A lot of people will do one half of what God asked them to do and then get mad because God hadn't done anything yet. Dr. Tony Evans says partial obedience won't bring full victory. You've got to go all the way with God. If a runner doesn't cross the finish line, it doesn't matter how much they ran.
They've got to finish. This is the alternative broadcast, featuring the timeless biblical teachings from the archives of Dr. Tony Evans. Following turn-by-turn directions doesn't really help if you decide to skip some of those turns along the way. Today, Dr.
Evan shows how Israel's greatest biblical victory quickly gave way to unexpected defeat, and how our faith and obedience determine whether we move forward with God or fall back on ourselves. Let's join him in the book of Joshua as he gets started.
Now Jericho. Chapter six. Was tightly shut because of the sons of Israel. No one went out or came in. The Lord says to Joshua, see?
I have given Jericho into your hand with its king and the valiant warriors.
Now, what's interesting about this verse is The battle hadn't happened yet. Yet God says they've already lost. What's a New Testament principle? You are more than conquerors in him who loved you and gave himself for you. That when you and the Lord are on the same page, you've already won, even if you haven't won yet.
So he speaks about a victory that has not occurred in history, but that has occurred in eternity. Which is why we need to maintain a heavenly perspective. Because when you see what heaven has done or is doing, it shifts your anticipation and confidence on earth. Because he hears before the battle is raging.
Now, why does he tell him, see, you've already won? The reason why he wants him to know that. is because he's getting ready to give him a battle plan that doesn't make sense.
So he gives him the battle. strategy. Verse 3: You're to march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do it for six days. Seven priests shall carry seven trumpets.
On the seventh day, and march around the city seven times.
So you keep seeing the word seven. As you know, seven is the number of completion in the Bible.
So he tells them to march around the wall. It shall be that, verse 5, that when they make a long blast of the ram's horn, and when they hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout, and the wall of the city shall fall flat, and the people will go up, every man, straight ahead. If you follow my instructions, what I prophesied. in the spiritual. will become visible in the physical.
Don't lose sight of that point. What God says that you do not see may be waiting on you. to do what you're supposed to do.
So Joshua, the son. Of none. Calls the priest. To take up the ark of the covenant, which remember, manifested the presence of God. and to go forward.
That is? To do what God said, do.
So in verse 12. Joshua rises up early. And the priests with him, they take the ark, God's presence. They do exactly what they were told to do in verse 13. The second day they do exactly, and they did it for six days according to verse 14.
Then on the seventh day, At the seventh time when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, Shout! For the Lord has given the city to you. Hebrews 11 says that the Jericho walls fell down. by faith. Because remember, the Old Testament gives us the story The New Testament gives us the principle of the story for us to use today.
They had to act in faith on something they did not see simply because God said it would happen. A lot of people will do one half of what God asked them to do and then get. get mad because God hadn't done anything yet. When you will see over and over in the scripture, be careful to do all. He told Joshua that in Joshua chapter 1.
Be careful to do all to complete the faith journey. and not stop halfway. S If a runner doesn't cross the finish line, it doesn't matter. how much they ran. They've got to finish.
Yeah So that's the principle, the wall came down by faith.
So, the question you've got to ask yourself, I've got to ask myself is what. Am I keeping God from doing because I won't finish? What am I holding, God? I've been praying for it and begging God for it. Hallelujah.
Praise the Lord. Wave your hand in the air like you just don't care. I mean, I've been doing all that stuff for and nothing has happened. But have you finished the seventh time? Have you completed the process?
So the people shouted. Verse 17, the city shall be under the ban. It and all of it belongs to the Lord. Only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live because she hear the messengers. And as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them or take some of the things under the ban.
and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble to it. Under the ban means it was set apart. For sacred use.
Okay, it was set apart for God's sacred use, either to be preserved because God had a purpose for it, or to be destroyed, but you can't mess with it. Because it's underneath the ban. It is, it is, we would use the word, it's restricted.
So you are not to take anything from the city.
Now, This is going to be very important for chapter 7. It's gonna be very important for chapter seven, but for right now, he gives them a warning that they are not to take anything from under the bed. All the silver and gold and articles of bronze and iron, verse 19, are holy to the Lord. They're restricted to him. They shall go into the treasury of the Lord.
So the people shouted. And the priest blew the trumpets. And when the people heard. The sound of the trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and the wall fell flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight ahead, and they took the city.
So The stones on the wall became the steps that they walked on and entered the city.
Okay, wait a minute. The wall is the problem. The wall is the problem. They got these two the two walls.
Okay, does the outer wall, inner wall, six feet wide, 12 feet wide.
So the wall is the problem. The problem is how are we going to get over this wall? It's it's too big. It's too thick. He says, well, you're not going to get over it.
You're going to walk around it. And when I say scream, you're going to scream, okay? And everybody screams, and the walls come down, and we are told. We are told in the verse That they fell down flat, so the people went into the city, every man straight ahead.
So the walls become stepping stones. You remember in the New Testament, Jesus. when the disciples were in the storm and Jesus came walking on the water, He was walking on the very thing. That was the problem. And there's nothing like seeing Jesus walking on top.
of what was messing you up. Seeing God just walk on top of it and let you walk with him. That's called making your enemies your footstool. That's what that's called.
