Joshua 7 left a bad taste in our mouths. After discovering the sin that had caused Israel to be defeated at Ai, Joshua was left to pick up the pieces. Even though they had broken the covenant, the Lord was still committed to them. We pick up Joshua 8 with the Lord instructing Joshua not to fear and to take all his troops to attack Ai, promising victory and allowing them to plunder the city. Joshua set an ambush behind Ai and devised a strategy to lure the city’s army out by feigning retreat.
As the men of Ai pursued Israel, leaving their city unguarded, the ambush force seized and set Ai on fire. The Israelites then turned back, trapping and defeating Ai’s army, killing twelve thousand people and capturing the king, who was later executed. The city was burned and left in ruins, with Israel taking its livestock and spoil as commanded by the LORD. Following this victory, Joshua built an altar on Mount Ebal, offering sacrifices and writing the law of Moses on stones. He read the entire law to the assembly, including blessings and curses, ensuring all Israelites and resident aliens heard it.
I find it interesting that back in Joshua 7, Israel’s initial attitude was “We only need about 2,000-3,000 men to fight the little city of Ai.” Here in Joshua 8, the Lord’s strategy is to gather ALL the men.
“The LORD said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Take all the troops with you and go attack Ai. Look, I have handed over to you the king of Ai, his people, city, and land.”
Joshua 8:1 CSB
These are two sides of the same coin. Whether it is the flesh, the world, or the enemy of our souls, we cannot underestimate their power to overwhelm us. It is also crucial to recognize that we cannot rely solely on our own abilities to combat these forces. Let us not misconstrue the purpose of this narrative as a means to reprimand and condemn Israel for their folly, but rather perceive it as a cautionary tale, for we ourselves embody Israel’s role in this account!
Here in Joshua 8, Israel needed to thoroughly evaluate their loss. It is a task that many of us are reluctant to undertake personally. In fact, admitting defeat is something that many of us (myself included) try to avoid altogether. Israel faced a significant amount of introspection, and I believe that if we honestly analyze the battles we are currently losing and humble ourselves like Joshua, mourning and showing genuine remorse as we process with the Lord, we would uncover valuable insights.
Think of the battles in your life right now. Examine those defeats. Is there a sin issue? Is there pride involved? What is the Lord teaching you in your defeat?
There is only one way to control the flesh and it involves staying connected to the source. Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do NOTHING.” Doing it our own way is like trying to spray a little cologne on a heaping pile of manure. It’s not going to work, yet, every day people (even those who call themselves Christians) are relying on themselves and continually justifying or blame-shifting their losses instead of falling before God in repentance and shifting their dependence to Him. Guilty as charged.
Jesus Christ died and rose again so that our sins would be covered, but that’s not all. He conquered death and sin so that our sinful nature could begin to be dealt with from the inside out. The Holy Spirit could not dwell within us until Jesus Christ accomplished the victory. Where are you overestimating your own abilities and relying on yourself instead of God? Where are you underestimating the enemy within your current battle? The battle belongs to the Lord.