Introduction. After the battle of Ai, 36 men had died and the hearts of God’s people melted like water. Joshua and Israel’s elders lay on the ground with clothes torn and dust on their heads (Josh. 7:1-6). But they were mistaken. They blamed God when they should have looked to themselves.
Although God has proclaimed over and over again that there is “nothing too hard for Him,” hoping His people would conclude that “with God nothing will be impossible,” His people have doubted again and again (Gen. 18:14; Lk. 1:37). Sarah laughed, Joshua doubted, Job lamented, and Jeremiah was uncertain. Jesus expressed the real problem in his rebuke of Peter: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:31-32).
There will be many days when our faith soars and confidence abounds. So it was with Joshua after the victory at Jericho. The strong walls had fallen and Israel had easily taken the city. With God’s help, they felt invincible, but at Ai the “impossible” happened and God had “failed” them! At least that’s how Joshua saw it. “And Joshua said, ‘Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all — to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us?’” (Josh. 7:5) How do we see similar situations today?
Although God has proclaimed over and over again that there is “nothing too hard for Him,” hoping His people would conclude that “with God nothing will be impossible,” His people have doubted again and again (Gen. 18:14; Lk. 1:37). Sarah laughed, Joshua doubted, Job lamented, and Jeremiah was uncertain. Jesus expressed the real problem in his rebuke of Peter: “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Mt. 14:31-32).
There will be many days when our faith soars and confidence abounds. So it was with Joshua after the victory at Jericho. The strong walls had fallen and Israel had easily taken the city. With God’s help, they felt invincible, but at Ai the “impossible” happened and God had “failed” them! At least that’s how Joshua saw it. “And Joshua said, ‘Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all — to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us?’” (Josh. 7:5) How do we see similar situations today?
God never fails us, we fail Him! Joshua fell into an error multitudes have entered. When it appears God is failing or forsaking us, we need the faith and humility to look within. Since God could never fail or forsake us, the problem must be within us. This is exactly what Isaiah told Israel: “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear” (Isa. 59:1-2). Yet it may not be a sin, just ignorance or a misunderstanding.
If we find ourselves feeling more like “a grasshopper” than “more than conquerors,” we need to look within. If we feel anger, frustration, or disappointment with God, the problem is not and never can be with God. Nothing is too hard for God, and it is impossible for God to lie; therefore if something doesn’t seem fair, don’t look at God - look at yourself. “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb. 13:5-6).
Though Joshua felt God had failed them, the truth was Israel had sinned and bore the punishment. “So the Lord said to Joshua: ‘Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned... Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.’” (Josh. 7:10-13).
Joshua must have strongly felt the folly and error of his unjust charge. He fell into the trap that God revealed Job had entered: “Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?” (Job 40:8).
In a world cursed by sin and with so many inequities, we must learn the lesson Joshua learned the hard way. It is not difficult if we heed the proverb, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding” (Pr. 3:5), and “let God be true and every man a liar.” (Rom. 3:4).
Perfect peace comes from Trust. If anything doesn’t seem fair, if we are tempted to see God in some unfair light, STOP! It isn’t God. It is those “sowing what they have reaped,” or the righteous being caught up in the punishment of the wicked. It is God’s “longsuffering not wishing that any should perish.” It is any one of a multitude of things, but it isn’t God. God only gives good and perfect things. Only when man and sin enter is God forced to punish or withhold blessings. When we trust this with all our heart, we have peace.
If we find ourselves feeling more like “a grasshopper” than “more than conquerors,” we need to look within. If we feel anger, frustration, or disappointment with God, the problem is not and never can be with God. Nothing is too hard for God, and it is impossible for God to lie; therefore if something doesn’t seem fair, don’t look at God - look at yourself. “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb. 13:5-6).
Though Joshua felt God had failed them, the truth was Israel had sinned and bore the punishment. “So the Lord said to Joshua: ‘Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned... Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you.’” (Josh. 7:10-13).
Joshua must have strongly felt the folly and error of his unjust charge. He fell into the trap that God revealed Job had entered: “Would you condemn Me that you may be justified?” (Job 40:8).
In a world cursed by sin and with so many inequities, we must learn the lesson Joshua learned the hard way. It is not difficult if we heed the proverb, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding” (Pr. 3:5), and “let God be true and every man a liar.” (Rom. 3:4).
Perfect peace comes from Trust. If anything doesn’t seem fair, if we are tempted to see God in some unfair light, STOP! It isn’t God. It is those “sowing what they have reaped,” or the righteous being caught up in the punishment of the wicked. It is God’s “longsuffering not wishing that any should perish.” It is any one of a multitude of things, but it isn’t God. God only gives good and perfect things. Only when man and sin enter is God forced to punish or withhold blessings. When we trust this with all our heart, we have peace.
- Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (Jas. 1:17)
- You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you (Isa. 26:3).