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A Lesson from the
Biblical Town of Ai MP3
Much of the Old Testament is a history of God's chosen people of
Israel. I suspect some people in the church read these accounts
and miss the deep spiritual lessons God has laced throughout them.
Take the separate accounts of Jericho and Ai. The children, under
the leadership of Joshua had just entered the Promised Land and were
following God's command to destroy all the current inhabitants of the
land of Canaan. The first encounter takes place soon after they
cross
the Jordan and see the hugely fortified city of Jericho with its high
walls and fierce warriors.
Notice the scriptures...
And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his
eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with
his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto
him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay;
but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on
his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my
lord unto his servant (Joshua 5:13-14)? The Living Bible renders the
latter part of verse 14 as "Joshua fell to the ground before him and
worshiped him and said, 'Give me your commands.' "
We have a servant of God, Joshua, confronted by a rather huge problem.
God had already instructed him to overcome all inhabitants of the land.
What does he do about this huge problem? He goes to God and asks
for His help and guidance to overcome the problem. God follows up
by giving him a rather intricate set of instructions which will result
in the destruction of Jericho. They carry out those instructions
and succeed...thanks to God.
What happens next?
The children of Israel move on and come up against the much smaller town
of Ai. Joshua sends out his scouts. We pick this story up in
Joshua 7...
And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth-aven, on
the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the
country. And the men went up and viewed Ai (Joshua 7:2). The scouts
soon return and the next problem was now identified. What did the
scouts recommend?
And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people
go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and
make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few (Joshua
7:3).
Wait a minute! With the huge problem, they went to God for
guidance. Now, facing a much smaller problem, they rely on their own
devices. They did not feel this important enough to bother God. Did God agree with them or was He about to make His point in
a most dramatic way? Notice...
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and
they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them
about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even
unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of
the people melted, and became as water. And Joshua rent his
clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD
until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their
heads (Joshua 7:4-6).
Here is the Living Bible version...
So approximately three thousand soldiers were sent-and they were soundly
defeated. About thirty-six of the Israelis were killed during the
attack, and many others died while being chased by the men of Ai as far
as the quarries. The Israeli army was paralyzed with fear at this turn
of events. Joshua and the elders of Israel tore their clothing and lay
prostrate before the Ark of the Lord until evening, with dust on their
heads.
Now clearly, if you are aware of the other story involved here, the men
were smote because of the sin of Achan, a man from the tribe of Judah
who had taken booty from the city of Jericho. God had commanded
that no one take anything from that city. Still, the children of
Israel had not gone before God prior to their attempt to take Ai.
They were relying on their own skills and strength. Had they gone
to God, He would have first informed them of the sin of Achan.
This situation would have been resolved and then God would have told
them how to take Ai. Indeed, this is
exactly what took place when, with rent clothing and dust on
their heads, they went to God to find out what they had done wrong.
He informs them of Achan and gives them instructions that resulted in
Achan being taken outside the camp, stoned and buried with his
possessions (Joshua 7:15-26). He then instructs them, in some
detail, how to take Ai (Joshua 8:1-29).
The Lesson for Us
As we go through our lives and as we go through the Salvation Process,
we will encounter problems and trials great and small. Don't go to
God with just the greater of your trials, the ones you feel you cannot
face alone. Rather, take ALL your problems and trials to Him.
Do not do anything in this life without going to Him for instructions
and guidance. Acknowledge God in all you do. Should there be
a sin involved, this too will be revealed to you by the power of God.
Going to God and acknowledging Him in everything invokes and maintains
the character element and Godly principle of Humility within us.
Only God knows what lies ahead. Even if we believe we are on a
winning streak, by consulting Him we are saved from grave mistakes or
misjudgments.
Take both your Jericho and Ai situations to Him.
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