Introduction
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Last week Pastor Harry covered a lot of ground as he raced us through the book of 1 Samuel.  He talked about the life of Samuel and showed how the account of Samuel shows that God still speaks in times of failure.  He showed that even though there was There was Failure in the Home of Samuel (failure in the home), in God’s servant Eli (failure in the Church), and in the children of Israel (failure of a nation) and concluded with the call and challenge to heed the words of 2 Chronicles 7:14, “Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.”

Today we will pick up where he left off as we look briefly at the fall of King Saul’s kingdom and King David’s blessing and fall.  We will see how both responded and note how they are very important in the O.T, narrative to help us understand God’s holiness and our need for a savior.

1. Saul’s fall- Saul’s disobedience to God
2. The Davidic Covenant – God’s promise to David
3. The sin of David – David’s sin that forever impacted his life and kingdom.

When we look back in comparison at the lives of both King Saul and King David, we see that both did great things for the nation of Israel and they both sinned horribly. But their responses to their sins were polar opposite.  
 
Saul
Saul became king when he was 30 years old, and he reigned as king forty-two years.  However, he became Israel’s king not because he was the right man for the job, but because the people of Israel demanded a king to rule over them.  Saul was chosen because he was the son of an influential man, “the most handsome man in Israel”, and he was by far the tallest man in the nation.  Put more simply, Saul was the total package.  Good looks, rich, and of kingly stature.  He was perceived as a strong leader because of his outer appearance.  Unfortunately, as king he was not the most obedient king.  In 1 Samuel 13, we read that Saul disobeyed God by offering a burnt sacrifice to Him when Samuel specifically told him to wait (1 Samuel 10:8), resulting in Saul’s kingdom coming to an end.  We do not read of any repentance from Saul for his transgression. 
 
1 Samuel 15:10, “Then the LORD said to Samuel, ‘I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and refused to obey my command.’  Samuel was deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the LORD at night. Early the next morning Samuel went to find Saul.  Someone told him, ‘Saul when to town of Carmel to set up a monument to himself; then he went on to Gilgal.’”   When Samuel told Saul about God’s rejection of him as king he responds, “But I did obey the LORD… I carried out the mission…” to which Samuel replies, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices or your obedience to his voice?  Listen!  Obedience in better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22)   
 
David
1 Samuel 16:1 – 7
Vs 1:  Once Saul was rejected by God, the LORD tells Samuel to go to Bethlehem to find a man named Jesse and God will select one of his sons to be king.  

Vs 6 – 7:  When Samuel comes to Jesse, he went through all his sons to anoint one of them to be the next king.  One by one Samuel inquires of the LORD as to which son it was.  Finally, God says, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have reject him (Eliab the first son). The LORD doesn’t see the way you see them.  People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  

Vs 13:  David is chosen by God and anointed king and the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David from that day on.
 
2 Samuel 7:1 - 17
Several years later and after the death of Saul, King David inquired of the prophet Nathan and said he wanted to build a house for the LORD.  He said, “Look, I am living in a beautiful cedar palace, but the Ark of God is out there in a tent!”  David wanted to bless God by building a house for the LORD, and God’s response was a gentle rebuke and a blessing. 

The rebuke:  God essentially says, “Do you think you can build a home for me!  I am the LORD ALMIGHTY.  I have never asked for a house, nor do I have a need for one.”

The blessing: David wants to bless God, but God says, “No!  I will bless you.  You want to build me a house, but I will build you a house… not a physical home but a dynasty of kings!”  God gives a promise to bless David and establish his kingdom forever.  However, this kingdom will not be merely an earthly kingdom, it will be an eternal kingdom.  This promise is what is known as the Davidic covenant.  The LORD promises to send the chosen one of Israel, the Messiah, through David’s lineage.  His kingdom will be eternal, and his throne will be secure forever.”  

Isn’t this typical of God?  David seeks to bless him, but God instead blesses him.  A summary of the covenant promises are…

1. God will establish an eternal seed through David
2. God will establish an eternal kingdom through David
3. God will establish an eternal throne through David

 
2 Samuel 11
God was faithful as he blessed King David’s kingdom and life even while King David did not remain faithful.  Unfortunately, in 2 Samuel 11 are witness to a dark blot in the life of David as he commits a sin of colossal proportions.

