WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.839 Our focus today from Joshua 8 is on the Word of God in the life of the people of God. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:19.379 And so I wanted to begin reading from Matthew 4, where we read of Jesus' response to temptation with the Word of God. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:25.260 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 00:00:25.260 --> 00:00:29.679 After fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, he was hungry. 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:37.439 The tempter came to him and said, if you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread. 00:00:38.100 --> 00:00:49.079 Jesus answered, it is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. 00:00:50.820 --> 00:00:53.640 So let's hear God's Word. 00:00:53.640 --> 00:00:59.520 Then the Lord said to Joshua, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged. 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:03.179 Take the whole army with you and go up and attack Ai. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:09.120 For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:13.180 You shall do to Ai and its kings as you did to Jericho and its king, 00:01:13.700 --> 00:01:17.079 except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:19.219 Set an ambush behind the city. 00:01:19.480 --> 00:01:22.799 So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:28.560 He chose 30,000 of his best fighting men and sent them out at night with these orders. 00:01:29.079 --> 00:01:29.899 Listen carefully. 00:01:30.500 --> 00:01:32.519 You are to set an ambush behind the city. 00:01:33.179 --> 00:01:34.819 Don't go very far from it. 00:01:35.299 --> 00:01:36.539 All of you be on the alert. 00:01:37.140 --> 00:01:39.599 I and all those with me will advance on the city. 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:43.759 And when the men come out against us as they did before, we will flee from them. 00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:49.580 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say they're running away from us as they did before. 00:01:50.380 --> 00:01:55.460 So when we flee from them, you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. 00:01:56.040 --> 00:01:58.320 The Lord your God will give it into your hand. 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:00.840 When you have taken the city, set it on fire. 00:02:01.240 --> 00:02:02.380 Do what the Lord has commanded. 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:04.520 See to it you have my orders. 00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:12.639 Then Joshua sent them off and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai to the west of Ai. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:15.039 But Joshua spent that night with the people. 00:02:15.900 --> 00:02:21.280 Early the next morning, Joshua mustered his army and he and the leaders of Israel marched before them to Ai. 00:02:21.780 --> 00:02:26.780 The entire force that was with him marched up and approached the city and arrived in front of it. 00:02:27.340 --> 00:02:31.079 They set up camp north of Ai with the valley between them and the city. 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:38.760 Joshua had taken about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai to the west of the city. 00:02:39.200 --> 00:02:45.200 So the soldiers took up their positions with the main camp to the north of the city and ambushed to the west of it. 00:02:45.640 --> 00:02:47.120 That night Joshua went into the valley. 00:02:47.939 --> 00:02:56.320 When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah. 00:02:56.660 --> 00:03:00.420 But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city. 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:06.460 Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back before them and they fled towards the wilderness. 00:03:07.100 --> 00:03:11.840 All the men of Ai were called to pursue them and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city. 00:03:12.160 --> 00:03:15.740 Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. 00:03:16.160 --> 00:03:18.420 They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel. 00:03:19.300 --> 00:03:23.740 Then the Lord said to Joshua, hold out towards Ai the javelin that's in your hand. 00:03:24.140 --> 00:03:26.320 For into your hand I will deliver the city. 00:03:26.319 --> 00:03:30.560 So Joshua held out towards the city the javelin that was in his hand. 00:03:31.139 --> 00:03:35.359 As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. 00:03:35.939 --> 00:03:39.599 They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire. 00:03:40.459 --> 00:03:44.299 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky. 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:47.159 But they had no chance to escape in any direction. 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:53.319 The Israelites who had been fleeing towards the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. 00:03:53.979 --> 00:03:59.579 For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from the city, 00:03:59.859 --> 00:04:01.620 they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 00:04:02.379 --> 00:04:07.639 Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so they were caught in the middle with Israelites on both sides. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:11.159 Israel cut them down, leaving neither survivors nor fugitives. 