Awesome Hands – Is, Was and Will Be – The Unknown Character of Christ and His Word

Awesome Hands – Part 173: “As He is so are we”

Steven Crook — Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:27:51 +0000

Awesome Hands – part 173

“As He is so are we”

September 6, 2020

News alert! You are sin and were made in sin!?!

Psa 51:5 KJV Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Rom 7:25 KJV I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Rom 8:3 KJV For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

Do you doubt this?

Well, here we are in our sin, so what do we do with our time? For this moment, we participate in fellowship that might get us thinking a little more about our Lord and His Kingdom.

Other times, we might just be living in our lives, in the world not of the world, while adhering to the principles of the things we learn to be like in the bible.

For example, we are learning to be as He is IN THIS WORLD.

As He is ….. ========== > AS HE IS ………so are we … in THIS WORLD.

Said another way, and combined as Husband and wife, the Head and the body.

The H stands alone. He is the Head and the H of the body. He is the Head and we are the ead, we are the body. That is why I capitalize the H in He and Head.

He, Jesus, was the bridge of the Father to making everything through Jesus Christ, and now we have everything else in creation. Likewise, Jesus’ inheritance, is to the world, what Jesus was to the world. We are a gift given to now spread Jesus Christ.

But, that doesn’t always show itself up the in the ways you might be thinking.

In our study today, we are going to cover the second book in Judges.

We are going to attempt, once again in this study and the others like it, to connect our flesh with the spiritual message given in the study, so that the new man in us can learn to cope with the old man that we are.

While living in this flesh, we must contend with it. Our spiritual mind is battling the mind of that old serpent, the serpent which preys on … and EATS dust, for that is his lot.

Gen 3:14 KJV And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

That old serpent, goes too and fro, seeking whom he may devour…. slithering along on the earth…. seeing what flesh he can temp into becoming his dinner.

Awesome Hands – Part 172: “Conquest and failure”

Steven Crook — Tue, 01 Sep 2020 15:13:48 +0000

Awesome Hands – Part 172

“Conquest and Failure”

August 31, 2020

The Awesome Hands series is now at the book of Judges. We have seen the blessings the Lord has given Israel so far, but things will change when the old man dies.

The process of the old man dying is always with us. Moses had to die before the crossing of the Jordan could take place. Now, Joshua must die before the next phase of the relationship with Israel and the Lord can move along. These are just examples of types and shadows of the old man dying and the new being born into the next “phase” of that particular story.

Jdg 1:1 KJV Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the LORD, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?
Jdg 1:2 KJV And the LORD said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his hand.
Jdg 1:3 KJV And Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him.
Jdg 1:4 KJV And Judah went up; and the LORD delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand: and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men.

It is so true, and the point of the title of this series I’ve been doing, that the hands of the Lord are in the workings of all things if only we would stop to marvel at it.

Here we read the same story, written in this generation of God’s people from which these events took place, but it is the same story with different details.

We are God’s people, chosen to do something for the kingdom of God during our lifetimes, our aion, for this “age” and on the day of the Lord, and when you look at what happens, it simply points to God being in control of it all. Judah here is a part of the same story, and that is how we can relate to it in the sense of “us and them”, “me and thee”, head and body, above and below, Jesus Christ and another Jesus, Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, Jacob and Esau, Judah and the rest of his brothers.

Judah goes up against the Canaanites first, just like it happens with Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah. He goes before us in the fight.

Gen 49:8 KJV Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise: thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies; thy father’s children shall bow down before thee.
Gen 49:9 KJV Judah is a lion’s whelp: from the prey, my son, thou art gone up: he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?

Rev 5:4 KJV And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.
Rev 5:5 KJV And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.

The Lion must be changed into something else for the plan of God to work, and therefore the Lion is “raised” into the Lamb.

Rev 5:6 KJV And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.
Rev 5:7 KJV And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne.
Rev 5:8 KJV And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.
Rev 5:9 KJV And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 KJV And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

These two aspects are speaking about the Lord from two different angles.

Joh 1:29 KJV The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

So, from the beginning the Lord has been with Judah.

Jdg 1:5 KJV And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites.
Jdg 1:6 KJV But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes.
Jdg 1:7 KJV And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
Jdg 1:8 KJV Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem, and had taken it, and smitten it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire.
Jdg 1:9 KJV And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites, that dwelt in the mountain, and in the south, and in the valley.
Jdg 1:10 KJV And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron: (now the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba:) and they slew Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai.

The enemies of Judah are completely destroyed in type and shadow. Not only are they conquered, but the king reaps what he sows because Judah requires the king to cut off two thumbs and two big toes. Without big toes, your walk is always affected, and you can barely do anything with no thumbs.

The “walk” of the enemies of God and the “work”, that which is done with working hands, are now controlled by God.

There is so much symbolism being given here in this first introduction to Judah in the book of Judges.

The “old man”, King Adonibezek, goes to Jerusalem to die. The “children” of Judah, spiritually you and I, are the ones who are being used for judgment. These are just types and shadows to show us who we are in the Lord from the foundation of Israel on through from the foundation of the world.

There is a new Jerusalem and an old Jerusalem, one above and one below, and they also strive against each other.

You can see this mini-story here, even though this story is talking about different physical nations. The “children of Judah” go to the mountains, valleys, and south and conquer as they go.

They even slay three more giants. Giants were so common that they are casually named like everyone else here in scripture, “Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai”.

It is clear that the Lord is with Judah, so He is against something or someone else. The next mention of hand is found towards the end of the chapter, but we will read the context of things on the way to getting there.

Jdg 1:11 KJV And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher:
Jdg 1:12 KJV And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife.
Jdg 1:13 KJV And Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
Jdg 1:14 KJV And it came to pass, when she came to him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted from off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wilt thou?
Jdg 1:15 KJV And she said unto him, Give me a blessing: for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs.
Jdg 1:16 KJV And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.
Jdg 1:17 KJV And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. And the name of the city was called Hormah.
Jdg 1:18 KJV Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof, and Askelon with the coast thereof, and Ekron with the coast thereof.
Jdg 1:19 KJV And the LORD was with Judah; and he drave out the inhabitants of the mountain; but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron.

The Lord gave Judah many victories, but for some reason, the inhabitants of the valley were not driven out. Maybe these inhabitants become a thorn in the flesh of Judah, spiritually speaking.

When God is with you who can be against you?

From the beginning of this chapter, God has been showing us that He indeed favors certain people for His continuation of His kingdom. While some tribes in Israel could not conquer those around them, Judah and Simeon, and a few other tribes, succeeded overall.

Jdg 1:20 KJV And they gave Hebron unto Caleb, as Moses said: and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak.
Jdg 1:21 KJV And the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites that inhabited Jerusalem; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem unto this day.
Jdg 1:22 KJV And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.
Jdg 1:23 KJV And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)
Jdg 1:24 KJV And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city, and they said unto him, Shew us, we pray thee, the entrance into the city, and we will shew thee mercy.
Jdg 1:25 KJV And when he shewed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword; but they let go the man and all his family.
Jdg 1:26 KJV And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

Speaking of marveling at things the Lord does, when the spies saw a man come out, those spies probably didn’t know this guy would be the future establisher of a opposing city named Luz?

When we follow the breadcrumbs, we see that Luz is only used a few times in scripture.

Jdg 1:26 (KJV+) And the man^H376 went^H1980 into the land^H776 of the Hittites^H2850, and built^H1129 a city^H5892, and called^H7121 the name^H8034 thereof Luz^H3870: which^H1931 is the name^H8034 thereof unto^H5704 this^H2088 day^H3117.

Jdg 1:26 KJV And the man went into the land of the Hittites, and built a city, and called the name thereof Luz: which is the name thereof unto this day.

H3870
lûz
Total KJV Occurrences: 8
luz, 8
Gen_28:19, Gen_35:6, Gen_48:3, Jos_16:2, Jos_18:13 (2), Jdg_1:23, Jdg_1:26

H3870
lûz
looz

Probably from H3869 (as growing there); Luz, the name of two places in Palestine: – Luz.

Total KJV occurrences: 8

The Hebrew word H3869 is the root word of Luz.

H3869
lûz
looz

Probably of foreign origin; some kind of nut tree, perhaps the almond: – hazel.

Total KJV occurrences: 1

It is used one time in scripture.

H3869
lûz
Total KJV Occurrences: 1
hazel, 1
Gen_30:37

There is a certain story that is meant to show the simplicity there is in the Lord and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is fairly memorable once you have heard it, but in case you haven’t, I am going to read a little of it out of Genesis 30:37.

This is known as the prosperity of Jacob. Nothing captures the word of God like the Word of God, so I am going to read some of these verses pertaining to the only time we see the root of the word “Luz” used in scripture.

It has to do with the separation of the property of the Lord, us, as opposed to the separation of the property that is of the “them” of the world. Yes, the Lord favors one versus the other.

Gen 30:25 KJV And it came to pass, when Rachel had born Joseph, that Jacob said unto Laban, Send me away, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country.
Gen 30:26 KJV Give me my wives and my children, for whom I have served thee, and let me go: for thou knowest my service which I have done thee.
Gen 30:27 KJV And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake.
Gen 30:28 KJV And he said, Appoint me thy wages, and I will give it.
Gen 30:29 KJV And he said unto him, Thou knowest how I have served thee, and how thy cattle was with me.
Gen 30:30 KJV For it was little which thou hadst before I came, and it is now increased unto a multitude; and the LORD hath blessed thee since my coming: and now when shall I provide for mine own house also?
Gen 30:31 KJV And he said, What shall I give thee? And Jacob said, Thou shalt not give me any thing: if thou wilt do this thing for me, I will again feed and keep thy flock:
Gen 30:32 KJV I will pass through all thy flock to day, removing from thence all the speckled and spotted cattle, and all the brown cattle among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats: and of such shall be my hire.
Gen 30:33 KJV So shall my righteousness answer for me in time to come, when it shall come for my hire before thy face: every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats, and brown among the sheep, that shall be counted stolen with me.
Gen 30:34 KJV And Laban said, Behold, I would it might be according to thy word.
Gen 30:35 KJV And he removed that day the he goats that were ringstraked and spotted, and all the she goats that were speckled and spotted, and every one that had some white in it, and all the brown among the sheep, and gave them into the hand of his sons.
Gen 30:36 KJV And he set three days’ journey betwixt himself and Jacob: and Jacob fed the rest of Laban’s flocks.
Gen 30:37 KJV And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
Gen 30:38 KJV And he set the rods which he had pilled before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs when the flocks came to drink, that they should conceive when they came to drink.
Gen 30:39 KJV And the flocks conceived before the rods, and brought forth cattle ringstraked, speckled, and spotted.
Gen 30:40 KJV And Jacob did separate the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the ringstraked, and all the brown in the flock of Laban; and he put his own flocks by themselves, and put them not unto Laban’s cattle.
Gen 30:41 KJV And it came to pass, whensoever the stronger cattle did conceive, that Jacob laid the rods before the eyes of the cattle in the gutters, that they might conceive among the rods.
Gen 30:42 KJV But when the cattle were feeble, he put them not in: so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s.
Gen 30:43 KJV And the man increased exceedingly, and had much cattle, and maidservants, and menservants, and camels, and asses.

Though the Lord shows us favors, he still gives us our “Luz”, our thorn in the flesh. Early in our walk we need Luz, but Luz later is sent packing and stays a thorn in our side afterward. It is because Luz is still the “anointed of the Lord.”

