Combat and Covenant

John Owen Butler

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Joshua 8

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1. God’s Initiative, vv. 1-2

Three things I want us to notice here —

A. Chastening and Restoration

church are allowed by God to be cut down by the beast and his forces, they world appears to have

triumphed over the Church and we read:

And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry, and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. (ESV)

another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

Looking at Jericho, Achan, and Ai, we pick up a pattern that is repeated in the history of God’s people over and again:

feasting and rejoicing that went on in Ai on the night of their great victory over the people of Israel. The great, vaunted Israelites, whose God did great wonders for them, drowning Egypt’s armies in the Red Sea; separating the waters of the Jordan to let the Israelites pass through without getting their feet wet; the God who caused the walls of Jericho to fall down flat. This God and His people have, in the eyes of the men of Ai, have come up short! They put them to flight!

There would have been backslapping and high-fiving and exchanges of souvenirs stripped from the slain and equipment that had been dropped as Israel’s force had fled. There would have been much merry making for the people who had caused the hearts of the Amorites to melt in fear and who had overthrown mighty Jericho had themselves been routed by a tiny force and already the news of this defeat had spread.

Looking at Jericho, Achan, and Ai, we pick up a pattern that is repeated in the history of God’s people over and again:

people who had caused the hearts of the Amorites to melt in fear and who had overthrown mighty

Jericho had themselves been routed by a tiny force and already the news of this defeat had spread.

Joshua, in his lament had predicted after the men of Ai had thrashed them: "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth."

all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth."

Already that prediction had begun to come true, while it was only the men of Ai who had defeated the Israelite contingent in chapter 7 in here in Chapter 8, verse 17, we are informed that already the men of the neighbouring town of Bethel had joined with the people of Ai and were ready to fight together against Israel the next day.

Israelite contingent in chapter 7 in verse 17 of chapter 8 we are informed that already the men of the

neighboring town of Bethel had joined with the people of Ai and were ready to fight together against

Israel the next day.

First, Achan stole from God just as a man today might steal by promising to give a tithe and failing to do so.

But God had allowed the army of Israel to be defeated for a specific purpose, that they might know that as it is said in it is not by Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. And that they can overcome the nations of the land only by faith and obedience to His commands. If the Lord is with them, they cannot lose, but when he withdraws his presence they cannot win.

as it is said in it is not by Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of

Second, though only one man sinned, the blessing stopped for the people of God corporately.

hosts. And that they can overcome the nations of the land only by faith and obedience to His

Third, when judgment was applied, victory came.

This simple yet profound process explains all the rest of the Old Testament. It explains the period of the judges, the period of kings, the captivities under Assyria and Babylon, the Jews' return from Babylon, and the Jews' dispersion in A.D. 70 under Titus. It explains , which speaks of the Jews turning away from God and yet at a future day coming back to God and once more, as a nation, being the people of God.

First comes blessing; then if sin enters, judgment comes. If the people of God return to him after the judgment, the blessing begins again and flows on.

commands. If the Lord is with them, they cannot lose, but when he withdraws his presence they cannot

To state it again:

win.

The sin of Achan and his family that caused their defeat has been purged from their midst. Now Ai, whom God used as a tool in chastening his people to bring them to repentance, are about to be judged for their own sin.

now Ai, whom God used as a tool in chastening his people to bring them to repentance, are about to be

1) When we sin, God knows because he exists and is infinite.

judged for their own sin.

2) When we sin, the blessing slows or stops. It can even stop for a whole group on the basis of the sin of one or a few.

3) There will be judgment either from ourselves in confessing our sin, or judgment from God.

This use by God of the surrounding nations in chastening, his people is a theme repeated throughout the Old Testament, for example God uses Philistia, Assyria, and Babylon to do this, but there is not one of these nations that does not eventually fall under his final judgment. And in this we can see a huge difference, God chastens his people, and by His power they repent and rise again. Looking at Jericho, Achan, and Ai, we pick up a pattern that is repeated in the history of Gods people over and again:

4) If we turn from our sin, the blessing rolls on again.

