Tag Archives: God is Just

Gideon: Mighty Man of Valor (Judges 6; Judges 7)

Leave a reply

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

Scripture reading – Judges 6-7

Judges 6 introduces us to Gideon, one of my favorite characters in the Book of Judges.

Judges 6

The Intrusion of Midian and the Calamity of Israel (Judges 6:1-6)

Judges 5 concluded by stating that “the land [Israel] had rest [peace] forty years” (5:31). Yet, Judges 6 opened with the children of Israel once again finding themselves in dire straits both spiritually and physically.  We read that the people had committed “evil in the sight of the LORD” and broken His covenant. Israel had disobeyed God’s law and commandments (6:1). The LORD, true to His Word, then “delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. 2And the hand of Midian prevailed against Israel…[and] the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the mountains, and caves, and strong holds” (6:1-2).

A Prophet Sent to Prepare the Way for a Deliverer (Judges 6:7-10)

Year after year, the people planted crops, only to have the hordes of Midian and the Amalekites descend upon their crops, leaving “no sustenance for Israel, neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass” (6:4). In their misery, the people “cried unto the Lord, [and He]…sent a prophet unto the children of Israel” (6:7-8).

Notice the order of God’s work: Before He sent a deliverer, The LORD sent a prophet who rehearsed God’s faithfulness, and how He had delivered Israel out of bondage (6:8). In His love, and compassion, He waited to do the same for that generation; however, the people disobeyed the LORD (6:9-10).

Gideon: An Unlikely Deliverer (Judges 6:11-16)

Mercifully, amid Israel’s suffering, the LORD sent an angelic messenger to “Gideon [who] threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites” (6:11). Gideon was a most unlikely choice to deliver Israel from the pillaging throng of Midian. He was, however, the man of God’s choosing and one whom the angel addressed as a “mighty man of valour” (6:12).

Gideon said to the angelic messenger (whom I believe was pre-incarnate Jesus Christ), “Oh my Lord, if the Lordbe with us, why then is all this befallen us?…wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (6:13-15). Then “the angel of the LORD” answered with the LORD’s promise, saying, “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (6:16).

Gideon’s Assault on Baal Worship in Israel (Judges 6:17-32)

After offering a sacrifice (6:17-24), “Gideon built an altar there unto the Lord, and called it Jehovah-shalom [the LORD is Peace]” (6:24). The same night, the LORD came to Gideon and commanded him to “throw down the altar of Baal…And build an altar unto the Lord thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down” (6:26-27). Gideon obeyed and did as he was commanded, though he feared the stirring it would bring the next day when the ruins of Baal’s altar were discovered (6:28-29).

The following day, the men of the city found Baal’s altar destroyed and would have killed Gideon. However, his father, no doubt rebuked for his idolatry, declared to his neighbors, “Will ye plead for Baal? will ye save him? he that will plead for him, let him be put to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him plead for himself, because one hath cast down his altar” (6:31).

Preparations for War: To Fleece, or Not to Fleece (Judges 6:33-40)

As they had in the past, the Midianites and the Amalekites returned to plunder Israel, but “the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet… and he sent messengers unto [the tribes of] Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them” (6:33-35).

Gideon looked across the plain and saw the army of Midian encamped against Israel. Once again, his faith faltered at the sight of the enemy’s campfires that burned on Mount Moreh (three miles to the north). Gideon asked the LORD to prove Himself. Employing the fleece of a sheep, he sought the LORD to allow the night’s dew to be upon the fleece and not upon the ground (6:36-38). The next day, he petitioned the opposite and asked that the dew be on the ground and the fleece be left dry (6:39-40). Loving and patient, the LORD regarded Gideon’s request, though the fleece symbolized his lack of faith in God.

Judges 7

Gideon’s Call to War and the LORD’s Reduction of Israel’s Army (Judges 7:1-8)

Gideon then sent out a call for the men of Israel to gather. Thirty-two thousand men responded to his call (7:1). Though he was facing a great enemy, the LORD came to Gideon and said, “The people that are with thee are too many” (7:2). God then presented Gideon with two demands for reducing the number of his soldiers.

The first demand was the test of fear: The LORD commanded Gideon to send home any afraid (7:3), and twenty-two thousand men departed, leaving ten thousand soldiers in his army.

With his army reduced by more than two-thirds, Gideon was then directed to put on his soldiers a test of their fervency. The LORD said to Gideon, “The people are yet too many” (7:4) and commanded only those who drank water at a stream, bringing water to their mouth by cupping their hand while keeping a vigilant watch for an enemy would remain (7:5-7).

A Divine Affirmation Through An Enemy’s Dream (Judges 7:9-15)

Having twice reduced his army, Gideon was left with three hundred men, though he faced an army of skilled, veteran warriors! Humanly, the odds were impossible; that was where the LORD wanted His people! He was going to deliver His people and give Israel victory. Indeed, Israel’s victory would be so incredible that the nation would know without question that the LORD had given them the victory! (7:18-22)

Closing thoughts:

Tomorrow’s Scripture reading will continue the narrative of Gideon’s battle with the Midianites (Judges 8). But before I close today’s devotion, remember where we first met Gideon– he was a poor soul, cowering in a pit (6:11). Yet, despite his state, the angel of the LORD addressed him as a “mighty man of valor!” (6:12) How could that be? Here we observe what can be a life-changing principle:

When the LORD looked at Gideon, He saw him, not for who he was, but for the man he could be if he fully yielded himself to God!

