Translate This Page
06Jos004.mp3
Commentary
Joshua 4
In verse 7, there is specific emphasis on the Ark of the Covenant, that the waters of Jordan were cut off from before it. Verse 22 tells us that because the waters were dried up, the People were able to pass across the Jordan on dry land. The focus has shifted somewhat, and though it is subtle, it could have the greatest impact as time goes on. The People have been instructed to remember the 12 stones and that they mean exactly what is described; the waters were shut up before the Ark so that the People could cross the dry riverbed.
It is also written that the waters were at their highest during the harvest, and that the banks did overflow. This water was stacked up atop itself on either side of the place where the Ark was placed. There was no other place for the water to go. The banks were already overflowing, and water of that volume could well be enough to flood all of Jericho. It was not God's intention to overtake Jericho by way of flood. Surely this would have been an ideal time to lay siege to the walled city of Jericho. It was not God's plan to lessen the awesome glory of His handiwork. He wants to make sure that all the world will see completely impossible things being done by the hand of God.
Many of the nations at that time already knew that this power comes by God to protect the People, and to help them in their quest to the land of Canaan. They also know that God's hand will only proceed to deliver for the People when they remain obedient to the Law of God. It don't seem likely that the heathen nations knew a lot about this law that God had established with the People, but the laws must have been known in part, at least, because the People have been attacked with moral sin, and sin of sexual nature.
The way of sin is a quick death, untimely and not the way that God wants for us. From the beginning to now, and on into the future; the time that we know as now, and even until the end God has taught His people what is right and what is wrong. Let's not forget that when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge, this was exactly what they gained as a result. Knowledge of good and evil. Now that we know what is right, we must carry it out. Now that we know what is wrong, we must refrain from its practice. We are judged by our knowledge. Our entire fate rests in the hands of bloody and decadent, weak minded will of man, individually and as a whole.
We are humans of fragility. We are weaker than many of the other life forms on earth. What makes us stronger or even weaker is our minds, our wills, and our emotions. This place, this mind, will, and emotion is called the soul. The soul is the heart of man. The soul is what God wants to save from wickedness. Never-mind the body. Even though we first experience in the flesh our blessing or our curse, be sure that our soul has taken attack first, and is what's important to protect. We need only to choose well what we permit in our minds as truth. We need only to practice what will bring good to another soul. It was so difficult for humanity to distinguish from good and evil that we simply had no personal boundaries remaining in our moral fiber.
When God flooded the earth, He could have ended humanity once and for all. He did not. Instead, He had compassion and hope for man. He offered to saturate all of His time and effort in our reform. The real struggle here isn't obedience, or the lack of it. The most difficult thing to overcome is our own right to self-will. If we could only learn to submit our choices to God, and allow Him to execute His will instead of our own, we would be found in a much better position. The trouble is, self-will is ours and we cannot do away with it. We must learn to navigate our own will in a manner that is aligned with God's will for us.
It should be well appreciated that God is willing and actively offering knowledge of His will for us. Remember always that no matter what a person must endure, if that person is in the will of God, no harm can befall his soul. The body is nothing more than the "candy wrapper" for the soul. He has given us priceless examples of His will, and how we ought to behave. This example is found in many sources that we can scarcely see in the darkness of the world. God's gift above all gifts was His Son. The blood that He shed for atonement of our sins effectively cleanses us of the sin results and the damnation at the end. This does not, however, change that we still must render our will to His way, to His will, to His law. This willingness to do that which is good is what will result in blessings.
God don't actually have to reward us for doing good. The consequence of insubordination ought to be enough motivation for well doing. God wants to pour out blessings for us all the time, like a mother for her child. When we act in conflict with God's will, He will bring justice. This means that for a time, He must remove the beneficial blessings and replace them with damning curses. He is just, and can be no other way. We sometimes have difficulty associating our punishment with our crime, but it is certain that whatsoever we sow, we will reap. Maybe your life is turned upside-down and you don't even know why. Is there anything that God wants of you? Is there anything that you have neglected to do for God? Did you fail to perform His will in your life?
You see, God don't actually have to carry out a curse on our life when we are rebellious. If He simply removed all of His blessings from our lives, we would perish quickly. Everything that brings life is from God, and it is not a requirement that He continue to bless us with the air we breathe. He chooses to bless us even when we are in sin. This is because He has never stopped believing in us. He hopes that we will choose to return to a place of blessing. He hopes that we will come back to His way of life. This is for our own well-being. This is for our Promise Land. This is for life everlasting.
Saturday, February 20, 2010 1:16pm