00:04:11.879 --> 00:04:14.939 But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua. 00:04:14.939 --> 00:04:20.759 When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:27.100 and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:31.199 Twelve thousand men and women fell that day, all the people of Ai. 00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:37.740 For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed all who had lived in Ai. 00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:44.659 But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua. 00:04:44.939 --> 00:04:51.180 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day. 00:04:51.719 --> 00:04:56.000 He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. 00:04:56.660 --> 00:05:02.399 At sunset Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. 00:05:02.779 --> 00:05:06.420 And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day. 00:05:06.420 --> 00:05:15.420 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had commanded the Israelites. 00:05:15.819 --> 00:05:23.460 He built it according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no iron tool had been used. 00:05:23.980 --> 00:05:27.800 On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:33.680 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses. 00:05:34.199 --> 00:05:42.360 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. 00:05:43.080 --> 00:05:46.560 Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:57.579 Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses, the servant of the Lord, had formerly commanded, when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:05.439 Afterwards, Joshua read all the words of the law, the blessings and the curses, just as it is written in the book of the law. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:17.600 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children and the foreigners who lived among them. 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:26.120 So there's a lengthy reading there about the second time Israel goes to battle against Ai. 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:34.040 But our point this evening is that the Christian and the Christian church lives by the word of God. 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:37.460 And I hope we'll see that clearly in our text. 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:44.540 But I want to begin with something that you may have watched over the last year or two. 00:06:44.700 --> 00:06:49.700 The rise of, as it were, fly-on-the-wall football documentaries. 00:06:50.820 --> 00:06:57.040 You know, those programmes that usually seem to be on Amazon Prime that follow a team throughout a season. 00:06:57.640 --> 00:07:00.600 Trying to help viewers to understand what makes this team tick. 00:07:00.780 --> 00:07:02.620 What kind of manager and leader do they have? 00:07:02.620 --> 00:07:04.240 How do they prepare for a match? 00:07:04.280 --> 00:07:08.699 So one of the early ones was Sunderland till I die. 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:15.019 And that was really interesting for giving an insight between the close connection between the city of Sunderland and the team. 00:07:15.420 --> 00:07:18.899 You know, in a sense to be from Sunderland is to be a follower of the club. 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:20.340 And that really became clear. 00:07:20.339 --> 00:07:24.560 Another one that we watched was the one about Juventus. 00:07:25.219 --> 00:07:27.019 You know, very different club Italian. 00:07:27.159 --> 00:07:28.599 Giants, champions mentality. 00:07:28.819 --> 00:07:33.439 And it focused on, a lot of the episodes came back to their motto. 00:07:34.039 --> 00:07:35.239 Fino alla fine. 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:36.579 Which means to the end. 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:41.699 This is a team who fights and ultimately fights for victory and success. 00:07:41.699 --> 00:07:44.180 Now, take that idea. 00:07:45.180 --> 00:07:47.979 Apply it to what we've been reading in the book of Joshua. 00:07:48.459 --> 00:07:56.819 Joshua chapters 5 to 8 stands as a window into how the people of God tick. 00:07:57.000 --> 00:07:58.159 Or how they shoot. 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:02.000 They are called to follow God. 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:07.620 They are called to fight under God for promised victory. 00:08:08.300 --> 00:08:14.579 And if we think of Joshua 5 to 8 giving us a window into the life of the people of God, 00:08:14.680 --> 00:08:15.540 then the frame. 00:08:16.740 --> 00:08:19.980 What we have at the beginning of Joshua 5, we have a covenant ceremony. 00:08:21.500 --> 00:08:22.899 Reminding them that they are God's people. 00:08:23.079 --> 00:08:26.899 And it ends, end of chapter 8, with covenant renewal. 00:08:27.040 --> 00:08:29.339 A reminder that they are God's people. 00:08:29.339 --> 00:08:33.659 That first and foremost, they are to work on their relationship with God. 00:08:33.799 --> 00:08:39.980 The point then is that Israel's life and identity is understood in relation to their God. 00:08:40.439 --> 00:08:44.379 And between that frame, so chapters 6 and 7 and most of 8, 00:08:44.779 --> 00:08:50.240 there is a focus on the place of God's word among the people of God. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:53.199 So last week, chapter 7, we had Achan. 00:08:53.200 --> 00:09:00.759 And the negative example where Achan didn't listen to God's word and sin and judgment came. 00:09:01.240 --> 00:09:02.840 Chapters 6 and 8 are different. 