We are told David was out on the rooftop relaxing one evening while the men of Israel were out fighting the war.  After his midday rest, he was out looking over the city and he noticed a beautiful woman bathing, he inquires as to who she is and his servant tells him her name is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.  His gaze turned to lust, and his lust overtook him and ends up sleeping with her, we are not told if this was a mutual affair or not, nevertheless it does not matter because it still wrong and sinful no matter how you look at it.  Eventually he finds that she has become pregnant with David’s child, and this is a problem for him because she was a married woman.
 
It is at this point where David’s sin gets the best of him as David tries to cover his sin by plotting a scheme to cover up his sin.

1. David tries to cover his sin by creating an opportunity for her husband to come home from battle and hopefully he will lie with her.  He figured then at least the husband would think it was his.
2. David tries to cover his sin when Uriah refused to be with his wife, he had him put in the front line of duty and he was killed
3. David tries to cover his sin by taking Bathsheba to be his wife.  He figures he can still cover up his sin by “doing the right thing”.

 
The problem… You cannot hide your sin from God.  Nathan the prophet knows of David’s sin and confronts him with the truth.  
Both kings sin greatly against God, but as stated before their responses were very different.  Saul tries to justify his sin while David acknowledges and responds appropriately to his sin.
            
Psalm 51:1 - 12 – David Response
This Psalm is written by a broken, guilt ridden and repentant man whose transgressions were immense. The author, David, tried to scheme with all his might to cover up his sin but his sins were not hidden from God, and he was called out for his wickedness.  What we learn early on in David’s transgression is… If you continue in a sin long enough, it will catch up to you.
 
In this Psalm we are witness to four pleas of a broken and guilty man 

• Plea for mercy (Vs 1):  Once David’s sin is exposed, He goes to God and begs for mercy and for Him to be gracious and show favor to him.  David knew he was guilty of sin, but he also knew God was a loving and forgiving God.  He wasn’t asking for forgiveness because he wanted an escape route or even because he deserved it; he was genuinely pleading for God in His loving kindness to grant him mercy. 
• Plea of confession and forgiveness (Vs 2, 3):  David pleas for mercy then appeals to God for forgiveness.  His remorse was so overwhelming that the only thing that could subside his encompassing guilt was to plead for a washing away of his trespass.  He publicly confesses his sin to God and repents of his transgression.  David fully knows he has done wrong in the site of God, and he owns up to his sin.
• Plea for cleansing (Vs 7 – 9):  David asks God to blot out his transgression before him.  The process spoken of in verse 7a (purge me with hyssop) is the cleansing ritual of a leper.  The washing refers to the ritual washing that was involved after contact with a dead person.  He knows he is unclean, and he acknowledges his unworthiness and seeks to be purged and cleansed by God so that he may be spiritually cleansed.     
• Plea for spiritual restoration/ New life (Vs 10 - 12):  David knows his sin is great.  He knows the consequences of sin also means separation from God.  He asks God to create (make new) his heart and reboot (if you will) his spirit because he has become dirty and foul.  He begs that God would not cast him from his presence but instead he would give him back the joy he once had in the salvation God had promised.

 
Vs 17:  Pleasing Sacrifices to God - David comes to the realization that his cleansing and new life does not come through rituals and sacrifices (as Saul did).  Many people in David’s time knew that if they sinned all they needed to do was go through the rituals of cleansing and then they would feel right with God.  This is the ritual of religion… trying to do something for God and not really doing anything to changing or guarding ourselves from happening again.  David realizes what God truly desires of him.  In repentance God desires…

1. Humble or broken spirit – To know and understand the magnitude of sin and change his sinful ways. 
2. Repentant heart – This could also be translated as a crushed or penitent heart.  Repentance does not mean being sorry for what you did.  Anyone can do that.  Often, we respond in repentance we were caught and feel guilty because we were caught.  But repentance is more than that.  I still remember my Bible college professor explaining repentance as “being sorry enough to change.”  Repentance means to change one’s mind.  Change is involved in repentance.  

 
David longed for that which you and I have today.  He was awaiting a Savior, one who would take away the sins of the world and establish a new covenant with his people.  He longed for the intercessor (Jesus) to come and stand in His place so that his relationship would be made right with God.  
 