What is holding you back from serving the LORD?

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

The Failure of Third Generation Leaders: They Tend to Lack the Convictions and Spiritual Fortitude of Their Fore-fathers (Judges 1; Judges 2)

Leave a reply

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

Scripture reading: Judges 1-2

The Book of Judges began with a statement indicating a leadership void that followed Joshua’s death. We read, “Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass, that the children of Israel asked the Lord, saying, Who shall go up for us against the Canaanites first, to fight against them?” (Judges 1:1)

Though Israel possessed the land, they still faced enemies in their midst. So the LORD answered their inquiry, not with the name of a man, but with that of a tribe: “And the Lord said, Judah shall go up: behold, I have delivered the land into his [the tribe of Judah’s] hand” (1:2).

The Unity of the Tribes of Judah and Simeon (Judges 1:1-20)

Lacking the leadership of a man like Joshua, the LORD chose the men of Judah to be the first to wage battle in the post-Joshua era. Why Judah? Judah had the largest population of the twelve tribes and was the most powerful among them. Judah, the patriarch Jacob’s fourth-born son, had been blessed by his father (Genesis 49:8-12). His lineage bore the noble character from whom a line of kings would emerge, beginning with David and concluding with the LORD Jesus Christ, the lion of Judah (Matthew 1:1-3).

Judah accepted the challenge. Because the tribe of Simeon lived in their midst, Judah said to them, “Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot.” (1:3). The people of Simeon accepted Judah’s invitation, for their land was encircled by Judah’s territory (Joshua 19:1).

Amid victories, a repetition of failures emerged in Judges that haunted the people as a nation for generations. The tribes of Judah and Simeon fought against the Canaanites and the Perizzites, and God blessed them with victories over their enemies (Judges 1:2-20), but regrettably, they fell short of the LORD’s will. The LORD did not fail Judah; however, the tribe did not trust their God and “could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had chariots of iron” (1:19).

The Cowardice of the Other Tribes (Judges 1:21-36)

A pattern of failures to obey the command of the LORD and drive out Israel’s enemies continued throughout Judges 1. For example, the tribe of Benjamin failed (1:21), as did Manasseh (1:27-28). Also, Ephraim did not “drive out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer” (1:29). Zebulun failed to “drive out the inhabitants of Kitron” (1:30). Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of cities in their land (1:32). Naphtali failed (1:33), and “the Amorites forced the children [tribe] of Dan into the mountain” (1:34).

Judges 2 – A Third-Generation Crisis in Leadership

An Ominous Announcement of the Angel of the LORD (Judges 2:1-5)

Judges 2 began with an ominous declaration from “an angel of the LORD” (whom I believe was a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ). Israel’s failure to drive the idol-worshiping nations out of Canaan breached their covenant with the LORD. He reminded them of His promise: “I will never break my covenant with you” (2:1). The people, however, had failed to drive the inhabitants out of the land and destroy their altars (2:2).

God warned, “I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you” (2:3). When the people heard what would befall them because of their sins, they “sacrificed there unto the LORD” (2:5). Nevertheless, the consequences of their sinful failures followed them.

The State of Israel During the Rule of the Judges (Judges 2:6-23)

Notice that the narrative in Judges 2 turns briefly to a reflection on the death of Joshua (2:6-10) and his influence on his generation and the one that followed. We read, “The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel” (2:7). When that generation passed, a third generation arose, and “did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim” (2:11). That generation “forsook the Lord God of their fathers…and followed other gods…and provoked the Lord to anger. 13And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth” (2:12-13).

Yet, the LORD did not altogether forsake Israel. On the contrary, he chose judges in Israel to call the people to return to the LORD, His Law, and Commandments (2:16). He would bless the judge of His people and deliver them “out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge” (2:18). Nevertheless, “when the judge was dead, [the people] returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers…[and] ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way” (2:19).

Closing thoughts:

On a personal note, I have witnessed the failings of transitional leadership throughout my years of ministry. A nation, organization, corporation, school, and church are never more vulnerable than in a time of leadership change. Judges 2 proved that the nation of Israel was no exception.

Why are third-generation organizations and ministries so vulnerable?

The reason can be summed up in an old adage: “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Israel’s third generation in the land had not experienced the sacrifices or the victories of the generations before them. They had grown comfortable and familiar with the heathen in their midst. Invariably, their parent’s failure to drive the wicked out of the land became a fatal attraction, and the third generations’ contempt for the ways, law, and commandments of the LORD invited God’s judgment (2:20-23).

Tragically, as I write today’s devotion, I recall several churches, Christian camps, Bible colleges, and organizations that have faltered and are failing to thrive under third-generation leaders.

Is your church or organization facing a third-generation transition? If so, be on guard! Leaders who dismiss the principles and precepts of their predecessors will inevitably lead others to their demise.

