God following that will be mundane (if one can call anything from God mundane). Consider what Alan Redpath wrote in his book Victorious Christian Living:

“Take stock of your life, my friends. Don’t be dependent on emotional excitement, spiritual thrills, and spectacular meetings. All these are the evidences of Christian immaturity; they are for the child in kindergarten. Do you long to be strong for God? Do you long to see Satan put to flight? Then eat the fruit of the land. Jesus fills the hungry with good things; He satisfies the longing soul, and He is yours today for guidance, for discernment…Leave the ABCs of the Christian faith and press on…in the land of blessing…taking new resources in our risen Christ.” (emphasis mine)

Think about it this way, there really is no such thing as ordinary when you are moving forward by faith behind an extraordinary God.

Joshua 5:10, “And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.”

Today’s verse records that the nation of Israel, having reaffirmed their promise and commitment, now observed the Passover. That feast was all about remembering God’s provision and deliverance, as well as looking forward to the ultimate provision made by and through Christ.

Has God ever delivered you? If God has delivered you before, be confident in the fact that He’ll deliver you again. Sometimes we are quick to throw up our hands and throw in the towel, but remember, God has supplied in the past. He will do so again. Remember God’s provision by…

• Telling others how God came through for you.
• Blessing others out of that with which you have been blessed.
• Demonstrating gratefulness.

Joshua 5:8-9, “And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.”

This event tested the faith of the Israelites. Having crossed the river in plain sight of their enemies, they have a surgery from which one does not simply hop up and go to battle. While Israel recovered from the surgery, they were vulnerable to their enemies. Keep this in mind: it is more important to be vulnerable to our opposition than disobedient to God. Put another way: fear God, not man.

There was a cost involved in reaffirming this promise, but there also comes that confirmation from Yahweh when God’s people are surrendered to Him. There is nothing like being right with God. We have all made mistakes. We have all blown it: as a parent, as a spouse, as a church member, as a pastor, you get the point. We have all done and said things we should not have done and said. We all need or have needed a fresh start in order to move forward. Praise God that we have confirmation from His Word that when we honor and obey His Word, His will, He provides a fresh start and fresh wind to move forward.

Ecclesiastes 5:18-19, “Behold that which I have seen: it is good and comely for one to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor that he taketh under the sun all the days of his life, which God giveth him: for it is his portion. Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God.”

Life is a gift from God. Your life is to be enjoyed not merely endured. Embrace your life, the strengths and weaknesses, the opportunities and abilities, the highs and the lows that God has given to you. Trust God with all of it. The purpose for which man was created is to glorify God. God is most glorified by you when you are most satisfied in Him. Trusting in and living for Christ is always serious business, but it must not always be somber. In fact, the lives of those who trust God should be joyfully lived. Life is a gift from God. Appreciate and enjoy it.

Joshua 5:5, 7, “Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. And their children, whom He raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.”

Joshua realized that the nation could not enter the land of promise if they had not kept their promise. Likewise, believers and churches should not expect God to do the impossible when we have failed to do the necessary. Circumcision was necessary for the nation of Israel. This was not a matter of preference.

This whole process was painful but necessary. No anesthesia, at least not like we have. No painless method for removing the foreskin. Now that you are squirming just a bit you are ready to grasp the point, which is this: there is no easy way around the issue. Moving forward was going to cost them something. No doubt the people dreaded the idea, at least a little bit. Yes, this should have been done before, but it wasn’t. So, it had to be done now. They needed to reaffirm their commitment to God and His work.

The concept of covenant is at the center of Biblical revelation. The theme pervades both Testaments, and the idea of covenant permeates our lives, from mortgage agreements to church membership to marriage and more. Here is a question to consider: Have you broken any covenants? While it is hard, it is also necessary to take an honest look at your life and review the promises you have made. Have they been kept?

The point is not to cause guilt, but a little conviction is alright. The point is not to beat you up with the question. That isn’t what Joshua did. The point is to reaffirm our promise. Let us begin today, to do what we can by God’s grace and power to honor our promises, our promises to God and to others.

Joshua 5:1—2, “And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, where were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel. At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.”

Oftentimes, believers are like the ten spies, only seeing the obstacles, and failing to see God’s providential hand moving all things together for their good and His glory. We need to understand that before the battle is ever fought, God has been preparing us for the fight.

I have never visited the Holy Land, but from looking at a map there is no question that the people of Jericho were able to witness the supernatural crossing of the Jordan. Plus, Rahab’s testimony bears witness that the people feared Israel because of God’s mighty works on their behalf. The miraculous river crossing had the Canaanites completely deflated (5:1). You see, God’s parting the Jordan River was about a lot more than just getting the Israelites to the other side.

The providence of God is always at work before us, either opening or closing doors. His timing is always perfect, even when it seems absurd to us. Your situation may seem hopeless, but it is not. You may feel hopeless, and you may feel abandoned, but if you are in Christ you are neither. Be ruled by your faith rather than your feelings. Rely on God’s providence and move forward trusting God.