I say this because king David points out just who “Luz” is.

1Sa 26:7 KJV So David and Abishai came to the people by night: and, behold, Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at his bolster: but Abner and the people lay round about him.
1Sa 26:8 KJV Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time.
1Sa 26:9 KJV And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless?
1Sa 26:10 KJV David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish.

David could have killed him here, but he lets him go.

David even wept for Saul and Jonathan.

2Sa 1:17 KJV And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son:

This rod Jacob used is the root of Luz.

Jdg 1:22 KJV And the house of Joseph, they also went up against Bethel: and the LORD was with them.
Jdg 1:23 KJV And the house of Joseph sent to descry Bethel. (Now the name of the city before was Luz.)

Bethel is Luz, and Bethel had such a presence that in the bible there are several times that the house of God is the same word house of Bethel.

H1008
bêytḣ’êl
Total KJV Occurrences: 76
bethel, 66
Gen_12:8 (2), Gen_13:3 (2), Gen_28:19, Gen_31:13, Gen_35:1, Gen_35:3, Gen_35:6, Gen_35:8, Gen_35:15-16 (2), Jos_7:2, Jos_8:9, Jos_8:12, Jos_8:17, Jos_12:9, Jos_12:16, Jos_16:1-2 (2), Jos_18:13, Jdg_1:22-23 (3), Jdg_4:5, Jdg_21:19 (2), 1Sa_7:16, 1Sa_10:3, 1Sa_13:2, 1Sa_30:27, 1Ki_12:29, 1Ki_12:32-33 (3), 1Ki_13:1, 1Ki_13:4, 1Ki_13:10-11 (3), 1Ki_13:32, 2Ki_2:2-3 (3), 2Ki_2:23, 2Ki_10:29, 2Ki_17:28, 2Ki_23:4, 2Ki_23:15, 2Ki_23:17, 2Ki_23:19, 1Ch_7:28, 2Ch_13:19, Ezr_2:28, Neh_7:32, Neh_11:31, Jer_48:13, Hos_10:15, Hos_12:4, Amo_3:14, Amo_5:4-6 (4), Amo_7:10, Amo_7:13

god, 5
Jdg_20:18, Jdg_20:26, Jdg_20:31, Zec_7:2 (2)

house, 5
Jdg_20:18, Jdg_20:26, Jdg_20:31, Zec_7:2 (2)

Jdg 20:18 KJV And the children of Israel arose, and went up to the house of God, and asked counsel of God, and said, Which of us shall go up first to the battle against the children of Benjamin? And the LORD said, Judah shall go up first.

Jdg 20:26 KJV Then all the children of Israel, and all the people, went up, and came unto the house of God, and wept, and sat there before the LORD, and fasted that day until even, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

Jdg 20:31 KJV And the children of Benjamin went out against the people, and were drawn away from the city; and they began to smite of the people, and kill, as at other times, in the highways, of which one goeth up to the house of God, and the other to Gibeah in the field, about thirty men of Israel.

Zec 7:1 KJV And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;

Zec 7:2 KJV When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regemmelech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

Yes, indeed, the Lord always works out His anointing on those whom He sees fit. I’d day this man was anointed and favored of the Lord to be the one coming toward the spies when he did.

He helps the spies and doesn’t get slaughtered, but is also used to set up a city.

The Lord is always keeping His plan which He has created in order to bring about His kingdom the way He sees fit. Our lives are just another puzzle piece in that plan.

Awesome Hands – part 171: “The Covenant Renewal”

Steven Crook — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 00:04:30 +0000

Awesome Hands – Part 171

“The Covenant Renewal”

[Study Posted August 26, 2020]

Today’s study finds us nearing the end of the Awesome Hands series pertaining to “hands” mentioned in the book of Joshua.

Though we will span several of the last chapters in Joshua, most of the study will be a recap on what the Lord has done for Israel in the context of the book of Joshua.

First, we have the Levites coming to the leaders of Israel to request that the lands promised to them be given to them. This is the first mentioning of the word hand for this study which is found in Joshua 21.

Jos 21:1 Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel;
Jos 21:2 And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.
Jos 21:3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.

The Levites requested the land that have been promised, and this sets up the rest of the chapter to be an inventory of sorts of all the dividing up of the lands to the respective tribes to whom the Lord has promised land.

Jos 21:8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Jos 21:41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs.
Jos 21:42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.
Jos 21:43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
Jos 21:44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
Jos 21:45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Obviously all that is transpiring here in this chapter is the culmination of all the events that happened up until this point.

This is the bookend on a very long and arduous process the Lord started Israel on when He first called forth Abraham and promised Abraham a people coming forth from him to serve the Lord.

What we need to note is that this had to be a big event for the people. Even if everyone wasn’t at this event or attentive to it, this was an event that would change the way Israel lived as Israel forevermore.

Next, we move to chapter 22, and we continue the story of the dividing of the lands, but we do so from the perspective of dealing with the tribes that were left on the other side of the Jordan. Remember, not all of the tribes crossed over the Jordan.

Jos 22:1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh,
Jos 22:2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you:
Jos 22:3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God.
Jos 22:4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.
Jos 22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
Jos 22:6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents.
Jos 22:7 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them,
Jos 22:8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
Jos 22:9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.

After this meeting takes place, the eastern tribes on the “other side of Jordan” depart and go back to their lands. However, on their way over to cross the river back home, they erect an altar. This does not go very well. I will read these next verses from the ESV translation.

Jos 22:10 ESV And when they came to the region of the Jordan that is in the land of Canaan, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of imposing size.
Jos 22:11 ESV And the people of Israel heard it said, “Behold, the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh have built the altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the region about the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the people of Israel.”
Jos 22:12 ESV And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the people of Israel gathered at Shiloh to make war against them.
Jos 22:13 ESV Then the people of Israel sent to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest,
Jos 22:14 ESV and with him ten chiefs, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, every one of them the head of a family among the clans of Israel.
Jos 22:15 ESV And they came to the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, and they said to them,
Jos 22:16 ESV “Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, ‘What is this breach of faith that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away this day from following the LORD by building yourselves an altar this day in rebellion against the LORD?

What I find interesting is that the tribes on “this side of Jordan” find it a “breach of faith” that has been committed against God and Israel for building an altar. So strong is this belief that they were ready to go to war no sooner than the Lord had given them rest and peace. This is right after the end of chapter 21.

Jos 21:44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
Jos 21:45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

It tells us a lot about the state of the church and how we act initially after being given peace and life in the Lord. We immediately want to lord it over others and declare ourselves as speakers on the Lord’s behalf.

Aren’t the eastern tribes part of Israel? Therefore, are they calling war on themselves as claimed by these other tribes?

Continuing in verse 17, we see some of the details of the concerns of the western tribes:

Jos 22:17 ESV Have we not had enough of the sin at Peor from which even yet we have not cleansed ourselves, and for which there came a plague upon the congregation of the LORD,
Jos 22:18 ESV that you too must turn away this day from following the LORD? And if you too rebel against the LORD today then tomorrow he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel.
Jos 22:19 ESV But now, if the land of your possession is unclean, pass over into the LORD’s land where the LORD’s tabernacle stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us. Only do not rebel against the LORD or make us as rebels by building for yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God.
Jos 22:20 ESV Did not Achan the son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he did not perish alone for his iniquity.’”
Jos 22:21 ESV Then the people of Reuben, the people of Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel,
Jos 22:22 ESV “The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today
Jos 22:23 ESV for building an altar to turn away from following the LORD. Or if we did so to offer burnt offerings or grain offerings or peace offerings on it, may the LORD himself take vengeance.
Jos 22:24 ESV No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, ‘What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel?
Jos 22:25 ESV For the LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.’ So your children might make our children cease to worship the LORD.
Jos 22:26 ESV Therefore we said, ‘Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice,
Jos 22:27 ESV but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the LORD in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, “You have no portion in the LORD.”’
Jos 22:28 ESV And we thought, ‘If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, “Behold, the copy of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.”’
Jos 22:29 ESV Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away this day from following the LORD by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the LORD our God that stands before his tabernacle!”

I know those are a lot of verses to read, but one can’t get the same feel for the intensity of what is happening by just saying it in one’s own words as to what was inspired to be written down by the Lord.

It is revealing that the first instinct of the larger group of Israel was to assume that the smaller group, made up of the eastern tribes of Israel, was rebelling against the Lord.

It is quite apparent that these eastern tribes were very wise and right on the money with what would be said about them in the future. It is being said about them right here in this story!

In a nutshell, these eastern tribes feared that the Jordan would serve as both a physical and MENTAL boundary to the western tribes as to whether the eastern tribes were really a part of Israel, and they were right to be concerned as proven with this very story.

They simply did something that was not understood by the rest of the tribes, and immediately the western tribes prepared for war.

In truth, the eastern tribes were wanting to make sure that Israel was always united.

Jos 22:30 ESV When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh spoke, it was good in their eyes.
Jos 22:31 ESV And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said to the people of Reuben and the people of Gad and the people of Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is in our midst, because you have not committed this breach of faith against the LORD. Now you have delivered the people of Israel from the hand of the LORD.”
Jos 22:32 ESV Then Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the chiefs, returned from the people of Reuben and the people of Gad in the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the people of Israel, and brought back word to them.
Jos 22:33 ESV And the report was good in the eyes of the people of Israel. And the people of Israel blessed God and spoke no more of making war against them to destroy the land where the people of Reuben and the people of Gad were settled.
Jos 22:34 ESV The people of Reuben and the people of Gad called the altar Witness, “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

This story is a great example of why jumping to conclusions can be so devastating. The Lord has ultimately caused these eastern tribes to build this altar. Phinehas concludes that the hand of the Lord is stayed because the breach of faith they ASSUMED happened had not HAPPENED.

However, the staying of the Lord’s hand happened because the western tribes heard out what the eastern tribes had to say. The eastern tribes NEVER INTENDED to build the altar for the purposes the western tribes accused them. Even with the altar built, the hand of the Lord would not have come against Israel.

We know this to be true because it is recorded as such:

Jos 22:22 ESV “The Mighty One, God, the LORD! The Mighty One, God, the LORD! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith against the LORD, do not spare us today

We find ourselves in the last chapter of Joshua that has “hand” or “hands” mentioned in it. This chapter is a good reminder of where it is we have come from, and as a result, what it is we are to do as a result of our remembrance of who delivered us. However, just remembering the work of the Lord in our lives is not enough.

Idle hands are the devil’s playground, as it is said, so let us not be spiritually idle. While this phrase is not exactly found in the KJV or other translations, the concept very much is active throughout scripture.

2Th 3:10 ESV For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
2Th 3:11 ESV For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.
2Th 3:12 ESV Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

1Ti 5:8 KJV But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.
1Ti 5:9 KJV Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man,
1Ti 5:10 KJV Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.
1Ti 5:11 KJV But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry;
1Ti 5:12 KJV Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith.
1Ti 5:13 KJV And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

Pro 10:4 KJV He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.
Pro 10:5 KJV He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.

Pro 18:9 KJV He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.

Ecc 10:18 KJV By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through.

Joshua is now going to remind Israel of where they have been brought and what they are to do with this newly found peace and freedom in the Lord.

