Destroying All that was in the City - Joshua 6:21

In the book of Joshua, we learned how “the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city”, and in chapter six and verse twenty-one of the book of Joshua, we learn how, ”they utterly destroyed all that was in the city” where we read,

And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, 

young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.

The verse reads, “and they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, …” Joshua or the writer said, “and they utterly destroyed” which means “and they, the people of Israel, completely mutilated and exterminated” “all that was in the city”  or “each, every, the whole and everything that existed within the dwelling place or town of Jericho”, “both man and woman” which means “including the male and female human beings”. Joshua or the writer shared how the people of Israel completely decimated everything that existed within Jericho including the male and female human beings who were there.

 

The verse goes on to say, “… young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “young and old” or “youthful people and aged people”, “and ox” which means “and bullocks or oxen”, “and sheep” or “and small cattle such as a lamb or goat”, “and ass” which means “an animal of the horse family, which is typically smaller than a horse and has long ears and a braying call”, “with the edge of the sword” or “by the use of the extremity or end belonging to a sharp cutting instrument or implement such as an axe, dagger, knife or mattock”. Joshua or the writer also shared how the people of Israel destroyed those who were youthful and aged as well as the animals such as bulls, sheep, goats and donkeys by the use of the ends of sharpened implements. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how the people of Israel were thorough in their defeat of the people, animals and city of “Jericho” by the use of their sharpened “swords” to cause destruction. God was with them, and they were given the tools and ability to defeat their enemy and to possess that which God promised. In like manner God wants us to have this type of relationship with Him through His Son Jesus who came into the world to be crucified on the cross for the sins of everyone. He was raised from the dead after three days, and when we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and empower us to live according to that truth so we will be equipped with our “sharpened sword, the Bible” and have the ability to defeat our enemies like Joshua and the people of Israel.

Next time we learn how, “Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".

The People Shout - Joshua 6:20

In the book of Joshua, we learned how Joshua told the people of Israel, “and you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when you take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble. it. But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD”, and in chapter six and verse twenty of the book of Joshua, we learn how, ”the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets” where we read,

So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

The verse reads, “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, …” Joshua or the writer said, “so the people shouted” which means “therefore, then and on this account the human beings of Israel made a loud sound and cried aloud” “when the priests”  or “at the time and moment the spiritual leaders, rulers and officials” “blew with the trumpets” which means “blasted and made a loud sound by the use of the cornets fashioned out of ram’s horns”: “and it came to pass” or “and the following happened and occurred”. Joshua or the writer shared how the human beings of Israel cried aloud at the time and moment the spiritual leaders with the cornets fashioned with ram’s horns blasted them, and the following occurred. 

 

The verse continues, “… when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, …” Joshua or the writer added the words, “when the people” or “at the time and moment the human beings of Israel” “heard the sound of the trumpet” which means “were given the faculty for hearing, perceiving, discerning and distinguishing the noise belonging to the cornet fashioned from a ram’s horn”, “and the people shouted” or “and the human beings of Israel made a loud sound and cried aloud” “with a great shout” which means “by the use of a distinguished, massive and intense loud sound or loud cry”, “that the wall fell down flat” or “that the barrier wall was cast down and prostrated”. Joshua shared at the time and moment the “people of Israel” discerned the blasting noise of the cornets made from ram’s horns, they cried out with a mighty sound, and the barrier wall to Jericho was cast down “flat” to the ground. 

Finally the verse says, “so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” Joshua or the writer concluded this verse with the words, “so that the people” which means “so the human beings of Israel” “went up into the city” or “to arise and go up to the dwelling place or town of Jericho”, “every man straight before him” which means “each, all and the whole of the males in the direction of what was conspicuous and in front of him, the men who went up”, “and they took the city” or “and they, the men who went straight up, seized, lay hold of and captured the dwelling place and town of Jericho”. Joshua or the writer ended this verse by sharing how the “people” of Israel ascended into the town of Jericho in the direction of what was right in front of them, and they captured the “city”. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how the people of Israel responded to the loud and long sound blasted from the priests by means of the cornets fashioned from ram’s horns, and they began to cry aloud with a loud noise which caused the barrier walls of Jericho to “fall down flat” just the way God said they would. Each of them were to ascend to the “city” in the direction of what was in front of them, and because God was faithful to His word, the people of Israel captured “Jericho” and it’s people. God loves Israel, and He has always been with them. He loves us as well, and His desire is to have a personal intimate relationship with all of us through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected from the dead after three days. When we yield to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and provide us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and give us the ability to seize whatever He has in mind for us and His Kingdom. (See John 16:13; Acts 1:8)

Next time Joshua or the writer shares how, “they utterly destroyed all that was in the city”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".