It runs like this: 1) When we sin, God knows that we do because he exists and is infinite. 2) When we sin, the blessing slows or stops. It can even stop for a whole group on the basis of the sin of one or a few. 3) There will be judgment either from ourselves in confessing our sin and trusting in the one who bears the judgment of God for all who look to Him, the Lord Jesus Christ, or judgment from God upon themselves. 4) If we turn from our sin, the blessing rolls on again.

Francis Schaeffer reminded us of this universal principle:

the Old Testament, for example God uses Philistia, Assyria, and Babylon to do this, but there is not

It is the principle of God's judgment of his people. It is unchanging throughout Scripture because God really is there. God is a holy God, God loves his people, and God deals with his people consistently. God blesses his people, and one thing can spoil the blessing - sin, either individual or corporate. When either life in the church or doctrine is not cared for, the blessing stops as much as when an individual sins. Sin among the people of God either diminishes the blessing or brings the blessing to a halt until that sin is confessed, judged, and removed.

It is unchanging throughout Scripture because God really is there. God is a holy God, God loves his people, and God deals with his people consistently. God blesses his people, and one thing can spoil the blessing-sin, either individual or corporate. When either life in the church or doctrine is not cared for, the blessing stops as much as when an individual sins. Sin among the people of God either diminishes the blessing or brings the blessing to a halt until that sin is confessed, judged, and removed.

one of these nations that does not eventually fall under his final judgment. And therein you see a huge

difference, God chastens his people, and by His power they repent and rise again. But the judgment of

the nations is final, Babylon and Assyria are judged and desolated, never to rise again.

The Second Thing I want Us to See here is in the first two verses of this chapter, is

B. God’s Restorative Love

Now in the camp of Israel they haven't been rejoicing. They are probably very downcast, and fearful of entering battle again after their defeat. They have lost thirty-six of their brothers in arms, and we don’t have a count of the wounded. But all are discouraged and defeated. Now our God is a God who shows his love and mercy by stooping to the needs of his people.

We lived and ministered next door to the US Army’s Field Artillery Training Centre at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for almost 23 years. Artillery and rocket fire was a constant background noise for us. Not long after we had moved to Oklahoma, there was an accident on Fort Sill that killed 4 soldiers, three basic trainees and a drill sergeant, and wounded 26 others. Army officials said the accident occurred while soldiers were firing practice rounds from a howitzer, a short cannon, from a firing point a few kilometres away. At least one round apparently went off course and landed outside 1 - 1.5 kilometres outside an impact area designated for the practice firing. On investigation, it was found that the gun crew had not properly counted the bags of propellant to be used on that fire mission, packing 5 bags instead of three bags into the gun, causing the round to travel way beyond the impact area. Afterwards, the soldiers of the battalion of that gun crew were spooked, “once bitten, twice shy,” afraid to man their guns. The senior NCOs (one of who happened to be my next door neighbour) gathered the battalion together to watch — several hundred men — as they manned that gun, the one in the accident, set-up and laid exactly as the fire mission had directed, and properly fired the gun. They wanted to encourage the men of the unit that it can be done properly. Yes, this was serious business, and yes, if you don’t pay attention, people may die. But if done properly, the mission can be done successfully.

Disaster had befallen Israel. But it wasn’t due to an accident, nor carelessness. It came because of the deliberate sin of Achan. And the awful consequences had caused defeat, discouragement, despair and death.

defeat. Now our God is a God who shows his love and mercy by stooping to the needs of his people.

He tells Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed.” And then proceeds to show them how they are to serve Him, and how to carry out the mission.

God is going to take charge, to reassure, to encourage His people that they can go into battle, His way, and succeed. If you don’t deviate from the script, if you do this My way, you will not fail.

He even says to them, this time, you may keep the spoils of war that you take. One of the saddest things about the covetousness of Achan was that it was unnecessary.

Matthew Henry - Corruptions within the church weaken the hands, and damp the spirits, of her guides and helpers, more than oppositions from without; treacherous Israelites are to be dreaded more than malicious Canaanites. But God bids Joshua not be dismayed; the same power that keeps Israel from being ruined by their enemies shall keep them from ruining themselves

Maybe you have failed God and His people. You have sinned, perhaps sinned grievously and brought great harm and shame to Christ and His church. You have a sense of despair and shame, and wonder is there hope of His love again? Or am I written-off? Will I be of usefulness in His kingdom?