Questions to consider:

1) Why did Judah invite the tribe of Simeon to join them in the war against the Canaanites? (Judges 1:4)

2) What great city fell to Judah and was destroyed by fire? (Judges 1:8)

3) What connection did the Kenites have with Israel? (Judges 1:16)

4) Who failed to drive the Jebusites out of Jerusalem? (Judges 1:21)

5) In what had Israel failed? (Judges 2:1-2)

6) What generation failed to know the LORD? (Judges 2:7-10)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

The Sanctity of Human Life (Joshua 20; Joshua 21)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 20-21

Joshua 20

The Law of the LORD Concerning Cities of Refuge (Joshua 20:1-3)

After the Twelve Tribes of Israel were allotted their lands (Joshua 14-19), the LORD commanded Joshua to speak to the tribes and require them to appoint “cities of refuge… 3That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be [a] refuge from the avenger of blood” (20:2-3).

The Regulations and Cities Appointed for Refuge (Joshua 20:4-9)

The purpose of the cities of refuge has been discussed in earlier devotions. We are again reminded of the sanctity of human life (Genesis 9:4-6; Exodus 20:13) and the principle of capital punishment established by the LORD in Genesis 9:5-6. The cities of refuge afforded a safe place for those who had unintentionally taken the life of another (20:3-4). Those cities provided a place where a man’s case could be judged by the city’s elders and his life protected from those who felt compelled to avenge the death of a loved one (20:5).

Joshua 21

Cities Designated for the Tribe of Levi (Joshua 21:1-42)

Having divided the land among the Twelve Tribes, the priestly tribe of Levi requested the cities they had been promised for their inheritance (Joshua 21:1-3).  Each tribe was to give cities, and their surrounding lands, wherein the Levites would dwell (21:4-42). Forty-eight cities were given to the tribe of Levi and assigned by family (21:41).

Joshua 21 concluded with three affirmations of the LORD. (Joshua 21:43-45)

The LORD had given Israel the land He promised their forefathers (Genesis 12:7; 15:18; Joshua 1:3-4). He had given Israel victory over her enemies (21:44; Deuteronomy 12:9-10). Finally, He had not failed to fulfill “any good thing” of all that He “had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass” (21:45).

Closing thoughts:

The Sanctity of Human Life and Capital Punishment

Some people oppose capital punishment and argue that it is an inhumane act of barbarity. The opposite is true! Because man was created in the image of God and is an eternal soul (Genesis 9:6), his life is sacred in the eyes of his Creator. Therefore, willfully taking the life of another, a life God deems sacred, demands the ultimate act of justice…the forfeiture of one’s own life (Genesis 9:5-6; Exodus 20:13).

Did you know the Word of God upholds the sanctity of life in a mother’s womb?

Exodus 21:22 gives an example of where two men were fighting. The result was an expecting mother was injured, and her baby was born prematurely. The law demanded, should the mother and her child live, the judgment was there was “no mischief,” and the man who injured her would need only pay a fine. However, should the mother or her infant die, the judgment was “life for life” (21:23).

Imagine God’s judgment upon abortionists who routinely kill the unborn!

Questions to consider:

1) What purpose did the cities of refuge serve? (Joshua 20:1-3)

2) Who judged those who sought sanctuary in a city of refuge? (Joshua 20:4)

3) How long would a “slayer” have to abide in a city of refuge? (Joshua 20:6)

4) What did the leaders of the tribe of Levi request? (Joshua 21:1-2)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

Trust and Obey, For There’s No Other Way! (Joshua 17; Joshua 18)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 17-18

The tribe of Judah was assigned its inheritance in Canaan in Joshua 15 and was followed by the tribe of Ephraim, which received its land by lot in Joshua 16. Dividing and assigning the land in Canaan continued in today’s Scripture.

Joshua 17

The Half-tribe of Manasseh and Its Portion (Joshua 17:1-6)

The land boundaries assigned to the tribe of Manasseh were recorded in Joshua 17. The tribe of Manasseh, who was the firstborn son of Joseph, received a double portion inheritance. Also, remember that half of the tribe of Manasseh had already been granted land in Gilead, on the east side of the Jordan River (17:5).

We are also reminded of an uncommon appeal for an inheritance made to Moses by the five daughters of Zelophehad, whose father had no male heir (17:3-6; Numbers 27:2-11). Zelophehad’s daughters had approached Joshua and Eleazar, the high priest, and desired a portion of the land would be granted to them as their father’s heirs (17:4). When the matter was brought before the Lord, He graciously granted their request.

Manasseh’s Failure and Cowardice (Joshua 17:7-18)

Noting Manasseh’s lands on the west side of the Jordan River (17:7-11), once again, we see a failure to obey God’s command and drive the heathen nations out of the land (17:12). We read, “The children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land” (17:12).

Now the leaders of Ephraim and Manasseh came to Joshua and demanded more land for their people. They complained, “Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the Lord hath blessed me hitherto?” (17:14)

Joshua’s response was noteworthy, for he challenged their cowardice. He declared the problem was not the need for more land. Instead, they had failed to drive the Canaanites out and claim the land the LORD had promised as their inheritance (17:15).

