The victorious shouts of Jericho echoed in what now seemed like a distant past-life. The bodies of about 36 men lay dead, slaughtered by the enemy. These were the bodies of husbands, fathers, sons, and brothers. The fallout of the first failed battle lay heavy on the hearts of the people, and of Joshua. Birthed by defeat, death, and loss, all confidence, courage, and strength had fled from the hearts of God’s people. Just as the hearts of the Amorite and Canaanite kings had melted and they “no longer had the courage to face the Israelites” (5:1). So, the hearts of the Israelites “melted”, they felt fear and lacked the necessary strength and courage without God fighting their battles for them. The sin of one man, caused a sea of devastation to wash over the Israelite people.
The people were now grieving, hope was lost, despair was settling in as the hearts of people sank, they desperately needed a leader in this moment. They needed someone to stand! So, “The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up!” Now was the time, in the wake of Achans sin, in the wake of the tragedy associated to his sin, in the wake of hopelessness, in the wake of fear and despair, God boldly called out the leader he had chosen to stand!
They had just walked around the walls of Jericho, a strong fortified city. By simply walking, sounding a horn, and shouting, the walls of this great city were flattened. The Israelites rushed in and conquered the city with ease. But now a different wall stood before them. A wall that seemed so insurmountable, a wall not constructed by hands to protect a city, but a wall constructed by the brick and mortar of temptation and sin.
This wall stood firmly in place, preventing them from taking one more step across the land they had been promised. With hurt and hopelessness in their hearts, they lay there with their faces in the dirt and their voices toward God. God responds. The Lord calls Joshua to stand up, to lead the people, to call out the sin and tear down the wall. It was time for Joshua, and all of Israel to destroy from within the camp, what was detracting from God’s glory.
Likewise, we must do the same. There are things in our lives that are detracting from us giving the most honor and glory to God. It’s time for us to stand up, with Joshua and all of Israel, and destroy the brokenness from within, the walls constructed by selfishness within our souls, walls that are preventing us from taking another step forward in our faith, walls of sin. We must stand up, make things right with God, and destroy what is hindering us from a deeper and more intimate relationship with our Creator and Savior. If you do not destroy what detracts from your devotion to God, then the things you’re devoted to will destroy you! There is a stern warning in this account of scripture, but a bold call, and God-glorifying path forward. Through the pain of HIS grace and the might of HIS mercy, we can stand, destroy what hinders, make things right, and move forward in a right relationship with HIM.
The people were now grieving, hope was lost, despair was settling in as the hearts of people sank, they desperately needed a leader in this moment. They needed someone to stand! So, “The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up!” Now was the time, in the wake of Achans sin, in the wake of the tragedy associated to his sin, in the wake of hopelessness, in the wake of fear and despair, God boldly called out the leader he had chosen to stand!
They had just walked around the walls of Jericho, a strong fortified city. By simply walking, sounding a horn, and shouting, the walls of this great city were flattened. The Israelites rushed in and conquered the city with ease. But now a different wall stood before them. A wall that seemed so insurmountable, a wall not constructed by hands to protect a city, but a wall constructed by the brick and mortar of temptation and sin.
This wall stood firmly in place, preventing them from taking one more step across the land they had been promised. With hurt and hopelessness in their hearts, they lay there with their faces in the dirt and their voices toward God. God responds. The Lord calls Joshua to stand up, to lead the people, to call out the sin and tear down the wall. It was time for Joshua, and all of Israel to destroy from within the camp, what was detracting from God’s glory.
Likewise, we must do the same. There are things in our lives that are detracting from us giving the most honor and glory to God. It’s time for us to stand up, with Joshua and all of Israel, and destroy the brokenness from within, the walls constructed by selfishness within our souls, walls that are preventing us from taking another step forward in our faith, walls of sin. We must stand up, make things right with God, and destroy what is hindering us from a deeper and more intimate relationship with our Creator and Savior. If you do not destroy what detracts from your devotion to God, then the things you’re devoted to will destroy you! There is a stern warning in this account of scripture, but a bold call, and God-glorifying path forward. Through the pain of HIS grace and the might of HIS mercy, we can stand, destroy what hinders, make things right, and move forward in a right relationship with HIM.