Solomon's Chiastic Structure and Psalm 127

Father's Day 2025 is a special one for me, because my wife is pregnant with our firstborn child, so it is my first father's day as a father!  For reasons that still remain unclear to me, my pastor asked me to speak at our church on Father's Day Sunday.  Initially, I didn't have much to say about Father's Day and was going to teach a lesson that I had already put together about something else.  But the night before, I was really struggling to figure out how to present that lesson.  My wife suggested I spend some time in prayer (which is always wise, and should usually come first) and as I prayed I felt the Lord giving me liberty to go in a different direction in light of some of the things I have been thinking about as I prepare to be a father.  

Here's the YouTube video with the message, if you would like to listen to the message I gave:

Becoming a dad...it’s a little scary!  Especially since it’s going to be a little girl!  I was talking with a pastor (Pastor Henry) about it on Wednesday, and he was saying how he felt when he found out their first was going to be a girl.  He said, “I’ve only been a boy my entire life, how am I supposed to know how to raise a girl??”  And I said, “That’s why God gave you a wife!”  But there’s still some truth to that!  The bond between a father and a daughter is different.  And there’s a protective instinct and a fear that she won’t be raised right. And then there’s all the different stages of raising kids.

• Having an infant is terrifying…you gotta keep that thing alive!

• But then I think about dealing with a toddler…those little guys are completely unpredictable!

• Then as they’re growing and changing and learning to think for themselves…that’s a bit uncomfortable.

• And when I get to the teenager phase…I was a youth pastor so I have seen teenagers in action!  (Just kidding, we have a lot of really awesome teenagers at our church.)  But it is still scary to think about dealing with a teenager.

I do want to take a moment however and mention the great calling being a father is and the importance of fathers in families, societies, and churches.  When God designed the family, He designed it with a male parent and a female parent.  Very wise, I think.  Because children need their moms, but they also really need their dads.  It is sad to hear statistics and realize that one of the most significant factors that predict poverty and crime have to do with whether or not a person grew up with a father in the home.  My dad passed away when I was young, but thankfully, God is a father to the fatherless, my amazing mom had to fulfill both roles in a lot of ways, and I’m so grateful she did.  But God and many godly men in my life filled in the gap, and I am thankful for them.

One passage of Scripture that keeps coming to my mind when thinking about being a father is Psalm 127. 

Psalm 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 

Psalm 127:2  It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. 

Psalm 127:3  Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 

Psalm 127:4  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 

Psalm 127:5  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. 

There are a couple of images in this psalm.  One is building and protecting a city, and the other is of building a family as if you are equipping yourself for war.  Isn’t it interesting that these two images go together?  I’m hoping to conjure some images in your mind as we go through this, but I want us to see some things that fathers love in these verses.

1. Building.  Now we don’t all love the actual act of construction in the same way that some men do, but I think all men, all fathers, love building.  Building SOMETHING.  Some men have a burning desire to build a company, which is more abstract, but is no less building.  Whether it’s building a ministry, or a church, or a stage set, or a table, I think there’s something in us that wants to build as men.

2. Protecting.  We want to build, but we also want to protect what we’ve built.  We want to be watchmen and something rises up within us if what we have built is threatened.  Even the most passive man changes when something he’s built is threatened.

3. Fathering.  There’s something in us that wants to pass on our name, our DNA, our learning.  Some guys don’t want to have kids, but there’s a desire for fatherhood that is built into us that will manifest at some point in our lives.

4. Battling.  Lastly, we want to fight a war.  I may be the first one who would be taken out in an actual war, but when I think of battles and fights, courage and victory, something stirs within me and I want to go to war and win victories.

Whenever I think of the desire men have to accomplish something great, I think of the great explorer Ernest Shackleton who wanted to lead an expedition to be the first to reach the South Pole.  According to a book published in 1949 by Julian Lewis Watkins, (“The 100 Greatest Advertisements”), Shackleton was trying to find men to join him on his journey to Antarctica to reach the South Pole and he published an ad in the London newspaper saying,

“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.” According to legend, more than 5,000 men—and “three sporty girls”—applied for the chance to join him.

