Notes 1/9/17

January 12, 2017

Chapter 11

(Joshua 11:5)  And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.

Confederate against God’s people. Revelation’s battle of Megido. Psalm 2:2

These kings have imagined a vain thing. So has the flesh, the devil, and the world. God is for us, who can be against us.

(Joshua 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.

The other waters: Merah, Meribah, and Mizpah… I think.  Now Merom. There might be a message in all these waters one day. Water on this side of the Jordan. Water on the other side of Jordan.

(Joshua 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.

This is the second wave of defeats for the people of Canaan. There were several kings: Jabin king of Hazor, Jobab of Madon, of Shimron, of Achsaph, kings of the north of the moutains, or the plains of the south of Chinneroth, in the valley… etc etc. etc.

You would have thought that the five kings of the Amorites would have taught them. No. What else were they to do? War mongering Israelites were taking up all the land and slaughtering whole cities. They did what any soveriegn nation would do. They’re fight for the existence. All this reminds me of what Jesus said about the devil coming back and finding his house cleaned up, he bring in seven more devils and the state is worst.

That’s what you do. You get more firepower. You get more armies. And you fight. That’s why it’s kill or be killed. If you do not take active steps to subdue your flesh, it will subdue you.

(Joshua 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.

Reminds me of my premis in this message. The Computer Logic of Romans There is no peace between the flesh and the Spirit, until you drop this flesh.

(Joshua 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.

Praise the Lord. I wonder if this can be likened to the rest in Hebrews. Or how about the rest that Jesus talks about for your soul. We rest when the enemy rest (in peace).

Chapter 12

(Joshua 12:2)  Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
(Joshua 12:3)  And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah:
(Joshua 12:4)  And the coast of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei,
(Joshua 12:5)  And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
(Joshua 12:6)  Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.

Once again, much time given to this side of the Jordan, the borders, the kings smote, the Reubenites, Gadites, and 1/2 tribe of Manasseh. I can’t wait to see what happens to these later in the bible.

Sihon and Og again.

Chapter 13

(Joshua 13:14)  Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.

Inheritance? The sacrifices of the LORD God are their inheritance. I know there’s other verses that call out specific things that are the Levites inheritance. I just can’t remember them. Something to come back to later. The priesthood of every believer. A royal priesthood. What is our inheritence.

(Joshua 13:21)  And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.

There’s Sihon again, and now his dukes.

(Joshua 13:33)  But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.

There we are already.

The Inheritance of the Levites

 

Chapter 14

(Joshua 14:13)  And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.

There’s old Caleb. Hadn’t heard much of him. I want my mountain! Where is Hebron. I wonder if him and Joshua were buddies.

Chapter 15

(Joshua 15:1)  This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.

This chapter is dedicated to the tribe of Judah and his borders. This would be a real cool school project: tracing the borders of each tribe, and researching if this is still recognized by Orthodox Jews in the homeland. Or if there is any dedicated study or institute on these matters.

(Joshua 15:63)  As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.

Ay yi yi. Go away! Why couldn’t they drive them out?

Joshua 10:13 The sun stood still…

January 11, 2017

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.

There’s alot of death in the history of the children of Israel. There was much death in Egypt. There was much death in the wilderness. There was much death in the law. And there was much death in the promised land. After Joshua and the children of Israel came over the Jordan River and defeated Jericho and Ai, they were now to face five kings of the Amorites.

To make a long story short, God delivered them all into the hands of Israel and discomfited them and slew them with a great slaughter. The five kings fled into a cave, were captured, slew, and hung on a tree. Their armies were chases all way back to cities they came from. The Bible says, “There was no day like that before it or after it…” (Joshua 10:14) Why was that?

In that day, Joshua asked the Lord to keep the sun still upon Gibeon and moon still in the valley of Ajalon. Joshua asked God to stop time for awhile. And God answered his prayer, “So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about the whole day.” (Joshua 10:13) God held up time, stopped the sun, in order that Joshua and the children of Israel could get the job done.

This is what I conclude: Victory for God is important to Him. Victory in the life of a Christian is of utmost importance and priority to God, so much that he would stop time in order to get the job done. Furthermore, God would hold up the sun in order to kill the enemies of God.

