Milo

FEBRUARY 16

Reading 47

VICTORY, THEN DEFEAT Joshua 6–8

“When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city” (Josh. 6:20).Obedience to an obviously foolish command brought Israel victory and taught a vital lesson. The key to winning is doing everything God’s way.

Definition of Key Terms

Devoted.

The Hebrew word is used of items which are dedicated to God, and thus cannot have any common or secular use. When the Israelites “devoted” an enemy city to God, they killed all its inhabitants and herds, and either burned all its wealth or brought it to the tabernacle as a gift to God. In this passage Jericho, the first of the pagan cities of Canaan to be attacked by the Israelites, was so devoted. This meant that no soldier was to take any loot for himself, a proscription which one man, Achan, defied with terrible consequences.

Overview

Israel obeyed God’s command and successfully assaulted Jericho (6:1–27). But the sin of one soldier, Achan, caused defeat at Ai (7:1–21). Achan was executed (vv. 22–26). With the sin purged, Ai was taken (8:1–29). A solemn religious ceremony reminded Israel to keep God’s Law (vv. 30–35).

Understanding the Text

“March around the city” Josh. 6:1–27. Jericho was a walled city. Excavations there reveal that its fortifications featured a stone base wall 11 feet high. At its top was a smooth stone slope, angling upward at 35 degrees for 35 feet, where it joined massive stone walls that towered even higher. In ancient warfare such cities were surrounded and starved into submission, or were taken by assault. The attackers might try to weaken the stone walls with fire or by tunneling. Or they might simply heap up a mountain of earth to serve as a ramp. Each of these methods of assault took weeks or months, and the attacking force usually suffered heavy losses. God’s command to Joshua—to have the people march silently around Jericho for six days, and then after seven circuits on the seventh day to shout—was strange indeed. Yet Joshua followed His instructions to the letter. When the people did finally shout, the massive fortifications crumbled, and Israel won an easy victory. The victory at Jericho was orchestrated to teach several lessons. Most important was that obedience, even when God’s commands seem foolish, brings victory. The miraculous victory also confirmed Joshua’s leadership. And it showed that God would surely fight for Israel in the battles ahead. Each of us needs a Jericho at times. But Jericho victories are won only when obedience is complete. “Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute” Josh. 6:25. Rahab’s belief in Israel’s God, shown when she hid two Israelite spies (Josh. 2), was rewarded. She and her family were spared when Jericho fell. God still singles out believers when nations fall. See Ezekiel 18. “They were routed by the men of Ai” Josh. 7:1–9. Ai, a small city above Jericho, defeated the 3,000 men Joshua set against it, killing 36 of the Israelites. The defeat panicked Joshua. As a good general, Joshua knew that a terrified army had little chance on the battlefield. Victory at Jericho had led to Joshua’s “fame [being] spread through the land” (6:27). Joshua feared that news of the defeat at Ai would give heart to the Canaanites, and that they would unite and crush Israel. Fear is never very far from any of us. Even when we have experienced God’s blessing, as Joshua had, we’re prone to forget if some setback comes. Looking back and remembering what God has done for us brings comfort. Looking ahead and worrying about what might happen is both foolish and useless. “Israel has sinned” Josh. 7:10–21. When Israel was defeated at Ai, Joshua foolishly focused on the possible consequences. His prayer (vv. 7–9) clearly reveals his panic and worry about what might lie ahead. God’s next words to Joshua put a new perspective on the situation. “Israel has sinned.” Joshua was not to worry about possible consequences of defeat, but to look for the cause of defeat. Why Israel lost the battle was far more important than what the loss might mean in terms of enemy morale. When we experience a setback, it’s better for us too to look for the cause than to worry about consequences. If we examine ourselves and find no known sin, then we can advance with confidence. If we do find sin, even unintentional sin, we need to deal with it immediately. In this case, Joshua apparently used the Urim and Thummim worn by the high priest to locate the man who had sinned. That man, Achan, then confessed to taking loot from Jericho even though he knew the city was devoted to God. The cause of the defeat was known. The sin then had to be dealt with. “All Israel stoned him” Josh. 7:22–26. Some have expressed shock that Achan’s theft merited the death penalty. But it was not for theft that Achan was stoned. His sin had caused Israel’s defeat and the deaths of 36 men at the hands of the enemy. Achan was stoned because he “brought this disaster” on his people. This event reminds us of an important reality. Anytime we sin we affect others. Like a stone tossed in a quiet pond, the ripples of human sins go on and on, disturbing not only our own peace but also the peace of others. Before we sin knowingly we should pause and consider how our act might affect others who love or depend on us. But why was the family of Achan also stoned? Perhaps the best answer is seen in Achan’s confession that he hid his plunder “inside my tent.” The rest of the family shared his guilty secret, and thus became responsible as well. “I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land” Josh. 8:1–29. With the cause of Israel’s defeat dealt with, God granted His people total victory over Ai. The city with its people were wiped out, fulfilling God’s command to either drive out or destroy all the Canaanites, whose idolatry and other sins merited this punishment. “Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar” Josh. 8:30–35. After the victory at Ai Joshua fulfilled a command given by Moses (Deut. 27). He set the people on two opposing mountainsides, and after sacrificing to the Lord had them shout aloud the curses (disastrous consequences) of disobeying God’s Law. How powerfully that message was driven home to the men and women who had experienced defeat at Ai, had participated in stoning Achan, and had then seen defeat transformed into victory.

