Joshua Chapters 1-2, All The Land Promised To Moses and Abraham; Be strong and courageous; Conditional Success; Meditate On Scripture; Contemplative Prayer; Spiritual Formation; Rahab The Harlot; Civil Disobedience; Flax; Scarlet Thread Of Salvation

1. Joshua 1-2
Joshua 1-2, All The Land Promised To Moses and
Abraham; Be strong and courageous; Conditional
Success; Meditate On Scripture; Contemplative
Prayer; Spiritual Formation; Rahab The Harlot; Civil
Disobedience; Flax; Scarlet Thread Of Salvation
• Today's fabulous photo by Zev Rothkoff brings the Bible to life! A modern-day shepherd is overlooking the 4,000 year
old city of Shechem, where the biblical Joseph is buried.

2. BIBLE IN FIVE
Pastor Dave Kooyers
Valley Bible Fellowship
Box 433
Boonville CA 95415
http://www.slideshare.net/dkooyers
www.ValleyBibleFellowship.org
(707) 895-2325
God bless you as you examine His Word,
Your servant in Christ, 2Cor. 4:5
These Microsoft PowerPoint presentations are provided "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ"
(Ephesians 4:12-15). To help Christians to "to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ." So that "we are no longer...tossed here and
there...by every wind of doctrine." They may be downloaded and modified free of charge.
Matthew 10:8 …Freely you received, freely give.

3. Let's you read Joshua 1;
3
• Today's fabulous photo by Zev Rothkoff brings the Bible to life! A
modern-day shepherd is overlooking the 4,000 year old city of
Shechem, where the biblical Joseph is buried.

4. Deuteronomy 29:1,
We’ve Come A Long Way
• Genesis 1-11; 4 events; creation, the fall, the
flood, in the scattering of nations, 2000 years
• Genesis 12-50; 4 men; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
and Joseph, 350 years
• Exodus; Moses, plagues, Passover, Sinai
• Leviticus; laws for the Jews, and Levites
• Numbers; wilderness wanderings
• Deuteronomy; 2nd giving of the Law
4

5. Deuteronomy 29:1,
We’ve Come A Long Way
• NAS Deuteronomy 34:1 Now Moses went up
from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo… And
the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as
far as Dan, …5 So Moses the servant of the
LORD died there in the land of Moab,
according to the word of the LORD. 6 And He
buried him in the valley in the land of Moab,
opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his
burial place to this day.
5

6. 6

7. What Time Is It?

8. Joshua Introduction
• Joshua= “Jehovah saves”
• Author= Joshua (age 90 approx.)
• Date= 1405-1385’ish BC
• Location= Promised Land, Israel/Canaan
8

9. BibleOverview Rose
9

10. Joshua 1
The Bible Confirms The Conquest
• NAU Nehemiah 9:23 "You made their sons numerous as
the stars of heaven, And You brought them into the land
Which You had told their fathers to enter and possess. 24
"So their sons entered and possessed the land. And You
subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the
Canaanites, And You gave them into their hand, with their
kings and the peoples of the land, To do with them as they
desired. 25 "They captured fortified cities and a fertile
land. They took possession of houses full of every good
thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in
abundance. So they ate, were filled and grew fat, And
reveled in Your great goodness.

11. Joshua 1
The Bible Confirms The Conquest
• Psalm 105:27 … 37 Then He brought them out
with silver and gold… 42 For He remembered
His holy word With Abraham His servant; 43
And He brought forth His people with joy, His
chosen ones with a joyful shout. 44 He gave
them also the lands of the nations, That they
might take possession of the fruit of the
peoples' labor, 45 So that they might keep His
statutes And observe His laws, Praise the LORD!

12. Joshua 1
The Bible Confirms The Conquest
• NAU Acts 7:44 "Our fathers had the
tabernacle of testimony in the wilderness,
just as He who spoke to Moses directed
him to make it according to the pattern
which he had seen. 45 "And having
received it in their turn, our fathers
brought it in with Joshua upon
dispossessing the nations whom God
drove out before our fathers, until the
time of David.

13. Joshua 1
The Bible Confirms The Conquest
• NAU Hebrews 11:29 By faith they passed
through the Red Sea as though they were
passing through dry land; and the Egyptians,
when they attempted it, were drowned. 30 By
faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they
had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith
Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those
who were disobedient, after she had welcomed
the spies in peace.

14. Joshua 1:3
All The Land Promised To Moses/ Abraham
• NAU Joshua 1:3 "Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have
given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 "From the wilderness and this
Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of
the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun, will
be your territory.
• NAU Deuteronomy 11:24 "Every place on which the sole of your foot
treads shall be yours; your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon,
and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea.
• NAU Genesis 15:18 …the LORD made a covenant…From the river of Egypt
as far as the great river, the river Euphrates…
• NAU Deuteronomy 34:1 Now Moses… the LORD showed him all the land,
Gilead as far as Dan, 2 and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and
Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3 and the
Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as
Zoar. 4 Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land which I swore to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants’… 5 So
Moses the servant of the LORD died there…

15. Joshua 1:6, Be Strong And Courageous
• NAU Joshua 1:6 "Be strong and courageous, for you
shall give this people possession of the land which I
swore to their fathers to give them.
• NAU Joshua 1:7 "Only be strong and very courageous…
• NAU Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong
and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the
LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
• NAU Joshua 1:18…only be strong and courageous.”
• NAU Joshua 10:25 Joshua then said to them, "Do not
fear or be dismayed! Be strong and courageous, for thus
the LORD will do to all your enemies with whom you
fight."

16. Joshua 1:6, Be Strong And Courageous
• This phrase “be strong” is used in Joshua more
than any other book of the Bible, and 4/5’s of
those uses are in chapter 1.
• The Lord new that for Joshua to fill Moses’
shoes he would need some encouragement.
Thus the repeated commandment to be
strong.
• The Lord is compassionate!
• When the Lord calls He equips.

17. Joshua 1:6, Be Strong And Courageous
• Jerusalem Daily Photo, Today’s photo by Yehoshua
Halevi shows an IDF soldier at the Western Wall in
Jerusalem.

18. Joshua 1:7, Conditional Success
• NAU Joshua 1:7 "Only be strong and very courageous; be
careful to do according to all the law which Moses My
servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or
to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.
• NAU Joshua 7:5 The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six
of their men, and pursued them from the gate as far as
Shebarim and struck them down on the descent, so the
hearts of the people melted and became as water.
• A. W. Tozer said, “The man who is elated by success and cast
down by failure is still a carnal man. At best his fruit will
have a worm in it.”

19. JOSHUA 1:8

20. Joshua 1:8, Meditate On Scripture
• Joshua 1:8 …you shall meditate on it …
• "It is well to meditate upon the things of God, because
we thus get the real nutriment out of them. A man
who hears many sermons, is not necessarily well-
instructed in the faith. We may read so many religious
books, that we overload our brains, and they may be
unable to work under the weight of the great mass of
paper and of printer's ink. The man who reads but one
book, and that book his Bible, and then meditates
much upon it, will be a better scholar in Christ's school
than he who merely reads hundreds of books, and
meditates not at all" (C.H. Spurgeon, "Meditating on
the Scriptures").