Follow me down that Roman road. “The carnal mind is enmity against God.” (8:7) “If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (8:13) That word mortify means to put to death; to kill. Our God is a God of war! God wants you through the Spirit to kill; kill the deeds of the flesh and the carnal mind. So much that he’d stop all time, and hold up the sun, that you might get the job done. It is important to him.

This shows us that God cares. God is concerned about our battles. He is concerned with our battles against the flesh. All that death in Egypt, the wilderness, the law, and the promised land was important to God. We have a complete and finished salvation, but the good work of God in us has just begun. He is concerned with our troubles and trials. Ask Him for help. Every morning the sun rises and shines upon us and declares to us the helping hand of God. Cast all your cares upon him; for he careth for you.

 

 

 

Joshua 1:8 Meditate therein day and night…

January 11, 2017

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Moses taught the children of Israel that the Word of God was their life. And Now Joshua tells them that they should not let the book of the law depart out of their mouths; to meditate therein day and night. Joshua believed in this as much as Moses believed in it. They shared their faith, trust, and love for the Word of God. When we came to the end of Joshua, the last chapter tells of the death of Joshua, but the very last verse tells of the death of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, and how he was buried in a hill that belonged to Phinehas, his son.

It was sad; yet sweet to read of those two men of God passing from the scene. They were of the same cut. I remembered the zeal of Phinehas when he thrust through Zimri and his woman and stayed the plague that the Lord had given them for the whoredoms they committed with the Midianites and their women and gods. With his zeal and that javelin, the last carcass fell in the wilderness. Phinehas and his father Eleazar took the Word of God seriously.

Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel. (Numbers 25:11-13)

When I consider the commitment of Aaron and his family, I think about how the priest and his sons were to make a meat-offering the day they were anointed. It was to be an offering of baked fine flour with oil; and half of it was to be offered in the morning and half of it in the evening. (Leviticus 6:19-23)

Moses, Joshua, Eleazar, Phinehas… They shared a zeal and love for the Word of God. But then years and year later, David pens those blessed words, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:2) I can sense and feel the holy affinity between David and all those that before him that loved the Word of God. I’ve got to say (I think some people can relate) I feel like I’m also part of the fellowship. For I love the Word of God. It truly is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. And I do love to meditate on it day and night.

I’d like to challenge you to read your bible day and night; a little in the morning and a little in the evening. Job said, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12) Come up with your own schedule and stick to it. There’s no telling what God can do in your life if you’d fill yourself with his Holy Word. Go for it!

Deuteronomy 32:47 It is your life…

January 10, 2017

For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

These are the words of Moses to the people of Israel in the plains of Moab before they were to enter into the promised land; before Moses was to die. He had just finished repeated all the law of God and the words of God to the people of Israel. And he said, “Set your hearts unto all the words which I testify among you this day, which ye shall command your children to observe to do, all the words of this law.”

Setting our hearts upon the Word of God is what is not a vain thing. Setting our hearts upon the Word of God is our life. More and more I see that this is true. Brother Lester Roloff said that he read the bible through once a year on his knees. Brother Don Green said that he had read through the bible some 169 times. I want to encourage my brothers and sisters in the Lord to read the bible; and not just any bible. Get yourself an old King James bible. There’s no other bible that’s got the power of God on it like that one.

On a side note, I’ve been preaching out of Romans now for several years. I’ve been well over a year in chapter 8. And I found this out the other day. Romans 8:1 in the King James reads:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Apparently, most all other translations leave out the expression who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. After a year of preaching out of Romans 8, I find this appalling and very much disappointing. I can see now that without that part of the verse, the great truths regarding a saint’s struggle between the flesh and the Spirit are severely obfuscated. I saw awhile back that there is indeed condemnation in a Christian’s life if he continues to walk after the flesh. I know that sounds odd; but the key to that verse is but after the Spirit. If you are interested, read this message, The Spirit Filled Life. There I go into better detail regarding the typology of Egypt, the Wilderness, and the Promised Land; and I explain this truth regarding condemnation.

So, much of my preaching on Romans 8 is based on that outlook. It’s based on the fact that God does chastise his children, and there is going to be a judgement seat of Christ where we all must give an account. Not having that second part of that verse really takes the wind out of that doctrine. My point is that it does matter what bible you read. I want to encourage you to read the bible… but the right bible.

