February 2 JESUS, THOU JOY OF LOVING HEARTS Attributed to Bernard of Clairvaux, 1091–1153 Translated by Ray Palmer, 1808–1887 I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:11) This song is another of the fine hymn texts that originated during the Middle Ages. It is thought to have been written by a monk—one of the most prominent religious leaders of his day. An important part of the medieval church was the role of the monks and their monasteries. Since these churchmen were among the few who could read and write, their institutions became powerful influences in shaping the religious and cultural development of Western civilization. As a young man, Bernard became abbot of the monastery of Clairvaux, France. His influence was soon felt throughout Europe. It is said that he commanded kings, emperors, and prelates—and they obeyed him. In 1146 he was commissioned by the pope to lead a second preaching crusade against the Moslems. Because of his eloquence and strong preaching, great crowds followed him. One of the conditions for those joining the Crusade was a personal conversion experience. It is recorded that multitudes of vicious men were dramatically changed through Bernard’s preaching. They carried a cross unashamedly as a symbol of their commitment to Christ and this crusade. Bernard wrote a number of books, chiefly on such subjects as church government, monasticism and other church-related topics. It is generally agreed that he wrote a long 192-line poem titled “Dulcis Jesus Memorial” (“Joyful Rhythm on the Name of Jesus”). In 1858 Ray Palmer, an American Congregational preacher, translated from the Latin a portion of this medieval poem attributed to Bernard for the hymn “Jesus, Thou Joy of Loving Hearts.” This hymn text aptly describes the preciousness of Christ in each believer’s life. Jesus, Thou joy of loving hearts, Thou fount of life, Thou light of men, from the best bliss that earth imparts, we turn unfilled to Thee again. Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood; Thou savest those that on Thee call; to them that seek Thee, Thou art good; to them that find Thee, all in all. Our restless spirits yearn for Thee, where’er our changeful lot is cast; glad when Thy gracious smile we see, blest when our faith can hold Thee fast. O Jesus, ever with us stay; make all our moments calm and bright; chase the dark night of sin away; shed o’er the world Thy holy light.
For Today:
John 6:35; Ephesians 2:14–18; Colossians 1:13, 14; 1 Peter 1:8
Live with the awareness that even with the “best bliss that earth imparts,” without an intimate awareness of Christ, life will be empty. Make His presence the goal of your activities.
• God’s Love to Us • Our Love for God • Love for Our Fellow-man
February 1 WALK IN THE LIGHT Bernard Barton, 1784–1849 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from every sin. (1 John 1:7) How beautiful to walk in the steps of the Savior Led in paths of light. —E. Hewitt Walking in the light means walking as Christ walked while here on earth—seeking to imitate His life style in all that we do. When we walk in the light, our paths become illuminated and purposeful, and there is a glow of warmth and love in our lives that makes us want to care for the needs of others. This life of love is not merely a soft sentimental feeling—but rather a life of action. Sometimes we as Christians seem to minimize this basic quality in our lives. We spend our time seeking the unusual and “deep” truths of the Scriptures or arguing with those with whom we may differ. A life devoid of Christ’s tender love for others, both fellow-believers and non-believers, can negate much of our Christian witness. The Bible teaches that a life without love, counts for nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). Walking in the light is in the present tense. It is a new experience with God each day. It is always helpful to recall God’s faithfulness and leading in the past. But our past blessings must always be blended into the present wonder of walking this day with the Lord. The author of “Walk in the Light,” Bernard Barton, was known as England’s “Quaker Poet.” Although he never rose above the position of a bank clerk, his reputation as a man of letters was recognized by many literary leaders of his day. In all, Barton had 10 books of verse published, from which about 20 hymns came into usage. “Walk in the Light” first appeared in Barton’s Devotional Verses, published in 1926. Make walking in the light your experience today. Walk in the light! So shalt thou know that fellowship of love His Spirit only can bestow, who reigns in light above. Walk in the light! And thou shalt find thy heart made truly His, who dwells in cloudless light enshrined, in Whom no darkness is. Walk in the light! And thou shalt own thy darkness passed away, because that light hath on thee shone in which is perfect day. Walk in the light! And thine shall be a path, though thorny, bright: For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee, and God Himself is light.
For Today:
Psalm 36:9; John 8:12; Romans 12:10; 2 Corinthians 4:6
Consciously leave time in your schedule to be responsive to the needs of another. Share Christ and His love with them.
