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".
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