Victory at Ai (Part C)

Race does not destroy the law of Moses, it gives birth to what the law spent two convicted men and then provide a means to save which of course he is the fulfillment of come across Christians. Moses before Christ you have a problem every time they destroy grace. They make religion oppressive as I want to be a Christian if that's it has with Hillsville squash you with every people become their victims. This is cross reference radio with our pastor and teacher Rick Gaston. Rick is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville. Pastor Rick is currently teaching through the book of Joshua. Please stay with us after today's message here. More information about cross reference radio, specifically how you can get a free copy of this teaching, but for now let's join Pastor Rick in the book of Joshua chapter 7 today.

Pastor Rick will continue teaching through Joshua chapter 8 and his message called victory at AI first 20 and when the men of AI looked behind them they saw, and behold, the smoke of the city ascended to heaven so they had no power to flee this way or that way, and the people who had fled and to the wilderness, turned back on the pursuers. So those who threw these troops out the Jews that drew them out acting like they were retreating were retreating, but it was a faint now turned back around and are attacking those from AI joining up with Joshua's other forces so there literally and bad spot. The people from AI and who so they had no power.

Verse 22 flee the swale. That way the people who had fled to the wilderness, turned back on the pursuers now and Joshua and all Israel. Verse 21.

Saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city ascended, they turned back and struck down the men of AI verse 22 is a lot happening here. Can you say can you not see yourself part of this well if you say no I can't cite my imagination is one of things well, but you can see yourself finding your flesh.

Verse 22 then the others came out of the city against them so they were caught in the midst of Israel someone decide someone the on that side and they struck them down so that they let none of them remain or escape. Will this was brutal. It was a bloodbath. It was less a massacre and more of a judgment. This hold campaign of taking the promised land. Israel's divergent force again turned back joining the main force and they wiped wiped out the Army.

Verse 23. But the king of AI.

They took alive and brought him to Joshua verse 34 and it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of AI in the field in the wilderness where they pursued them when they all had fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed that all the Israelites returned to AI and struck it with the edge of the sword is 25. So it was that all who fell that day both men and women were 12,000 and all the people of AI and Bethel of course is just bundled into the AI being the principal city and of the writer doesn't keep mentioning Bethel.

This is of course the naysayers will come along with silver so brutal as I grow up man. This this is life does indeed this is so easy to shoot that argument down with usually don't stay for the answers. Verse 26 Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the spear until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of AI sort of Moses ask like when Moses held up his arms, praying there at Aaron and the man name her holding his arms up while Joshua was then on the battlefield during the actual fighting. When here. Joshua has the spirit out as God told him to hold out and he keeps it out and of course when his right hand. His tightest process.

The other hand assist you in Ress skill back to this this large force of 30,000 probably make quick work of this operation with with their swords. Now during the Gulf War in 1990. You might some of you may recall, the highway Highway of death. I think it was called the for those of you who don't know the Iraqi Army under Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. While the coalition forces led by the United States, drove them out and when they were coming.

The drive amount. The Iraq he Army retreated back to Iraq from Kuwait. Along this highway number 80 and the coalition forces bombed them to smithereens. And of course the journalists were there with their little cameras at taking as many pictures of the burnt carcasses as they could and that brought up this mock pity and in some foolish people over so horrible he should've done that these people were monsters who they didn't murder they mutilated and maimed and molested. These were not troops in retreat. These were criminals and uniforms with the strength of an army and they were judged and destroyed. This is a similar situation. These people here were spiritual and moral reprobates and God said, concerning the Canaanites. I've had enough. He had given them centuries to correct their ways and they did not judgment fell and the Jews were the ones that brought it.

And sin has a wicked fruit and in the gospel message is that you can find a place in heaven where there is no more sin if you receive the invitation. Of course, so no mercy is shown to them and no mercy is to be shown to our flesh is written is no redeeming feature about our our carnal nature to say yeah but you know, no, no I don't. The spirit is superior and when we are on our best behavior. We are on our best behavior. It's simple enough.

So Joshua a thorough commander obedient as a servant of God. Verse 27, only the livestock and the spoil of that city.

Israel took as booty for themselves. According to the word of Yahweh, which he commanded Joshua so Joshua verse 28 earned AI and made a heap over it forever desolation to this day.

The word is telling the Hebrew's ruins it means ruins so it's a play on the words AI and the heap play on the two words in the Hebrew for ruins verse 29 and the king of AI. He hanged on a tree until evening and as soon as possible.

The sun was down. Joshua commanded that they should take the corpse down from the tree casted at the entrance of the gate of the city and raise already heap of stones that remains to this day. Of course modern.

The location of AI is just a giant mountain who knows what's underneath and I believe archaeologists ever excavated will discover pile of stones over what would've been a body, maybe even a skeleton anyway knows what's going to happen with that. That's how the story ends. Joshua is compliant with God's word concerning wrongdoers when their home want to treat or not to stay there or overnighted to be brought down and so he does that, even to the king of AI and we know there are connections so to the cross in the Lord not being wanted overnight, but that would take up another 40 minutes. Verse 30, Joshua built an altar to Yahweh, God of Israel and mount T-ball as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded the children of Israel as it is written in the book of the law of Moses and altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool and they offered it on offered on it burnt offerings to Yahweh and sacrificed peace offerings. So there. Joshua built an altar and he now joins a group of great believers that in the Scripture to have built an altar. Noah built an altar Abraham built an altar. Moses built an altar, Isaac, and also in here. We read in Joshua built an altar will there were some scoundrels that did to.

