Defeat at Ai

This week we look at Israel's defeat at Ai, the reasons why and how it is a warning for us.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:09

Hello, and welcome to a past through the podcast. My name is Daniel Rona, and just remember this simple truth. The Father loves you, Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit loves you. Once again, I hope that you've had a great week. I hope that you've had time to spend with the Lord in prayer. And also in his word. Again, I know I say it every single week, but the day is quickly approaching. Again, you know, we know that the United States has troops, uh, particularly aircraft carriers looking to potentially do an attack on Iran, um, that that is imminent. Um, this may be, we might be looking at the fulfillment of Jeremiah 49 in particular, um, where it talks about the judgment of Elam. Um, if uh President Trump decides to hit the the nuclear power facilities, particularly the one on the coast there, the Bouchahir uh nuclear facility. So, you know, we could very easily be looking at that. Um, you know, how does that relate into the timeline? I have no idea. I just know it's another prophecy that would be fulfilled ultimately if that occurs. I'm not saying that's exactly what's going to happen, but I use that to demonstrate exactly how close we are. I truly, truly believe, as I've said before, that we are what I call the terminal generation, uh, the generation that's going to see ultimately the return of Christ, um, the generation that will see him, him come back and rapture us out of here. So make sure that you are putting in the work, make sure that you are fostering that relationship of intimacy, make sure that sin is out of your camp, as we're going to talk about today, and just make sure that you are focused on him and on the things of him. Because look, uh at the end of the day, our goal is to know him and make him known. And that's the other piece here. We've got to tell people about Jesus. If we truly believe that he's coming back soon, then you have to have the love for the people in your life to tell them that Jesus is coming back. So, um, you know, and people are gonna look at you like you're crazy, and people aren't going to respect that, and that's okay. That is ultimately their choice, but you have a responsibility to tell them, right? It's uh kind of like that meme that you see all the time where it basically says, you know, you're not obligated to believe, but I am obligated to tell you that Jesus is coming back, and that's exactly how I feel. And and unfortunately, I don't think anyone, including the church, um, really has uh an idea of what's about to come on this earth, and and that's why I've started that midweek series, and I'm gonna continue on with it for as long as I can, um, to really talk about the things that are happening right now and what I personally believe are the things that are that are coming. You know, if I have a responsibility, I believe, as a watchman, um, to tell people of the things and how they're lining up and how it reports the scripture. I'm not gonna tell you honestly that God has told me one thing or another, because if if he did, I would tell you. But you know, this is me kind of kind of putting comparing spiritual things with spiritual things, and and that's what a lot of it is. And unfortunately, that's what they're I shouldn't say unfortunately, but that's this way a lot of uh Bible teaching goes. No one really knows exactly how God is going to perform what he's gonna perform over the next several years, but you can certainly see pieces lining up. Um, and that's that's the whole purpose of that midweek series is to make sure that we understand the things that are happening and the things that are coming. So it's gonna be a little bit of what I did with the the current event stuff, but more importantly, it's going to be a deeper dive into some of the topics relative to scripture. So there'll be a little uh some longer episodes in there, might be some shorter episodes in there. It just depends on how long it takes for me to get to pieces. So um I can tell you that this week's midweek, uh, we're gonna do a two-part series on artificial intelligence. Um, but I can tell you the first part of that is really kind of setting the baseline about um about complete reliance on the government rather than God. So that's gonna be the first episode. Then we'll get into how artificial intelligence, I believe, is gonna play out, um, how a new religion is going to be made, and how I truly believe that it is the image of the beast. So um, but that'll be not this week's midweek, but that'll be uh next week's midweek because we have to uh set out some foundations there first. So, with that being said, just some housekeeping items, all of our scripture comes from New King James Bible. If you'd like a copy of a New King James Bible, feel free to drop to me a note at pastredemptionohioio at gmail.com. Again, my book's out Grace Abounds. If you'd like a copy of that, again, I give that one out for free because it's about development in Christ. Um, then uh just drop me a note at pastredemptionohio at gmail.com. More than happy to get one into your hands. Also, my next book, the first part of the trilogy, Iniquity of the Cross and Redemption, is out. It's available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. It's a study, a deep, deep study in uh iniquity and how iniquity will always lead um to depravity and always lead to rebellion. Um, it is important that we understand that because it the backdrop is our our current time. So, um, but then finally, again, don't just