JOSHUA 8:1-29 RESTORED TO SERVE What are we to do after failure has taken its awful toll on us? How can we go ahead in faith after acting so grievously in the flesh? We need to remember that cleansing from sin and its ravages comes at a cost far higher than we are able to pay. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgives us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Our cleansing is real because "the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all sin." Lessons to be learned at such a time are that we must confess and forsake sin, not continue in it. When we have a fall, after dealing with it scripturally in our lives, and making restitution if that is necessary, and accepting God's forgiveness gratefully, then we need to rise up and move on. Repentance when genuine and forgiveness appreciated, will enable us to refocus our attention on God's will. There are times when such experiences, strengthens us by making is aware of our own insufficiency and God's unlimited strength.
What were the results of dealing with the sin that has affected the whole nation? They were given encouragement from God, 8:1. God promised His presence with them in battle, 8:1. Not only that, God assured them of His guidance and gave them the promise of victory He would accomplish through them, 8:2. Unlike the conquest of Jericho, the Israelites were given God’s permission to keep the spoils of battle for themselves, 8:2. A principle of life we should remember and take to heart: When we get rid of sin, and follow God’s plan – blessings follow.
Restoration leads us back to where, not only have we dealt with the problem, but to where we experience God's grace and love again and appreciate them more. Israel had tried to do God's work in their own strength and in their own way. Without divine direction and the guidance of the Holy Spirit all the way, to act on our own is going to fail. Now they were directed by God to go back and appear to make the same mistake and suffer the same humiliation. "The Lord said:" He gave the promise they needed. Recovering lost ground is not easy and it takes time. Thirty minutes of willful disobedience can result in thirty years of being out of blessing. When the Lord says, "Fear not, ...Be not dismayed," v.1: Then when we sin, we must confess your sins to God and forsake them. When you fail, refocus on God, deal with the problem and move on. God wants the lessons we learn from failures to make us better able to handle the same situation the next time around.
Joshua was told to take all the people of war, "Arise, go up." God gives strength for us to be cleansed, accept forgiveness and His strength. The only way to lose is to give up and quit. So, Joshua obeyed, arose and acted. They had been beaten but right away went about recovering lost ground. Joshua chose 30,000 men and commanded them to obey what was the mind of God. We can tell what kind of people we really are after the second and third attempt. Joshua was convinced and confident the plans of God were right and never questioned them in any way. That plan meant that some of them would openly flee from the combined force of Ai and Bethel for a distance. Humbling experiences deepens our awareness of our limitations and of our need of God. "Vain is man that trusteth in man." The feigned flight of a large part of the army before the enemy was needed for Israel's own learning. The were to carry out God's plan in His way. Purpose of heart and dependence on the Lord, are both needed in order for us to be successful in our calling.
A planned withdrawal and a pretended defeat were designed by God to teach His own people and to bring about victory over the enemy. The battle we are in is not won at the first sight of those who oppose the work of God or in the first Gospel effort we attempt. God is still on His throne and is still saving souls. We should not forget that fact. It is just that after a defeat, everything that opposes seems so formidable that we have a tendency to be timid rather than trusting. Recovering lost ground is one of life's most difficult problems. We must be very careful of anything that has a tendency to sidetrack us from the objectives of our lives. A vacation may be the time when we become entangled in some sins of the flesh that leads to some unholy practice. That in turn can cause us to lose our spiritual grip and power because we may seek to excuse our actions when were in a more casual situation. we need to hear the word of God and obey the written principles of His truth right away, and apply them vigorously in order to avoid disaster.
The instructions the Lord gave Joshua to conquer the significant stronghold of Ai were very clear. Take all of the people. Victory and unity go together in the things of God. "I have given" are the words that assured Joshua that the people, the king, the city of Ai and all the land, was theirs. This time instead of 3,000 the whole force of men was there to deal with this strategically positioned city. Some were for the ambush and some were for the bait. Joshua lodged among the people and rose up early in the morning. Joshua numbered the people and with the other elders with him, went up before the people and set them in order. The enemy was drawn out as the Lord, the Captain, had planned. The ambush worked and the burnt city was never rebuilt. The enemy was surrounded and totally defeated because God's people did what God said. In this battle the Israelites could keep the plunder as spoils of war. The idolatry of Jericho was of a nature that nothing could be kept lest it be made an idol again. Buried idols can always be dug up.
The strategy that the army was to follow called for discipline and order. The plans were precise and the details were given, and commanded, by the Lord. Obedience, knowledge and dependence on the Lord is fundamental to the Christian's life. This same pattern is followed by those who teach and practice military doctrine. The Lord said: "Stretch out thy spear," and Joshua obeyed and stretched out the spear and drew not his hand back. The principles of recovery were taught as soon as the lost ground was recovered. An unruly, uninformed, uncontrolled army is doomed to disaster. The leadership who had their faces to the ground in humiliation and confusion, was now going in front of a revitalized army of men under divine authority. Every leader needs to have experienced first-hand what he expects of those who follow him. The humiliating defeat taught Israel a lesson, and led to a victory which taught them another lesson. Setbacks occur, but they should not be allowed to keep us from doing God's will.
Anything that causes us defeat must be destroyed and the influence of it must be totally forsaken. When we face up to sin and what causes it, and deal with it scripturally, repent of it and forsake it; then we are forgiven and ready to move on in the strength of the Lord. Restoration is not just a private matter because it will be evident in a changed attitude and changed actions. There is no reason to allow the effects of sin to stop us permanently from going forward with God. Sin covered and left without being faced can ruin a person's whole life. Righteousness comes from submission to holy discipline carried out according to the word of God. Strength and purpose of heart leads to victory in the things of God, and leads to sacrifices that are acceptable to God, and genuine worship from His people.