Joshua 5-8

March 7

Joshua 5-8

God is a God of new starts. He wipes out the old and begins new. The old ways, the old habits, the old sin are left behind and we are invited to begin anew living for and walking with God. The Israelites that God delivered out of Egypt had grumbled, griped, and disobeyed God almost from the time they stepped out of Egypt. The final straw for God was when they refused to go into the land God had promised them because they were afraid. Their fear was more powerful than their trust in God. God told them that only Joshua and Caleb from that entire generation would enter the Promised Land. The Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years.

After that generation died off, God delivered the Israelites across the Jordan on dry ground just as he had delivered them across the Red Sea. The Israelites crossed over and set up camp. God renewed His covenant with Israel and instructed them to affirm their side of the covenant by circumcising the men. Those of military age who came out of Egypt had been circumcised but apparently those who were born or grew up during the years of wandering had not been circumcised. God is beginning new, just as he had when He delivered the Israelites out of Egypt. It was time to put the desert years behind them and to move forward.

God blessed Israel and revealed His strength as the Israelites marched around Jericho and watched as the walls came down when they shouted together. But sin entered the camp and caused Israel to stumble. One person, Achan, decided he wanted what God had forbidden. He did not think anyone would know. He hid his treasure in his tent. But we cannot hide our sin from God. Achan’s sin caused around thirty six men to die in a battle with Ai. God revealed that the reason men died was because of sin in the camp. God revealed that Achan was the guilty party and instructed the Israelites to kill him.

A sad story, but a reminder that sin is serious. Sin does not just affect the person who sins. Sin affects the community. God does not want us to go around and kill those who sin, but He does want us to purge the sin from our lives. Just as God revealed the sin of the Israelites, He will reveal our sin if we ask Him. God wants to give us new starts. He wants to give us victory over obstacles in our lives, but He also wants us to live as new people, the people of God.