Friends, hear the Good News: We are told in , that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God holds no grudges. speaks not only about sin but about God’s magnificent grace. Once the last stone in that pile over the late Achan son of Carmi is placed, we are told “then the Lord turned from his burning anger.” God immediately reassures Joshua: ““Do not fear and do not be dismayed.”.… I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city and his land” (8: 1).

And it is that way for us in Christ.

The victory of the second Battle of Ai confirms that the Lord means what he says.

The Lord’s favor that follows his wrath reminds us that shocking scandals do not mean lasting doom. The Lord’s mercy shines again on all who look to him. “His anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime” (). “ ‘In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,’ says the LORD your Redeemer” (). He had separated himself from Israel for a time. He had not divorced her.

After condemning Israel’s unfaithfulness at length, the book of Micah closes with beautiful reassurance: Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. You will be true to Jacob, and show mercy to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago. () “Who is a God like you?” Micah asks. “No one”! is the answer.

Imagine God throwing your sins into the deepest depths of the sea. Imagine the fresh start that results for Israel post-Achan— and for us, too, after our sins. God’s forgiveness dumps them overboard; they are gone, buried, forgotten, unrecoverable. They cannot be thrown accusingly in our faces again. Of course, it is one thing to know we are forgiven, and quite another to actually embrace that forgiveness. Great relief follows when we do so. We are truly free at last.

And it is that way for us in Christ.

The “infinite forgiveness of the Lord” is one of the truths from ancient Ai that still speaks to us today. In receiving and dispensing it, we experience the thought of hymn writer Horatio Spafford: My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought! My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more. Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

The Third Thing I want us to notice is

C. God’s Certain Judgment on His Enemies

The world rejoices whenever it sees God’s people stumble and fall. Just imagine the feasting and rejoicing that went on in Ai on the night of their great victory over the people of Israel. The great, vaunted Israelites, whose God did great wonders for them, drowning Egypt’s armies in the Red Sea; separating the waters of the Jordan to let the Israelites pass through without getting their feet wet; the God who caused the walls of Jericho to fall down flat. This God and His people have, in the eyes of the men of Ai, have come up short! They put them to flight!

Joshua, in his lament had predicted after the men of Ai had thrashed them said: "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth."

But what we see here in Chapter 8 is that God is going to take charge, to reassure, to encourage His people that they can go into battle, His way, and succeed. If you don’t deviate from the script, if you do this My way, you will not fail.

God had allowed the army of Israel to be defeated for a specific purpose, that they might know that as it is said in it is not by Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts. They can overcome the nations of the land only by faith and obedience to His commands. If the Lord is with them, they cannot lose, but when he withdraws his presence they cannot win.

He even says to them, this time, you may keep the spoils of war that you take. One of the saddest things about the covetousness of Achan was that it was unnecessary.

2. The Second Battle of Ai

A. The Plan for Battle, vv. 3-9

The victory of the second Battle of Ai confirms that the Lord means what he says.

attack. He himself devises their battle plan and includes an ambush force. Also this time there isn't a

In this case the Lord graciously takes Israel by the hand, as it were, to show them how to fight, by not sending them up to Ai in the same manner as they had gone before, with a frontal attack. He himself devises their battle plan and includes an ambush force. Also this time there isn't three thousand soldiers as before. While the whole of the people are to watch and be encouraged, just as the whole of that artillery battalion did when the NCOs re-manned the gun, God will use this ambush force to secure success, but they have to do things by the book.

few thousand soldiers as before, Now the text is slightly confusing on this point (verses 3-12 –

Ambush force of 30,000 probably couldn't have gotten into position secretly), but the main force

Now the text is slightly confusing on the exact size (verses 3-12 –Ambush force of 30,000 probably couldn't have gotten into position secretly), but the main force consists of 30,000 picked men and the ambush force of 5,000 men. The Ambush is set on the other side of the city, lying in wait for a signal God himself will give. God plans and executes the operation from start to finish.

consists of 30,000 picked men and the ambush force of 5,000 men. The Ambush is set on the other

side of the city, lying in wait for a signal God himself will give. God plans and executes the operation

from start to finish. He even says to them, this time, you may keep the spoils of war that you take. One

of the saddest things about the covetousness of Achan was that it was unnecessary.

