Joshua 8:1-13
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By God’s Grace, We Can Recover From Defeat
By God’s Grace, We Can Recover From Defeat
Outline:
Part 1
Joshua 8:1-8 - God’s Instruction and Assurance
Joshua 8:9-13 - Israel’s Obedient Response
Part 2
Joshua 8:14-29 - Israel’s Victory over Ai
Joshua 8:30-35 - Israel Gives the Honor to God
Key verse: Joshua 8:1-2
I. God’s Instruction and Assurance (Joshua 8:1-8)
I. God’s Instruction and Assurance (Joshua 8:1-8)
A. God’s assurance of victory (v. 1)
A. God’s assurance of victory (v. 1)
Now the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.
God starts this chapter by reassuring Joshua not to fear. God is telling him not to be afraid and to be distracted.
Perhaps one of the biggest responsibilities of fathers is to REASSURE our children and to remove or lessen the fears in their hearts.
As the Leader and Father of the nation, Joshua was FEARFUL for his people. He is very much concerned for their welfare.
God our heavenly Father, is also concerned about the WELFARE of his PEOPLE.
The word Do not FEAR is repeated over and over again from Genesis to Revelation.
God said to Abraham - Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.”
Jesus said to the beloved disciples John - Rev. 1:17-18
When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
In Jesus we are assured of victory because He already conquered sin and death!
because the Holy Spirit lives in us (God with us)!
We need to be reminded of this truth.
Let us not live in fear of the unknown and of the future!
When we experience defeat and downfall such as
Frequent Quarrel sa Husband and wife (defeat)
Anak nga napariwara - lost and rebellious
Nawagtangan ug trabaho
Nasakit or namatyan
Wala nakapasar sa Board Exam
Nagbuwag sa Uyab
Remember that your heavenly Father knows, and sees what you are going through - He cares for you. Go to Him for comfort and for help!
God is near to the broken-hearted. Those who come to Him he will never turn away.
B. God’s Instruction How they will achieve victory (v.2)
B. God’s Instruction How they will achieve victory (v.2)
“You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall take only its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.”
God is telling Joshua to “try again”. This time, follow the instructions.
How many times have we failed and sinned because we did not follow instructions?
how many times we failed because we thought that we don’t need to include God in our plans and actions?
But when we fail and we fall down, we must try again and learn the lesson so you can avoid the same mistake and the same sin.
Failure brings valuable lessons that we should not forget.
The Apostle Peter learned from his failures - he did not stop following Jesus, instead he humbled himself, repented of his sins and served Jesus with His whole life - even gave his life.
For Joshua and the Israelites - they need to learn the lesson that God will not go with them if they have SIN in their midst, and that covering sin will not do them any good!
This is actually a lesson for us as well - when we cover sin, God will not be pleased and God’s favor will not be upon us! God will discipline us because He is a good Father.
God has given them an instruction / command in verse 2. This is very specific and it must be followed for them to avoid forfeiting their reward.
You shall destroy the king
You shall take cattle as plunder for yourselves (don’t be greedy like Achan)
Set-an ambush for the city behind it (strategy)
God’s Word has to be followed accordingly, with precision, with accuracy...
God’s Word is like a fence that guards us from being astray.
God’s Word when followed brings blessing.
God’s Word when rejected brings curse.
Do good to your servant according to your word, Lord. Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.
C. Joshua’s Instruction to the People (vv. 3-8)
C. Joshua’s Instruction to the People (vv. 3-8)
So Joshua rose with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose 30,000 men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night. He commanded them, saying, “See, you are going to ambush the city from behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.
“Then it will be when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do it according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.”
The Leaders have the responsibility to listen to God
When the Leader does not listen to God, the leader will listen to himself and to the voice of the world. When that happens, he will neve
The Leaders have the responsibility to clearly relay the instruction from God
II. Israel’s Obedient Response (Joshua 8:9-13)
II. Israel’s Obedient Response (Joshua 8:9-13)
They have learned through a hard and painful experience that their victory is dependent upon their Submission and Obedience.
They used a strategy inline with the instruction from God and avoided any compromise.
Joshua displayed leadership by example (vv. 9-10)
So Joshua sent them away, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people. Now Joshua rose early in the morning and mustered the people, and he went up with the elders of Israel before the people to Ai.
A Leader Lead (by example) - Joshua spent the night among the people (v9), He rose early in the morning and mustered the people, He lead at the front (v.10)
He communicated and instructed the people
A good church leader must know how to communicate the direction of the church.
A parent must know how to communicate the direction of the family.
They displayed unity (vv.11-12)
Then all the people of war who were with him went up and drew near and arrived in front of the city, and camped on the north side of Ai. Now there was a valley between him and Ai. And he took about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
- Working together, carrying one another, rebuking and encouraging one another.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
How important is unity?
They acted according to their roles and responsibilities (v.13)
So they stationed the people, all the army that was on the north side of the city, and its rear guard on the west side of the city, and Joshua spent that night in the midst of the valley.
Shared Responsibility
What is your Role?
Church Setting:
Giftings?
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
What do you love to do to serve?
What are you called / instructed to do?
What has God impressed unto you?