Jesus, Repentance & Forgiveness
In our time together it is important for us to acknowledge and know that we are privileged to as believers in Jesus Christ.  Because of Jesus we are…

1. Granted mercy – 1 Peter 1:3:  As David pleaded for mercy to be made new, we can know that mercy is available to us through Jesus Christ.  Because God is a merciful, we can experience the opportunity to receive the gift of being born again (salvation, the new birth).
2. Forgiven – 1 John 1:9:  In Jesus Christ we can know that we are truly forgiven if we confess our sins to God and seek his forgiveness.  If we ask for forgiveness, we will receive forgiveness.
3. Cleansed – 1 Cor. 6:11:  In Jesus Christ we are cleansed… Every one of us has a past.  Some of our pasts are more colorful than others but we need to take comfort in the words of Paul in this verse… “and such were some of you.”  We are all sinners and unworthy of the Kingdom of God, yet when God called you to be his son or daughter you were cleansed, you were sanctified (made holy), and justified (made right with God) through Jesus Christ. 
4. Spiritually Restored/ New Creation – 2 Cor. 5:17:  If you have confessed your sins and seek forgiveness from God, you are clean.  Not only are you clean but you are now a NEW creation.  You are not a better you… you are a new you and the old sinful nature has passed away and now all things are new.  If you are a believer in Jesus, then you have been made right and your relationship has been restored with God.

 

 
Introduction
“All the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”  Is this a statement found in the Bible or is it a commentary of our world culture today?  It is, in fact, both.  This phrase is the final statement at the conclusion of the Book of Judges.  It seems the more we read through the Bible that throughout history things haven’t changed very much.  Violence, war, rebellion, immorality, and disregard for God are not modern problems or current issues… They have been problems and issues since the beginning of time.  These issues point us to a truth; humanity needs a rescuer and savior.
 
The book of Judges shows us that the Bible is not a book of virtues.  It is not intended to be one that highlights inspiring stories that moves its readers to becoming superior contributors of society, nor is it an instructional manual that directs us to becoming moral individuals in an immoral world.   Judges is about God’s love, mercy, and patience with the nation of Israel and how he continually works in and through his people despite their continual rebellion and sinful practices.  Timothy Keller in his commentary JUDGES FOR YOU sums up the book of Judges as, “despicable people doing deplorable things.” And as “Trashy tales about dysfunctional characters.”[1]
 
Judges
The book of Judges is a fascinating book that recounts darker days of Israel’s early history in the Promised Land from the point of Joshua’s to the time when Israel demands a King to rule over them.  It picks up right where the book of Joshua leaves off.  Judges begins in the first two chapters detailing life in the Promised Land up to the time when Joshua dies at the age of 110.  We learn that the generation after Joshua grew up and did not acknowledge God as their Lord and did evil in the sight of God.  Naturally this angered God because the culture of Israel was a time of spiritual pluralism.  This means that the Israelites dwelt among the nations who worshiped and served various gods.  The Israelites were called to be a people who are holy, consecrated, and obedient to the one true God, they were his chosen people to represent him to the nations.  So, when they entered the Promised Land, they had choices to make; either follow God and be obedient to him or follow the pagan spiritual practices of those dwelling in Canaan.  Unfortunately, they chose the latter.  The sin and decadence were so bad that God turned the Israelites over to their enemies, resulting in God raising up judges to rescue them from their enemies.  The book is named after the group of these twelve individuals who served as leaders to the nation of Israel.  These were men and a woman who were commissioned by God to lead the rebellious nation of Israel back to Him.  During this time God was the ruler of the nation and it was a time of national decline because of Israel’s rebellion towards God and affinity for worshiping false Gods.  It is easy to notice the cyclical and distinct pattern (or a spiral effect) that runs throughout the book.   

1. Sin:  The people rebelled against the Lord or as the book states often, “The people did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” 
2. Oppression: God punishes them by sending other nations to oppress them.
3. Repentance: The nation cries out to God for help.
4. Deliverance: God sends a judge to deliver them.
5. Peace: There is a time of peace and eventually the cycle begins again.