21. Joshua 1:8, Meditate On Scripture
• NAU Joshua 1:8 …meditate on it day and night, so
that you may be careful to do according to all that is
written in it; for then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have success.
• “so that”
• You obey
• Prosper
• Have success
• We should “meditate on” the word of God, but not
like the eastern religions and the new age does.
• Just say no to Contemplative Prayer and Spiritual
Formation

22. Joshua 1:8, lighthousetrails.com
Contemplative Prayer, Spiritual Formation
• September 22, 2015, http://www.lighthousetrails.com/booklet-tract-release.htm
• Beth Moore & Priscilla Shirer – Their History of Contemplative Prayer and Why War Room Should Not Have Used Them
by John Lanagan and the Editors at Lighthouse Trails is our newest Lighthouse Trails Booklet Tract. The Booklet Tract is
14 pages long and sells for $1.95 for single copies. Quantity discounts are as much as 50% off retail. Our Booklet Tracts
are designed to give away to others or for your own personal use. Below is the content of the booklet. To order copies
of Beth Moore & Priscilla Shirer – Their History of Contemplative Prayer and Why War Room Should Not Have Used
Them click here.
• I knew the Lord was calling me to experience Him in prayer in a brand new way.1—Priscilla Shirer
• [I]f we are not still before Him [God], we will never truly know, to the depths of the marrow in our bones, that He is God.
There has got to be a stillness.2—Beth Moore
• Contemplative prayer, which Priscilla Shirer refers to as her “brand new way” and Beth Moore says is essential in really
knowing God, is in reality an ancient prayer practice that is essentially the same as New Age or Eastern meditation
though disguised with Christian terminology. Those who participate and enter the contemplative silence, as it is called,
open themselves to great deception.
• Now, because of the success of the War Room movie, many fans are going to flock to the websites and materials of Beth
Moore and Priscilla Shirer. Those who buy Shirer’s book, Discerning the Voice of God: How to Recognize When God
Speaks, will discover Shirer’s affinity with contemplative prayer. And those who buy the DVD Be Still or a book titled
When Godly People Do Ungodly Things will learn of Moore’s contemplative prayer propensities.
• Contemplative prayer is a primary factor to consider as we watch the visible church depart from sound doctrine more
and more. It is promoted by such ministries as Mike Bickle’s International House of Prayer (IHOP), Bethel Church of
Redding, California (Bill and Beni Johnson), Saddleback’s Rick Warren, author Kenneth Boa, and pastor and author Tim
Keller to name just a few.
• How was Priscilla Shirer introduced to this practice? She writes: [A] friend sent me a book on silent prayer. The book
explains how purposeful periods of silent prayer can help believers hear God’s voice. I was very drawn to the spiritual
journey of the author, and I read the book twice. As my heart burned within me, I knew that the Lord was calling me to
22

23. Joshua 1:8, Meditate On Scripture
not Contemplative Spirituality
• Have You Contemplated Your Spirituality? with Larry DeBruyn - part 1, http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=6e273db3-e1b3-4e88-8e09-9ce1c04c32d2&c=8a32c1d0-
bee4-11e3-8d37-d4ae528eade9&ch=8b278210-bee4-11e3-8d63-d4ae528eade9
• Gary: Welcome to Search the Scriptures 24/7, a radio ministry of The Berean Call with T.A. McMahon. I'm Gary
Carmichael. We're glad you could join us! In today's program, Tom begins a two-part series with guest Larry DeBruyn as
they address the question: Have You Contemplated Your Spirituality? Here's TBC executive director, Tom McMahon.
• Tom: Thanks, Gary. Here's what's up for this program and next week, the Lord willing: the topic is contemplative
spirituality, and on the phone to discuss the subject with me is Larry DeBruyn. Larry is a former pastor, heads Guarding
His Flock Ministries; he's a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary's Masters Program, and the author of Unshackled:
Breaking Away from Seductive Spirituality. He writes articles for a number of biblical discernment websites, including
Herescope and The Alliance for Biblical Integrity. Larry, welcome to Search the Scriptures 24/7.
• Larry: Well, Tom, it's really good to be with you today, and may the Lord bless our time together and help us as we have
this discussion about contemplative spirituality.
• Tom: Amen, and amen! Larry, let's start off with a basic definition of contemplative spirituality, lest there be some
confusion among our listeners. But before you go there, let me preface your definition by saying that we're presenting
this subject because contemplative spirituality, as you'll learn from our interview, and its teachings, have become...well,
they're practices that have become incredibly popular in Christendom, and we want to hold that up - what's going on -
up to the Scriptures to see if its teachings and practices are consistent - true...if they're consistent or true to what the
Bible teaches, and most of our listeners, Larry, as you probably know, most of our listeners are quite aware that that's
what we do as a ministry, and that's the focus of all of our programs. But for new listeners, I think it's helpful to let them
know what we're about.
• So, contemplative spirituality: Give us a general definition and description.
• Larry: Well, it really is the word "contemplate," which means to think, but in the instance of contemplative spirituality,
the idea is that you rid your mind of any kind of external stimuli that are within your environment, so that after you've
rid your mind of those stimuli, that you can kind of create a tabula rasa, so to speak - that's a blank slate in which God
can speak to you. And in the process of God speaking - people can experience altered states of consciousness; that is,
23

24. Joshua 1:8, Meditate On Scripture
• Just say no to all these and more;
• Spiritual Formation, Monastic Movement,"
mysticism, asceticism, denying one's body,
purgation, contemplation, illumination and
deification, mysticism and contemplative
practices. Eastern religions, isolationism
• As well as whatever the devil sends new
tomorrow.

25. • How would
you like to
have a
promise like
that?
• John 14:13
"Whatever
you ask in My
name, that
will I do, so
that the
Father may
be glorified in
the Son. 25

26. Let's read Joshua 2

27. Joshua 2:1, Sent 2 Spies
• NAU Joshua 2:1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent
two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying,
"Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they
went and came into the house of a harlot whose
name was Rahab, and lodged there.
• Had he learned a lesson about selecting a
committee? 2 not 12.
• What military info did they gather?
• It looks like their mission was more as witnesses
than spies. They got Rahab saved.
27

28. Joshua 2:1,
Rahab The
Harlot?
"Page 62 and 63. Biblical
archaeology review September
October 2013 volume 39 number
five

29. Joshua 2:1, Rahab The Harlot?
• Biblical Archaeological Review, Page 63, by Anthony J. Frendo
• DLK notes that it’s “harlot” in both Heb. and Grk

30. Joshua 2:1, Rahab The Harlot?
• “…It is true that the text identifies Rahab as a harlot, and a
prostitute but she actually comes across more as a landlady or
innkeeper than a prostitute. And the first century CE Jewish
historian Josephus tells us that Rahab kept an inn.… Was she in
innkeeper or a prostitute? Or perhaps both? The consonants
that make up the word "prostitute" in Hebrew are ZNH which
happen to be identical to the consonants of the Hebrew word
for a female person who… gives food and provisions. And
indeed, the biblical text does not make or imply any negative
comments regarding Rahab's profession. Josephus’ information
that Rahab kept and it could well be an old tradition, although
this does not necessarily negate the fact that she could also
have been a prostitute. Josephus may have preserved the
innkeeper tradition in conjunction with the folk memory of a
local group who have been spared by the incoming Israelites…”
Page 62 and 63. Biblical Archaeology Review,
September/October 2013, volume 39 number 5