There’s something in us that desires this.  There’s a desire for significance…to leave our mark on this world.  For glory, regardless of the cost.  The common denominator I see in all four of the things I pulled out of Psalm 127 is a desire for “LEGACY.”  Throughout history, men have built, and protected, and fathered, and gone to war for the sake of a legacy.  Sometimes I even get discouraged when I think about how pitifully small I am, because I too desire legacy.  And then I want to watch a movie and eat chocolate ice cream and not think about it because I haven’t done much to leave my mark!

But let’s think about this psalm a little more.  I used to think it was odd that he went from talking about building and watching over a city to suddenly saying that, “Children are a heritage from the Lord.”  But I’ve learned a couple things that helped me to think in a more Hebraic mindset about this.  First of all, did you know the word for “children” in verse 3 has the connotation of “building” in Hebrew?

H1121 בֵּן bên bane; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship

In fact, the word for “son” or “children” (ben) actually comes from the Hebrew word “banah” which was the word translated as “build” in verse 1.

From H1129 בָּנָה bânâh baw-naw' A primitive root; to build (literally and figuratively): - (begin to) build (-er), obtain children, make, repair, set (up), X surely.

This is the word that Sarah uses in Genesis 16 when she encourages Abram to take Hagar.

Genesis 16:2  And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children (build my house) by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 

Interestingly, it’s also the word used when God creates Eve…and remember when He does it?  When Adam is asleep…because He gives his beloved sleep.

Genesis 2:21  And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 

Genesis 2:22  And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made (built) he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 

We have two contrasting images here.  The very first family was built by God while Adam was asleep.  God also wanted to build Abraham and Sarah’s family, but Sarah tried to build her house in a different way.  Speaking of the first family, there’s another interesting word in this psalm and it’s the word “labor.”  Isn’t an interesting thing that we describe work and childbirth with the same word?  Labor.  And I really think that link goes all the way back to The Fall of Man into Sin and the curse that followed.

Genesis 3:16  Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 

Genesis 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 

Genesis 3:18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 

Genesis 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 

So the woman is cursed with labor pains, and the man is cursed with…labor pains.  Now we know that God created the family and work before the fall, so it’s a good thing!  But how are we supposed to go about working as a man and taking care of our family?  How do we build our family, how do we build something lasting in our work?  And now we go back to these two pictures in Psalm 127.

God is not switching subjects in the middle of the psalm, he’s making a parallel.  Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain.  Could we not also draw a parallel to the family?  Unless the Lord builds our family, we labor in vain.  We could put in all the effort we want, and we’ll get the sweat of our brow, because the Lord has to be involved.  But it’s not that we do nothing.  Notice the way that he describes children.  As arrows in the hands of a warrior.  What do you do with arrows?  You use them to fight the enemies!  But how are arrows effective against the enemy?  By being aimed.  I got a revelation about this when I was doing my study on the Hebrew words behind the Word of God and sin.  Remember the word for sin?  It means to miss the mark, like someone shooting an arrow and missing the target.  So as fathers, we err if we miss the mark.  But how then do we aim them?  Check this out:

Law - tôrâh - BDB Definition: 1) law, direction, instruction 1a) instruction, direction (human or divine); comes from H3384 יָרָא    יָרָה yârâh    yârâ' yaw-raw'

A primitive root; properly to flow as water (that is, to rain); transitively to lay or throw (especially an arrow, that is, to shoot); figuratively to point out (as if by aiming the finger), to teach: -  (+) archer, cast, direct, inform, instruct, lay, shew, shoot, teach (-er, -ing), through

So we aim them through teaching them…through Torah…through the Word and commandments of God!  I think that’s incredible!

