Joshua 7:10-12 "And the LORD said unto
Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? (11)
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I
commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also
stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
(12) Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their
enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were
accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed
from among you."
In verse 10, we find Joshua on his face before the Lord. They had gone up against a little town called Ai and had been utterly and shamefully defeated. Ai was just a very small town in comparison to Jericho. Spies had been sent down to look at the place. They came back with a report that the town was small, there was no need to send the entire army of Israel against them. They sent a few thousand men with the thought that there would be no effort involved whatsoever. After all, the walls of Jericho had just fallen at their shout. Right?
There were a couple problems with all this. First, the Lord did not give the command to only send a few thousand men against Ai. That decision had been made without consulting with the Lord. Second, a man by the name of Achan had taken things from Jericho which the Lord had specifically instructed the people not to take. He had taken a Babylonian garment and some gold and silver from Jericho. He then hid it under his tent. God knew it was there. Because of these things, Israel suffered a great defeat. Joshua was pouring out his heart before the Lord when God said to him, "Why are you lying there? Get up and do as I have told you."
The lesson for me today is twofold. First, I need to constantly practice the art of seeking the Lord's guidance and then following Him. Be assured, He will direct our paths. We have that promise. The wise man Solomon spoke it in this way: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) Joshua learned a valuable lesson. Yes, it is important to have wisdom surrounding us, but the Lord Himself is the source of all wisdom. Follow Him. The second lesson for me today is that no matter how lovely Satan presents the things of the world, they cannot be mixed with service unto the Lord. The Babylonian garment was pretty, but it was not in accordance with the Lord's direction. The gold and silver were alluring, but that was supposed to be placed in the Lord's treasury.
Israel was defeated when they tried to go in their own wisdom and power. When they submitted and went against Ai the second time, they gained a great victory because they went in the power of the Lord's might. May we be found submissive to the will of God.
In verse 10, we find Joshua on his face before the Lord. They had gone up against a little town called Ai and had been utterly and shamefully defeated. Ai was just a very small town in comparison to Jericho. Spies had been sent down to look at the place. They came back with a report that the town was small, there was no need to send the entire army of Israel against them. They sent a few thousand men with the thought that there would be no effort involved whatsoever. After all, the walls of Jericho had just fallen at their shout. Right?
There were a couple problems with all this. First, the Lord did not give the command to only send a few thousand men against Ai. That decision had been made without consulting with the Lord. Second, a man by the name of Achan had taken things from Jericho which the Lord had specifically instructed the people not to take. He had taken a Babylonian garment and some gold and silver from Jericho. He then hid it under his tent. God knew it was there. Because of these things, Israel suffered a great defeat. Joshua was pouring out his heart before the Lord when God said to him, "Why are you lying there? Get up and do as I have told you."
The lesson for me today is twofold. First, I need to constantly practice the art of seeking the Lord's guidance and then following Him. Be assured, He will direct our paths. We have that promise. The wise man Solomon spoke it in this way: "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) Joshua learned a valuable lesson. Yes, it is important to have wisdom surrounding us, but the Lord Himself is the source of all wisdom. Follow Him. The second lesson for me today is that no matter how lovely Satan presents the things of the world, they cannot be mixed with service unto the Lord. The Babylonian garment was pretty, but it was not in accordance with the Lord's direction. The gold and silver were alluring, but that was supposed to be placed in the Lord's treasury.
Israel was defeated when they tried to go in their own wisdom and power. When they submitted and went against Ai the second time, they gained a great victory because they went in the power of the Lord's might. May we be found submissive to the will of God.