Jos 24:1 ESV Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel. And they presented themselves before God.
Jos 24:2 ESV And Joshua said to all the people, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Long ago, your fathers lived beyond the Euphrates, Terah, the father of Abraham and of Nahor; and they served other gods.
Jos 24:3 ESV Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan, and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac.
Jos 24:4 ESV And to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. And I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt.
Jos 24:5 ESV And I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in the midst of it, and afterward I brought you out.
Jos 24:6 ESV “‘Then I brought your fathers out of Egypt, and you came to the sea. And the Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.
Jos 24:7 ESV And when they cried to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. And you lived in the wilderness a long time.
Jos 24:8 ESV Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you.
Jos 24:9 ESV Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and invited Balaam the son of Beor to curse you,
Jos 24:10 ESV but I would not listen to Balaam. Indeed, he blessed you. So I delivered you out of his hand.
Jos 24:11 ESV And you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, and the leaders of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And I gave them into your hand.
Jos 24:12 ESV And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow.
Jos 24:13 ESV I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’

Fear of the Lord means a lot of things, and there has been much written on this topic. Indeed, we have lost brothers and sisters in this fellowship because of this very topic of fearing the Lord.

Nonetheless, the scripture does not say to fear the Lord in vain. We should be concerned with our standing in the Lord above all other things if we desire to be among the faithful elect of God.

The truth is, as we covered in the last study, that the Lord gives the gift of Faith. It is also the Lord that removes His gift as He wills it. So, those that are called, chosen and faithful to the end are only full of faith, to the end because the Lord has caused them to overcome their TRIALS OF FAITH with the faith the Lord has granted them!

Rev 2:14 KJV But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Heb 3:1 KJV Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Heb 3:2 KJV Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.

Rev 17:14 KJV These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Heb 12:2 KJV Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Here then is our instruction, coming by way of the example set for us by Joshua to the Israelites:

Jos 24:14 KJV Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
Jos 24:15 KJV And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua starts off by telling the people to put away the gods they are worshipping. Those gods are from their forefathers and from those that came before them. For us, we came from the old man in us. We came from that, but we have also been born again. That way of worshipping the old man is dead and buried in spiritual baptism.

Jos 24:16 KJV And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods;
Jos 24:17 KJV For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed:
Jos 24:18 KJV And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.
Jos 24:19 KJV And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins.

Joshua is telling Israel they cannot serve the Lord because they are obviously STILL serving other gods. Isn’t that amazing?

So, if after ALL that we have known to happen in the bible, up to this chapter of Joshua, has happened and the people still worship others gods, what should our conclusion be about the possibility that we, too, are being warned to “choose this day whom you will serve”?

Jos 24:20 KJV If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
Jos 24:21 KJV And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
Jos 24:22 KJV And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
Jos 24:23 KJV Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
Jos 24:24 KJV And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
Jos 24:25 KJV So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.

The place this covenant is made is in Shechem, which means ridge. The root word in Hebrew is neck, or specifically, the place the burden is placed on.

H7927
shekem
shek-em’

The same as H7926; ridge; Shekem, a place in Palestine: – Shechem.
Total KJV occurrences: 49

H7926
shekem
shek-em’

From H7925; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively the spur of a hill: – back, X consent, portion, shoulder.
Total KJV occurrences: 22

H7925
shâkam
shaw-kam’

A primitive root; properly to incline (the shoulder to a burden); but used only as denominative from H7926; literally to load up (on the back of man or beast), that is, to start early in the morning: – (arise, be up, get [oneself] up, rise up) early (betimes), morning.

Total KJV occurrences: 65

The place that Joshua tells Israel to ‘choose this day whom you will serve’ is in the place of ‘burden’, but it also means to literally load up and start early in the morning. This doesn’t sound like someone who is spiritually idle. This sounds like someone who is ready to fear the Lord and do the service of the house of God.

Joshua’s call was to put strange gods away. For us, we don’t have to worry about worshiping false gods of the Romans or the Greeks or any other religions or culture because that would obviously be wrong.

Our true concern is much more subtle and is with worshiping the god who sits on the throne of God showing himself to be God.

2Th 2:1 KJV Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2Th 2:2 KJV That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
2Th 2:3 KJV Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 KJV Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

We must be diligent to examine ourselves daily to confirm that we are fearing the Lord and putting away any other god that exalts itself against the one True God. That is our covenant and calling.

Awesome Hands – Part 170: “The Cities of Refuge”

Steven Crook — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 00:06:53 +0000

Awesome Hands – Part 170

“The cities of refuge”

August 19, 2020

The Lord always provides His city of refuge. For Christians, He is our refuge.

Psa 46:1 To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psa 14:6 Ye have shamed the counsel of the poor, because the LORD is his refuge.
Psa 71:7 I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.
Psa 71:8 Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

While this concept is easy to grasp, the Lord is our refuge, it is much harder to hold onto. It seems as though when times of tribulation happen upon us, we often forget that we do have a place to which we can retreat so that judgment can take its course.

Judgment

Judgment is the reason why the city of refuge is implemented. Proper judgment is very hard to come by, but when the Lord is involved, we know that His judgment is just and wise.

In our study today, we find ourselves ported into the world of Joshua 20.

Joshua 11 was the last chapter that we see the Hebrew word “yad” mentioned, and now we jump forward to the next mention of this word, which is found three times in Joshua 20.

In Joshua 11, we saw that the Lord indeed hardens hearts. In the case of a hardened heart, the Lord certainly will not feel like He is a place of refuge. However, in Joshua 20, we find some biblical definitions of what the cities of refuge are all about.

Jos 20:1 The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying,
Jos 20:2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:
Jos 20:3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

The law of Moses was made up of a lot of laws which were added to the ten commandments. However, one of topics that Moses did not have to delineate on was the topic of the cities of refuge. That is because the Lord Himself instituted this practice.

Killing a person “unawares” was akin to an accidental death. It was not a premeditated murder. However, it was acceptable in the traditions of the people that blood to be repaid with blood.

Exo 21:12 He that smiteth a man, so that he die, shall be surely put to death.
Exo 21:13 And if a man lie not in wait, but God deliver him into his hand; then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee.
Exo 21:14 But if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.
Exo 21:15 And he that smiteth his father, or his mother, shall be surely put to death.

Joshua simply reminded the people of the law that was already passed down through Moses via the Lord.

Num 35:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Num 35:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
Num 35:11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
Num 35:12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
Num 35:13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.
Num 35:14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
Num 35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither.

You’ll notice that these rules on the cities of refuge were so important that they were mentioned in three of the five books Moses was credited for writing contained in the first five books of the Old Testament.

Deu 19:1 When the LORD thy God hath cut off the nations, whose land the LORD thy God giveth thee, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their cities, and in their houses;
Deu 19:2 Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it.
Deu 19:3 Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither.
Deu 19:4 And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past;
Deu 19:5 As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live:
Deu 19:6 Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past.
Deu 19:7 Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee.

The “avenger” of blood was a person who was given the ability to “avenge” the murder of someone that was murdered. This was a legal act that was instituted because the sanctity of life is very important with God.

However, what is it to be an “avenger” of blood?

H1350
gâ’al
gaw-al’

A primitive root, to redeem (according to the Oriental law of kinship), that is, to be the next of kin (and as such to buy back a relative’s property, marry his widow, etc.): – X in any wise, X at all, avenger, deliver, (do, perform the part of near, next) kinsfolk (-man), purchase, ransom, redeem (-er), revenger.

Total KJV occurrences: 104

H1350
gâ’al

Total KJV Occurrences: 98

redeem, 24
Exo_6:6, Lev_25:25-26 (3), Lev_25:48-49 (3), Lev_27:13, Lev_27:15, Lev_27:19-20 (2), Lev_27:31, Rth_4:4 (5), Rth_4:6 (3), Psa_69:18, Hos_13:14 (2), Mic_4:10

redeemed, 24
Gen_48:16, Exo_15:13, Lev_25:30, Lev_25:54, Lev_27:20, Lev_27:27-28 (2), Lev_27:33, Psa_74:2, Psa_77:15, Psa_106:10, Psa_107:2 (2), Isa_35:9, Isa_43:1, Isa_44:22-23 (2), Isa_48:20, Isa_52:3, Isa_52:9, Isa_62:12, Isa_63:4, Isa_63:9, Lam_3:58

redeemer, 18
Job_19:25, Psa_19:14, Psa_78:35, Pro_23:11, Isa_43:14 (2), Isa_44:6, Isa_44:24, Isa_47:4, Isa_48:17, Isa_49:7, Isa_49:26, Isa_54:5, Isa_54:8, Isa_59:20, Isa_63:16 (2), Jer_50:34

kinsman, 11
Rth_3:8-9 (2), Rth_3:12-13 (5), Rth_4:1, Rth_4:3, Rth_4:6, Rth_4:8

avenger, 6
Num_35:12, Deu_19:6, Deu_19:12, Jos_20:3, Jos_20:5, Jos_20:9

revenger, 6
Num_35:19, Num_35:21, Num_35:24-25 (2), Num_35:27 (2)

ransomed, 2
Jer_31:10-11 (2)

deliver, 1
Psa_119:154

kinsfolks, 1
1Ki_16:11

kinsman’s, 1
Rth_3:13

kinsmen, 1
Rth_2:20

purchase, 1
Lev_25:33

redeemeth, 1
Psa_103:4

revengers, 1
2Sa_14:11

So, an avenger is a redeemer?!? Could it be the Lord is an avenger of blood? A few of the examples taken from above are:

Psa 74:2 Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt.

Psa 77:15 Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah.

Psa 106:10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

Being a “redeemer” is even more interesting, because being a redeemer is learning about who the Lord is to us and who we are to the Lord as the body of Christ.

1Ki 16:11 And it came to pass, when he began to reign, as soon as he sat on his throne, that he slew all the house of Baasha: he left him not one that pisseth against a wall, neither of his kinsfolks, nor of his friends.

Being of the “kin” or of the “kinsfolks” was being related by blood. Are we related to Christ through His blood? I believe we are, according to Christ. We are washed in it, but equally important is that we have taken it INTO us.

Rev 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Rev 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
Mat 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.

What, then, can we learn and deduce from this information? Well, the story of Ruth and Naomi can be quite revealing.

Rth 2:19 And her mother in law said unto her, Where hast thou gleaned to day? and where wroughtest thou? blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said, The man’s name with whom I wrought to day is Boaz.
Rth 2:20 And Naomi said unto her daughter in law, Blessed be he of the LORD, who hath not left off his kindness to the living and to the dead. And Naomi said unto her, The man is near of kin unto us, one of our next kinsmen.

Please bear with me as I present the next verses because while they are long to read, they reveal a wonderful connection of who we are in Christ. More than that, they reveal the relationship we have with Him if only we could take it to heart.

Rth 3:7 And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.
Rth 3:8 And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet.
Rth 3:9 And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.
Rth 3:10 And he said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.
Rth 3:11 And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.
Rth 3:12 And now it is true that I am thy near kinsman: howbeit there is a kinsman nearer than I.
Rth 3:13 Tarry this night, and it shall be in the morning, that if he will perform unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kinsman’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as the LORD liveth: lie down until the morning.
Rth 3:14 And she lay at his feet until the morning: and she rose up before one could know another. And he said, Let it not be known that a woman came into the floor.
Rth 3:15 Also he said, Bring the vail that thou hast upon thee, and hold it. And when she held it, he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her: and she went into the city.
Rth 3:16 And when she came to her mother in law, she said, Who art thou, my daughter? And she told her all that the man had done to her.
Rth 3:17 And she said, These six measures of barley gave he me; for he said to me, Go not empty unto thy mother in law.
Rth 3:18 Then said she, Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall: for the man will not be in rest, until he have finished the thing this day.

