The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder Lassaire Bradley Jr. When I get scared. A thousand times to see my grace. Redeemers praise the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of His grace. This is Lysar Bradley Jr., inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace.
Yeah. Take time to be holy, speak off with thy Lord in Him always and lead on His Word. Make friends of God's children, help those who are weak, for getting in love His blessings to seek Take time to be holy both rushes on. Spend much time in secret with Jesus. Alone by looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be my friends in thy conduct, His likeness shall see.
Take time to behold me calm in thy soul each thought and each motive His control thus led by His Spirit through fountains of love thousand shall be fed. We continue today with our messages from the book of Joshua. And it makes me think a few years ago when somebody said to me, in a tone of voice that wasn't very friendly. Why on earth are you wandering around in the book of Joshua when there's so many other things to preach?
Well, we're not wandering around. We started with chapter one and verse one, and have been going verse by verse through this book. And it is inspired. It is part of the inspired Word of God. and it says these things were written aforetime for our learning and admonition.
And we have been drawing practical lessons from this Old Testament book. that are very useful in our lives today in pointing out how they are confirmed in the New Testament.
So I hope that you'll be patient as we work through some of these issues that are not very pleasant to think about. The defeat of Israel at AI. But it's there for our edification that we may learn not to follow. in the path of disobedience that caused their defeat.
Well, I hope that you will take time to write, let us know that you've listened, We need the support of our listeners to be able to stay on the air. Our address is Baptist Bible Hour. Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217. In our message two weeks ago, So I was speaking from the book of Joshua, chapter 7. The subject.
The Defeat at AI We continue there today. Going back to verse 1 of chapter 7 of the book of Joshua. But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing. For Achan, the son of Harmai, the son of Zabdai, the son of Zeram. of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing, And the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel.
We first noted a changing scene. Up to this point, things had gone extremely well. The people obeyed the Lord, and the Lord blessed the people. They had safely crossed the River Jordan. They had reinstituted the observance of the Passover.
They had conquered the walled city of Jericho, And so it said that The Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was noised throughout all the country. But now there is a change. The first word. of chapter 7. The word But That's Ominous.
Things are not going to continue as they had been. They're sending the camp. And it said that the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people. We noticed that there was bad planning. God had promised before they ever started on the journey that He would give them wisdom, that He would lead them in the way they should go.
And before going around the walls of Jericho, Joshua had taken orders directly from the Lord and followed His command. But now he had sent spies up to AI. They come back and offer advice.
Now, they were not instructed to give advice, they were simply to bring a report of what they saw. But when they come back They say it Really is not necessary that all of the people go up to fight because AI is a smaller city than was Jericho.
So We don't need to disturb everybody. And Joshua accepted their advice. Which was a grave mistake. We're startled to see that because Joshua had been such an example. Such a great leader.
One who is trusting God in every detail, but now he takes the advice. the spies.
Now, the underlying cause of their defeat was not just taking the bad advice, it was because of sin in the camp. But because of that sin God had suffered them to listen to this unsound advice and follow it, and had not intervened in the matter. And we Took some time to talk about that principle. The advice given by the spies, let not all the people go up. And how sometimes that Very Thinking.
can prevail even in a church. It's not necessary for everybody to be involved. Just a few in a roll of leadership. But Oh. Who are followers of Jesus Christ, all who are baptized believers, all who are part of the church have a place to fill and should be active.
So we talk specifically about how there should never be A discouraging word given to young people just because they're young. There's a work for them to do, a place for them to fill. Never a word of discouragement about women filling the role that they can rightfully fill. in serving God and particularly teaching the young woman as Titus chapter 2 clearly indicates. And we went on to talk about how we have to be careful.
not just in the matter of encouraging others, but never giving an excuse for ourselves and say, Well, it's not necessary for me to go up. I'm weak and I'm lacking in understanding, and a variety of excuses can be given, but there is a place for all of us. to be active in the service of God.
Now today we come to look at the sad defeat itself. Because there was sin in the camp. God left them to their own mistaken ideas. left them so that they followed the advice of the spies, which was Bad advice. Joshua had failed as he had done previously.
to seek direction from the Lord. And so this faulty advice was followed perhaps There was an element of pride involved here. They had had such resounding success at Jericho. And AI being a smaller city that felt We can handle this. No need to trouble everybody.
will be able to go. But pride is always a serious sin. and leads. to destruction. Proverbs chapter 16 in the 18th verse says, Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
So whether it be the downfall of this whole nation, or whether it be the downfall of any one of us individually. or of a church itself. Because in those letters to the seven churches of Asia, the Lord warned that The church that said, we're rich and increase with goods and have need of nothing, was traveling on dangerous territory.