 
The judges were principally the “saviors” or “deliverers” of the people from their enemies.  It is important to note that these judges did not take the place of God, they were simply military and civil leaders with judicial functions. 
Judges 4:5 – Deborah would sit under a palm, and she would settle disputes among the people.
The LORD is the true judge of his people, and it is he who delivers the people from their oppressors, and it is he would appoint the judges to lead in the deliverance.  It is his Spirit, coming upon men equipping them to do the tasks at hand.
 
Judges 2:17 - God was with the Judge he raises up and saves them from their enemies all the days of the Judge.  So, if the Judge who God has called to bring the nation back to Israel was alive the nation was in good standing with God.  The book mentions 12 judges (Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah/Barak, Gideon, Tola, Jair, Jephthah, Izban, Elon, Ablon, and Samson) and from this list of judges you may recognize the names Gideon and Samson.   Most judges have unique stories… 

1. Some are bloody and graphic 
   1. Ehud and his sword (Judges 3:20 – 23)
   2. Barak: Jael and the tent peg. (Judges 4:21 – 23)
2.  Others are epic 
   1. Samson & Delilah and the pillars (Judges 16:26 – 30)
3.  A few are almost unbelievable
   1. Gideon and his army (Judges 7:5 – 21)
   2. Jephthah and his vow (Judges 11:30 – 36)
4. Some are anticlimactic (Shamgar, Tola, Izban, Elon, and Abdon). 

A quick reading of Judges shows that it is a collection of distinct stories, most of which center on an individual.  So, in our remaining time together I would like to talk briefly about Gideon.
 
Gideon – An ordinary man called by God
Judges 6:1 – 6:  The story of Gideon begins in Judges 6, and we see the spiral effect in full swing as the nation of Israel did what was evil in the sight of God and He gave them over to the hand of the Midianites to oppress them.  The Midianites and Amalekites were kind of like school yard bullies to Israel.  The Israelites were afraid of them so they would build their homes in the mountains and grow crops but when harvest time came the Midianites and Amalekites would come and take their lunch money so to speak by overpowering them and taking all their crops.  The people of God cried out to the Lord for help and the Lord sends a prophet to tell them it is because of their unfaithfulness to him is why all this is happening.  
 
This reminds me of how many people are like this today; they spend their lives ignoring God, his commands, and doing what they please, but then when something bad happens they cry out to God for help.  In Judges we see God’s patience and mercy in action because he continually sends aid to the rebellious people through the Judges.  This remains true for us today as we see God is faithful to hear us when we cry out to him even when we have not been faithful to him.
 
6:11 – 16: An Angel of the Lord comes and commissions a man named Gideon to save Israel from the hands of the Midianites.  Gideon’s response to his call is much like that of Moses when he says, “I can’t do this, I am of the weakest tribe (Manasseh) and I am the least of my father’s family…surely you must have the wrong guy.”  The Angel of the Lord says, “No, I have the right guy. God is going to be with you and stop calling me Shirley.” (Ba da bum dum).  This is often the response of a humble servant of God.  He/she knows that they are not qualified to do the task without God being with them.  The angel of the Lord tells him that God will be with him in this task and he (like many of us) responds in reluctant obedience.  
 
Gideon says, “If this is true then please show me a sign that this will be as you say.” The angel complies and performs a miracle to show that God will be with him.  That very evening Gideon was commanded by God to destroy his father’s altar’s that were built to Baal.  God is calling Gideon to take hold of his own faith and forsake the faith of his father.  Gideon is afraid to do this because he does not want to anger or disrespect his father, but he also knows God is calling him from this dead and empty religion of Baal worship to serving the one true living God.
 
This may not seem like a big deal but when you look at what God is telling Gideon to do is a very big deal. I would imagine the last thing he wanted to do was to disrespect his father or tear down the altar’s that his father built with his own hands.  However, he knew and feared the one true God and he had to make a that evening… Will he ignore God’s call on his life because he doesn’t want to hurt his father’s feelings or is he going to be obedient and destroy this abomination before God?  He chooses obedience.  I am reminded of the various of people I meet who know that God is calling them to greater and better things but refuse to be obedient because they are more faithful to something other than him.  They are more faithful to their church, their denomination, the congregation, or pastor than to God.  They are fearful of what people will say about them or do to them.  Gideon proclaims loudly who he serves just by his obedience to God.  Was he scared?  Most likely.  Did he think he was going to hurt his father’s feelings?  Maybe.   But we see obedience to God outweighed obedience to man.  The result was his own father forsook Baal after he had seen what Gideon’s God could do.
 
