Joshua 2: False Fear

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Read Joshua 2

Joshua 2 (ESV)

Application

If we spend too long trying to figure out the details after God has clearly told us something, we will be paralyzed with fear and not carry out the Lord’s purpose

Moses sent 12 spies to the promised land after God told them to go and take possession of it. God said to go. The people said to send scouts to identify “the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come”

Deut 1: 20-23 And I said to you, ‘You have come to the hill country of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us. 21 See, the LORD your God has set the land before you. Go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has told you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’ 22 Then all of you came near me and said, ‘Let us send men before us, that they may explore the land for us and bring us word again of the way by which we must go up and the cities into which we shall come.’ 23 The thing seemed good to me, and I took twelve men from you, one man from each tribe

Tribal leaders were selected to go. This list of leaders is different from the list in Numbers 1-2:7. One commentary states that younger leaders may have been were enlisted for this task due to the energy involved. (also risk/physicality)

They left for 40 days and came back with their report and some of its fruit

They said that the land was prosperous and very valuable

They also said there was great danger and risk that could not be overcome (all but 2 said this: Caleb/Joshua) Numbers 13:28 “the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there”

Anakites definition from the Lexham bible dictionary: Unusually tall people who were known for their height (giants)

Zach Edey on Purdue at 7’4” and rest of team was mostly 6’3”-6’5”. St. Peter’s was ranked 15 to start March madness. St. Peter’s faced Kentucky who was ranked 2, they won. Then then faced Murray State, ranked 7, then Purdue ranked 3 with the giant, and won.

Not all fear is legitimate, some of it is false .Besides, what is the most common commandment in scripture “do not fear”.

Some things that seem insurmountable are easy/possible with God. In fact, God put stories in scripture to very explicitly tell us that He will do things in our lives that are literally impossible without him. Things that we have every human right to “fear”, however with God, there is nothing that is impossible.

Judges 6-8 story of Gideon. God told him and confirmed through the fleece, that he would strike the midianites as one man Judges 6:8. Gideon had 22,000 soldiers, God said that was too much and that Israel would boast. He sent back 12,000 who were fearful. God said still too many, and had them go to drink water. God said to take everyone who laps the water with his tongue as a dog laps by putting their hands to their mouths, and to send back everyone who kneels down to drink. He was left with 300. They defeated 135,000. They first defeated 120,000 men, then chased the remaining 15,000 Judges 8:4

Judges 8:4 ESV

And Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the 300 men who were with him, exhausted yet pursuing.

Gideon asked 2 groups of people for bread since they were starving, they didn’t give it to them but taunted them saying “have you already defeated them, are they already in your hands” and Gideon was frustrated with them and after conquering the remaining 15,000, he came back and “taught them a lesson” by breaking down a tower and taking briars and thorns to the elders.

After the spies poor report with Moses, they went on and conquered the king of the Amorites (Sihon)

They tried to pass through peacefully, only asking the king for safe passage through his land, but Sihon marched out with his entire army and was defeated by Israel and Israel “settled in the land of the Amorites”

Israel then went North during their wilderness journey along the road and the king of Bashan (Og) marched his whole army against them

The Lord said in Numbers 21:34 “But the Lord said to Moses, “Do not fear him, for I have given him into your hand, and all his people, and his land. And you shall do to him as you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who lived at Heshbon.””

It’s like God is trying to muster their confidence in Him, trying to show them that He is trustworthy, moreso than their fears. He is trying to say that when He speaks, it will be done, no matter what their fear is telling them.

This is during their wilderness journey. Many think of this time period as a dry era where they are camping for 40 years and eating only bread. They conquered a few kings as well, but they were still rebeling against Moses and God and were unhappy

Sometimes we need to understand that God has it all under control and that our fear, is not an accurate representation of reality.

This may be why scripture says the take our thoughts captive

2 corinthians 10:5 “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”

John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

We take every thought captive to Christ. Some of our thoughts are lies and false fears. Christ is truth, so we are taking this captive to truth. We are bringing them in alignment with truth. After walking with Him for a while and getting into his word, which is the truth, our thoughts will begin to be truth instead of lies or false fears.

Moses story of not getting into the promised land

Numbers 13:25-14:4

Giants deterring them from the promised land

The people are strong, the cities are fortified and very large, decedents of Anak are there, the land devours it’s inhabitants

“So they brought the people of Israel a bad report”

“Then all the congregation raised a loud cry and the people wept all night”

Wished they would’ve died in Egypt or the wilderness instead

Wish to go back into slavery

Illustration: What if God’s plan for your life involved facing giants?

Suburbs of Chicago were my giants

Dormed with 2 drug dealers that were very nice but stole things

Comfortable to alone: Went from an environment that was very comfortable to one where I didn’t know anyone and wasn’t known (popular)

Gained 1 great friend out of that who came to Christ, my wife, my education, many life lessons

Joshua’s story

Read Joshua 2

Trust in God’s faithfulness, his promises, and his strength

He was one of the spies that went the first time

Scripture Numbers 14:6-9, Caleb rising up after the bad report of spies and people crying out that they would die and they should go back to slavery

“People will not change unless the current pain is greater than the pain of change”

Sometime’s God’s purpose in your life involves facing giants

Key is to trust in his strength

God may have wanted to make a point of his strength to the Canaanites through taking Jericho.

Very large city, fortified with double walls

The people were shaking in their boots, even though they were the giants and had the big walled city

Could it be that the Cananites were shaking in their boots the first time, but they fell back into fear rather than forward into faith and trust that God is greater and that He would fulfil his promises to them