That's another story. This mount T-ball is about a little under 25 miles from this battlefield, so they had North where Mount Grissom and mount T-ball are in is a lot of lessons here you sick. Why mount T-ball.

Why did they not go to Mount Grissom because Moses commanded, when you get into the promised land you going to split the tribes into one will go up Mount Grissom one bought mount T-ball and facing each other. You are yelling recite into the valley of the blessings from Mount Grissom and the curses from mount T-ball and this is what they're now doing so. Of the two mountains. Why don't they choose the mountain of blessings, Mount Grissom why did they go up T-ball because the curses, curses were associated with the altar.

The altar is for those under the curse. That's that's what's happening there so I don't know if confuse you because it can be a lot of its new information. The curses were read from T-ball, not Grissom. That's with the altar was put because the altar is for those under the curse, our altar is Jesus Christ our sacrifice on the altar is Jesus Christ. He consumes both of them. He takes the whole thing in the whole burnt offering, it all belongs to him and so we read as Moses the servant of Yahweh had commanded the children of Israel, there is that that Gallant Moses the servant of God. So many of us we we to say I'm a servant of God. This is hard to say that Jesus said that you are, you know, say it this way, you are unprofitable servants because next to a holy God who can really serve them and yet we do serve him and we are rewarded for our service is, humbling it's it's it's what I'm trying to get out to read Moses the servant of Yahweh. It should stand out to us as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, of course, is God's law, but Moses is the lawgiver.

So the altar that they built it expressed belief in God. That's when you put all things I believe in God but I also believe I need God because I'm a sinner and I'm a created being.

It speaks also of submitting to him for the Jewish believers designed by built an altar because I need him. I believe in him and I'm submitted to him, but will probably most importantly, it says I desire see, that's the example Abraham left behind with God does not always did that not always have to say to Abraham I have a have a building in altar. Abraham did because he loved God he wanted to he was God's friend and so the altar on Mount T-ball the place of the curse is saying these things to God in the presence of the curse in the presence of sin and everything that's wrong saying I believe you. I need you, I submit to you and I want you it's it's is nothing else like it continues in verse 31 and altar of whole stones on which no man has wielded an iron tool. This is according to the law on Exodus chapter 20 the Jewish Temple itself when it was finally built by Solomon. The whole thing was treated as an altar, and in this regard. First Kings six verse seven in the temple when it was being built was built with stone finished at the quarry so that no hammer, chisel or ion tool was heard in the temple while it was being built that ties right index is 20 verse 25. So when the Jews you know who dismisses God's house but it's an altar at the place we say to God, we believe we need submit and wants you that separates the believer from everybody else.

Jesus as I mention he is our altar. He is our place of propitiation, the cross of Christ we who come to the cross for forgiveness.

That's we recite the same thing.

We believe we need, we submit, we love you no matter what happens, the iron tools.

However, were reserved for our altar that hammer in those spikes and went into the limbs of the body of Christ. There is there is a separation of meanings that was for us. He became a curse, he became a violation of God's word because he took upon himself our sin as though it were his sentence so the altar is to cross the speaks of Christ's.

This is what the writer to the Hebrews was trying to point out to them. Well we move forward in verse 32 and there we read and there, and the presence of the children of Israel. He wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written so the word of God is so essential to all the victories.

This will explain that the absence of the word of God is central to all the defeats in the book of Judges, which abound everywhere in the book of Judges the next generation came along.

They were interested in mom and dad's religion and they begin to drift further and further away until they became this these spiritual monstrosities roaming around the promised land of Israel was to be saturated with the word of God because it contributed to the defeat of the flesh, and that's why it's in this chapter. It's not random.

Joshua doesn't say what we want to JAI would God's plan and the sword enter story does not do that. He says there must be sacrificed.

There must be worship to God. Now, there must be the exaltation of his word, and so there's this long 25 mile trek. We don't know how many of them will be told the men women and children are all there. It's a national thing, not a church services a national event and they trek up the Mount Grissom and there they have this this festival of worship before the Lord in the land that still has to be subdued before the land was subdued they were worshiping God and conducting the spiritual practices as we do before we wrap should we be no occupy until I come. Jesus it do business until I come you got work to do until I come for you.

The rapture or through death.

You have work to do. Verse 3312 just to review 32 there, in the presence of the children of Israel. He wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written the several ways he could have done that could plastered over the stones and inscribes waterways, but he did it. Verse 33.

A party room and pause a party left out the narratives and just adhere to the commandments of God and if you read the law of Moses. Much of it is a narrative story being told what he probably believes that part out what he does put in is thus saith the Lord. Thou shall not, in them all the all the commandments that were necessary.

