In the book of Joshua, we learned how, “it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai”, and in chapter eight and verse twenty-six of the book of Joshua, we learn how, “Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear” where we read,
For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear,
until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
The verse reads, “For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “for Joshua” which means “because, since and on account that Joshua whose name means Jehovah is salvation” “drew not his hand back” or “did not bring back or reverse his physical hand”, “wherewith he stretched out the spear” which means “in which he, Joshua, thrust forward and extended the sharpened weapon”. Joshua or the writer shared how the people of “Ai” were defeated by “Israel” because “Joshua” did not restore his physical “hand” with the sharpened weapon within it back to it’s normal state.
The verse goes on to say, “… until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “until he had utterly destroyed” which means “till such time that he, Joshua, had completely and thoroughly exterminated and mutilated” “all the inhabitants” or “each, every, the whole and everyone of the people who were dwellers” “of Ai” which means “belonging to Ai whose name means heap of ruins”. Joshua or the writer told how “Joshua” did not restore his hand with the “sword” within it to it’s regular state till such time that everyone of the people who lived in “Ai” were completely exterminated.
When we think through the words in this verse, we discover how “Joshua” continued to hold out the “sword in his hand” till such time that everyone who lived in “Ai” was completely exterminated. God’s will was for all of these people of “Ai” to be vanished from the earth, and “Israel” was the agent for doing so. God loves the people of Israel, and He loves us as well. He knows we have sin in our lives, and that sin must be eradicated so we may obtain a personal relationship with Him. He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross to pay the price for the sins of all mankind, and when He rose 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 provided with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and defeat our foes as we encounter them.
Next time we learn how, “only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves”, 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".
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