In the book of Joshua, we learned concerning Israel how, “the LORD said unto Joshua, Get you up; wherefore lie you thus upon your face. Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff”, and in chapter seven and verse twelve of the book of Joshua, we learn how Jehovah God said, “the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies” where we read,
Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except you destroy the accursed from among you.
The verse reads, “Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, …” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “therefore the children of Israel” or “wherefore, then and on this account the offspring and progeny belonging to Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and the nation of the descendants of Jacob” “could not stand” which means “was unable to arise, be established and confirmed” “before their enemies” or “in front and in the presence of their, the people of Israel’s, hating foes and adversaries”, “but turned their backs” which means “however revolved and rotated their, the people of Israel’s, backsides” “before their enemies” or “in front and in the presence of their, the people of Israel’s, hating foes and adversaries”. Jehovah God told Joshua the reason the people of Israel were turned to flight and were forced to rotate their backsides in the presence of their enemies was because they violated the command concerning the “accursed thing”.
The verse goes on to say, “… because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except you destroy the accursed from among you.” Joshua or the writer added the words, “because they were accursed” which means “since and on account that they, the people of Israel, were ”banned, doomed and cursed” “neither will I be with you any more” or “no and not in any way shall I, Jehovah God, exist alongside or accompany you, the people of Israel, again”, “except you destroy the accursed” which means “unless and till such time that you, the people of Israel, annihilate and exterminate the banned and cursed object” “from among you” or “separate and apart from the midst and middle of you, the people of Israel”. Jehovah God told Joshua that the people of “Israel” were “cursed”, and He would no longer accompany them unless they exterminate and separate themselves from the utterly destroyed and cursed objects.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Joshua how Jehovah God not only knew that sin was in the midst of the people of Israel, but He exposed His detestation of it. God is holy, and sin must be eradicated before Him. The people of Israel were to make a choice, either remove the “accursed thing” or be separated from Him. Sin separates us from God, and because we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (See Romans 3:23), He sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of everyone and to be raised 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 equip us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to eradicate all “accursed things” that we conceal within our lives.
Next time we learn how Jehovah God says, “Up, sanctify the people”, 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".
No comments:
Post a Comment