The “children of Joseph” (the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh) excused their failure. They complained that the Canaanites had “chariots of iron” (meaning chariots enforced with iron, 17:16). In response, Joshua challenged those tribes to finish taking the mountain. He urged them, “Thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong” (17:18).

Joshua 18

The Tabernacle Erected at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1)

The Tabernacle was erected at Shiloh, the place that would become the central place of worship and sacrifices in Israel, throughout the era of the Judges, following Joshua’s death (18:1-2).

Seven Tribes Had Failed to Claim Their Land (Joshua 18:2-7)

The narrative concerning the land division among the twelve tribes of Israel continued in Joshua 18. The Scriptures revealed that seven tribes of Israel had failed to demand and claim their inheritance (18:1-3).

Joshua rebuked those tribes and said, “How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the Lord God of your fathers hath given you?” (18:3) The cause for their failure was not identified. Still, we can suppose their lack of zeal and passion for claiming their inheritance might be related to either cowardice or contentment with the nomad life they had followed for nearly a half-century.

Allocation and Distribution of Land by Lot (Joshua 18:8-10)

Joshua then devised a new plan for dividing the remaining territories among the seven tribes (18:4-28). First, he commanded each tribe to choose three men, twenty-one total, who would map out the land and divide it into seven portions (18:4-6). The men did as Joshua commanded, and when they returned, lots were cast to determine the portion of the lands that would be assigned to each tribe (18:8-10).

The Inheritance of the Tribe of Benjamin (Joshua 18:11-28)

You will notice that the balance of Joshua 18 verified the boundaries for the land assigned to the tribe of Benjamin. Recorded were the northern (18:12-13), western (18:14), southern (18:15-19), and eastern boundaries (18:20). The chapter concluded with the cities of Benjamin being named (18:21-28).

Closing thoughts:

A growing list of disappointments is seen as the tribes of Israel failed to trust God, obey His commands, and claim their inheritance. For example, the tribe of Judah failed to drive out the Jebusites, who continued to inhabit Jerusalem until the time of David (15:63). We also read that the tribe of Ephraim “drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer” (16:10). The same malady was stated of Manasseh, for the Scripture says, they “could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land” (17:12-13).

While Ephraim and Manasseh boasted they were a “great people” (17:14), they complained they had not been given enough land. So Joshua challenged them to go to war against the “Perizzites” and the “giants” in the land and claim the land for their children (17:15). Sadly, instead of trusting God’s promises and rising to the challenge, the “children of Joseph,” protested that the enemy was great (17:16-18).

We have seen that the tribes of Israel failed to trust God and claim their rightful inheritance. Yet, I wonder how many of God’s blessings we miss because we fail to trust Him, obey His Word, and claim His promises.

Questions to ponder:

1) In what did the tribe of Manasseh fail? (Joshua 17:12)

2) What was Ephraim and Manasseh’s complaint? (Joshua 17:16)

3) Where did Israel set up the Tabernacle to worship the LORD? (Joshua 18:1)

4) What had seven of the tribes failed to do? (Joshua 18:2-3)

5) What tribe did not receive land for their inheritance? (Joshua 18:7)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

Learning From the Failures of Others (Joshua 15; Joshua 16)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 15-16

Caleb had stated his claim to the land the LORD promised him for an inheritance (14:6-13), and Judah, the most prominent of the tribes, received its land (15:1).

Joshua 15

The Inheritance and Borders of Judah (Joshua 15:1-12)

The boundaries of Judah’s territories were assigned, beginning with the southernmost point of the Dead Sea (15:2-4). Next, the tribe’s territory extended northward along the Dead Sea’s eastern shore to where the Jordan River flowed into it (15:5a). Continuing north and northwest (15:5b-11), Judah’s territory included the city of Jerusalem (15:8). Lastly, the Mediterranean Sea served as Judah’s west boundary (15:12).

The Mount Assigned to Caleb and His Heirs (Joshua 15:13-19)

Joshua 15 briefly described Caleb’s challenge to claim his inheritance (15:13-19). True to his vow (14:6-15), and with fellow warriors of Judah (Judges 1:10), they drove the sons of Anak out of his land (15:14-15). Caleb then enlisted men to assist him in claiming Kirjath-sepher as part of his inheritance. He also promised to give his daughter Achsah to be the wife of the man who aided him. Caleb’s brother, Othniel (or perhaps his father’s brother, 15:16-17; Judges 1:13; 3:9), conquered Kirjath-sepher, and Achsah became his wife (Othniel became Israel’s first judge following Joshua’s death, Judges 3:9).

The Towns and Cities with Judah’s Borders (Joshua 15:20-63)

Listed by the district are the names of the towns and cities of Judah. Recorded are the cities in the south (15:21-32), in the lowlands (15:33-47), in the mountains (15:48-60), and in the desert (15:61-62).

Perhaps a fact that might initially seem insignificant, we find a failure recorded amid Judah’s successes. We read, “As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day” (15:63). Remembering the LORD had commanded Israel to drive all the nations out of the land, we will later find that Judah’s failure would one day have grave consequences for the nation.

