Last week, we saw that God Himself is involved in a conflict that is far greater than any war or battle fought in human history, a battle that permeates every aspect of our lives. We saw, too, that the events of both biblical and secular history can be fully understood only in light of this conflict. This week, we continue to explore the complexity of divinely sanctioned wars, the limitations and conditions of divine war, the final vision of peace offered by the Old Testament prophets, and the spiritual implications of such wars.
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The Conflict Behind All Conflicts
How can we understand that God’s chosen people carried out such practices in Old Testament times? How is it possible to reconcile the image of a “warlike” God with His character of love (for example, Exod. 34:6, Ps. 86:15, Ps. 103:8, Ps. 108:4) without diluting the credibility, authority, and historicity of the Old Testament? This week and next, we are going to explore the difficult question of divinely commanded wars in the book of Joshua and elsewhere.
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Memorials of Grace
As human beings, we are prone to forget things that are not constantly in our sight. We forget to return phone calls, respond to emails, water the plants, send birthday wishes, and so forth. The list could go on. Forgetting about our spiritual needs, however, could have more severe consequences than simply receiving a fine, especially because we are dealing with what is, literally, our eternal destiny. Let’s study the crossing of the Jordan by the Hebrews and see what we can learn from their experiences.
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Surprised by Grace
Israel has a second chance of entering the Promised Land, and Joshua takes this mission seriously. Expectations run high, but the last time Israel was at the border and had the same task, it resulted in an abysmal failure. This week, we will explore two of the most fascinating stories of the book of Joshua and discover their relevance to our faith today. God’s grace has infinite possibilities to surprise us.
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Recipe for Success
The book of Joshua is about new possibilities. Moses, who had dominated 40 years of Israel’s history, belonged in the past. The Exodus from Egypt and the wanderings in the wilderness, tragically marked by rebellion and stubbornness, had ended. A new generation, willing to obey God, was ready to enter the Promised Land, not as an expectation to live up to but as a possibility to live into. Let’s study the way God opened up a new chapter in Israel’s life, and how He can do the same in ours as well.
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