“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Josh. 24:15).The first half of the Book of Joshua revealed what it took to conquer the land of Canaan. These chapters tell us what it will take to hold the Promised Land.
Definition of Key Terms
Serve.
Joshua frequently called on Israel to serve God. The Hebrew word suggests a servant or slave. Its basic meaning is to perform tasks according to the will and direction of another. Serving God in Old Testament times did mean to worship Him. But it also meant to obey Him in all things.
Overview
The three eastern tribes erected an altar symbolizing solidarity with the Israelites in Canaan (22:1–34). Joshua addressed the leaders (23:1–16) and challenged the assembled tribes to serve God (24:1–27). Joshua died and was buried (vv. 28–33).
Understanding the Text
“You have not deserted your brothers” Josh. 22:1–9. Three tribal groups had asked for and received land east of the Jordan River. They had, however, promised Moses that their fighting men would join the other tribes for the war in Canaan. These tribes served faithfully, and were then sent home. This concluding section of Joshua is filled with exhortations. The admonition given the eastern tribes is typical: “Be very careful . . . to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to obey His commands, to hold fast to Him and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” “An imposing altar there by the Jordan” Josh. 22:10–34. This story shows how easy it is to misunderstand another person’s actions. When the returning tribes built an altar by the Jordan, their brothers interpreted it as an act of apostasy. God had commanded that sacrifices be made only on the altar that stood before the tabernacle. The Jordan altar seemed to the other tribes to be an act of rebellion against the Lord, and they were ready to go to war with their eastern brethren rather than risk divine punishment (vv. 19–20). The eastern tribes explained to the delegation sent to them. They did not intend to use the Jordan altar for sacrifice. It was symbolic of the common racial and religious heritage they shared with the people west of the Jordan. By building the altar according to specifications given in the Law, the distinctive construction would provide evidence of the common heritage. Both groups acted wisely in dealing with this issue. The western tribes decided to talk before acting. The easterners didn’t take offense, but instead humbly explained what they had done. It’s good to remember the example of both groups when we become upset by something another person or group has done. Before we accuse, we need to go to the persons involved and talk about what has happened. And if anyone misunderstands an act of ours, rather than be upset, we need to be humble and willing to explain. “Elders, leaders, judges and officials” Josh. 23:1–16. Joshua spoke separately to Israel’s leaders, who would be most responsible to see that God’s people continued to serve the Lord. Note the pattern of Joshua’s remarks. He begins with a promise, moves on to exhortation, and then concludes with a reminder and warning. The promise: God who had driven out the enemy would continue to push them out before them. The exhortation: Be strong, be careful to obey God’s Law, do not associate with pagan nations or their gods, and hold fast to the Lord. The reminder: God has driven out the enemy, just as He has promised. The warning: If you turn away from God, the Lord will no longer drive them out. What is more, “the Lord’s anger will burn against you.” These four functions aptly sum up the responsibility and the ministry of most in spiritual leadership today—including parents. We are to live by and to communicate God’s promises. We are to be faithful and to exhort faithfulness. We are to remember what God has done and to remind others. We are to be aware of and to warn others of the consequences of turning away from the Lord. “The Lord drove out before us all the nations” Josh. 24:1–18. Joshua then spoke to all the people, and in essence made a case for commitment. He reviewed all that God had done. In one of the most famous of Old Testament affirmations of faith, Joshua expressed his own commitment: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (v. 15). Joshua could make this commitment for himself. He could not make it for others. But Joshua could and did confront, making sure that each family in Israel realized that commitment was necessary. The people recognized the validity of the case Joshua had made. The Lord had “brought us . . . up out of Egypt, from the land of slavery.” And God had driven out the enemy. “We too will serve the Lord,” the people said, “because He is our God.” “He is a holy God” Josh. 24:19–27. Joshua has made a case for commitment. Now he makes clear the cost of commitment. A person who commits himself or herself to the Lord must make a total commitment. We can make no halfway covenant with the Lord. Even when confronted with the cost of commitment, the people insisted that they would serve the Lord. Verse 23 indicates two ways that complete commitment is demonstrated. (1) “Throw away the foreign gods that are among you.” We are to keep nothing in our lives that might compete with God for our loyalty. (2) “Yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” We are to willingly surrender to the Lord everything we have and are. “This stone will be a witness” Josh. 24:27. A witness is one who can testify to what he or she has seen and heard. At times inanimate objects were commissioned as witnesses to words of commitment (cf. Gen. 31:52; Deut. 31:21). Spoken words are binding. They are as permanent as the place in which they are spoken.
