Joshua 6/ Victories after and encounter with God

A theological concept that refers to the reconciliation or reparation of a broken relationship between God and humanity, often through sacrificial or redemptive means. Atonement is viewed as a central aspect of many religious traditions and can involve various forms of ritual or moral purification. In Christianity, atonement is often associated with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through which believers are seen as reconciled to God and made righteous before Him. Also: Atoning Sacrifice; Expiation; Make Atonement; Propitiation

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Old Testament Background)

Old Testament Background

The Hebrew word for atone (כָּפַר, kaphar) conveys the idea of covering, both in the sense of covering to hide and also covering for someone (i.e., not charging someone with an offense or penalty). Atonement for sin was made by sacrificing an unblemished animal, although that is not always the case. Exceptions including money (Exod 30:14–16), prayer (Exod 32:30–33), the scapegoat (Lev 16:10), and incense (Num 16:46–47) are said to atone for sin under certain circumstances without requiring death. People are not the only recipients of atonement—inanimate objects like the altar (Exod 29:36–37) and holy place (Lev 16:16) are also said to be atoned.

The Old Testament never reveals what transpires on a metaphysical level when a sacrifice is offered to God. Instead, the Torah focuses on the means of atonement, describing the specific, necessary steps to reach reconciliation. While a variety of sacrifices are prescribed by the Pentateuch and depicted throughout the Old Testament, the primary passages for understanding atonement in the sacrificial system are Lev 4–6 and 16.

Leviticus 4–6 describes the process for making sin and guilt offerings. For the sin offering, an unblemished animal was presented and killed, then its blood was sprinkled and/or smeared on the altar. The fat of the animal was removed and burned atop the altar. When the nation of Israel or a priest was found guilty of sin, the sacrifice must be a bull. Individuals could offer a lamb, goat, or (for the poor) two small birds. Stipulations for guilt offerings are similar, but include restitution paid by the guilty party for their crime (Lev 5:14–19). While the two modes of offering are distinct from one another, the terms sin and guilt are used interchangeably in Lev 5:17–6:7 (see especially Lev 7:7).

The Day of Atonement (Lev 16) was a more complex ceremony involving special priestly garments, five sacrificial animals (one bull, two goats, and two rams), incense, and the purification of the holy place. After the bull had been killed to atone for the sins of the priest, lots were cast over the two goats. One of the goats was killed and its blood used to purify the holy place; the people’s sins would be confessed over the other—the scapegoat—which was then released into the wilderness to carry away that sin. The two rams were then presented as a guilt offering for the priest and the people, and the fat of the bull and the slain goat was burned on the altar to conclude the ceremony.

The elaborate nature and blood sacrifice of these ceremonies attest the gravity with which the Old Testament views sin. The people’s participation in the ceremonies speaks to the dynamic, covenantal relationship between God and Israel.

God do not have to make since to obey him

The New Revised Standard Version (Jericho Taken and Destroyed)

6 Now Jericho was shut up? inside and? out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in. 2 The LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king? and soldiers. 3 You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do? for six days, 4 with seven priests bearing seven? trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet?, then all the people shall shout? with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down? flat, and? all the people shall charge straight ahead?.”

Obedience after an encounter with God.

The New Revised Standard Version (Jericho Taken and Destroyed)

10 To the people Joshua gave this command: “You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, nor shall you utter a word, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.” 11 So the ark of the LORD went around the city, circling it once; and they came into the camp, and spent the night in the camp.

12 Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD passed on, blowing the trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rear guard came after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually. 14 On the second day they marched around the city once and then returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

15 On the seventh day they rose early, at dawn, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16 And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, “Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. 17 The city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live because she hid the messengers we sent. 18 As for you, keep away from the things devoted to destruction, so as not to covet and take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel an object for destruction, bringing trouble upon it.

Offering after an encounter with God

The New Revised Standard Version Jericho Taken and Destroyed

19 But all silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are sacred to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.” 20 So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. 21 Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman out of it and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.” 23 So the young men who had been spies went in and brought Rahab out, along with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her—they brought all her kindred out—and set them outside the camp of Israel. 24 They burned down the city, and everything in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 25 But Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, Joshua spared. Her family has lived in Israel ever since. For she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.