31. Joshua 2:1, by Dr. Eli
The story of “Rahav the harlot”
• “…Unlike Joshua, who didn't trust God’s promise of the land to
him and his people, it was Rahav - who the sage Rashi suggested
was not actually a harlot as she is often understood to have
been, but rather an innkeeper - who trusted God with a full
heart. Rahav knew exactly how to speak the two spies, in their
language, about the miracles God had enacted for them at the
Red Sea, making clear to them the sincerity of her intentions
and her belief in the one true God….The character of Rahav
teaches us that first impressions can be fleeting; when you
judge a person merely by their occupation and not upon their
actions and merits, you can be severely misled. For that reason
we should all try to open our minds and hearts up as wide as
Rahav’s, be accepting of others, less judgmental and more
tolerant. Then, perhaps, we’ll have greater perspective and be
able to do good for ourselves and our families, just as Rahav
did!…”
• For more information about Biblical Hebrew visit- www.eteacherbiblical.com

32. Joshua 2:1, Rahab The Harlot?
• NAU Joshua 2:1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two
men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the
land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into
the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and
lodged there.
• NAU Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not
perish along with those who were disobedient, after she
had welcomed the spies in peace.
• NAU James 2:25 In the same way, was not Rahab the
harlot also justified by works when she received the
messengers and sent them out by another way?

33. Joshua 2:3, God Is Sovereign It May Look To
Us Worse Before Better
• NAU Joshua 2:3 And the king of Jericho sent
word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who
have come to you…
• An old Persian proverb says: "Trust in God, but
tie your camel."
• An old farmer said, “Pray for a good crop of
corn, but have a hoe in your hand when you say
amen.”
• What we see as disaster is God working out His
plan, surrender yourself to His sovereignty. Do
you trust Him completely? God works it all out
for good (Rom 8:28, Acts 27, 1 Kings 17:12).

34. Joshua 2:3, God Is Sovereign It May Look To
Us Worse Before Better
• From Ruth: A Loyal Love Story, By Brian Bill, “The only
survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small,
uninhabited island. He cried out to God to save him,
and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but
he only got depressed. He eventually was able to
build a small hut and put his only possessions in it.
But one day, after hunting for some food, he came
back to his hut to find that it had gone up in flames,
the smoke rolling up to the sky. He was devastated.
Early the next day a ship drew near the island and
rescued him. He couldn't believe it. When he came
on board he said to the crew,
• "How did you know I was here?" To which they
replied, "We saw your smoke signal.””

35. Joshua 2:4, Sandy Hook Shooting: Teacher
Lied To Shooter…
• Victoria Soto, a first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook
elementary school has been hailed a hero after
reportedly hiding her pupils in cabinets, saving all of
their lives. The 27-year-old then faced the shooter,
Adam Lanza, and told him all of her pupils were in
the gym. Lanza turned the gun on the teacher and
shot her dead. www.guardian.co.uk
• Joshua 2:4 But the woman had taken the two men
and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came
to me, but I did not know where they were from.
Exodus 1:17-21 But the midwives feared God…
• Jeremiah 38:24-27 1 Samuel 19:17, 20:29, 21:2 Rev 21:8

36. 1 Peter 2:12, Civil Disobedience
• NAU 1 Peter 2:12 Keep your behavior excellent among the
Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as
evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they
observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. 13 Submit
yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution,
whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors
as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the
praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God
that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish
men. 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a
covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor
all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.
36

37. 1 Peter 2:12, Civil Disobedience
• 1 Peter 2:12-17
• Exodus 1:17-21
• Joshua 2, Rahab
• 1 Samuel 14:45, saved Jonathan from death
• 1 Kings 18, Obadiah hid God’s prophets
• 2 Kings, Joash was hidden
• Daniel 3, 6
• Acts 4:19–20, 5:29
• Revelation 13:15 37

38. "When is civil disobedience allowed
for a Christian?” GotQuestions.org
• Question: "When is civil disobedience allowed for a Christian?"
• Answer: The emperor of Rome from AD 54 to 68 was Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, also known simply as
Nero. The emperor was not known for being a godly person and engaged in a variety of illicit acts, homosexual marriage
being among them. In AD 64 the great Roman fire occurred, with Nero himself being suspected of arson. In his writings,
the Roman senator and historian Tacitus recorded, “To get rid of the report [that he had started the fire], Nero fastened
the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the
populace” (Annals, XV).
• It was during the reign of Nero that the apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans. While one might expect him to
encourage the Christians in Rome to rise up against their oppressive ruler, in the chapter 13, we find this instead:
• “Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those
which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they
who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but
for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a
minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a
minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in
subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are
servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom
to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor” (Romans 13:1–7).
• Even under the reign of a ruthless and godless emperor, Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells his
readers to be in subjection to the government. Moreover, he states that no authority exists other than that established
by God, and that rulers are serving God in their political office.
• Peter writes nearly the same thing in one of this two New Testament letters: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to
every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of
evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the
ignorance of foolish men. Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of38

39. Joshua 2:6, Hidden In The Flax
• NAU Joshua 2:6 But she had brought them up
to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of
flax which she had laid in order on the roof.
• Mac Dictionary defines;
39
• flax…
noun, a blue-flowered
herbaceous plant that is cultivated
for its seed (linseed) and for textile
fiber made from its stalks….

40. Joshua 2:18
A Scarlet Thread Of Salvation
• NAU Joshua 2:18 unless, when we come into the land, you tie
this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let
us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and
your mother and your brothers and all your father's household.
• There is a scarlet thread running from Gen. 3 to the cross.
• NAU Matthew 1:3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by
Tamar…
• NAU Matthew 1:5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab,
Boaz was the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of
Jesse.
• NAU Matthew 1:6 …David the king…was the father of Solomon by
Bathsheba who had been the wife of Uriah.

41. Joshua 2:11, Courage
• Joshua 2:11 "When we heard it, our hearts melted
and no courage remained in any man any longer
because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in
heaven above and on earth beneath.
• 1st use of “courage”
• Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is
the little voice at the end of the day that says, I'll try
again tomorrow. Author Unknown
• If suffering went out of life, courage, tenderness, pity,
faith, patience and love in its divinity would go out of
life too. Father Andrew

42. Joshua 2:11, Courage
• Courage comes and goes. Hold on for the next
supply. Thomas Merton
• Mark 15:43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a
prominent member of the Council, who himself
was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he
gathered up courage and went in before Pilate,
and asked for the body of Jesus.
• NKJ Mark 15:43 …coming and taking courage…
• ESV Mark 15:43 …took courage…

43. So, in
conclusion;
43

44. THE END
44

45. 45

46. Joshua 1:3
• Every place upon which the sole of your foot will tread I have given to
you.
• Joshua 1:3
• Jerusalem Inspiration
• At the start of the book of the Prophets, God reiterates the promise he
originally made to Moses about the nation of Israel inheriting the land of
Israel. The condition is that the Jews must travel throughout the land and
conquer it from the idolatrous nations. Today's verse is a clear message
that Jerusalem and the land of Israel are only guaranteed if the Jewish
nation appreciates their value and seeks it out.
• Jerusalem Daily Photo
• Today's picture taken by Rebecca Kowalsky depicts the steps along the side
of the walls of Jerusalem's Old City. Today, tourists can taken a Ramparts
Walk whereby they walk on most of the ancient city’s walls ascending at
Jaffa Gate and descending at the New Gate, Herod’s Gate or the Lion’s
Gate.