I truly believe in reading the bible. I believe spiritual, eternal, heavenly things happen in our inward part while the pages of that blessed book are turned and the words uttered. “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17) If bible reading has been a struggle for you, I want to encourage you to not give up. Take it up again. Do it again. Keep picking it up until you can’t put it down. Make it your life. I know some people will tell you (or you might even be telling you) that it’s legalistic and vain to do so. They tell you this because they’ve failed and quit trying. I want to tell you that of course you are going to fail but don’t quit trying.

Whether it is your bible reading, your prayer life, your church attendance, your giving, your witnessing… Don’t quit trying. “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again.” (Proverbs 24:16)

 

Deuteronomy 32:22 The lowest hell…

January 9, 2017

For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

I find it amazing that in this day in age where people can’t believe there’s a place of everlasting torment, a place of judgment, a place called hell, that in this verse at least, there may be more than one hell. It goes also with the territory though, that in people’s ignorance and contempt for God’s judgment, there also lies an obliviousness and disdain for God’s love. Consider these scriptures:

God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: (1 John 4:16,17)

Notice the phrase God is love and the phrase the day of judgment are in the same thought here? God’s wrath is as thorough as His love. Both will reach down into the furthest depths. The Bible says that “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15:3)

God’s anger shall burn unto the lowest hell. But God’s love will shine through the highest heaven. “Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee…” (1 Kings 8:27) Paul said that he knew a man that was “caught up to the third heaven.” (2 Corinthians 12:2) Even the third heaven cannot contain the love of God. And if there’s a fourth or a fifth heaven, God’s love will deliver us there and beyond.

“This life is but the threshold of our existence, — a breath; we gasp once here and live forever.” Edward D. Griffin.

The wrath of God and the love of God will both extend into and baptize our immortal existence with such an intense reality it will make our time here on earth but a brief figment of our imagination. How low is the lowest hell? John said, “I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and great chain in his hand.” (Revelation 20:1) The lowest hell? Where he who falls in will sink deeper and deeper into misery yet never find the bottom. He’ll look back at the first million years of torment and say “My agony has just begun.”

Yet how high is the highest heaven? “Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” (Romans 5:20) The Psalmist said, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell… Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:10,11) O that we might realize now, today, here on this earth, what Paul spoke of, “And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19)

I know that there is somewhat of a mystery concerning our future. For John has said “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be.” (1 John 3:2) Paul said, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) Yes, it truly says in the scriptures as Paul quotes, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)

But Paul has also said, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Corinthians 2:10) Just as God can open the eyes of a lost man so that he can see the wretched state of one’s soul, he can also reveal to the saints of God the blessed state their eternal soul. “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 2:6)

If a fire is kindled in God’s anger unto the lowest hell, then what is born in God’s love unto the highest heaven? Elisha prayed, ” LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw…” (2 Kings 6:17) Would God show us those great and mighty things?

The Bible says of Stephen, “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55,56)

“Did I not say to you that if you should believe, you will see the glory of God?” Jesus, (John 11:40)

John said, “And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God…” (Revelation 21:10,11)

Would you pray today, “Open thou mine eyes…” (Psalm 119:18)

Deuteronomy 26:11 Rejoice in every good thing…

January 9, 2017

And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the LORD thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou, and the Levite, and the stranger that is among you.

You know after going through the journey of the Israelites through the wilderness, and the end of that journey in the plains of Moab, and even into the book of Joshua into Jericho and Ai, I am still stunned at the extraordinary amount of death that surrounds these chapters. Thousands and thousands of people die. Cities are destroyed; man, woman, child, oxen, ass, and dogs. And if that’s not enough death, how about the actual law; the burnt offerings and the sin offerings? It was every day, every week, every month, every year a sacrifice; the shedding of blood. Blood ran through those chapters like no other place in the Bible. There was death after death after death, and in the midst of all this pain and suffering you read these words, “And thou shalt rejoice in every good thing…”

So beside all the death that was delivered to the people of Israel, what other things did they receive while they where in the wilderness? Well, there was bread. That was the manna. And there was water. That was from the rock. What else? Crickets… Bread and water. I’m not being facetious. I’m trying to draw out the irony or the difficulty in this matter. It’s easy to sit back and criticize the Israelites. They were murmurers. They were complainers. They had little faith. They were unfaithful. They were this. They were that.