So pride needs to be rooted out.
Now they're driven back by the enemy. Look at verse 3. Joshua chapter 7, verse 3. Let not all the people go up. but about three thousand men go up and smite Ai.
And make not all the people to labor thither. For they are but few that is, the inhabitants of Ai are but few, so there's no need to trouble all of our people.
So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men, and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men. And they chased them from before the gate unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down. Wherefore the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
Now AI was just about 15 miles from Jericho. And it was in the heeled country.
So they go marching up the hill, feeling that they will have immediate success. and shortly thereafter They come running down the hill. for their life. And in the process There were 36 men killed. Thirty-six of those men that had marched triumphantly around the walls of Jericho.
now are dead. Because of sin of the camp. because they had followed the wrong advice. Great military leader. had never suffered.
or a feet. But now Joshua himself is discouraged. And it certainly reveals that men that God have used mightily Can Make the wrong choices and become discouraged for a variety of reasons. There was Elijah who had been on Mount Carmel in a day of victory. Fire being rained down from heaven to consume the sacrifice that was on the altar, and even consume the altar itself.
And the people rejoiced to see this display of the power of God, but shortly thereafter, When Jezebel was seeking his life, he's down under the juniper tree saying, Lord, just take me on. Take me on, I don't need to be alive. It's old Joshua. rent his clothes according to verse six. And fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the Lord until eventide.
This Ark of the Covenant, of course, was representative of the Lord's presence. And had he been seeking God's direction earlier, and the Ark of the Covenant had played a prominent role as it had previously. Because you remember when they crossed the river Jordan, there were men that had to stand in the midst of the river after the waters were rolled back and stand there for the entire time.
so that the people were able to come safely across. But now he's on his face. before the ark of the Lord until eventide. He and the elders of Israel and put dust on their heads. this symbolic of their sorrow.
the deep grief that they were experiencing. And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord, Wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan? to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Would to God we had been content and to dwell on the other side of Jordan. Isn't it?
startling to read these words. They just taste it in the f very words that were spoken by Israel Long ago. Saying, why were we brought out of Egypt? We just as soon go back to the flesh parts of Egypt. Why did God bring us out here?
Did he bring us out here to destroy us? And now Joshua himself is taking up that language. Oh Lord, what shall I say? This is verse 8. O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies?
For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it. and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth, and what wilt thou do? to thy great name.
Well, first of all. Joshua seems to be lodging a bit of this complaint against the Lord. Horse. Seemed like it would have been better if we'd have just been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan and never cross the river. And look now what's happening.
What a dark day it is. What a dark day it is when Israel must turn their backs and run from their enemies. and think of what's going to be reported. When this word is spread throughout the land of Canaan. What's going to be their response?
What's going to be the thought about our God? Are they going to look on us now as being? Easy to defeat. And that what we had thought would be our victorious, triumphant conquering of the land, seems now to have faded. seems to be impossible.
How can we go forward?
So it's hard to believe that a man who has been such a great leader and demonstrated such faith is now in such Dark. deep despair. But it reveals Thank you. The very best of men are still just men. And in ourselves we are weak.
And in a time of defeat and darkness and discouragement are weaknesses. Clearly seen, and we recognize anew how desperately we need the Lord, we need His blessing, we need His presence. He's concerned that the tables are now turned. Previously, it was said that when the people in the land heard about the victory of the Israelites, they heard about their passage of. the Jordan River.
They heard about their victory at Jericho, their hearts melted. They were fearful. But now the tables are turned. And the Israelites are fearful. And it says their heart.
melted it.
So it's a Dark scene. People who had been enjoying the blessing of God. people who had been having great victory. Or now utterly defeated.
So we observe then that some action It was required. There was a time for mourning. Joshua was on his face until the time of the evening sacrifice. The other leaders joined him. They were in such Terrible, terrible state of mind.
Hey we're just So deeply cast down, feeling Nothing but defeat was out in front of them. But While they were upon their face before the ark, they had time to reflect. They had time to think about their own mistakes, their own failures. They had a time to come to grips with their own weakness, to understand that we cannot be bold and full of pride because of past victories. And it was a time for them to get ready to take orders.
Not to depend upon advice. of those who were unqualified to give it as they had previously done. But after they were upon their fates with time to reflect, It's now time to get up and deal with the problem. Verse 10. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up.
Wherefore liest thou upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them. for they have even taken of the accursed thing. and also stolen, and dissembled also. that is, to be untrue, to deal falsely.
And they have put it even among their own stuff. Verse 12. Therefore, the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies. Because they were accursed. Neither will I be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed thing from among you.
The sin and the sinner had to be confronted. Sanctification. was necessary. A time of cleansing, a time of significant change.
