The Conquest of Canaan (part 1)

Good morning all. God is good all the time, all the time God is good.  TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED!!

    Joshua is leading Israel into the promised land. Remember, they crossed the Jordan during the harvest time, which was flood stage. When the priests carrying the Ark put their feet in the river, God blocked it and the people crossed to the west side.

  Now, there are 3 basic campaigns making up the conquest: a central campaign, southern campaign, and the northern campaign.

  If you will read Joshua 6 you will read about the conquest of Jericho when the walls came tumbling down. The attack of Jericho marked the beginning of the central campaign.  Jericho was a symbol of the strength of Canaan.  Jericho is one of the oldest cities and fortified to be not conquered and was strategically located.  When Joshua took Jericho this divided the land in half.

    If using logic and looking at the people of Israel and the strength of Jericho, Israel cannot win.  However, throw the variable of God into the situation and now the strength of Israel is stronger than anyone, but, only with God on their side.

  The Israelites were to take all the spoils of war for God.  Israel went up against Ai and was turned back. Joshua did not understand and was distraught. The confidence of Israel was shaked.

   Joshua fell on his knees and cried before the LORD. God told him to get up and they had a conversation. God had commanded that all silver, gold, and bronze be set aside for His (God's) treasury.  All other spoils were to be destroyed. Achan disregarded the command of God and hid some of the spoils of Jericho under his tent.  Achan planned to use for himself what God had set apart for Himself.  Achan's sin resulted in God's removing His protection from the people of Israel.         
     Achan and his family were stoned.  With the sin removed from the people of Israel, God directed Joshua to take Ai and Bethel.  Once they did, Joshua built an altar to the Lord at Mount Ebal.  The people worshiped the Lord with burnt offerings as Moses had commanded. 

   The kings in the west heard of all the Israelites had done, and waged war against him.    In Joshua 9, Joshua had been tricked into an alliance with Gibeon.  Joshua showed his human side and disobedience in following God, as we often do.  This may be a lesson for us to not compromise what God tells or directs us to do.  Next we will move into the southern campaign in Joshua 10.  Thank you for reading.  Love you all.

In Christ's Love and Grace

Johnny