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Church of the Nazarene

Joshua Part 6- COTN Harrisonburg Campus

Joshua Part 6

Joshua 9:3-8

However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

Joshua 9:14

The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.

“DISCERNMENT ISN’T KNOWING THE DIFERENCE BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG, ITS KNOWING THE DIFFERECE BETWEEN RIGHT AND ALMOST RIGHT.”

– Charles Spurgeon

Joshua 10:1-5

Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.” Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

Joshua 10:5-13

Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it. The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.” So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

Joshua 10:14

There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

Joshua 8:20

The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers.

Hebrews 13:10

We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

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Church of the Nazarene East Rockingham Campus

Joshua: Part 6 East Rock

Joshua: Part 6 “Scammed”

We are continuing in Part 6 of our teaching series through the book of Joshua.

Within the story of Joshua we read of the people of God encountering real obstacles to living out their faith in the Lord. Flooded rivers, fortified cities, and giant armies. real things that would cause any normal person to fear.

But what we see is that in the face of these challenges, is the power of God’s presence and his continued faithfulness to his people. That’s the story of Joshua, and that’s our story today.

Real challenges met with the real and true faithfulness of God.

Today we are in Joshua chapter 9 looking at the story of the Gibeonite deception.

Joshua 9:3-6

However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”

On the heels of the massive destruction of the city of AI, the news about of the Israelites is making its way around to the other cities.

They hear of the power and might of the army and how God is fighting for them and they are terrified. Unsure how defend themselves, several neighboring cities decide to join forces and fight Israel together.

But the Gibeonites different approach, they are going to try to trick the Israelites into allowing them to live.

They gather up old worn-out clothing and sandals, old worn-out wine containers, and moldy bread and they take off pretending to be from a distant land.

Joshua 9:7-8

The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

Something must have seemed fishy about this whole thing or they are remembering that God has specifically told them NOT to enter into treaties with other nations. Either way, Israel questions the supposed weary travelers.

Joshua 9:9-13

They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.” ’ This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”

At Joshua’s questioning the Gibeonites recite their story and they are careful to highlight all the things that should indicate they were from a distant place. They also say that they have come because they heard about all the Lord had done for his people delivering them from Egypt and giving them victory over the kings in the wilderness.

If you remember back to the story of Rahab and Jericho- she sited very similar reasons for her actions.

This whole story has been building up to this moment. The cards are on the table, the trap is set.

Joshua 9:14-15

The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

They looked over the evidence that was before them. They saw the molded bread, the looked at the old wineskins. They could see their clothes were worn out. The did the best they could do, it seemed good enough, so they did it.

They trusted their own ability, they trusted their own discernment, and in their own strength, they were deceived into breaking the command of God.

They did not seek the Lord.

The truth of the matter comes out a few days later. They learn that these ambassadors who were supposed to be from a far country are really from a town about 25 miles away.

Joshua 9:22-25

Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

With their future secured by the oath, they are free to come clean about their motives and actions. What is revealed is that they had faith that the Lord was going to do what he had promised.

They believed what they heard about him, and they took action. They responded in trying to save themselves by joining the people of God. And it worked.

God had mercy on the Gibeonites because they were responding to him in faith. They would have a long history among the poeple of God.

Even though they did it imperfectly, they lied, they cheated their way in, God did not turn his back on them.

But God’s mercy was present despite human failures on BOTH sides of the story. And friends, that speaks a lot about the Mercy of God that is available to us today.

So often we try to bargain with God, scheme our way into getting him to do what we want.

“Lord if you will get me out of this one, I promise ill never drink again.”

“Lord, if you will save this relationship, I promise ill start reading my bible.”

“Lord, if you get me out of this mess, I swear ill start living right.”

Like the Gibeonites, We find ourselves in the midst of our own difficult circumstances, and we begin to bargain with God about how to get out.

But what if we just came to him in honesty and humility?

If God was willing to have mercy on the Gibeonites and give them a bright future- even to fight for them against their enemies- don’t you think he would do the same for you if you just came to him today and were honest with him?

So today, let’s stop the bargaining, stop the scheming, and come to the Lord in honesty and humility, allowing him to transform our future!

http://bible.com/events/49331073

Church of the Nazarene, Harrisonburg Campus

Joshua Part 5 – Harrisonburg Campus

After Jericho…

Review of the series:

WEEK 1: Be Strong & Courageous

WEEK 2: Rahab Hides the Men of Israel

WEEK 3: The 12 Stones – Remembering God’s Faithfulness

WEEK 4: God’s Victory at Jericho

TODAY: Consequences of Sin

Breakdown of the Book of Joshua

CHAPTERS 1-6: Entering the Promised Land

CHAPTERS 7-12: Conquering the Promised Land

CHAPTERS 13-22: Settling the Promised Land

Consider: What was the next thing that happened after the tremendous victory at Jericho?