take my word for anything. Make sure you are studying to show yourself approved unto God, putting in the work. That is your responsibility. Amen. So last week we took a look at Jericho and the destruction of that city. Up until this point, we have seen this generation of Israel stay with the Lord. They have obeyed him, the the covenant has been re-established, as we talked about, but because of iniquity, we will see really the first misstep here by Achan. And, you know, it despite all of this, there's there's a lot in here, but I want to kind of preface all of this by making sure that we understand that there's a real life application here. Um, and that when God begins something like establishing the promised land or establishing the church, he cannot let that be done with sin. He cannot let that be established when there's sin in those camps. And we're going to take a look at a little bit at that um a little bit later in this lesson. But I want that to be the backdrop of your understanding as we kind of go in here. So um, so let's go ahead and dive right in. Joshua chapter seven, starting at verse one says, But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdai, the son of Zarah of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things. So the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel. And look, we need to remember the commandment from Joshua to the Israelites in Joshua 6 18, when they were going into Jericho, he said, And you, by all means, abstain from the accursed things, lest you become accursed when you take of the accursed things, and make the camp of Israel accurse and trouble it. So Joshua was very clear with Israel, yet out of all of the people there was one, one that did not listen. And we've heard this preach over and over again regarding sin being in the camp, and you got to get the sin out of the camp, and we'll talk about that, that a little bit later, if you want God to move. And that is still true, but for this I want to look at the inverse. We talk about the defeated Ai, but we don't really talk about the cost of that defeat. So I that's what I want to kind of look at. So Joshua 7, 2 through 5 says, Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Beth Aven, on the east side of Bethel, and spoke to them, saying, Go up and spy out the country. So the men went up and spied out Ai. And they returned to Joshua and said to him, Do not let all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not weary all the people there, for the people of Ai are few. So about three thousand men went from there, went up from there from the people, but they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai struck down about thirty six men, for they chased them from before the gate as far as Shebarim, and struck them down on the descent. Therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water. So they did the same thing that they did with Jericho here. Um they sent spies to Ai, and the spies said, Ai is small, and we will be it'll be taken if we only have two or three thousand go up. So Joshua sent three thousand and about thirty-six died. So what made this different than Jericho? Yes, you had sent in the camp with Achan, and we're we're going to talk about that a little bit later as we go through this chapter in Joshua. But what is missing is that Joshua did not inquire of the Lord. Prior to Jericho, the Lord told Joshua how they would take the city. He said, Behold, I have put their king and I've given you the city and their strong men, their mighty men of valor into your hands. But Joshua did not inquire of the Lord here. Prior to Jericho, the Lord told Joshua they would take the city. But we don't see any interaction between Joshua and the Lord prior to the attack on Ai. Now, I personally believe that had Joshua inquired of the Lord, then the Lord would have told him that there was sin in the camp. See, God's not going to hide something like that from them. He doesn't want anyone to perish, he doesn't want anyone from the children of Israel to perish, but that it needed to be dealt with. Now, 36 men died because of Achan's sin in Joshua's failure to inquire of God. This is a key lesson for us. For those of us not in leadership, we have a responsibility to follow God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength. Yet if we sin, we must understand that there are people always watching, always looking and seeing who is following God and who is not. It may cause others to fall, it may cause others to go a different way than what God wants them to go. So we have got to make sure that we are diligent about ourselves. And look, it may not be people in the church, it may be your own family. And that's the things that we have to understand is that it's not. I think about my boys. My boys watch every single move that I make. If I'm rude, if I'm not thankful, if I don't, if I don't pray over my food, you know, all of those things. And they ask, Dad, why didn't you do this? Dad, why didn't you do that? Or, you know, they don't even notice it because it becomes second nature to them. You know, but if I start eating, I my oldest will ask me, Dad, you didn't pray over your food. And I'll be like, you know what? You're right, buddy. I did not. That was my mistake. I'm sorry. I'm going to pray right now. And then I'll go back and pray. So understand that you have family members, you have children, you have grandchildren that are constantly watching every move that you have. I think about my mom, you know, and when she would get happy and dance in the spirit, you know, her grandkids were watching her, and the memories were formed for them. Or