Presumption
Joshua, after the wonderful victory at Jericho, had a much easier challenge with regard to the city of Ai which was smaller and less fortified. He followed the same human strategy as before. He sent in spies who brought back a very positive report. Their advice: "This is easy! You'll only need a small force and we can do it without breaking a sweat!"What Joshua did not know is that Achan had disobeyed the Lord and brought God's anger against the people. (We dealt with this yesterday...) Now, if Joshua had sought the Lord in prayer before rushing in to Ai, the Lord would have revealed the problem to him. Unfortunately Joshua did the "practical" preparations but not the "spiritual" ones. He presumed that the Lord would help him.
When the people of Ai send them packing, the people's hearts melt in fear. Joshua is petulant. He and the elders prostrate themselves in dust and ashes and complain to God. He sounds scarily like the Israelites complaining to Moses "Why did you ever bring us here?" He even resorts to the tactic of saying "Lord, what will our enemies think of you?"
God is straight with Joshua - "Get up! Stop being so petulant. Israel have sinned and violated my covenant. (And if you'd prayed about Ai, I would have prompted you about all this.)"
It's very easy for us to rush ahead of God. It's very easy for us to pre-assume (presume) His blessing instead of listening and asking for it. Very often we make very human plans which, just before we put them into action, we ask God to bless. It's very often in the wake of our greatest successes that we make the mistakes that lead to our biggest failures.
Joshua learned a tough lesson about taking time to talk and listen to God. This is a lesson we must learn too.
| Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, "Go up and spy out the region." So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, "Not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary all the people, for only a few men are there." 4 So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, 5 who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted and became like water. 6 Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the LORD, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. 7 And Joshua said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! 8 O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? 9 The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?" 10 The LORD said to Joshua, "Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. (Joshua7:2-10) |
