Joshua 8:24

Joshua 8:24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword.  The Israelites killed the people of Ai who had chased them, then returned to the city and killed those who were left.  Once more, we may think this extreme, but these were people who opposed God.  Though we are not called on to destroy those who oppose God today, we are called on to destroy their influence in our life.  Verse twenty-five states, And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai.  Twelve thousand men and women died that day.  Since this says that this included all the men of Ai, they were not a large enough force to have defeated the army of Israel the first time, but the army of Israel had gone under their own power instead of relying on God.  As followers of Christ, we can be defeated by even small temptations if we are not living according to God's plan and by His power in our life.  Verse twenty-six adds, For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.  None of the people of Ai were spared.  Verse twenty-seven continues, Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua.  Unlike Jericho, this time the people took the spoils of war for themselves, as God had commanded them to.  Vere twenty-eight declares,  And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.  Joshua burned the city of Ai, and it remained a desolation.  God has already destroyed the power of sin and spiritual death for those who accept Christ as Savior and Lord today.  The only way sin can have power over us today is if we allow it to if we are Christians.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.  The king of Ai was hanged for a day, then buried under a heap of stones at the gate of the city.  I believe this was done to show other people what would happen if they opposed God and the people of Israel, His people.  We do not have such visual demonstrations available today, so we must rely on simply living by the gospel of Christ to convince others to come to Christ by faith.  Verse thirty proclaims, Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal,  Joshua built an altar to God on mount Ebal.  Joshua was giving the honor and glory to God for their victory, just as we should do in everything that we do today if we are His people.  Verse thirty-one adds, As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.  The altar was built according to the instructions that Moses had received from God and given to the people of Israel, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to God there.  We today need to give our offerings to God in accordance with His word.  It is not so much what we give as it is our reason and attitude for giving.  Verse thirty-two states, And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.  Joshua wrote on the stones of the altar a copy of the law of Moses, which was God's law.  We as followers of Christ should have God's law written in our hearts, which should be an altar to God.  Verse thirty-three adds, And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.  All the people, both the Israelites and the strangers around them who chose to, stood before the altar to worship God.  I believe that we can say that anyone who comes to God by faith will be welcome at His altar.  Jesus did not die just for a select group of people, but for all who come to Him by faith.  Verse thirty-four continues,  And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law.  Joshua read the whole law of God to them.  We cannot just accept the part of God's law that we like to follow, but must follow all of His law.  Verse thirty-five concludes, There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.  Just as Joshua read all the word of Moses, the law that God had given Him, to the people then, we must share all of God's word with the people today.  The gospel is to be shared with everyone, even the stranger and little children.