Gideon and the Fleece
Next, The Lord tells Gideon he will defeat the Midianites and he seeks God’s reassurance by laying out a fleece (twice) to make sure God was going to do what he promised.  Many look at these “tests” as Gideon not having faith in God.  According to theologian D.A. Carson, “It was common practice in the ancient world to seek last-minute confirmation of divine support before a battle was joined.”   It appears Gideon didn’t believe God so he sets up a fleece and asks God that if he is with him then in the evening when the dew comes have it settle on the fleece and the ground around it be dry and then he will know it is from God.  God did as he asked, and Gideon still wanted to confirmation that God was with him, so he asks God to do the opposite and he does.  Again, I see the patience and mercy in God evident in this account.  He already told Gideon he was going to be with him and accomplish great things, but it seems that was not enough, Gideon sought more proof.  It would have been easy for God to say, “Well forget it!  Obviously, I have the wrong person for the job.”  But he doesn’t and shows great restraint and compassion by complying to Gideon’s request.
 
There have been times in my life when I did almost the same as Gideon.  There have times when I am faced with really difficult decisions, and I want to be in God’s will; so, I “set out fleeces” or I try to bargain with God to reassure me that I am doing the right thing.  Have you ever set a fleece out to God and said or thought, “Lord if you want me to do this then you need to do this to assure me, I am doing the right thing?”    Is it wrong to set out fleeces?  I don’t really know.  Apparently, God was ok with it since he did what was asked of him.  HOWEVER, I do think if we do choose to set out fleeces that we do so with extreme caution.  Because I do not believe God will always respond the way He did with Gideon and/or sometimes we put more faith in the fleece experience than we do in the God who has called us.  
 
Gideon’s Army   
Lastly, when Gideon received confirmation from the Lord, he called together the men of Israel to form an army.  Thirty-two thousand men showed up to fight!  The Lord says to Gideon, “There are too many men present.  If you go to battle and win then the men can take credit for the work that I did.”  So, the Lord instructed Gideon to tell all the men who were scared and trembling to go home, resulting in 20,000 men leaving the camp.  Ten-thousand men remained.  God said, “Still too many.”  He instructs Gideon to take them to the water and those who lap the water like a dog shall go home and those who drink by putting the water to their mouths were to stay.  Nine-thousand seven hundred men were sent home.  Three hundred men remained, and God said, “Now that’s a number I can work with.”  
 
Judges 7:7 – 8: Now comes the odd part to the story.  God informs Gideon that the 300 men and he will defeat the Midianites without shedding any blood.  They were going to defeat them by trumpets and voices (think back to Jericho). Not surprisingly, God does exactly as he promises.  Due to the lack of time, I would encourage you to read the account in Judges 7:19 – 25 to see how Gideon and his three hundred soldiers defeated the Midianites.  
 
Conclusion
Judges is filled with many accounts of God working through his people.  My purpose in today’s message is to remind us that in the eyes of God we are all significant in the part we play in his overall plan.  No matter how large or small our roles may be in this life during our lives they are all important in the grand scheme of God’s glory. Before I conclude I want to leave you with three applicable points for us from Judges.

1. God wants lordship over every area of our lives.  God does not want you or me to only cry out to him when we need him or something.  He is not one who says, “Only call on me when you need.”  No!  He wants complete lordship in every area of your life.  He desires for us to involve him in every aspect of our lives.  
   
   
2. Spiritual renewal is a necessary.  Our faith should be active and growing, not inactive and stagnant.  Spiritual decline is inevitable.  We cannot and do not stay on the “mountaintops” or “spiritual highs” our entire lives.  Life is filled with disappointment, valley experiences, and apathy.  However, God does not call us to remain in these dark places for extended time.  Spiritual growth and renewal are imperative to the Christian walk.  We are renewed in the Spirit by staying connected with God through prayer, reading his Word, and encounters with God and spiritual experiences.  We are also renewed through Christian fellowship, regular church participation, and worship.
   