DEVOTIONAL

Perspective (Josh. 6) Imagine yourself standing on the wall at Jericho. Put your hands on one of the massive stones in that wall, lean out, and look down from the dizzying height. Then look out and watch those crazy Israelites. For six days they’ve marched, without a word, around your city. The first day, when you saw them coming, you and all your friends were terrified. You remembered all the stories about them and their God, and you trembled. When they didn’t mount an assault, but just walked silently around your six-acre fortress, everyone was worried. You all sat up most of the night, talking, wondering what their plan was. Then, the next day, they did the same thing. The third day they marched around Jericho you began to feel a little better. Maybe there wasn’t a plan, after all. The fourth day, everyone felt relieved. You patted the walls, felt the solid rock, and began to feel safe. The fifth day, and the sixth, everyone was feeling bold. You began to shout insults. You laughed and ridiculed. Of course you were safe! How could anyone break through Jericho’s walls? How could you all have been afraid of this band of barbarians, these desert wanderers who lived in tents, who had no idea at all how to attack a fortress like yours! And so the fear you once felt turned to relief, and the relief to contempt. Those crazy Israelites. Let them march all they want. What can they do to you? Nothing! Nothing at all. I suspect that Christians often look foolish to the people of the world. We march to a different drummer. We obey the commands of a hidden God. In a real sense we’re outsiders, not insiders. It’s not surprising if we seem a little ridiculous to the people of this world. If you ever feel foolish for a stand you take as a Christian, remember that today is only the first day, or the third, or the sixth, of your march around Jericho. It’s not until the seventh day comes, and this world crumbles like Jericho’s walls, that those who have truly been foolish will be revealed.

Personal Application

No matter what others think, it is never foolish to obey God.

Quotable

“What else do worldlings think we are doing but playing about when we flee what they most desire on earth, and what they flee, we desire? We are like jesters and tumblers who, with heads down and feet in the air draw all eyes to themselves. . . . Ours is a joyous game, decent, grave, and admirable, delighting the gaze of those who watch from heaven.”—Bernard of Clairvaux

Joshua

FEBRUARY 15

Reading 46

READYING FOR CONQUEST

Joshua 1–5“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the Law My servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go” (Josh. 1:7).

Sensing God’s presence gave Joshua and the Israelites the courage they needed to move ahead. That same sense of “God with us” is the key to our spiritual victories today.