00:09:02.940 --> 00:09:07.960 They are positive examples of hearing and obeying God's word. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:10.240 And success follows. 00:09:11.560 --> 00:09:14.700 This was not a new message or concept to God's people. 00:09:14.700 --> 00:09:21.960 In Deuteronomy 8, verse 3, Moses speaking to the people says, 00:09:22.160 --> 00:09:26.460 God humbled you to teach you that man does not live by bread alone, 00:09:27.180 --> 00:09:29.259 but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 00:09:29.379 --> 00:09:34.440 And of course, we just listened to Jesus then using those words as he faced temptation. 00:09:34.440 --> 00:09:44.700 So the key lesson of Joshua 8 is that God's people, the church, are called to live by the word of God. 00:09:45.760 --> 00:09:50.300 We'll see that it gives direction for living as God's people, 00:09:50.560 --> 00:09:52.460 especially thinking about holiness and obedience. 00:09:53.580 --> 00:09:59.700 We'll see that it gives strength in the spiritual battles that are faced. 00:09:59.700 --> 00:10:08.500 And we'll see that the word of God thoroughly helps to maintain and enjoy covenant relationship with God. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:14.020 So let's begin thinking firstly about God's word and direction. 00:10:15.020 --> 00:10:18.000 And we can see this in the first nine verses. 00:10:18.259 --> 00:10:23.000 Chapter 8 brings us back to fighting against the people, the city of Ai. 00:10:23.520 --> 00:10:27.080 There's a very different outcome from the humiliation of last chapter. 00:10:27.080 --> 00:10:28.379 Why is that? 00:10:29.700 --> 00:10:35.340 The difference, if we were to overview the whole story, is that God and his word this time are central. 00:10:36.640 --> 00:10:41.580 Joshua, as God's chosen leader, is now the central human figure. 00:10:41.660 --> 00:10:42.420 There's been a shift. 00:10:42.780 --> 00:10:48.500 They've come to understand their sin and now they want to be listening to God and obeying. 00:10:49.560 --> 00:10:53.879 And so if we begin at verse 1, we see God's words. 00:10:54.259 --> 00:10:55.140 What does it do for the people? 00:10:55.220 --> 00:10:57.080 God's word, first of all, reassures them. 00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:59.500 You know, they've just failed. 00:11:00.160 --> 00:11:00.980 Judgment has come. 00:11:01.700 --> 00:11:04.420 Then the Lord said to Joshua, do not be afraid. 00:11:05.139 --> 00:11:06.900 Do not be discouraged. 00:11:08.180 --> 00:11:10.920 The sin of chapter 7 has been dealt with. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:11.759 The judgment has come. 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:15.800 And now God has restored them to favor. 00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:19.860 It restored them to their right relationship. 00:11:19.860 --> 00:11:30.200 The commander of the Lord who had fought against them at Ai because of their disobedience would now be for them in their obedience. 00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:36.539 So God's word gives them reassurance and God's word directs the people of God. 00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:41.300 And that's so clear in the way this chapter flows. 00:11:41.299 --> 00:11:47.120 So, for example, God's word directs who's involved in the battle. 00:11:47.839 --> 00:11:50.299 Chapter 7, they said, let's just send up a few. 00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:51.359 There'll be no problem. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:56.279 This time, send up the whole army. 00:11:56.620 --> 00:11:58.419 Verse 1, take the whole army with you. 00:11:58.419 --> 00:12:04.759 What are they to do in this battle is directed by God's word. 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.639 Verse 2, you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:14.339 How are they to achieve this success in battle is made clear. 00:12:14.459 --> 00:12:17.120 End of verse 2, set an ambush behind the city. 00:12:17.299 --> 00:12:18.860 God is directing at every point. 00:12:19.339 --> 00:12:20.959 And God's word doesn't just direct. 00:12:21.039 --> 00:12:22.079 God's word also promises. 00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:28.740 As they go into this battle, as they've been defeated one time, there is a promise in verse 2. 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.900 You shall do to Ai as you did to Jericho. 00:12:32.040 --> 00:12:33.100 Victory will come. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:38.740 And this time, at the hands of a generous God, they are allowed to carry off the plunder and the livestock. 00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:43.440 The spoils of war that belong to God are now given to his people. 00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:49.060 And so from those introductory words, we then see that God's word is obeyed. 00:12:49.059 --> 00:12:51.259 Here, Joshua comes into focus. 00:12:51.339 --> 00:12:57.000 And what we see is that Joshua and the whole army moved to attack Ai. 00:12:57.759 --> 00:13:01.159 We see that Joshua sets that ambush. 00:13:01.259 --> 00:13:03.359 So the main army is in one place. 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:06.899 And then the ambush lies to the west. 00:13:07.579 --> 00:13:09.699 And in verse 8, significant words. 00:13:11.500 --> 00:13:14.379 Do what the Lord has commanded. 