Joshua 5:2—3, “At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time. And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.”

In Joshua 5, the next generation of Israel stands ready to claim the promise that the previous generation had refused. This generation also stood there lacking the sign of the covenant – circumcision. Obviously, this topic is a sensitive one; touching on a private aspect of humanity, but it must be understood before we move forward. Circumcision was the token, the sign (one could say memorial) of God’s covenant relationship with Abraham and his descendants (see Gen. 17:10-14). From Abraham would come a mighty nation that would inherit the Promised Land, and from whom God would bless not just them but all nations. That was the covenant, and circumcision physically marked them as a separated, holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6). It reminded them that their bodies belonged to God. Therefore, circumcision was a graphic symbol of the need for removing sin. This physical operation on the body was always meant to symbolize a spiritual operation on the heart. “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked” (Deuteronomy 10:16; c.f. Romans 2:25-29; Colossians 2:11). Circumcision was an outward symbol of their national identity, and it was also to symbolize an inward reality of their relationship to God. On the precipice of conquering Canaan, the first place to which Joshua leads them is not Jericho but to renewal. The nation of Yahweh could not move forward without the sign of Yahweh’s covenant.

Today, individual believers and local churches must understand that we cannot faithfully move forward along the path that the Lord is leading if we are unfaithful and disobedient in what He has commanded. Consider this believer, if your fellowship with Christ is cold, if you’re simply going through the motions, if you are not following Christ as you should, then you are backslidden and have arrived at the place of renewal. We cannot claim the victory God has promised if we are not following the basics of the Christian walk. As you stand at the crossroads today, which direction do you need to take in order to move forward?

Joshua 4:6—7, “That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.”

The next generation must be taught that God is the promise maker and promise keeper. The two heaps of twelve stones that God commanded be placed, one at Gilgal and the other in the middle of the river, were for the purpose of being witnesses to the precious truth that God honors faith. Generations to come would view the memorial and ask, “What’s the meaning of these stones?” The answer would be, “They are a memorial of God’s deliverance.” To one who has not yet believed, this was simply another stone pile, but to a believer, it was a memorial that God works on behalf of those who trust Him.

Let’s also recognize that the truth memorialized by the heap of stones was to remind God’s people to bear witness of God’s grace. Believer, your life is to be a living memorial to the truth and power of the Gospel. Your life and your church, both locally and globally, are to be vibrant memorials that are moving forward as powerful witnesses to the great God who delivers on all His promises. Is your life a witness to others of the Lord’s grace, goodness, and rescue?

Joshua 3:17, “And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.”

Unbelief says, “Let’s go back where it’s safe.” That’s what happened to the Israelites 40 years prior to this moment. But it’s never safe to distrust God. That previous generation feared walled cities and giants more than they feared God, and because of their unbelief they did not enter in to their inheritance. Instead, their “carcasses fell in the wilderness,” to quote Hebrews 3:17. Faith says, “Let’s press on to where God has called us. In Him we are overcomers!” God’s promises never fail. We may fail to trust Him, but His promises never fail. The principle of faith has not changed. It does not matter what your background is, what training you have or have not had, what your personality is, education level, or any other ability that you may or may not possess. Ability is important, but to press on in faith for the cause of Christ requires your AVAILABILITY and personal RESPONSIBILTY. God will provide the rest. He has brought us out that He might bring us in.

Psalm 56:11, “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

Sir Francis Bacon wrote, “There is a limit to pain, but no limit to fear.” Fear is impatient and does not trust. Fear demands relief now and it wants to be in charge. Fear often cripples us and prevents us from moving forward. Scripture assumes that we will be afraid. Therefore, the command God most often repeats is “fear not.” To obey that command one must replace the fear of man with trust in God. Faith is about knowing the Lord Jesus in an intimate, personal way and trusting Him because He is trustworthy. Faith isn’t blind. God has proven and will continue to prove that you can trust Him. Fear not and move forward in faith.

Joshua 3:13, 15-16a, 17, “And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap…And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap…And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.”

As soon as the priests bearing the Ark put their feet into the overflowing waters of the Jordan River, the water stopped flowing and stood like a wall as far as twenty miles upstream, near the city of Adam (v. 16b). With each step these people took, the waters continually opened, until they stood in the middle of a now dry riverbed. There they stood until an entire nation crossed. Then the priests followed, and the river resumed its course. This was a miracle of God, just as He promised, in response to the faith of His people, and this promise was fulfilled for the good of His people and the glory of His name. Unless God’s people move forward by faith, getting their feet wet, they will not make any progress in living for Christ and growing in Him. God will not open a way unless we step out and move forward by faith in joyful, consistent, and courageous obedience to His Word. Faithfully move forward according to God’s Word and He will make a way.