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Joshua 6:16-19

The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

Joshua 7:1-5

But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel. Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.

Joshua 7:15

Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’ ”

Two “Why” Questions:

1) Why did the Israelites crush Jericho but lose to a lesser opponent in Ai?

After all, they had just celebrated a dramatic victory over mighty Jericho. Ai was the underdog. Yet they scattered God’s people.

Joshua 7:10-12

The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

Joshua 7:20-23

Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

Second “Why” Question:

2) Why was the response to Achan’s sin so extreme? The death penalty for theft? That doesn’t seem “fair.”

Without understanding God’s Holy Justice, we can never truly grasp, appreciate or enter into His Grace.

Today, we get to hear about Israel’s loss and Achan’s death from the shadow of the cross, where the Holy and terrible Justice of God was fulfilled on your behalf. In fact, it is a great gift to be shown the deadly underside of disobedience while there is still time. To get a clear picture of the darkness of sin is something to be grateful for. To get a clear picture of Holy God and an opportunity for repentance in His mercy, in the Name and for the cause of Christ.

Joshua 8:1-2

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

Joshua 7: The Enemy Within – Psalm 139:23-24

• Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See
  if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.- Joshua is found in the OT of God’s Word
  • Being “old” does not mean it is not relevant, on the contrary this book is alive and
  well exhorting us in all things pertaining to life and godliness.- Joshua 6:17-19
• 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the
  prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she
  hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will
  not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will
  make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the
  silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must
  go into his treasury.”- Donald Campbell
• God’s people are never more vulnerable, never in greater danger,
  than right after they have won a great victory.
  Joshua 7
  But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things[a]; Achan son of Karmi,
  the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So
  the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.- One commentator wrote in regards to the reciting of his lineage
• A warning is hereby administered to parents, to give the most diligent heed in
  training their offspring in the fear of God, lest they be a reproach to their memories
  when they themselves are no more.
  2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of
  Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied
  out Ai.
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  3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against
  Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for
  only a few people live there.” 4 So about three thousand went up; but they were routed
  by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from
  the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this
  the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.
  6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of
  the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled
  dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring
  this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy
  us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 Pardon your
  servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies?
  9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will
  surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own
  great name?”
  10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your
  face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them
  to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have
  lied, they have put them with their own possessions.
  12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their
  backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction.
  I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to
  destruction.- Warren Wiersbe
• “If God says something is wrong, then it’s wrong; and that’s the end of the
  debate.”
  13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for
  tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things
  among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.
  14 “‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall
  come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by
  family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever
  is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs
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  to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in
  Israel!’”- Numbers 32:23
• 23 “But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be
  sure that your sin will find you out… (ministers in spotlight)
  16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was
  chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had
  the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen.
  18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son
  of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen. 19 Then Joshua said to
  Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what
  you have done; do not hide it from me.”
  20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is
  what I have done:
  21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of
  silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are
  hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”- “I saw — I coveted — I took”
• So goes the story- So goes the way of the world – the flesh – the devil
  • So goes the unguarded and self-indulgence soul- So goes the one who loves the world
  • Eve did the same thing all the way back in the beginning when she was
  deceived and listened to the devil to satisfy a desire of the flesh.- It is the same story over and over and the consequences are always
  terrible!- Pastor Vic Bright
• “Those who willingly withhold their tithes from God are spiritually binding their
  family.”

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Church of the Nazarene, Harrisonburg Campus

Joshua Part 4- Harrisonburg Campus

Joshua Part 4

Review of the series:

WEEK 1: JOSHUA BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

WEEK 2: MINOR CHARACTER RAHAB HIDES

WEEK 3: 12 STONES- REMEMBER GODS FAITHFUL

CHILDREN AND THEIR CHILDREN

WHAT ARE THE STONES YOU ARE LEAVING ?

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ISRAELITES PATH

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Joshua Breakdown

CHAPTERS 1-5/6 ENTER THE LAND

CHAPTERS 7-12 CONCQUER THE LAND

CHAPTERS 13-22 SETTLING IN THE LAND

Joshua 5:13-15

Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

Joshua 6:1-7

Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

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MUHAMMED ALI DEFEATS YOUNGER GEORGE FOREMAN

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Hebrews 11:29-31

By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days. By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.

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SYCAMORE TREE

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What Happened To Jericho

Luke 22:14-20

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Genesis 22:9-14

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

“THERE ARE TIMES IN OUR LIFE WHEN GOD CALLS US TO STAND, THERE ARE TIMES IN OUR LIFE WHEN GOD CALLS US THROUGH PRAYER TO FIGHT- B UT THE GREATEST WEAPON WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES IS A WEAPON OF WORSHIP.” LOUIE GIGLIO