Translate This Page
Commentary
It is worth taking note here that every time the Lord led the People to victory, the law way reminded fresh for them, in fine detail, that which the Lord, God has commanded of them, that they make of themselves a great example of how a nation under the Almighty will live, act and behave. We are expected, or rather required to live holy lives. Holy means that we behave in a way that is set apart from all others for the purpose of bringing glory to God. What characteristics do you think Christians ought to have, that will cause a distinction between heathens and believers? What behaviors, lifestyles or ways do you think God would find pleasing; that will set us aside as holy?
We have learned repetitiously, as did the former Hebrew slaves of Egypt, what God requires of us in the law that He has established for us through Moses, as He trained us through our wilderness in life, to reach a land that we can practice holiness for all the world to see God's mighty hand of blessing and justice. Some would attribute a blessing in life as "lucky" or "coincidence". Some would not notice the blessing at all. In the same way, some would not esteem a curse as having anything to do with the wicked thing that has been done in the sight of the Lord. Joshua, like Moses made completely sure that the People knew and understood God's hand in all that had taken place. No victory would be so certain and complete as that which God has ordained. No defeat could ever be attributed to the cunning or skill of the enemy, as God will always leave His fingerprints in the way of His work.
Some of the things we have established so far in our Journey Through the Bible is that God must be given full acknowledgment of His work, and that none would ever stake a claim in it. The People had no skill to earn victory, neither did they earn it by their obedience to God. Surely we know that it's the mercy of God that sustains the People. Though they have improved substantially from the time of their slavery to now, they were still very far from an ideal nation under God. It was always so very easy to sway their dedication to the holy law, and adhere to the practices of the heathen nations. This is why we ought to not give up hope as we struggle to identify ourselves in Jesus' name.
It is only by the grace and the mercy of God that we partake of the blessing. Never regard a good time as "finally, everything is alright". Never regard bad time as "I'm having a bad day". It is always, always, always a result of our dedication to God, or the lack thereof. Every single detail of our lives can be learned from to lead us to a deeper dedication to that which we have learned, and opportunities to learn even more. The more we know, the more we are judged by what we know. However, the more we know, the more we can willingly apply to our love for God. His blessings are unfathomable, and none can explain it as a naturally occurring coincidence.
God has patience, and with hope we can let His word open our ears to hear, and our heart to receive. Let the transformation begin.
Saturday, February 27, 2010 7:00am
The Lord gives us promises. He also gives us instructions. These instructions come in the form of rules, laws, creeds, etc. We don't always need to know the why of things. Often times we don't know why until we exercise disobedience. Then, when we suffer needless circumstances, we catch a glimpse of why we were instructed otherwise.
Joshua was preparing to cross the Jordan river and enter into the promised land. In his preparation, God voiced His instructions and promises. Before we journey further into what happens later, I want to guess that the People will try ways that are not acceptable in the eyes of God, and will find out why their way will not work. God is not a mean and strict god that just wants to dictate and control humanity. He wants us to have life in abundance, just as Jesus has told us.
Don't be afraid of the strange people. Don't be afraid of the strange animals, or the strange plant-life. Don't be afraid of anything at all. "Be not dismayed", says the Lord. "I am promising you victory. This is your land, the land I have promised you."
God's way is different this time, and it makes sense because the circumstances and details are different. Additionally, we cannot follow the path of God systematically or methodically. We must follow Him with our whole heart. He wants us to love Him willingly, and to follow His way willingly.
Following the example from Joshua, when we overcome a situation in victory, after having followed the way of the Lord, we should honor Him by reminding ourselves what His commandments are, what His instructions are, and what He had promised us. We can rejoice in knowing He will never fail us, even though we have failed Him again and again. It doesn't have to take us 40 years wandering in our wilderness. It doesn't have to be for our "next generation". It is intended for us today. Let's follow His way and partake of His blessings. We have wandered long enough.
by G. Neil Armstrong
June 9, 2014 - 5:07 PM