DEVOTIONAL
The Present Time (Josh. 24)
There’s a wonderful epitaph for Joshua recorded here. “Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him.” Joshua made his case for commitment. Joshua clarified the price of commitment. Joshua provided an example of commitment. And throughout his lifetime the people of Israel faithfully served the Lord. About this time someone is likely to object and point to what happened after Joshua died. It’s true that after these few bright decades God’s people deserted Him. For some 400 years during the Era of Judges, Israel knew cycles of brief revival and deepening apostasy. Yet what happened during those centuries had nothing to do with Joshua. The New Testament puts it this way. “The present time is of the highest importance” (Rom. 13:11, PH). What that verse points out is that the only time you or I have is the present. We can’t change the past. We can’t control the future. But we can live for God in our today. That’s just what Joshua did. He served God as long as he lived. And, in his day, Israel served God. You and I have no guarantee of what will happen to our children, our grand-children, or our great grandchildren. Actually, that isn’t our concern. We can’t control the future. All you and I can do is follow Joshua’s example of personal commitment and so influence those who are alive with us now. Probably no one who reads this will be memorialized by some institution that lasts through the generations, as Luther was by the Lutheran Church, or as D.L. Moody was by the Moody Bible Institute. Probably we won’t even be remembered two or three generations hence. Even if we were, that wouldn’t be important. What is important is summed up in the epitaph Scripture gives to Joshua. All the days of his life, Israel served the Lord. Joshua was faithful to God as long as he lived. As long as he lived, Joshua influenced the men and women of his day.
Personal Application
Touching just one life for God is the most significant thing any human being can achieve.
Quotable
“A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses blow no horns; they only shine.”—D.L. Moody
“Their inheritances were assigned by lot” (Josh. 14:2).The Bible says, “So the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their forefathers” (21:43). The struggle may be long. But the fruit of victory is sweet.
Definition of Key Terms
Allotment.
The land was distributed by casting lots. We would say “throwing dice.” No chance was involved, for God Himself governed the fall of the lots (cf. Prov. 16:33). This method was also used within the tribes to determine each family’s holdings. From this point on, each Israelite saw his family farm as a gift given him directly by the Lord. The family land was not to be sold, but to be treasured forever as a heritage from God. In Psalm 16:6 David used the imagery of allotment to express appreciation for the role God had given him in life. As we contemplate God’s goodness to us in Christ, David’s words might well become our own. “The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.”
Overview
Joshua listed land occupied east of the Jordan (13:1–33). He carefully described territory occupied by the nine and a half remaining tribes in Canaan proper (14:1–19:51). Cities of refuge were established (20:1–9), and the Levites were given cities within the borders of the other tribes (21:1–45).
Understanding the Text
“Still very large areas of land to be taken over” Josh. 13:1. The power of the Canaanites had been broken by the power of united Israel. But there were still pockets of resistance in each area allotted to the various tribes. The Israelite population was not large enough to fill the whole land. Each tribe was responsible to take additional land as its population grew. “I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly” Josh. 14:1–15. Among the lists of tribes and cities a very personal story is nestled. Caleb was 1 of the 12 spies who had scouted Canaan some 45 years earlier (cf. Num. 13–14). Only he and Joshua had urged Israel to trust God and invade Canaan then. Now, at 85, Caleb still actively trusted God. He asked for a parcel of land still occupied by an especially warlike people, the Anakites, and confidently said, “The Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.” One of the gifts God gave me as a young Christian was the privilege of being in a church where the older men were models of just the kind of faith Caleb had. How fortunate we are to know the Calebs of today. Too often we tend to segregate older believers from our young. Yet the young people in our churches need to be exposed to godly older men and women. “They . . . did not drive them out completely” Josh. 17:13. Despite victory, indications of future disaster appeared among the tribes of Israel. There was disobedience. When the population of Manassah grew, the tribe subdued several Canaanite towns in its territory. But rather than drive these people out as God had commanded, the Manassites enslaved them. There was a failure to trust. When challenged to take the extra land the tribal members claimed they needed, they responded, “All the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots” (v. 16). Despite the unbroken record of military victories won with God’s aid, iron chariots blocked this tribe’s vision of God. Past spiritual victories are no guarantee our faith will remain strong. We need to concentrate each day on obeying and trusting God. “Flee to these designated cities” Josh. 20:1–9. This is the third major passage on the cities of refuge, to which someone who killed another person accidentally might flee (cf. Num. 35; Deut. 19). A general principle of biblical interpretation is that anything repeated twice is very significant. Here we have a topic that is treated at length in three Old Testament passages. This clearly shows the importance God places on protecting the innocent when dealing with criminal matters. We need to be careful that in our concern for justice we do not violate the rights of the innocent. Joshua 20. The towns given priests and Levites were scattered through territories given the other Israelite tribes. The priests and Levites had been commissioned to teach God’s Law. Every family in Israel was to be near to those who could instruct them in God’s ways.