00:13:14.539 --> 00:13:17.239 That's what the army of Israel is to do. 00:13:17.240 --> 00:13:19.840 Do God's word. 00:13:21.560 --> 00:13:23.779 So remember what's going on here. 00:13:23.960 --> 00:13:27.700 Israel has been called to be God's holy nation. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:33.080 Living in the promised land, which was to be God's holy place. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:36.659 So as the people of God, they are called to be obedient. 00:13:38.379 --> 00:13:42.259 Holiness looks like obedience by grace. 00:13:42.259 --> 00:13:49.000 And that requires them to hear and to do God's word. 00:13:49.439 --> 00:13:52.620 And nothing has changed for us. 00:13:52.659 --> 00:13:54.580 So it's important for us to hear this today. 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:58.939 So boys and girls, remember our instruction books over here. 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:03.399 Remember that the Bible is our instruction guide. 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:07.559 If we ask ourselves, how am I supposed to live for God? 00:14:07.639 --> 00:14:09.120 What does living for God look like? 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:16.939 We need to know the Bible and to be reading the Bible so that we can better understand how to live for him. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:22.720 The Bible stands as the marching orders for God's church. 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:30.860 It is the one voice we desperately and consistently need to hear. 00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:39.560 Against all the many voices of culture, against the voices of our peers and contemporaries, 00:14:39.820 --> 00:14:46.639 we need to hear, to trust and to respond to God's voice. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:55.659 And that then means we need to think about how we can make room for that in our own lives. 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:59.779 You may find yourself in this present season time rich. 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:04.199 And because of a change in your work or because you're retired, 00:15:05.480 --> 00:15:11.299 well, let God's word encourage you to get to know him better, 00:15:11.299 --> 00:15:17.319 to invest in studying the Bible, in meditating on it, in chewing it over, 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:24.799 so that you might increasingly enjoy knowing God, communing with him and putting it into practice. 00:15:25.839 --> 00:15:32.539 But if, by contrast, you find yourself time poor because homeschool is manic or you're just crazy busy 00:15:32.539 --> 00:15:38.500 and the inefficiency of this working pattern means you've got more to do, 00:15:40.719 --> 00:15:45.839 then maybe you need to sort of seize opportunities to read a verse from God's word and to pray about it, 00:15:45.959 --> 00:15:48.899 to reflect on something you've heard from a sermon. 00:15:50.959 --> 00:15:56.139 Whatever our circumstances, we must make time to hear God's word because to obey it, 00:15:57.019 --> 00:15:59.899 we must first hear it and know what it teaches. 00:15:59.899 --> 00:16:04.720 And we must recognise that God's word, it has authority. 00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:06.879 That's one of the things that becomes clear for Joshua and Israel. 00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:10.500 They understand they stand under the authority of God's word. 00:16:11.179 --> 00:16:18.199 That we must submit to the idea, the reality that God is Lord, that Jesus is Lord. 00:16:18.299 --> 00:16:24.019 And remember, Jesus said, if you love me, you will obey what I command. 00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:36.980 So again, to grow in our love for the Lord Jesus, we must be listening and doing God's word. 00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:43.460 And not just in some areas of life, not just in some compartments, but for all of life. 00:16:43.460 --> 00:16:51.240 In our family relationships, where either we're spending a lot of time with our family, 00:16:51.280 --> 00:16:56.700 and that brings its own challenges for obedience, or where we're missing and we're far from our family, 00:16:56.800 --> 00:17:02.960 and we're still called to work out how to honour, for example, our parents in that setting. 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:07.480 God's word has authority over our work life. 00:17:08.500 --> 00:17:10.880 You know, our routines and our structures are all changing, 00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:19.299 but that foundation of looking to apply God's word to our work patterns, our integrity, doesn't change. 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:24.279 God's word has authority over how we use our leisure time, 00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:29.160 how we spend our time on the internet, how we spend our money. 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:36.800 So we need to recognise that God's word gives direction and it has authority. 00:17:38.779 --> 00:17:45.740 So from there, having set the scene, the bulk of the chapter, from verse 10 to verse 29, 00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:47.740 focuses on the battle of Ai. 00:17:47.820 --> 00:17:51.820 So I want us to think about God's word and spiritual battle. 00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:54.340 Let me just give a brief summary of the battle scene. 00:17:54.440 --> 00:17:56.259 You can follow along in your Bibles. 00:17:56.259 --> 00:18:00.599 So verse 10 to verse 13, what have we got there? 