Joshua and Judges: Handling unexpected affliction, Jos 7:7-9; 2Co 4:7-18; Psa 116:1-11.

Title: Joshua and Judges: Handling unexpected affliction, JOS 7:7-9; 2CO 4:7-18; PSA 116:1-11.

 

Announcements / opening prayer:

 

 

JOS 7:7 And Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord God, why didst Thou ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan!

 

Verses eight and nine are legitimate requests as to how God is going to glorify His great name.

 

JOS 7:8 "O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies?

 

JOS 7:9 "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what wilt Thou do for Thy great name?"

 

Joshua conveys one simple thought: how would God uphold His great name before the world, when the report that Israel had turned their back before them should reach the Canaanites, and they should come and surround the Israelites, and destroy them without a single trace from off the face of the earth.

 

Joshua should know the answer to this, but the circumstances look much different than he and the rest of Israel imagined. Therefore, in prayer, he seeks for answers. That is a legitimate request.

 

The believer is promised a victorious life as he walks by means of the word and the Spirit. Yet sometimes there is confusion in us as to the shape that victory will take. This is as asking God, “Father, I know you have given me the victory, but what I see is confusing, please give me clarification.”

 

2CO 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves;

 

The treasure - 2CO 4:6 the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

 

The greatness of the power is this wisdom under the ministry of God the Holy Spirit.

 

Yet this power does not insulate us from the troubles now mentioned.

 

2CO 4:8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;

 

2CO 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

 

2CO 4:10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

 

“dying of Jesus” - troubles always around us as well as His example of suffering always within us so that we learn how to handle it all with grace and strength.

 

The phrase “dying of Jesus” has a double connotation. It is the first parts of the couplets; pressured, without a way, persecuted, and cast down; and then the second parts of the couplets in light of Christ’s suffering. He had all of the first parts and was able, through the plan of the Father to handle all of them impeccably. His example lives within us so that the first parts don’t become the second parts; inner distress from pressure, totally at a loss, feeling abandoned, or believing we are totally lost.

 

“life of Jesus” - being able to handle life’s troubles with the power of God is the life of Jesus manifested through us.

 

If you find that you fall into the second parts more often than not then be honest with yourself but don’t fall into guilt of self-condemnation. Don’t hide this from God, but rather seek the solutions with Him.

 

2CO 4:11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

 

Verse eleven is explanatory of verse 10.

 

2CO 4:12 So death works in us, but life in you.

 

We are all beneficiaries of the ministry of the apostles. Christ worked through them and Christ continues to manifest Himself in others. As we noted, a single life has an effect on others, for bad or for good. Those who are being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake and who are manifesting His life have an effect for good on those around them. Those so affected can reject that manifestation, but that doesn’t nullify it.

 

2CO 4:13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, " I believed, therefore I spoke," we also believe, therefore also we speak;

 

Paul and his had the same spirit of faith that the Psalmist had whom he quotes and who was experiencing great affliction.

 

Paul quotes an anonymous Psalm closing with Hallelujah. It is a thanksgiving song with a fresh recollection of some deadly peril that an individual has been delivered from. He praises the loving-kindness he has experienced in the language of the tenderest affection.

 

Think of Joshua’s prayer as we read this:

   

JOS 7:8-9

"O Lord, what can I say since Israel has turned their back before their enemies? "For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what wilt Thou do for Thy great name?"

 

Paul in 2CO 4:13 quotes verse 10.

 

PSA 116:1 I love the Lord, because He hears

My voice and my supplications.

 

PSA 116:2 Because He has inclined His ear to me,

Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.

 

PSA 116:3 The cords of death encompassed me,

And the terrors of Sheol came upon me;

I found distress and sorrow.

 

PSA 116:4 Then I called upon the name of the Lord:

"O Lord, I beseech Thee, save [deliver] my life!"

 

PSA 116:5 Gracious is the Lord , and righteous;

Yes, our God is compassionate.

 

PSA 116:6 The Lord preserves the simple;

I was brought low, and He saved [delivered] me.

 

The “simple” refers to those who are not clever, conceited, and cunning in the ways of the world.

 

Such men will do anything, lawful or unlawful to deliver themselves from trouble. This person described as simple is honest and does not count himself as an expert in the unscrupulous wisdom of the world.

 

1CO 1:27-29

but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God.

 

Child-like before God is in faith, awe, and adventure, but not in immaturity.

 

1CO 14:20

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature.

 

The Lord is speaking of simplicity and purity of devotion to Himself:

MAR 10:14-15

"Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. "Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.

 

2CO 10:18

But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

 

PSA 116:6 The Lord preserves the simple;

I was brought low, and He saved [delivered] me.

 

PSA 116:7 Return to your rest, O my soul,

For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

 

Just as the Lord will give rest to Israel during the Millennium, after her trouble, so God will give rest again to the believer who trusts in Him. This Psalm likely has an eschatological aspect to it in anticipation of the Millennium.