DEVOTIONAL
Time to Let Go (Josh. 19:49–51)
It’s hard to imagine Joshua relaxing under an olive tree or tending vines on a terraced hillside behind his house. He’s such an active and dynamic person. Neither generals nor spiritual leaders seem to be candidates for retirement. Still, with the victories won and the land divided, Joshua settled down on his own inheritance. The Bible says he received the town of Timnath Serah, and “built up the town and settled there.” Actually, Joshua’s retirement wasn’t simply a well-merited reward for his decades of exemplary service. Joshua was retired for the benefit of Israel! Why? When the people of Manasseh needed more land (Josh. 17), they hurried to Joshua and complained. Joshua told them, “Clear land for yourselves.” The Manassites argued, fearful because the Canaanites had chariots of iron. They wanted Joshua to fight their battles for them. But Joshua wisely said, “Though the Canaanites have iron chariots and though they are strong, you can drive them out.” That last phrase is the key. “You can drive them out.” It was time for Israel to stop depending on Joshua and to step out on their own. Manasseh, and all the other tribes, needed to trust God for themselves. Joshua’s wisdom in retiring is a lesson each of us needs to apply. We need to apply it as our children grow up, and especially when they leave home. We can encourage them. But we need to stop doing everything for them. Counselors need to apply the lesson in their relationship with counselees. Spiritual leaders need to apply it in their relationship with a congregation, an organization, or with disciples. There comes a time when each of us needs to step down and tell those we have nurtured, “You can drive them out. It’s time for me to retire. And time to learn what God can do for and through you.”
Personal Application
In what relationships do you need to retire and let others be responsible for themselves?
Quotable
“When God contemplates some great work, He begins it by the hand of some poor, weak, human creature, to whom He afterwards gives aid, so that the enemies who seek to obstruct it are overcome.”—Martin Luther
“So Joshua took the entire land” (Josh. 11:23).The Bible says that Joshua waged war against Canaan’s kings “for a long time” (11:18). God never said victory was easy. He only promises that victory is sure.
Definition of Key Terms
Destroyed.
These chapters repeatedly speak of destroying completely, or totally destroying, Canaanite cities and all their inhabitants. The reasons for this policy need restating. (1) The Canaanites were a wicked people whose religion and morals were corrupt. The war and its devastation were a direct divine judgment on the Canaanites for their sins. (2) The Israelites were called to a holy lifestyle. Any Canaanites left in the land would (and did!) corrupt Israel religiously and morally. The destruction of the Canaanites was intended as protection for God’s people. Joshua’s victories were complete, but he did not in fact exterminate all Canaanite peoples. Each Israelite tribe was to “mop up” any Canaanites left in the territory given to it. The failure of succeeding generations to carry out the divine policy of extermination led to the spiritual and national disasters that policy was intended to avoid. One final note. The various peoples who settled in Canaan represented larger populations than existed in other lands. God’s command to exterminate was limited to those living in Canaan, and did not involve extermination of an entire race.
Overview
The Gibeonites tricked Joshua into a peace treaty, which Israel honored (9:1–27). In a series of brilliant campaigns Joshua first crushed the southern (10:1–43) and then the northern (11:1–23) city-states of Canaan. The section concludes with a list of conquests (12:1–24).