Do you ever see a number and wonder why it wasn’t another number? Why not 7 measures of barley? Why not 3? 10?

Here, Boaz gives Ruth six measures of barley. We know the number six has positive and negative aspects, but it also can be seen in the story of Joshua with which we have started today (and other places that talk about the same topic of cities of refuge).

Jos 20:4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
Jos 20:5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
Jos 20:6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
Jos 20:7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
Jos 20:8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
Jos 20:9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.

Six cities were given to Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, so that they could have refuge.

More revealing are the meanings behind the names.

Kedesh = A sanctum/clean

H6943
qedesh
keh’-desh

From H6942; a sanctum; Kedesh, the name of four places in Palestine: – Kedesh.

Total KJV occurrences: 12
From H6942 meaning clean.

H6942
qâdash
kaw-dash’

A primitive root; to be (causatively make, pronounce or observe as) clean (ceremonially or morally): – appoint, bid, consecrate, dedicate, defile, hallow, (be, keep) holy (-er, place), keep, prepare, proclaim, purify, sanctify (-ied one, self), X wholly.

Total KJV occurrences: 171

Shechem = Shoulder/the place of burden

H7927
shekem
shek-em’

The same as H7926; ridge; Shekem, a place in Palestine: – Shechem.

Total KJV occurrences: 49

The same as H7926 –

H7926
shekem
shek-em’

From H7925; the neck (between the shoulders) as the place of burdens; figuratively the spur of a hill: – back, X consent, portion, shoulder.

Total KJV occurrences: 22

Kirjatharba = City of the four giants

H7153

qiryath ‘arba‛ qiryath hâ’arba‛
(keer-yath’) ar-bah’, haw-ar-bah’

The second form, used in Neh_11:25, has the article interposed; from H7151 and H704 or H702; city of Arba, or city of the four (giants); Kirjath-Arba or Kirjath-ha-Arba, a place in Palestine: – Kirjath-arba.

Total KJV occurrences: 7

Bezer = Fortification

H1221
betser
beh’-tser

The same as H1220; an inaccessible spot; Betser, a place in Palestine: – Bezer.

Total KJV occurrences: 5

The root means a gold clipping, a gold “clipping of defense”.

H1220
betser
beh’-tser

From H1219; strictly a clipping, that is, gold (as dug out): – gold defence.

Total KJV occurrences: 2

Ramoth = Height or exaltation

H7216
râ’môth râ’môth
raw-moth’, raw-moth’

Plural of H7215; heights; Ramoth, the name of two places in Palestine: – Ramoth.

Total KJV occurrences: 5

The meaning “from something high in value”.

H7215
râ’mâh
raw-maw’

From H7213; something high in value, that is, perhaps coral: – coral.

Total KJV occurrences: 2

Golan = Captive / to make bare

H1474
gôlân
go-lawn’

From H1473; captive; Golan, a place East of the Jordan: – Golan.

Total KJV occurrences: 4

This is from the root H1473 meaning, exiles.

H1473
gôlâh gôlâh
go-law’, go-law’

Active participle feminine of H1540; exile; concretely and collectively, exiles: – (carried away), captive (-ity), removing.

Total KJV occurrences: 42

These words/cities alone should tell you what you mean to the Lord. Though it may not seem like a good thing to our flesh, look at where we rest when we find refuge from the old man in us via the new man in us.

We are captives to the city of four giants, but in this we are given an exalted fortification placed on us as a burden to be shared by Jesus Christ, thus making us clean. We are man, but we are man in the spiritual form and type and shadow of the six-winged beasts sitting around the thrown of God.

Rev 4:8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

Can it get any clearer than that for where we sit in the Lord?

Yes, we may have burdens, but they are shared with the Lord of all of creation because we are the bride of the Lamb. We now can be cities of refuge for those the Lord sends us to or sends to us.

Though the cities of refuge were appointed to the physical nation of Israel to see that justice was done for those who had circumstances that were not considered murder, spiritual Israel is given spiritual refuge, when we have placed upon us these six wings of the beasts, beasts which continuously “rest not” proclaiming holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty.

Judgment must begin at the house of God, and I am happy to be here with you in this holy house.

Awesome Hands – part 169: “The power of the I am”

Steven Crook — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 22:38:47 +0000

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Awesome Hands – Part 169

“The Power of the I Am”

August 12, 2020

The last time I gave a study, we were in Joshua 9. When we resume this series fully, we will pick up from where I left off, but today I wanted to talk about a topic I believe will be helpful to everyone in the body of Christ because it is so helpful to me to being able to re-center myself on what is important in this life we have been given to live.

The Lord inspires us all in different ways so that we continually move down the path He has planned for us, which ultimately fulfills whatever it is we are needed to do for the kingdom of God and for His will.

For this study today, I was inspired to listen to a Ted talk once which allowed me to incorporate what I heard in this talk with what I know to be true in the bible concerning biblical truths. For those that may not be aware of Ted talks, these are presentations made by people who are inspiring, inspirational, content experts, etc, on whatever topics are being presented.

So, this study is somewhat of a co-opting of that talk by merging the thoughts I had from it with what is biblically true and accurate as it pertains to God being in control of all things.

Think of it as being a musician and hearing a song, taking the music from that song, changing the words to the song, and then releasing that for others to hear. The Lord inspires us all in different ways, but we know it is all being done for the elect of God.

We start this study today with this biblical admonition:

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

You all know my recent history with needing to complete my college education as part of what the Lord has inspired me to do with that part of my life. Since I am now coming back to studies from that frazzled schedule, I thought this study could bridge that time and the time moving forward in presenting studies.

At first glance, it may seem like this could be a distraction from doing things that are more focused on “staying in the Word” or “doing things for the body”, but I wanted to take this time and study to show what our minds should be when we encounter what we need to take action on in regards to what the Lord has inspired or caused in our lives.

When I set out to finish my college education, I decided to pursue finishing my bachelor’s degree. I kept being prodded (which is the best way to describe it) with things I was seeing or hearing in my life. Work situations, conversations, radio commercials and a slew of other things kept coming up that finally led me into making a phone call to see what steps needed to be taken in order to achieve this mountainous goal.

As with all decisions of this nature, one must count the cost, and in this case it was figurative and literal.

Luk 14:28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?
Luk 14:29 Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,
Luk 14:30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
Luk 14:31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Luk 14:32 Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.
Luk 14:33 So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

The last verse mentioned here is really the focus or topic of what preceded it. Any of us that do not forsake ALL THAT WE HAVE cannot be the Lord’s disciple.

When I used to look at this verse, I saw the situation of not choosing anything over being a Lord’s disciple. While this is partly accurate, it simply is NOT the full picture. It is not full clarity on what is being said. In order to grasp the fullness of this statement, we must have clarity.

When we analyze what it is we have, what do we have? Knowing what we know about the complete sovereignty of the Lord, what is it WE have?

The Truth is that we have NOTHING that was not already given to us by the Lord. He giveth and He taketh away, and I promise you that the Lord knows what it is He is asking us to FORSAKE.

When I say that we need full clarity on what is being said above, the first thing to understand is that we are being told to choose wisely how we decide to PROCEED with whatever we are proceeding with.

In this example, count the cost of what it takes to FULLY build a tower. It isn’t just the foundation we need to consider. It is the labor, excavation, parts, foundation, walls, roof, man-power, tools and times to complete the project.

Likewise, if I am a general and need to fight an opposing army, I need to consider a whole slew of things to know if I can be successful in battle. I must consider morale, strength, numbers of soldiers, types of armaments, terrain, weather, etc., before I can make a full decision on what needs to be done and what can be done.

These bible verses and examples in Luke were preceded with this sentiment:

Luk 14:25 And there went great MULTITUDES with him: and he turned, and said unto them,
Luk 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:26 ESV “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Why is Jesus teaching hate? Why is Jesus teaching us to hate our very family, which we did not choose, or else we cannot be His disciple? Maybe it is something else altogether that we are being told?

Maybe there is a secret message contained here for those that have eyes to see and ears to hear what He is saying to His bride? Yep, that is what is actually happening.

Luk 14:34 Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?
Luk 14:35 It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Why would Jesus go from telling us to count the cost to talking about salt that has lost its savour? Indeed, if salt loses its flavor what can flavor salt? It becomes USELESS for its purpose, and that is the crux of these verses and this study.

The Lord wants us to drop the “we” and “me” that makes us up, and join the mind of the “I am”. More on that point later.

What is being talked about here is processing the information in front of us and making an educated decision on how to proceed based on our biblical training. Contrary to popular belief, the bible does not cover all topics we deal with in our lives. Some topics are directly covered, but most biblical things are talked about to TRAIN us on HOW TO THINK spiritually.

In the bible the Lord is giving us instructions on how to be. We are being given directions on how to live. We are given directions on how to proceed in life, but if we are blinded by the things that we call “we” or “me” we can not SEE what all the moving parts of a situation are in order to make a decision about what to do.

If we are blinded by “me” or “we”, then we cannot possibly consider all of the variables to any complex issue so that we can make proper and informed decisions.

Is not this what Jesus is talking about?

“And whosoever doth not bear HIS CROSS, and COME AFTER ME, cannot be my disciple”, are two very powerful directions and directives, and they contain so much instruction because they are so simple. Who would have thought that Jesus follows the K.I.S.S method? (Keep it simple stupid)

Awhile ago, one of the disciples had a request for Jesus that went something like this:

Mat 8:21 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Mat 8:22 But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

Jesus just told this person to simple FOLLOW Him, and this disciple would be among the living. The disciple didn’t simply ask Jesus permission to bury his father.

The disciple asked Jesus to SUFFER HIM FIRST to put something BEFORE following Christ. Jesus says FOLLOW, but this disciple said I want to be BEFORE YOU. I want to go do something important to me first, I want to get my ducks in a row, I want to make sure I have everything covered, and THEN I will follow you.

However, Jesus tells us to have a different mindset than this disciple. Our mindset is to be that whatever cross we have been given in our lives, we must BEAR it AND follow Jesus. We cannot put it BEFORE Jesus. We cannot LEAD Jesus to the cross, we must follow Him to the cross while BEARING the cross He has given us. We certainly cannot use is as an excuse to NOT follow Jesus in the way He says to follow Him. He GAVE us that CROSS and He knows what that BURDEN is all about!

So, let’s talk about this a bit practically now. I started this study mentioning the decision to go back to school. Other than my own aspirations to finish something I had started, I had felt like I was being prodded to go back to school.

My own aspirations were to finish schooling because when I made my first attempts I was doing fine, and then my younger brother was shot and killed when I was 20 and he was 16.

I was in school, having been really poor, to help myself and my 2 brothers out of poverty, and then the death of my brother happened and that threw a big wrench in my plans.

However, that didn’t take away the desire to finish eventually. For a long time, I simply didn’t think it would happen, but then one day I heard yet another radio advertisement about returning to school, and I made a phone call.

I have learned a long while back that we need to do a lot more listening than we do talking. This is even more true when it comes to spiritual ears. When we are being given some sort of spiritual guidance on things we are going through in our lives, we need to be paying attention to those signs.

In other words, we need to be aware of the times we are in. We may not be given that flaming bush example that Moses was given, but if we are still and silent mentally, then we can be listening for the instructions that Lord is giving us.