So they utterly destroyed everything in the city. Both man and woman, and young, and old, and ox, and sheep, and donkey, and the edge of the sword.
Okay, why would God destroy everything in the city? Especially the people. The Canaanites were extremely wicked people. And God not wanting his people to be contaminated. With that kind of wretched evil.
would destroy it. rather than allow them to be contaminated by it.
So, on the one hand, emotionally, we say that's cruel. On the other hand, God is looking long term. And not just short term.
So he says to the men, Go to the harlot's house, because remember? The Bible never wants you to forget her occupation. to show you how far God can take a person. Because when you get to Matthew chapter 1 She's in Jesus' lineage.
So he can take a street walker. And turn her into the great Great grandmother of David, who's the ancestor of Jesus Christ.
So he doesn't want you to forget that, which gives people hope. That even if you can't shake your historical reputation. God can do amazing things with your life.
Okay.
So the young men, they went, who were the spies, went and brought Rahab. her father, her mother, her brothers, and all they had, and brought them out. because she was righteous and brought everybody under her roof. They were protected by her righteousness. It's covenantal covering, 1 Corinthians 7, the principle.
talks about covenantal covering.
So they burned the city with fire and all that was in it, only the silver and gold and articles of bronze and irons, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. Rahab, you know, she lived in the midst of it.
So she lives in the midst of Israel. She gets relocated to this day. to the day of this writing, because she hid the messengers. Then Joshua made them take an oath that time, saying, Cursed before the Lord is the man who rises up and builds this city, Jericho. With the loss of his firstborn, he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son, he shall set up its gate.
In other words, this city will not be rebuilt, it is to be utterly torn. Totally, completely, ongoingly destroyed.
So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land. But the Israelites' faithfulness was soon to be tested, and we'll learn what happened next when Dr. Evans returns in just a moment. Before he does, though, I want to remind you about a powerful resource we're making available right now. It's Tony's current sermon series from the Book of Joshua, a nine-message audio collection that shows how God's guidance can help you navigate both triumphs and trials as you pursue His promises for your life.
When you support the Ministry of the Alternative with a donation, we'll send you the complete nine-part Joshua series as our thank you gift. And because God has a plan for every part of our lives, including our families, we'd also love to include the Kingdom Family Devotional as a special bonus. This 52-week devotional, written by Tony and his son Jonathan, covers practical topics like faith, priorities, relationships, and handling life's everyday challenges. Each weekday offers short but meaningful devotionals that are engaging for kids and spiritually enriching for parents. Don't wait, this double offer will only be available for a limited time.
Visit us today at tonyevans.org to make your request or call our resource request line at 1-800-800-3222. Our team is available around the clock to assist you. That's 1-800-800-3222.
Well now let's get back to Dr. Evans with part two of today's message from the book of Joshua. In chapter 7. We move from the thrill of victory. to the agony of defeat.
The sons of Israel, verse one, acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban. For Aiken He takes some of the things that are under the ban. Therefore, the Lord. burn against the sons of Israel.
So Achan steals stuff from God. 'Cause it was restricted. But it also says Israel acted unfaithfully.
So, in some general way, Israel was being very casual about this. sacred thing. And in a very specific way. Aiken actually stole some stuff. Yeah.
So Joshua in verse two sends men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aben. East of Bethel, and said to them, Go up and spy out the land.
So the men went up to spy out the land, which is what he did in Jericho. But they returned to Joshua and said, Don't let these people go up. We don't have to fight much up here because they ain't got nothing going on. only about two or three thousand men. need to go up.
uh because they they only have a few they only have a few fighters so so we got this you know We got this.
So about 3,000 men went. From the people went up there, but they fled from the men of Ai. The men of Ai struck down about 36 of their men and pursued them from the gate. The end of the verse says, So the hearts of the people melted. Because of the water, because of how far they've been beaten back.
Well, of course, Joshua is towed from the flow up. Then Joshua tore his clothes. And fell to earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, both he and the elders of Israel and put dust on their heads. This is. This is a position of anguish and sorrow.
Joshua said. At last, O Lord. Meaning, okay, God. Why did you bring this people over the Jordan only to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan.
In other words, why are you letting me go through this?
Okay, we got this great victory here in Jericho. We come out here and we are routed. O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back? Before their enemies, we're running from the enemies we thought we were supposed to have victory over. He's confused as to why this has happened.
Verse 10, God responds.
So the Lord says to Joshua, rise up. Why is it that you have fallen on your face? Israel has sinned and they have also transgressed my Covenant. There was an official agreement. The covenant is a divinely orchestrated agreement, which I commanded them.
I told them: don't mess with the restriction. And they have even taken some of the things under the ban and have both stolen and deceived. Moreover, They have also put them among their own things. They've taken from me. and acting like it's theirs.
Therefore, the sons of Israel cannot stand before the enemy. Principle. Their sin was controlling their circumstances. Their sin was controlling their circumstances. Joshua is asking a question.
What about my circumstances? God was saying, well, what about your sin? In other words, Your righteousness can give you victory at Jericho. Your unrighteousness can bring you defeat. Er A.