Understanding the Text
“The men of Israel . . . did not inquire of the Lord” Josh. 9:1–27. The story of how the Gibeonites, who lived just a few miles from the Israelite camp, tricked Joshua into making a treaty is especially instructive. First, it reminds us of the importance of prayer. The Israelites examined the moldy bread and sour wine the Gibeonites presented as evidence that they lived outside of Canaan, and accepted their story without inquiring of the Lord. While you and I are to examine situations carefully before making decisions, we can’t rely on the evidence of our senses alone. We need to make important decisions a matter for prayer. Second, when the Israelites realized they had been tricked, they honored the “treaty of peace” they had made with the Gibeonites. Israel had made an oath and committed themselves. The fact that they were tricked did not invalidate the promise. We need to honor our word because we have given it. Whether others prove faithful or not, we are to be true to our commitments. Finally, God redeemed Israel’s mistake. The next chapter tells us that when other city-states in Canaan attacked the Gibeonites, Joshua came to the Gibeonites’ aid and struck the exposed enemy armies. When we are faithful, God can use even our mistakes to accomplish His purposes. “Five kings of the Amorites” Josh. 10:1–28. Five ethnically related kings of cities in Canaan’s hill country joined forces to punish the Gibeonites for making peace with Israel. Joshua responded immediately to a plea for help and, after an all-night march, surprised the Amorite forces. This was a great strategic victory, for the Amorite armies were caught in the open, outside the walls of their cities, where they could be more easily crushed. God’s intervention for Israel is seen in two circumstances. Hailstones killed many of the enemy. And the “sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day” so the slaughter of the Amorites could be completed. “So Joshua subdued the whole region” Josh. 10:29–43. The defeat of the Amorite forces left their southern strongholds undefended. Joshua immediately turned his forces southward, and crushed the major cities in that region. “They came out with all their troops . . . a huge army” Josh. 11:1–23. The northern city-states joined forces and gathered a huge army, which included a large chariot force. Josephus reports that this army had 300,000 foot soldiers, 10,000 cavalry, and 20,000 chariots! The word “suddenly” describing Joshua’s attack may intimate what happened. In biblical times chariots, often a decisive weapon in battle, were disassembled for transport over hills to the battlefield, and were reassembled there. It is possible that Joshua attacked the enemy before the chariots could be put back together and deployed. Whatever element of tactics was involved, “the Lord gave them [the enemy] into the hand of Israel.” We are to fight wisely, but the outcome of the battle is still entirely up to the Lord. “Hamstring their horses and burn their chariots” Josh. 11:6. Why was Joshua told to destroy the captured war material of the enemy? Most likely because Israel was to depend on God, not on military strength. Because Joshua did depend on God, this command was obeyed. “These are the kings of the land” Josh. 12:1–24. Most scholars believe that the Conquest, described so graphically in these chapters, actually took about seven years to accomplish. When total victory had finally been won, Joshua carefully listed the 31 Canaanite city-states that he defeated. Israel could look back on this impressive list and be encouraged. God, who had promised victory, had kept His word. Surely God could be trusted for victory in battles yet to come. In a series of brilliant campaigns Joshua first conquered central Canaan, splitting the land in two. (1) He then turned south and subdued that region. (2) Finally he attacked and crushed major northern strongholds. (3) His divide-and-conquer strategy, his tactics of all-night marches and surprise attacks, are still studied in modern military academies.
DEVOTIONAL
The All-Night March(Josh. 10)
I remember all too well how she used to sit there at the table, waiting for God to act. “I really want to serve God,” she’d say. And I think she meant it. But even when opportunities came—an invitation to teach a Bible study, a call from a friend who asked her to visit—she’d wait. “I can’t do anything on my own,” she’d say. “I have to wait till God tells me to go. I have to wait till I see Him act.” Of course, my friend had never met Joshua. Or watched Joshua put his faith into action. If she had, she might have been surprised. Joshua wasn’t the kind of person to wait around. Yes, he knew how important it was to listen for and to obey God’s voice. But Joshua also knew that in most situations a person has to use ordinary judgment. That’s what happened when Joshua received word from Gibeon that a combined Amorite force was attacking their city. Joshua didn’t say, “I’d better wait till God acts.” He got his army together, commanded an all-night march, and the next morning took the enemy by surprise. And then God intervened, joining in the battle by hurling hailstones on the Amorites and by causing the sun to stand still. Joshua’s all-night march had put him in the very place he needed to be for God to act. Sometimes we’re unrealistic in our expectations. We sit still and want God to act for us. The fact is that God usually acts only after we have demonstrated a faith like Joshua’s. It’s after that all-night march, when the battle is joined, that God acts. So the next time you have an opportunity to serve—to teach a class, to counsel a friend—don’t wait. Seize the opportunity. And expect God to act when you’re actually serving. That’s the place you need to be for God to work through you.
Personal Application
When opportunities to serve come, take them!
Quotable
“You can measure what you would do for the Lord by what you do.”—T.C. Horton
This is my personal collection of thoughts and writings, mainly from much smarter people than I, which challenge me in my discipleship walk. Don't rush by these thoughts, but ponder them.
Milo 