Background

When Israel invaded Canaan around 1400B.C, the land was populated by a number of different peoples, organized in relatively small city-states. Yet many of the cities were protected by massive walls. The people were used to war, and some states maintained war chariots, the tanks of the ancient world. Though the city-states were independent, and had often warred with each other, cities in the north and south united to resist their common enemy, the Israelites.

Overview

God encouraged Joshua, Moses’ successor (1:1–9). Joshua mobilized Israel to prepare militarily (v. 10–2:10) and spiritually (3:1–5:15) for the invasion of Canaan.

Understanding the Text

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you” Josh. 1:5. Joshua had been the aide of Moses from the beginning. He led Israel’s army from the first (cf. Ex. 17:9–13), a fact that has led some to suppose that Joshua had served as an officer in the Egyptian army. This is possible, as Egyptian texts listing soldiers with Semitic names have been recovered by archeologists. More important, Joshua was one of the original spies sent into Canaan some 40 years before. At that time only he and Caleb urged Israel to invade, sure that God could guarantee victory despite the military superiority of the Canaanites. Thus Joshua’s credentials, both as a military and spiritual leader, were well established. Perhaps, however, the greatest advantage Joshua had was to have served under Moses. He observed both that humble man’s commitment to the Lord, and God’s commitment to Moses. When God promised, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you,” those words must have brought great assurance. Each of us needs a relationship with someone who can serve as a model. We each need to see in others both faithfulness to God, and God’s faithfulness to them. “Be strong and courageous” Josh. 1:1–9. Note particularly God’s repeated words of exhortation and encouragement.

Exhortation	Encouragement
Be strong, courageous	I will be with you
Be careful to obey	I will give to you
Meditate on the	I will never leave
Book of the Law	I will never forsake
Be careful to do it	You will prosper, and succeed
Do not be terrified	God will be with you
Do not be discouraged	wherever you go

In just these few verses, Scripture sums up the way to victory in any situation we may face. “Get your supplies ready” Josh. 1:10–18. Joshua took immediate steps to prepare Israel militarily. His first step was to have the people check their supplies and organize for a river crossing. The people prepared too—by agreeing to obey Joshua as their commander. The next step that Joshua took was to send spies to check out Jericho. “Everyone’s courage failed” Josh. 2:1–24. Jericho was a walled city that controlled passes leading up into Canaan’s central highlands. Two spies who slipped into the city were sheltered by Rahab, a prostitute who very likely, as was quite common in those days, operated an inn. Rahab hid the spies and asked them to spare her life when Israel took the city. The New Testament looks back on Rahab’s act and commends her for this act of faith. James says, “Was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?” (2:25) The incident shows us that in Old Testament times as well as today people of any nationality who trusted God could find salvation. It also reminds us that our past does not stand in the way of a personal relationship with God. It was not the good life Rahab had lived that saved her, but her active faith in Israel’s God. “The Lord will do amazing things among you” Josh. 3:1–17. The first element in Israel’s spiritual preparation for the Conquest was clear evidence of God’s continuing presence. This evidence was provided when the river waters ceased flowing as soon as the priests who carried the ark of the covenant set foot in the river. Joshua displayed faith in announcing ahead of time that this would happen. When it happened as he said, Israel’s confidence in both God and Joshua deepened. God often gives us some special sign of His presence when we set about a difficult task. It’s not wrong to ask God to encourage us with an answer to prayer, or some other sign of His presence. “These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” Josh. 4:1–24. The Hebrew word for “memorial” is zikkaron. This is a technical theological term for a thing, place, or repeated event intended to serve as a vivid reminder of some act of God on behalf of His people. For instance, the Passover festival was a zikkaron. Those who shared the Passover meal relived the experience of the Exodus generation. Each family sharing that meal realized that God had delivered them, not just their ancestors. The heap that Joshua formed from the 12 stones taken from the Jordan River was to be a symbol to future generations. When “in the future” children ask, “What do these stones mean?” parents were to tell the story of how God caused the river to stop flowing. Touching and feeling these stones would help make history—and God—real to future generations. Note Joshua’s words of dedication when the heap of stones was set up at Gilgal. God had dried up the river as He earlier dried up the Red Sea, “so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God” (v. 24). 15: Joshua commanded one man from each tribe to bring a large stone from the Jordan riverbed to Israel’s campsite. The 12 stones were then heaped in a pile. That heap of stones served as a zikkaron, a permanent reminder to Israel that God parted the waters of the Jordan so His people could enter the land. “These were the ones Joshua circumcised” Josh. 5:1–9. Male circumcision is cutting off the flap of skin that covers the penis. During the years of wandering in the wilderness, the Israelites failed to circumcise their children, as they failed to obey other commands of the Lord. Now, before setting out on the Conquest, God told Joshua to have the Israelites perform this rite. Modern medicine has shown circumcision to have a number of health benefits. But in Israel it served a religious rather than public-health purpose. Circumcision was given the descendants of Abraham as a sign of their participation in the covenant of promise that had been given to him. Among the promises given Abraham was a commitment to free Abraham’s descendants from slavery and to give them “this land . . . the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites” (Gen. 15:7–21). Circumcision, at this critical juncture in history, was an act of faith claiming God’s ancient promises. While the Book of Joshua stresses obedience, that obedience was rendered by those who had a faith relationship with God. Circumcision speaks of faith, not Law. Only the person with faith in God has any claim to His aid. “The Israelites celebrated the Passover” Josh. 5:10. This was the final act of spiritual preparation: remembering God’s provision. When we put the sequence together we find a prescription for spiritual readiness: Sense God’s presence. Set up reminders. Reaffirm faith. And celebrate what God has already done. “The manna stopped” Josh. 5:10–12. From now on Israel would live by faith, not sight. The manna now ceased. No fiery pillar would lead. Daily, visible evidence of God’s presence would be absent for the first time in the memory of many of the Israelites. Yet the people under Joshua would trust and obey God. Seen or unseen, God is with His people. We can trust Him to lead us to victory.