So just because God was with me yesterday. Doesn't mean he's hanging tough with me today. If I am rebelling against his agreement. It's covenant. And he says, Therefore, the sons of Israel cannot stand verse 12 before their enemies.
They've turned their backs before their enemies, for they have become accursed. Rise up. Verse 13, consecrate the people and say, yourselves For tomorrow, for thus the Lord the God of Israel has said: there are things under the ban in your midst. O Israel, you cannot stand before your enemies until you have removed the things under the ban from your midst. We got to straighten this up.
If we want the Lord on our side.
Now the Lord Israel was still his people. They were still under the covenant. He just wasn't fighting for them. Because they had stolen that which was restricted. And so In the morning, You shall come near to your tribes.
And it shall be that the tribe which the Lord takes by lot shall come near by families, and the family which the Lord takes shall come near by households. and the households which the Lord takes shall come near. Ma'am Bye. Man.
So He says, it shall be. Verse 15, that the one who is taken with the things under the ban shall be burned with fire. He and all that belongs to him, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord and because he has committed this disgraceful thing in Israel. When they got rid of the The accursed thing. Mm-hmm.
We now have a reversal of circumstances.
Now the Lord said to Joshua, Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you. Arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given it into your hand, the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land. Oh, here we have a promise again.
That has not yet occurred. as if it has occurred. Because he says, I've already given it to you. Because I've given it in the spiritual, but I'm going to give you a plan to activate it in the physical.
Now, here's the principle I want to share with you. Because remember, we're not trying to repeat the story, the stories are given to share the principles.
So here's the principle. God's method yesterday may not be God's method today.
Okay.
He ain't tell them walk around nothing. He didn't tell the priest to go out front. He didn't give them a Technically religious strategy. He gave them a military one. He said, You set the ambush in the back.
We're going to come up in the front like we're going to fight them. They're going to see us and come after us. We're going to run like we're scared. They're going to keep running after us. When you see them running after us, you come from the back into the city, set the city on fire, and we got it from there.
That's a different strategy. Which is why you gotta stay in contact with heaven. And not be using what he gave you yesterday. Today. because today he may have a whole different plan.
He got a whole different plan because his ways are not our ways. You know? And so you got to stay fluid with God. Yeah, 'cause he'll he'll He'll throw curveballs at you.
Okay? And so So Joshua rises in the morning and With all the people. He takes 5,000 men. and sets the ambush between Bethel and Ai. And so they station the people and so he's getting them ready for this.
for this fight. And then in verses 23 to 29. They've destroyed the city, they've slain all the men. Verse 21. They take the king in verse 23.
And when they had finished, verse 24, killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness, where they pursued them, and all of them were fallen by the edge of the sword until they were destroyed. Then all of Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. All who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000, all the people of AI. Notice something. When he first went to AI, the spy came back.
and said all we need is a few men. Because they only have a few people.
Well, they didn't have a few people. There was misinformation given. But also, there was no divine instruction as to how they would go about it, given. See, when they defeated Jericho, they got divine instruction. When they went to Arei the first time, there was no divine instruction.
That was just a military strategy. God is not against a military strategy because he gives them one when they go back. But even when you know what you're doing. He doesn't want your knowledge of what you're doing to be done independently of him. Because he may want to use your knowledge even in a different way, strategize it in a different way.
So that's why you treat each situation uniquely before the Lord, because he may have a different set of circumstances. But anyway, to bring this to a close, Joshua. has defeated the folks in AI. He burns the city in verse 28. He hangs the king in verse 29.
And then in verse 30, Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord. the God of Israel in Mount Ebo. Just as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord and sacrificed. peace offerings. He wrote there.
On the stones, a copy of the law of Moses, the Ten Commandments, which he had written in the presence of the sons of Israel. He ends this victory in AI. With the word of God. He reads God's requirements that they might understand between these two mountains, half stood on Mount Gerzium, half stood on Mount Ebo, the blessings and the curses.
Now to understand what that's all about. Read. Deuteronomy 30. Because it keeps going back just as Moses had done.
So there's a connection here between what Joshua is doing now in chapter 8. and what Moses had done, just read chapter 30. Dr. Tony Evans, pointing us back to God's Word as the key to understanding both our victories and our setbacks, and how obedience positions us for lasting success.
Now, don't forget, today's lesson is part of Tony's powerful nine-part sermon series from the book of Joshua, a journey through spiritual victories, life lessons, and God's promises. When you support Tony's ministry, we'll say thanks by sending you the full audio series, along with a bonus copy of the Kingdom Family Devotional, a 52-week guide designed to strengthen your family's faith one day at a time. This special double offer is only available for a short time, so visit tonyevans.org to make your request or call us at 1-800-800-3222. That's tonyevans.org or call 1-800-800-3222. Mm-hmm.
Some contracts are loaded with fine print, but God's covenant with the Israelites was clear. Choose obedience and live in His blessing. Tomorrow, Dr. Evans uncovers how deception and distraction can detour us from our purpose. God's grace can still bring victory even if we've made bad deals in the past.
Be sure to join us.
