We should now be done Deuteronomy and well into Joshua by the end of the week. Officially here's this week's schedule (even though the week is half over... I hope you've been able to get it off of the FUEL handouts or the side column on the webpage):
Sunday: Psalm 16-18
Monday: Deuteronomy 32-34
Tuesday: Joshua 1-4
Wednesday: Joshua 5-8
Thursday: Joshua 9-11
Friday: Joshua 12-15
Saturday: catch-up day!!
Enjoy your catch-up day on Saturday. If you need to do a significant amount of reading to get caught up, schedule that time to do it as early in the day as possible. If you do not need to get caught up, use Saturday to review some thing that you've already read (for instance, some of the Psalms we've already read, or Deuteronomy 6 or Galatians).
Here's a brief introduction and some background information to the book of Joshua:
The five books of Moses anticipated the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham regarding the Promised Land. Now, through a string of military victories under Joshua’s command, Israel conquered the land and apportioned it according to their twelve tribes. In these battles it became evident that God fights for His people when they are “strong and courageous” (1:6, 7, 9, 18, 10:25) and put their full trust in him. At the close of the book, Joshua charged the people to remain faithful to God and to obey his commands, and the people agreed to do so. “As for me and my house,” said Joshua, “we will serve the LORD” (24:15). Although anonymous, the book appears to contain eyewitness testimony, most of which is most likely written by Joshua himself.
As we read this book, think of what it means that we can be strong and courageous as we trust in His strength.
God's blessing as you keep seeking Him in the time you have in His Word!
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5 comments:
Hi everyone,
I'm afraid that I got really behind with my reading but because I don't work on Mondays, I just spent the time necessary to catch up. Hope you will forgive me for commenting on and asking questions about material you may have already covered in your groups.
I just thought it was a fun and interesting fact in Joshua 5:12 that the "manna ceased on the day after they had eaten some of the produce of the land". Isn't it great that God's provision always lasts when we need it (through the desert) and then He opens another source for us as our circumstances change!
The other thought I enjoyed was in Joshua 4:23-24 when God had the people cross the Jordan on dry land just like He did the Red Sea for their fathers. Isn't it great that His miracles and blessings don't stop with one generation!
Now to my questions.
Joshua Chapter 9 with the issue of the Gibeonites - verse 14 says "and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord". I know that God wants us to consult with Him on all aspects of our lives and that Satan is very subtle and that only constant prayer can keep us on God's path, however... During my morning devotions and prayer, I commit my day to the Lord and ask for His guidance for the day. I then trust that He is doing so and don't stop to pray before each and every decision I make through out the day. If I think something is especially important or I am not sure of, I pray about it as it happens or it comes about, otherwise, I trust that the decisions I am making are influenced by God because I already asked Him earlier that morning. Does this sound too presumptuous? Does it sound like I am taking God's will foregranted?
My second question is: My husband who is not a believer simply sees genocide here - one group of people simply walking in and taking over, killing everyone and every thing. Clearly in his mind he can't reconcile this with a "loving" God. I don't seem to do very well expressing the total picture of what is happening here. Any hints on how to discuss this with a non believer?
Thanks for your patience with me as I catch up!
Joy
Hi,
It's me again. After reading all the physical descriptions of the land divisions, I was wondering if the church has any type map resources. What I would love to find would be an "overlay" that would show the Biblical divisions laid over the map of today to better understand. I can read this but truthfully I could use some visual help and my Bible doesn't have a lot of maps at the back.
Thanks again
Joy
My "little brother" Curtis asked me to share a few thoughts on Joy's question about genocide. They're a bit long, but stick with me because Joy's question is difficult and challenging.
There are usually bigger issues underlying questions about genocide - questions about God's justice, love, and mercy. Because the questions are about the character and nature of God and how he treats us, it is good for us to return to the gospel to respond to these questions.
First, God is holy. He is set apart, unique, one of a kind; and he is perfect and pure in every way. Second, humans are not perfect and commit evil. That means that God is not obligated to save one person and is justified to punish sinful rebellious creatures. His holiness means that people like Uzzah ( 1 Chron. 13:7-11), Nadab and Abihu ( Lev. 10), or Ananias and Sappharia ( Acts 5:1-11) all drop dead for what seem to be small acts of disobedience and what appears to be a divine over-reaction. But God's holiness requires sin to be punished, and that punishment is that sin deserves death ( Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4).
Is God unjust for sending the Israelites out to slaughter these people? Let me add a few more thoughts:
These people who were killed were not innocent - they were evil. These nations committed great sins: child sacrifices by fire, incest, bestiality, and on we could go. The nations that Israel encountered were out to commit genocide against Israel (consider the Amalekites in Deut. 7 who were picking off the weak, elderly, and disabled). They hated Israel's God - the God who had promised a salvation that would come to all nations and tribes through Abraham's family (Genesis 12:1-3).
But God does not just punish. He gave many of these nations ample opportunity to repent and change their ways - and in many cases hundreds of years. We get evidence that God is willing to spare people, even moments before judgment, in the story of Rahab (Josh. 5-6). Even when the prostitute Rahab is warned of the coming judgment, she repents and trusts in the promises of God, leading to salvation. This is the way that God always deals with humanity - he is patient, freely offering salvation to those who will trust in his promises, but punishing those who continue in the way of evil. The question is not "How could a loving God allow such evil?" but rather "How could a holy God accept evil sinners?" Ultimately, the answer to Joy's question is the gospel - like Rahab in Joshua 6, there is mercy for those who see their sin and repent; but like the others, there is justice for those who want justice.
For further study, I'd recommend R.C. Sproul's recent message at the Desiring God Pastors' Conference which powerfully addressed these issues. His message comes from his book The Holiness of God. You can read my notes on that here or listen to his message online here.
I hope this answer helps and points to the gospel.
Blessings! Andrew
Joy,
Karen Firstbrook said that she has some great maps that resources that you could use. I also found a few on the internet, but they aren't much different from what is in the back of most bibles. I can make copies of them and give them to you on Sunday.
I found that having a map near by as I read Joshua and Judges last year really helped me understand what I was reading, and it encouraged me that this is real history, not just religious fables.
I like Andrew's comment on not just dwelling on the love of God, but also us needing to remember the holiness of God. God is holy, which means He's not only perfect and pure, but set apart and unique. "God is not man..." (Num. 23:19).
In light of God's holiness and the incredible wickedness of humans, it reminded me of Habakkuk's complaints to God after seeing the sinfulness of Israel and Judah. While crying out to God for justice, God responds by saying that he is going to use the Babylonians to bring judgment upon His people. When Habakkuk tells God that this isn't fair, God rebukes Habakkuk for telling God what is fair and what isn't.
It is not our responsibility to question God, but rather the righteous person will first live by faith in God (Hab. 2:4). It is arrogant and foolish for us to question God's ways when He is the all-knowing, all-just, all-powerful and holy One. We are so ignorant before God, but as we trust in Him we can be thankful that one day "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Hab. 2:14).
I know when Habakkuk embraced this reality, His response was worship. He may not have had all the answers, but He believed in God.
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