Jericho

He Will Help, Strengthen, and Remember You

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“The LORD hear you in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend you; send you help from the sanctuary, and strengthen you out of Zion; remember all your offerings, and accept your burnt sacrifice; Selah. Grant you according to your own heart, and fulfil all your counsel.”  Psalm 20:1-4 (KJV)

In this Psalm of David he writes that the LORD will hear you, defend you, send you help from the sanctuary, strengthen you, remember your offerings, and accept your costly sacrifices.

Let us as Christians today come with the expectant heart of David, and God will be rich in blessing toward us as well.

Looking at verses 2 – 4 of the text above; it is GOD who sends help from our time of worship.  You see wherever we are in the worship of the Most High, holy, and Almighty God that is the sanctuary; the one who worships Him though throughout the week – Monday – Saturday – will not forsake the gathering with other believers on the first day of the week as the early church did.  He is our help.

Looking at the “strength out of Zion” we can see Zion is Jerusalem the City of David.  It is the city on a hill.  A city of strength.  You can notice from Scripture that when every one left Jerusalem they were always going down to Jericho, or down to Bethel, and down to Capernaum, etc..  A picture of strength, and a reminder to the Hebrew people where their strength came from.

The “offerings… and burnt sacrifice” are those things which David would have offered to the LORD.  In these verses he is offering praise, and worship.  The burnt sacrifice would have been the sacrifice of a bull, lamb, ram, goat, dove etc.  We do not sacrifice animals today.  We do not need to; neither are we commanded to.  So what is the offerings and sacrifices we give?  Ourselves; our surrender to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ God’s Son, God the Son.

When we give our all to Him He gives us a desire to live for Him.  A desire to love like He does, to love what He loves; and to hate the things He hates.  He will fulfill the desires of the heart that is given to Him (Psalm 37:4); in life, liberty, and love.

Jesus Through the Bible – Captain of the LORD’S Host

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This begins new post on this theme.  I pray the Lord has spoken to your hearts of who Jesus is, and will continue to do so through the reading and study of the word of God.

“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a Man over against him with His sword drawn in His hand: and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto him, Art Thou for us, or for our adversaries? And He said, Nay; but as Captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto Him, What saith my lord unto His servant? And the Captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” Joshua 5:13-15 (KJV)

Joshua is uneasy, maybe even fearful of what is about to come with Jericho.  He has gone away from the camp, and thinking, praying, surveying with his eyes the vastness of the city when this Man appears to him.  Who is this Man?  Is He on the side of Joshua?  Is He on Israel’s side?

Look at His description.  The Man has a sword, not in its sheath, but drawn; ready for battle.  Joshua’s first thought was the reason for his question; “Are You for us, or for our adversaries?”  This Man’s answer was probably not a comforting answer.  He said, “No; but as Captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.”

Note Joshua’s action.  He fell on his face in worship.  He recognized the Lord.  There is evidence here that this was a Christophany of God appearing as a Man to a man.  It is called a pre-incarnate manifestation of Jesus Christ the Son of God, God the Son.

Joshua’s question was a legitimate question.  However, when it comes to the Lord we best be on His side; and not wonder whether He is on our side.  He is the defender of our faith.  He is the Warrior of righteousness, justice, love, mercy, and will not forgive the wicked who reject His word and/or His work.

Get on the LORD’S side today.  Trust the Lord Jesus.  He died on the cross for your sins; was buried carrying all your sin, shame, condemnation, guilt away; then He bodily arose from the grave, ascended to the Father; and is returning one day.  Call on His name and He will save you.

You Can Build on the Word of God

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“In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho: he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his firstborn, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun.” 1 Kings 16:34 (KJV)

The above verse takes place during the reign of Ahab over the northern kingdom of Israel. There is much evil. Ahab “did evil above all that were before him” (v. 30). Sacrifices of children were welcomed under his reign, and his marriage to Jezebel was in outright defiance to Jehovah, and His word.