You can easily do that and forget these things were written for our admonition. These Israelites blazed the trail, so to speak. They were first ones to mess things up! All the troubles and trials that plagued the Israelites are truly pictures of what’s inside of us. We’re no better than them. We might have some better things. The letter to the Hebrews is known as the book of better things. Praise the Lord! But we are no better than they. And our situation may not be much better than theirs.

Look, I’ll just be plain. Sometimes, it seems like all the Israelites had was their deliverance from Egypt, bread, water, and a hope for the promised land. And sometimes, it may seem that’s all that we have. Our salvation, bread, water, and hope for a better day. But can I say this? There is much to rejoice about in only those few things. The journey through the wilderness was a time of purification and sanctification. That certainly wouldn’t do us any harm. Besides that, it’s a very necessary thing in the life of a Christian.

I came across this verse in my studies, “For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.” What does it take to come to the realization that God is everything? For to have God is have everything. I’ll always remember this advice from Brother Rufus Edmisten, “God doesn’t owe you anything, therefore you ought to thank him for everything!”

You may be waiting on God; waiting for that big blessing; that long awaited answered prayer? In the mean time, praise God in the little things. Magnify the Lord! Magnify means to make something bigger than what it normally appears to be. Rejoice in every good thing. Go ahead! Have yourself a jubilee over that _____________! (You fill in the blank)

Notes 1/7/17

January 8, 2017

Chapter 6

The fall of Jericho

I don’t have anything to say about this. Yet.

Chapter 7

Joshua 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.

How can we be losing? Sin in the camp. 36 people died because one dude took something he wasn’t supposed to. Please don’t take that which you ought not. Other people can get hurt or die because of our sin.

Joshua 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.

This was such a shock; such a disappointment. After all that the Israelites had gone through in the wilderness. They had finally crossed over to possess the land that God had given them. They had a great victory at the Jordan River and at Jericho. No reason to think that anything would go wrong and BANG! 36 people dead and they’re fleeing from the enemy. No!!!

Joshua 7:8  O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies!

What an embarrassment to turn your backs to your enemies. To flee. To turn tail and run.

Joshua 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.

Destroy the accursed from among you. One guy chose curses for the whole camp. Doesn’t seem fair, but that’s how it works. No use complaining about it, just destroy the accursed thing.

Joshua 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.

What are we doing? What is the accursed thing in our life? Maybe it’s hidden. It’s hidden in the earth in the midst of the tent of Achan, of the sons of Carmi, of the household of Zabdi, of the family of the Zahrites, o f the tribe of Judah.

In the tribe, in the family, in the household, of the sons, in the midst of the tent, under the earth. Search me O God and know my heart. See if there be any wicked way in me.

Joshua 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.

What if we went man by man?

Joshua 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:

If we confess our sins, they are faithful and just to stone us for our sins.  I like Christianity.

Chapter 8

Joshua 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.

Turn and burn. Not turn or burn. A lot of fire. A lot of death.

Joshua 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.

The flesh is dumb.

Joshua 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.

Mucho bueno. Good move. Good job.

Joshua 8:30  Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,

Which mount was this? The curses or the blessings.

Joshua 8:31  As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.

Why don’t we do this anymore? Even the whole temple things seems to be contrary to this. Obviously my misunderstanding, but I always think about this when I hear about building programs. I’m not against new buildings and all that, I just can’t help but think about this verse. I’m just a legastic fanatic!

Chapter 9

Joshua 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;

There’s a bunch of kings. You might get one, but there will be another.

Joshua 9:2  That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

The flesh is not going down without a fight.

Joshua 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.

There’s Sihon and Og again.

Joshua 9:14  And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.

Interesting. These Gideonites tricked Joshua and Israel from killing them. They lied to them. And Joshua made peace without having “asked no counsel at the mouth of the LORD.” Joshua didn’t ask. Maybe if they would have asked, God may have helped them to see what was going on. Oh well.

Joshua 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.

There’s those 3 days again.

Joshua 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?

Whoops. Found out. But your word is your word. Joshua didn’t say, you tricked us and now you’re dead. No, he honored what he agreed to. Even though is went against what God had intended for them. We are people of our word. We just better make sure our word match THE word. Or make sure we’re not getting beguiled.  How?  “Ask counsel at the mouth of the LORD”

Chapter 10

Joshua 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.

My guess is that they were afraid of Israel. They were afraid of Gibeon. A league between Israel and Gibeon meant definite defeat for them. I guess.

