[Originally posted in a WhatsApp group (SSEU), a reading update (reflection) from one chapter of the Bible a day]
𝕁𝕆𝕊ℍ𝕌𝔸 𝟟:𝟚𝟘-𝟚𝟙
"So
Achan answered Joshua and said, ‘Truly, I have sinned against the LORD, the God
of Israel, and this is what I did: when I 𝕤𝕒𝕨 among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and
two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I
𝕔𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕕 them and 𝕥𝕠𝕠𝕜 them; and behold, they are 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕖𝕕 in the earth inside my tent with the silver
underneath it.’"
The
first time this story was impressed upon my memory was in one of the few
classes of Sunday School I had ever attended. The 2nd time was in SSEU, its
former president, Phajathang was preaching on this story. [He was preaching
from a small pocket size Bible.]
Notice
the progress of sin in this confession: the verbs, his actions — Saw,
coveted, took, concealed.
And
the battle was lost. Numbers of Israelites died. He himself was stoned to
death, even his family members were!
I
remember the similar progress of sins mentioned in the book of James as well.
BTW, MacArthur Study Bible noted that David's sin is identical to this sin of
Achan!
𝕁𝕆𝕊ℍ𝕌𝔸 𝟠-𝟝-𝟞
"Then
I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come
out to meet us as at the first, we will flee before them. They will come out
after us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, 'They
are fleeing before us as at the first.' So we will flee before them."
This
surprise attack seems to be the ultimate battle strategy for the Israelites.
They did like that in the war of Benjamites as well. Even present-day Israel
seems to rely on this strategy — a deceptive (surprise attack) strategy.
The
recent clash with Hamas as well. The Israelites pretend to do a military ground
invasion. The whole international media was led to believe it so. Even I
believed so. 😎😂 Then they did a surprise airstrike. That's how they
won the six-day war of 1967 as well, against 3 countries.
Maybe
North East underground factions should use this strategy as well! 😂
𝕁𝕆𝕊ℍ𝕌𝔸 𝟡:𝟙𝟜
"So
the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the
counsel of the LORD."
What
a blunder! What a tragedy! What a sin!
They
had just won a war; perhaps, that went into their heads. They were favored by
Yahweh; perhaps, that made them familiar with God. Familiarity breeds
Complacency. The stupidity of the leaders of Israelites demonstrates the plight
of everyone.
The
first time I decided to visit a bank, I prayed earnestly [for God] to help me
out. The first time I was about to do anything I took it seriously. And then...
Gibeonites always show up. Gibeonites are everywhere that's why we [need to] always
pray, [need to] ask God.
Moses
didn't glorify God though he performed God's miracle; God banned him from
entering the Promised Land. It's easy to do the things of God, yes, even the righteous
and godly things without prayer; and that is sin.
If
I step into the pulpit without much prayer, even after my 20-40 hours of
preparation, and even if it transforms the life of my listeners, I am still in
sin!
𝕁𝕆𝕊ℍ𝕌𝔸 𝟙𝟘:𝟙𝟙
"As
they fled from before Israel, while they were at the descent of Beth-horon, the
LORD threw large stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died;
there were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel
killed with the sword."
I
almost remember everything I was taught in Sunday School. And that's because I
attended Sunday School maybe just 2,3 times. 😂
One
story that I remember so well is this story of Joshua 10: God throwing stones
from heaven! Hmm, I still am thinking what I was thinking then! And it is
fascinating: God selectively killing the enemies with stones from heaven!
God
can really do what He wants to do!
If
I were God, I would kill them by a different method! Certainly not by throwing
stones. It sounds ridiculous!
God's
amazing work may come through ridiculous means, sometimes. Let's not expect
only "great" things from God.
𝕁𝕆𝕊ℍ𝕌𝔸 𝟙𝟙:𝟙𝟛-𝟙𝟜
"However,
Israel did not burn any cities that stood on their mounds, except Hazor alone,
which Joshua burned. All the spoil of these cities and the cattle, the sons of
Israel took as their plunder; but they struck every man with the edge of the
sword, until they had destroyed them. They left no one who breathed."
God
is a misogynistic megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent
bully to those who are disobedient, like Richard Dawkins. But to those who are
obedient, His laws are not burdensome (1John 5:3)
Achan
hid a tiny amount of spoil of Ai, and was stoned to death along with his family
members! Then here, in the Israelites’ next conquest, they were allowed to take
the spoil and keep the houses and properties. There's a time to avoid and a
time to accept. A time to offer and a time to receive. A time to sacrifice and
a time to celebrate.
It's
not difficult for those who listen to God. See, Achan was singled out among
thousands of Israelites as if to make a point that it was clear and easy to
trust God, because every one of them obeyed, except for this Achan. In fact, it
can be said like that for any act of [our] disobedience. Now, the obedient
Israelites got all the homes and spoils, while the disobedient Achan perished
with his family!
Even
in the parable of the wedding feast, the master singled out only one person, an
improperly dressed guy to be thrown out. What about all those filthy and
uncivilized beggars from the highways and byways? Again, the point is: it's
unthinkable to disobey God or to distrust God because God is so awesome and
good!
𝕁𝕆𝕊ℍ𝕌𝔸 𝟙𝟚:𝟙
"Now
these are the kings of the land whom the sons of Israel defeated, and whose
land they possessed beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise, from the valley of
the Arnon as far as Mount Hermon, and all the Arabah to the east:"
Listed
are 31 kings the Israelites had defeated, but only a few selective accounts are
recorded in the Scripture.
The
Bible history is not a random account of past events, it has a theme, purpose,
and pointed application for all readers.
Even
John the apostle did the same thing with his gospel, mentioning only 7 miracles,
7 statements of I AM, and 7 witnesses! It even has 7x3 chapters 😂