Once I decided to go back to school, I finished my bachelors in network administration, but given the situation I found my family in, it looked like a masters could be achieved too. This was an unexpected development, but it felt right to move forward. Now I sit here with both degrees, and there is simply only ONE reason why.

The Lord had predestinated that it happen this way. I simply bore the cross He has given me to bare in this part of my walk BEHIND Him as I follow Him, but there are MANY details that make up this experience and what it took to get here.

Eph 1:4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Eph 1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Eph 1:11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

We are accepted in the beloved. We are the body of Christ. We have obtained an inheritance because we have been predestinated according to His purpose and His will.

Therefore, the rest of this study is going to help us all bring into focus what it means to follow the Lord while bearing the cross He has given each of us individually.

Whenever we have decisions to make in our lives, or aspirations to decide on doing or not, we must ask ourselves what the goals and reasons are behind those things.

“Big” decisions we make are rarely the large decisions we tackle like deciding to go to college or back to college. Rather, we all make decisions everyday about everything that is happening that day and in the near future. How then do we count the cost in all things we do while also bearing our cross as we do it?

After all, we are not just simply doing things to do them, no matter what those “things” are, right?

There are things the Lord has placed in our lives that keep us from moving forward in the way we would like to move forward, or on the other side of the coin, that help us move forward depending on what the will of God is.

Recognizing these differences is “recognizing the times”, or in other words, recognizing the visitation of the Lord in your very presence.

First, we must recognize the hindrances that our lives are made up of. Those hindrances have been placed in your life by the Lord to not only hinder you but to get you to THINK. These things are put in your life to GUIDE you, but they certainly are not always pleasant.

We are the children of the Lord, therefore He is teaching us and training us up in the WAY we must go. Remember, He is the Way, Truth and Life.

Pro 22:6 Train up^H2614 a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
H2596

chânak
khaw-nak’

A primitive root; properly to narrow (compare H2614); figuratively to initiate or discipline: – dedicate, train up.

Total KJV occurrences: 5

H2596
chânak
Total KJV Occurrences: 5
dedicated, 3
Deu_20:5, 1Ki_8:63, 2Ch_7:5

dedicate, 1
Deu_20:5 (2)

train, 1
Pro_22:5-6 (2)

“Train up” literally means to dedicate or dedicated. Dedicate a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Here are some references and various examples of how the Lord would have us live our lives by recognizing how to participate in spiritual warfare in our heavens.

Our flesh will hinder us by always appealing to us to do the opposite of what is spiritual. Our “flesh” is most often times focused on its senses.
1. Touch, taste, smell, hearing and seeing are things that pull at our flesh.

If we have something pulling at our flesh, it will most often distract us from what our goals are in our lives.

Refusal to acknowledge the situation we are in versus one we prefer to be in.
1. Maybe the Lord has placed someone in our lives that we don’t like. This could be a family member, peer at work, etc. We just want to be away from them, but the Lord has placed them in our lives for “some” reason.
2. Maybe we don’t want to drive in the rain, but we must drive in the rain to get to work. Maybe you like to drive faster, but the darn traffic is so backed up.
Non-motivation. This can take many forms including depression.
1. Maybe we are just always tired because we stay up too late.
2. Maybe we find it hard to make efforts towards anything productive.
3. Lasciviousness.
4. Simple laziness.

We have to find ways to get out of these holes we find ourselves in. These solutions or ways vary, but they are things that do have various solutions. Sometimes we have to lean on others for support in these areas. Above all, we must pray and never lose faith that the Lord is in control.

Being unsettled in your resolve or mind.
1. Worrying about the future.
2. Focusing too much on the past when nothing can change it.
3. Judging future outcomes based on past results

These stop us from have clarity of mind and cloudy our judgments.

Mindset of a skeptic. This can lead to in-decisiveness.
1. Can I do this?
2. Is this the right decision?
3. What If’s?
4. What will others think?
5. What will others say?

How to we wage war against the things mentioned above if it is the Lord Himself that has placed in them in our lives?

First, we must realize that this is for TRAINING. We are being SCHOOLED right now. This is why I am using my recent educational experience as the backbone of this study. We are being trained as school children in the kingdom of God, and the best teacher is experience.

Therefore, the Lord is giving us experiences so we can become experts in dealing with them and then teaching others how to move on towards perfection in their spiritual lives. This is all a process, and while we never gain perfection in this life, we are moving towards it day by day.

Gal 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

The Lord will not put more on us than we can bear.

1Co 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
1Co 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

We need to do things ahead of time that will help us when the time comes that we need them. This is all of course with the sole focus that the Lord is in control.

However, as a practical example, and that is all this is right now, I have a bill to pay. I know that bill is coming. I get up every day and go to work because I need to earn money to pay that bill.

I achieve this by first planning to pay the bill. In the planning, I get a job, and then I execute the process of keeping that job. In none of this example, did I deny the Lord or His sovereignty.

I simply acknowledged it by doing the things ahead of time that needed to be done to pay my bill.

I also didn’t cross a bridge until a bridge was presented to me. I didn’t make up scenarios to then debate on how to deal with them. I simply planned to pay my bill and acted according to what the Lord was doing on my life to allow me to execute that plan.

Obviously, the Lord could take my job away and I couldn’t pay my bills, but I PLANNED to pay my bill and that is where my focus was. If my job is gone, I am back to step one of finding a job, but my GOAL is always the same … pay the bill.

The steps to deal with all of the decisions in our lives tend to be the same whether or not the decision is a “big” decision or a small decision from our perspective.

Mat 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Mat 16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Mat 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.

Recognize the times. Recognize what state of mind you find yourself in and evaluate if you have the mind of Christ or if you are focused on “me” or “we”.

Accept the situation you are in and determine how you can better that situation if that is the goal. We cannot change the things the Lord has ordained in our lives, but we can decide on how to act and react to those things. The Lord tells us He gives us His mind, and I believe Him, so let us reflect that mind when acting and reacting.

Investigate the “whys” and “hows” of what is happening. Investigate your spiritual state of mind, and ask questions of why you reacted the way you did, how were you thinking when something happened? What are the consequences of reaping what I sow if I remain in that state of mind?

We all know the Lord is the author of all things. Therefore, we can and must pray to Him for guidance on how to proceed, but we can also take actions to see if the Lord blesses us on what we need to do.

I titled this study “The Power of the I Am” because I wanted to bring to focus the power we possess when we have a direct connection to the Head of all creation. We have been FAVORED, not because of anything we have done or said, but because it pleased the Lord to do so, to be the body of Christ.

Therefore, the Lord will guide and direct us if we simply take “we” and “me” out of the equation and focus on the “I am” of who we are. I am not my flesh. I am not my carnal mind. I am not my current emotional state. I can see these things about myself, but they are not who I am. I am a part of the “I AM”. In very nature of claiming it, you cannot even separate that FACT that you have to say who you are.

I am a part of I AM. Let that sink in for a minute.

Joh 10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
Joh 10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;

We are connected with the One who sends us all of our training. Our training is a collection of all of our life experiences and situations, both past, present and future. However, that is a collection of these things for ALL of the body of Christ, and we are all meant to be in this together.

Therefore, I hope this study will help us all focus on whatever it is that hinders us and then allow us to all better handle the things the Lord puts us through. I am hoping some of the steps mentioned here will help us all identify things better so that we can deal with them better.

I have used these methods myself, and having a process in place to deal with things is much easier and better than doing things in the dark.

Awesome Hands – part 168: “It was of the LORD to harden their hearts”

Steven Crook — Sun, 12 Apr 2020 23:58:13 +0000

Awesome Hands – Part 168

“It was of the LORD to harden their hearts”

[Study Aired April 12, 2020]

There is nothing like human nature and not learning from history to then go on and repeat it. Our study today continues in chapter 11 of Joshua and the northern Canaanites want to have a go at Israel and Gibeon.

Jos 11:1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph,
Jos 11:2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west,
Jos 11:3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh.
Jos 11:4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many.
Jos 11:5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

I am not sure if you noticed it or not, but “even as the sand that is upon the seashore in multitude”, is biblical code for “a lot of people” .

These kings had to be out of their minds to gather themselves against the children of Israel after having “heard those things” and still going to fight against Israel and their God.

The truth is, they were indeed “out of their minds” because the Lord had given them a hardened heart that actually worked against their best interests of staying alive, and so it is to this day.

Today, the world celebrates the holiday of Easter while inserting some Christian concepts into this day of worship, yet it is not the “fault” of the world that they do what they do.

The Lord has hardened the hearts of Christians to follow the pagan traditions of those folks that have come before them while claiming to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I have no doubt there are sincere Christians who also focus mainly on the Christian traditions of this time of year, but still adhere to easter eggs and easter bunnies.

Before I go any further, know that I am not attempting to bash babes in Christ. That would be like trying to spank a baby for soiling themselves. It would make no sense, and I would be the one committing an evil in doing so.

All of these kings and priests had no choice in going to battle against Israel, just as the people today are being sacrificed for our lives.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

Our hearts of been established with grace and not with anything that we have done, therefore, we can take no credit in it. However, just because we have been shown grace doesn’t mean that we should remain ignorant to what it all means for us and for them.

Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes.
Rom 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
Rom 11:30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
Rom 11:31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
Rom 11:32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
Rom 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
Rom 11:34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
Rom 11:35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
Rom 11:36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The “all things” that are for, to and through Him tells us the real story of why we all do whatever it is we are being caused to do, and that includes the story of Joshua and Israel going to battle with the northern Canaanites.

Just like the Christians today are enemies for our sakes concerning the gospel, the Canaanites were enemies for the sake of Israel, so that the land could be given to the people of God.

Think of all the building of buildings and cultivating of land that occurred before Israel came there just so that Israel could go in to possess a land flowing with milk and honey.

There is a direct correlation between these two events of Easter celebration today (or any holiday for that matter) and the northern Canaanites going to battle with Israel. Everyone is being driven by God to do their part in His plan of ultimate reconciliation.

Jos 11:6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
Jos 11:7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them.
Jos 11:8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining.
Jos 11:9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.

Given that I just said and showed that there are babes in Christ who are worshipping another Jesus, but that it is God who caused it, should we not consider them our enemies because God is working with them, too?

Of course not. They are the enemies of the cross without even knowing it, just like the northern Canaanites were enemies to Joshua and Israel even while it is the Lord that hardened their hearts to go to battle.

The truth is there is going to be death in this war the Lord has us in, and the death will either be them or us.

The Truth to understand is that the “them” is the old man in them and the “us” is the new man in us, the true bride of Christ. There are “many virgins” with some being wise and some being foolish.

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

I know I just read from a very famous parable. Yet, sometimes it is hard to see the Truth even when it is staring us in the face. All of the virgins slept and slumbered while the bridegroom tarried.

It was only the virgins that were awakened and had oil that were able to go on to the marriage. All the virgins were awakened from their sleep and slumber, but the difference is in who had oil to burn when the moment came.

See, the fire needs something to burn as fuel, and the physician comes only to those that need Him. Those that don’t need to prepare because they are “good to go” and are healthy won’t need to see the doctor when He is in town.

This parable teaches us that we are not to sacrifice ourselves for the foolishness of others if it means we, too, won’t be able to meet the bridegroom.

In logical practice, this means we do not join in the same excess of riot even while we know that others would think us strange for not doing so.