Deuteronomy 6:7  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 

This hits me even harder when I think about the inscription of the psalm at the very beginning.  Who is this psalm associated with?

Psalm 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon.

Always, always take notice of the inscriptions at the beginning of psalms because sometimes it gives us a whole new perspective on the psalm in question.  This is one of two psalms associated with Solomon.  It’s unclear whether he wrote it or it was written for him.  I’ve seen people argue both ways.  It works for me if it was Solomon writing it, but I also kind of like the idea that David, knowing his son was to build the house of the Lord and the house of David, wrote this as a reminder of what he needed to remember as he set about doing the building.  I like the idea of the father instructing the son.  Either way, it’s associated with Solomon.  And what are the things Solomon is known for?

When I taught an overview of Solomon to the youth, I gave them 3 “W’s” for Solomon. 

Wisdom

Wealth

Women

David was known as a warrior who united the 12 tribes into one kingdom after Saul, and brought peace by defeating all of their enemies on every side.  He also established the capital city of Jerusalem, and was known as the sweet psalmist of Israel who brought centralized worship to the city by organizing the Levites with music and bringing the ark of the covenant to the city.  He was given a promise by the prophet that his kingdom would be established forever, and a son of David would always sit on the throne.  What was left for Solomon?  There were no wars to fight…but what was left was to build on what was won.  The one thing David really wanted to do that he was never able to do was to build a house for the Lord.  And this was the project he gave to Solomon.

1st Chronicles 22:5  And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.

Talk about expectation!  I’ll be honest, I don’t even think “magnifical” is a word–I think David made that up.  But what a legacy for a father. David did everything he could to leave his son prepared to rule, he fought all the battles for him ahead of time, told him who his future enemies might be, and prepared all the materials for building the temple! I wonder who you’re identifying with in this story.  Are you a father who has come through a lot of struggle, but you want to leave something for your children?  If you’re the David in this story, you may be in the stage of preparing all you can for them before your death.  I don’t mean to sound morbid–I think this is beautiful.  You may also be in the Solomon position…with a legacy that’s been left to you that you’re expected to honor.  You may also feel the expectation that’s been put on you is unreasonable.  And can I just expand this out a little bit to give everyone an application point for this message that’s part of the church?  Our father, Jesus, the ultimate son of David, won great victories for us and He expects us to be part of His great building project…to build a house for the Lord.  There’s a heavy expectation that’s been put on us as well.  Maybe we would do well, man or woman, boy or girl, to think about our Father’s expectations of what we are to build.  But look at what David says next.  Because it’s not just about what the expectation is…it’s about how we are to fulfill it.

1st Chronicles 22:6  Then he called for Solomon his son, and charged him to build an house for the LORD God of Israel. 

1st Chronicles 22:7  And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God: 

1st Chronicles 22:8  But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Thou hast shed blood abundantly, and hast made great wars: thou shalt not build an house unto my name, because thou hast shed much blood upon the earth in my sight. 

1st Chronicles 22:9  Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. 

1st Chronicles 22:10  He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever. 

1st Chronicles 22:11  Now, my son, the LORD be with thee; and prosper thou, and build the house of the LORD thy God, as he hath said of thee. 

1st Chronicles 22:12  Only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, and give thee charge concerning Israel, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD thy God. 

1st Chronicles 22:13  Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the LORD charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed. 

Notice what David did…

1. First, he communicated the vision, 

2. But then he gave the condition…only the LORD give thee wisdom and understanding, that thou mayest keep the law of the LORD…thou shalt prosper IF thou takest heed to fulfill the statutes and judgments that the LORD commanded Moses.  

3. Then he encourages him: be strong and of a good courage, dread not, nor be dismayed.  

4. Then, if you keep reading the chapter, you’ll see that he tells him about the provision he’s already prepared for him–David had already equipped Solomon with everything he needed. 

5. And finally he even goes so far as to surround him with people that will help him.  He gives a charge to the princes of Israel at the end of the chapter to help Solomon.