B. The Battle is Joined, vv. 10-23

The plan is implemented, exactly has the Lord dictates. The conquest of the king of Ai and all that belongs to him is as good as accomplished before a sword is drawn. The Lord does not need anyone’s help. He chooses to employ the army of his people as the agent of his victory.

they are going to be beaten again, and all the men of Ai and Bethel pursue them probably thinking

another victory is at hand. But then at the Lord's signal Joshua stretches forth his spear towards the

city, and the Ambush force rushes into the city and takes it and sets fires to indicate that the city is in

their hands.

In the morning after the forces are in place, the Israelites make a feigned attack and then run away as if they are going to be beaten again, and all the men of Ai and Bethel pursue them probably thinking another victory is at hand. But then at the Lord's signal Joshua stretches forth his spear towards the city, and the Ambush force rushes into the city and takes it and sets fires to indicate that the city is in their hands.

look back, perhaps to encourage his friend, and he sees to his horror thick black smoke ascending from

the city and they stop. The massive Israelite army seeing the smoke stops also. And you have this

scene the tiny army of Ai and Bethel standing before a suddenly very undefeated and very much larger

Israelite army and behind them even more men are spilling out of the city. They are wedged in, they

cannot retreat to the walls, they are trapped in the valley between two larger forces of picked men.

Imagine that moment as men men of AI and Bethel realize they are not victorious as they had thought, but doomed.

Joshua's spear which is held out like the staff of Moses is not withdrawn until all the inhabitants of both Ai and Bethel are entirely destroyed.

sobering picture.The plan is implemented, exactly has the Lord dictates. The conquest of the king of Ai and all that belongs to him is as good as accomplished before a sword is drawn. The Lord does not need anyone’s help. He chooses to employ the army of his people as the agent of his victory.

life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.

The world thought that the church was defeated, weak and cast down, but in fact they suddenly stand up on their feet and they realize that they are the ones who are defeated and facing their doom. Joshua's spear which is held out like the staff of Moses is not withdrawn until all the inhabitants of both Ai and Bethel are entirely destroyed.

up on their feet and they realize that they are the ones who are defeated and facing their doom. Joshua's

spear which is held out like the staff of Moses is not withdrawn until all the inhabitants of both Ai and

Bethel are entirely destroyed.

in order to understand that, we need to remember why the Lord had brought this judgment on the

Caananites in the first place. It wasn't simply because he preferred Israel, or because Israel was

righteous. God Himself told Israel that:

"Do not think in your heart, after the LORD your God has cast them out before you, saying, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land'; but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you. 5 "It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

saying, 'Because of my righteousness the LORD has brought me in to possess this land'; but it is

because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out from before you.

5 "It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you go in to possess

their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD your God drives them out

from before you, and that He may fulfill the word which the LORD swore to your fathers, to

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

We need to remember that these people are judged because they have offended against the almighty God who gave them ample time, over 4 centuries in fact, to repent and turn to Him. Even up to the day of battle there was yet time to repent.

God who gave them ample time, over 4 centuries in fact, to repent and turn to Him. Even up to the day

of battle there was yet time to repent.

"Had the people of Ai, like Rahab, reacted to God’s great signs with faith leading to conversion they also could have become a part of the Hebrew nation. Instead, they reacted to God’s great deeds with stubborn resistance, and, for this reason, are destroyed." – Andrew Bowling

also could have become a part of the Hebrew nation. Instead, they reacted to God’s great deeds with

stubborn resistance, and, for this reason, are destroyed." – Andrew Bowling

And so symbolizing the sin of the people the King of Ai undergoes the public treatment that God had accorded to those who broke His laws: " If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

accorded to those who broke His laws: " If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

" If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang

him on a tree, 23 "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is

23 "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that

you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is

hanged is accursed of God.

Certainly while the world may think that they will defeat the church and not experience Judgment, they will not.

will not.

