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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
Rahab is Rescued and Jericho is Burned

































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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)God keeps His word of salvation.
God keeps His word of judgment.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONBe faithful and your fame will spread throughout the land.
Let's not allow the walls of Jericho to be built again.

QUESTIONSWhy would a loving God destroy the people of Jericho?
What was the result of the Israelites' disobedience by leaving pockets of the enemy throughout the land?
Why were the Israelites to remain in Egypt for many years?
What was saved out of Jericho?
After Rahab was spared, what distinguished her?
How is 1 Kings 16:34 the confirmation of God's word in Joshua 6:26?

ANSWERSJericho was a pagan Canaanite city, gross in their immorality and idolatry. God did not want His people polluted and contaminated because of their influence.
It led to their downfall.
See Genesis 15:16. Because of the iniquity of the Amorites (Canaanites). God gave them many years of opportunities to change their ways, but they would not.
The precious metals to go into the treasury of the Lord; AND, of course, Rahab and her family.
She not only came into the covenant family of Israel, but she married there and became the great-great grandmother of David, the line of the Messiah. See Matthew 1.
God said that the man who rebuilt the walls of Jericho would be cursed. Its foundation would be laid on his firstborn, and with his youngest son he would set up the gates. In the days of King Ahab, 500 years later, God kept His word of judgment.

DISCUSS/CONSIDERRahab asked the spies to spare her and her family. She believed, and God's word of salvation was kept. Read Hebrews 11:31 and Romans 10:9 and 10:13. Is your faith, like Rahab's, centered in what God has done and will do?
God keeps His word of judgment. Note the judgment of God to both Rahab and Ahab. Read John 3:36. This is God's sure word of judgment. Have you acknowledged Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord?

CHALLENGEAll the Canaanites knew about Joshua's faithfulness in standing for the Lord. What does your life say? What will your epitaph say about your faithfulness in standing for the Lord?
A major doubt or fear or temptation can keep you in despair. It can become a stronghold to keep you from possessing the spiritual land and its blessings. And even when you think it's been conquered, it can rise again. Don't let the walls be built again. There are no walls too high or too thick for God!

KEY VERSES"Joshua spared Rahab the harlot and her family..." (Joshua 6:25)
"Israel has sinned...therefore they could not stand before their enemies...destroy the accursed from among you." (Joshua 7:11-12)
"...the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country." (Joshua 6:27)

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
Israel is Defeated at Ai

































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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)There are definite causes for defeat in the believer's life.a. Disobedience (7:1), b. Overconfidence (7:3), c. No prayer (7:6-7, 10)
There are definite consequences of defeat in the believer's life. a. God is angry (7:1), b. Others are affected (7:1, 11), c. Blessings are withheld (7:12)

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONAre you an Achan?

QUESTIONSWhat was Israel's military strategy for the conquest of Canaan?
Name the beginning point of the central campaign.
How does this portion of Scripture illustrate God's program for this world under judgment?
What kind of a city was Ai? Why did it have to be conquered?
How many military defeats did Israel suffer during the conquest?

ANSWERSTo divide and conquer.
The destruction of Jericho.
As with Rahab, only people will be saved out of this world, because it is programmed for destruction.
It was a small city, about fifteen miles from Jericho up on the ridge line. Ai was strategically placed, blocking one of the natural passes up into the hill country. It had to be conquered if the central campaign was to move on.
Only one, and that was at Ai.

DISCUSS/CONSIDERReview the three causes for defeat in the believer's life. Discuss the meanings or spiritual applications for you, as a believer. Are you in any way robbing God? Have you ever suffered defeat after a spiritual victory? Do you turn to God first in prayer or do you move ahead in your own strength without consulting Him?
Review the three consequences of defeat in the believer's life. Discuss the spiritual applications for you, as a believer. How do you respond to God's discipline? Do you really believe that you can sin in a vacuum without affecting others? Have you experienced a standstill in your life because you have not dealt with sin? See 1 John 1:9.

CHALLENGEAre you an Achan, a troubler? Is the forward progress and blessing on the Lord's people held up because of your sin? Don't be an Achan.

KEY VERSES"The children of Israel committed a trespass...because of Achan's sin." (Joshua 7:1)
"Do not let all the people go up, for the people of Ai are few." (Joshua 7:3)
"Alas, Lord God.' 'The Lord said to Joshua, 'Get up!" (Joshua 7:7, 10)
"Israel has sinned...therefore they could not stand before their enemies...destroy the accursed from among you." (Joshua 7:11-12)

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
Achan's Sin and Judgment

































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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)Believers must scrutinize their lives for the sin causing defeat.
Believers must deal decisively with the sin causing defeat.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONDon't travel the Achan trail.

