Toxic Masculinity? Please! Hello, General Joshua! Sunday/Wed Series, Post 6, May 19, 2019

Welcome My Friends, and thank you all for returning, or for those who are 'new', thank you for joining our 'bible studying family' via the 'Internet'. 

Thank you all and bless you all for continuing to have a 'heart' to study the Holy Bible with me and Jesus, through the enlightening by the Holy Spirit. [Psalms 37; 73; 119; John 14:26]

Returning to the 'Book of Joshua'. Now that we have had some Introductory Comments for our Sunday/Wednesday Bimonthly Series. 
Post 1 of 4, February 24, 2019; Post 2 of 4, February 27, 2019'
Post 3 of 4, March 24, 2019; Post 4 of 4, March 27, 2019;

Let's begin to get into:
The 'Nuts and Bolts' with Outline - the Book of Joshua
Post 1, Part A-B;  April 7, 2019; Post 2, April 10, 2019; [A Special Post for Easter, April 21, 2019]; Post 3, April 24, 2019.  The 'Character of Joshua', Posts 4 A, 2-parts, May 5, 2019; Post 5, May 8, 2019.

Continuing today, May 19, 2019, Post 6.​

The 'Man' - and 'His Character' - 'Joshua'.  Part C
The 'book', 'J0shua'.  

In this book we find accounts of what 'pleases God' the most, faithfulness, and the 'blessings of 'success: Rahab the harlot (Joshua 2:1–21; Hebrews 11:6), the battle of Jericho (6:1–27), and Caleb the warrior (14:6–14).

We also witness disobedience and its consequences: Achan’s sin (7:1) and the resulting loss at Ai (7:5), failure of some tribes to annihilate the enemy as God commanded, and even Joshua making a treaty with the Gibeonites without first seeking the Lord (9:1–27).  audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html

The book of Joshua was written to the descendants of those who conquered the land, as a historical account of how they had come to settle there. It celebrates God as general, defender, and king. It shows the geographical boundaries given to each tribe of Israel. Even more significantly, the book of Joshua serves as the connecting narrative between the days of Moses and the days of the judges, during which the book was first circulated. That which Moses began and endured in the wilderness, Joshua was able to claim victoriously in the land.

God’s promises through the ages were being fulfilled before the people’s eyes. “Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45). ​

Now, for the 21st Century.  Let us carefully stop and consider the information above.  To whom did God give the 'land of Israel'; and 'when'? Ponder such information when you hear modern 'pondits' talking about 'parting the land of Israel', or even worse, 'annihilating the Jews'.  Remember that what the Lord gives, He does not take back. [Proverbs 15:1; Romans 11:29; James 1:17-19] 

Equally important, let us remember what is written relevant to the Bible for the people of the past, as well as for those of us, today.  We find it specifically given to us at 1 Corinthians 10:6-15, to wit:  

'6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.' [KJV].  audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html  Let us remember:

​audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html
•    In Chapters 1-4, Joshua and the Israelites enter the promise land and in doing so we read of an amazing entry. As they arrive at the Jordan River, we find details of an incredible, miraculous crossing. God shows His incredible grace to a prostitute named Rahab, the ancestress of King David.

After this, Joshua was now to take charge of the armies of God. 'And the word of the Lord came to Joshua saying: "Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel." [Joshua 1:1-2] Joshua had learned well under Moses. He did not hesitate, never considering saying such as  "Lord, I don't know how I am going to take this people over Jordan; it is just harvest-time; all the banks are overflowed. Hadn't we better wait a few weeks, until we can go over at some place and ford it? How am I to get these three million people over?"

No, Joshua had gotten the word from God; and the God that brought them through the Red Sea and through the wilderness could take them over Jordan. The Lord gave orders, that was enough; he got his word and he brings them to Jordan. Joshua demonstrates his faith in God as He follows the orders given to Him and takes leadership of the nation. Joshua truly was “strong and courageous” (1:7).

Their faith must be tried. He will not have a people that he has not tried. He had kept them in the wilderness forty years, and now he brings them in sight of Jordan. If he had brought them up there forty years before, what murmuring there would have been!   Some would have said, such as 'You might as well have let us die down in Egypt, we cannot get across this river; and when the enemy sees us, if we get a bridge or a pontoon across, they will shoot us, and we will be defeated and slain on the banks of the Jordan; we had better have died in Egypt; we had better turn round and go back.'  audio-bible.com/bible/bible.html

That, after all had been the cry in the 'first generation' forty years earlier. [Exodus 14:11-14] But now the 'children' of that generation had gotten faith, and are in sight of Jordan, and there isn't a word of complaint.
Jericho was shut up. Undoubtedly they had heard what great things the Lord had done for the children of Israel; they had got no such God in Jericho. Joshua walks round the walls of Jericho, to see how he is going to take the city, and sees a man standing right in front of him, with a drawn sword over him. The Lord said, "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life." I suppose that is the first time that came into Joshua's mind; and he stepped right up to him and said, "Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?" "No, I am captain of the Lord's host, and come to lead you to victory." Joshua fell on his face, and God talked to him.

It is when men are on their faces, that God talks with them. There are so few willing to humble themselves that God may talk with them and give them the blessings from heaven. How much sport they would have made in Jericho; and if there had been a Jericho Herald, it would have ridiculed taking the city in the way proposed.

On our post on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, we shall see further on the 'entrance into the Promised Land', not by might, nor by power, but, by the Spirit of the Lord. [Zechariah 4:6].  

Thank you for continuing to study with me and Jesus, and may the eyes of your understanding continually be opened wider and wider, in the Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. [ Ephesians 1:18]  Amen. Amen.​

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