1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:

Or as is said in the “God’s Word” translation:

1Pe 4:3 You spent enough time in the past doing what unbelievers like to do. You were promiscuous, had sinful desires, got drunk, went to wild parties, and took part in the forbidden worship of false gods.
1Pe 4:4 Unbelievers insult you now because they are surprised that you no longer join them in the same excesses of wild living.
1Pe 4:5 They will give an account to the one who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
1Pe 4:6 After all, the Good News was told to people like that, although they are now dead. It was told to them so that they could be judged like humans in their earthly lives and live like God in their spiritual lives.
1Pe 4:7 The end of everything is near. Therefore, practice self-control, and keep your minds clear so that you can pray.
1Pe 4:8 Above all, love each other warmly, because love covers many sins.

The oil that the five virgins had allowed them to “go out and meet” the bridegroom. This number five is a sign of grace. However, this number five is also a negative symbol of the lack of grace given to the other five virgins.

In other words, five of the virgins were sacrificed so that five virgins could become wives in marriage. Ultimately, this marriage is what is going to save everyone involved, including the virgins the Lord says He doesn’t know. Therefore, it is so important to do what the Lord says to do and not only whatever it is we think we can do to worship Him.

Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

The only way for us to know the Lord is to do what He instructs us to do. One of the things He tells us to do is slaughter everything that breathes. They are a sacrifice to the Lord.

Jos 11:10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms.
Jos 11:11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.
Jos 11:12 And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
Jos 11:13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn.
Jos 11:14 And all the spoil of these cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
Jos 11:15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.

For us today, the Lord doesn’t want us to compromise on things like Easter. As an example, for many of us, Easter traditions are hard to give up because we generally have pleasant memories of times we have spent with family during this celebration.

However, we know that the celebration is very much linked to worshiping pagan gods and throwing some Christian traditions in the mix.

I look at it from the practical standpoint of how it is we have gotten to this point as Christians. As an example, a long time ago Christians were threatened by the pagans that lived around them and had lived around them for a long, long time. When Christianity comes on the scene, there would have been much death and chaos as a result of pagans and Christians competing for the same resources and also for the minds and hearts of the people.

Adding in some pagan traditions with the Christian religion would have seemed like a good idea so that pagans could “get saved” because it would be very, very hard for pagans to give up their false gods.

If you doubt this, then look around you today because that is the same exact spirit we face with our Christian brothers and sisters today. Without the mind of God, you CANNOT please Him. You cannot do what He says to do. Why?

You can’t do what He says to do because He HAS HARDENED YOUR HEART, and God is NOT DIVIDED AGAINST HIMSELF! He is unified in His will.

Mar 3:24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
Mar 3:25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
Mar 3:26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

You might say to yourself that this is Jesus talking about Satan. He is talking about the kingdom of God, too! They were saying that what Jesus was doing was the work of Satan, but Jesus is telling them that the kingdom of God is NOT divided.

Therefore, our part in having the oil and power of God is to let the fire BURN brightly from it, “and he burnt Hazor with fire”.

Jos 11:16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same;
Jos 11:17 Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them.
Jos 11:18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
Jos 11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle.
Jos 11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

“There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel”, tells us how the Lord sees the battle we have we the enemies of the gospel of the good news.

There simply will be no peace with someone that does not have the mind of Christ. They will never accept that you do not believe as they do.

There are always times when there is a perceived peace, but that is because there are seasons to all things, but there is never peace between the old and the new man.

Giants never make peace with grasshoppers.

Jos 11:21 And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities.
Jos 11:22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained.
Jos 11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.

The giants in our lands are in the mountains, that is to say in type and shadow they are nearer to the heavens than those that we battle on the ground. Giants in the land can be eradicated if it be the Lord’s will, but there are always lots of battles with the inhabitants of the lands before we start to face the giants. Why is this?

Even David had to fight a lion and a bear, and do other things to “prove himself” before he was given faith and grace to go on to slaying Goliath.

With your family and loved ones, be patient when it comes to holidays, and today, Easter. Do not give in and do what they want by participating, because that would be the children ruling the house (babes in Christ), but also realize they are where they spiritually are for the benefit of the entire kingdom of God.

Awesome Hands – part 167: “The Sun stood still”

Steven Crook — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 19:08:34 +0000

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Awesome Hands – part 167

“The Sun stood still”

April 1, 2020

Our study today finds us joining Joshua and Israel in chapter 10 of Joshua. In this chapter, we will find that the Lord does truly hear us when we pray to Him whether He is answering how we’d prefer or in accordance with what the Lord has planned for us.

This should comfort us because the Lord always has the “new man in us” at the forefront of doing what is best for the new man to continually emerge in us. In other words, Jesus will be increasing, and we will decrease, daily, and that means we are more and more like Him as we experience the things the Lord has prepared for us in our lives.

To set the stage for the study today, I am going to read from a section of the previous study starting in Joshua 9:10-13.

Jos 9:10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
Jos 9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
Jos 9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
Jos 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

Our physical senses are so easily deceived. What we see is not always what is there. You can’t fault the Israelites for seeing with their eyes, and holding in their hands, the moldy bread, spent bottles, and used up shoes and clothes.

The fault is in the conclusions they drew from what they were SEEING.

Moldy bread does not happen due to a long journey, though that can be one reason. Moldy bread happens from, wait for it……., mold.

If an angel suddenly appeared to you, or you suddenly “heard the voice of God”, what would be your first instinct? Naturally, our instinct would be to instantly worship. However, our first spiritual instinct, Lord willing, would to be to listen for the voice of the True Shepherd in the voice of the one who suddenly shows themselves or speaks.

Today, we are continuing to see the consequences of the union that Israel made with Gibeon. As it turns out, Gibeon was a “great city” and they were fairly threatening to their neighbors because their soldiers were highly respected.

As a result, the other kings decided they must band together to take on Gibeon and their new found alliance.

Jos 10:1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them;
Jos 10:2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
Jos 10:3 Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying,
Jos 10:4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
Jos 10:5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.

Given that there was an agreement of peace made between Gibeon and Israel, the other kings then feel threatened due to fear. Fear is a very powerful emotion as it turns out. Fear causes many things to happen in our minds and hearts with most of those things being quite irrational.

When talking about the current coronavirus scare we are going through as a collective world today, I often comment that the fear people have of not having a job, food or shelter will lead many into doing whatever it takes to help themselves and their loved ones survive the current situation.

Getting COVID-19 creates a fear in people that they are going to die when most of the people who get it will have mild cold-like symptoms. That isn’t to say that COVID-19 isn’t deadly for some, because it certainly is, but when you see the numbers, graphs and charts, COVID-19 is being survived by most people.

However, the collapse of societal norms will be what most come to fear and react to.

Bringing this back to the study, these 5 kings fear the union between Gibeon, who they already consider mighty, and Israel who have already proven that they are capable of waging and winning wars.

This fear will ultimately lead to the utter destruction of these 5 kingdoms.

Jos 10:6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
Jos 10:7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
Jos 10:8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
Jos 10:9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

While reading Joshua 10:9, I noticed just how closely it is worded to how Jesus comes upon those whom He is going to visit “in the night”.

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Yet, that isn’t the full “picture” of what the visitation of the Lord means for those who it means something to, i.e. the children of the Lord, the children of the light.

1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.

Is it possible that we can apply this knowledge to any situation we encounter today including the current unrest we see the world over with COVID-19?

1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Notice that “they” is being contrasted with “ye” or “you”. “They” are being compared with the children of light.

1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

It is always interesting to ponder why certain things are said next to other things that are said in scripture. Notice that those that sleep are being compared with the same group who are also drunken.

Well, we can become drunk on wine. In this case, because we are talking about the day of the Lord and His visitation in the night, we can see the linkage between the day of the Lord and the wrath of the wine of God.

Rev 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

In the study titled, “Confidence in the Lord”, we talked about the will of God being directly connected to thinking and speaking as Christ does when He knows that He must go on to be crucified. We too must always have the same mindset of “thy will be done”. This is what allows us to continue the process described in 1 Timothy 5:8-11.

1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

We are going to need to have the protection of the Lord in order to get through this war in our heavens that we are in. Faith, hope, and love are mentioned together here for good reason. All of these attributes, our pieces of armor as described, are what protect us from the wiles of the devil and everything else that is going on around us.

The Lord fights for us, so who can be against us? He clothes us with all of the armor that we need. Under that armor, He clothes us with His righteousness, therefore who can stand against the Lord?

The day we are reading about is like no other before or after it. Spiritually, this day of the Lord being visited upon His enemies is the start of the destruction of the old man in those who are visited.

Jos 10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
Jos 10:11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
Jos 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.
Jos 10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
Jos 10:14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
Jos 10:15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

The Lord fighting for Israel has never changed. It fought for physical Israel, and He continues to fight for spiritual Israel … those Jews are Jews inwardly.

Jos 10:16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.
Jos 10:17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
Jos 10:18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them:
Jos 10:19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.
Jos 10:20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.
Jos 10:21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Jos 10:22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave.
Jos 10:23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
Jos 10:24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
Jos 10:25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.
Jos 10:26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.
Jos 10:27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave’s mouth, which remain until this very day.
Jos 10:28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.

After reading all of these verses, it is easy to conclude that the nations and kings whom the Lord sends us to, for slaughter, are indeed slaughtered. However, as with all things we are considering in scripture, we should be looking to the inside if the cup, toward the heavenly places, and taking the wrath of the Lord to those places within us.

When we read about these southern Canaanite kings, we should be seeing these kings within ourselves. How do we recognize a king or a giant “within the land”?

Well, I am not the best person to consult to figure this out for you. The Lord is the best person to consult because He will reveal to us what it is that needs to be adjusted. It is all up to Him whether or not a giant or a king is slain (they represent the same thing), but we are still in the FIGHT. How do I know this to be true?

Jos 10:25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

The Lord will do the killing THROUGH you to those enemies He has sent you to fight. This is no different than “work out your OWN salvation with fear and trembling”.

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Php 2:14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings:

Are we not talking about salvation? Does this not sound like the same thing with only the timeline and characters being different? You versus Joshua and your enemies versus the southern Canaanite kings?

Let me remind you:

Jos 10:9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.

1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Joshua came “unto them suddenly at night” tells us that this event is much more than Joshua killing these kings in war. This is about how the salvation process works in the children of the day, the children of the light.

It is the trial of our faith that is precious to the Lord. The “faith part” He gives out freely to those whom He gives it to, but it is the TRIAL and the OVERCOMING which helps that Faith be ALIVE.

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold thatperisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Jas 2:20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Jas 2:22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Jas 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Here is this moment in time where the Faith of Israel, in type, was accompanied by works. Now, I do not read the following verses to bore you . I read them to help solidify just how “on your side” the Lord is. However, He is on our side for the benefit of bringing good from evil in our lives.

Jos 10:29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah:
Jos 10:30 And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
Jos 10:31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:
Jos 10:32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
Jos 10:33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
Jos 10:34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it:
Jos 10:35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
Jos 10:36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it:
Jos 10:37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.
Jos 10:38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it:
Jos 10:39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
Jos 10:40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded.
Jos 10:41 And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
Jos 10:42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.
Jos 10:43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promises toward us. He will fight for us, but it will be THROUGH us. We are a part of the process according to what He has willed for us.

Our battles are MENTAL and SPIRITUAL. Our fights are in the heavens. We must always be diligent in consulting with the Word of God when we need to gain more Faith or strength so that we can continue to fight the good fight.

The Sun of righteousness still fights for us today. This is obviously something that happened physically for Joshua (the sun standing still along with the moon), but it is something that happens even today spiritually in type because we are the children of the Light and the Lord fights for us to overcome the world in us.