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

The King of Ai is taken alive and brought to Joshua.

C. Winding Up, vv. 24-29

The aim of chapter 8 is to show that victory is certain and complete when the Lord’s people follow him in covenant faith.

There is this final picture of what happened to the king of Ai, that may be difficult to understand. But in order to understand that, we need to remember why the Lord had brought this judgment on the Caananites in the first place. It wasn't simply because he preferred Israel, or because Israel was righteous. God Himself told Israel that:

We need to remember that the Canaanites are judged because they have offended against the almighty God who gave them ample time, over 4 centuries in fact, to repent and turn to Him. Even up to the day of battle there was yet time to repent.

And so symbolizing the sin of the people, the King of Ai undergoes the public treatment that God had accorded to those who broke His laws: " If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 "his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.

Certainly while the world may think that they will defeat the church and not experience Judgment, they will not.

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

Another memorial appears in Canaan when the king’s body is placed at the city gate and a large pile of rocks is raised over it. Like the mound over the city, the rocks over the king’s body remain “to this day,” to the day of the writing of Joshua. The memorial broadcasts a warning to all who think they can defy the Lord of the universe. At the same time, it speaks of the success of the Lord’s people, who cherish his covenant and find in him their victory.

3. The Covenant Is Renewed, vv. 30-35

There tends to be a belief in our culture that worship is for the most part a rather unimportant event. Worship services like this one we find ourselves in at present or what is here in these verses before us are nice, but a lot less important than say actually doing something. For instance, if you ask people what is more important, worship of the Lord God, or the war on domestic violence or poverty or the war on terror, whatever cause or concern is out there, they'd probably answer "The War on X of course" almost instinctively. You see it when something bad happens and we say that we’ll be praying for the people involved, and others sneer at it as being practically useless.

If you'd asked suspect he would have said, "The Worship of the Lord God, for the success of our conquest, depends not upon the strength of our arms, but upon our faith in Him. If we fail to worship him, to believe his promises, and keep his commandments, then we have no chance of winning that war, but he has shown us that if we believe and obey, then he will keep the covenant promises he made to our fathers to give us this land and bless us in it.

Our blessings, or our curses flow not from our works, but from our relationship to God and worship is the visible representation and constant renewal of that relationship."

In Hebrew the word for worship means to bow down , to prostrate oneself, to humbly submit acknowledging that God is not only the Lord, but your Lord and that He is the one who commands, that He is the one who orders all things and brings blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience.

Israel had then repented of this sin, done the will of the Lord and once again success had followed. They had been shown then that success in the conquest, had far more to do with the state of their heart regarding the Lord than the might of their arms. Therefore worship was vitally important. In Hebrew the word for worship is Shacah, it means to bow down and prostrate oneself, to humbly submit acknowledging that God is not only the Lord, but your Lord and that He is the one who commands, that He is the one who orders all things and brings blessing for obedience and cursing for disobedience.

So it is appropriate that Israel worship the Lord and be reminded of the Covenant, and go through a ceremony were by the Covenant promises are repeated and renewed in the hearing of the people. The intention being not to rebind God to His promises and His People, because God had always been faithful, but to remind the people of their calling and obligation and once again to renew their binding to their God.

God is faithful, that He keeps His promises. Just as Abraham had been promised by God that his descendants would inherit the land, and there they were on Mount Ebaal and Mount Gerizim, Consider this fact:

Can you imagine their thrill when Joshua reached and the heard the words of the first covenant God had made with their forefather Abraham.

We, too, gathered in worship this day, is also in answer to God’s promise to Abraham, that he would be the father of many nations. We, by faith, have been engrafted into God’s people. We are the new Israel of God. And we have become the inheritors of that promise in Christ as well. Praise His name!

Then Abram took Sarai his wife and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan. So they came to the land of Canaan. 6 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

And they realized, hey we are standing in the same place that God made that promise to Abraham, and the same place where he built an altar and offered up a sacrifice. And now we see that God is faithful, that He keeps His promises. For here we are! Abraham's children in the land God promised to our Father. And look we have become the inheritors of that promise, in spite of our unfaithfulness. God has been faithful in spite of our unfaithfulness.

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