JOSHUA
LESSON #8
JOSHUA 7
LESSON #8
OVERCOME BY NOT ROBBING GOD
MEMORY VERSE: LUKE 6:38
READ JOS 7:1-9
WHY WAS GOD ANGRY WITH ALL THE PEOPLE FOR ONE MAN'S SIN? (VERSE 1)
IT WAS A VIOLATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF UNITY. WE ARE OUR BROTHER'S KEEPERS TO SOME EXTENT.
WHY DID THE ISRAELITES FAIL TO CONQUER THE CITY OF AI?
GOD COULDN'T GIVE THEM THE REST OF THE CITIES UNTIL THE FIRST ONE WAS FULLY DEDICATED TO GOD. GOD DIDN'T DIRECT THEM TO GO ON TO AI (VERSE 2). IT WAS OVER SELF-CONFIDENCE AS THEY SENT 3,000 INSTEAD OF THE 30,000 GOD TOLD THEM TO TAKE IN 8:3.
JOSHUA WAS UNAWARE GOD WAS NOT WITH HIM.
READ JOS 7:10-21
"ISRAEL HAS SINNED" = BOTH ACHAN'S SIN AND JOSHUA'S (VERSE 11).
SIN CAUSES SEPARATION FROM GOD AND CAUSES THE BLESSING FLOW TO STOP (VERSE 12).
NOTICE IT WAS A NARROWING DOWN FROM TRIBE TO FAMILY TO THE
INDIVIDUAL DETERMINED BY LOT.
ACHAN'S CONFESSION (VERSE 20):
THE OBJECTS HE TOOK:
A GARMENT SIGNIFYING SUCCESS, POWER.
SILVER AND GOLD SIGNIFYING WEALTH.
READ JOS 7:22-26
JUDGMENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
(VERSE 24)
ALL BELONGING TO ACHAN WERE STONED AND BURNED AS ACCURSED OR DEDICATED TO GOD.
READ MAL 3:7-12
WHAT WAS THE OLD TESTAMENT OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS?
THE MEANING OF THE TITHE = 1/10 OF ALL INCOME.
THE TITHE EXISTED BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW. SEE GEN 14:17-20 AND
GEN 28:22.
THE TITHE ACCORDING TYO THE MOSAIC LAW:
WHAT WAS TITHED? (LEV 27:30-32)
A PERSON COULD REDEEM OR BUY BACK CROPS AND FRUIT BY ADDING 1/5 TO THE VALUE, THEREBY GIVING MONEY INSTEAD.
A PERSON COULD NEVER REDEEM OR BUY BACK ANIMALS.
TO WHOM WERE THE TITHES PAID? THE PRIESTS.
1/10 OF THE TITHE WAS USED BY THE PRIESTS PERSONALLY. 9/10 OF THE TITHE WAS USED FOR THE TABERNACLE.
HOW WAS THE TITHE USED?
DEU 14:22-27 10% OF PRODUCE AND ANIMALS WAS USED AT HARVEST TO MAKE A THANKSGIVING DINNER TO BE EATEN BY THE HOUSEHOLD WITH THE LEVITES AT THE SANCTUARY.
DEU 14:28-29 EVERY THIRD YEAR 10% OF PRODUCE AND ANIMALS WAS TO BE STORED AND USED BY THE LEVITES, FOREIGNERS, ORPHANS, AND WIDOWS AS WELFARE.
NUM 18:21-32 10% WAS GIVEN TO THE LEVITES ANNUALLY. GEN 14
LEV 27:30-33.
THE TITHE TAKEN TO EXTREME:
THE TALMUD EXTENDED THE MOSAIC LAW CONCERNING TITHES. SEE MAT 23:23 AND LUK 11:42.
WHAT WAS GOD’S PURPOSE IN HAVING PEOPLE TITHE?
SEE DEU 14:23…THAT WE LEARN TO FEAR THE LORD ALWAYS.
THE OFFERING (OVER AND ABOVE THE TITHE):
IT WAS GIVEN IN GRATITUDE FOR GOD’S BLESSING.
IT WAS GIVEN TO ATONE FOR SPECIFIC SINS.
IT WAS A FREEWILL OFFERING AT THE DISCRETION OF THE GIVER.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF GOD’S BLESSINGS? (MAL 3:12)
IT WAS NOT TO MAKE US MATERIALISTIC MINDED.
IT WAS NOT TO MAKE US FORGET GOD AS THE SOURCE OF BLESSINGS.
IT WAS NOT TO MAKE US LUST AFTER MORE.
IT WAS NOT TO MAKE US THINK WE CAN BUY GOD’S FAVOR.
