When You Have Taken the City - Joshua 8:8

In the book of Joshua, we learned how Joshua said, “I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them. (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand”, and in chapter eight and verse eight of the book of Joshua, we learn how Joshua said, “when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire” where we read, 

And it shall be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire: 

according to the commandment of the LORD shall you do. See, I have commanded you.

The verse reads, “And it shall be, when you have taken the city, that you shall set the city on fire:” Joshua or the writer began with the words, “and it shall be” which means “and the following will exist”, “when you have taken the city” or “at the time and moment you, the thirty thousand mighty men of valor, have seized and possessed the dwelling place or town”, “that you shall set the city on fire” which means “that you, the thirty thousand mighty men of valor, are to kindle the dwelling place and town with flames and fiery fire”. Joshua instructed “the thirty thousand mighty men of valor” to kindle a fiery fire within the city of “Ai” after they seized it.

 

The verse continues, “according to the commandment of the LORD shall you do. See, I have commanded you.” Joshua or the writer continued with the words, “according to the commandment” which means “in keeping with the order and charge” “of the LORD” or “belonging to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name for the One True God” “shall you do” which means “will you, the thirty thousand mighty men of valor, accomplish, fashion and perform”. “See, I have commanded you” or “lo, look, consider and behold, I, Joshua, have charged and ordered you, the thirty thousand mighty men of valor”. Joshua directed the thirty thousand mighty men of valor to seize the city of Ai and set it on fire in keeping with Jehovah God’s charge even as Joshua ordered. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we see how Joshua continued to direct the thirty thousand mighty men of valor in their conquering of “Ai”. At the time and moment they seized the city, they were to burn it with fiery fire just the way Jehovah God instructed. Joshua gave orders to the thirty thousand mighty men of valor, and they were to follow his commands. In the same manner, God desires to save us from the penalty of sin which is death, and when we yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind and was resurrected from the grave after three days, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and equip us with His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and teach us the value of following Him in all our ways in keeping with His perfect purpose and will for our lives. (See Proverbs 3:5-6)

Next time we learn how Joshua, “sent them forth”, 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".