March 8, 2022: Day 51 – Joshua 4-6 and Acts 4-6

We see the Israelites finishing up their crossing of the Jordan River with a memorial being set up on the other side.  Remember how important it is for the people and their children to remember the actions of God, especially the miraculous actions like the passover and now the passing over of the Jordan.  We then move to the people of Israel circumcising themselves.  It does surprise me that they would not circumcise their children while they were in the wilderness.  I would have thought that this crucial aspect of the covenant would have been done, even if they were terribly disobedient.  

This then takes us to Joshua who fought the battle of Jericho, but we see that it isn’t much of a fight.  Nothing like blowing trumpets in order to seize the victory.  Now that is the type of battle that we need.  We see that Rahab and her family are saved just as she had been promised.

In Acts we find Peter and John before the Sanhedrin, which would have been the governing body of the priests of the temple.  Peter and John were involved in healings and this really disturbed the religious leaders.  They commanded them to come before them and charged them with not speaking any longer in the name of Jesus.  But they replied, we have to do the will of God, not the will of man.  

We see the Christian body growing, now it is up to 5,000 people, a real bonified megachurch.  They begin to live together and share all of their possessions together, except for Ananias and Sapphira, of  course, but they didn’t last long.  The story starting in 5:33 is one to pay attention to, where Gamaliel states very wisely when he is speaking to the religious leaders who are at wits end to figure out what to do: “Leave these men alone.  Let them go.  For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail.  But if it is of God, you will not be able to stop these men, you will only find yourselves fighting against God.”  That is pretty powerful.

3 thoughts on “March 8, 2022: Day 51 – Joshua 4-6 and Acts 4-6

  1. Carol Reinmiller

    Was the Angel or commander God himself? or was he just a messenger of the Lord? How was Joshua to know about it being a holy place? was it just because of the angel, or God that it became holy? And he fell down to worship him just as Moses did.
    As the seven were picked to be disciples , how did the many others get picked after the seven.

    Reply
    1. Robert Bronkema Post author

      The term angel in the Bible means “messenger”. So this was a messenger of God, just like Gabriel who appeared to both Mary and Joseph, as well as the angel, and the host of angels, that appear to the shepherds. In Joshua 5:13-15 God sends an angel to let Joshua know that victory will come because an army of the Lord will be on his side. Joshua did not know until the messenger told him to take off his shoes, much like Moses did not know that the place where the burning bush was was holy, and so he also removed his shoes. The holiness of the place is a direct result of the presence of the Lord, even if it was the angel of the Lord. There should be no distinction between the angel of the Lord and the Lord himself, they are both powerful enough to get our attention and demand our obedience.
      The seven were actually chosen not to be disciples, but rather deacons. This is the primary Scripture that I use when I train deacons to explain the origin of deacons. So these seven do not serve in an apostolic role, but rather in a role to serve tables and help the needy. Stephen, curiously, transitions from deacon to preacher, but that is not the normal nor the necessary progression.

      Reply
      1. Carol Reinmiller

        Thanks for you answer, i understand that about the deacons now. I do like that we have a Stephen ministry.

        Reply

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