47. JOSHUA 1:8
• This Book of the Torah shall not depart from
you mouth; rather you shall contemplate it
day and night in order that you observe to do
according to all that is written in it, for then
you will make your way successful.
• JOSHUA (1:8)

48. Joshua 1:8
• This Book of the Torah shall not depart from you mouth; rather you shall
contemplate it day and night in order that you observe to do according to
all that is written in it, for then you will make your way successful.
• Joshua 1:8
• Jerusalem Inspiration
• When a girl turns 12 years old and a boy turns 13 they are called Bat or Bar
Mitzvah. The practical significance is that they are now obligated to perform
'mitzvot', or commands from God. The primary command is to always
further the study of the Torahin order to come closer to God.
• Jerusalem Daily Photo
• Today's picture taken by Howie Mischel depicts a Bar Mitzvah procession
making its way through the Old City of Jerusalem. The Bar Mitzvah,
celebrated by Jewish adolescents at the age of 13, represents the
transformation from the life of a child to becoming a Jewish adult. It is at this
stage that Jewish youth accept upon themselves to fulfill the commands of
God.

49. Joshua 2:1-24
• Trust, But StillDo Your Homework, This Day's Thought thisdaysthought@theranch.org via theranch.ccsend.com
•
• By Steven SimalaGrant
Joshua 2:1-24
•
•
• There is an old Persian proverb, which says: "Trust in God, but tie your camel." It acknowledges the tension we often come up againstwhen we talkabout trust - what is God's part and what is our part? When does trust mean thatwe do nothingexcept let go and sit and waitfor God? When does trust mean thatwe get active and make some plans and start to do thingsand allow God to empower and guide whilewe are in motion? I can tell convincing
stories from both perspectives:
"Let Go": A tourist came too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon, lost his footing and plungedover the side, clawingand scratching to save himself. After he went out of sight and just before he fell into space, he encountered a scrubby bush which he desperately grabbed with both hands. Filled withterror, he called out toward heaven, "Is there anyone up there?" A calm, powerful voice came out of the sky, "Yes, there is." The tourist pleaded, "Can
you help me? Can you help me?" The calm voice replied, "Yes, I probably can. Whatis your problem?" "I fell over the cliffand am danglinginspace holdingto a bush thatis about to let go. Please help me." "The voice from above said, "I'lltry. Do you believe?" "Yes, yes, I believe."' "Do you have faith?""Yes, yes. I have strong faith."The calm voice said, "Well,in thatcase, simply let loose of the bush and everythingwillturn out fine." There was a tense
pause, then the tourist yelled, "Is there anyone else up there?"
"Get Going":"A church member was havingtrouble withthe concept of tithing.One day he revealed his doubts to his minister: "Pastor, I just don't see how I can give 10 percent of my income to the church when I can't even keep on top of our bills."
•
The pastor replied, "John, if I promise to make up the difference in your billsif you should fallshort, do you thinkyou could try tithingfor just one month?"
•
After a moment's pause, John responded, "Sure, if you promise to make up any shortage, I guess I could try tithingfor one month."
•
"Now, what do you think of that,"mused the pastor. "You say you'd be willingto put your trust in a mere man like myself' who possesses so littlematerially,butyou couldn't trust your Heavenly Father who owns the whole universe!" The next Sunday, John gave his tithe, and has been doing so faithfullyever since.
•
• In the first story, trust meant lettinggo. In the second, it meant doing something and trustingGod to take care of the rest. On the one hand, you've heard the saying,"You can't steer a boat thatisn't moving." On the other hand, "Let go and Let God." Do you see the tension? Does trustingmean thatwe do nothingand waiton God, or does it mean thatwe seek God activelyas we get moving along?
•
• Last week we looked at Joshua 1, and we recognized God's promises of Victory and of His Presence with us. We saw thatas we obey, and as we meditateon God's Word, we come to experience the fulfillmentof those promises. I see so much of the theme of trust in Joshua - last week discovering thatthe basis of our trust is in the promise of God's presence and victory. Thatis what we rest on, thatis why we let go and let God be in Control, thatis the
source of our strength and courage. This week, as we look at chapter 2, we see thatlettinggo and lettingGod be in control does NOT mean thatwe sit around and do nothing,but rather thatwe act on the promises of God, thatwe live them out - in fact I could go further and say thatwe only really experience the depth of God's promises - in dangerous, uncomfortable, unsafe situations.
•
• Let's read the story of Joshua 2.
•
1. Livingthe Promises:
• I love whatwe see happeninginthis story. In the previous chapter, God has promised Joshua and the Israelites the land - He promised them victory "everywhere you set your foot." (1:3).So now, in this next chapter, Joshua gets busy. He secretly sends a couple of people to spy out the land,and especially the city of Jericho. Let's pause there for a second - my Bible doesn't say anythingaboutGod tellingJoshua to send in the spies. And if you remember
back to Moses time, he sent in some spies and it alldidn'tturn out to well. Didn'tGod just promise to give Joshua the whole land?- then why the need to send in the spies? Does thatdisplaya lack of trust on Joshua's part - a sort of taking-matters-into-his-own-handskind of thing? Whydidn'the just trust God, rest on the promises, and march across the river and claim the land?
The questions become even more relevant if we sneak a peak ahead into chapters 5-6, where we have the story of the fallof Jericho. Remember how the city fallsinto the hands of the Israelites? They take the city simplyby marching around it for seven days, and then God miraculouslytears down the walls at the shout (yes, simplythe shout) of the Israelite army. God hada planfor the fallof Jericho, He knew how it was going to happen. So why
bother with this whole spy thing?They obviously weren't goingto need detailedreconnaissance on the militaryreadiness of the people of Jericho. Whysend the spies if God was going to do a miracle? Even worse, isn't this whole spy thingcontrary to the very nature of what it means to trust God - isn't it an example of Joshua actingin his strength rather thanin God's?
•
To answer those questions, we need to know what the response of God was to Joshua's actions. Was Joshua rebuked? Punished for not believing?Chastised for not simply trusting?No, not at all.In fact, and this is fascinating,God says nothinginthis chapter. He has lots to say in chapter 1, and more to say in chapter 3 and 4 and 5 and 6. In allthose places, we read "Andthe Lord said to Joshua..."; but here it just says "Joshua secretly sent two spies..."
ObviouslyGod was not upset at Joshua, or there definitelywouldhave been consequences (as we willsee in chapter 7). And in fact, there is a wonderful result to this spy story - meeting Rahaband havingher become a celebrated woman of faith - seeing all her familysaved. So obviously God blessed Joshua's actions, obviously God worked through Joshua's actions, even thoughGod had a differentplan for takingthe city.
•
Here is the lesson I see here for you and me. Sometimes it is ok for us to get busy and do the thingsthatmake the most sense. Let me repeat that:sometimes it is ok for us to get busy and do the thingsthatmake the most sense. I have known people who wanted to walk with God and be so dependent on Him that they would literallywake up in the morning and pray about which pair of socks to put on. Honestly! They wanted to be obedient to God,
they wanted God to be in control, and so would even pray about thingslike thatand attemptto discern "God's Will"for which pair of socks to puton.
•
I believe thatGod gave us the abilityto make decisions. We often take thatand run withit and try to make all the decisions ourselves, withoutinvolvingGod in our dailylives, and thatis wrong. But it is also wrong to never make decisions. Thatleads to disobedience: for example, if God tells us to go one direction, and we sit around waitingfor Him to tell us whether to walk or run or take a bus, and end up stayinginthe same place, we have disobeyed