   
3. God is in charge, no matter what.  God is all powerful, all knowing, and ever present.  Nothing rattles the cage, so to speak, of God.  He is not shocked by injustice, war, calamity, and high gas prices.  Sometimes life or the world may seem out of control, and it feels as though nobody is steering the ship, but God is present, and he is in charge. We see this in Judges as how things got out of hand in the Promised Land, but God still had a handle on things.  
   
   God is active and involved in the world and in our lives.  This was true at the mountain of Calvary. It may have looked like God had lost control of humanity as his one and only son hung lifelessly on the cross.  It may have felt as though the end had come.  It appears darkness had prevailed, but alas three-days later God raised his son Jesus Christ from the dead so that all who believed in Jesus could inherit eternal life.  In Judges God sends human judges to rescue the rebellious people, but through Jesus Christ God sent the perfect judge in Jesus Christ, he is the ultimate rescuer, deliverer, and savior to the dark and rebellious world.  

 
[1] Keller, T., 2013. Judges for you. [Purceyville, VA]: The Good Book Co., p.9.

Introduction  
Today we are continuing our God’s Story from Beginning to End series.  The purpose of this series is to gain a bird’s eye view of the Bible and how we can understand that it is a continuous story about God and his work through and among his chosen people.  Up to this point we have seen God’s work in creation, covenant, deliverance, the Law, establishing worship, and the wilderness.   It is important for us to understand that the Bible reveals God’s calling, character, curse, covenant, and conciliation in and of all things.  These revelations may seem simple and elementary, but the realities of the stories are complex as we observe a perfect God working among and amid an imperfect people to accomplish his perfect will.  Sometimes, often, these biblical stories are messy and disastrous, but we see throughout that God takes the ugliness, disorder, and misfortune and restores with beauty, order, and opportunity through Jesus Christ. 
 
We are picking up in the book of Joshua.  This book is titled after Moses’ right-hand man, military leader, and protégé Joshua, and it tells the story of the fulfillment of the Abrahamic Covenant given in Genesis 12:1 – 3.  This account begins shortly after the death of Moses.  Previously in Numbers 27 Joshua was commissioned by God and Moses to pick up where Moses left off in leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. He was a unique person whom God used tremendously in establishing the nation of Israel post wilderness.  His story is essential because had not Israel entered the Promised Land there would be no story of the judges, prophets, or kings to tell.  
 
In his life God (with the assistance of Moses) was preparing him to become the leader of the nation of Israel after the death of his mentor.  It’s no surprise that Joshua had some big shoes to fill.  We read in the life of Joshua, that God had his hand upon this man, militarily, in his management, and in his ministry.  Joshua did have some enormous shoes to fill but Joshua served an infinite God who can and does do all he had set out to accomplish through him.  He was a man of great faith, great vision, and great leadership. 
            
Background
As the tradition has been for the past few weeks, I believe it would benefit us all to look at the background of Joshua so we can have a good perspective of the man who was next in line to lead the nation of Israel in this pivotal point in their history. 
 
Joshua was distinctive in various ways but chiefly in his loyalty and obedience to both God and Moses.  He is the kind of person that every leader (or Christian for that matter) desires to have in his or her life.  He shared a relationship with Moses that none (other than God) could or ever would have, which ultimately led to him to having the special and unique kind of relationship that Moses had with God.
 
Joshua’s story is interconnected throughout the Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible), but his epic accounts are found primarily in the book of the Bible that is titled after him.  Joshua loved Moses and he was devoted to his mentor.  In taking a brief overview of his life, we see that he faithfully served as a spy in the land of Canaan, he was a mighty military leader who fought and won great battles, and he was a great leader who shepherded the nation of Israel into the Promised Land.  
 
Here are some key components of this man’s amazing life.  

1. Numbers 11:28:  Joshua was an assistant to Moses as a young boy.  We are first introduced to him in Exodus 17 when Moses sent Joshua out to defeat the Amalekites. After the battle, he built an altar to the Lord in the land where they defeated the Amalekites.  For most of his youthful days Joshua served as the military leader for Moses and was faithful in serving him.
2. Deuteronomy 31:1–8, - He was appointed as Moses’ successor by God.  He was commissioned by Moses in the presence of the priest Eleazar who would be his counselor for war.
3. Deuteronomy 34:9: When Moses died in the land of Moab; God gave him a glimpse of the Promised Land that he was not able to enter.  Thirty days prior the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plain of Moab.  There was no other prophet like Moses in all of Israel’s history, but we know that Joshua (a man full of the Spirit) was enabled and empowered by God to to accomplish all He set before him.  

