Renewed Victory And Commitment

by R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, U.K. | Category: Spiritual Lessons From Joshua | Jul 1985

PROGRESS in the work of God is achieved not only in spite of difficulties but often by means of them. Service to God is to be rendered in a world where the enemy has power and uses it in untiring and varied aggression against all that is done for God. This ceaseless opposition can have beneficial effects. God's servants are reminded in the story of Al of their inability to accomplish anything by their own strength, their needed dependence upon the Lord and of the necessity to cast themselves upon His ever-available help. Real strength to continue in arduous labour with joyful heart and to face every difficulty comes from the Lord. We are only made powerful in Him by putting on the whole armour of God (Eph. 6:10,11). No matter how formidable the obstacle, how numerous the hindrances, God's desire is for His servants to labour undeterred by adversity and opposition.

RESOURCES UNSURPASSED

The word of the Lord to Joshua was "neither be dismayed". This is the promise of victory. Israel's trust was not to be in their own power. All their resources lay in God, they derived from Him the power to enable recovery and overcome defeat. God could deliver their enemies into their hand. His power displayed earlier at the Jordan was the pledge and proof of all future victories. The land would not be gained and possessed without conflict, but God's unfailing presence, strength and nearness in the conflict was promised. "If God is for us, who is against us? He that spared not His own Son ... shall He not... give us all things?" (Rom. 8:31,32). Joshua was persuaded of the Lord's victory which nothing could nullify. For the people it required the injunction "watch ...stand...quit you like men, be strong" (1 Cor. 16:13).

WORKINGS OF GOD

As with Jericho the victory was in God's hand. Faith in His word would bring triumph. King, people and city were already defeated. On Israel's part the requirement was fearless faith. Such faith is still the secret source of success in overcoming the world and temptation (1 John 5:4). The obstacle was formidable but the command was imperative - they must advance in faith and leave the methods to God. They were to co-ordinate resources ("all the people") and were assured of a glorious outcome. In nothing affrighted by the adversaries and in nothing be anxious (Phil. 1:28, 4:6) are strong encouragement and comfort in all spiritual warfare.

Verses 4-29 of Joshua 8 recount a brilliantly conceived military engagement. The success of the operation is attributed to divine help. When the people of Israel became occupied with their enemy rather than God, "heaps of rubbish" (meaning of Ai) became mountains. They had become agitated as a result of defeat. But the grace of God is more than equal to difficulties. Stirring words of encouragement dispelled disconsolation and developed security and confidence in God. The service of God must not become mechanical and thereby devoid of spiritual power.

"Joshua arose". Delay in the path of obedience causes weakness. The campaign execution was in the hands of a military Commander-in-Chief of considerable age, at least seventy years old. His skill and rapidity reflect honourably on the God-given ability of this intrepid leader.

METHODS OF OPERATION

Unlike Jericho, there was no response of faith from an individual. Ai's days were numbered, its prosperity at an end. There was no appeal for mercy, no trust in the God of Israel. God does not always work by the same methods. With Jericho there was an open and public display of Israel's faith. It was a daytime operation. The city's occupants were hemmed in and a shout secured victory. At Ai there was much night time activity and an ambuscade; the city's people were drawn out into a fierce conflict. Self-trust and human confidence were the downfall of the first attempt. Now compliance with God's instructions was necessary. Having revealed to them God's will they had to move and act accordingly. Victory always lies in obedience to the will of the Lord. The work of the Lord cannot be done by carnal methods. Active forms of opposition to God's work and how they are overcome are instructive, for above and behind every hindrance are the "world-rulers of this darkness" and their "spiritual hosts of wickedness" (Eph. 6:12). We are not to be ignorant of Satan's devices (2 Cor. 2:11). Two spheres of God's work being impeded are (1) the anticipated and readily detected opposition from outside depicted in Ai and (2) the more subtle and disconcerting resistance inside the "household of the Faith" portrayed in the sin of Achan. The foes of God's people are alive to every opportunity of bringing God's work to a standstill. Their plans are to trap into compromise, strike terror into the heart, resort to cunning and intimidation. At first it may only be irritation and annoyance, then open hostility and smouldering hatred.

