Fast Track Chapter 2: The Conquests

Chapter 2

God instructed His people with a great Law. He taught them right and wrong, while emphasizing their continual need for forgiveness. The Law was spelled out in Exodus and Leviticus showing that God is perfect and holy. Holiness is a word that means extreme purity, perfection, and beauty. The Law further showed that the people needed a forgiver. Sacrifices of animals, grain, and guilt offerings were spelled out so the people could see their moral failures and seek God for forgiveness. These were mere shadows of the ultimate sacrifice coming in the future. Perfect forgiveness would come when God would send the Final Forgiver or Messiah to die for mankind‟s rebellion.

Giants made God's people feel small

The people of God now came to a critical moment in their history. Four hundred years earlier God promised Abraham a land. Now at the edge of that Promised Land, the question again came, “Will they trust God to take them in?”

Moses sent in twelve spies. They came back with a report. Ten said, “The men are as big as giants! The walls are fortified. We can‟t take this land. We feel like grasshoppers.” The spies believed the obstacles in the new land would stomp on them.

Two spies, Joshua and Caleb, said, “Let‟s trust God, He‟s bigger than all these obstacles.” The people took a vote, but they didn‟t trust God. They wandered around for forty years instead of going into the Promised Land.

40 years of grumbling and complaining

God waited for a generation that would trust Him. This fearful generation would “number” the people and then begin wandering. We are now in the book of Numbers, where wandering and grumbling, instead of trusting God, is the recurring theme.

God continued to try to teach His people to trust Him. God gave them a pillar of cloud to follow by day, and a pillar of fire for night. When it moved, they moved. When it stopped, they stopped. But still they didn‟t trust God, even with a tangible reminder that God was with them daily. They still made some offerings, performed a few sacrifices in the tabernacle, and celebrated Passover; but mostly they just complained. In one moment of grumbling, Moses‟ brother, Aaron, and sister, Miriam, challenged his leadership. They told Moses that they didn‟t like the fact that he had married a black woman named Zipporah, who was a Cushite. God hated this racism, and taught them a harsh lesson by giving them leprosy, essentially saying, “You think lighter skin is better, huh? Try leprosy.” Moses intervened, God relented, and they were healed ... but humbled.

The people kept grumbling ... for food ... for the "good times" in Egypt ... for water. God wanted them to pray and ask Him for help when they were in trouble. Instead, they just gritted their teeth and grumbled. Moses was so sick of the grumbling that he lost his temper. When God called him to speak to the rock for water again, the angry Moses bashed it with his staff. Even though water shot up, God pulled Moses aside and told him that his anger was caused by not trusting. Because of this, Moses would not be allowed to go into the Promised Land.

As one generation began to die, their children were anxious to return to trusting God. This next generation put confidence in Him during battles with their enemies. The news of these battles reached Balak, the King of Moab. Balak bribed one of Israel‟s prophets, a man named Balaam, in hopes of backing them down. Balaam set off to deceive the nation of Israel by prophesying that God would not help them.

On his way, Balaam‟s donkey ran him into a wall to avoid an angel. Balaam smacked his donkey. The donkey spoke. (Yes, the donkey spoke!) God warned Balaam – through the donkey – to trust Him and be honest, not to lie for money. Balaam agreed and delivered a sermon later that day about “Trusting God!” (You may wonder about the reliability of a book with burning bushes and talking donkeys. Consider this: “If an all-powerful God created the entire world, couldn‟t He easily speak through a talking donkey?”)

The Israelites approached the edge of the Promised Land. Before they went in, Moses gave one final speech, a second giving of the Law, reminding the people to trust God in the new land. This inspiring and detailed explanation about sincere trust, providing for the poor, and creating a society ruled by law was recorded in the book of Deuteronomy.

Moses died up on a mountain, where he could see the Promised Land. The 40 years were over. The generation that refused to trust God was dead. The next generation was ready. They mourned Moses for 30 days. Joshua, the young spy turned leader, took over command. His first speech was the repetition of the recurring theme of the past thousand years. He told the people to be strong and courageous, placing their confidence in God. He reminded them not to turn to the left or the right of what God commanded. Joshuareminded them to trust God in the land filled with mystery and unknowns. He told them that God was with them – even though the pillar of cloud and fire would not follow them into the new homeland. Now God‟s presence was certain, but not tangible.

Jericho: Rahab surrendered and God saved her

Forty years! Yet the giants and cities still existed and the same question faced them: “Will we trust God in this next generation?” The battle cry was “Yes, we will!” Spies were sent out again to determine a battle strategy. Several spies headed into the city of Jericho, where they were hidden from the guards by a prostitute named Rahab.

Rahab told the Israelite spies that she had heard stories of the Red Sea crossing and their great God. She knew that her city was filled with horrible, despicable violence. The wickedness of Jericho had corrupted all men, women, and children. She wanted to trust God and ask for forgiveness. The spies told her that God would rescue her from both her failings and the coming collapse. She was told to hang a “white flag” out her window as a sign of her surrender to God. She hung a scarlet cord to symbolize her trust in the Almighty One to be her forgiver and deliverer. The spies reported to Joshua that Jericho indeed knew of God‟s power.