All the Silver, Gold, Vessels of Brass and Iron are God’s - Joshua 6:19

In the book of Joshua, we learned how Joshua told the people of Israel, “and you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when you take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it”, and in chapter six and verse nineteen of the book of Joshua, Joshua told the people,“all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD” where we read,

But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD:

 they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.

The verse reads, “But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD:” Joshua said, “but all the silver” which means “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover each, every and the whole part of the silver metal”, “and gold”  or “and gold metal”, “and vessels of brass” which means “and implements, articles, objects and utensils fashioned with copper or bronze” “and iron” or “and iron metal”, “are consecrated” which means “exist as holy, sacred and separated” “unto the LORD” or “toward Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the One True God”. Joshua told the people of Israel that every portion of the articles made with “silver, gold, copper and iron metals” were holy and separated unto Jehovah God. 

 

The verse continues, “they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.” Joshua added the words, “they shall come” or “they, the articles made with the metals, will be lead and enumerated” “into the treasury” which means “in the storehouse, garner or armory” “of the LORD” or “belonging to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the One True God”. Joshua said the implements made with metals were to be brought into the storehouse belonging to Jehovah God. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we discover how Joshua told the people of Israel that every implement and instrument that was fashioned with “silver, gold, brass and iron” were to be dedicated to Jehovah God and brought into His storehouse. In other words, the first-fruits or valuables discovered within the city of Jericho were holy, sacred and to be dedicated to God’s house. God wants the best for us, and when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and to be raised from the dead after three days, He made the way through faith and trust in Him to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and direct us to give our “first-fruits” to His Kingdom in keeping with our belief in Him. (See Exodus 23:19; Proverbs 3:9-10; 1 Corinthians 15:10; James 1:18)

Next time we learn how the people of Israel, ”utterly destroyed all that was in the city”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".

Keep Yourself from the Accursed Thing - Joshua 6:18

In the book of Joshua, we learned how the people of Israel were marching around the city of Jericho seven times on the seventh day, “and it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD has given you the city. And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent”, and in chapter six and verse eighteen of the book of Joshua, Joshua told the people,“keep yourselves from the accursed thing” where we read,

And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, when you take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble. it.

The verse reads, “And you, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest you make yourselves accursed, …” Joshua said, “and you” which means “and you, people of Israel”, “in any wise”  or “altogether and in every way” “keep yourselves” which means “guard, watch, protect and preserve your, the people of Israel’s, own selves” “from the accursed thing” or “separate and apart from the banned and utterly destroy objects”, “lest you make yourselves accursed” which means “unless you, the people of Israel, shall cause your, the people of Israel’s, own selves to be utterly banned, exterminated and destroyed and as a curse”. Joshua warned the people of Israel to preserve their own selves from the objects that were cursed and utterly destroyed or they themselves would be cursed as well. 

 

The verse goes on to say, “… when you take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.” Joshua added the words, “when you take of the accursed thing” or “at the time and moment you, the people of Israel, fetch, lay hold of, seize and acquire the objects that are cursed and utterly destroyed”, “and make the camp of Israel” which means “and cause the encampment of Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of descendants of Jacob” “a curse” or “banned and utterly destroyed”, “and trouble it” which means “and disturb, stir up and afflict it, the encampment of Israel”. Joshua said at the time the people of Israel lay hold of the objects that are cursed, they would cause the entire encampment of Israel to be banned and afflicted as well. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Joshua gave a warning to the people of Israel about getting near to and laying hold of objects that were “cursed” within the city of Jericho. If they took any of them, not only they but also all of Israel would be afflicted. We shall see how one man disregards this warning and causes Israel to be afflicted in a few verses, but for now, let us be warned not to partake of object that are “cursed”. God desires to save and preserve us through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days, and when we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, we will be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and provided with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to keep away from things that will cause us affliction and bring trouble upon those who are near to us.

Next time Joshua tells the people, “all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".