when I get happy at church and dance in the spirit or run around, I'll have my youngest say, Daddy, you run today? Daddy, you gonna run? And, you know, all of that that happens because they're watching. And I want my boys to know what it is to follow the Lord with everything that I am and with everything that they are. And I got to teach them that. But we have to understand that if even though we're not in leadership, everyone's watching. You have family, then this is a this is key because you can lead them astray with your failure and with your fall. So for us though, for those of us in leadership, though, we must always inquire of the Lord before we make a move and do anything. It is imperative that we are led by his spirit. If we don't, and we go according to our own flesh or what we think is true, then we will cause issues for the people that we lead. Because look at this, that was 36 families that were believing that God was going to give them the land, that he was going to go before them, and that he was going to take care of everything. Now there were 36 families that would mourn over the death of their husbands, brothers, or sons. This is why the last verse is shown here. Therefore the hearts of the people melted and became like water. In leadership, you are responsible. The buck stops with you, and you have to understand that. So if you're a pastor out there or even an evangelist or whatever it is, if you are a Sunday school teacher, whatever it is that you do, understand that you have got to inquire of the Lord before you make any moves. You have to. And it's a responsibility of all of us that are that have been given those positions. Remember, to whom much is given, much is required. Now, Joshua, how does he respond here? And we see it in Joshua 7, 6 through 9, where it says, Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until evening. He and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads, and Joshua said, Alas, Lord God, why have you brought this people over to Jordan at all to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us? Oh, that we have been content and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan. O Lord, what shall I say when an Israel turns its back before its enemies? For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it and surround us and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will you do for your great name? Look, Joshua is one of my favorite people in the Bible. He truly is. I loved his courage, I love his faith, but here Joshua is being full of iniquity. He tore his clothes and put it and put his face before the ark and prayed, and they put dust on their heads, but listen to what he says. It sounds a lot like the children of Israel from the desert. Oh, that we have been content and stayed on the other side, or oh, that we had gone back to Egypt, you know, or what are we going to do? God's brought us over here to be destroyed. And the last part is the part that gets me where he says, you know, then what will you do for your great name? And it just amazes me. That that is a significant amount of iniquity to think that what happens with Israel is going to deter or is going to cause damage to the great name of God. Because God is, he does not need us to make his name great. He is God Almighty. He is already great. He is the one that created the universe. He is already amazing, wonderful, and awesome. He doesn't need anything from us. And if we are all destroyed tomorrow, he is still great. He is still good. He is still the God of all things. And we have to come to that belief and to that position. But but Joshua couldn't hear because it was more about what happened to Israel, what happened to the people, and those things. Now, here's the one thing I will give Joshua credit for is that they mourned. They they put their head, the dust on their heads, they tore their clothes, they put themselves before the ark of the Lord, and they had no idea that sin was in the camp. It was only after they lost didn't they run back to the Lord to realize that you know they could have been saved if they had just inquired. But however, all of that was in the past. They were doing the absolute right thing by going back to the Lord and asking him and seeking him. It really doesn't matter what happened, and that's what we have to do as well. When we see our defeat, when we see things happening in our lives, we've got to run back to God and make sure and understand what the purpose is. God is not trying to hide his purpose from us. God will tell us his purpose straight away. He's not trying to hide his will or anything else. He wants to make sure that we follow it. So why would he? He's not he's not trying to make things are you know impossible for us. He wants to make it completely plain. So they did the right thing by running back to him, but yet they did it in the fullness of iniquity, rather than humbling themselves, because they had no idea. They didn't know the reason that this happened. So, and I think that's why we see his reaction being so blunt to Joshua and his response in Joshua 7, 10 through 15, where it says, So the Lord said to Joshua, Get up, why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant, which I commanded them, for they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived, and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turn their backs before their enemies, because they have been doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you any more, unless you destroy the accursed thing from among you. Get up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel, there is an accursed