00:18:01.460 --> 00:18:06.519 We've got Joshua setting up the army, following God's orders. 00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:12.700 So there's the main army and then there's the smaller group ready for the ambush. 00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:19.740 Verse 14 to 17, we see that this trap has been sprung. 00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:27.460 Because the king of Ai and the people of Ai see the people of God and they decide, 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:30.880 hang on a minute, we won an easy victory last time. 00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:34.440 Let's go chase, pursue and destroy. 00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:41.779 And notice the entire city, all the men of the city come out because they want to destroy God's people. 00:18:41.779 --> 00:18:51.639 We need to recognise that, that part of Israel's battles is a judgement against the people who are in sinful rebellion against God. 00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:53.279 And we saw that last week. 00:18:55.039 --> 00:18:56.039 Notice verse 18. 00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:58.539 Again, here's the Lord's words. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:01.220 And it leads to the plan being put in action. 00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:04.400 So Joshua has to hold out the javelin. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:06.900 As soon as he did that, the men in the ambush get up. 00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:08.779 And we see it's an effective ambush. 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:11.799 Verse 19 and verse 20. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:16.140 The city is destroyed by fire. 00:19:16.600 --> 00:19:19.460 And verse 20, the people of Ai lose hope. 00:19:20.039 --> 00:19:22.400 21 to 27 focuses on destruction. 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:24.839 The spoils of war that are taken in. 00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:40.539 And at the end, there's that really grim memorial of the events of the judgement that's taken place where the king of Ai is killed and then stuck on a spike on a stick for the day. 00:19:40.619 --> 00:19:42.839 And there's memorial stones placed. 00:19:42.919 --> 00:19:46.299 And we'll think about that in a little while. 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:50.000 That's the battle. 00:19:50.000 --> 00:20:01.279 I think it's significant too to recognise that the battle scene here, some of the details very much mirror the victory at the Red Sea over Egypt. 00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:09.680 So if you were to read Exodus 14, what you would find is again the Lord delivering his people. 00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:14.859 And we would find the Lord giving orders and instructions. 00:20:14.859 --> 00:20:20.199 And we'd hear God saying to Moses, not raise your javelin, but raise your staff. 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:25.139 Just as Joshua was called to stretch out his hand as a sign of power. 00:20:25.619 --> 00:20:29.519 So Moses was called to stretch out his hand as a sign of God's power. 00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:38.519 And there is that reminder there as here that that day it was the Lord who saved and rescued Israel. 00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:49.819 So very much the same theme because the same God is working at his same covenant purpose to bring his people into his place to live under his rule and blessing. 00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:56.279 And that will mean both judgment on the enemies of God and salvation for the people of God. 00:20:57.420 --> 00:21:02.240 What can we say about these distant, historical, violent battles? 00:21:02.420 --> 00:21:05.759 These battles for us reflect spiritual battle. 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:14.640 God brings salvation by his grace for his people while judgment for sin falls on the enemies of God. 00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:29.720 And it's so important that we recognise that central to that spiritual battle stands listening to, obeying and trusting in the word of God. 00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:36.519 That's what the people of Israel do versus the people of AI who are resisting and rejecting the word of God. 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:44.000 So by way of application, let's remind ourselves, and the New Testament is clear on this, 00:21:44.100 --> 00:21:50.240 that as Christians and as a church, we are engaged in spiritual battle. 00:21:51.019 --> 00:21:52.059 Ephesians 6 verse 12, 00:21:52.059 --> 00:21:54.579 Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. 00:21:54.779 --> 00:21:57.379 Our struggle is against dark spiritual forces. 00:21:57.740 --> 00:22:06.839 Our battle is against the devil outside of us and our sin nature and the law of sin that still would drag us and make us captives of sin, 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:09.359 even while we are saved by grace. 00:22:10.039 --> 00:22:15.240 The desire of those enemies, the devil on the outside and sin, our sin nature on the inside, 00:22:15.240 --> 00:22:19.759 is to wreck God's plans, just as AI wanted to wreck God's plans. 