Joshua 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.

More Amorites. Sihon and Og were Amorites. Those Amorites were not all about love. Amor-ites. Get it? They weren’t lovers they were fighters.

Joshua 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.

Everybody sit down.  Have a seat.

Joshua 10:12-14  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.  (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.  (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.

It was such a blood bath that God had to stop the sun to let the Israelites get the job done.

Joshua 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.

This is where the expression kick butt came from.

Joshua 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.

Not sure about all this. Why? It’s not like they could put it on Instagram or live stream it on Facebook or something. Feet on the neck!

I can just hear preacher Allen, “I want all the God-called, God-sent captains to stand up. If you’re a captain of the men of war, I want you to come down to the front. We’re gonna put our feet on the necks of these kings. All the God-called captain! Come down to the front!”

Joshua 10:31  And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it:

Besiege. Camp around. Starve it out and fight it out. Make no provisions for the flesh. It’s kill or be killed.

 

 

 

Notes 1/6/17

January 8, 2017

Chapter 1

Joshua 1:5  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

I will be with thee. Moses and Joshua were leaders for all of Israel. They could trust them because God was with them. It’s good to trust your leader. The Holy Spirit is your leader. Pastors, elders, preachers, teachers? Sure. But even they could fail tee and forsake thee. There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. There is one that will not fail or forsake you. There is no substitute for the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, don’t take lightly the words of a Spirit-filled man of God that is over you. You may not be in a right relationship with God when he is. Just saying.

Joshua 1:8  This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

Day and night. I tell you I try. I think maybe this may be how through the Spirit we mortify the deeds of the flesh. Now ye are clean through the word. The word is the sword of the Spirit. It’s his sword. He weilds. He cuts down. He destroys. He cuts asunder. Through the word of God. The more we meditate therein, the more we hack at the flesh.

The only prosperous way is the way of God. The only good success is the success that the good Lord gives. Oberve to do.

Day and night. The meat offering of the Levites. Half in the morning, and half in the evening. When you wake and when you sleep.

Joshua 1:11  Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.

Three days. After 40 years, and funeral after funeral, only 3 days now. I wonder if some doubted that it would happen. Not doubted God or didn’t want to go. But maybe just couldn’t believe that the 40 years was over. No more wandering. No more murmuring and complaining Korahs. Zimli? Was there maybe one more. Was he really the last one? I mean if you go by probability the next event to happen would not have been a crossing over, but a funeral.

Chapter 2

Joshua 2:10  For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

There’s Sihon and Og again.

Joshua 2:14  And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.

This is God’s terms: His life for yours.

Joshua 2:18  Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.

Make sure your family is saved. Noah’s family all went into the ark. I know we want to see many saved and we want to do a work for God, but neglect not your family. That is your ministry.

Joshua 2:24  And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.

What things soever you desire, believe that ye have received them and ye shall have them. They believed it. They didn’t believe this at Kadesh. Well 10/12 didn’t.

Chapter 3

Joshua 3:2  And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host;

What is it about 3 days. There’s 3 days all over law. 3 days in the grave. 3 days. 3 days. 3 days.

Joshua 3:5  And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.

Tomorrow is the big day. Today, we sanctify ourselves. Reminds me of Brother Toby Power’s message on Magnify the Lord. People are always waiting on the big things to praise God. They want to see the big miracle, the big move, the big deliverance. God may do that. He may not. But it we keep waiting for the big thing, we miss God in the little things. I guess that really doesn’t correlate to this scripture.

What I’m trying to say is, “Don’t wait for the wonders to sanctify yourself.” Sanctify yourself now, today, while you can. Prepare yourself for tomorrow. It might not be tomorrow as in the next day, it may be tomorrow week, or tomorrow year, or even tomorrow life. YOU sanctify yourself, and THE LORD will do wonders among you. There’s an obligation on your part on all this. Amen!

Joshua 3:15  And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)

They stepped into the brim of water, and the waters receded. Peter stepped in and they went nowhere.

Chapter 4

Joshua 4:19  And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.

The month of Abib. Passover was in just a few days. What do you think of that. Isn’t that something else. I mean that could have been a good excuse to not go over. Priest are getting ready for the Passover. We can’t spare the ark. No, we don’t have enough time to set everything up and then take it all down. We’re going over to Jericho. No that’s no gonna work.

