God Is …
Gtcotr/ss050805
Today we will be reading from the book of Joshua Chapter 6
Key Scripture: Deuteronomy 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations
A few days ago I stood on a hill of dirt and rocks overlooking the Jordan River just North of the Dead Sea in Israel. Underneath my feet laid the historical ruins of the Old City of Jericho with its evident fallen walls and ancient secrets.
Some 3400 to 3500 years ago the children of Israel marched around this seemingly impregnable fortress. The people were forbidden by Joshua to make any sound with their voices for those initial six days but were told to follow the priests who signaled an approaching victory by blowing on their ram’s horn trumpets as they marched.
Joshua 6
8 … seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD advanced and blew the trumpets, and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them.
10 Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout."
Once each day for six days the people marched, quietly following Joshua’s orders. Then on the seventh day they were given new orders. Today they would circle the city not once but seven times and on the seventh time, when Joshua gave the signal and as the priest blew loudly on their trumpets, every person was to shout for the victory.
16 And the seventh time it happened, when the priests blew the trumpets, that Joshua said to the people: "Shout, for the LORD has given you the city!
That moment came and with their shout, the walls fell down and every man went straight up into the city and claimed the victory for God.
20 So the people shouted when the priests blew the trumpets. And it happened when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat. Then the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city …
25 … Joshua spared Rahab the harlot, her father’s household, and all that she had. So she dwells in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
Good deeds done for God and His people will not go unnoticed nor go unrewarded.
Our bible does not tell us the names of these two messengers whom Joshua had earlier sent to spy out Jericho. But these same two spies were now sent by Joshua into the city to retrieve Rahab and bring her and her family safely out of the city.
22 But Joshua had said to the two men who had spied out the country, "Go into the harlot’s house, and from there bring out the woman and all that she has, as you swore to her."
23 And the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab, her father, her mother, her brothers, and all that she had. So they brought out all her relatives and left them outside the camp of Israel.
Even though we are not given the names of these two spies, I would be willing to venture a guess that one of these young men’s names was Salma, the son of Nahshon, a prince of Judah. Why?
Because the first chapter of Matthew gives a historical account of the genealogy from Abraham to Joseph, the husband of Mary, mother of Jesus. In this genealogy we see that this same Rahab the Canaanite prostitute turned servant, protector and defender of Israel, later married an Israelite named Salma or Salmon as written in the N.T.
Rahab later bore a son named Boaz who in his old age married Ruth the Moabitess who had a son named Obed, who had a son named Jesse, who had a son named David who was the King of Israel, a man after God’s own heart.
You see, not only will God remember and reward those who do good deeds for Him and His people, but God will also visit good upon their descendents for generations to come “… even to a thousand generations.”
This story of Joshua and the children of Israel at Jericho, reminds us that:
God is
Patient
A God of Peace (gives every chance for surrender)
Persistent
A God of Commitment (unafraid to commit & work hard)
Purposeful
A God of Vision & Strategy (He makes plans to succeed)
If we are to be God’s people, we must also be:
A Patience People (Give peace a chance to work)
Don’t be rash, hasty, quick tempered, soon angry, short fused, reactionary or impatient.
With our family, children, friends, co-workers, enemies or even with ourselves.
Give every chance for time and the course of life to yield a peaceful conclusion before choosing force as your final option.
A Persistence People
Make Quality Decisions - Decisions that mean something
Swear to our own hurt and not change. (Psalms 15:4b)
Committed to our commitments
A good name is better than riches (Proverbs 22:1)
Dependable
We are only as good as our word.
A Purpose-filled People
Know where we are going in life
A people with a calculated future
Making things happen, not just letting things happen
Sure we can’t control everything, but we can affect so much with just a little forethought and planning
People of Vision & Strategy
If we don’t have the gift, get some counsel
With wise counsel make war (Proverbs 24:6)
There is safety in the multitude of counselors
Like the children of Israel we must be willing to place our lives, our fortunes and our futures in the hands of a patient, persistent and purposeful God. Perhaps this is what the Apostle Peter was exhorting us to do when he said:
1 Peter 5
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,
7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
8 ¶ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brothers in the world.
10 ¶ But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that you have suffered for a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Can you hear the priests blowing the trumpets - signaling the approaching victory --- wait --- be patient, God has a plan, He will succeed and you will taste the victory.
My dear brothers and sisters, believe me when I tell you that:
The journey is your friend!
