Read Joshua 8
God does not condemn those who repent.
Israel turned from the sin of Achan and all was restored. The first words God
speaks to Joshua after this incident are encouragement, “Do not fear or be
dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I
have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land”
(v 1). According to the Lord’s command, Joshua rallies his troops. Rising early
in the morning, Joshua and his people go out to Ai. When the king of Ai saw
them, he advanced into battle. After such an easy victory the last time they battled,
Ai must have wondered why Israel would even try. Every man of Ai left in
pursuit of Israel. When Joshua’s men retreated, the men of Ai continued
advancing. They would not allow a mere retreat, giving Israel a chance to
attack another day. This day the victory would belong to Ai once and for all.
However, the king of Ai was unaware of the lynchpin of Israel’s strategy. An
Israelite ambush lay in wait. The ambush arose and set the empty city on fire.
They advanced from the rear, surrounding the men of Ai. What seemed like an
easy victory for Ai ended in a catastrophic defeat instead.
This time Israel followed the Lord’s
commands faithfully. This time God went with them into battle, claiming the
victory as His own. Joshua’s response shows that he knows it is God who brought
them into victory. Joshua builds an altar on Mount Ebal and sacrifices peace
offerings to Yahweh. He also inscribes the altar with a copy of the Law of
Moses. Here Joshua fulfills the command Moses had given while Israel was
wandering in the desert (Deuteronomy 27:4-6). All those in Israel are present
as witnesses. Joshua also takes this occasion to read aloud the Book of the Law
to the Israelites, another command given by Moses (Deuteronomy 31:12). They
have been reminded of the blessings and curses associated with the Law. They
have also been reminded of God’s promises. Though there is much land left to
conquer, this ceremony marks a shift in mindset for Israel. The land is theirs.
Here they will worship God and witness the fulfillment of His promises.
Prayer
and Journaling
1. Ask God to reveal His heart for you today.
Write down whatever you receive, even if you do not fully believe it yet. Thank
God for how he sees you and loves you!
2. Israel experienced victory at Ai because
they obeyed God’s directions. Ask God what directions He has for you today.
Commit to following through on whatever He shows you.
3. Pray for Christians in our area today. The
Bible is vital to knowing Him personally and obeying Him wholeheartedly. Ask
God to give Christians a burning desire to study and meditate on His Word. (You
can also pray this for yourself when reading the Word seems dry!)