You can worship and serve God at the same time. They go hand and hand.

Chapter 5

Joshua 5:9  And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

The reproach of Egypt. What is that. The slavery? The bad Egyptian attitude they brought with them. The reproach of Egypt. Reproach is something that stays on you. I don’t know. It seems that he’s referring to the 40 years in the wilderness, and now the crossing over Jordan. The crossing over Jordan was the rolling away of the reproach of Egypt. Why was it not rolled away at the Red Sea? What is that reproach. The stains of sin. The unbelief.

Joshua 5:10  And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.

See, 4 days after the crossing is the Passover.

Joshua 5:12  And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.

Wow. Just wow. No soup for you! That was it. Elijah and the Raven. No more manna. Reminds me of Hebrews: No more milk, but now meat.

Joshua 5:13-15  And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?  (14)  And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?  (15)  And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Had to be Jesus; in Revelation 19 fatigue. Holy ground is the dead give away.

Notes 1/5/17

January 6, 2017

Chapter 31

Deuteronomy 31:2  And he said unto them, I am an hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no more go out and come in: also the LORD hath said unto me, Thou shalt not go over this Jordan.

There comes a time when it’s over. A man has got to know his limitations

Deuteronomy 31:4  And the LORD shall do unto them as he did to Sihon and to Og, kings of the Amorites, and unto the land of them, whom he destroyed.

There’s that Sihon and Og again. Oh how I want God fight my battles. I want my enemies to be as Sihon and Og. I want my temptations and failures to be as Sihon and Og; utterly destroyed.

Deuteronomy 31:6  Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

I think this is really one of the first times you hear these type of encouraging words. I think. Good words.

Deuteronomy 31:11  When all Israel is come to appear before the LORD thy God in the place which he shall choose, thou shalt read this law before all Israel in their hearing.

The place which he shall choose. God has a place. We can choose a place, but God has a place. God is everywhere? Yeah yeah yeah. God has a place that HE has chosen.

Thou shalt read this law before all. Read the law. Read the law. His delight shall be in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Deuteronomy 31:13  And that their children, which have not known any thing, may hear, and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

Children know nothing and must be taught everything. They must hear the word of God. They must hear good preaching.

Deuteronomy 31:16-18  And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them.  (17)  Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?  (18)  And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods.

This must have been very difficult for Joshua to have to hear all this. I mean why go forward if you know all will fall? That must have been hard.

Deuteronomy 31:19  Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.

Song? It doesn’t sing very well. I’d love to hear the tune that this was sung to.

Chapter 32

Deuteronomy 32:7  Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

You look at some churches today and there are no elders. Too many young pastors. The bible says that a bishop should have his children in subjection. Nowadays, bishops haven’t even had children. I question the wisdom of that. But what are people to do. It’s like there’s generations just missing.

Deuteronomy 32:15  But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

15) Jeshurun is a diminutive—a term of endearment. Either “the child of the upright,” or “the beloved Israel.” Ellicott’s Commentary

This is the first time it’s used. Very interesting. Names. I’ve got a new name written up in glory and it’s mine.

Deuteronomy 32:20  And he said, I will hide my face from them, I will see what their end shall be: for they are a very froward generation, children in whom is no faith.

Faith, what Abraham found(ed). Faith. God’s way has always been by faith.

Deuteronomy 32:21  They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

Is this a reference to the church. For God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.

Deuteronomy 32:22  For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

The lowest hell… That’s some serious stuff, huh? That’s pretty angry.

Deuteronomy 32:25  The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling also with the man of gray hairs.

The thoroughness again of God’s judgment.

Deuteronomy 32:29  O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

Deuteronomy 8:16 Thy latter end…

I wrote this and the latter end is good. God has a good latter end. But this latter end is not good. There is a latter end, whether it be good or bad.

Deuteronomy 32:47  For it is not a vain thing for you; because it is your life: and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land, whither ye go over Jordan to possess it.

It’s not a vain thing to hearken unto God. To keep his commandments, to read his law, seek his face, to know his will and to follow him, to love him with all your heart, soul, and might. It’s not vain.

It is your life. This must be our life. God must be our life. If it’s not, something is wrong. What’s wrong? You’re lost most likely. If you’re saved, then you’re not right. He must be your life. Anything else will be your death.

