Joshua had found favor with God, and was set to invade Ai, and Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai to scout out the land. They reported that the number was few and it would only take about 2000 to 3000 men to accomplish the task. So Joshua sent 3,000 men, and guess what happened next. The men of Ai, routed them, killed 36 and sent the rest running. But how could this be, for the Lord was always with Joshua, so let’s see what Joshua did next: “Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell before the ark of the Lord with his face to the ground until evening, as did the elders of Israel; they all put dust on their heads. ‘Oh, Lord God,’ Joshua said, ‘why did You ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan! What can I say, Lord, now that Israel has turned its back and run from its enemies? Joshua 7:6-8 So here is Joshua beat up from a battle he should have won, so his petition to God was Why? How many times have we said the same things to God, Why? Our hearts think that we have been right before God, that we have been committed to Him, so why the failure? What was Joshua’s failure? Let’s take a look: “The Lord then said to Joshua, ‘Stand up! Why are you on the ground? Israel has sinned. They have violated My covenant that I appointed for them. They have taken some of what was set apart. They have stolen, deceived, and put the things with their own belongings. This is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies. They will turn their backs and run from their enemies because they have been set apart for destruction. I will no longer be with you unless you remove from you what is set apart.” Joshua 7:10-12 Joshua didn’t sin, the rest of the Israelites did not sin, yet one man sinned and because of that 36 men died and a battle lost. When Joshua investigated and the sinful man was Achan, he confessed that he sinned against the Lord. He kept a cloak, 200 silver shekels, and a bar of gold weighing 50 shekels. He buried the things he coveted, thinking that no one will ever know. This makes me wonder how many of us bury those things we covet, instead of giving them to the Lord. And if so, is that why the battle seems to be losing ground. Is not the God of Joshua still the God of us? Is His covenants of what belongs to Him and what we have still not in effect? Yet, maybe some, maybe just one, enjoys the results of blessing so much that they fail to listen to the Lord of what should be consecrated to Him, and what is ours to keep. Do you have the attitude of giving to the Lord that which you deem appropriate to give to Him? Or do you have the attitude that God is the owner of all you have and all you are, and you will only keep that which has been given by Him for your own? You might think that you have earned it, but who have you earned it for? Isn’t God the One in whom we place all that we have and all that we are? Isn’t He the purpose of our lives on this earth. It’s not necessarily a matter of giving all you have to the Lord, but rather, would you be willing to allow Him to make that decision?
Barnabas Man 