Under Gods Command
Proverbs 26:7 – Like a lame man’s legs that hang limp is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Some people are so dulled that they won’t sense the wisdom even if they memorize these proverbs. A mindlessly quoted proverb proves as useless as a paralyzed body part. Only those who want to be wise have the receptive attitude needed to make the most of these wise words. If we want to learn from God, he will respond and pour out this heart to us.
Under Gods Command
Joshua 8:02 You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city”
Why did God allow the Israelites to keep the plunder and livestock this time? Israel’s laws for handling the spoils of war covered two situations. (1) Cities like Jericho which were under God’s ban (judgment for idolatry) could not be looted (see Deuteronomy 20:16-18). God’s people were to be kept holy and separate from every influence of idolatry. (2) The distribution of plunder from cities not under the ban was a normal part of warfare. It provided the army and the nation with the necessary food, flocks and weapons needed to sustain itself in wartime. Ai was not under the ban. The conquering army needed the food and equipment. Because soldiers were not paid, the loot was part of their incentive and reward for going to war.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 25:26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.
“Give way to the wicked” means setting aside your standard of right and wrong. No one is helped by someone who compromises with the wicked.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 24:26 An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.
A kiss on the lips was a sign of true friendship. People often think that they should bend the truth to avoid hurting a friend. But one who gives an honest answer is a true friend. To be entrusted with the truth even at the risk of offense, says this proverb, represents a gesture of high honor.
Under Gods Command
Joshua 8:01 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the King of Ai, his people, his city and his land.
After Israel had been cleansed from Achan’s sin, Joshua prepared to attack Ai again-this time to win. Joshua had learned some lessons that we can follow:
1. Confess your sins when God reveals them to you.
2. When you fail, refocus on God, deal with the problem, and move on.
God want s the cycle of sin, repentance, and forgiveness to strengthen us, not weaken us. The lessons we learn from our failures should make us better able to handle the same situation the second time around, Because God is eager to give us cleansing, forgiveness, and strength, the only way to lose is to give up. We can tell what kind of people we are by what we do on the second and third attempts.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 23:12
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
The people most likely to gain knowledge are those who are willing to listen. It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to pay attention to what others have to say. People who are eager to listen continue to learn and grow throughout their lives. If we refuse to become set in our ways, we can always expand the limits of our knowledge.
Under Gods Command
Joshua 7:24-25 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The LORD will bring trouble on you today. Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them.
Achan underestimated God and didn’t take his commands seriously (6:18). Taking a robe, along with some silver and gold, may have seemed a small thing to Achan, but the effects of his sin were felt by the entire nation, especially his family. Like Achan, our actions affect more people than just ourselves. Beware of the temptation to rationalize your sins by saying they are too small or too personal to hurt anyone buy you. What sins have we committed that effected our entire family? Is there any sin that is floating around in your house right now? Just remember, sin has drastic consequences. We might not get stoned to death, but we still face drastic consequences.
Achan’s entire family paid for this sin. The family was treated as a whole in the ancient world. Achan, as the head of his family, was like a tribal chief. If he prospered, the family prospered with him. If he suffered, so did them. Many Israelites had already died in battle because of Achan’s sin. Now he was to be completely cut off from Israel. In ancient cultures this punishment was common. The punishment fit the crime: Achan had disobeyed God’s command to destroy everything in Jericho; as a result everything that belonged to Achan had to be destroyed. Sin has drastic consequences, so we should take drastic measures to avoid it.
Under Gods Command
Joshua 7:10-12 The LORD said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.
Why did Achan’s sin bring judgment on the entire nation? Although it was one man’s failure, God saw it as national disobedience to a national law. God needs the entire nation to be committed to the job they had agreed to do-conquer the land. As a result, when one person failed, everyone failed. If Achan’s sin went unpunished, unlimited looting could break out. The nation as a whole had to take responsibility for preventing this undisciplined disobedience.
Achan’s sin was not merely his keeping some of the plunder (God allowed it in some cases), but his disobeying God’s explicit command to destroy everything connected with Jericho. Achan’s sin was indifference to the evil and idolatry of the city, not just a desire for money and clothes. God would not protect Israel’s army again until the sin was removed and the army returned to obeying him without reservation. God is not content with our doing what is right some of the time. We are under his orders to eliminate any thoughts, practices, or possessions that hinder our devotion to him.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 20:23 – The LORD detests differing weights, and dishonest scales do not please him.
Differing weights refers to the loaded scales a merchant might use in order to cheat the customers. Dishonesty is a difficult sin to avoid. It is easy to cheat if we think no one else is looking. But dishonesty affects the very core of a person. It makes him untrustworthy and untrusting. It eventually makes him unable to know himself to relate to others. Don’t take dishonesty lightly. Even the smallest portion of dishonesty contains enough of the poison of deceit to kill your spiritual life. If there is any dishonesty in your life, tell God about it now.
Under Gods Command
Proverbs 19:01 – Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.
A blameless life is far more valuable than wealth, but most people don’t act as if they believe this. Afraid of not getting everything they want, they will pay any price to increase their wealth-cheating on their taxes, stealing from stores or employers, withholding tithes, refusing to give. But when we know and love God, we realize that a lower standard of living-or even poverty- is a small price to pay for personal integrity. Do your actions show that you sacrifice your integrity to increase your wealth? What changes do you need to make in order to get your priorities straight?
Under Gods Command 