God's call to go. Sometimes allHe tells us is to go, and He leaves the method of travel up to us to decide.
Here is what I am tryingto say: trustingGod means BOTH thatwe waiton Him for guidanceand direction and leadership - AND it also means thatwe get goingin the direction He points us in. Let me give you an example: whenever I sit down at my computer to work on a sermon, I first read the Scripture passage again - even if I am just coming back from a 15 minute break. Then I pray. I ask God to speak to me, to show me what He wants to reveal to
me and to us through His Word. Sometimes I sit there in prayer waitingfor allthese great revelations to come floodinginto my mind. But most of the time thatdoesn't happen! (Some of you are agreeing a littletoo quickly there...). Most of the time, the ideas and revelations start to flow as I write. See the process? God speaks as I move, as I act. He often just brings it pointby point.So you see thattrustingin God means waitingfor His direction, and
then startingto head in thatdirection trustingHim for the power and abilitiesto get there.
•
Thatis what I see here in Joshua 2. Even thoughGod had a differentplan for takingJericho, Joshua was not wrong in sending in the spies. Thatwasn't an indicationof a lack of trust or a lack of faith - it was the right thingto do! God surprised them witha differentending, butGod also honored Joshua for doing the smart thingby sendingin the spies to get a handleon what was happeninginJericho at thattime.
Sometimes in lifewe get stuck. We get in a rut, we feel like we're spinningour wheels, we're discouraged and down and going nowhere. Maybe thatis how you feel about your lifetoday - like you are kind of stuck. If so, think about this - are you stuck because you don't know where to go, or are you stuck because you do know where to go butare waitingfor something else to happen before headingthatdirection? If you don't know where to go, then
you need to pray and seek God for guidance, and wait - and let go - and listen. And on the other hand, if you are stuck but you do know which way you should be headed, get going. Make the necessary decisions, stop waitingfor each piece of the puzzle to fallintoplace before takingthe first step, and just get moving. God willlead.
•
The Israelites had been stuck at this place before, 40 years earlier. They knew which way to go under Moses, butgot scared andretreated. This time around, they stillknow which way to go (andby the way, it is the same direction...), butthis time they get a littleextra encouragement from the report of the spies: "The Lord has surely given the whole landinto our hands;all the people are meltingin fear because of us." (vs. 24). Thatwas the added bit of
confidence thatthey needed.
•
And maybe that is the added bit of encouragement thatyou need today. God has itunder control. He knows the hurdles and the pitfallsand the obstacles, and He is bigger thanall of them. If you are goingin the direction He wants you to go in, trust Him to take care of the journey. You willfindHim sufficient;You willfindHimabundantlyableto meet the needs along the road.
•
Thatis the big message I see in this passage: trustingGod means waitingon Him for direction, AND it also means using the minds and giftsthatHe has given us to head in thatdirection. As long as we head in thatdirection in His strength and not in our own, as long as we continue to trust Him alongthe way and even let Him make mid-course corrections, we can be confidentthatwe are trustingHim and walkingin His power and not our own.
• There is one other thingI wantto pointout in this passage.
•
• 2. God Goes Ahead of Us
•
Joshua does the smart thingandsends the spies in. They go to "the house of a prostitute," most likelybecause thatwas a place where foreigners wouldn't arise a lot of suspicion and where they would be able to get a handle on what the people were thinking.Whatthey findthere is miraculous...
•
Somehow, word gets to the king and he sends in the henchmen. So much for "secret, undercover agents..." But here is where the story gets interesting - Rahabthe prostitute hides them, lies for them, sends the king's men off on a wildgoose chase, protects them, gives them the informationthey need, and then provides their escape route. And in return, she and her familyhave their lives spared and Rahabtakes a prominent place in the history of
Israel and in Christianitybecause of her faith.
•
Here is what this tells me: God goes ahead of us. And not only does He go ahead of us, preparing the way, preparing the hearts of people, revealingHis fame and His glory - but He goes ahead of us and we findHim in strange and unexpected places. These spies found God at work in a brothel, in the faithof a prostitute.
•
I applythisto sharing our faith.We often look at the prospect of sharing our faithwithsome trepidation - like we are making a furtiveforay into enemy territory, crossing the lines into the "unknown," takinga big risk. We head into those situations feeling like itis our job to take God to people who don't know Him. There is this big,dark land,and we have the Light and we must take it into this dangerous place. This spy story reminds us thatGod is
already there ahead of us. We aren't going in carrying Him along withus, as if He wasn't there already. On the contrary, we take opportunities to share our faithwiththe realizationthat the Holy Spiritis already there, already working, already prodding and pursuing. We are wisest and most effective when we recognize thatGod is there already, and encourage whatHe is doing in people's lives. Sharingour faithisn't only about bringingpeople to
salvation- thatis the finalstep in the evangelism process (thoughof course not the finalstep in thatperson's growth in faith...).There are lots of steps before that,lots of contacts and words and deeds and expressions of love, and lots of things thatGod is doing to reveal Himself and draw people to Himself.
•
God is there ahead of us, and often we'll findHim in unexpected places. Be open to those! Look for those opportunitiesto join God at work in establishingHis Kingdom. And take the opportunities He provides.
•
• Let me tell you a story. About a month ago, Joanne (my wife)was taking our son for a walk. She ran into a couple of elderly ladies who were also out for a walk. They said hello to Thomas, and then commented to Joanne thathe sure looked like a healthy littleboy. Joanne thanked them, and then smiled and said, "actually,he's been fairlysick," and she told them a bit about Thomas' struggles. They chatted a bit, andthen one of these ladies asked,
"Wouldit be ok if we prayed for your son?" It turned out that these ladies were part of McKernan BaptistChurch, and there on the sidewalk they ministered to both Joanne and Thomas.
•
See how we findGod in unexpected places? Joanne was just out for a simple walk, and ended up being encouraged by two Godly women. And from the other side, I love the faithandcourage of these women seizing the opportunityto share their faithwitha mom they had just bumped into who obviouslyhad a need. God goes ahead of us, He prepares the way, He has allsorts of thingsprepared for us, as Ephesians 2:10reminds us: "For we are God's
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
•
• Matthew Henry, a famous Bible commentator, wrote: "Faithin God's promise ought not to supersede but encourage our diligence in the use of proper means. Joshua is sure he has God withhim, and yet sends men before him. We do not trust God, but tempt him, if our expectations slacken our endeavors."
•
Where has God been callingyou to go - what has He been tellingyou thatyou need to be obedient to? If you are feeling stuck, ifyou are uncertain about which direction to head or how to get started, then I want to first encourage you with the fact that God goes ahead of you - He has prepared the road and He knows where the journey is going to take you. And He knows what you need to get started.
•
The promise of God is thatHe has prepared for us a great Kingdom,which He desires us to experience in this lifeas well as in the next. It is a Kingdomof joy, of freedom, and of power. God has invitedus to experience this Kingdom through His Spirit. I encourage you to take some steps, to do the thingsthatmake sense, in pursuinga more fullexperience of God's Kingdomin your life, so thatyou can also see God's Kingdomcome to those around you.