 
Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho
Today we are going to park for a quick second in Joshua 6 as we look specifically at a story that, I am sure; you are all familiar.  If you have ever gone to church, Sunday School Christian School, or Bible camp then you have heard this story.  Here, Joshua, Caleb and their army are standing before the Promised Land and God gives Joshua the “go ahead” to proceed into the city and overtake it.  I sometimes wonder what those men were thinking as they were standing before the city preparing to storm the walls of Jericho.  I can tell you one thing they were most likely NOT thinking was that they would overtake the city by simply marching around the wall, blowing horns, and shouting at the top of their lungs.  
 
God gives Joshua some very unusual and specifics as to how they are to take the city.

Joshua 1:1 - 9  

Here is the plan… 

1. March around the city once and do this for six days.
2. Seven Priests shall carry seven trumpets and carry the Ark of the Covenant with them.
3. On the seventh day march around the city seven times and the Priests shall blow their horns.
4. When the people hear the long blast of the horn the men are to shout as loud as they can.
5. When they do this the wall will come tumblin’ down.
6. Once the wall falls, they will capture the city.

 
This is an unusual military plan.  If I were in the military and I heard this as the battle plan I would think the commander had been smoking something funny.  However, Joshua, Caleb and the army had faith that God had something greater than military strategy or a well thought out battle plan.  They had something greater… They had God on their side.
 
This is a large part of the story and to the success in their battle.  Romans 8:31 says, “What shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?”  This passage was written thousands of years after the battle of Jericho but I am sure this mindset and reality of this yet unwritten verse was in the forefront of Joshua’s mind.  So, if it was applicable and true thousands and hundreds of years ago, it is certainly remains true for us today.   
 
We face trials, hardships, or “walls” that seem to be looming before us.  We can look at our situation and see no logical or realistic way out of or through this difficulty.  We begin to question God, or we may not trust he will pull through for us.  We often use the word BUT to discredit what God is doing.  We say, “I know God says he will never leave or forsake me, but I am not sure he is going to pull through for me on this.”  Or we may say, “I believe God is calling me to do some outrageous things for His purpose BUT I don’t think I would have enough courage or faith to do what He is asking me to do.

• I sometimes wonder if I let my BUT get in the way!  I wonder when we are in a predicament or a difficult situation is it appropriate to ask, “God, is my but too big?”  Yes, I think it is appropriate! 
  
• If God is calling me to do something then I need to know and believe He has already secured the resources, made the time, given me the faith and energy to accomplish the task.  
  
• God does not call you out to do something without equipping you to do the task.  This does not mean it will be easy or a walk in the park, because sometimes it is not, but you will be equipped, and God will be with you through good and bad.
  
• Sometimes God invites (or even commands) us to do some things that seem illogical or seem uncomfortable, foolish, and even dangerous.  This is the case for Joshua.  But if God invites, we must be willing to respond in faith.
  
• We love our comfort.  We love security.  We love assurance.  I think it is safe to say most of us don’t do illogical, failure, and dangerous.  
  
• God has designed us to be this way because when God does call us to do something illogical our reply should only be trust and obedience and respond in awe and amazement when he does “pull through” for us.
  
• God is not a conventional God.  He uses extraordinary means to accomplish unthinkable tasks.  
  
  • He uses trumpets, clashing cymbals, voices and marching to knock down the wall of Jericho.
    
  • He uses a donkey to open the eyes to the Spiritual realm that surrounded Balaam.
    
  • He uses two fish and five loaves to feed 5,000 people.
• ​God told Joshua what to do and Joshua had a choice to make.  He could have said, “I know you are God and all powerful BUT I don’t think this is a good idea.”  Or he could have said, “I know you are God and all powerful so I will trust and obey you.”
  
• Fortunately, Joshua trusted and obeyed, and victory was given to him, and a nation was born.