Joshua had put a curse on the rebuilding of Jericho; that is the setting up of a fortress such as it was when the walls came down by the power of God. The Word of God declare…

“And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.” Joshua 6:26

Some have said that Hiel sacrificed his sons because that was an evil time for accepting such things. Yet, whether it was an intentional sacrifice or just out and out defiance of Joshua’s curse Hiel’s sons died in the rebuilding of Jericho.

The point of the verse, and what I want you to see is that God fulfills His word. Not one word will be diminished. Not one word will fail. You can trust the word of God.

Jesus said,

“Whosoever cometh to Me, and heareth My sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: he is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.” Luke 6:47-48

and the apostle Paul wrote,

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11

There is only one sure foundation, and that is Christ Jesus.  All the others lead to death, and destruction.  Believe Jesus and live.  You can build with assurance on the Word of God.

The Man…

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“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a Man over against him with His sword drawn in His hand: and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, Art Thou for us, or for our adversaries? And He said, Nay; but as Captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto Him, What saith my Lord unto His servant? And the Captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.” Joshua 5:13-15 (KJV)

Joshua had just led the children of Israel across the Jordan River on dry ground. The River had been stopped upstream by the Almighty hand and power of God. The conquest of the Promised Land was about to begin.

I am almost positive Joshua may have had some thoughts of his own inadequacies for the journey that lay ahead.

Note though who appears to him. A Man; but not just any man; dressed in military armor, and carrying a sword, drawn and in His hand. The drawn sword means that He was ready to fight and defend the people of God.

This Man can be none other than a Christophany – a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Notice how Joshua fell with his face to the earth, and worshipped. The Man allows it, receives it; and if it would have just been an angel he would have corrected the error.

Paul the apostle recognized a Man in heaven. In 1 Timothy 2:5,

“For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

O what an assurance of victory this would have been to Joshua. What an assurance the Christian can have knowing that we are victors through our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is nothing this world and its evil can throw at us, that we cannot overcome through Him.

The Redeeming Love of God (2) continued…

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GOD Pursues the Redemption of His Wife (Continued…)

The conclusion of this study will include verses 14 – 23 of Hosea 2.

 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.  And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.  And it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call Me Ishi; and shalt call Me no more Baali.  For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.  And in that day will I make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow and the sword and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down safely.  And I will betroth thee unto Me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.  I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD.”  Hosea 14-20 (KJV)

There are many times that we think of God’s judgment as only being punitive – to punish.  It is so much more.  It is also redemptive.  It is God’s desire to have His people in the place of blessing, and He gets His people to blessings by both punitive and redemptive judgment.

In verse 14 God says He will “allure her”.  This is  to attract her to Himself (Romans 2:4).  Why would God, who is “Beautiful in holiness”, rich in glory, and worthy of praise, want to attract this people who were in effect, in a state of whoredoms against Him?  That is what His grace is all about.  Loving the unlovable.  Cleansing the unclean.

How would God “allure”, attract her?

  1. By taking here as His “Wife” again;
  2. By speaking “comfort to her”  [these would be words of love, romance, telling her of her beauty. This loving comfort would even cause her to forget her former lovers];
  3. By restoring her fruitfulness.

“The Valley of Achor” is the place of Achan’s sin (See Joshua 7).  God had commanded Israel not to take any accursed thing for themselves; as they conquered Jericho.  The silver, gold, and vessels of bronze and iron were for the LORD’S treasure house.  Achan disobeyed and kept a “Babylonish garment” and a “Wedge of gold” which he buried in his tent.  Because of this rebellion by one man, and his family the nation lost a battle that should have been won.

We learn from this story that harboring sin is futile to God’s people.  Taking to ourselves what God forbids is harlotry against God.  Yet God says through Hosea, that “The Valley of Achor [is] as a door of hope”.  “When Israel embraced the Baals, she took what God had cursed just as Achan did in taking the spoils of Jericho.  Their sin had brought terrible destruction upon them, their children, and their land.  Its transformation would be a token of the eternal blessings they would enjoy from now on.”  (From Hosea: God’s Reeeming Love by John Traylor pp. 23&24).

