Steven A. Bush - November 19, 2023
Oh Me, Oh My, They Snookered Ai!
After a crushing loss to the small city of Ai, the Lord fingered one of Israel's own as the root cause of their defeat. A man named Achan had stollen forbidden plunder from the ruins of Jericho. He essentially stole from God! Achan, along with his family, suffered gruesome executions as a consequence. Following this, God summoned Israel to face Ai again, this time with His blessing as well as a very clever battle plan. But even before those plans are laid out in detail, God promises victory. Joshua 8:1 declares it: "And the LORD said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.'" (ESV) The rest are mere details. The bottom line in this story and a thousand others is this: Can God be trusted? Can we take Him at His Word? Many stalwart men of faith through the years have shared this simple but astute adage: "God said it; I believe it, that settles it!" How stiffly we can salute those words! Yay and Amen!
Scripture References: Joshua 8:1-29, Deuteronomy 21:22-23, 2 Corinthians 9:15, Psalms 103:11-12, 1 John 4:10