DEVOTIONAL

When Knowing Isn’t Enough(Josh. 2)

Rahab’s confession was stunning. “The Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.” This pagan woman, a prostitute, had heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea. She’d heard of Israel’s victory over kings east of the Jordan. And she had drawn a simple conclusion. “The Lord your God is God.” What’s even more striking is Rahab’s report, “When we heard of it, our hearts sank and everyone’s courage failed.” All the people of Jericho had the same information. And all of them drew Rahab’s conclusion. “The Lord your God is God.” The difference is that the people of Jericho decided to hold out anyway, while Rahab determined to commit herself to the God of the enemy. I suspect that many today who are not believers share the conviction of the people of Jericho. They too know that “the Lord your God is God.” But somehow they remain enemies. They erect walls, not of stone, but of good works, of excuses, of ridicule, of belief in evolution, or even of religion, and desperately try to hide behind them. They know. But knowledge alone cannot save. Rahab teaches us the difference between knowing God as an intellectual act and knowing God personally. What Rahab did was to act on her knowledge that “God is.” Rahab was willing to commit herself completely to God, sure that otherwise she had no hope. How good to have made Rahab’s choice. How good to have made our knowledge of God a stepping-stone to a decision to trust ourselves to Him. How good to know that we too are now safe.

Personal Application

How might the story of Rahab help a friend or relative who knows, but hasn’t yet chosen to trust God?

Quotable

“God is more anxious to bestow His blessings on us than we are to receive them.” —St. Augustine

Joshua

INTRODUCTION

The book takes its name from Joshua, who replaced Moses as Israel’s leader. Moses had led the people of Israel out of Egypt to the border of the land God promised to give Abraham’s descendants. Joshua commanded the forces that would conquer Canaan. The Book of Joshua tells the story of that Conquest and covers a period from about 1400 to 1375 B.C.