A place where a man and his family judged for sin becomes “A door of hope”.  There was a man who was judged that is our place of hope.  The cross of Jesus, and ugly, despicable judgment, is the only hope mankind has.  Because Achan died Israel became victorious.  Achan died for his own sins.  Jesus “Became sin” for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), and died, making victory possible for all who will believe.

What love God has for His people.  In verse 2 God said, “She is not My wife, nor am I her Husband!”  In verse 16 He says, “You will call Me ‘My Husband’ and no longer “My Master’.  Before Israel in their harlotries were recognizing God equally with the Baals.  Baali equals “master”, making her a slave [a slave to sin] (See Romans 6:16).  God says, “You will no longer be a slave, you will be My Wife, and I  your Husband.”

God was going to make their love for Him so great that they would forget about the Baals, and their names.  God’s covenant with Israel would be an eternal covenant.  Their land would be blessed.  The beasts of the field would even be a blessing to them (v. 18).

She would no longer be unfaithful, but holy and righteous unto God.  It is God’s work, and they would know that God is the LORD (Ephesians 2:8-10).

“And it shall come to pass in that day, I will hear, saith the LORD, I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel.  And I will sow her unto Me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not My people, ‘Thou art My people; and they shall say, ‘Thou art my God.'” Hosea 21-23 (KJV)

God declares that He is God over the earth.  He controls the rain, the wind, the plague, and the harvest – good and bad.  For some reason many Christians have stopped believing this, and it is partly due to our technology; whereby  we are sadly mistaken.  Technology is good as far as it goes; but God is still God.  Not one meteorologist or scientist can make our weather or take it away, they can only make predictions and maybe explain how it happened; nothing more.

Because of Israel’s departure and adultery God had withdrawn His blessings, mercy and grace so they might see His grace, and their evil ways more clearly.  Now, God is preparing to return His blessings upon them; the blessings of mercy and grace.  They had no mercy, but they will;  they experienced no grace, but now they would receive it and see it.  They would be His people; who were not a people.  They would proclaim “You are my God.”

“The love of God is greater far, than pen or tongue can ever tell.”

The ultimate and final blessing for Israel is yet to come.  Even so Come Lord Jesus.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Day 14 – Promised Land Entry

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Many years before the LORD had promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that their descendents would inherit the land of Canaan as their possession.  I do not doubt that they must have had wonder, and questions as to how God would carry out this great event.  It was not for them to know the how; but to trust and believe that GOD would do it.

My reading this morning was from Deuteronomy 29 – Joshua 8.  Covering the time shortly before the death of Moses; and his preparing of the people for his death, encouragement to obey the laws of God or else be cursed by God.  The Word of God plays a very important part in the children of Israel’s lives (Deuteronomy 30:11-14).

Moses gave them a song before he went up on Mount Nebo, the top of Pisgah, was given the view of all the  Promised Land and there he died.  The song of Moses (32:1-43) is a song of the glory of the LORD, His power, His protection of His people, His deliverance and of Israel’s stubbornness.  We finally see Moses handing over the leadership to Joshua, before Moses goes to the mount.

We now get to the book of Joshua.

“Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.   Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.   This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.   Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”  Joshua 1:6-9 (KJV)

Joshua must have been a bit overwhelmed by the task before Him.  He is now the leader of this mass of people who are called Israel; and they are to enter the land and destroy every idol, every people, removing all unholiness from the land; purifying it for the glory of the LORD.

Three times in these four verses GOD says to Joshua, “Be strong and of a good courage’, or “Be strong and very courageous’, and “Be strong and of a good courage”.  The LORD promises, “For the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”  Now who can fail with a word like that.

The victory over Jericho is certain and sure because of the LORD.  However, they go after a smaller city “‘Ai” and fail to conquer it.  There are some things I think can be seen for their failure at Ai.  First of all, it seems they thought they had the power;

“And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, ‘Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.” 7:3

Another thing missing is their lack of seeking God’s approval, and lack of prayer.  It just could be that had they prayed the LORD would have revealed the sin of Achan earlier.  The reason I mention these things is because they seem to practice these things previous to their Jericho victory.  Joshua, the army of GOD and the people needed to know that it is God who gives the victory.