00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:23.740 Their desire is to destroy God's people, 00:22:24.700 --> 00:22:27.799 to destroy our hope, to destroy our peace, 00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:30.539 to destroy our witness. 00:22:31.680 --> 00:22:40.160 That is the temptation constantly to drift and to rejection of our God and our faith. 00:22:40.160 --> 00:22:45.840 And in response to that fierce enemy attack, 00:22:46.340 --> 00:22:50.580 and in the heat of the battle, we need to, as the people of God did here, 00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:52.480 depend on God and his word. 00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:57.279 Again, to go back to the book that we're reading with our student guys, 00:22:57.380 --> 00:22:58.779 The Hole in Our Holiness, Kevin DeYoung, 00:22:58.840 --> 00:23:03.560 he talks about one of the gifts that the Bible has for us 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:11.200 is that it has, he calls them, specific medicines for dealing with the presence of sin in our lives. 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:18.759 So sometimes the Bible gives us negative warnings against being comfortable with sin. 00:23:19.399 --> 00:23:21.839 It will remind us about future judgment. 00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:24.659 It will warn us about falling away from God. 00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:28.039 It will warn us about falling under the displeasure of God, 00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:34.659 of bringing God's name into disrepute by failing to live as we should. 00:23:35.379 --> 00:23:36.399 And we need to hear that. 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:40.920 Other times the Bible gives us positive encouragement. 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:47.539 It will remind us of the gospel and all the blessings that we have. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:53.420 It will remind us of God's power with us and for us. 00:23:53.420 --> 00:23:59.900 It will speak to us of future glory so that we might stand fast, 00:23:59.980 --> 00:24:03.279 that we might persevere, that we might fight the good fight of faith. 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:09.720 Because it's clear in the Bible and it's clear for our own experience 00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:14.300 that we must constantly be fighting to kill sin in our own lives. 00:24:14.980 --> 00:24:17.840 We must fight with God's help, by God's grace, 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:22.120 with the help of God's spirit to become who we are. 00:24:23.420 --> 00:24:29.279 In Jesus we are holy, but then we are also called to be holy. 00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:37.940 And holiness comes by listening to, responding to, obeying the word of God. 00:24:39.240 --> 00:24:42.620 And to follow that a little bit further, 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:46.740 we also need to follow our spiritual leader, our commander. 00:24:46.740 --> 00:24:54.559 For the battle of Ai, the clear commander that God had appointed was Joshua. 00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:58.859 We don't follow Joshua, we follow a greater than Joshua. 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:00.359 We follow the Lord Jesus. 00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:02.259 Both their names mean God saves. 00:25:02.660 --> 00:25:08.319 We follow Jesus, God's son and God's chosen saviour. 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:10.920 Moses had been chosen as God's saviour. 00:25:10.920 --> 00:25:13.840 Now Joshua has chosen as God's saviour. 00:25:13.980 --> 00:25:19.500 But each point to the coming of God's son to be the saviour of the world. 00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:26.840 And so we need to recognise that our judgement or our salvation depends on, 00:25:27.420 --> 00:25:31.600 am I trusting Jesus or am I rejecting Jesus? 00:25:31.599 --> 00:25:40.319 And it's important too that appreciating the rule of Jesus in our lives isn't just something we pay lip service to. 00:25:40.419 --> 00:25:42.139 Yes, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is King. 00:25:42.819 --> 00:25:47.939 Do I truly submit to his lordship? 00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:52.339 Do I obey when it suits me and when it doesn't? 00:25:54.059 --> 00:25:58.839 Do I obey in my church life, for want of a better word? 00:25:58.839 --> 00:26:05.099 But do I also obey in my home when nobody else sees me? 00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:13.879 Is my life in my workplace characterised by faithfulness to Jesus as Lord? 00:26:14.980 --> 00:26:21.299 Does it cause me to make hard decisions that sometimes set me apart from others because I want to see Jesus, 00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:24.539 the one who died for me, is Lord? 00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:30.200 And then to return to verses 29 and 30, 00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:40.539 we need in the spiritual battle the grim memorial of the ugliness of the battle. 00:26:41.859 --> 00:26:45.279 Thinking about this memorial to a war that's passed, 00:26:45.960 --> 00:26:49.599 made me think of Auschwitz. 00:26:49.599 --> 00:26:55.039 So in 1947, so very quickly after the Second World War ended, 00:26:55.139 --> 00:26:58.259 the Polish government chose to make Auschwitz a memorial. 