11 March 2012 Joshua chapter 6-9
It amazes me how God tells us to do some pretty crazy things. Does God have us carry out crazy commands that are so far fetched to us that we have nothing else to say, but God did all of that? Look at some of the crazy things God has had people do.
. He asks Abraham to kill his own son Isaac….
. He asks Ezekiel to lay on his side for 390 days straight as a sermon illustration.
- He asked Noah to build and Ark in the middle of a desert.
- He asked Isaiah to walk around naked, exposed for 3 years to the shame of Israel.
- He told Jeremiah preached with wooden yoke around his neck like a mule.
- There are many more.
And that's just the tip of the iceberg. The sight turns from Jericho to BDA of the fight known as (Battle Damage Assessments) where you count your casualties and those of your enemies. Survey the land and the city you now occupy and collect your booty to the Lords house. The problem is a man called Achan. God told the people through Joshua not to take any booty from Jericho, but to burn everything. So Achan decided to take just a little bit of treasure for himself and hide it under his tent this got him and his family and animals stoned to death burned and then buried under a pile of rocks. Joshua 7:11 Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, they have also put them among their own things.
What I find intriguing is it was not Achan's sin, but all of Israel. It was similar to the battle between David and Goliath. You have David representing the Israelites nation and Goliath representing the Philistine nation so as the battle of champions went so went the war. It is the complete screenplay of Christ played out Romans 5: 1-19 which explains that Christ certainly came for all mankind, and that His death and resurrection from the cross which brought justification for ALL.
I remember when we had our home Percussion show for band there was a parent who was breaking the rules and refused to pay. It is my job to conform him and tell him he must pay or leave. He said "What are you going to do about it"? in my mind I wanted to backhand him, but what I said was "Look sir I don't know your name, nor do I need to you know why? Because I see the school jacket you wear and I know who you represent. It is not you sir who gets the black eye but your entire bands reputation takes the hit for your actions. I also know your band director and when I call him and tell him one of his parents were acting foolish all of your parents will be judged for it, so your right though I would love to physically remove you from here I'm not that stupid, The man then huffed but left the stands.
It is like we experience once in a while at church if someone says something to hurt another group, race, whatever? Then anyone visiting will feel hurt or uncomfortable with the situation, and in turn it will be Grace church that takes the hit not the individual.
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