And I just wonder if it was at this time that David wrote a psalm to remind Solomon of the most important truth of all as he went about to build this house…

Psalm 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 

See, Solomon was in a unique position.  He was the king reigning over the Golden Age of Israel.  If you can think of anything that any guy attains to, Solomon had it.  Some people chase education.  Wisdom and knowledge?  Solomon has that covered.  Wisest man in all the earth.  Some men chase sex and women.  Well, frankly, nobody beats Solomon in that respect.  700 wives…and if that wasn’t enough, 300 concubines.  Legacy?  Just look at his building projects!  Wealth? Solomon made silver like stones it was so common, and cedars like sycomore trees!  Recognition, political power, fame?  The queen of Sheba traveled with an entourage from Africa just because she had heard of the wisdom of Solomon!  Kings sent Solomon lumber and wealth from all over, along with their daughters to make sure they had an alliance with him.  But Solomon also wrote Ecclesiastes.  And he says something interesting about all his accomplishments…

Ecclesiastes 1:12  I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem. 

Ecclesiastes 1:13  And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith. 

Ecclesiastes 1:14  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit. 

All is vanity and vexation of spirit?  But Solomon, what about your wisdom?

Ecclesiastes 1:16  I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge. 

Ecclesiastes 1:17  And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. 

Ecclesiastes 1:18  For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. 

Okay, sure, but you probably had a good time in this life, more than anyone else, right?

Ecclesiastes 2:1  I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 

Ecclesiastes 2:2  I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 

Ecclesiastes 2:3  I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 

Well, yeah, I guess just seeking pleasure isn’t satisfying, but what about all your accomplishments?

Ecclesiastes 2:4  I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 

Ecclesiastes 2:5  I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 

Ecclesiastes 2:6  I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 

Ecclesiastes 2:7  I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: 

Ecclesiastes 2:8  I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 

Ecclesiastes 2:9  So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 

Ecclesiastes 2:10  And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 

Ecclesiastes 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. 

Did you notice another phrase he kept repeating other than vanity and vexation of spirit?  What about the phrase “under the sun”?  We tend to want to avoid Ecclesiastes, but this book is the best primer to the gospel that I know.  When we, as men, build and protect and father and fight under the sun…it really is vanity and vexation of spirit, the sweat of our brow.  But what if we were able to rise above the sun?  What about the heavenly things that are above the sun?  Is it possible for us to leave a legacy above the sun?  Not on earth where moth and rust corrupt and thieves break through and steal, but through laying up treasure in heaven…  What happened with Solomon?  How did he miss his father’s instruction?  How did he get off track from the direction his father shot him?

There was once a preacher who made this observation about Solomon.  This preacher mentioned that he thought it was possible that the reason Solomon had so many wives was that he was trying to have an heir…and there was something wrong with him, though he kept blaming the wives.  How many sons of David do we know about?  There are a lot!  At least 10!  What about Solomon?  We only know of one son.  Out of all those wives.  We know of a handful of daughters…but only one son.  It was a custom back then (when kids died a lot) for a king to have many wives so that he could ensure that there was a legitimate heir.  However, how many sons did Solomon need to carry on the line of David?  Only one.  Isn’t that interesting?  And I also wonder what would have happened if he had been a father figure to Jeroboam.  That’s a side issue.  Is it possible that, like Sarah, Solomon was trying to build his own house, rather than letting the Lord build it?  What if rather than trying to have as many backup heirs as he could, he had really focused on instilling the book of Proverbs of the father to the son into his son Rehoboam?  Maybe he was trying to fill his quiver, when he just needed to aim the one he had?  That’s, of course, all speculation.  But what’s not speculation is the rise and fall of Solomon.

Years ago, when I was studying 1st Kings and 1st and 2nd Chronicles with a youth group Bible study, I was going through the story of Solomon and I stumbled upon something.  Listen to Solomon’s story:

There are two statements about Solomon’s loves that bookend this story, which is what got me started on this train of thought.  At the beginning, when Solomon was young, look at what it says about his love.