Joshua 16

The Tribal Lands of Ephraim and Manasseh (Joshua 16:1-4)

The inheritance promised to Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, was stated in Joshua 16 and 17. Joshua 16 recorded the territory assigned to Ephraim. Joshua 17 related the borders of Manasseh’s land, which I will consider in the following devotion.

Joseph, the eleventh of twelve sons born to Jacob (the father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel), had two sons born in Egypt. Because he was faithful, Jacob honored Joseph with a double inheritance in the land and adopted his sons as his own. Ephraim and Manasseh became fathers of tribes, and each received an inheritance in Canaan (16:1-4).

Ephraim and Its Borders (Joshua 16:5-10)

The land assigned to the tribe of Ephraim is defined (16:5-10); however, the population of Ephraim was so large that additional cities in Manasseh’s territory were bequeathed to the tribe for its people (16:9). In our following Bible study, we will consider the lands assigned to the tribe of Manasseh, Joseph’s firstborn son (17:1-13).

Closing thoughts:

We have noted Judah’s failure to drive the Jebusites out of Jerusalem (15:63). Unfortunately, Ephraim also failed to claim all the land that God promised them for inheritance. We read, “They drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute” (16:10).

The cause for Ephraim’s failure was not identified; nevertheless, regardless of their reason, it was inexcusable, and the effects of their failure proved tragic for their children. So it came to pass that the Canaanites, who were idol worshippers, eventually led Ephraim down a path of sin and gross wickedness.

Of course, the same danger confronts us today. In the words of the apostle Paul, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33).

Questions to consider:

1) What people inhabited Jerusalem when it was assigned to Judah? (Joshua 15:8, 63)

2) What were the eastern and western boundaries of Judah? (Joshua 15:5, 12)

3) How did the LORD and Jacob, whom God named Israel, honor Joseph’s faithfulness in Egypt? (Joshua 16:1, 4)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

Old Joshua and Israel’s Unfinished Business (Joshua 12; Joshua 13)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 12-13

Joshua 12 – For the Record: A List of Kings and City States Conquered by Israel

Joshua 12 records the kings of Canaan conquered by Israel and the lands God promised His people as their inheritance.

The Land on the East Side of the Jordan River (12:1-6)

Joshua 12:1 describes the land Moses promised to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Those two and one-half tribes were to occupy lands that had been ruled by Sihon, king of the Amorites (12:2-3), and Og, the king of Bashan (12:4-5). Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh had requested, and Moses agreed to give them the lands east of the Jordan (12:6).

The Kings Conquered under Joshua’s Leadership (12:7-24).

The boundaries of the Promised Land on the west side of the Jordan were defined and described (12:7-8). Those lands had been inhabited by “the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites” (12:8), and all who were descendants of Canaan, the cursed son of Ham, the son of Noah (Genesis 10:15-18; 15:21; Deuteronomy 7:11). Thirty-one kings were defeated, and are listed in the order they were conquered (12:9-24).

Joshua 13 – Dividing the Land

The division of the lands on the west side of the Jordan River was recorded, beginning with Joshua 13 and extending to Joshua 24.

Joshua 13 began with a striking dialog between the LORD and Joshua. Unlike Moses, who had lived one hundred and twenty years and had not grown weak or frail in his old age (Deuteronomy 34:7), Joshua’s physical condition was described as “old and stricken in years” (13:1a). The LORD came to Joshua and stated the obvious: “Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed” (13:1).

Joshua’s age was not disclosed, and he did not live to see Israel fully conquer and possess the land (13:1b-2). However, there was still much land to be settled, and those lands were identified, including the nations that occupied them (13:2-5). Therefore, before his death, Joshua needed to divide the lands west of Jordan among the nine and one-half tribes and command them to drive the inhabitants out of the lands God had promised them for an inheritance (13:7-13).

Two times we are reminded that the tribe of Levi would not receive land as their inheritance. Instead, the Levites had been chosen and sanctified by the LORD to serve Him. Their inheritance would be a portion of the offerings brought by the people to the Tabernacle (13:14, 33; Numbers 18:20; Deuteronomy 19:9; 18;2).

Closing thoughts:

The balance of Joshua 13 recorded the land east of the Jordan that was assigned to the tribes of Reuben (13:15-23), Gad (13:24-28), and the half-tribe of Manasseh (13:29-33). Our study of the divisions of the land west of the Jordan River will continue tomorrow with the remarkable testimony of Caleb (Joshua 14).

Questions to consider:

1) What tribes were assigned land on the east side of the Jordan River? (12:6; 13:8)

2) What nations did Israel fail to drive out of the land? (13:13)

3) What tribe did not receive land for an inheritance? (13:14, 33)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

Joshua: Finishing Strong (Joshua 11)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 11

With confidence in the Lord’s help, Joshua’s military campaign in the southern hills of Canaan was finished. Israel had “utterly destroyed all [the kings of the south] that breathed, as the Lord God of Israel commanded” (10:40).  He had been victorious “because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel” (10:42).