This is the first of several books that give Israel’s national history from the time of Joshua to the Babylonian Conquest in 586 B.C. It is also a book with a message. Canaan is God’s gift to His people. But that gift can only be claimed and held by obedience. Disobedience assures defeat.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS

I.	Preparation for War	Josh. 1–5
II.	The Military Campaign	Josh. 6–12
III.	The Division of the Land	Josh. 13–21
IV.	Joshua’s Call to Commitment	Josh. 22–24

January 31
TURN YOUR EYES UPON JESUS
Words and Music by Helen H. Lemmel, 1864–1961
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
I’ve seen the face of Jesus … It was a wondrous sight!
Oh, glorious face of beauty, Oh gentle touch of care;
If here it is so blessed, what will it be up there?
—W. Spencer Walton
In our fast-paced daily life, how easy it is to get caught up in the “things of earth” so that eternal values become blurred and almost forgotten. As we conclude the first month’s journey through this new year, we need today’s hymn to remind us that we must continue to make Christ the central core of our lives—to pursue the Kingdom of God and His righteousness—if we are to be victorious believers.
In 1918, Helen Howarth Lemmel, the author and composer of this hymn, was given a tract by a missionary friend. As she read it, Helen’s attention was focused on this line: “So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face, and you will find that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness.” She related:
Suddenly, as if commanded to stop and listen, I stood still, and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus of the hymn with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to note to make melody. The verses were written the same week, after the usual manner of composition, but none the less dictated by the Holy Spirit.
Since that day, Helen Lemmel’s hymn has been translated into many languages and used by God to challenge believers around the world with the necessity of living devoted lives for His glory.
O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free!
Thru death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; over us sin no more hath dominion—For more than conq’rors we are!
His word shall not fail you—He promised; believe Him, and all will be well: Then go to a world that is dying, His perfect salvation to tell!
Chorus: Turn your eyes upon Jesus; look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

For Today:

Isaiah 45:22; Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1–4

Purpose to enjoy more fully the fellowship of Christ now and throughout the remainder of this new year. Let these words remind you to face each situation with confidence—
F

January 30
TAKE THE NAME OF JESUS WITH YOU
Lydia Baxter, 1809–1874
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:17)
“What’s in a name?” This was the probing question asked by Romeo in Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. Christians have long realized that the whispered name “Jesus” can bring comfort and cheer to someone suffering or bereaved, and it can bring joyful hope to the fearful or depressed heart.
The writer of this hymn text knew well the meaning of that special name “Jesus”. Although Lydia Baxter was a bed-ridden invalid much of her life, she remained continually cheerful and patient. “I have a very special armor,” she would tell her friends. “I have the name of Jesus. When the tempter tries to make me blue or despondent, I mention the name of Jesus, and he can’t get through to me anymore.”
“Take the Name of Jesus With You” was written by Mrs. Baxter on her sick bed just four years before her death in 1874 at the age of 65. Throughout her lifetime she was known as an avid student of the Bible who loved to discuss the significance of scriptural names with her friends. She would inform them that Samuel means “asked of God,” Hannah—“grace,” Sarah—“princess,” and Naomi—“pleasantness.” But the name that meant everything to Lydia Baxter was the name “Jesus.”
This hymn was used often during the Moody-Sankey evangelistic campaigns in the latter part of the 19th century. These words are still a comforting reminder of the peace and joy that result as we carry His precious Name throughout this life, and of the “joy of heav’n” that awaits us.
Take the name of Jesus with you, child of sorrow and of woe; it will joy and comfort give you—Take it, then, where’er you go.
Take the name of Jesus ever, as a shield from ev’ry snare; if temptations round you gather, breathe that holy name in prayer.
O the precious name of Jesus! How it thrills our souls with joy, when His loving arms receive us and His songs our tongues employ!
At the name of Jesus bowing, falling prostrate at His feet, King of kings in heav’n we’ll crown Him when our journey is complete.
Chorus: Precious name, O how sweet! Hope of earth and joy of heaven.

For Today:

Proverbs 18:10; John 1:12; Acts 4:12; Philippians 2:9, 10

Breathe the name of Jesus often as you go about your daily tasks, letting Him share each concern or blessing that comes your way. Carry this musical reminder with you for today and the days ahead—