Joshua

The book of Joshua is action packed. No time is wasted, it seems, after Moses dies. Joshua is now the leader and God instructs him to destroy one city after the next. And Joshua obeys. The kings of the cities across the region hear of Joshua and fear for their lives. They try to fight. They lose. There is no stopping God when He gives a command, and fulfills a promise to deliver the land to the Israelites.

Jen and I always talk about what we are reading in the Bible and right now we are both reading in the Old Testament. She is going through Genesis and I am reading Joshua. Last week we were talking about how these stories are intriguing and make us want to read more because there is so much action and drama going on. The people get it wrong, have bad morals, and disobey God. And yet the beauty of it is God uses them anyway. While we read about these people and feel disappointed at their bad behavior, it is a comfort to know they were not perfect. If they had been perfect we would all look at them and think them to be at a height we could never reach. It is meant to show us that with all the flaws each of us has, God can use us for His glory.

I am finding that Joshua, though, seems to be one who obeys God without question. It is fascinating to see such a contrast. He is told by God to fight battles for the land that was promised to Israel. And God gives victory to Israel over and over. I am sure you know the story of Jericho. That is just one of the cities that is taken over, destroyed, and left with no survivors. They are pretty brutal.

There is a passage that caused me to stop and wonder, where Joshua tells the sun to stand still, and it does, according to Scripture, for a whole day. That seems impossible!
And yet nothing is impossible with God. Even though we modern people are only accustomed to such events being told through action movies nowadays.

And even more intriguing is this next line:

There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord obeyed the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel.
-Joshua 10.14

Unfathomable.
Almost.
For it is there, written in Scripture for us to read today. The sun stands still? God obeyed a man? Joshua led a pretty amazing life. These stories are full of battles, swords clashing, brutal killings of kings, and conquering cities. It could be the script for a Hollywood movie, yet it is evidence of God's love and fulfilled promises to those who love Him.

Photo: Tynemouth Castle, Tynemouth, England