50. Joshua 2:1, The story of “Rahav the harlot”
• Hebrews 11:31 By faith Rahab the harlot… James 2:25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot…. DLK notes that it’s “harlot” in both Heb. and Grk
• The story of RahavIn the Babylonian Talmud there's a description of the most four beautiful women in the history of the world. One the women mentioned, whose name has no specific Jewish or Israeli context in the Hebrew Bible is Rahav- ‫ב‬ ָ‫ח‬ ָ‫.ר‬ The other
three, by the way, are Esther, Abigail and Sarah. It is assumed that at some point she converted became Jewish like other Biblical women, such as as Boaz’s wife Ruth, Joseph's wifeOsnat and several others. The Babylonian Talmud tells us that Rahav eventually
married Joshua and that she had ten famous descendants, one of whom is the famous prophet, Jeremiah.
• What was it about Rahav that made the sages of Israel sing her praises so highly? Today we shall examine some important verses that shed light on her character. Let's start with her meeting with the two spies in Jericho, as written:
• "Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and [a]lodged there. It was told the king of Jericho, saying,
“Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land.”(Joshua 2:1-2)
•"‫ח‬ַ‫ל‬ ְׁ‫ש‬ִּ‫ַי‬‫ו‬ַַ‫ע‬ ֻׁ‫ְׁהֹוש‬‫י‬-‫ן‬ ִּ‫ב‬-‫נּון‬‫ן‬ ִּ‫מ‬-‫ִּם‬‫י‬ַ‫נ‬ ְׁ‫יםש‬ ִּ‫ט‬ ִּ‫ש‬ ַ‫ה‬-‫ים‬ ִּ‫ָש‬‫נ‬ֲ‫א‬‫ים‬ ִּ‫ל‬ְׁ‫ג‬ ַ‫ר‬ ְׁ‫מ‬‫ש‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ח‬‫ֹר‬‫מ‬‫א‬ֵ‫ל‬‫אּו‬ ְׁ‫כּור‬ ְׁ‫ל‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫א‬-‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ָ‫א‬ ָ‫ה‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫ְׁא‬‫ו‬-‫יחֹו‬ ִּ‫ְׁר‬‫י‬;‫כּו‬ ְׁ‫ֵל‬‫י‬ַ‫ו‬‫ית‬ֵ‫ֹאּוב‬‫ב‬ָ‫י‬ַ‫ו‬-‫ה‬ ָ‫ש‬ ִּ‫א‬‫ָה‬‫נ‬‫זֹו‬‫ב‬ ָ‫ח‬ ָ‫ּהר‬ ָ‫מ‬ ְׁ‫ּוש‬-‫בּו‬ְׁ‫כ‬ ְׁ‫ש‬ִּ‫ַי‬‫ו‬-‫ה‬ ָ‫מ‬ ָ‫ש‬.‫ר‬ ַ‫מ‬ ָ‫ֵא‬‫י‬ַ‫ו‬‫ְך‬ֶ‫ל‬ ֶ‫מ‬ ְׁ‫ל‬‫ֹר‬‫מ‬‫א‬ֵ‫יחֹול‬ ִּ‫ְׁר‬‫י‬:‫ֵה‬‫נ‬ ִּ‫ה‬‫ים‬ ִּ‫ָש‬‫נ‬ֲ‫א‬‫אּו‬ ָ‫ב‬‫ָה‬‫נ‬ ֵ‫ה‬‫ה‬ ָ‫ְׁל‬‫י‬ַ‫ל‬ ַ‫ה‬,‫ֵי‬‫נ‬ ְׁ‫ב‬ ִּ‫מ‬‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬ ָ‫ר‬ ְׁ‫ִּש‬‫י‬-‫ר‬ֹ‫פ‬ ְׁ‫ח‬ַ‫ל‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫א‬-‫ץ‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ָ‫א‬ ָ‫ה‬"
• Unlike Joshua, who didn't trust God’s promise of the land to him and his people, it wasRahav - who the sage Rashi suggested was not actually a harlot as she is often understood to have been, but rather an innkeeper - who trusted God with a full
heart.Rahav knew exactly how to speak the two spies, in their language, about the miracles God had enacted for them at the Red Sea, making clear to them the sincerity of her intentions and her belief in the one true God.
• In Joshua chapter two, it seems that while the city slept, Rahav was the only one to figure out that in order to save her family from God’s proposed destruction she had to go undercover and appear as if she was working for both sides, to be a friend unto the
spies but still a loyal citizen of the city. When the people of Jericho came to her to inspect the spies, she could have exposed them, delivering the two spies to the wrath of the people. However, by doing so, she would only gain a respect and dignity for few
days. Rahav, whose name in Hebrew means ‘wide’, acted differently; she had the two spies swear that they would save her family, and as we can see in Joshua 6, her family was saved, as written:
• "However, Rahab the harlot and her father’s household and all she had, Joshua spared; and she has lived in the midst of Israel to this day, for she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho."(Jos. 6:25)
•"‫ת‬ ֶ‫ְׁא‬‫ו‬-‫ב‬ ָ‫ח‬ ָ‫ר‬‫ָה‬‫נ‬‫ּזֹו‬ ַ‫ה‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫ְׁא‬‫ו‬-‫ית‬ ֵ‫ב‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫ְׁא‬‫ו‬ ָ‫יה‬ ִּ‫ב‬ ָ‫א‬-‫ָל‬‫כ‬-‫ר‬ ֶ‫אֲש‬-‫ּה‬ָ‫ל‬‫ָה‬‫י‬ֱ‫ח‬ ֶ‫ה‬ַַ‫ע‬ ֻׁ‫ְׁהֹוש‬‫י‬‫ב‬ ֶ‫ש‬ ֵ‫ַת‬‫ו‬‫ל‬ ֵ‫א‬ ָ‫ר‬ ְׁ‫ִּש‬‫י‬‫ב‬ ֶ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ק‬ ְׁ‫ב‬‫ד‬ַ‫ע‬‫יֹום‬ ַ‫ה‬‫ה‬ֶ‫ּז‬ ַ‫ה‬:‫י‬ִּ‫כ‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫הא‬ ָ‫יא‬ ִּ‫ב‬ ְׁ‫ח‬ ֶ‫ה‬-‫ים‬ִּ‫כ‬ ָ‫א‬ ְׁ‫ל‬ ַ‫מ‬ ַ‫ה‬,‫ר‬ ֶ‫ש‬ֲ‫א‬-‫ח‬ַ‫ל‬ ָ‫ש‬ַַ‫ע‬ ֻׁ‫ְׁהֹוש‬‫י‬‫ת‬ ֶ‫ֵלא‬‫ג‬ ַ‫ר‬ ְׁ‫ל‬-‫יחֹו‬ ִּ‫ְׁר‬‫י‬."
• In the New Testament, Rahav is described as a woman that displayed grace and faith. In in the Book of Matthew 1:5 she is described as the mother of Boaz, Ruth’s husband and David's great grandmother. Another beautiful passage about Rahavappears here-
• "By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace."(Hebrews 11:31)
•"‫ָה‬‫נ‬‫מּו‬ֱ‫א‬ ָ‫ב‬‫ֹא‬‫ל‬‫ה‬ ָ‫ד‬ ְׁ‫ב‬ ָ‫א‬‫ב‬ ָ‫ח‬ ָ‫ר‬‫ָה‬‫נ‬‫ּזֹו‬ ַ‫ה‬‫ים‬ ִּ‫ר‬ ֲ‫ּסֹור‬ ַ‫ם־ה‬ ִּ‫ע‬‫ה‬ ָ‫פ‬ ְׁ‫ס‬ ָ‫י־א‬ִּ‫כ‬‫ים‬ ִּ‫ל‬ְׁ‫ג‬ ַ‫ר‬ ְׁ‫מ‬ ַ‫ת־ה‬ ֶ‫א‬‫ּה‬ ָ‫ית‬ ֵ‫ל־ב‬ ֶ‫א‬‫לֹום׃‬ ָ‫ש‬ ְׁ‫ב‬"
• The character of Rahav teaches us that first impressions can be fleeting; when you judge a person merely by their occupation and not upon their actions and merits, you can be severely misled. For that reason we should all try to open our minds and hearts up
as wide as Rahav’s, be accepting of others, less judgmental and more tolerant. Then, perhaps, we’ll have greater perspective and be able to do good for ourselves and our families, just as Rahav did!
• Wishing you a blessed week, dear friends,
• Eli
• For more information about Biblical Hebrew visit- www.eteacherbiblical.com
• Main phrases of the post + transcription + translation
• English
• Transliteration
• Hebrew
• Faith
• 'ĕmûnāh
•‫ָה‬‫נ‬‫מּו‬ֱ‫א‬
• Rahav
• rāchāv
•‫ב‬ ָ‫ח‬ ָ‫ר‬
• Spies
• məraggəlîm
•‫ים‬ ִּ‫ל‬ְׁ‫ג‬ ַ‫ר‬ ְׁ‫מ‬
• She hid
• Hechbî'āh
•‫ה‬ ָ‫יא‬ ִּ‫ב‬ ְׁ‫ח‬ ֶ‫ה‬
• Jericho
• yərîchô
•‫יחֹו‬ ִּ‫ְׁר‬‫י‬
• Two
• šənayim
•‫ִּם‬‫י‬ַ‫נ‬ ְׁ‫ש‬
• Harlot
• zônāh
•‫ָה‬‫נ‬‫זֹו‬
•