Joshua 11

An Enemy Offensive (11:1-5)

The focus of Joshua 11 is upon the kings of northern Canaan (11:1-5). The news of Joshua’s military successes had reached Jabin, king of Hazor (which appears to be a great fortified city). He was determined to form a coalition of kings and their city-states to face Israel’s inevitable invasion of the northern country (11:1-3). Rather than wait for Israel to invade the north, the alliance of kings took the offensive and “came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel” (11:5).

The LORD’s Assurance (11:6-9)

Though Joshua had proved himself a warrior and leader, the size of the armies arrayed against Israel was no doubt disconcerting (11:4). The LORD came to Joshua and assured him, “Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough [hamstring] their horses, and burn their chariots with fire” (11:6).

True to his character, Joshua wasted no time in obeying the LORD and facing the enemy (11:7). He assembled “all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them” (11:7). With the LORD on Israel’s side, the armies of the alliance fell, and their kings fled from before Israel (11:8-9).

A Glorious Victory (11:10-14)

The king of Hazor was particularly noted in the record, for he had formed an alliance against Israel (11:10). In obedience, Joshua burned Hazor to the ground (11:11), and he killed the kings of the alliance as commanded (11:12). Except for Hazor, the other cities in north Canaan were spared destruction (11:13). “All the spoil of [those] cities, and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe” (11:14).

What manner of man was Joshua?  (11:15-23)

In my estimation, he was a giant among men! Joshua was a man of faith. He was obedient and dedicated to the task for which God had called him. He proved he was disciplined and strong. Joshua’s fighting spirit was indomitable, and he did not rest until he finished the battle. I suggest he is a model for husbands, fathers, and sons who aspire to greatness in the eyes of the LORD. Of Joshua, we read:

Joshua 11:15b–18 – “[Joshua] left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. 16So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country…17b and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. 18Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.”

Closing thoughts:

Some critics have assailed the Scriptures, the LORD, and Israel’s conquest of Canaan, as proof that the God of the Bible is violent, threatening, merciless, and irrepressible. I assure you; such is not the case. The LORD is just, holy, forgiving, and compassionate. He is sovereign and omniscient. He knows the wickedness of men’s hearts and providentially works through them to accomplish His purpose for His people.

In His mercy, the LORD honored Israel’s treaty with Gibeon and spared them (11:19). However, because He knew the bent of the nations, the LORD allowed them to “harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly” (11:20).

The Canaanite kings and their cities were utterly destroyed because their hearts opposed the LORD and His people.

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

IS THE LORD ON YOUR SIDE? (Joshua 9; Joshua 10)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 9-10

Joshua 9 – The Enemy, of My Enemy, Is My Friend

The Deception of the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:1-13)

The defeat and destruction of both Jericho and Ai moved other kings in Canaan to set aside their rivalries and form confederacies to challenge Israel’s invasion of the land (9:1). And so, “they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord” (9:2).

One city-state, Gibeon, believed all they had heard regarding Israel and “what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai” (9:3). Joshua 10 reveals that Gibeon was “one of the royal cities, because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty” (10:2).

Believing it was inevitable that Israel would attack Gibeon in the manner of Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites determined to pursue peace with Israel (9:4). Sending ambassadors, by craft and deceit, the men of Gibeon made Joshua and the elders believe they had traveled a great distance, and from a far country (9:5-13).

The Discovery of the Gibeonites’ Dishonesty (Joshua 9:14-18)

Assessing the old shoes and clothes worn by the men of Gibeon and the moldy bread and patched wineskins, the leaders of Israel believed the Gibeonites were from a far country. Joshua and Israel then committed a grave error: They failed to seek the “counsel at the mouth of the LORD” (9:14).

“Joshua made peace with [the Gibeonites], and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware [an oath] unto them” (9:15). Three days passed when Joshua received the news that the Gibeonites had deceived him and the leaders of Israel. They learned the cities of Gibeon were no more than a three-day journey from their encampment (9:16-17). The congregation began murmuring against Joshua and their leaders, knowing they had allied with an enemy (9:18).

The Covenant with Gibeon (Joshua 9:19-27)

Although the Gibeonites had come under pretenses, the leaders of Israel reasoned with the people that they could not break their oath (9:19-20). So, a compromise was pursued, and it was determined that the Gibeonites would assume the lowest positions of servitude and become woodcutters and water carriers (9:21-27).

Joshua 10 – The Day the Sun Stood Still

The Confederacy with Gibeon (Joshua 10:1-7)

Because Gibeon was a great city and one whose men were mighty (10:2), the Gibeonites’ treaty with Israel became a cause of great concern for their neighbors (10:1). Adon-zedek, king of Jerusalem, the city closest to Gibeon, allied with five Amorite kings (10:3), and “encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it” (10:4-5). As a result, the men of Gibeon appealed to Joshua and Israel to fulfill their treaty and come to their defense (10:6-7).

The Battle and Defeat of the Amorites (Joshua 10:8-14)

With the LORD’s assurance that He would be with him, Joshua and his army marched through the night (10:8-9) and attacked the kings encamped against Gibeon. Then the LORD sent confusion among the Amorites, and as they fled, He “cast down great [hail] stones from heaven…[and] they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword” (10:10-11).