Joshua began the attack by crossing the Jordan River. The priests stepped into the river with the Ark of the Covenant and the water stopped flowing, creating a path for the whole community. After crossing the river, Joshua told his people to pull large rocks out of the river bed and to place them on the shoreline. These rocks would remind them to tell future generations how God had provided that day.

God appeared to Joshua and gave him marching orders for conquering Jericho. God had waited over 400 years for the people living in Canaan to turn from their unmentionable wickedness. God gave them one final chance to straighten up, as they (Joshua‟s army) encircled them. Joshua and his men were told to walk around the city for seven days. Then, on the last day, they marched around it seven times. They were to stop, yell, blow trumpets and watch as God brought down the walls. The horns were blown. The people yelled. The walls came tumbling down. God warned them not to take any of the money in the rubble. The treasures in this city were considered unclean, used to exploit the innocent, women, and the poor. Most of the people obeyed, but greedy Achan did not.

Rahab and her family were rescued. They were the only ones in Jericho to repent and trust God that day. Despite being a prostitute and a foreigner, the faithful Rahab would later appear in the family tree of the Messiah, the Final Forgiver. This reminds us that God welcomes, forgives, and draws near to anyone who will trust Him.

Basking in the victory at Jericho, Israel prepared for its next battle, which was against a tiny city called Ai. The city was so small that Joshua only sent a handful of soldiers to take it. His men returned days later, having been soundly beaten. Joshua was shocked. He prayed, asking why they had lost the battle. God told Joshua that someone in their community was not trusting Him and had taken accursed objects from Jericho. Joshua called the multitudes of Israelites together and, through a process of elimination, discovered that Achan “stole the bacon” (well, maybe not bacon, but gold doesn't rhyme with his name). Achan admitted his thievery. After Joshua dealt with Achan, the soldiers conquered Ai the next day in a great victory. The battles continued throughout the Canaanite land for several more years. One battle was so fierce that Joshua became worried they would run out of daylight before conquering their enemies. So he prayed. In response, God kept the sun lit for an extended period so they could finish the battle. That day became known as not only the longest day, but also the day God listened to the voice of a man. (Some scientists believe God may have refracted the light in order to extend the daylight, while others see it as miraculous.)

The battles continued, recorded in the book of Joshua, through chapter 12. The land was divided up among the twelve tribes of Israel. Each of the last twelve chapters of Joshua outlines which tribes and families received their part of the Promised Land. Joshua ends the book with a powerful sermon.

The twelve tribes are challenged to serve God

Imagine Joshua holding up a tennis racket as he spoke. He called these twelve tribes to “serve God.” The stirring sermon reminded them of their pattern of slipping away from God. He challenged them to instead serve with their whole heart. He declared that, regardless of what each person decided to do, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!” And the people enjoyed God‟s blessing and forgiveness for many years ... until the time of the Judges.

God‟s people had their long-awaited Promised Land. They had God‟s blessing; but their old, selfish tendencies crept back into their hearts. He sent judges, prophets, and even kings to repeat one resounding theme: “Stop running and return to Me!” God‟s relentless pursuit of His people was amazing. He chased down these disobedient children time and time again. He loved them anyway.

We now enter the era of the Judges, a time when everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Over the next 350 years, God‟s people went through the same cycle – they rebelled and ran from God. Distanced from their Father God, they became vulnerable, and foreign nations, like the Philistines, came into the land and conquered them. When the pain got too much, the people would scurry back and cry out to God for help. He listened each time and sent a judge (a military leader of sorts -- preacher, adjudicator and general all in one) to deliver them from the foreign threat. The people would come back and enjoy prosperity. After things improved, they would begin trusting their money or power and feel like they didn‟t need God anymore. They began to run away from Him again ... They would tell God to go away.

God said, "Stop running and return to me!"

The Judges came from different backgrounds, with different personalities but a common message: “Stop running and return to Me!” One judge was a man named Gideon. He was a reluctant leader, a coward who lived in fear his whole life. God asked Gideon to trust Him and help return the nation of Israel. Gideon asked for many supernatural signs to confirm the message. He challenged God with silly tests. “Can You make the ground wet and the fleece I lay on the ground dry tomorrow? Can You reverse that the next day?” Despite Gideon‟s fearful need for signs, God graciously answered his prayers. The judge then agreed to trust and built his army in an unusual way. He sent all the scared soldiers home – retaining only 300 to fight against the massive Midianite army. Gideon led his small team into battle in the dark of night, armed only with torches and clay pots. They surrounded the enemy camp and Gideon blew his trumpet. The startled enemy woke that night to the sound and saw torches glowing all around them. The groggy and disoriented Midianites panicked and killed each other, providing victory for “the Lord and Gideon.”