Chapter 33

Deuteronomy 33:5  And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

There’s Jeshurun again. Moses was king in Jeshurun

Deuteronomy 33:8  And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

The words “Urim and Thummim” mean literally, “lights and perfections,” or, if the plural be one of dignity, “light and perfection”

The words may be read thus: And thou shalt give, or add, to the breast-plate of judgment, the illuminations and perfections, and they shall be upon the heart of Aaron — That is, he shall be endued with a power of knowing and making known the mind of God in all difficult cases, relative either to the civil or ecclesiastical state.

This Urim and Thummim, whatever they were, and in whatever way the will of God was made known by them, were no more than a shadow of good things to come, and the substance is Christ.

Wow, so after reading all the commentaries on the Urim and the Thummim, it is clear that nobody really know what they are. Some say it was some thing that God gave them. Some say it was 12 stones. Some don’t say. Nobody know. Wow! They should very much to me like an anointing to make one wise and enlightened. Sounds like the Holy Ghost to me.

Deuteronomy 33:22  And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion’s whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.

Bashan again.

Deuteronomy 33:26  There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky.

Jeshurun again, the people of Israel. That’s their name. Odd, 3Xs already.

Chapter 34

Deuteronomy 34:1-3  And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan,  (2)  And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,  (3)  And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

I wonder what you can see from Mount Pisgah. Need pictures.

Deuteronomy 34:7  And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

One strong dude. Lester Roloff believed that this was God’s will for all to be healthy.

Deuteronomy 34:8  And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

Time to move on. Moses was important, but weeping and mourning must come to an end. Insensitive? No. In heaven, God will wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more sorrow.

Deuteronomy 34:10  And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,

Knowing God face to face. How we need that today.

Deuteronomy 24:4 She is defiled…

January 5, 2017

Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

There’s such a broad spectrum on how people view divorce and remarriage in the church. It is such a common thing now, there is nobody unaffected by this. Every church deals with this issue, whether they realize it or not. Of course, the sensitivity on the subject is high and tensions high when these issues come up. Nobody wants to get in an argument. Nobody wants to hurt anybody’s feelings. And certainly nobody wants to hurt anybody further or push them further away. So it becomes very difficult to deal with these topics.

There’s much to say on this, but one of the goals of these devotions is to be short. So we can’t cover everything. I believe there is significant error being taught out there today, especially in the churches. Maybe we can shed a little light on the subject today. Here’s the entire passage that we’re considering:

1 When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

2 And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man’s wife.

3 And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sendeth her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife;

4 Her former husband, which sent her away, may not take her again to be his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD: and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.

This passage says plainly that after that she is defiled. After what? The first verse gives the instructions on the bill of divorcement. The second verse gives permission to remarry. The third verse provides the scenario that the second husband divorces her or dies.

So after all that she is defiled. So what exactly causes the defilement. One might argue that the defilement is simply whatever the first husband found that was wrong with her. However, let me ask you this: In the first marriage, whatever was wrong, it would have been perfectly fine for the husband to not put her away; as Joseph did with Mary. So why would it be okay then, and not okay now, after that? Because that’s not the problem.

Now in the third verse, one might argue that whatever the second husband found wrong with her is the defilement. The problem with that is the scenario is a double or statement; meaning he might not have divorced her. He may have simply died. Him dying would not defile her or be some fault of hers. So that’s not it.

Now the the second verse gives permission for the wife to remarry; but therein is the defilement. Remember Jesus said (Matthew 19:8) Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives.

So all this to say this: It’s the actual second marriage that defiles her.  And this is indeed confirmed in Jesus words, (Matthew 5:32) But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

It’s astounding how even the words of Jesus are so blatantly and wholly ignored on this topic of divorce and remarriage. Well, wait a minute. If we’re saved, isn’t our slate wiped clean? Our sins are washed away; but many have convinced themselves that their first marriage was somehow a sin. There may have been sin in the marriage, but the marriage itself is holy, and sanctified in heaven. To say that God washes away marriages with his blood is a gross perversion of God’s forgiveness.

There’s so much more to say on this topic, but I don’t want to end without saying a few things. (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God can and does forgive sin. His blood can wash away any stain. There is much hope for those who have gone through a divorce and remarried, as much hope as any Christian. But hope lies in honesty with the Word of God.

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us… (Ephesian 3:20)