GOD'S WORK

The Bible is a book about God and His purposes and His ways.  There are people mentioned, of course, but the focus is God.

As I read through Joshua now, I see this focus clearly.  The Israelites are receiving what God promised Abraham in God's covenant with them.  They were to receive three things--relationship with God, many descendants, and a great land.  They had received all by this time in the Bible except the promised land, and we see this happening in the book of Joshua.

Chapter 6 is the initial conquest, which is the city of Jericho.  God gives them the plan, and it is not like any war plan any military leader would come up with.  Israel was to march around the city for 7 days, each of the first six days, one time, while blowing a trumpet (shophar).  Then they would go back to their camp.  However, on the seventh day, they were to march around the city seven times, and then when the signal was given, shout.  The walls then were to fall down and they were to go into the city and fight.

And the plan worked. On the seventh day, they went into the city and wiped out everyone in the city, including the animals.  This was a ban the God had put on the city.  Israel was to take no spoils but to destroy everyone/thing, except for metals and what would not burn.  These were then to be given to the treasury of the Lord.

Rahab, the woman who had saved the spies earlier in Joshua, was spared along with her family that had gathered in her house during the siege.  This was promised to her that they would be spared, as she had asked.

What do we find in Joshua 6?  Remember first that in the last of chapter 5, the "commander of the army of the Lord" had met with Joshua.  Did he give instructions then to Joshua?  Did he appear to lead Joshua, implying that this place was "holy ground," that is, dedicated to God (thus the ban on the people and things found there)?

One thing we note--for the walls to fall down like this (trumpet and shout), it had to be a work of God.  This was not, and still is not, military planning.  It was not the superior forces of Israel for this to happen, and it is not just coincidence that it happened when it did (even if an earthquake occurred or some other physical phenomena).  The timing was God's--the work was God's--it was God's doing, not Israel's doing.  God gave the plan in advance--and then He followed through on His plan--proving His Word would occur. 

The ban--the killing of everyone--a tough situation--not something telling Israel that this would be a principle for all time or every battle, though it did occur in Canaan.  They were to wipe out the people and things that related to worship of other gods there.  Part of that was the sin of the Canaanites (see references in your reference or study Bible).  Part of that was protection for Israel as they moved in, that they would not go after false gods.  (However, they didn't follow God's instructions, and they dealt with going after false gods all the time they were in the Promised Land.)

This ban was for a certain time and place--not a principle for all time--not an ethnic cleansing, since some were spared (not only Rahab's family, but the Gibeonites later in Joshua).  God has the power, as God to create, to destroy, as He is creator but also judge.  And only God sees perfectly--no person ever does.  And as Sovereign, He is God over all.

Gold, silver and other things were given to the treasury to prevent greed on the part of the people and also to help with building a Temple later on as well.

So this was a work of God.  God's work is to be done God's way.  Even when it sounds totally illogical (Are you smarter than God?) or not the way you or any person would do it.  But in this way, God got the credit for it.

However, word got around at the end about Israel, their God, and Joshua. "So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land." (NIV)  It proved to Israel that God was with Joshua as God had been with Moses, thus making his leadership more trustworthy in their eyes.  But the word also got around the Promised Land about the invasion of Israel, and the fear grew among the people who lived there.  (Remember what Rahab had said earlier when the spies came, that people were in fear of this nation.)

What situation are you facing that you have trouble believing God can do it?  Or maybe God is saying something about the situation, but to you, it doesn't make sense.  Who you going to trust--God or yourself?  Is God getting the glory in your life for things that are happening or are you getting the glory?  What walls in your own life need to come down, so you can trust God more fully?