thing in your midst. O Israel, you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you. In the morning, therefore, you shall be brought according to your tribes, and it shall be that the tribe which the Lord takes shall come according to the families, and the family which the Lord takes shall come by households, and the household which the Lord takes shall come by man by man. Then it shall be that he who is taken with the accursed things shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has. But he is because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has done a disgraceful thing in Israel. God tells Joshua to get up and just stop. When you are that close with God, like Joshua was, there is no sugar coating. You can hear the frustration in God's words. He tells him plainly that Israel has sinned, but but gives Joshua how he will show him the sin. And look, we talked a little bit about the cost, but God makes it clear here. Israel will not be able to stand before their enemies because they have not been obedient. That is the key. God says, not only will their enemies stand, but his presence won't be there either. And that is worse. That is the worst thing than being done in by your enemies. And the same thing goes for us. Ephesians 4, 29 through 31 says, Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. See, we should not grieve the Holy Spirit, as Paul says. We are to be holy as God is holy. Yes, this is a state of being, but it also means that sin should not have dominion over us, as Paul talks about in the book of Romans. You see, the sin of Achan had to be dealt with immediately. Just like ours, our sin must be dealt with immediately. God gives Joshua the way to identify it. The way we identify our issues is to let the Holy Spirit go through us, to judge us, to put us up on the altar. We must then let him examine us and determine what needs to be taken out of us and let him determine the how as well. So let's look at how God decides to handle this situation. So Joshua 7, 16 through 26 says, So Joshua rose early in the morning and brought Israel by their tribes, and the tribe of Judah was taken. He brought the clan of Judah and he took the family of the Tsarites, and he brought the family of the Tsarites man by man, and Zabdi was taken. Then he brought his household man by man, and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zara, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. Now Joshua said to Achan, My son, I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel and make confession to him, and tell me now what you have done, do not hide it from me. And Achan answered Joshua and said, Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done. When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them, and there they are hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent with the silver under it. So Joshua sent messengers and they ran to the tent, and there it was hidden in his tent with the silver under it. And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord. Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan, the son of Zarai, the silver, the garment, the wedge of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the valley of Acor, and Joshua said, Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day. So all Israel stoned him with stones, and they burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. So then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger, therefore the name of this place has been called the Valley of Acor to this day. God shows that it is Achan. Now the sin must be dealt with. It can't just be in Aquin. It is in it is in his family and all that belongs to him. That's what God said. You know, we have to understand that any sin is rooted that is in us must be rooted out and completely destroyed. And look, you may think it's cruel that God killed his entire family. But think about how the family would be, they would be cursed. No one in Israel wanted anything to do with them because of the sin of their father. The same goes for us. When God went out and got my drinking and took it from me, I lost every friend and every closer relationship I had, including family, although that would eventually be restored. But there had to be a separation between me and my sin. There had to be a separation between Israel and its sin with Achan. And it unfortunately cost the entire family. But it was not enough just to deal with the people. Everything had to go. The other thing is that God was establishing Israel in the promised land. This was the beginning of what he would do. We have seen that God will not allow a new thing to begin with sin. He absolutely cannot. Sin cannot be the foundation of what God is trying to establish. So he dealt harshly with the sin that was in the camp. And we saw the same thing with the birth of the church. In Acts 4, 32 through 37, it kind of tells us what was going on with the early church. It says, Now the multitude of those who believe were of one heart and one soul. Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there any one among them who lacked, for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles' feet, and they distributed to each one as any one had need. And Joseph, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles, which is translated son of encouragement, a Levite of the country of Cyprus, having Land sold it and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet. Now, the church was in one heart and in one mind, and everything in people were selling their possessions and giving it to the church as they followed Christ. Now, personally, I've always thought that the way that the first century church began is the way that the last day church is going to end. So I think there's going to come a time where we're going to have to share amongst each other the things that we have because there isn't going to, there's either going to be lack or there might be some other issues with governmental pieces. But that's neither that's a midweek service that we'll we'll talk about at some other point. But here in Acts 5, though, 1 through 11, it tells a story of sin that came into the early church and actually came into their camp where they were dwelling, where it says, But a certain man named Ananias with Sapphira, his wife, sold a possession, and he kept back part of the proceeds, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostle's feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God. Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things. And the young man arose and wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. Now it was about three hours later when his wife came in, not knowing what had happened, and Peter said to her, Tell me whether you sold the land for so much. She said, Yes, for so much. Then Peter said to her, How is it that you have agreed together to test the spirit of the Lord? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out. Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband. So great fear came upon all the church, and upon all who heard these things. And I want you to notice something here about the exact words here, because Achan acknowledges, indeed, I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done. And Peter tells Ananias and Saintshira, you know, you have not lied to men, but to God. So you see here that God was establishing the promised land in uh in the in in the Israelites, but yet we have one person sin against God and it cost them their life and everything they were. When he was establishing the early church, we have another couple sin against God and it cost them their life. Now people say, you know, well, how can that be? How can that be? It's because God would not allow either of these situations to be established with sin in the camp. The principle applied in both Old and New Testaments. Yes, God is a loving God, but he is also one of judgment, and he is just, and you cannot sin against the living God, particularly when God is doing something new and establishing something new, and he wants it to be done in righteousness, and he wants it to be done according to his spirit and according to his leading. So in both of these situations, and whether it's in the promised land or the beginning of the church, which provided such salvation after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, both of them were killed because of their sins against God. Now, the only way for God to deal with sin, whether in the church or in us, is to root it out and get it out. For us individually, we must be crucified with Christ. If it's in the church, it must be dealt with according to scripture, where a brother or sister goes to the other and confronts them in love. So going through this scripture and understanding the things that have happened here and the things that have gone through, we must understand that sin can't be in the camp. It has to be rooted out in us by the Holy Spirit, but it must be dealt with biblically in the church. And when God is doing something new, he will not, absolutely will not, allow it to be established with sin. So let me challenge you here. I believe that God wants to pour out his spirit upon all flesh, as it's prophesied by Joel. And yes, we saw that in the first century church with Peter on the day of Pentecost. But I think he wants to do it again because in the last days, particularly because we're going to need that power of God. You know, we're going to have to have it. Just as God told told Zechariah, you know it's going to be by his power, by his power, by his thing, by what he does, right? And we've got to come to that knowledge and to come back to that understanding. So I challenge you today, you know, ask the Holy Spirit to go through you. Ask the Holy Spirit to clean out your camp of sin. Not only in yourself, but in your household, in your family, and your kids, in every last bit of it. Ask him to deal with it. And you know what will happen? You'll probably go through a trial in order for your you to be crucified with Christ. But at the end of the day, once you get through it, it will be better than it would be if you had not asked him to do that. That's my challenge to you. Because at the end of the day, it is much better for us to fall back into the hands of the living God than it is for us to continue on in our own iniquity, sin, and transgression. So that's the challenge I have for you. Amen. So look, I hope you got something out of this. Again, we have a midweek uh one coming here to here soon, um, coming this Wednesday. So uh, but make sure that you're you're studying to show yourself approved unto God. Make sure you're understanding and learning these lessons. Because if God was establishing that in the promised land, what do you think it's gonna look like as he ramps up waiting for his second coming? Amen. That that it's gonna be even more, and though the decisions we make will be life and death the same way that Achans was, and the same way that Ananias and Sapphira's was. So make sure that we are being led by that spirit, amen. So look, I hope you got something out of it. But until next time, just remember this simple truth the Father loves you, Jesus loves you, and the Holy Spirit loves you. God bless you.