VICTORY
Today’s Reading: Joshua 8
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).
View looking west at Mt. Gerizim (on the left, south) and Mt. Ebal (on the right, north). In the center between them is the town of Shechem, known as Nablus. According to Deuteronomy 11:29 the recently arrived Israelites were to recite the blessings of the Covenant on Mount Gerizim and the curses from Mount Ebal (fulfilled in Joshua 8:33).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Joshua 8:30
Now Joshua built an altar to the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal…
In building an altar, Joshua is obeying the instructions given in Deuteronomy 11:29 and 27:4-8. The offerings presented on Mt Ebal, the mount of cursing, speak of the offering of Jesus on the cross. He took the curse of sin upon Himself. When Israel entered the Promised Land, the supernatural provision of manna ceased. Now they had to eat the produce of the land which included corn, etc. Divine inspiration of Scripture means that in the original language, the record of events is correct. Earlier, so called “higher critics” disputed that accuracy, but later scholarship confirms that the Biblical account is correct. Dr. Bryant Wood (PhD, University of Toronto), who has been a guest of mine on the 100 Huntley Street telecast, conducted excavations beginning in 1995 which meet all the requirements for the Biblical city of Ai. As we read the history of Israel, we can be confident that we are learning what actually happened. Click here for a documentary about the fall of Jericho featuring Dr. Bryant Wood.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, there is so much I don’t understand. I’m looking back more than three millennia in today’s reading. But what I do understand is that I must visit daily my personal altar, and also my family altar. Please help me, by Your grace, to be faithful in this commitment. In the Name of the One who is always faithful, the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
If you have a response to the horrors of war like I do, you struggle with understanding God’s role in human history. In my lifetime I’ve seen genocide in Europe; I’ve visited the death camps where men, women and children perished. Rwanda in Africa and Cambodia in Asia experienced unspeakable man-made destruction of human life. I could go on and on writing of such events throughout the entirety of human history. Nevertheless, I am confident that God looks at history through the lens of eternity, and God, who will put the final period to the last history book, will provide justice for every man, woman, and child whose human life was destroyed, but whose eternal soul is in His hands. This knowledge gives me peace.
Yours for a daily altar of blessing, and for the peace that passes understanding,
David
P.S. The composer of the song, “It is well with my soul,” suffered great personal loss. This song was his response (click here).
Great photo, scripture, and message David; thank you; will check the last two links, later. Thanks Ron for doing the vlog for your dad, so well. There is such conflict and unspeakable pain throughout the world and yet we have Jesus who suffered that we may rise above it with His ever-lasting love and forgiveness. Praying today for those who are lost in the world to come to know Him as we do. Blessings fellow saints in the Lord.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Psalm 46:5 NIV
Chris Tomlin “Jesus” LIVE at K-LOVE Radio (such a favourite!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4I6_1IR4Jg
P.S. Praying for you, today, dear David!
Hello,David.Your words above triggered the memory of this poem with those exact words being the first line of this poem.(I was a baby Christian when I wrote this.)We forget that in God’s laws those who refuse to worship Him have turned to false gods making them His enemy.However,I could not kill without Him enabling me,His ways are not our ways nor His thoughts the same as our thoughts.He is the Creator and may do as He sees right.
The Lens Of Eternity
Through the lens of eternity,
God sees the hope that grows,
And while we ponder on infinity,
He’s the only one who knows.
So Lord and blessed Father,
Let us be worthy of your love,
That we might all pull together,
To cleanse the pathway above.
For how long we sought to know,
That salvation in us was bound ,
But then you came here to show,
That only through You it is found.
Satan feared and so he sought,
To stop You and the hope You brought,
For he wanted all to be for naught,
But You won the greatest battle fought.
G W (Bill) Marshall/ Oct 14,2012
Well said, Bill Marshall!!
Agree with you David. Every wrong will be righted in the end. And every show of righteousness either individually or nation wise will be rewarded, Praise God! That gives us hope, and echoes Psalm 46:5 Beverlee. Amen? Love that verse. Praying for you David. God bless. Ger
Amen, Ger!
Thanks Sah for your comments from yesterday, and for your prayers and others. Amen to finding your glove, God cares about the little things as well as the big.
Bless you Pastor David always enjoy your words on the daily readings.
Eleanor M.
Amen
It is still hard to read of the slaughter of a whole town, but knowing God is in control and we can and will trust His Divine being helped s.
Thank you Pastor David for your continued faithfulness in helping us understand more and more as we daily read His Word.
Praying you are gaining strength each day to return to feeling 100% again.
Thanking the Crossroads family and especially Norma-Jean for her care of you.
Blessings and prayers to all. Eleanor I pray you are improving.
This Biblical narrative is hard to understand. As you said Pastor David, God’s role in human history is sometimes hard to understand. The massacre of an entire town is hard to reconcile with God as a loving father. I’m a mature and committed Christian and it leaves me scratching my head, I can only imagine how confusing it is to a seeker or a new Christian. This obviously goes beyond my human comprehension and intelligence to figure out. I still trust God.
Just like Sodom & Gomorrah, the sin of the nations in the land of promise had come to the full. (See Genisis 15:12-16 Notice here that Abram is told by God that the Amorites sin had not come to the full yet. When Israel went in to conquer the promised land their sin had come to the full and therefore God’s judgement of total destruction of peoples of this land had come.They were so wicket that God, in His justice had to destroy them entirely. If mercy had been shown to them and some were allowed to live, they would have continued to be wicked and they would have contaminated Israel with their wickedness. God’s patience comes to an end and His judgement falls on the wicked.)
Please, note that the destruction of these nations lasted only a short period of time. Later in scripture when Israel went to capture other cities, they were instruments te first of all offer terms of peace. If the nation did not accept the terms of peace, then Israel was not to kill the women and children. They were also allowed to keep the spoils of war as in the case of Ai and the other nations they conquered in the land of promise.
Please note that in the last paragraph it should read, ” they were instructed to firstof all to offer terms of peace.” This was the instruction after the nations were conquered that were in the land of The Cannanites. I’ve tried to find the scripture on this, but so far I have not been able to find it. But l assure you their is such a passage of sripture with regard to this matter.
Your photo Pastor David, with your explanation emphasizes today’s scripture reading:
Yes it is hard to understand the evil in man; the wars of scripture and the wars of our time. Difficult to take it all in!!!
Perhaps some day we will understand?
Praise God He is in control of all things and knows all things. In Him we put our trust!!! Leaning on the Everlasting Arms!!!