Awesome Hands – part 166: “The deception of the Gibeonites”

Steven Crook — Wed, 19 Feb 2020 20:00:03 +0000

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Awesome Hands – part 166

“The deception of the Gibeonites”

February 19, 2020

In chapter 9 of Joshua, we find Israel being deceived by “those that are of the world”, in this case, those that are Gibeonites.

Our verses for consideration today are found through chapter 9 of Joshua, and the verses containing the words “hand” are found at the end of this chapter.

We will start off with the beginning of the chapter as we read.

Jos 9:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;
Jos 9:2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

The first thing to note here is that multiple kings decided to band together to defeat Israel because they had heard about the victories that Israel had.

However, there were some inhabitants of Gibeon that that decided to do something a little differently. They didn’t want any part of going to war with Israel.

Jos 9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,
Jos 9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up;
Jos 9:5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
Jos 9:6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.

There is a lot that can be said about these few verses, but the first thing that comes to mind is the obvious. The inhabitants of Gibeon put a lot of thought and effort into deceiving Joshua and the Israelites.

Given that we are privy to the whole story since we can read it all together, let us just pretend for a moment to be in the shoes of Joshua and the princes of the congregation.

From the perspective of Joshua, he does have some sort of inclination that something is amiss. He asks these men who they are and where they come from. They answer him, even if it was with a lie, and they make it sound believable.

Jos 9:7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?
Jos 9:8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

At first, this may seem like a strange thing for Joshua to say, “Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you?”, but it is not strange at all.

The Lord has told the Israelites to not make any covenants with the inhabitants of the land and to kill them all.

Exo 23:32 Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods.

Exo 34:10 And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

Exo 34:11 Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.
Exo 34:12 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:
Exo 34:13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:
Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

And if that is not clear enough language for us to grasp the seriousness of this situation, let us remember Deuteronomy 7:

Deu 7:1 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;
Deu 7:2 And when the LORD thy God shall deliver them before thee; thou shalt smite them, and utterly destroy them; thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor shew mercy unto them:
Deu 7:3 Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son.
Deu 7:4 For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Deu 7:5 But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
Deu 7:6 For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.
Deu 7:7 The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
Deu 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Deu 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;
Deu 7:10 And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face.Deu 7:11 Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them.

As can be seen, The Lord does not want us making deals, oaths, or covenants with the inhabitants of the land. Therefore, Joshua wanted to confirm who these people were exactly.

Jos 9:8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?
Jos 9:9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt,

Wow, these folks are hearkening way back to the times of Egypt. Appealing to the various connections we have to strong memories is a very strong tactic that the adversary uses to get past our mental defenses.

Then, the inhabitants of Gibeon continue to add some familiarity to the situation by bringing in recent events.

Jos 9:10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.
Jos 9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
Jos 9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy:
Jos 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

The fault is in the conclusions they drew from what they were SEEING.

Moldy bread does not happen due to a long journey, though that can be one reason. Moldy bread happens from, wait for it……., mold.

Remember, if a prophet is deceived, it is the Lord Himself who has deceived that prophet.

Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
Eze 14:10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

Likewise, just because a thing comes to pass, doesn’t mean a person is a man or woman of God. In fact, even when things come to pass, if a person is not speaking the Word of God, or using the sum of the Word, then we are NOT to follow that person.

Jos 9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
Jos 9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
Jos 9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.

Well, there it is. “And asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord”, is where it all went wrong. The Lord tells us that He listens to our prayers. They aren’t always answered in the ways we want, but they are always answered.

“Pray without ceasing”, is living the life and will of God out. Having a constant connection to God the Father is done by continuing to pray about all things. There is nothing too small or too large to pray about. Prayer allows our thoughts to be formulated and to be weighed against what is in our heart.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks”, (Luke 6:45) tells us that our thoughts in prayer are what the Lord uses to tell us what is REALLY in our hearts.

Therefore, Israel messed up by not going to the Lord to seek His counsel.

Jos 9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
Jos 9:18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

The sign of good leaders is to do what is right even when they know opposition from the masses will be the result. We are not to return evil for evil, but we are to return good for evil.

Though the inhabitants of Gibeon purposely deceived Israel into a treaty, it would have been a grievous sin for Israel to make and oath with Gibeon, with the NAME OF THE LORD as the guarantor of this oath, to then turn back on their word after the deception was found out.

It was the haste of the Israelites to believe what was before them, instead of consulting with the Lord, that led to this situation. Indeed, the pride of Israel most likely led them to being more receptive of this lie because of how the Gibeonites proposed the “fame” of the actions of the Israelites, and their victories throughout all the lands.

“By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” is just as true then as it is now.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

The words we speak are being spoken to express our thoughts, not to HIDE our thoughts. Therefore, the princes of the congregation are correct in their reaction and actions in this situation.

Jos 9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
Jos 9:20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.
Jos 9:21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

Instead of killing them, and so that they could keep their oaths, the Gibeonites were permitted to become slaves in being hewers of wood and drawers of water. This also is one example of how this helped to fulfill the promise made long before that the Canaanites would be “cursed” servants to the Israelites.

Gen 9:24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.
Gen 9:25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.

Joshua must now pass the verdict along to the Gibeonsites who themselves have called themselves the servants of Israel.

Jos 9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?
Jos 9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
Jos 9:24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing.
Jos 9:25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
Jos 9:26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.
Jos 9:27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

Some of the biggest lessons to take away from the deception of the Gibeonites have already been mentioned throughout this short study.

Since it is fairly short for one of my studies, I will just recap that we must all be diligent when dealing with the things the Lord places in our lives.

Looks can be very deceiving. Emotions are even more deceiving.

Just because things or situations look a certain way, whether in a positive or negative light, we must always go to the Lord in prayer for how to proceed in a way that glorifies Him.

Secondly, we must always look to return good for evil and not evil for evil. Vengeance is the Lord’s.

Lastly, our word is very important. So, be careful with the words you utter and think. The Lord controls everything so be mindful of how we speak concerning things that are out of our control, which is everything.

The Lord is very serious about these things because He Himself is Light, and we are His children who are the light of the world as ambassadors for Him.

1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Awesome Hands – part 165: “The Fall of I”

Steven Crook — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 01:17:07 +0000

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Awesome Hands – part 165

“The Fall of I”

February 9, 2020

The destruction of Ai or “I” is what our study will be about today. At first glance, various stories in the bible do not always appear to be talking about anything but what is immediately apparent, but our story today is all about our struggle with the flesh and kindled anger the Lord will bring to it.

Our verses for consideration today are found in Joshua 8. There are many verses in this chapter that have the word “hand” in them, so we will cover the entire chapter in this study.

Jos 8:1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land:
Jos 8:2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.

As always, the Lord knew and knows the exact events that need take place in order for His plans to execute perfectly. For the sake of Israel, the Lord tells Joshua exactly what to do in order to win the battle that is about to take place.

For us as Christians, this is no different. However, the thing to always keep in mind is that the Lord alone is the power behind these plans being successful or not being that He creates all the details to make them come to fruition.

It is important to note that the Lord did not give the spoils of the land to Israel when they sacked Jericho. In fact, the taking of the spoils of the battle with Jericho is what leads to the arrogance of the king and people of Ai.

You’ll notice I used a little wordplay with the title of this study. Joshua 8 is titled, “The Fall of Ai” in e-Sword and in some translations.

However, this story is really about the Fall of “I”, the fall of the flesh. Interestingly enough, the Lord uses the flesh to judge itself with its own sins.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
Mat 12:37 For by THY WORDS thou shalt be justified, and by THY WORDS thou shalt becondemned.

Luk 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The abundance of “good treasure” or “evil treasure” is what is brought forth of the Lord. What we need to remember is that there is a stony heart that is replaced by a fleshy heart, and it is the fleshy heart only that can have good treasure. After all, it is all of the Lord.

Pro 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Pro 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.

I don’t know if it was easily caught, but when we commit our WORKS unto the Lord, our THOUGHTS shall be established to accomplish that work. It is when our “good treasure” from the heart is tapped into that we then are given instructions to execute that work of the Lord.

Job 33:15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
Job 33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
Job 33:17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
Job 33:18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

Here we find ourselves being told by the Lord, through the story of Joshua, to take the city of Ai. Let us now walk in the steps of Joshua to conquer the flesh that so easily besets us.

Jos 8:3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
Jos 8:4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
Jos 8:5 And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them,
Jos 8:6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
Jos 8:7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
Jos 8:8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.

If you’ll hearken back to the previous chapter, the men that went up against Ai initially had only taken 3 thousand men, and Israel was sent running with some casualties taking place for Israel.

The soldiers and king of Ai no doubt had a lot of confidence from that victory given that the Israelites had just conquered Jericho yet Ai soldiers were able to defeat Israel.

Indeed, the flesh of “I” always seems to be so confident in the things “I” gets away with in the past. The Truth is that “I” doesn’t ever get away with anything because every single moment is recorded in the mind of God and indeed it is all taking place so that the Lord can use it for good later.

When Joseph put the cup in Benjamin’s sack, Benjamin was going to “partake of the cup” to bring about good for all of his family.

This cup was used for the catalyst of ultimately bringing good to Joseph’s family.

Gen 44:1 And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth.
Gen 44:2 And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the youngest, and his corn money. And he did according to the word that Joseph had spoken.
Gen 44:3 As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away, they and their asses.
Gen 44:4 And when they were gone out of the city, and not yet far off, Joseph said unto his steward, Up, follow after the men; and when thou dost overtake them, say unto them, Wherefore have ye rewarded evil for good?
Gen 44:5 Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
Gen 44:6 And he overtook them, and he spake unto them these same words.
Gen 44:7 And they said unto him, Wherefore saith my lord these words? God forbid that thy servants should do according to this thing:
Gen 44:8 Behold, the money, which we found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out of thy lord’s house silver or gold?

“Lord, Lord haven’t we done good in thy name”. (Mat 7:21-23)

Gen 44:9 With whomsoever of thy servants it be found, both let him die, and we also will be my lord’s bondmen.
Gen 44:10 And he said, Now also let it be according unto your words: he with whom it is found shall be my servant; and ye shall be blameless.
Gen 44:11 Then they speedily took down every man his sack to the ground, and opened every man his sack.
Gen 44:12 And he searched, and began at the eldest, and left at the youngest: and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack.

I just read all these verses to show how confident the flesh is against the Lord. When we think we are in the right, oh how confident we are to proclaim our innocence.

Yet, unbeknownst to us at the time, the Lord, the king in type in shadow as seen here in the person of Joseph, is setting us up to be REQUIRED to come before His judgment seat.

The men of Ai, that is to say the “old man of I”, is always confident in his upcoming and unforeseen defeat when it comes to battling the men of God.

Jos 8:9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people.
Jos 8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.
Jos 8:11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
Jos 8:12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
Jos 8:13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
Jos 8:14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

Isn’t this how it always seems to unfold? I almost feel badly for the king of Ai. From his perspective, they are minding their own business one day and they hear about the city of Jericho being assaulted by a foreign invader that came across the Jordan river.

Then, after Jericho fell these same invaders are now coming to his city. The king’s job is to protect the people, and he has no idea that the God of Israel was angry with the children of Israel when he had his small victory against them that sent 3000 men running.

Now, this same army has come again, and Ai sees them trying their same ol’ stunts outside his city.