IT WAS NOT TO MAKE US PRIDEFUL THAT WE ARE BETTER THAN THOSE WHO HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SAME BLESSINGS.
GOD’S BLESSINGS ARE TO MAKE GOD’S BLESSED PEOPLE FUNCTION MORE EFFICIENTLY FOR GOD BECAUSE THEY ENABLE US TO HELP OTHERS.
GOD’S BLESSEINGS ARE TO MAKE GOD’S PEOPLE FUNCTION AS GOD’S WITNESS TO
AN UNBELIEVING WORLD. THEY ARE TO MAKE US EXAMPLES OF GOD’S POWER. PEOPLE WILL LOOK
AT US AND SAY, "WHAT A BLESSING IT MUST BE TO SERVE THE ONE TRUE GOD."
ROBBING GOD IS A CURSE:
IF WE DON'T GIVE IT TO GOD IT'S APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION.
PRINCIPLES FROM JOSHUA 6 AND 7.
WHAT IMPORTANT LESSONS (PRINCIPLES) DID YOU LEARN ABOUT GOD'S WAYS OF ACCOMPLISHING THINGS?
FIRST FRUITS JOS 7:12. GIVE TO GOD AND HE WILL GIVE TO YOU.
HUMILITY AND RELIANCE ON GOD LEAD TO VICTORY.
UNITY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS BLESSES THE WHOLE GROUP.
HOUSEHOLD TO SEE THAT GOD GETS WHAT IS DUE JOS 7:24-25.
A MAN’S RIGHTEOUSNESS POSITIVELY AFFECTS HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD.
CAN YOU THINK OF ANY NEW TESTAMENT STORY THAT PARALLELS THE STORY OF ACHAN? ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA IN ACTS 5:1-11
MEMORIALS:
1. 12 STONES IN GILGAL
MARK THE PLACE OF YOUR NEW BIRTH EXPERIENCE WHERE YOU WERE RAISED WITH CHRIST WITH NEWNESS OF LIFE JOS 4:3.
2. 12 STONES IN THE JORDAN
MARK THE PLACE WHERE YOU WERE BAPTIZED AND BURIED WITH CHRIST IN THE WATERS OF BAPTISM JOS 4:9.
3. STONES IN THE VALLEY OF ACHOR
WHAT SIGNIFICANCE IS THE NEW MEMORIAL IN JOSHUA 7:26?
MARK THE PLACE WHERE GOD TAUGHT YOU THAT ROBBING GOD IS A CURSE AND THAT SIN AND DISOBEDIENCE BRING DESTRUCTION JOS 7:26.
ACHOR MEANS = "TROUBLE".
FORGIVE THE PUN BUT IF YOU'RE IN THE VALLEY OF TROUBLE YOU'RE "ACHAN."
IS THE BATTLE EVER THE SAME AFTER SIN AND DISOBEDIENCE HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH? WE WILL SEE IN THE NEXT LESSON.
PRAYER:
WE HAVE ALL BEEN GUILTY OF ROBBING GOD: GLORY AND HONOR, A WORD OF WITNESS, A TITHE, TIME, TALENT, ETC.
PRAY AND ASK GOD’S FORGIVENESS.
HOMEWORK FOR JOSHUA 8
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF JOSHUA 7:
IS THERE A PROMISE YOU HAVE MADE TO GOD, THAT YOU HAVE
NOT KEPT?
IS THERE AN AREA OF YOUR FINANCES WHERE YOU HAVE NOT TRUSTED GOD?
IS THERE AN AREA OF YOUR LIFE THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO GIVE OVER
TO HIM, THAT YOU HAVE NOT YIELDED?
PREPARATION FOR JOSHUA 8
READ JOSHUA 8:1-13
IS THE SPIRITUAL BATTLE EVER THE SAME AFTER SIN AND DISOBEDIENCE HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH? WHY? OR WHY NOT?
READ JOSHUA 8:14-29
WHAT NEW ATTITUDES MUST BE PRESENT TO GAIN VICTORY AFTER SIN?
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE TO US TODAY OF THE FOURTH MEMORIAL JOSHUA ESTABLISHED IN JOS 8:29?
READ JOSHUA 8:30-35
READ DEU 27:9-13 JOHN 4:5-9,20-24
WHY DID THEY BUILD THE ALTAR ON MT. EBAL?
WHY WAS THE ALTAR MADE OF WHOLE UNCUT STONES?
WHAT SIGNIFICANCE TO US TODAY IS THIS OBJECT LESSON OF THE TWO MOUNTAINS?
THINK ABOUT IT:
IS BREAKING A PROMISE JUSTIFIED WHEN IT WAS OBTAINED
DECEITFULLY BY OTHERS?
MEMORY VERSE: JOHN 4:24