Joshua:  The Faith-Filled Leader
Joshua was a loyal servant, assistant, and successor to Moses.  However, he was not just loyal to Moses he was a loyal and dependent leader of God (just like his mentor).  Joshua was a leader who was a faithful servant and faith-filled man of God.  When we read accounts of his life, we notice that as a leader, Joshua had a full plate both as a Spiritual and military leader.  He had to make some tough decisions regarding sin in the camp of Israel, and when he faced some interesting challenges placed before him that required a faith that seemed extraordinary.  
 
There are four key distinctions about Joshua I would like to note about him that made him the faith-filled leader he was.

1. Joshua was a man of his word.  Leadership requires integrity and honesty if one desires to be a faith-filled leader.  In a day and age where leaders will say anything to either appease the masses, get more votes, or to get out of sticky situations it is helpful for us as Christians and leaders to be men and women of our word.  In Joshua 2, Joshua sends out two spies to check out the land of Jericho.  As they were in the city word got out that there were two Israelite spies Rahab the prostitute took it upon herself to protect and hide them men from the authorities.  As the men were about to leave her house, she asked that she and her family be spared when the Israelites attacked.  They agreed and as a sign to not harm anyone in the house Rahab would hang a scarlet chord from her window.  
   
   Joshua 6:22: Joshua tells the spies to go and get Rahab and her family out of the destruction.  He remembered the promise that was made to her and kept it.
   
   
2. Joshua was a man of faith.  Sometimes we find ourselves in a difficult position where the odds seem to be stacked against us and certainly Joshua felt this way at the wall of Jericho.  God instructs Joshua how he is to destroy this giant wall before him.  The strange thing is his arsenal did not consist of canons, TNT, battering rams and M-16’s.  Instead, his arsenal contained trumpets, the Ark of the Covenant, and people’s voices.  
   
   God instructs Joshua, the men of the army and the seven priests to walk around the city wall for six days.  The seven priests have seven trumpets that they will carry before the Ark.  On the seventh day they are to walk around the city seven times and on the seventh time the priest’s will blow the horns and the people will shout with all their might and the walls will fall.  I can honestly say my response probably would not have been the same as Joshua’s.  I would have said, “Huh?  Come again Lord?  Did I miss the part about explosives and big guns?”  Joshua’s obedience showed his faith in God and as a result the Lord did all he said he would.
3. Joshua had to make hard decisions.  There are perks to being a leader, but there are certainly downfalls.  Leaders find themselves in positions where they must make decisions for the better of the majority rather than the benefit of the minority.  In chapter 7 after the great battle of Jericho Joshua goes to war with Ai.  This battle did not go well with Joshua, losing thirty-six men and falling to their enemy.  Why?  Because of the sin of one man named Achan.
   
   Joshua 7:1 – 12, 
   
   Joshua 7:19 – 21: When Israel was plundering Jericho Achan decided he wanted to keep some plunder for himself (which was prohibited).  This one sin was to God as a sin of rebellion unto the whole nation.  Before Joshua knows what is going on he cries out to God and asks why they lost this battle.  God informs him about the sin that is present in nation.  Soon he finds out it is Achan who has stolen some of the plunder.  Upon hearing this news, he must make the tough call as to how to deal with this sin in the presence of God.  A death sentence is proclaimed on Achan and his family as punishment for his sins.  I am certain Joshua did not enjoy making this call, but he knew the severity of sin and this sin could not go unpunished.
4. Joshua prayed big faith-filled prayers.  We should not be afraid to pray big prayers as well.  God is a God who can accomplish the impossible and Joshua was not afraid to ask God for the impossible.  
   
   Joshua 10:12 – 13:   Joshua was engaged in battle.  The battle was taking longer than usual and evening was fast approaching and Joshua prayed for the sun to stay still and the Lord did as Joshua asked.  It takes a man (or woman) of faith to pray big faith-filled prayers. 

Conclusion
We serve a big God!  There is nothing that is too big or too small for him.  We have seen in this short time together that no matter what we face God has called his people to partner with him to accomplish his will.  I realize the story of Joshua is unique to him, but this does not mean that what God did in his life he won’t do in your life.   We can look at the distinctions of Joshua and apply them to our lives.  We should be men and women of our word, men and women of faith, learn how to make hard decisions, and pray BIG faith-filled prayers.