Tusite Sepitema 28, 2021
Do not fear and do not be dismayed
‘Oua te ke manavahē, pea ‘oua te ke tailiili
Siosiua 8 (Joshua 8)
(v. 1-2) PEA folofola ‘a Sihova kia Siosiua, ‘Oua te ke manavahē, pea ‘oua te ke tailiili: ‘ave ‘a e kakai kotoa ‘oku ‘i he tau, pea ke tu‘u hake, ‘o ‘alu ki ‘Ai: vakai kuo u tuku ki ho nima ‘a e Tu‘i ‘Ai, mo hono kakai, mo hono kolo, mo hono fonua: pea te ke fai ki ‘Ai mo hono tu‘i, ‘o hangē ko ho‘o fai ki Sielikō mo e tu‘i ‘o‘ona: ka ko hono koloa pē, mo hono monumanu, te ke vete ma‘amoutolu: fakatoka ha‘amou malumu ki he kolo mei hono feitu‘u ki ko.
(v. 1-2) And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”
G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible
As the result of the severity of the discipline exercised in the case of Achan, the nation returned to obedience, and consequently Jehovah immediately uttered the word of reassurance to Joshua and the campaign moved victoriously forward.
The story of the taking of Ai is one of brilliant military strategy. Thus again the fact was brought into prominence that in prosecuting the work of Jehovah there must ever be a recognition of the value and use of the best in human reason. Strategy without obedience is useless. Obedience includes the use of reason, the employment of common sense, and in a campaign such as that on which Joshua was engaged the employment of strategic methods.
Once more the first victories being won and the gates of entrance to the whole country being secured, Joshua paused to fulfil religious duties.
Among the final instructions given to the people by Moses were those which provided for setting up great stones on which the words of the law were to be written, the erection of an altar on Mount Ebal, the offering of sacrifices, and the uttering of the blessings and curses as appointed. These instructions were now being carried out by Joshua.
David Guzik :: Study Guide for Joshua 8
It is often the most difficult to regain lost ground such as Ai. When we have failed at some point in our Christian lives, we need to know how to get back on track.
This was the first key to regaining victory. They had to receive encouragement from God. Though Israel stumbled through Achan's sin as shown in Joshua 7, they dealt with the failure and now had to move on.
What is past is past. We must deal with it before God in repentance and dying to self, and then look forward to what He has for us right now.
God wants us to use our failures in a good way, to use them as a foundation for great victory in the LORD.
No comments:
Post a Comment