Verse 33 and all Israel with their elders and officers and judges stood on either side of the ark before the priests and Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of Yahweh the stranger as well. As he who was born among them pause there, then that would be Rahab she would be in that group not the only one, but they were treated equally in worship.

Half of them. He continues were in front of monetarism and half of them in front of Mount T-ball as Moses the servant of Yahweh commanded before that they should bless the people of Israel. So of course in equity. Take all the family members and children up the mountain, but they have them in front of the mountains and you can read Deuteronomy 27, 28 to get the original order from Moses, so it was God's intention to bless the Jews in their conquest and the blessings were subject to obedience and that is still the case, and if they turned their backs on God.

The blessings would be withdrawn or withheld, as we will find in the book of Judges, not for every single person. There were those in the book of Judges that still love the Lord of Boaz is one for example, and of course Ruth so this principle explains, was explained all of Israel's history why she suffered what she did in the book of Judges, the people would turn on God would be oppressed by the Midianites or whatever other people were in the region and call out to God would send a judge to deliver and then they would come back to God than it would leave him again and the cycle just with each generation she just kept going until finally, of course, in the Kings came who were super judges if you will. And then they failed the Syrians and Babylonians were used by God as instruments of judgment on God's people that were taken into captivity and of course suffered greatly until finally in 70 A.D. and the Romans struck heavy blows on Jerusalem.

Few revolts after that to. Finally, the Romans just push them out completely and the Jews were without a nation for 2000 years, and yet God is brought them back to their land, just as the Bible has said which is amazing since nothing like that anywhere in history and that's it all out. When you feel like the devil is causing you to doubt the Bible just point Israel how do you account for that doofus is only one way is God's word is true. So the Samaritans which were a blend of of mixed peoples with the Jews. They they retain some of Judaism in a mixed in other religions with it. The Jews consider them. Of course, idolaters they would walk around Samaria to get to northern Israel. They felt the lamb was so defiled will Jesus. Of course he walks through Samaria because he has an appointment with the woman at the well.

She doesn't know it and and he gets to the well and and there they enter into discussion on religion and she says about Mount Grissom not T-ball with the curses word dispatch would Grissom with the blessings were spoken. She said our fathers worshiped on this mountain but you Jews worship on Zion and Jerusalem.

Jesus responded, the hour is coming and now is when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the father is seeking such to worship him.

And of course he proceeded to just dismantle or not brutally but spiritually, and she and the whole city had heaved his incredible story you'll see the Samaritans up and have an immediate just because of that one moment there is a woman that had so many busted of romances and alive. Nobody. Everybody knew she was one thing they knew she was not. That was a liar. They knew she was not a liar and so when she goes back to the villages and come see this man and told me everything about me and you know these things about me and they said well if she's saying this is got to be something and they all prayed out and there they get Jesus to stay with him for a couple of days.

Amazing story. Well anyway that's all connected. Jesus little leaven leavens, a lump the Samaritans were 11 people and they they twisted the religion of the Jews landing on Mount Grissom.

Jesus took note of it. He deals with it and save souls in the process it says here at the bottom of verse 33, the stranger, as well as one of born among you as a mention Rahab would and her family would've been in that number. Verse 34, and afterword he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the curse things according to all that is written in the law again grace does not destroy the law of Moses, it gives birth to what the law was meant to do is convict men and then provide a means to save them, which of course he is the fulfillment of and when you come across Christians who put Moses before Christ you have a problem every time they destroy grace. They make religion oppressive it is.

I want to be a Christian if that's it has with Hillsville squash you that everyone become their victims is self-righteous and the judge mental and is their way or no way on things that Jesus didn't say Jesus said there's one commandment that will be forgiven, but the legalistic mind is what is about 500 and I know LaRocca can wear your hair this weekend where she was.

That way, Which would turtleneck on this is everything is wrong with you and desist IMAP convictions.

Things I don't like. I don't think any human being should ever eat okra before God. But that's my conviction. I laid out on anybody else should okay I like to play with.

I know we have over lovers here just to prove how gracious we are. Verse 35 and there was not a word of all that Moses had commanded, which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women. The little ones and strangers who are living among them. Well let me just get back to the opera thing. I'm not going to pick on okra rights anymore banana Heights.

The next if you like bananas you going down is not good for your test telling right that it was unaware of Moses. Not a word that he commanded siesta critical that the commanded.

I think leaving out the narrative is overwhelming, which Joshua did not read before the assembly of Israel women with their children, strangers, national event and very beautiful story. Thanks for tuning in to cross reference radio for this study in the book of Joshua cross reference is the teaching ministry pastor Rick Gaston of Calvary Chapel Mechanicsville in Virginia. If you're interested in more information about this ministry, please visit our website cross reference radio.com find additional teachings from Pastor Rick available there also encourage you to subscribe to our podcast by doing so you will be notified each new edition of cross reference radio. Just search for cross reference radio in iTunes Google play music or your favorite podcast. You could also follow the links and cross reference radio.com. Glad we were able to spend time with you today to do next time to continue learning from the book of Joshua right here on cross reference radio