QUESTIONSWhat is the meaning of the name, Ai?
Have the ruins of Ai been located?
Who caused the problem at Ai?
How was the root of the problem uncovered?
What was the problem?
What was the judgment pronounced and carried out on Achan?
Wasn't this a bit harsh?
Didn't Achan repent?
What was God's response after the judgment was carried out?

ANSWERSIt means ruins.
Not for certain, but an excavation for a possible location is planned.
Achan.
By a systematic examination by tribe, then family, then the individual.
Achan disobeyed God by stealing and hiding goods that were to go into God's treasury, and he tried to hide the truth as well.
He and his family were stoned to death, then burned.
Not in light of what Achan did. Remember, he was directly responsible for the death of at least thirty-six men and he had robbed God as well as Jericho.
No. Only when he was found out, did he confess to the sin, and he didn't show remorse.
The anger of the Lord subsided.

DISCUSS/CONSIDERGod selected a systematic method to give all of Israel time to examine themselves before Him. When we suffer defeat we must let our lives pass in review before the spotlight of God. See Hebrews 4:12 and Psalm 139:23-24.
It is one thing to pinpoint sin, but sin must be judged before the believer can move on. Have you scrutinized, located and dealt with sins in your life?

CHALLENGEWhat is the Achan trail? "I saw, I coveted, I took." (Joshua 7:21) Don't travel the Achan trail. See James 1:14-15

KEY VERSES"There is an accursed thing in your midst...you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you." (Joshua 7:13)
"Joshua said, 'My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to Him.' Achan answered, 'Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel." (Joshua 7:19-20)
"When I saw, I coveted, and I took..." (Joshua 7:21)
"Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you.' The Lord turned from His anger." (Joshua 7:25-26)

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
Israel's Victory Over Ai

































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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)The enemy does not have the last laugh.
The enemy does not know the tactics of the Lord.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONLet God give you victory in your place of defeat.

QUESTIONSGod gave a great victory over Jericho. Why, then, were the Israelites defeated in a little place called Ai?
How did Achan rob God?
What was the strategy used to defeat Ai?
Why did the men of Ai think they had won again?
What was the name of the valley where Israel was judged for their sin?
What was the restriction concerning the booty to the victors in Jericho?
What was the restriction concerning the booty to the victors in Ai?

ANSWERSBecause they were disobedient, overconfident and didn't consult the Lord for His direction.
By taking some of the silver and gold of Jericho, which was to go into the treasury of the Lord.
Joshua divided his forces to set up an ambush and trap the enemy between his contingents.
They thought that Israel had come up as before when Joshua's main force pretended to flee. But they were trapped with no way of escape.
The Valley of Achor.
The silver and gold were to go into the treasury of the Lord.
There were no restrictions - it was free for the taking.

DISCUSS/CONSIDERThe people of Ai probably laughed in derision as they saw the army of Joshua running away as before. Little did they know that Israel would have the last laugh. Similarly, Satan tries to defeat us in the land of spiritual realities, and sometimes he is able to trip us up with the little Ais. But the enemy does not have the last laugh. God is the ultimate victor and will turn defeat into victory. When you feel defeated, remember that God can pick up the pieces of your life.
The pagan Canaanites were outfoxed by Joshua and the army of Israel, who were directed by the Lord Himself. At the cross, Satan thought he was victorious when Jesus died. But God conquered death and raised Jesus from the tomb. Christ Jesus lives today! Have faith in God.

CHALLENGEGod wants to give you victory in the place of defeat. Israel was defeated at Ai, but the second time around, Ai was defeated. The Valley of Achor, where Israel was judged for their sin and defeat, would become a door of hope for Israel in the future. See Hosea 2:15. In the very place of your Ai, the place of your defeat, God can bring victory.

KEY VERSES"Now the Lord said to Joshua, 'Do not be afraid, nor dismayed...arise, go up to Ai. I have given it into your hand." (Joshua 8:1)
"Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, a desolation to this day." (Joshua 8:28)

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
The Covenant is Renewed at Shechem

































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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)The old covenant was established with animal sacrifices and writing on stones.
The new covenant is established with the sacrifice of Christ and writing on hearts.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONLet's take time out for worship.
Let's take time out for covenant renewal.