Christian, it is still God who gives the victory.  The victory over sin has been accomplished by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, His burial and His bodily resurrection.  Be strong and of a good courage Christian.  The LORD gives the victory  in the wilderness and in the Promised Land.

-Tim A. Blankenship

The Scarlet Thread – Joshua Worships

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The example given today is not a type, but in truth the very Son of God; which was yet to become flesh; as He speaks with Joshua after they have entered into the Promised Land.

“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a Man over against him with His sword drawn in His hand: and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, ‘Art Thou for us, or for our adversaries?’  And He said, ‘Nay; but as Captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto Him, ‘What saith my Lord unto His servant?’   And the Captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, ‘Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.’ And Joshua did so.”  Joshua 5:13-15 (KJV)

This was the evening before the LORD gives the children of  Israel Jericho as a victory.  Joshua has probably experienced some amount of anxiety.  This is his first battle with a city as the new leader of Israel.  He is evidently alone and the LORD appears to him.

We know it is the LORD because Joshua bows in worship to Him, and He accepts the worship.  If it had been only an angel the angel would have quickly had Joshua stand; as the angel did with John in the Revelation 19:10.

This “Man” is none other than a theophany or preincarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

He refers to Himself as “Captain of the host of the LORD”.  He is the same one who will lead the armies in the final battle on that Lord’s day when all evil will be put away; and Jesus Christ shall reign forever and forever (Revelation 19:11-20:15).

When Joshua sees the LORD He has His sword drawn in His hand, ready for battle.  Joshua asks Him, “Are you for us, or our adversaries?”  The answer the LORD gives is not a yes I am for you, or I am for your enemy; it is rather, “I am Captain of the host of the LORD”.  Joshua submitted his will to the LORD’s will; and thus it should be for all who will be right with God.

It is not a matter of the LORD being on my side; it is however, a matter of me being on His side.  The prophet Amos asked the question, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”  The answer to that question is NO!  If we are to be participants in the Scarlet Thread of redemption we must agree with God, His Word, His commandments, and His salvation.

Fall today at the feet of the only one worthy of our worship.  The only one who makes all things right with God.  The Son of God Jesus Christ who died on the cross, was buried carrying sin away, and rising again for our justification.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Observations From Joshua – 040311

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Joshua can be seen as a christ like figure of the Old Testament.  Oshea son of Nun had his name changed to Joshua (Numbers 12:8, 16).  From “deliverer” to “Jehovah saves”.

Joshua, following the crossing of the Jordan River on dry ground, spending seven days marching around the city of Jericho – one time around for 6 days, and seven times around on the 7th day – and conquering the city has an encounter with the Lord Himself.

“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a Man over against him with His sword drawn in His hand: and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, ‘Art Thou for us, or for our adversaries?’  And He said, ‘Nay; but as Captain of the host of the LORD am I now come.’  And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto Him, ‘What saith my Lord unto His servant?  And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, ‘Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.’ And Joshua did so.”  Joshua 5:13-15 (KJV)

How can we know that this Man which Joshua encountered was God and not an angel?  One of the clearest things which stands out is that Joshua bowed in worship, and was not corrected.  Every time we find in Scripture a man bowing in worship to an angel we find the angel correcting the man (Revelation 22:8-9).  This Man did not correct Joshua.  Another is that when Joshua asked, “What saith my Lord unto His servant?” the Hebrew word for  “Lord” is “Adon” which is a name for our God.

Joshua has an amazing encounter with the Lord of hosts, Captain, Commander of the hosts of the LORD.  This should give us great cause for rejoicing.  Knowing that our Lord is leading the army of Heaven as we battle our adversary each and every day.  Our adversary is the devil, not our fellow man.

Follow Jesus.  Believe Him.  Trust Him and you will live with Him forever.

-Tim A. Blankenship