Joshua 3:5, “And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

The Bible is not simply a record of what God used to do. The Bible is also present-active-tense. This is present-day truth about what God is doing and will do in your life if you do this one thing, which is to move forward in faith. The book of Joshua is about claiming the victory that God has promised. Trusting God, which means obeying God, as believers fight from not for victory. Every human being in this world is either an overcomer or overcome. The only way to be an overcomer is to be redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 1 John 5:4-5 says, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” If you have trusted in this truth, be aware that the Lord did not save you to tuck you away in a sheltered corner of comfort and ease. He rescued and redeemed you to make you a soldier who will move forward by faith to glorify the name of your Captain, to call others to serve under His banner, and to claim your rich inheritance in Jesus Christ. Let’s get in formation and move forward together for Jesus!

Joshua 2:9-11, “And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.”

Joshua 2 reveals that Rahab had faith in God’s power. She understood her inability to save herself and recognized the uselessness of opposing God. Think about it, what good are walls against the God that parted the Red Sea? Rahab understood that judgment was coming, and that she would be judged. That’s not all she recognized. Rahab also believed that God is good! She trusted in God’s goodness to spare her even though she was a pagan prostitute from Canaan, whose entire life had been spent against God. She believed in God’s goodness to save as well as His judgment against sin. Believing that God is true is one thing. Believing that He is holy and powerful and will judge sin is another. Believing that you are a sinner incapable of saving yourself is yet another thing. The question is this. Are you willing to put your trust in His goodness? Have you believed that He loved you so much that He gave His Son to die in your place, and that Jesus rose again from the grave? If you haven’t, today is the day for faith. If you have, tell others about your Friend. 

          I’ve found a Friend, oh such a Friend!

          He loved me ere I knew Him;

          He drew me with the cords of love,

          And thus He bound me to Him.

          And round my heart still closely twine

          Those ties which naught can sever,

          For I am His, and He is mine,

          Forever and forever

          “I’ve Found a Friend” by James G. Small

Joshua 2:21, “And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window.” 

Joshua 2 introduces us to Rahab the Harlot, and in it we read her salvation testimony. You really should take the time to read the entire chapter, but until you do that, consider this. Rahab, along with all the residents of Jericho, had heard about the people of Israel and their God. They were aware that Israel’s God was leading them forward and all who opposed Israel’s God were defeated. Rahab did not know much about God, but she was certain that judgment was coming, and she knew that she needed to be saved from it. She acted in faith when she hid the Israelite spies and hung the scarlet cord out her window as they instructed. Dear reader, it takes no more of God’s grace to save Rahab the harlot than it takes to save a young child raised in a protected environment. In other words, do not think that because you are not a prostitute that you are in no need of God’s grace, and never think that because you are a prostitute, you’re beyond the reach of His grace. None of us are capable of saving ourselves, but all of us are capable of being saved. We all stand in need of the scarlet thread. The biggest act in life is the simple act of faith; faith in Christ to save you, and faith in Christ to sustain you. Faith in Christ to enable and empower you to daily live for Him, please Him, obey Him, and be used for His honor and glory. The biggest act in life is a simple act of faith in Christ and Christ alone.

Joshua 1:7—8, “Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

According to today’s text, the secret to success is to know God’s Word, speak about it, meditate on it, and, above all, do it. Consider this, during the timeframe that Joshua covers God’s people only had the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, but that was enough. How blessed we are today to possess all of God’s revelation. Now let’s recognize that it is not enough to possess God’s Word. God’s Word needs to possess us. As we are being daily filled with God’s Word and guided by His Spirit, we will be able to move forward in faith. Believer, in Christ you have all that is needed for victorious Christian living, but you must courageously and consistently move forward by faith one step at a time, and that will only happen as you immerse yourself in God’s Word.

Psalm 62:8, “Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

At all times our trust is placed in someone or something. We trust the car to get us to work. We trust our employer to pay us our wages. We trust our friends to be there for us. We trust in so many others on some level every day. This Psalm reminds us that at all times and with our entire being we should completely TRUST GOD. While there is absolutely no shelter FROM God, there is only shelter IN Him. Be wholly vulnerable with God because He will perfectly shelter you. Be committed to moving forward in faith trusting God every step of the way. Take a moment and think about how that will look in your life today and in the days ahead. 

Joshua 1:1—2, “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.”

People change. Leaders change. The times change. God and His purposes do not change! Israel was in a season of change. While Moses was not forgotten, nor should he have been (he is named over fifty times in Joshua), a new leader was necessary. In time, God’s workers are buried, but His work continues. Joshua was that new leader, and he did not simply assume the mantle of leadership, nor did he gain it by political maneuvering, manipulations, or alliances. God called him to lead, and God had been slowly, and probably, for the most part, unbeknownst to Joshua, preparing him for this position. Before Joshua became Moses’ successor, he had been a slave in Egypt, a servant to Moses, a soldier for Israel, and a spy in Canaan. Through it all God was preparing Joshua to lead His people forward into the Promised Land. Be reminded that God’s work will never cease, and His people must move forward together with Him. Recognize that through every aspect of life, God is refining and preparing you for what is up ahead. Be available. Be confident in His grace and goodness and move forward in faith.