The Israelites have been on quite the journey in the first 8 chapters of Joshua, haven't they? Before we go on to Chapter 9, I want to take a moment and look at the last two verses of chapter 8.
Joshua 8:34-35 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. (35) There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.
After the victory of Ai, Joshua built an altar as was the command of Moses. The altar was made of stones that no one had ever taken a tool too. They were untouched by man. On this altar that was made of stones that were untouched by man, the Children of Israel offered the Lord burnt offerings and sacrifices. On the stones, after they were finished with the sacrifices (and after the rocks cooled, I am sure) Joshua began writing the Law of Moses on the stones. After Joshua wrote the law on the stones, he read all of the law and all the words of Moses, including blessings and cursings and everything that was written in the Book of the Law (v. 35). All the assembly of the Children of Israel, with the women, the children and strangers among them heard the reading of the law.
I find this to be an important aspect of what the Children of Israel had to do after the experience with Achan, the defeat at Ai, and the subsequent victory. "All the words of Moses" included Deuteronomy Chapter 28. Look at verse 1:
Deuteronomy 28:1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the Voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
"...if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.." The Children of Israel had just witnessed what happened when they obeyed the voice of the Lord and what happens when they disobey the voice of the Lord. When they obeyed the voice of the Lord, He gave the victory all according to His word and His covenant with them. When they disobeyed the voice of the Lord, such as Achan did, they saw His hand removed from their fight, they suffered defeat and loss of life in battle. Then when they made amends, punished the disobedient, they once again saw the Lord bring them victory in battle. Reading the law and all the words of Moses, including the blessings and cursings, is a new reminder for the outcomes of recent events. Deuteronomy 28:2 goes on to say this:
Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:
Do you know what blessings include when we obey the voice of the Lord our God?
Joshua 8:34-35 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. (35) There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.
I find this to be an important aspect of what the Children of Israel had to do after the experience with Achan, the defeat at Ai, and the subsequent victory. "All the words of Moses" included Deuteronomy Chapter 28. Look at verse 1:
Deuteronomy 28:1 "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the Voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.
"...if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God.." The Children of Israel had just witnessed what happened when they obeyed the voice of the Lord and what happens when they disobey the voice of the Lord. When they obeyed the voice of the Lord, He gave the victory all according to His word and His covenant with them. When they disobeyed the voice of the Lord, such as Achan did, they saw His hand removed from their fight, they suffered defeat and loss of life in battle. Then when they made amends, punished the disobedient, they once again saw the Lord bring them victory in battle. Reading the law and all the words of Moses, including the blessings and cursings, is a new reminder for the outcomes of recent events. Deuteronomy 28:2 goes on to say this:
Deuteronomy 28:2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God:
- blessed in the city and blessed in the country. Basically everywhere we go, we will be blessed because we obey the voice of the Lord.
- blessed shall be the fruit of our body, produce of the ground, increase of our herds. Because we obey the voice of the Lord, our children will be blessed. We will even say all the fruits of our labor (whether it be a job or a service). Basically, whatever we do and whatever belongs to us, will be blessed.
- blessed shall be our basket and kneading bowl. We will never go hungry and we will always be satisfied, never with want or need. Our bowls and bread basket shall always be filled because we are obedient to the voice of the Lord.
- Blessed coming in and blessed going out. Whatever we are doing, whether returning to our home and going out into the world, we are blessed and find the favor of the Lord because we are obedient to the voice of the Lord.
- Our enemies that rise up before us will be defeated before our face and scattered seven different ways.
Deuteronomy 28:1-14 establishes with the Children of Israel God's covenant with them when they are obedient to His voice. Deuteronomy 28:15-68 outlines clearly all God will do if they are disobedient to His voice.
By reading everything written in the Book of the Law and all the words of Moses, Joshua gave the Children of Israel a reminder of the Covenant they entered into with God. It also functioned as a renewal of that Covenant now that they were in the land that was promised. They had sanctified themselves, prepared themselves, crossed over into the promise, but then one of their members made a decision that had an effect on them all. You see, just because we are made new upon salvation doesn't mean our will is null and void. We still have the ability to make our own decisions. We decide whether to be obedient to the Word of God or to be disobedient and do things in a manner that dishonor Him and the covenant we made. We all have a testimony. We all have a report we can read of all the things God brought us through and the promises He made to us. We also know that we have been commanded to lay aside the flesh and the old man and renew our minds daily. Continuing in the ways of the old man without keeping the precepts of Christ puts us in the path of the sinner.
Psalms 1:1-4 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; (2) But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. (3) He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (4) The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
Are you planted by the rivers of water? Are you meditating day and night on His word? Blessed is the man who delights in the law of the Lord. We cannot be blessed when we walk in the path of the sinner. In other words, do not do what the sinner does. Set yourself apart and firmly plant yourself in the Word of God.