 

The City and People Accursed - Joshua 6:17

In the book of Joshua, we learned how the people of Israel were marching around the city of Jericho seven times on the seventh day, “and it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD has given you the city”, and in chapter six and verse seventeen of the book of Joshua, Joshua told the people,“the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein” where we read,

And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: 

only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.

The verse reads, “And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and the city” which means “and the dwelling place or town of Jericho” “shall be accursed”  or “will exist as exterminated and utterly destroyed”, “even it” which means “also and indeed it, the town of Jericho”, “and all that are therein” or “and each, every, the whole and everyone who is within the town of Jericho”, “to the LORD” which means “to Jehovah who is the existing One and is the proper name for the One True God”. Joshua declared that the “city of Jericho” and everyone within it would be utterly destroyed and as a curse to Jehovah God. 

 

The verse continues “only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.” Joshua added the words, “only Rahab the harlot” or “solely and with the exception of Rahab whose name means wide and was a harlot of Jericho who aided the two spies of Israel to escape, was saved from the destruction of Jericho, married Salmon, was an ancestor of David and of Christ and was commended for her faith in the book of James” “shall live” which means “will remain alive”, “she and all that are with her” or “she, Rahab, and each, every, the whole and everyone who gathered, are together and were” “in the house” which means “within the abode, habitation and dwelling place”, “because she hid the messengers” or “since and on account that she, Rahab, concealed and held secret the two spies from Israel” “that we sent” which means “that we, Joshua and the people of Israel, let go, dispatched and impelled”. Joshua declared that solely “Rahab” and those gathered with her in her home would remain alive because “Rahab” secretly concealed the “two spies” sent out in advance to the “city of Jericho”. (See Joshua 2:1, 4-6, 22; 6:22-23)

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover how Joshua declared that the “city of Jericho” and everyone within it was as a curse unto Jehovah God, and the only people who were to be saved alive was “Rahab the harlot”, her family and those gathered within her house. “Rahab” concealed the “two spies” sent in advance by the people of Israel to the “city of Jericho”, and because she helped them escape, her life and those with her were preserved. God too is in the saving business, and when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way for everyone who will put their faith and trust in Him as their “Savior and Lord” to be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and provided with His Holy Spirit who will guide them into all truth and preserve them throughout all eternity because they have “gathered in God’s house” of redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ. 

Next time Joshua tells the people, “keep yourselves from the accursed thing”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".

 

Shout! For the LORD has Given You the City! - Joshua 6:16

In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priest took up the ark of the LORD. And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times”, and in chapter six and verse sixteen of the book of Joshua, Joshua told the people,“shout; for the LORD has given you the city” where we read,

And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, 

Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD has given you the city.

The verse reads, “And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and it came to pass” which means “and it happened or occurred” “at the seventh time”  or “upon the point of the seventh occasion”, “when the priests” which means “at the time and moment the spiritual leaders, rulers and officials” “blew with the trumpets” or “blasted a loud sound by the use of the cornets fashioned from rams’ horns” the following occurred. Joshua or the writer referred to the time that the spiritual leaders who carried the “seven trumpets” which were fashioned from the horns of a ram actually blasted a loud and long sound with them

 

The verse goes on to say, “… Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD has given you the city.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “Joshua said” or “Joshua whose name means Jehovah is Salvation uttered, declared and proclaimed ” “unto the people” which means “to the human beings of Israel”, “shout” or “cry aloud and make a loud sound”; “for the LORD” which means “because, since and on account that Jehovah who is the existing One and is the proper name for the One True God” “has given you the city” or “has granted, bestowed, ascribed and consecrated to you, the people of Israel, the town or dwelling place of Jericho”. Joshua or the writer shared how “Joshua” instructed the human beings of Israel to make a loud cry because Jehovah God had granted them the “town of Jericho”. 

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how the “seven priests” with the “seven cornets” fashioned from rams’ horns sounded them aloud, and “Joshua” told the people to cry out because Jehovah God granted the town of Jericho to them. God’s promise was being fulfilled, and because He was with them, they would be victorious. God is with us as well, and because He sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for our sins and raised Him from the dead after three days, when we put our faith and trust in Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and provide us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to follow His ways so we too may possess that which He has planned and desires for us. (See John 16:13; Acts 1:8)

Next time Joshua says, “the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".