GOD'S POWER AND HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY

All the people ... went up (v.11). God gives "not a spirit of fearfulness; but of power and love and discipline" for the spiritual warfare (2 Tim. 1:7). His grace is all-sufficient, His strength being made perfect in weakness, always leading in triumph in Christ (2 Cor. 12:9; 2:14). They were contending for the

inheritance of the land of which "the Faith" may be seen as the New Testament counterpart. There was the endeavour of obedience in fellowship with each other in response to God's plan. There could be no complacency. The people had to "work out their own salvation" by following God's strategy (cf. Phil.

2:12,18).

The real power at Ai was the outstretched javelin - typical of the unremitting work and help of the Spirit of God. Joshua stretched out (v.18) and drew not back his hand (v.26), verses which speak of the exercise of faith in God's word and full commitment to it. The voice of victory had demoralized the inhabitants of Jericho and demolished its walls. The hand uplifted, signalling God's help, was everything, it confused the worldly wisdom and self-confidence of Al's king and people. Human power is futile, but there must be the whole heart (Ps. 119:2) in commitment to God's work.

Many lessons can be learned from Israel's second encounter at Ai. The principle of self-denial, so perfectly and fully exemplified in the Lord Jesus, is seen in the night preparations of Joshua and his men. Total co-operation was necessary in thwarting the enemy's attempt to regain the ascendancy. They had to possess what God had given (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4,5). There was no voice of dissent, no complaints or murmuring (see Phil. 2:14). The orderly arrangement of the fighting men and the people was impressive and in accordance with God's instructions.

THE THOROUGHNESS OF JOSHUA'S OBEDIENCE

Joshua had a detailed knowledge of God's plan and a determination to succeed by God's grace, together with a consciousness that God would have him do the work. He had unshakeable confidence in his Lord. There was no laxity. Forethought and vigilance, a vision of the greatness of the task entrusted to him, all contributed to his readiness to do God's will. He realized that the honour of the God of Israel was at stake.

Blessing follows and is dependent upon obedience. The word of God mapped out the strategy and gave strength to carry it out. Prosperity and success were assured in obeying the divine voice. They were not to deviate in the slightest degree. "It is written" is the decider in all matters (vv. 8,27- "according to the word of the Lord").

It is no vain effort to wait upon God. Human energy cannot overthrow strongholds of unbelief. Acting by faith and not impulse is vital. In following His will it must be in His time, and according to what He says.

Joshua's obedience was complete. Partial obedience is inadequate, halfway measures never achieve victory. God having revealed His will, full obedience gives spiritual power. Joshua had stood firm with Caleb when the rest of Israel had disbelieved the good tidings of the land. Canaan was in Joshua's heart. He had not forgotten the savour of the first-ripe grapes or forgotten the valley of Esheol. The fire of love still burned within him. It was not quenched or cooled by long and rugged service, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF RENEWED COMMITMENT

Praise followed victory. This was no momentary expression of gratitude. The distance from Ai to Ebal was considerable, probably around thirty miles. God's blessing and goodness vouchsafed to Israel could not pass without proper appreciation and thankfulness (v.30). Joshua's wisdom and leadership are noteworthy. The God whom he trusted implicitly had informed him that permanent visible monuments should be made which would witness to God's workings on the nation's behalf. On Mount Ebal Joshua erects an altar - an act of faith and worship in believing God's promise of the inheritance now reaching a further stage in realization. In compliance with Moses' injunction he builds and offers a sacrifice of praise to God (cf. Heb. 13:15). He typifies the Lord Jesus as our Leader into true liberty and the sphere of consecrated service and blessing.

There was no going back, no leaving the place of separation to God, no compromising with error, no alliances with those other than the people of God. "All the words of the law were read" (v.34). The nation was to be guided by the written law. The method holds good now. The conduct of the individual saint and the church of God corporately is conditioned by the instructions preserved in the New Testament. As then, so now, blessing accompanies obedience to the teaching of God's word.

So, the entire congregation solemnly covenanted themselves to obey and do

God's law, just as their previous generation had pledged forty years earlier.

This was their charter for Canaan. The same law bequeathed to the nation at

Sinai was still to be kept in Canaan. Herein was the secret of victory and the

conquering of sin. The lesson is surely clear for us today.

R.B. Fullarton, Innerleithen, U.K. | Jul 1985
Spiritual Lessons From Joshua