51. 2 Samuel 13:1 Joshua 2:14, Tomb of
Absalom
• And it will be when God gives us the Land that we will do kindness and truth with you.
• Joshua 2:14
• Jerusalem Inspiration
• In this increasingly insecure and scary world, “kindness and truth” are increasingly rare.
The Hebrew word for truth, ‫/אמת‬eh-MET contains a deep lesson that can serve as our
moral compass. The word is comprised of three Hebrew letters and the first letter ‫/א‬
Alef, the “One” stands for the Almighty. Remove the initial letter Alef and all that
remains is ‫/מת‬ met, meaning death. Without God there can be no truth. In its place only
death and destruction remain.
• Past and Present - A Tour of the Tombs of Absalom and Zechariah
• Join this visually descriptive tour of the Tombs of Absalom and Zechariah in Jerusalem.
Includes historical photographs, as well as modern scenes, giving the viewer a wonderful
education in this side of Jerusalem's Kidron Valley.
• Jerusalem Photo Trivia
• Do you know whose tomb is shown in today's photo by Noam Chen? Send me an
email with your answer or post it on Facebook!

52. Matthew 25:32-40 Joshua 2:3,
Sheep And Goat And Judgment
• Regarding; “The “sheep”, which are pro-Jewish, are clearly stated to be
the “righteous” ones. Will they be saved because they are pro-Jewish?
This cannot be true because that would make their salvation be based on
their works, and not the work of God. This passage is an example of James
2:14-26, .. refuse to do the commands of the Antichrist to destroy the
Jews. …They will be allowed to enter into the Messianic Kingdom because
they are saved Gentiles,…”
• The saved Gentile sheep remind me of Rahab refusing the rulers edict, and
instead protecting the Jews.
• NAU Joshua 2:3 And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying,
"Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house,
for they have come to search out all the land." 4 But the woman had taken
the two men and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me,
but I did not know where they were from.
52

53. The Seventy-Five Day Interval, Dr. Dr. Daniel E.
Woodhead, Bema Seat, Sheep And Goat And
Judgment,
• The Seventy-Five Day Interval
• The Millennium (also called the Theocratic Kingdom, or the Messianic Kingdom) does not start right away at the close of
the Great Tribulation. Scripture tells us that the duration of the first half of the Great Tribulation is 1,260 days (3 ½
years). This is the length of the time between two significant events. They are the signing of the covenant with Israel by
the Antichrist, initiating the Great Tribulation, and the Abomination of Desolation being set up in the Temple, which is
the mid point event. Scripture also tells us that the last half of the Tribulation will be 1,260 days counting from the
Abomination of Desolation to the demise of the Antichrist. These two sets of 3 ½ years each equal a total of seven years.
When comparing several Scripture passages, that reference the Great Tribulation’s duration, another specific time
interval is noted. This is a seventy-five day interval at the end of the Great Tribulation and prior to the establishment of
the Messianic Kingdom. The interval is described in Daniel, and the differences in numbers are intentional, they are not
scribal error:
• Daniel 12:11-12 “11And from the time that the continual burnt-offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that
maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand and two hundred and ninety days [1290]. 12Blessed is he that
waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days [1335].” (KJV, brackets added)
• The Daniel passage gives us two additional figures. The first is 1,290 days, or an additional thirty days, during which time
the Abomination of Desolation will remain in the Temple before it is removed. The second figure is 1,335 days, which is
another 45 days beyond the 1,290 and 75 days beyond the 1,260 days. A special blessing is pronounced upon those who
survive to the 1,335th day. The blessing is, for those who survive, to be able to enter into the Messianic Kingdom. Many
will not make it that far, even though they made it to the end of the Tribulation. The events and the time intervals are
illustrated on the following chart:
• 75 Day Interval Chart by Daniel Woodhead
• 75 Day Interval Chart by Daniel Woodhead
53