So verse 13 says, Up Sanctify the people and say, Sanctify yourselves against tomorrow. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel. For thou canst not stand before thine enemies until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. Uh Sanctify the people. What does this mean?
If you're a child of God, Christ, according to 1 Corinthians 1, is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that gloreth, let him glory in the Lord.
So you are fully, completely, positionally sanctified in Jesus Christ. But there's another aspect of sanctification. That's the progressive sanctification that's referred to in the book of Colossians.
Well he says to put off the old man. Put off the former days. Put off the corruptions of the flesh. And he lists a whole variety of sins. Sin to the heart, sin to the mind.
Send the body. Put off. And then in the same passage he says, put on the new man. This is the practical progressive aspect of sanctification. This is what Jesus was referring to in John 17, 17 when he says, sanctify them.
This is part of the prayer. He's praying to the Father on behalf of those who were given to him. And he says, sanctify them through thy truth. Thy word is truth. Hopefully you today.
will be sanctified. by the word of God. as we proclaim it. The Holy Spirit uses it. to bring about conviction.
to provide instruction, to give encouragement. As you read it on a daily basis yourself, you're being sanctified by it. And so he says it's time for sanctification. It's time to be up. You've been on your face.
You've acknowledged that there's a day of darkness that has prevailed. You've talked about your trouble, but now you've got to get up. You got to do something about the situation. Verse fourteen. In the morning, therefore, ye shall be brought according to your tribes, and it shall be that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof.
and the family which the Lord shall take shall come by households. God was going to indicate to them exactly where this guilty party could be found. And so he says, then the households which the Lord shall take. shall come man by man. And it shall be that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire.
He and all that he hath, because he hath transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel. And that sounds like a horrible, severe penalty, does it not?
Somebody says, I thought God is a God of love. Three years. But he's a God of holiness, and he hates sin, and he will punish sin. And these were living under the law, and the law demanded that when there was a blatant rebellion. displayed against the holy God of heaven.
The penalty had to be meted out.
So he said, when you bring forth the guilty party, he will have to be burned with fire. Can you imagine? What this man must have felt. He certainly knew. That the treasures he had taken were buried in his tent.
And God says we're going to start with the tribe. And then we're going to continue. with the families. With the household and down to the very individual. Surely his heart must have been pounding.
We recognize I thought I had hidden this treasure. I thought that nobody could find it. But God has found me out. I'm about to face the consequences. of my sinful Action.
Verse 19. And Joshua said unto Achan, You say they had gone One by one. Down to the point. of revealing. My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him, and tell me now what thou hast done.
Hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done. Verse twenty one. when I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold, fifty shekels' weight, Then I coveted them, And I took them. And behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent.
and the silver under it. Must have been a bit shocking when it was revealed that Yes. Sin had been committed within the tribe of Judah. Judah was looked upon as being A strong tribe. It was a large tribe.
Leaders were to be found in the tribe of Judah. But The tribe of Judah singled out. And it continues down. the hash hole. to the family.
and down to Aiton. And Achan. Couldn't fashion. He says, I saw it. I saw this Babylonish garment.
I knew that it was valuable. I saw this gold and silver. I coveted. I took it. I hate it.
Does that not describe for us the progressive action? of temptation. Person see something they want. It was appealing to me. I thought, what an opportunity.
to get this gold, this silver, this valuable garlic. Why why why should I not have it? I show it. I coveted it. I desired it.
I wanted it for myself. And covetousness is idolatry.
So when you see something that God has forbidden, But you want it. You desire it. It's not just a matter that you have committed The sin that is apparent, taking something you shouldn't have, but. the desire itself is idolatry. You have desired that thing more than you've desired God.
The law is summarized: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind, heart, soul, and strength. And of course, it goes on to say, thy neighbor is thyself. But if we love the Lord with all of our mind, heart, soul, and strength, then we're not going to rebel against what he commands. If he forbids something. He says in his word, thou shalt not.
Thou shalt not Bear false witness. That's what not adultery. On and on, the list of sins that are enumerated can be found in both the Old and the New Testaments. Broad is the road that leads to death, and thousands walk together there. The scriptures here make it plain.
that when we're desiring something that God has forbidden, It is idolatry. And we probably don't think about it in those terms very often. but to put something ahead of God It's indeed a great sin. And may we learn from the downfall of Israel at this point in their history. Not to follow.
in the same path. I hope you will pray for us. Until next week at this same time, may the Lord richly bless you all. Who's great? Nature must count her cross if she would gain this heavenly land.
The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder Leser Bradley Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour, Cincinnati, Ohio, 45217. Lord, let not all my hopes be vain. Green my heart is entirely new, which ship of grace could never take, which false upstates ever new.
