Sacrificing everything and saving everything

Sacrificing everything and saving everything

Joshua 6:8~27

 

□ Praise and Sharing

Hymn #459 Who Follows the Lord

How did you spend last week?

 

Pakistan Community Meeting and Presbytery New Year’s Ceremony

 

President's second arrest warrant

 

Common sense is needed for many people to live together. Anyone who sees senseless or unreasonable behavior is bound to frown. But sometimes things that go beyond common sense surprise the world. God's war is like that. Israel is facing its first war with the Canaanites, with the fortress-like city of Jericho in front of it. However, the command that Joshua gave to the Israelite army was beyond common sense.

 

□ Words and Sharing

1. Israel destroys the fortress-like walls of Jericho in a strange way (verses 8-21).

1) How did the walls of Jericho fall (verses 8-16, 20)?

And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the LORD went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD following them.The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually.But Joshua commanded the people, “You shall not shout or make your voice heard, neither shall any word go out of your mouth, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.”So he caused the ark of the LORD to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually.And the second day they marched around the city once, and returned into the camp. So they did for six days.On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times.And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout, for the LORD has given you the city.

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

 

The Israelites circled the city of Jericho once for six days and then seven times on the seventh day, shouting.

2) When capturing the city of Jericho, what orders does Joshua give regarding the loot (verse 18)?

But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it.

 

He ordered them to dedicate all the spoils and not to touch the donated items.

 

<Sharing 1> The way Israel occupied the city of Jericho and the way they did not allow any loot to the soldiers who participated in the war and gave it to God are all outside of common sense. If you have ever had an experience where God commanded you to do something that seemed unreasonable in order to do something that went beyond common sense, let’s share it.

 

There was an incident where God ordered an earthen pot to be broken on the pulpit to symbolically show the judgment of Israel (us).

 

2. Israel gives all that it has gained in war to the Lord (verses 8-27).

1) What is the priests’ mission in the Jericho War (verses 8-9, 12-13, 20)?

And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the LORD went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD following them.The armed men were walking before the priests who were blowing the trumpets, and the rear guard was walking after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually.

Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.And the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD walked on, and they blew the trumpets continually. And the armed men were walking before them, and the rear guard was walking after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually.

So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

 

The priest's duty is to blow the trumpet.

 

2) Where were all the spoils placed after the war (verses 19, 24)?

 

But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.

And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

 

All the spoil was placed in the treasury of the Lord's house.

 

<Sharing 2> The procession of priests guarding the Ark of the Covenant and blowing trumpets around the walls of Jericho represented God’s procession. The Israelites offered everything to God to confess that the Jericho War was entirely by God's hand. If you have ever experienced and confessed God’s work, let’s share it.

 

Last week, being able to renew his real estate lease with Brother Shamoon from Pakistan, and visit the Incheon Court, Seoul High Court, and Ansan Immigration Office in one day allowed me to experience God's work and praise God with a “Hallelujah.”

 

3. Joshua orders Rahab and her entire family to be saved (verses 22-25). What is the reason (verse 25)?

 

But to the two men who had spied out the land, Joshua said, “Go into the prostitute's house and bring out from there the woman and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.”So the young men who had been spies went in and brought out Rahab and her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. And they brought all her relatives and put them outside the camp of Israel.And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

 

Because Rahab hid the messengers sent to spy out Jericho.

 

<Sharing 3> God ordered the complete annihilation of the Canaanites (Deuteronomy 7:1,2; 20:16,17), but Israel saved Rahab and her family and accepted them into the Israeli community. This is because Rahab showed faith first (James 2:25).

Let’s take a look at who our neighbors are with whom we must stop being hostile and wary and stand in solidarity with them.

 

Rahab, a prostitute, was a foreigner, but she feared God and hid the spies with faith, saving her and her family. However, although Achan was a Jew and a descendant of the tribe of Judah, he did not obey God's words due to greed, so he and his family were judged and killed. What kind of life should we live?

 

Like Rahab the prostitute, we must fear God and act in faith to save ourselves and our families.

 

□ Let's pray together

Lord, help us to be clothed with purity so we can stand wholly before You.

Let us experience and confess God’s work in everything we do!

Let us save ourselves, our families, relatives, and neighbors by fearing God and acting in faith like Rahab the prostitute!

 

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