24 March Season of Adventure
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2024 11:55 am
Happy Holy Week Bible Adventurists,
Just as we see our seasons change from winter to spring, we read of Israel changing seasons from Moses’ Exodus to Joshua’s conquest of the Promised Land. If you have fallen behind, this is a great time to jump back in and rejoin us on our daily journey. I think there are some really interesting things in this part of the Bible.
First, I think it’s worth noting that while God told Joshua to ‘dispossess’ the land from the people, He also called out six tribes that were to be entirely wiped out (Deut 20:17). The cultures of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites were so corrupted and so against God that even the children had to be killed so as to ensure the ideas and practices of these peoples would not continue. I think it’s because these cultures taught or normalized evil (like child sacrifice as Molech worship) even to the kids at a very early age. Remember, Canaan was Noah’s grandson. He definitely knew of God, but he led his family into actions, beliefs, and traditions that God would not tolerate. There are lines we can cross. This reminds me of Jesus’ directive that if the people of a town would not listen to them, the Apostles should shake the dust of the town off their feet as they left.
Next, I would like you to pay attention to the casualty rates in the battles of conquest. Keep score if you will. There are no reported casualties in Jericho, where they “destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.” As we read today 36 (of 3000) Israelites died in the first attack on Ai (the ancient city, not the new technology). I would think a 1.2% casualty rate is low in a battle of hand-to-hand combat with swords, spears, and javelins, especially with an army that’s spent the last 40 years scraping manna off the desert floor vs. training in boot camp. This loss of 36 soldiers was so overwhelming that the whole nation stood down to figure out what was wrong (Achin’s sin). We will see them move on from here with overwhelming victories, many with no Israelite casualties at all. To me this can only be supernatural. God was clearly directly involved. The Israelites were again on God’s team.
I would like to close with some Old Testament current events. In Numbers 19, The Lord details how to make water for ceremonial purification or cleansing. It was first made to consecrate the new tabernacle, the priestly garments, and Aaron and his sons. It involves the sacrifice of a rare ‘red heifer’ and has only ever been done nine times. There is a Texas rancher that bred 5 such red heifers and sent them to a rabbi in Israel earlier this year. It is reported that the rabbi intends to make the water of purification to cleanse the Temple Mount before Passover so it will be suitable for Jewish worship. Muslims believe this will desecrate their Dome of the Rock (built on the Temple Mount) and Hamas included the heifers as one justification for the October 7th attack. I’m not trying to be political, but I’m fascinated to see these Old Testament directives actively shaping our world today.
It is truly an adventure. Thanks for joining me,
Tom
Just as we see our seasons change from winter to spring, we read of Israel changing seasons from Moses’ Exodus to Joshua’s conquest of the Promised Land. If you have fallen behind, this is a great time to jump back in and rejoin us on our daily journey. I think there are some really interesting things in this part of the Bible.
First, I think it’s worth noting that while God told Joshua to ‘dispossess’ the land from the people, He also called out six tribes that were to be entirely wiped out (Deut 20:17). The cultures of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites were so corrupted and so against God that even the children had to be killed so as to ensure the ideas and practices of these peoples would not continue. I think it’s because these cultures taught or normalized evil (like child sacrifice as Molech worship) even to the kids at a very early age. Remember, Canaan was Noah’s grandson. He definitely knew of God, but he led his family into actions, beliefs, and traditions that God would not tolerate. There are lines we can cross. This reminds me of Jesus’ directive that if the people of a town would not listen to them, the Apostles should shake the dust of the town off their feet as they left.
Next, I would like you to pay attention to the casualty rates in the battles of conquest. Keep score if you will. There are no reported casualties in Jericho, where they “destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.” As we read today 36 (of 3000) Israelites died in the first attack on Ai (the ancient city, not the new technology). I would think a 1.2% casualty rate is low in a battle of hand-to-hand combat with swords, spears, and javelins, especially with an army that’s spent the last 40 years scraping manna off the desert floor vs. training in boot camp. This loss of 36 soldiers was so overwhelming that the whole nation stood down to figure out what was wrong (Achin’s sin). We will see them move on from here with overwhelming victories, many with no Israelite casualties at all. To me this can only be supernatural. God was clearly directly involved. The Israelites were again on God’s team.
I would like to close with some Old Testament current events. In Numbers 19, The Lord details how to make water for ceremonial purification or cleansing. It was first made to consecrate the new tabernacle, the priestly garments, and Aaron and his sons. It involves the sacrifice of a rare ‘red heifer’ and has only ever been done nine times. There is a Texas rancher that bred 5 such red heifers and sent them to a rabbi in Israel earlier this year. It is reported that the rabbi intends to make the water of purification to cleanse the Temple Mount before Passover so it will be suitable for Jewish worship. Muslims believe this will desecrate their Dome of the Rock (built on the Temple Mount) and Hamas included the heifers as one justification for the October 7th attack. I’m not trying to be political, but I’m fascinated to see these Old Testament directives actively shaping our world today.
It is truly an adventure. Thanks for joining me,
Tom