Joshua, desiring to utterly destroy the Amorites, called upon the LORD, “and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; And thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed…And hasted not to go down about a whole day” (10:12-13a).

Joshua and Israel’s Victory over the Amorites (Joshua 10:15-43)

What a great day it was, and one Israel forever remembered. Indeed, “there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel” (10:14). God blessed Joshua, and the five Amorite kings were captured, humiliated, and put to death. Their bodies were hung upon five trees until that evening (10:15-27).

Closing thoughts:

We read a summary of Israel’s victorious southern campaign, and it concludes with this testimony:

“All these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel” (10:42).

Questions to consider:

1) How did the Gibeonites deceive Joshua? (Joshua 9:4-13)

2) What did Joshua and the leaders of Israel fail to do? (Joshua 9:14)

3) What had the Gibeonites heard concerning Moses and Israel? (Joshua 9:24)

4) What did the LORD promise Joshua concerning the kings of the Amorites? (Joshua 10:8)

5) What was the miracle in Joshua 10:12-13?

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

Forgiven and Ready for Battle (Joshua 8)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 8

This devotional focuses on Joshua 8, the second chapter of today’s assigned Scripture reading, Joshua 7-8.

God Encouraged Joshua to Go to War (8:1-2)

With the sin of Achan and his family purged from Israel, the nation was ready to continue its conquest of Canaan. There was no time to look back or wallow in regret. One man’s sin had been addressed, and Israel had corporately passed judgment, putting the evil out of their midst (7:25-26). And so, the LORD came to Joshua and commanded him, “Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land” (8:1).

Israel’s quick judgment of the sin in their midst moved the LORD to forgive and restore the people to His favor (8:1). Indeed, the LORD promised to go to war with Israel and to give them the spoils of Ai (8:2).

The Strategy for Warring with Ai and Bethel (8:2-13)

Unlike the presumption evidenced in the siege of Ai (7:2-4), Joshua received not only his orders to go to war against Ai but also the strategy for the battle (8:2-13). Moreover, unlike the siege of Jericho, which lasted seven days and was conducted in silence until the city walls fell, the attack on Ai employed an entirely different scheme.

Dividing the army into two companies, Israel laid in ambush and drew out the king of Ai, emboldened by his first victory (8:3-8). Then, with thirty thousand men sent out into the night before him, Joshua “lodged that night among the people” (8:9). True to his character, the next day, “Joshua rose up early in the morning” (8:10), and lured both the men of Bethel (a city some two miles from Ai), and the king of Ai out of the city (8:12-13).

The Battle and the Victory (8:14-22)

Arrogantly presuming he would send the warriors of Israel scurrying as before, the king of Ai took all of the city’s men to pursue Joshua (8:14), leaving the city vulnerable. Ai’s king realized, too late, that he had been drawn into the midst of Israel’s armies. The king beheld “the smoke of the city…[and he and his army] had no power to flee this way or that way” (8:20). All was lost, and Israel turned “and slew the men of Ai” (8:21).

Like Moses before him (Exodus 17:8-16), Joshua held his spear aloft during the battle, and Israel warred until the king of Ai was captured, and twelve thousand men of the city slain, along with “all the inhabitants of Ai” (8:22-26). The cattle and spoils of Ai were Israel’s, and the city was burned (8:27-28). The king of Ai was “hanged on a tree until eventide” (8:29). As the sun was setting, Joshua commanded that the king’s body be placed in the gate of Ai with stones heaped upon it.

A Renewed Commitment (8:30-35)

The battle having been won, “Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal.” Then, as the law prescribed (8:30), he offered sacrifices (8:31). Upon the stones of the altar, Joshua inscribed “a copy of the law of Moses” (8:32), and he read aloud “all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that [was] written in the book of the law” (8:34).

Joshua 8 concludes with a reminder that every word of the LORD is sacred: “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” (8:35).

Closing thoughts:

Some reading this devotion bears the guilt of sin yet to be exposed. I implore you; don’t hide your sin and wait for it to be discovered. The LORD is patient and longsuffering. Nevertheless, the “wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Why conceal sin, when in the words of the apostle John, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” is available to all who heed (1 John 1:9)?

Finally, don’t ignore the obvious application of today’s Scripture! We have seen that the consequences of one man’s sin can prove disastrous for a family, church, and nation. Let the stoning of Achan and his family serve as a warning to us all:

Be sure your sin will find you out!

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.

A Silent Enemy: Sin in the Camp (Joshua 7)

Click on this link for translations of today’s devotion.

(Additional languages available upon request by emailing HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com.)

Scripture reading – Joshua 7

* This is the first of two devotionals for today.

With the fortress of Jericho defeated and destroyed, the men of Israel set their eyes on the next city, Ai. Joshua had reminded the people that the LORD had accursed all that was in Jericho, and the gold, silver, brass, and iron was sanctified and dedicated for the “treasury of the house of the LORD” (6:24, 26). Nevertheless, one man in Israel disregarded Joshua’s oath and foolishly took that which was accursed (7:1).