00:26:58.459 --> 00:27:02.179 Auschwitz, the German, the Nazi extermination camp, 00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:07.879 where hundreds of thousands of Jews and Polish citizens of various kinds 00:27:07.879 --> 00:27:11.119 were so horrifically executed. 00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:17.199 And the question then is, why choose to make this grim place a memorial? 00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:21.319 Why not just knock it down and sort of build over it? 00:27:22.459 --> 00:27:29.379 And the reason is that they wanted to make sure that the memory of the horrors of World War II 00:27:29.379 --> 00:27:32.359 would never be forgotten. 00:27:32.359 --> 00:27:43.519 The Polish government and those now running this Auschwitz memorial want to avoid that kind of horror ever happening again. 00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:47.339 And they are aware that with the passing of time, 00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:52.099 there can be complacency and passivity. 00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:58.419 And so they want this vivid memorial to the horror of war. 00:27:58.420 --> 00:28:03.519 Verse 28 and 29 is that grim memorial. 00:28:03.680 --> 00:28:04.900 There's a city in ruins. 00:28:05.019 --> 00:28:09.100 There's a king on a stick who's then buried under memorial stones. 00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:09.820 But why? 00:28:10.620 --> 00:28:12.240 It's still the question we need to ask. 00:28:12.360 --> 00:28:14.279 Why this memorial? 00:28:14.460 --> 00:28:18.660 Well, it's a reminder to Israel, to the nations, 00:28:18.660 --> 00:28:25.580 and to you and me today of the horror of finding ourselves under God's curse, 00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:35.240 of being under God's judgment for sinful opposition to God, 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:41.480 for rejection of God's will and God's word and God's purpose. 00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:49.220 In Joshua's day, this stood as a solemn reminder that the people would never forget 00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:54.700 the realities, on the one hand, of sin and judgment upon disobedience, 00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:59.380 but positively grace and salvation that the people enjoy. 00:28:59.380 --> 00:29:07.800 We need to remember the horror of sin and judgment. 00:29:10.060 --> 00:29:17.400 Perhaps, like the testimony of many, you find spiritually you have been drifting during the pandemic, 00:29:17.540 --> 00:29:20.020 perhaps drifting away from God. 00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:24.759 Maybe as we find ourselves in all kinds of different circumstances, 00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:31.460 as we adjust constantly to what life in a new normal looks like with restrictions ongoing, 00:29:31.619 --> 00:29:36.359 perhaps there are sins that we have been tolerating. 00:29:38.440 --> 00:29:44.759 And we need this reminder of sin and judgment. 00:29:44.759 --> 00:29:49.779 The New Testament has its own grim memorial, 00:29:50.099 --> 00:29:52.460 which stands at the centre of our faith. 00:29:52.539 --> 00:29:54.839 It's the cross of the Lord Jesus. 00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:57.900 What do we have there as we reflect on the cross? 00:29:58.000 --> 00:30:02.079 We reflect on Jesus becoming a curse for us, 00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:07.400 bearing the sin of the world for us, 00:30:07.619 --> 00:30:12.319 enduring the judgment, the wrath of God for us. 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:17.399 We recognise that we deserve it, but Jesus takes it. 00:30:18.059 --> 00:30:23.119 That Jesus shows incredible love and grace to us there at the cross, 00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:26.299 but the cross also reminds us of the seriousness of sin, 00:30:26.740 --> 00:30:29.859 that we'd be killing it, that we'd be running from it, 00:30:29.919 --> 00:30:35.859 we'd be turning away from it and turning to Jesus as Lord and Saviour. 00:30:35.859 --> 00:30:45.099 And that brings us to the final section and a return to the theme of the covenant. 00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:49.359 Let's think thoroughly about God's word and covenant relationship, 00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:55.139 verse 30 to 36, back to that frame through which to view Israel's life with God. 00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:57.859 And that frame is the covenant relationship, 00:30:58.659 --> 00:31:01.519 because what's happening here in 30 to 36 is covenant renewal. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:07.980 So they are following God's word of instruction that came to Moses in Deuteronomy 27 and 28, 00:31:08.319 --> 00:31:11.579 when they crossed over the Jordan. 00:31:12.599 --> 00:31:17.879 They were given instructions on where to build the altar, on Mount Ebel. 00:31:18.519 --> 00:31:20.819 What they were to do there, they were to build that altar 00:31:20.819 --> 00:31:27.299 and they were to hear the blessings and the curses of the law. 00:31:27.440 --> 00:31:30.920 Blessing for obedience, curse for disobedience. 00:31:30.920 --> 00:31:33.460 And we see that that's what they do. 00:31:33.580 --> 00:31:36.759 They obediently build an altar. 00:31:38.460 --> 00:31:42.620 And the nation is divided. 00:31:43.360 --> 00:31:48.279 So they're standing by two mountains to hear God's word. 00:31:48.360 --> 00:31:49.440 Now, who's involved? 