Joshua continues the fight

The Israelites were very excited having just defeated Jericho.  They continued on to the city of Ai.  Joshua sent two spies to check on the city.  They returned back and said, “We only need 3000 soldiers to defeat it.”

 

The 3000 Israelites went out to attack, but were driven back and chased off by the soldiers of Ai.

 

The Israelites were despondent and asked God why they had lost.  God answered them, “Someone among you has sinned, and you are being punished for it.”

 

The leaders prayed about it and had each tribe stand before God.  God separated out Judah, then he separated out the clan, the family, and finally Achan stood before the group guilty of stealing and hiding something from Jericho.

 

After he was punished the Israelites went out again and took all of the fighting men.  One third of the men lured the army of Ai away from the town, while the rest went in and attacked the city.

 

 

The King of Ai returned to see the city burning.

Joshua and the Israelites fought many more battles with God fighting for them.  At the end of his life Joshua gathered all of the Israelites together and challenged them to follow God and not follow the gods of the Canaanites.

Remembering what God has done

There are several times in the old Testament where God commands us to remember what He has done.  Of ten after those times the Israelites set up an Ebenezer, a place to remember what God had done.  After they crossed the Jordan River Joshua told them to gather 12 rocks from the bottom of the River to remember how they walked across on dry land.

 

After acting out the story we made our own rocks of rememberance so we can remember what God has done for us.  I wrote down my boys, because I had a miscarriage before having them and there were some problems with the pregnancy.  Their birthday is coming up, so I’m feeling sentimental about them.  I also wrote down I’m thankful that God brought Jeff into my life.  We first met at a dance our church had and we both had about 3 other things we were supposed to go to that night, but both felt we were supposed to be there.

 

Batman colored a rock yellow to remember God keeping our family safe.  Princess didn’t quite understand and she colored a lady bug.

 

Other stories to use this for: Call of Abraham, Crossing the Red Sea, after the Flood

Battle of Jericho

After praying to God for what to do before heading into the Promised Land Joshua called for two volunteers to go in and spy out the land for him.  Two men stepped forward and headed in to Jericho to find out what they were about to go into.

 

The spies headed into Jericho and met Rahab.  She talked with them for a while and was impressed by all she heard about their God.

 

The king called Rahab to come and meet him.  “There are spies coming.  Have you see them?”  he asked.

 

“They have left.  They headed back before the gates closed today,” she lied.

 

She went back to her house and hid the men up on her roof.  They slept there all night.

She let the spies down out of her window and said, “Promise you will keep my family safe.”  They promised and asked her to hang a red rope out of her window so they would know where she was.

 

The Israelites prepared to cross the Jordan River, but before they did Joshua told them, “This is to be God’s sign for you.  Your parents crossed the Red Sea on dry land, now you will cross the Jordan River on dry land.”

 

 

The priests with the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the river bank and the waters parted.  The people walked across on dry land.  After everyone had crossed they took some time to thank God for all He had done.

 

 

God came to Joshua and told him how to defeat Jericho.  They were to walk around the city for 6 days silently.  On the seventh day they were to walk around it 7 times and at the end of the seventh time they were to scream as loud as they could.

 

 

All during this time Rahab kept that red cord hanging out of her window.  She watched them walk around and around and trusted God.

 

 

As the last echo from their yells faded away they heard a rumble and the walls of Jericho came tumbling down.

 

As the dust settled Joshua thanked Rahab for her help.