Haiku for Matthew 27

Jerusalem in darkness 

on a cross-work of wood 

one light house at sea.

Study in Joshua Chapter 7:1-26

God will Find It ALL OUT

See the folly of those that promise themselves secrecy in sin.  Te righteous God has many ways of being to light the hidden works of darkness....We must pray with holy Job, Lord, show me wherefore those contendest with me.

Shinny Things

Suffering comes when the heart walks after the eyes... (if our eyes wonder) than we shall be sure to weep for it.... that which is pleasing in the commission, is bitter in the reflection. (Matthew Henry 223)

Man's Image Accountability

You are not reducible. You are not a net zero, or a number (0 or 1) in a hyper-textual-networked-machine.  You are the sons of God representing his glory here in this battle torn world. As a son or daughter of God we are accountable for all our actions.   We are his, when aligned with him, ambassadors in a fallen world. 

We have been crucified with Christ so that we are no longer enslaved to sin.   

Our sins in Christ have been paid, so don't waiver, don't store away secret sins, and attempt to cover your tracks.   This is something that can not be done, for God digs and exposes all of our sins.

 Romans 8:1 We are accountable for our actions.   

The Real Battle Royale

Deus Contra Mundum: God Versus the World (of Man)

Hugh J. Blair in his commentary on Joshua states: "Israel was now a nation, and the sin of the individual was the sin of the nation until the nation repudiated it and expedition was made." pg 241

To The Arguement: This is Just Old Man, Old Testament God

Not so, look at Acts 5:1-11 God cares about all of our sins.   And will be patient until the right time to root all of them out... on his prescribed day.... 

What can I do about this

1. Align your mind through the renewal of it in God's word-first thing in the morning and in the afternoon, and before one goes to bed.  God's word is something that will arm us with all that we need to walk in this world of the walking Dead.  
2. Run Rabit Run Run Run from all of the sins of the world.  Don't allow the sins to croch at your door.  Root it out, like a hog does to the brush, and find out all that needs to be repented, find the roots and dig them out.
3. Find a good church, a group of confessing sinners who understand the sinful nature of man, and understand that it is a big deal to sin.   But being sinners they can support the sinner  out of genuine  love. 
4. Accountability buddies who will keep us on the straight and narrow road; for along our adventure there will be many things that may tempt the eyes.  
5. Remember that ye represent not only yourself, but also the holy journey of others... you can't help others if you can't help yourself.  And we all need each other to get through this war of the spirit.

The Message on Joshua 7:10-13

^10-12 God said to Joshua, "Get up. Why are you groveling? Israel has sinned: They've broken the covenant I commanded them; they've taken forbidden plunder—stolen and then covered up the theft, squirreling it away with their own stuff. The People of Israel can no longer look their enemies in the eye—they themselves are plunder. I can't continue with you if you don't rid yourselves of the cursed things.

 ¹³ "So get started. Purify the people. Tell them: Get ready for tomorrow by purifying yourselves. For this is what God, the God of Israel, says: There are cursed things in the camp. You won't be able to face your enemies until you have gotten rid of these cursed things. (The Message)

Read the Passage-Joshua 7:1-26: ESV Passage

Message Passage

Picture was taken by Jessica Baylor Rothbard at the Sun And Fun Air Show April 3 2011

Redeemer Presbyterian Roasted the Whole Hog  It was Delicious.

Studies in Joshua 6-No April Fools Joke

Outline from Emanuel Presbyterian and Charles Drew on Joshua 6

I. God Alone Brings Judgement

(Fighting without and fear within) 2 Cor 7:5)  

This was a great test of faith, and a great glory to the almighty God.   Usually when we come out of a holy victory we are prone to sin, which we will see in Joshua 7:1-26.

1. Specific Instructions by God for Joshuah to follow. Step by step outlined. 
2. Key action is from God: Shouts and the walls come tumbling down.
3. Military formation.  (Arc of the Covenant, followed by Priests blowing horns, followed by the Silent People Walking). 
4. Number Seven, occurs again and again in this passage.
• Seven priests
• seven trumpets
• seven days
• seven circuits of the walls on the seventh day
5. Everything is devoted to destruction. This is not their battle for their needs or wants, they are to destroy it all.  This is not about your gain its about God's Judgement.  (Joshua 6:17-21 and 26).
•  Also had they taken gains they would risk Jericho's illness and contamination. 
6. The battle itself is not the focus (Joshua 6:19-20)  The focus is not on soldiers and their battle; its on the glory of God, his strength alone.  (The soldiers are silent witnesses.)
7. The battle is a holy battle not framed by the actions of man.  (Joshua 5:13-15)

II. Patient Waiting: Take Warning

1. 6 Days the people marched around Jericho! Why did the people of Jericho not repent and come towards God! God waits to fill up the people of Jericho with total lack of God. (Genesis 15) "Inequity of the Amorites is not yet complete." (Joshua 11:19-Gibeonites made a treaty of peace with the Israelites.) People of Jericho may have had an opportunity to repent, but the people of Jericho failed to do so.   
• Put your lives in perspective.
• Inequity fills up, there is time to repent before Judgement.
• Taking out the weeds may take out the wheat.

III. God's Mercy Is Great and God's People are Truthful

God's kindness brings a sinner to repentance.

Rahab the prostitute was spared from the destruction of the people in Jericho.  

Hebrews 11:31 

 Acts 14:31 

God shows the weight of a Devine curse, where it rests there is no getting out from under it; for it brings ruin without remedy. 

 M., Henry,. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible: Nelson's Concise Series. City: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2000. 

Note in I Kings XVI:34 Ahab rebuilds Jericho, this was against the warning sent by God to never rebuild the city again.   Ahab sacrificed two of his sons in order to rebuild this once mighty city.   Ahab became a curse without remedy.  

Connection to Your Life:

What does it mean that God is the sole Judger and Executioner in Joshua?  

Where does prayer belong here?  

What does it mean to be silent, and when does man need to speak up?  

What does it mean that we are people of peace?   

What's keeping you from repenting and coming closer to God?  

Where are you not being transparent in your Christian Walk? 

What do you do when you are away from godly friends, your curtains are drawn, and no one knows but you and God, that you may need to repent of and walk away from? (Be sober minded.)

Joshuah Fought the Battle of Jericho by Mahalia Jackson

Classic Worship Songs: Doxology