What Happens When You Do It God's Way

Joshua 8 - Episode 122

It’s as if it Never Happened Joshua 8:1

After their first victory in the great walled city of Jericho, the Israelites thought the tiny, unprotected town of Ai would be no match for them. So, they attacked with only 3,000 soldiers and were quickly run out of town. They even lost 36 men, whereas none were killed in the battle of Jericho. But God had told them not to take any spoils and Achan had disobeyed. They lost a battle that they shouldn’t have lost just because they didn’t do it the way God told them to.

But that had all been taken care of. They had rid themselves of the sinful things and the man who had brought the destruction upon them, and they were free from it. God told them not to be discouraged or afraid because He wanted them to know that the slate was clean. They were entering the battle with Ai as if the sin and defeat had never happened.

As long as they obeyed the Lord, they would be victorious just as they were in Jericho. That’s all there was to it. They knew why they failed the first time, and they took care of the situation. From now on, they just had to obey the Lord. They had learned from their mistakes, and it was time to move on.

God is gracious. He doesn’t hold our sin over our head or punish us forever. 1 John 1:9

All He asks is that we recognize our mistakes, take action against them, and then move on with the acquired lesson in mind. Ezekiel 18:30-32

When we turn away from our sins, we put them behind us. Then everything before us is new and untainted. Philippians 3:13-14

Repentance allows us to start over without being discouraged or afraid. If we’re walking in obedience to God, then we can be confident and at peace. 2 Corinthians 5:15-17

Patience, Trust, & Self-Control Joshua 8:2

This time, God was going to let them take the spoils of war. If only Achan had just refrained the one time, he would have been free to take whatever he wanted in the very next battle. If Achan would have known that God was going to change the rules the very next time, do you think he would have been able to exercise more self-control?

Most of the time, the Lord does not give us the full plan. Instead, He tells us what we need to know at the moment, revealing only one step at a time. We often do not know why He wants things done in a particular way or what the future holds. This is hard for us, especially if we are being asked to restrain ourselves from something. Self-control and patience are exercises. They do not come naturally, and they take discipline on our part. 2 Peter 1:5-9

But maybe that’s why God doesn’t give us the whole picture. He wants us to trust Him enough to obey even when we do not want to, or we don’t understand. He isn’t withholding things from us just because He can. God cares about us and wants us to have good things, so He is not being mean. Matthew 7:9-11

He has a reason even if we do not know what it is. Maybe it is just a test to see if we trust Him and are willing to make the smallest sacrifice for the sake of obedience or maybe there is more to it. Psalm 4:5

But either way, after we have proven that we trust Him and we are willing to obey, He will often lift His restrictions if it will not be harmful in some way. We need only to be patient. Then in due time, we will receive our reward. Galatians 6:8-9