00:31:50.279 --> 00:31:53.060 It's interesting because it's the whole people of God that are involved. 00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:55.580 The focus is very much on the army up until this point. 00:31:55.620 --> 00:31:58.019 But then we return to the whole people of God. 00:31:58.019 --> 00:32:02.680 And do you notice in verse 35, who gets special mention? 00:32:04.119 --> 00:32:12.740 Attention is drawn to women, children, foreigners within the whole assembly. 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:19.759 Here is a reminder of a grace from God that includes those who, 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:24.099 by virtue of birth, would be excluded foreigners. 00:32:24.099 --> 00:32:26.099 But they are brought into the people of God. 00:32:26.599 --> 00:32:32.619 And there's a mercy that includes those most weak and most vulnerable in society. 00:32:32.759 --> 00:32:38.279 It's a reminder of God's generous mercy to any who will trust in him. 00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:40.680 No one is excluded here. 00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:42.319 And when does it happen? 00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:44.139 Again, the timing is so interesting. 00:32:44.279 --> 00:32:46.420 So here's another fresh victory over Ai. 00:32:46.740 --> 00:32:47.859 Resounding success. 00:32:48.299 --> 00:32:53.200 You might expect, well, here's the next charge, next stage of conquest into the promised land. 00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:56.259 But again, they're called to pause. 00:32:56.619 --> 00:32:56.920 Why? 00:32:57.359 --> 00:33:00.240 To make sure that their relationship with God is right. 00:33:00.240 --> 00:33:03.220 In other words, knowing God is more important than war. 00:33:03.660 --> 00:33:07.779 Hearing God's word is crucial to life as God's people in the promised land. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:11.079 Think about what's going on here. 00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:11.980 Picture the scene. 00:33:12.099 --> 00:33:14.500 We've got the ark of God standing at the centre. 00:33:14.620 --> 00:33:18.079 We've got half the people standing at Mount Gerasim. 00:33:18.140 --> 00:33:20.440 We've got half at Mount Ebal. 00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:22.519 And the law is read. 00:33:22.600 --> 00:33:23.840 Those blessings and curses. 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:28.240 And so the people that day are being invited to think, which path will you choose? 00:33:29.460 --> 00:33:31.799 What future do we want for ourselves? 00:33:33.259 --> 00:33:36.539 And that's the message of chapters 6 to 8. 00:33:37.880 --> 00:33:45.799 That your life with God, peace with God, your sense of hope for now and for the future 00:33:45.799 --> 00:33:48.759 rests on a covenant relationship with God. 00:33:48.759 --> 00:33:52.259 And that depends on the word of God. 00:33:52.960 --> 00:33:59.279 And so just as they were invited to choose, so we are invited to choose and to respond then 00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:01.460 to God's word. 00:34:02.500 --> 00:34:03.779 What makes a Christian tick? 00:34:03.879 --> 00:34:05.460 What makes a Christian church tick? 00:34:05.559 --> 00:34:07.519 Pull behind the curtains? 00:34:07.640 --> 00:34:09.219 What should be core to our DNA? 00:34:09.900 --> 00:34:10.719 Love for God. 00:34:11.340 --> 00:34:12.239 Love for his word. 00:34:12.559 --> 00:34:14.199 Should have first place in our hearts. 00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:17.880 Knowing and enjoying God should be our heartbeat. 00:34:18.760 --> 00:34:22.600 This was a covenant renewal ceremony. 00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:30.460 I wonder if we appreciate the extent to which Sunday worship is our covenant renewal ceremony. 00:34:31.140 --> 00:34:32.820 Where we praise God. 00:34:33.200 --> 00:34:34.320 Where we confess sin. 00:34:34.580 --> 00:34:35.860 Where we hear his word. 00:34:35.960 --> 00:34:37.460 Where we hear the gospel word. 00:34:37.560 --> 00:34:41.000 And we are invited to respond with faith and obedience. 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:47.380 Let's hear this covenant renewal also as a call to personal renewal. 00:34:48.699 --> 00:34:51.420 That our lives will be built on that identity. 00:34:51.719 --> 00:34:53.940 I am a child of God. 00:34:54.559 --> 00:34:57.099 That it would be built on God's word. 00:34:57.500 --> 00:35:00.340 We would determine it would be our guide for holiness and obedience. 00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:04.199 And that we would be built with Christ the Saviour as our foundation. 00:35:04.199 --> 00:35:08.239 Let that truth be your reminder. 00:35:08.980 --> 00:35:13.619 So whether you'll come Monday and you're on your fifth Zoom call of the day. 00:35:13.759 --> 00:35:17.500 Remind yourself that you're a child of God. 00:35:17.960 --> 00:35:20.639 If you're battling through homeschool. 00:35:21.179 --> 00:35:25.859 Hold on to that promise of the Lord who is with you in grace and weakness. 00:35:25.860 --> 00:35:28.880 If you're frustrated or feeling sad. 00:35:29.480 --> 00:35:31.400 Due to the people that we miss. 00:35:31.500 --> 00:35:33.700 The relationships that are becoming more distant. 00:35:34.059 --> 00:35:40.079 Lean into this loving relationship with the Lord your God. 00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:44.620 Lean into God's word. 00:35:46.200 --> 00:35:51.860 The church, the Christian lives by the word of God.