54. Joshua 1:9
TAKING A FULL SWING, by Eric Elder, theranch.org
• TAKING A FULL SWING
Joshua 1:9
• by Eric Elder
http://www.theranch.org
•
• If you’re like me, you might tend to second guess yourself at times, wondering if you’re doing the right thing or if you’ve heard right from God. I think each of us go through seasons of doubt about the decisions we’ve made, especially when life around us
starts to look like it’s about to fall apart.
• What do you do when you reach those critical moments and you have to decide if you’re going to keep moving forward, or if you need to regroup and retreat and perhaps go in a different direction entirely?
• When I reach that point, it’s helpful for me to look at the words that God spoke to Joshua as he was about to enter into the Promised Land. God said:
• “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
• There are 3 aspects of these words that I find especially helpful. The first is to remind myself why I made the decision I did in the first place.
• In Joshua’s case, God reminded him that He, God, was the one who had called Joshua to enter into the Promised Land. “Have I not commanded you?” God had actually called Joshua and his people to enter the Promised Land 40 years earlier, but they didn’t
do it. When they reached the border the first time, they were afraid to go in, so they turned around and headed back into the desert for another 40 years.
• Now, 40 years later, Joshua had reached the same crossroad again, and God reminded him: “Have I not commanded you?” Joshua, of course, would have remembered what God had said to him in the past, and the price that he and all the others had to pay
for not doing what God had called them to do. They may have still been afraid to move forward, and the price of doing so might still be costly, but the price of turning back again would cost even more.
• For me, it’s helpful to refresh my memory of why I decided to do what I did in the first place. If, after reviewing that initial decision, it still seems sound and reasonable, then I look at the second part of God’s words to Joshua: “Be strong and courageous. Do
not be terrified; do not be discouraged..”
• This part is helpful because we don’t usually know what really lies ahead, and venturing into the unknown often strikes fear in our hearts. The very fact that God had to tell Joshua to be strong and courageous indicates to me that there were very real fears that
could have overtaken his heart, and that there was probably a good reason they needed to be strong and courageous. What they were about to face would require strength and courage; it would require internal fortitude and resolve.
• God wouldn’t have needed to tell Joshua, “Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged” if, in fact, there was nothing to be terrified or discouraged about. The truth was, what they were about to face was terrifying and it could have discouraged them, just as it
did 40 years earlier. Then why did God tell them this? If there were really and truly terrifying dangers ahead, why would God tell them not to be afraid or discouraged? Because of what he tells them next in the third part of this significant verse: “for the LORD
your God will be with you wherever you go.”
• I try to imagine walking through a mine field ahead of me. If I had to do it on my own, I know I couldn’t do it. I wouldn’t be able to see or even to guess where the mines might be. But if God was with me, walking with me every step of the way, and I held on
tight to Him, I have no doubt that He would be able to walk me through that field of mines just fine. I would just need to make sure I was staying as close to Him as possible, and stepping only where He stepped.
• When I look at these three things–why I made the decision I made in the first place, why I might need to be strong and courageous, and how God will be with me every step of the way–it helps me to make my next move. Many times that means I need to keep
moving forward and finish what I started, no matter how difficult the circumstances might become as I do so.
• I reached this point a few weeks ago with our “2nd Annual Ranch Retreat.” I put a stake in the ground 3 months ago by naming it our “2nd Annual” retreat, after having done our first the year before. But was I really ready to commit to doing this on an annual
basis? And was I really ready to announce to the world that I should call it an annual event? I felt a little bit like George Lucas must have felt when he put the subtitle on his first Star Wars movie and called it “Episode IV.” The very name itself implied that
there were someday going to be Episodes I, II and II even though it would be another 20 years before he filmed the first of these “prequels.”
• But I felt strongly enough about the retreat that I went ahead and named it the “2nd Annual Ranch Retreat” 3 months before it took place. But after we were 2 months into advertising and promoting it and we still didn’t have even one person signed up, I
started to wonder if I had made the wrong decision. Even with just 2 weeks to go before the event took place, we had only a handful of people registered. I had to decide if we were going to cancel the whole event all together, ending our run of “annual”
retreats before we even got to the 2nd one!
• I don’t mind being wrong, but I don’t like to back out of something just because I’m afraid of how it might turn out–especially if God has called me to do it and He wants to accomplish something through it. So I called my friends who were putting it together
with me and we talked it through again. We could have easily cancelled at that point, but I had to remind myself why we were doing it in the first place, and if God had really called us to do it.
• About that time I was also reading a book with my son by Ted Dekker and he was talking about the process he went through in creating the book and getting it published. He pitched the idea to several publishers, all of whom turned it down. Years went by
and he pitched it again and again, only to be turned down again and again. Publishers told him that nobody read this kind of story.
• After years of having no success, Ted finally found someone, Allen Arnold, who believed in his idea enough to take a risk and publish his story. They found out that not only were people interested in reading this kind of story, but soon 50,000 soon joined in on
the discussion of the book and its ideas at teddekker.com. The book, and the series it spawned, had struck a chord in the hearts of thousands who wanted to talk about everything that it had stirred up within them, including my own kids. Ted wrote this in the
afterward of the book we were reading:
• “I once told Allen that I was born to write these chronicles. Admittedly, their writing is only a small part of my life. But if I was born to write them, then in a small, small way, you may have been born to read them. We, like the stories themselves, find ourselves
interconnected in this wonderful thing called the story of life. You are part of my history, and I am part of yours. And this, my friend, is what it means to come full circle” (Ted Dekker, Red, pg 385).
• I decided to finish what I had started, and give it the best possible chance of success as I could. As I stood in front of the group last weekend at our “2nd Annual Ranch Retreat,” I couldn’t help but think of Ted’s words and the challenges he faced in order to do
what he felt he should do. 40 people had gathered with me here in Illinois from all across the country, from places like California, Colorado, Michigan, Kansas, Indiana and Georgia. We sang and praised God, we opened His Word, and we opened our hearts
and lives to Him and to each other.
• As I looked around the room on the final night, I read Ted Dekker’s quote to those who had gathered, saying that if God had called me to do this, then perhaps, in a some small, small way, they were meant to be there, too.
• And as you read these words today, if I was called to write them, then perhaps in some small, small way, you were meant to read them, too.
• The decisions you make are important, and it’s important to make the best decisions that we can up front. Sometimes we need to regroup along the way or retreat and go in a different direction entirely, admitting that we’re fallible and that there are times
when it’s best to cut our losses before they take us down completely. But many times we simply need to remind ourselves of why we decided to do what we’re doing in the first place, then going forward with full strength and courage to see it through to the
end.
• I was reading through a physics book with another son a few weeks ago as part of his schooling. We were studying momentum and read that the difference between good and bad baseball players is “follow through.” According to the laws of physics, there are
two things that determine how far a ball will travel when its hit by a bat. The first is how hard the bat strikes the ball. But a second factor is also significant, and that’s how long the bat and the ball stay in contact with each other. The longer the connection,
the stronger the momentum. That’s why batters need to take a “full” swing, following through with the swing that was started and not stopping the moment the bat hits the ball.
• Sometimes we stop mid-swing when we hit an obstacle, stunned and wondering if we should have even stepped up to the plate. But if we’ve stepped up to the plate with God, and if we can remember why we’re doing what we’re doing in the first place, then
we can take a full swing and knock the ball out of the park.
• “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
• Let’s pray…
• Father, thank You for giving each of us a purpose here on earth and the gifts and resources to carry out those purposes. Help us to make wise decision not only at the start of a project, but all the way through it. Give us Your wisdom as we take each step,
showing us where to walk, where not to walk, and how to keep moving forward despite the obstacles in front of us. Remind us of what You’ve called us to do and give us the strength and courage to do it. Help us to take a full swing, so we can fulfill our
purposes, and perhaps in some small, small way, help others fulfill theirs, too. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
• P.S. You can still watch all 3 sessions right now from the Ranch Retreat online at www.theranch.org/retreat