The Old Testament reading had so many truths in it for me today!
- Even if we hide our sin, it can have massive consequences. And those consequences have the potential to be far-reaching beyond our own life!
- "All" Achan did was hide some plunder that he kept from Babylon. He even hid it so well, buried some under his tent even. No one would ever know, yet it resulted in 36 warriors killed and "The Israelites were paralyzed with fear at this turn of events, and their courage melted away." Joshua 7:5.
- God can take our sin and not only turn it to good - but leverage it to bring about His glory!
- "5 When our main army attacks, the men of Ai will come out to fight as they did before, and we will run away from them. 6 We will let them chase us until we have drawn them away from the town. For they will say, ‘The Israelites are running away from us as they did before.’ Then, while we are running from them, 7 you will jump up from your ambush and take possession of the town, for the Lord your God will give it to you. 8 Set the town on fire, as the Lord has commanded. You have your orders.” Joshua 8:5-8
- God used the very fact that the men of Ai defeated the Israelites once to bolster their confidence and leave their town unprotected. He used this to His own benefit as a means to defeat the men of Ai.
- God still pours His blessings on us even when we don't deserve it.
- 27 Only the livestock and the treasures of the town were not destroyed, for the Israelites kept these as plunder for themselves, as the Lord had commanded Joshua." Joshua 8:27
- Achan's unauthorized holding of plunder from Babylon was sinful disobedience earlier in this reading, yet God still chose to allow them to keep plunder from the town of Ai. He still chooses to pour undeserved blessings on us!!
- Humans are sinful and we keep repeating our sin - we NEED Jesus!
- "14 So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath."Joshua 9:14-15. AGAIN, the Israelites depend on their own knowledge and abilities and make a decision without consulting God. Even still to this day - us sinful humans rely on our own investigation, knowledge, abilities etc even though we know that God is our best ally in wise decision making!
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage: Joshua 10-12, Luke 1:39-56
3 comments:
Good points. I like today's reading's last verse:
And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. - Luke 1:38
My prayer is that I will be the Lord's servant and do what He asks of me.
Great post!
Another point that ties into your mention of us repeatingly sinning and needed Jesus is right at the beginning of the reading. Joshua was frustrated and worried and he was complaining to God that life was better before they crossed the Jordan. It's so easy to forget how powerful God is and how he is always working for good.
I want a fearless faith that Mary expresses in the New Testament, rather than a "shakey" faith that is shown in the Old Testament
Great points!
I wonder if Achan actually thought he wouldn't be found out, and at what point he began to realize the gig was up. Our sin is never hidden from God and we are only fooling ourselves if we think we will never be called to account. So thankful for God's grace that is always there when we truly repent!
Amazed at Mary's faith! She asked how it would be possible for her to have a baby when she was a virgin, but that was it. She never asked "But what will Joseph think? My parents? Family? Neighbours? Can you tell them all?" She simply accepted it on faith.
Post a Comment