No Escape

Joshua 8:18-23

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand. 19 As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.
20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. 21 For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22 Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives. 23 But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

Hostage

In a TV Show, a terrorist group came and took all the partygoers as hostage. The police officers responded and waited for the right timing. They coordinated what they needed to do. When police commander gave the signal to move, the terrorists were surprised and captured. The police officers were able to save all hostages alive.

It says in Ephesians 6:12, 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

As Christians, we respond and rescue those who are still taken hostage by worldly lifestyle. We need to have a collaboration of effort. We need to listen to the go signal from the Lord for right timing for us to have a coordinated approach.
We need to hear the Lord’s voice to have unity. God’s signal brings victory.
At the first attack against Ai, the Israelites did not wait upon the Lord. They trusted on their own opinion. In Joshua 7:2-3, 2 Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. 3 When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.”

Joshua took similar approach. Before they attack Jericho, he sent spies. He also sent spies to Ai. The spies gave their suggestions. They conquered Jericho but they were defeated in Ai. In Jericho they followed God’s strategy. In Ai, they followed their idea.
In all situations, familiar or not, we need to seek instruction and right timing from God. The Lord told Joshua to give signal when to attack. They captured the city of Ai.

1. Captured

18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your ‎hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the ‎javelin that was in his hand. 19 As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose ‎quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it ‎and quickly set it on fire.

The Lord Himself instructed Joshua to hold his javelin toward Ai as signal their signal to attack. The javelin could be a piece of wood with sharp point like spear. That pointed javelin like spear helps us imagine that the Israelites did not have modern armament. They did not use the swords and spears of the people of Jericho.
They implemented the ambush strategy that the Lord commanded. In Jericho, the sound of trumpet was their signal. In Ai, Joshua’s javelin was their signal. They captured the city of Ai. Very quickly, they set ‎it on fire. ‎ Their victory came from the Lord. ‎
Fire is one of the most devastating instruments for destruction. The Israelites destroyed the city and everything in it just as they destroyed Jericho.

Market

Somewhere in the Northern Philippines, the city government proposed a renovation of the public market. Big time vendors favored a better marketplace but smaller vendors did not like it. If the marketplace is improved, it would mean higher rent.
For big time merchants, better market could attract more customers. For small vendors, they could lose income during the months of renovation. There’s disagreement between the government and the small vendors. The renovation project was delayed.
Then fire destroyed the market. The government was able to implement their project. Nobody admitted who started the fire. The renovation project was completed.

The Israelites used fire to destroy everything in Ai. Interestingly, the Holy Spirit came like fire. In Acts 2:3-4, 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Before the disciples received the Holy Spirit, they were so afraid to go out. The Holy Spirit in the form of fire destroyed the fear and hesitation in the hearts of the disciples. They became fearless and daring witnesses for the Lord Jesus.
It says in 2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.

When the Lord is at work in our life, we cannot escape His grace. God wants us to get caught in His project. When we rely upon the Spirit of the Lord, there’s no fear, no timidity but there’s power and desire to be involved in His project. When the Holy Spirit gives discernment of what God is doing, He gives us enthusiasm to be involved.
The Israelites captured the city of Ai after they implemented the instruction of the Lord through Joshua. Joshua ordered them to set an ambush and set Ai on fire. The men of Ai saw smoke going up from their city. They were caught in the middle of battle.

2. Caught

20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the ‎sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been ‎fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. 21 For when ‎Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going ‎up from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22 Those in the ambush ‎also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with ‎Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor ‎fugitives. 23 But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.‎

The men of Ai were very confident that they would defeat the Israelites again.
They were caught in surprise when their city went up in smoke. During the first attack, the Israelites were also very confident in themselves and the men of Ai defeated them. But when they waited on the instruction of the Lord, they were victorious.
Confidence in human effort brings terrible defeat and frustration.

US Election

News articles have explained different assumptions on how the winner in US Election was victorious. Some said that particular religious groups carried the winner. Others blame the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) report contributed to the result.
From those who supported and prayed for the winner, they believe that the winner relied upon supernatural intervention of God. The winner asked favor from religious leaders to pray for him. He surrounded himself with strong evangelical influence.
In contrast, the other candidate relied upon political machinery. There was no known evangelical influence in her inner circle.

The media influence people to believe and rely upon tested and proven human efforts. Human efforts are beneficial to life in this world. As Christians, we live in this world but we are also citizens of heaven. While we live in this world we should not forget that our life on earth has spiritual effect to us.
As believers, we should be more dependent upon the Lord. When there’s so much confidence in human effort, there’s always a tendency to forget and ignore the Lord. When situation becomes uncertain, God has positioned us to seek His help.

It says in Psalms 33:16-22, 16 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. 18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. 22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.

King David became a great warrior not because he has valiant soldiers but because he depended and waited upon the Lord. King David was victorious in all his battles. He was never defeated in battle because he waited and sought the Lord’s favor.
Bible scholars suggest that when David ordered a census on the numbers of his soldiers, his heart entertained the pride of having the best armed forces that gave him victories. God punished Israel because of his wicked decision.
There are times when we make terrible decisions. God allows us also to commit mistakes to teach us not to rely upon human effort but to bring us to His embrace.
Variety of human ideas and expertise bring confusion. Keep on seeking the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to discern which one should be followed. Pray and seek the Lord’s guidance which idea may benefit you and help you to grow spiritually.

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