Joshua
– Living As A Consistent Role Model
Lesson 10: "Back to Basics" Joshua 8:30-35
"Meditate on it day and night…" Joshua 1:8
Contrasts
- Fundamentals first; in learning to read, sports, musical instruments, mastering professional skills, military, etc…
- We see some striking contrasts in this part of Joshua
- Victory at Jericho vs. defeat at Ai
- Defeat at Ai vs. victory at Ai
- King of Ai buried beneath stones ® Joshua built an altar (v. 29,30)
- This passage may refer to events that happened later
Back to the Basics; God’s Conditions for Success
- "Be careful to do according to all the law" (1:7)
- "Do not turn from it to the right or to the left" (1:7)
- "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth" (1:8)
- "You shall meditate on it day and night" (1:8)
- "Be careful to do according to all that is written in it" (1:8)
Reviewing God’s laws; What actually happened?
- Shechem was at the foot of Mount Ebal
- Abraham built an altar at Shechem, his first in the land of Canaan (Gen. 12:6,7)
- Moses commanded the people to build an altar on Mount Ebal (Deut. 27:1-4)
- Also, people were to write the law on stone slabs (Deut. 27:2-4)
- Half the people were to stand on Mt. Ebal, and half on Mt. Gerizim
- From those two mountains, blessings and curses were to be read (Deut. 27:9-28)
- Deut. Ch. 28 records blessings for obedience, and curses for disobedience
2 Principles
#1) We must take time on a consistent basis to maintain and regain perspective on God’s will for our lives
- Reviewing the teachings of Scripture
- Maintaining our relationship with God
#2)
God never promised that He would specifically reveal His will directly to us every time we need to make a decision
- This was true in OT days, it is much more so today
- Some important guidelines
- Are there any statements in God’s Word in opposition to this decision?
- What do other mature Christians think about this decision?
- What circumstances point to the fact that this may be right or wrong?
- How do I feel about this decision?
For next week, read Joshua Ch. 9
