JOSHUA 6:1-21.
Three Lessons from the Book of Joshua.
1. Absolute Faithfulness of God.
2. The Gifts of God and His blessings.
3. The hatred of God for sin.
God intended Israel to be taken to the land of Canaan but they wandered for 40 years because of their disobedience-Deut.8:7-9,15.
They had their trials in the wilderness. The first thing they came up to when they left the wilderness was a walled city. We do not meet walled cities in Heaven. Canaan was something different from Egypt-the world we live in under the control of Satan. Satan's world.
There should be no Jericho in Canaan. In spiritual life there should be no Egypt.
Jericho must be overcome. It was on the border, before crossing into Canaan. They overcame it in order to occupy the Promised Land. God was with them. Some people have Jerichos in their lives and are hindered from following Jesus. God insisted that the people of Jericho be driven out-Deut.18:9-14.
To get into the place God wants us we must get Jericho out of the way. No compromise. We must get rid of all flesh. Our heart is the property of the Holy Spirit. No flesh should be entertained in it.
If we want to advance with God we must do it His way.
The pre-eminence place was given to the Ark. It led all the way. Jesus should be the pre-eminence in our hearts.
God was with Israel conquering Jericho-Joshua 5:13-15. He was working from the inside in Jericho-Rahab. God's Word has the means of getting in even though men try and stop it-Jos.5:1.
Jericho was shut up but God said go in and take it.
We have problems and impossibilities but God is able to shift all difficulties before us. God had to work but Israel had to obey. There is a prize to be won, but there is also something we must do.
They had to walk round Jericho blowing horns. It would seem a foolish way to do it. I may not see the results but I should keep going. It is a test of Faith.
God could have brought the wall down the first day, but they had to obey. If they had not stuck by what they promised God, they would not have seen the wall come down. They kept going without any sign of encouragement. It was tough going but God honoured their faith.
We like to see the results at first go, but God works in His own time. Moses was in a hurry but God sent him to Midian for 40 years. The Disciples said, 'Lord, why can't we cast him out?', but Jesus said 'This needs prayer and fasting'.
When they shouted at God's command the wall came down, not before. But Jericho has its temptations- Achan and the Babylonish garment. The punishment was harsh, no compromise with sin and disobedience, 'A little leaven, leavens the whole lump'.
When Jericho was taken the way was open for the conquest of Canaan, but they had to fight all the way.
Three Lessons from the Book of Joshua.
1. Absolute Faithfulness of God.
2. The Gifts of God and His blessings.
3. The hatred of God for sin.
God intended Israel to be taken to the land of Canaan but they wandered for 40 years because of their disobedience-Deut.8:7-9,15.
They had their trials in the wilderness. The first thing they came up to when they left the wilderness was a walled city. We do not meet walled cities in Heaven. Canaan was something different from Egypt-the world we live in under the control of Satan. Satan's world.
There should be no Jericho in Canaan. In spiritual life there should be no Egypt.
Jericho must be overcome. It was on the border, before crossing into Canaan. They overcame it in order to occupy the Promised Land. God was with them. Some people have Jerichos in their lives and are hindered from following Jesus. God insisted that the people of Jericho be driven out-Deut.18:9-14.
To get into the place God wants us we must get Jericho out of the way. No compromise. We must get rid of all flesh. Our heart is the property of the Holy Spirit. No flesh should be entertained in it.
If we want to advance with God we must do it His way.
The pre-eminence place was given to the Ark. It led all the way. Jesus should be the pre-eminence in our hearts.
God was with Israel conquering Jericho-Joshua 5:13-15. He was working from the inside in Jericho-Rahab. God's Word has the means of getting in even though men try and stop it-Jos.5:1.
Jericho was shut up but God said go in and take it.
We have problems and impossibilities but God is able to shift all difficulties before us. God had to work but Israel had to obey. There is a prize to be won, but there is also something we must do.
They had to walk round Jericho blowing horns. It would seem a foolish way to do it. I may not see the results but I should keep going. It is a test of Faith.
God could have brought the wall down the first day, but they had to obey. If they had not stuck by what they promised God, they would not have seen the wall come down. They kept going without any sign of encouragement. It was tough going but God honoured their faith.
We like to see the results at first go, but God works in His own time. Moses was in a hurry but God sent him to Midian for 40 years. The Disciples said, 'Lord, why can't we cast him out?', but Jesus said 'This needs prayer and fasting'.
When they shouted at God's command the wall came down, not before. But Jericho has its temptations- Achan and the Babylonish garment. The punishment was harsh, no compromise with sin and disobedience, 'A little leaven, leavens the whole lump'.
When Jericho was taken the way was open for the conquest of Canaan, but they had to fight all the way.
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