Joshua 7

A Concealed Sin in the Camp (7:1-2)

Joshua 7:1 reveals both the sin and the sinner, whose transgression was not discovered until thirty-six soldiers of Israel had perished in battle (7:5). We read of that tragic event: “But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the Lord was kindled against the children of Israel” (Joshua 7:1).

Who was Achan? We could assert he was nobody in the realm of two million citizens. However, he was a transgressor who committed a great sin against the LORD. Achan was a son of the tribe of Judah (7:1) and a father with sons and daughters (7:24). He was a man of possessions, for he owned ox, asses, and sheep (7:24). He was, however, a covetous man, and a thief (7:20-21).

Defeat at Ai (7:3-5)

Unlike the battle of Jericho, there is no record that Joshua consulted the LORD before he ordered men to attack Ai (7:2). He had sent out men to spy on Ai, and they returned and advised, “Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few” (7:3). Confident, and presumptuous, Joshua heeded the advice of his spies and sent a mere three thousand soldiers to war against Ai. As a result, Israel was defeated (7:4-5), and the nation was left confused and humiliated by the deaths of thirty-six warriors of Israel.

Joshua’s Remorse (7:6-9)

Distraught by the defeat, Joshua “rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD” (7:6). He was joined by “the elders of Israel,” and “they put dust upon their heads” as a sign of mourning (7:6). In dismay, Joshua cried to the LORD, “what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies?” (7:8) He appealed to the LORD to consider how Israel’s defeat would embolden their enemies. He feared the adversaries of Israel would encircle them and “cut off [their] name from the earth,” and he wondered, “What wilt thou do unto thy great name?” (7:9)

The LORD’S Rebuke and the Cause for Israel’s Defeat (7:10-14)

Sadly, Joshua’s cry to the LORD insinuated that somehow God had failed Israel. However, such was not the case, for He had promised Joshua, “Whithersoever thou goest” I will be with you (1:9).

The LORD then rebuked Joshua and said, “Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?” (7:10). He revealed that the cause for Israel’s defeat was not His unfaithfulness but the sin of one man that had troubled the whole nation (7:11-12). Therefore, the LORD warned, He would not bless the nation until the evil was put out of the camp (7:10-13).

The Discovery of Achan’s Sin (7:14-21)

The following day, Joshua made haste to begin searching out the sin in Israel and did as the LORD had commanded (7:14-16). It was revealed that the sin had been committed by a man of the tribe of Judah (7:16). When the tribe of Judah passed before Joshua, the “family of the Zarhites” was implicated (7:17). The Zarhites were examined, and the household of “Zabdi was taken, and [Joshua] brought [Zabdi’s] household man by man and; and Achan…was taken” (7:18).

Perhaps hoping his sin would go undetected, Achan held out until he was discovered. Then, when Joshua confronted and appealed for him to confess his sin (7:19), Achan answered, “Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done” (7:20).

Achan’s Confession (7:21)

Achan’s confession revealed the pattern of sin that men take when they sin against the LORD. First, he consideredthe opportunity to sin. He had looked “among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight” (7:21a). He then coveted them (7:21b). Achan then carriedthem to his tent (7:21c), and concealed them, hiding them “in the earth in the midst of [his] tent” (7:21).

The Effect of Achan’s Sin Upon His Household (7:22-26)

Joshua’s men searched and discovered all Achan had confessed, but no appeal would satisfy the LORD’S wrath. Because of Achan’s sin, thirty-six men had died in the defeat of Ai (7:4-5), and now the whole congregation passed judgment. Taking him, and all that he owned outside the camp, Israel stoned Achan to death, along with his sons and daughters and livestock (7:24).

All was destroyed, and the people “burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 26And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the Lord turned from the fierceness of his anger” (7:25-26).

Closing thought:

Like many sinners, Achan only confessed his sin when it was discovered. He had the opportunity to repent, come forward, and confess his sin after Israel was defeated at Ai (thirty-six of his countrymen had perished, 7:5). Instead, his heart was hardened, and his confession was offered only after his sin was exposed. God’s people could not tolerate such evil in their midst, and the LORD bless them. The LORD had warned Joshua, “Neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you” (7:12).

When God’s people obey His Word, their most powerful enemies fall before them. However, we cannot overcome our weakest enemy when we conceal sin.

* Note – A second devotional will follow and be taken from Joshua 8 (the record of Israel’s victory over Ai following that nation’s judgment against Achan.) 

Questions to consider from Joshua 7:

1) Why was the LORD angry with Israel? (7:1)

2) Where did the men of Israel put their confidence? (7:3)

3) How did the defeat at AI affect Israel? (7:5)

4) What were Joshua’s concerns following Israel’s defeat? (7:8-9)

5) What sins did Achan confess that invited God’s judgment? (7:20-21)

Copyright © 2023 – Travis D. Smith

* You can subscribe to the Heart of a Shepherd daily devotionals and have them sent directly to your email address. Please enter your email address in the box to the right (if using a computer) or at the bottom (if using a cell phone). You may also email your request to HeartofAShepherdInc@gmail.com

The Internal Revenue Service recognizes Heart of A Shepherd Inc as a 501c3 public charitable organization.