Joshua 6:21-27

They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, "Go into the prostitute's house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her." So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother and brothers and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the LORD's house. But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: "Cursed before the LORD is the man who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:
"At the cost of his firstborn son
will he lay its foundations;
at the cost of his youngest
will he set up its gates."

So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.


As I was reading this passage, I realised that there are a lot of things that we can draw out from this passage regarding our responses to God. Firstly, the survival of Rahab and her family means one thing. That she had heeded the spies' instruction and that the Israelites were able to recognise her house during the taking of Jericho. What can this tell us about her and God? I am thinking, she hid the men believing that God was with Israel and she held on to the faith. We believe in Christ believing that God has redeemed us, but do we continue to hold on to the faith? I am thinking about my own job search again. I am leaning towards the job at MFA although I dun even know if I am going into the second stage of selection. Dreamworks Advertising seems like they want to employ me after today's second interview, immediately somemore. Where can I turn to for guidance other than God? Yet, can I hold on in faith that God will provide me the right job given this situation, the timing just doesn't match... I believe I can. There is a high possibility that a job offer is coming my way, but I am praying that if God intends me to go into MFA, the selection into the second stage will be the confirmation fleece. I am praying this. Otherwise, maybe Dreamworks Advertising... though my dad will be fuming....

Secondly, the Israelites devoted the city to God. I dun know how many people will bother to go and read the footnotes but the footnotes say this about the word 'devoted': The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the LORD, often by totally destroying them. I know a lot of people, including some people in Hope also, dun read passages in context, but in this case, the footnote is very essential to understand this part. The Israelites were told to destroy the city for God, when it seems, once again, that it may be more sensible to loot and plunder the city. What can this tell us? I think it means when God asks us to give up, we have to give up and sometimes, destroy. What is God asking me and you to give up and destroy today as an offering to Him? For myself, I believe it is still regarding my own job search and my own future that God is calling me to give up to Him, though I dun think it will turn out that drastic that He wants me to destroy my own career for Him, unless it means that He has something extremely outstanding in store for me. Which I think we should not doubt so if this happens. But any strongholds that we need to destroy? Maybe our desire to have more control over our own destiny? I was talking to someone today, a guy from NCC, about relationship. He mentions that we should start early in terms of relationship. I didn't voice out but I think I disagree with him. I think senseless exploring may still be senseless. Sometimes we can like someone, and insist that that someone is the special one, and how many times do we see break ups over prematured conceived relationship (meaning they got together sooner than advised)? When people break up, it sometimes causes hurt. Not that this will not happen when we thought through it carefully, but I believe that people get into relationship too fast. We want to control our own destiny too readily. Maybe this is one area that we need to constantly destroy.

So how about you?

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