The Word for Today with Ray

Monday, April 20, 2026

Two Men Sent to Spy - Joshua 2:1

In the book of Joshua, the Reubenites, the Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh told Joshua, “whosoever he be that does rebel against your commandment, and will not hearken unto your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage”, and in chapter two and verse one of his book Joshua, “sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly”, where we read,

And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.

The verse reads, “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho.” Joshua began with the words, “and Joshua” which means “and Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation” “the son of Nun” or “the male offspring and progeny belonging to Nun whose name means fist or posterity” “sent out of Shittim” which means “dispatched and assigned from Shittim whose name means the acacias which was place west of Jerusalem and Israel's encampment between the conquest of the transjordanic region and crossing the Jordan into Canaan” “two men to spy secretly” or “two male human beings to be tale-bearers, explorers, slanderers and ones who go about secretly”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring”, “go view the land” or “leave and depart to see the district, region an territory”, “even Jericho” which means “indeed and also Jericho whose name means it’s moon and was a city five miles (8 km) west of the Jordan and seven miles (11.5 km) north of the Dead Sea and the first city conquered by the Israelites upon entering the promised land of Canaan”. Joshua dispatched “two men” from “Shittim” to secretly “spy” on the territory known as “Jericho”.

The verse goes on to say, “And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.” Joshua continued with the words, “and they went” or “and they, the two men, left and departed”, “and came into an harlot’s house” which means “and entered in the abode, habitation and dwelling place of a prostitute”, “named Rahab” or “who was known by the name of Rahab which means wide”, “and lodged there” which means “and lie down, rested and relaxed in the harlot Rahab’s house”. Joshua or the writer said the “two men” who were dispatched to the city of “Jericho” entered into and rested in the dwelling place of a prostitute named “Rahab”.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn how Joshua dispatched “two men” from the city of “Shittim” to the “city of Jericho” which was located inside the promise land. Because they were “spies”, they went to the home of a prostitute whose name was “Rahab” to rest there. We should remember that these two men were to scope out “Jericho” because it was to be the first city which would be conquered by Joshua and the people of Israel. We shall see more about that in our verses to come, but for now, let us be reminded that God Almighty was going before the people of Israel and He would ultimately fight for them. God goes before us as well, 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 through belief and trust in Him to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and given His Holy Spirit to guide us into all truth and lead us into territories where He has dispatched the “spies” who shall defeat our spiritual foes.

Next time the writer or Joshua says, “it was told the king of Jericho”, 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".

Whoever Rebels Against Joshua’s Commandment - Joshua 1:18

In the book of Joshua, Joshua told the people of Israel, “you shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising. And they answered Joshua, saying, all that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go. According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto you: only the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses”, and in chapter one and verse eighteen of his book the Reubenites, the Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh tell Joshua what will happen to, “whosoever he be that does rebel against your commandment”, where we read,

Whosoever he be that does rebel against your commandment, and will not hearken unto your words in all that you command him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.

The verse reads, “Whosoever he be that does rebel against your commandment, and will not hearken unto your words in all that you command him …” Joshua began with the words, “whosoever he be” which means “whatever person exists” “that does rebel against your commandments” or “who in any way or manner is contentious, rebellious, refractory and grievously provoking in opposition to your, Joshua’s, charges and orders”, “and will not hearken” which means “and shall in no way or manner listen to and obey” “unto your words” or “to your, Joshua’s, utterances, declarations and proclamations” “in all that you command him” which means “within each, every and the whole charge and order that person whether male or female” will have the following occur. The Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh said the person who rises in opposition to the charges of Joshua and does not obey everything that he orders will have the following happen.

The verse continues, “… he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.” Joshua added the words, “he shall be put to death” or “he, the rebellious person, will die, be killed or be executed”: “only be strong” which means “solely and alone exist as powerful, mighty, prevailing and resolute” “and of good courage” or “and belonging to pleasant, agreeable and favorable strength, firmness and boldness”. The Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh said the person who rebels against Joshua’s orders are to be executed, and they encouraged Joshua to solely be mighty, fearless and bold.

When we consider the words in this verse, we see how the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh were to fulfill their obligation and commitment to Moses and Joshua. They promised to go into the promised land to fight alongside their kinsmen, and they were going in. They were so adamant about doing so that they said the person who does not obey Joshua’s orders was to be executed. They desired that Joshua be “strong and of good courage” because those traits were necessary to be victorious in the promise land. God desires these traits for us as well, and He will provide them to us through His Holy Spirit when we believe and trust in His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. As we humble ourselves and obey Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us the strength and boldness to carry out His purpose and will for our lives.