QUESTIONSAfter the victory at Ai, why did Israel take time out temporarily from further battles?
Where did this event take place?
Which mountains were central in this event, and what took place on each of these mountains?
List the other two significant events that took place during this time.
Who were the strangers of Joshua 8:33-35?

ANSWERSTo renew the covenant in obedience to God's command. See Deuteronomy 17:1-8.
In Shechem, in the heart of the land.
Mt. Ebal, where the blessings were read, and Mt. Gerizim, where the cursings were read.
a. Joshua built an altar of natural stones on the slopes of Mt. Ebal, and the people offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. b. Joshua wrote on the stones the words of the law.
A number of Egyptians came out of Egypt with the children of Israel, and likely during their forty-year wanderings in the wilderness, a number of wilderness Bedouins joined the covenant community.

DISCUSS/CONSIDERThe Mosaic Law given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai is the renewed and ratified covenant in Joshua 8. It was a conditional covenant and Israel broke the condition. Put yourself in the place of the children of Israel as they broke the covenant and failed to bring the required sacrifices for sin. Does this not take on new meaning for you as you embrace the new covenant?
Christ is the end of the law to everyone who believes (Romans 10:4). The old covenant pointed toward a better covenant. Read Hebrews 8:10, a quotation from Jeremiah 31. Read Matthew 26:28, and thank God for the celebration of the Lord's Supper. Is God's law written on your heart?

CHALLENGEDo you find that you become so busy, even in serving the Lord and fighting the good fight that you fail to give proper place to worship? Joshua 8 is an example of "time out." Take time out to worship.
In a day of little commitment and broken covenants, renewal is important. In what ways can you renew your covenants?

KEY VERSES"Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal...and they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. There, in the presence of the children of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses." (Joshua 8:30-32)
"Half of the tribes were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal. Afterward, he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings." (Joshua 8:33-34)

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS
The Deception of the Gibeonites

































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BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)Deception is a trademark of the enemy.
Deception is a trap of the enemy.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONLet's look before we leap.

QUESTIONSWhat was the overall strategy for conquering the land of Canaan?
What did the first strategy have to do with the Gibeonites?
What tactics did the Gibeonites use to trick Israel into making a peace treaty?
Why didn't the Gibeonites mention the recent victories of Israel over Jericho and Ai?
What made the Gibeonites think that this strategy would work?
What was the biggest mistake Joshua and the children of Israel made concerning this deception of the Gibeonites?
Review: the Book of Joshua is not only the inspired account of the military conquests of Canaan. What else is it?

ANSWERSFirst to divide the country in two with a central campaign, then conquer the South and then the North with respective campaigns.
Gibeon was only a few miles from Ai, and the Gibeonites realized that they were probably next in line to be conquered.
They dressed in old garments and pretended to be from a far country.
They wanted them to think they were from a far country and hadn't heard of recent events.
They knew what God had told His people under the law. See Deuteronomy 20:10-11.
They did not ask counsel of the Lord. See Joshua 9:14.
A handbook for spiritual warfare. All the tactics of the enemy in the Book of Joshua illustrate for us the tactics that Satan uses to try to defeat us.

DISCUSS/CONSIDERSatan is a great deceiver. Notice how he comes to the Christian in 2 Corinthians 11:14. Just as the Gibeonites knew the law of God, so does Satan, and he will try to trick the believer into making mistakes and doing the wrong thing. Beware the deception of the enemy. Think of times Satan has deceived you. How could you have countered this deception?
Deception is a trap of the enemy, and Satan is interested in more than just tripping us up and tempting us with sin. He wants to trap us into making covenants and decisions which will compromise our testimony long-term. Has Satan entrapped you so that you have become entangled with the world and therefore ineffective? If so, confess your entanglement and ask God to help you. Tell Him that you want to become the person He wants you to be, and the one He can use for His glory.

CHALLENGEBefore you leap into making decisions and choices, check it out. Look vertically to the Lord, and horizontally to the situation. Israel failed in both ways with the Gibeonites (9:14 and 9:7). Look before you leap.

KEY VERSES"But the inhabitants of Gibeon worked craftily, and pretended to be ambassadors...'We are your servants. We have heard of the fame of the Lord your God...make a covenant with us." (Joshua 9:3-13)
"The men of Israel did not ask counsel of the Lord. Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them." (Joshua 9:14-15)