God delivered His people and forgave their lack of trust. (Trusting God always means following His example -- loving others, pursuing good, turning from evil.) When they obeyed Him, they were showing their trust, acknowledging that His ways were better than their ways. Real obedience always flows from genuine trust in God. After the Israelites‟ proclamation of trust, they were liberated from slavery to the Philistines.

Nevertheless, the cycle of running continued. God sent judges like Deborah, Jephthah, Jotham, and others to draw the people back to Him. God worked through each of the Judges despite their own flaws and issues. Each one provided a great victory with the battle cry, “Stop running and return to Me!” Returning to God was a far deeper issue than merely going through rituals and religious motions. Returning meant loving Him with heart, soul, and mind. It meant being in a trusting relationship with their Heavenly Father and acting according to His guidance and will. The people trusted briefly, but sadly returned to the same cycle again and again.

In this age where everybody “did what was right in their own eyes,” some of the Judges themselves ran from God. Samson was a classic example of a running leader and disobedient Judge.

The mane-ly muscular Samson

Samson was a fierce and confident Judge, known for his long hair and great strength. His long locks were not magic – they were merely a symbol of a promise He made to trust God. Samson had agreed to follow the Nazarite vow, a pledge to not cut his hair or touch anything dead. Eventually, Samson broke his vows, and his life serves as a case study in unbridled ego, lust, and revenge. Instead of conquering the Philistines, he decided to marry one, simply because she was beautiful. During the wedding ceremony, Samson lost his temper and stormed off. He went to visit prostitutes in the Philistine‟s main city. There, the people tried to lock him in, but Samson tore off the city gate, carried it many yards, and threw it down the road. He made other headlines with feats of strength and anger. Samson once killed a lion with his bare hands and took on the whole Philistine army with only a donkey‟s jawbone as a sword.

The Philistines concocted a plan to stop Samson. They convinced Delilah, a good-looking Philistine woman, to seduce him and figure out the “secret” of his might. Falling prey to Delilah‟s nagging and manipulating, Sampson revealed that his long hair -- the symbol of his vow to God -- was his secret. One night he fell asleep and Delilah chopped off his hair. God‟s patience with Samson‟s rebellion came to an end. He removed Samson‟s strength. The Philistines blinded him and made him work like a horse – for years.

They took him to their temple and paraded him around like a show pony. It was here that Samson finally got God‟s message to “Stop running and return to Me!” Samson realized that he had been running his whole life with drunkenness, pride, anger, and lust. In that moment, he was humbled and asked God for forgiveness. He chose to return, and God restored the Judge‟s great strength, allowing him to knock over the entire Philistine temple and delivering His people into independence.

Eli could no longer hear God's voice

The time of the Judges was rife with struggle and pain, but a love story bloomed in the middle of the difficult time. The book of Ruth tells of a woman named Naomi who ran. Naomi was angry at God because He allowed her husband and sons to die. God revealed His love to Naomi through her daughter-in-law, Ruth. She stayed with Naomi during her anger and depression. As Naomi‟s faith began to return, she became a matchmaker by setting Ruth up with an older man of faith named Boaz. This couple became ancestors of the Final Forgiver, the Messiah. Naomi's trust in God was restored. The book of Ruth ends with Naomi returning to God as her forgiver and leader.

If the Judges couldn‟t get the people to return to God, maybe the Prophets could. Hannah, a barren woman living during this time, prayed to become a mother. God listened and gave her a son. She raised him to be a prophet of God under a priest named Eli. Though he was an official priest of the Lord, the greedy Eli and his sons had been defiant for years, and the pattern of disobedience had made him deaf to God‟s direction and will.

Samuel was able to hear God, and received a message for Eli. Samuel said that Eli and his family were in great danger. Samuel grew up and helped people return to God by admitting their selfishness and ingratitude.

Yet the people decided that they needed a king like the other nations, instead of trusting God. God said, “Bad idea! Kings take your money, your sons, and your daughters. They tax you to death. They take away your property rights. Kings take what‟s „yours‟ and make it „theirs.‟” God warned them of the dangers of bloated monarchies and centrally controlled governments, saying, "Return to Me and let Me be your King.” They refused to hear God's warning and said, "We want a king anyway." So God told Samuel to anoint the first king – a handsome man named Saul.

Humble King Saul hid behind luggage

As the nation gathered to inaugurate the monarch, he couldn‟t be found. They eventually discovered their new king hiding behind the luggage! Saul was a humble man who didn‟t want the limelight. He began his reign with grace and wisdom. Many of the citizens weren‟t sure what to make of this reserved leader. As they headed out to the first battle, many refused to follow his command. The group that joined Saul in battle came back victorious. Saul called an all-nation meeting. The soldiers who battled wanted Saul to kill the cowards who stayed behind. Saul used this first act of leadership to reconcile His people and brought them together.

Watch "The Conquests"

Watch Pastor Chad Hovind present the second part of the Fast Track series, "The Conquests."

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