Next time we begin a new chapter and see how Joshua, “sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

As We Hearkened Unto Moses - Joshua 1:17

In the book of Joshua, Joshua told the people of Israel, “you shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising. And they answered Joshua, saying, all that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go”, and in chapter one and verse seventeen of his book we learn how the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh said, “as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto you” where we read,

According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto you:

only the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses.

The verse reads, “According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto you:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “according as we hearkened unto Moses” which means “in keeping with the manner and way we, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, listened to and obeyed Moses whose name means drawing out and was the prophet, lawgiver and leader of the exodus” “in all things” or “within each, every and the whole of acts and deeds”, “so will we hearken unto you” which means “indeed and also shall we, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, listen to and obey you, Joshua”. The Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh told Joshua in the same manner that they listened to and obeyed “Moses”, they would listen to and obey him.

The verse continues, “only the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “only the LORD” or “solely and alone Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the One True God” “your God” which means “your, Joshua’s, Supreme Deity” “be with you” or “exist alongside and accompanying you, Joshua”, “as he was with Moses” which means “in the same manner and likeness that he, Jehovah God, was alongside and accompanied Moses whose name means drawing out and was the prophet, lawgiver and leader of the exodus”. The Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh wanted Jehovah God to accompany Joshua in the same manner that He was with “Moses”.

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh told Joshua they would listen to him in a similar manner that they did “Moses”, and they desired that Jehovah God the Supreme Deity would accompany Joshua even like He did with “Moses”. God’s desire is to have a personal intimate relationship with 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, and when we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His truth through the Holy Spirit who will help us listen to and obey Him as He leads us.

Next time we see how the people of Israel tell Joshua what will happen to, “whosoever he be that does rebel against your commandment”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Answering Joshua - Joshua 1:16

In the book of Joshua, Joshua told his commanders to tell the people, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, the LORD your God has given you rest, and has given you this land, your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but you shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them. Until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as he has given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God gives them: then you shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising”, and in chapter one and verse sixteen of his book we learn how, “they answered Joshua” where we read,

And they answered Joshua, saying,

All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go.

The verse reads, “And they answered Joshua, saying, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and they answered Joshua” which means “and they, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, spoke and responded to Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation”, “saying” or “uttering, declaring and proclaiming” the following words. The people of the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh responded to Joshua by declaring the following words.

The verse goes on to say, “… all that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go.” Joshua continued with the words, “all that you command us” or “each, every and the whole of which you, Joshua, order and give charge to us, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh” “we will do” which means “we, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, shall accomplish, work and produce”, “and wherever you send us” or “and in whatever location or place you, Joshua, dispatch and assign us, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh”, “we will go” which means “we, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, shall leave, depart and proceed”. The people of the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh declared that they would perform everything with which Joshua gave them charge, and they would be dispatched and proceed to whatever place he sent them.

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we discover how the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh kept their commitment to Moses and Joshua as they humbled themselves and declared that they would obey him. God wants us to have this type of response to Him. He has offered salvation and forgiveness of sins if we will receive His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was raised from the dead after three days. When we submit to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and equip us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us keep our commitments to Him and others in this world so our lives reflect Him to others who watch us. (See John 16:13; Acts 1:8)

Next time we see how the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh tell Joshua, “as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Until the LORD Gives Rest - Joshua 1:15

In the book of Joshua, we learn howJoshua told his commanders to tell the people, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, the LORD your God has given you rest, and has given you this land, your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but you shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them”, and in chapter one and verse fifteen of his book we learn how Joshua said to the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, “until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he has given you” where we read,

Until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as he has given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God gives them: then you shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.

The verse reads, “Until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as he has given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God gives them:” Joshua began with the words, “until the LORD” which means “till such time when Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “has given your brethren rest” or “has granted, bestowed and assigned to your, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh’s, brothers, kinship and relatives repose and quiet”, “as he has given you” which means “similar and in likeness to the way he, Jehovah God, has granted, bestowed and assigned to you, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh”, “and they also have possessed the land” or “and they, the brethren of the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, even so and indeed have seized, taken possession of and inherited the region, district and territory” “which the LORD” which means “that Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “your God” or “your, the brethren of the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh’s, Supreme Deity” “gives them” which means “grants, bestows and assigns to them, the brethren of the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh”. Joshua told “the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh” that they were to fight for their kinship till such time that they inherited the territory Jehovah God provided for them in a similar way that God provided for the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh.

