Lesson 7
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Inhabiting the Promised Land
Get up! consecrate the people and say, "Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, 'There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.'" Joshua 7:13
Joshua 7
Read Joshua 7:1-9
1. After Israel's supernatural victory at Jericho, they now face the seemingly smaller challenge of Ai. What hints do you find in verses 1-9 that show that in their post-victory confidence, Israel is viewing Ai as a battle to be won on natural rather than supernatural grounds?
2. While thirty-six casualties may not sound like a great loss, Israel's response to defeat tells us something about their expectations of victory. Their response also tells us about their spiritual condition. What do we learn from the following verses about the virtue of courage?
3. Israel was defeated at Ai, not because a lack of strength, but because there was sin in the camp. Holy war is always a battle of faith, not of strength, and Israel's confidence was misplaced. Rather than having the confidence in God that is borne of faith, they had the self-confidence that needs nothing more than natural thinking. How does Joshua's prayer in Joshua 7:7 reveal that failure led to doubt?
Read Joshua 7:10-26
4. In Joshua's dismay, God is still present. God comes to him with the challenge, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?" God then offers Joshua a diagnosis to Israel's problem as well as a remedy.a) To what does God attribute Israel's failure at Ai? b) What remedy does God prescribe to Israel in order that they can again be victorious?
5. The penalty for Achan's sin seems harsh, but the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Achan had transgressed the covenant. In keeping the things devoted to destruction, he himself had become devoted to destruction. Holy war is God's battle. God cannot be mocked, and sin always has consequences. What do the following New Testament verses teach us about sin and our relationship to God?
6. What do we learn from the following verses about qualities and attitudes that bring us near to God?
7. What have you learned this week about God's character, and how does that knowledge affect your response to him?
Copyright © 2007, Carol Duffy. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Read Mark Learn Bible Studies
Inhabiting the Promised Land
Get up! consecrate the people and say, "Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, 'There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.'" Joshua 7:13
Joshua 7
Read Joshua 7:1-9
1. After Israel's supernatural victory at Jericho, they now face the seemingly smaller challenge of Ai. What hints do you find in verses 1-9 that show that in their post-victory confidence, Israel is viewing Ai as a battle to be won on natural rather than supernatural grounds?
2. While thirty-six casualties may not sound like a great loss, Israel's response to defeat tells us something about their expectations of victory. Their response also tells us about their spiritual condition. What do we learn from the following verses about the virtue of courage?
- Joshua 1:9
- Daniel 11:32
- Philippians 1:28
- 2 Timothy 1:7
3. Israel was defeated at Ai, not because a lack of strength, but because there was sin in the camp. Holy war is always a battle of faith, not of strength, and Israel's confidence was misplaced. Rather than having the confidence in God that is borne of faith, they had the self-confidence that needs nothing more than natural thinking. How does Joshua's prayer in Joshua 7:7 reveal that failure led to doubt?
Read Joshua 7:10-26
4. In Joshua's dismay, God is still present. God comes to him with the challenge, "Get up! Why have you fallen on your face?" God then offers Joshua a diagnosis to Israel's problem as well as a remedy.a) To what does God attribute Israel's failure at Ai? b) What remedy does God prescribe to Israel in order that they can again be victorious?
5. The penalty for Achan's sin seems harsh, but the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Achan had transgressed the covenant. In keeping the things devoted to destruction, he himself had become devoted to destruction. Holy war is God's battle. God cannot be mocked, and sin always has consequences. What do the following New Testament verses teach us about sin and our relationship to God?
- Romans 8:13
- Ephesians 5:5
- 1 Peter 5:5
6. What do we learn from the following verses about qualities and attitudes that bring us near to God?
- James 4:10
- Acts 3:19-20
- Isaiah 57:15
7. What have you learned this week about God's character, and how does that knowledge affect your response to him?
Copyright © 2007, Carol Duffy. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