Where the king goes wrong is, he trusts in his past victories as if they will somehow help him when his current battle.

Doesn’t this sound familiar? The “king of I” thinks because he was able to do something successfully in the past, that will somehow equal victory now. The downfall of Ai is their pride in going up against the Lord even though they are going up against the people of God.

Jos 8:15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness.
Jos 8:16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city.
Jos 8:17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.

It takes a whole lot of confidence to utterly fail at protecting your own city and people. The king of Ai was so overfilled with confidence that he left his city completely unprotected.

Jos 8:18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city.
Jos 8:19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
Jos 8:20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers.
Jos 8:21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
Jos 8:22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
Jos 8:23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.

Whenever the flesh turns back to see the clouds of smoke coming from the fire of God, it is too late for the flesh. We have various stories that tell us that this is true.

The ways of all men:

Job 34:21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
Job 34:22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.
Job 34:23 For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.
Job 34:24 He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.
Job 34:25 Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
Job 34:26 He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
Job 34:27 Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

Lot’s wife:

Gen 19:23 The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.
Gen 19:24 Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;
Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
Gen 19:26 But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.

“Drawing back”:

Heb 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
Heb 10:39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

Heb 10:38 (ISV) but my righteous one will live by faith, and if he turns back, my soul will take no pleasure in him.”

“Putting the hand to the plow”:

Luk 9:59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
Luk 9:60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
Luk 9:61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
Luk 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Anytime we look back, it is a fleshy act and thought and the Lord will destroy the flesh for it.

Israel thought several times that it might be better to go back to Egypt than to be doing what they were doing at the time even as early as being brought to the red sea to cross it.

When Ai, or also know as “I”, in this study, looks back and not forward, we are doomed to be consumed in the fire of the Lord. For our flesh, this is not good, but the result is more of the new man remaining.

1Co 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
1Co 3:15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved;yet so as by fire.

The “king” of the flesh, in this case “Ai”, needs to be dethroned for the work of the Lord to be established.

Jos 8:24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.
Jos 8:25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.
Jos 8:26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
Jos 8:27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.
Jos 8:28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
Jos 8:29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.

One kingdom must end so that another can begin. The foundation must be destroyed of the old so that the foundation of new can proceed.

Nowhere in this study have I stated that we of ourselves do this work. In fact, it is all of the Lord and His work in and through us.

However, we do in fact DO the work. We work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, but it is the Lord working it in us to do this.

Never take confidence from the flesh because it will fail in the end to do anything but lead us to more death.

The life we are after only had one way to it, and we must continually look forward in our Faith because that is when the Lord locks it in place in our fleshy heart. That is when our thoughts become established.

Pro 16:1 The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Pro 16:2 All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
Pro 16:3 Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established

Awesome Hands – part 164: “He that believeth shall not make haste” – Part 2

Steven Crook — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 00:56:19 +0000

Awesome Hands – part 164

“He that believeth shall not make haste”

Part 2 January 26, 2020

While the walls of Jericho was a great victory for Israel and was delivered by the hands of the Lord, the next defeat at Ai is a great reminder to us that the Lord is not forgetful in His promises.

In our previous study, we saw that the people were warned not to take of the accursed thing which in turn makes the camp of Israel a curse.

Though chapter 7 does not have hand mentioned anywhere in it, it is a continuation of the previous chapter 6 in telling of the result of Israel disobeying the Lord.

It is right after being told that the Lord would give the city of Jericho to Israel that they are warned against the thing they would inevitably do in the city.

Jos 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
Jos 6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Jos 6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Jos 6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
Jos 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

Chapter 7 starts off with the children of Israel disobeying the Lord. If you’re like me, and I know you are because we are apart of the same body of Christ, then you may see the it was Achan, not the whole of Israel that took of the accursed thing. Yet, the anger of the Lord is kindled against the children of Israel.

What then can we take away from this lesson?

Well, the word “Achan” means trouble or troubler.

H5912

‛âkân

aw-kawn’

From an unused root meaning to trouble; troublesome; Akan, an Israelite: – Achan. Compare H5917.

Total KJV occurrences: 6

H5912

‛âkân

BDB Definition:

Achan = “troubler”

1) a Judaite who violated God’s specific ban on taking any loot from the captured city of Jericho and was stoned to death along with his family for this violation

Part of Speech: noun proper masculine

A Related Word by BDB/Strong’s Number: from an unused root meaning to trouble

So, trouble has committed a great sin against the Lord and the anger of the Lord is kindled against Israel, but why the whole of Israel?

The answer of course lies in other parts of scripture which helps us learn about the mind of the Lord.

Our first set of clues can be found in Deuteronomy 21.

Deu 21:1 If one be found slain in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee to possess it, lying in the field, and it be not known who hath slain him:
Deu 21:2 Then thy elders and thy judges shall come forth, and they shall measure unto the cities which are round about him that is slain:
Deu 21:3 And it shall be, that the city which is next unto the slain man, even the elders of that city shall take an heifer, which hath not been wrought with, and which hath not drawn in the yoke;
Deu 21:4 And the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley, which is neither eared nor sown, and shall strike off the heifer’s neck there in the valley:
Deu 21:5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and to bless in the name of the LORD; and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried:
Deu 21:6 And all the elders of that city, that are next unto the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley:
Deu 21:7 And they shall answer and say, Our hands have not shed this blood, neither have our eyes seen it.
Deu 21:8 Be merciful, O LORD, unto thy people Israel, whom thou hast redeemed, and lay not innocent blood unto thy people of Israel’s charge. And the blood shall be forgiven them.
Deu 21:9 So shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you, when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the LORD.

It may not pop out to you right away how this is connected, but this story in Deuteronomy 21 shows tells us that there is a murder that happens that no one saw. However, what is seen is the RESULT of the sin, the dead person found slain in the field.

When this sin is found out, it is to be dealt with appropriately. In this case the elders are called together and a heifer is to be slain as a sacrifice to the Lord to say that the hands of Israel are washed of the innocent blood of the slain person in the field.

Though the killer is not known, the result of the sin is known. So, in this case if the elders and the people do not take action to show everyone that is slaying and murder is NOT acceptable in society, then they are guilty of the murder themselves.

Let’s look at another example of this in the New Testament.

1Co 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.
1Co 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
1Co 5:3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1Co 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
1Co 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
1Co 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The body of Christ is the same as the children of Israel were in the Old Testament. The groups of people were seen as one unit.

Therefore, Paul is admonishing the Corinthians that they are leavened. He is telling them that they are NOT with Christ because a little leaven leavens the whole lump, and Christ is unleavened bread. Christ is Truth and Truth is not leavened.

So, connecting this concept to the children of Israel and the city of Jericho, Achan indeed had committed a great sin against the Lord, and the children of Israel must do something about it.

However, the children of Israel did not yet know that something had happened to kindle the anger of the Lord, but then comes verse 2 .

Jos 7:2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
Jos 7:3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
Jos 7:4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai.
Jos 7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
Jos 7:6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

Notice, by the estimation of the men sent by Jericho to view the country of Ai, the people of Ai were “but few”. This gave them confidence that only 3000 men needed to be sent.

It was by divine inspiration that the Lord caused these men to tell Joshua to “make not all the people to labour” because the Lord knew there was going to be a defeat on the part of Israel.

There were only 36 men slain, and you can easily see that 3 x 10 + 6 = 36. This is the process of the flesh in all of mankind.

We get puffed up because our flesh gets confident in itself. Yet, there is unknown sin dwelling in our members just as Achan was dwelling in the camp of Israel.

We certainly should be confident in the Lord, but we never want to misplace that confidence by placing it in the flesh. That is a losing battle every time.

The men sent by Joshua certainly were confident, and why wouldn’t they be? “They” had just defeated Jericho. However, it wasn’t they that did it, but it was ALL of the LORD!

The first verse in Joshua 7 tells us that a “covert coverup” was committed in Israel, except it doesn’t say that in English.

Jos 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

Jos 7:1 But the childrenH1121 of IsraelH3478 committedH4603 a trespassH4604 in the accursed thing:H2764 for Achan,H5912 the sonH1121 of Carmi,H3756 the sonH1121 of Zabdi,H2067 the sonH1121 of Zerah,H2226 of the tribeH4294 of Judah,H3063 tookH3947 ofH4480 the accursed thing:H2764 and the angerH639 of the LORDH3068 was kindledH2734 against the childrenH1121 of Israel.H3478

H4603

mâ‛al

maw-al’

A primitive root; properly to cover up; used only figuratively to act covertly, that is, treacherously: – transgress, (commit, do a) tresspass (-ing).

Total KJV occurrences: 36

After having these men lose to Ai, Joshua knew something was up.

Jos 7:7 And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, 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 dwelt on the other side Jordan!
Jos 7:8 O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!
Jos 7:9 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 unto thy great name?

In Joshua’s defense, he is doing what he knows he should be doing, and in doing so he did not sin against the Lord.

He is going to the Lord to inquire about this defeat that makes it appear that Israel is weak and by extension the Lord is weak in the eyes of the enemies of the Lord.

The Lord calls Joshua out and calls him to ACTION.

Jos 7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Jos 7:11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
Jos 7:12 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 from among you.
Jos 7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
Jos 7:14 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; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
Jos 7:15 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.

Do you think the Lord is serious about the accursed thing being in the camp of Israel? I believe these verses shows emphatically that the Lord is deathly serious.

The Lord tells Joshua that Israel has sinned, but we in our carnal understanding see that only Achan sinned.

From the perspective of the Lord, we are one with Him and He is one with us. When we sin against Him, He purges from His body that part which is DISEASED.

This is how He expects the church of the Living God to be as well. When there is sin made know to the body, it must be made known and dealt with.

Obviously, there is judgment which must take place in order to confirm the disease, the sin, just like bringing examples of leprosy to the priests to show that there was a growth “in the house”.

Lev 13:3 And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh: and when the hair in the plague is turned white, and the plague in sight be deeper than the skin of his flesh, it is a plague of leprosy: and the priest shall look on him, and pronounce him unclean.

Lev 13:51 And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
Lev 13:52 He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.

Lev 14:54 This is the law for all manner of plague of leprosy, and scall,
Lev 14:55 And for the leprosy of a garment, and of a house,
Lev 14:56 And for a rising, and for a scab, and for a bright spot:
Lev 14:57 To teach when it is unclean, and when it is clean: this is the law of leprosy.

The Lord tells us to be serious when it comes to the accursed thing, sin, leaven, unclean things and leprosy because in type and shadow they all represent the same thing. This things must all be put to the fire whether physically or spiritually.

The ultimate lesson from this story in Joshua is one that many a church has failed to do. We, as the body of Christ, must purge from ourselves, the sin that is judged sin, when the time comes to do so.

Once judgement has taken place, action is required. Here is how Joshua acts this out for us in example.

Jos 7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken:
Jos 7:17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken:
Jos 7:18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
Jos 7:19 And Joshua said unto Achan, 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.
Jos 7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done:
Jos 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Jos 7:22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it.
Jos 7:23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
Jos 7:24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
Jos 7:25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones.
Jos 7:26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

It may seem harsh from our earthly perspective that the Lord had Israel deal with Achan and his whole family in the way that we just read, but the Lord wants us to know how serious He is about His judgment of sin and the accursed thing.

As the title of this study goes, the Lord would not have believers be hasty, but when a sin is revealed it must be put to the fire immediately so that the entire church of the living God remains whole with the Lord.

Isa 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.