The verse continues, “then you shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.” Joshua added the words, “then you shall return” or “at that time you, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, will go and turn back” “unto the land” which means “to the region, district and territory” “of your possession” or “pertaining to your, the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh’s, heritage and inheritance”, “and enjoy it” which means “and seize, dispossess and occupy the territory”, “which Moses” or “that Moses whose name means drawing out and was the prophet, lawgiver and leader of the exodus” “the LORD’s servant gave you” which means “Jehovah whose name means the existing One and the proper name for the One True God’s bondman, slave, man of servile condition and minister” “on this side Jordan” or “upon this, the eastern, half of Jordan whose name means descender and was the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approximately 200 miles (320 km)” “toward the sunrising” which means “in the direction of the early morning or dawn”. Joshua told the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh they could return to the territory of the inheritance in the eastern and dawn direction that Jehovah God gave them and dwell within it after they helped their kinsmen to inherit their territories.

When we consider the words in this verse, we learn how Joshua continued to instruct the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh concerning helping their fellow kinsmen with their inheritance from Jehovah God before they went back to their own territory on the eastern side of the Jordan River. This was the agreement made with Moses, and they were now to fulfill their obligation. (See Numbers 32:17-22) God wants us to keep our commitments to Him and others even as He fulfills His covenant and commitment to us. He gave His Only Begotten Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected from the dead after three days, and when we yield to 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 keep God’s ways and our commitments to Him and others.

Next time we see how the Ruebenites, Gadites and half the tribe of Manasseh, “answered Joshua”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Wives, Little Ones and Cattle Remain - Joshua 1:14

In the book of Joshua, we are told how Joshua instructed his commanders to tell the people, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, the LORD your God has given you rest, and has given you this land”, and in chapter one and verse fourteen of his book we learn how Joshua said, “your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you” where we read,

Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but you shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them;

The verse reads, “Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan;” Joshua began with the words, “your wives” which means “your, the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh’s, female spouses”, “your little ones” or “your, the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh’s, small offspring and progeny”, “and your cattle” which means “and your, the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh’s, livestock and domestic animals such as cows, sheep and goats”, “shall remain in the land” or “will dwell, be set and stay within the region, district and territory” “which Moses gave you” which means “that Moses whose name means drawing out and was the prophet, lawgiver and leader of the exodus” “on this side Jordan” or “upon this, the east side of, Jordan whose name means descender and refers to the river of Palestine running from the roots of Anti-Lebanon to the Dead Sea a distance of approximately 200 miles (320 km)”. Joshua told “the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh” that their female spouses, small children and domestic animals were to stay within the territory that “Moses” granted to them on the eastern side of the Jordan River.

The verse goes on to say, “but you shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valor, and help them;” Joshua continued with the words, “but you shall pass” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover you, the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh, will traverse, march over and emigrate” “before your brethren armed” which means “in the presence, face and countenance of your, the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh’s, brothers, relatives and kinship harnessed and in battle array”, “all the mighty men” or “each, every and the whole of the strong, brave and valiant male human beings” “of valor” which means “with might, efficiency, ability and force”, “and help them” or “and succor, support and give aid to them, the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh’s, brethren”. Joshua told “the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh” that every one of their powerful men of war were to march in the presence of their brothers and relatives with battle array upon them and give aid to them in the promise land.

When we think through words in this verse, we see how Joshua charged “the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh” to fulfill their promise to fight alongside the other tribes of Israel until their inheritance in the promise land was divided. (See Numbers 32:1-32) God allowed “the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh” to inherit the territory on the eastern side of the Jordan River, however, they were to go to battle for the remaining tribes of Israel on the other side. God wants us to keep our commitments to Him, and when we receive His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected from the dead after three days as our personal “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and lead us into all truth by His Holy Spirit so we not only inherit that which He desires for us, but also are busied with giving aid to others who have not received their inheritance yet.

Next time we see how Joshua charged the Reubenites, Gadites and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh to help the other tribes, “until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he has given you”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…