1st Kings 3:3  And Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. 

But at the end of his story, just before the seeds are sown for the downfall of his kingdom, look at what is said:

1st Kings 11:1  But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; 

1st Kings 11:2  Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. 

David warned him about this before he died.

1st Chronicles 28:9  And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever. 

1st Chronicles 28:10  Take heed now; for the LORD hath chosen thee to build an house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it. 

Then David gave Solomon the pattern that was given to him by the Spirit.  And Solomon took this building project seriously!

1st Kings 6:37  In the fourth year was the foundation of the house of the LORD laid, in the month Zif: 

1st Kings 6:38  And in the eleventh year, in the month Bul, which is the eighth month, was the house finished throughout all the parts thereof, and according to all the fashion of it. So was he seven years in building it. 

That’s great!  Seven years?  The number of completion!  This is the last verse in 1st Kings 6…but the very next verse…the first verse of 1st Kings 7 begins on this ominous note:

1st Kings 7:1  But Solomon was building his own house thirteen years, and he finished all his house. 

Seven…plus six…the number of man.  The story interrupts the flow about the building of the temple, tells us this about his own house, then goes back to tell us about the finishing of the temple and the dedication.  But it’s an ominous disruption.  Right after the dedication, before the downhill slide really begins, the Lord appears to Solomon again.

1st Kings 9:1  And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do, 

1st Kings 9:2  That the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. 

1st Kings 9:3  And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 

1st Kings 9:4  And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: 

1st Kings 9:5  Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. 

1st Kings 9:6  But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: 

1st Kings 9:7  Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: 

1st Kings 9:8  And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house? 

1st Kings 9:9  And they shall answer, Because they forsook the LORD their God, who brought forth their fathers out of the land of Egypt, and have taken hold upon other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them: therefore hath the LORD brought upon them all this evil. 

Then begins Solomon’s decline.

1st Kings 11:9  And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, 

1st Kings 11:10  And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. 

1st Kings 11:11  Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 

1st Kings 11:12  Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. 

1st Kings 11:13  Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen. 

Notice for the sake of the father, there was mercy granted.  The sure mercies of David.  Despite the consequences, I still hold out a little hope for Solomon.  I believe Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, as he neared the end of his life, and looked back over the emptiness of life under the sun.  But I think as he neared the end of his life he had a revelation, and wrote Ecclesiastes to warn us.  There’s a Jewish targum of Ecclesiastes that I think is fascinating:

The Aramaic Targum to Ecclesiastes starts the book like this:

“The words of prophecy which Coheleth, that is, the son of David the King, who was in Jerusalem, prophesied. When Solomon the King of Israel foresaw, by the spirit of prophecy, the kingdom of Rehoboam his son, which will be divided with Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and that Jerusalem and the holy temple will be destroyed, and that the people of Israel will be led into captivity, he said by the divine word, Vanity of vanities is this world! Vanity of vanities is all which I and my father David have laboured for, all of it is vanity!”

That Targum is not inspired Scripture, so I can’t prove that that’s the true reason he wrote the book.  However, we do have the end of Ecclesiastes which gives us some insight about his final thoughts.  After the most poetic description of death ever in chapter 12, we see this:

Ecclesiastes 12:7  Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. 

Ecclesiastes 12:8  Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity. 

Ecclesiastes 12:9  And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. 

Ecclesiastes 12:10  The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. 

Ecclesiastes 12:11  The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd. 

Ecclesiastes 12:12  And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh. 

Ecclesiastes 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. 

Ecclesiastes 12:14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

We know that one day the ultimate Son of David came, and He is building a house for the Lord, and of His Kingdom there is no end!  Fathers, how are you going about to establish your legacy?  Are we laboring under the sun?  Or have we recognized that as we build, protect, father, and go to war, our eyes must be firmly fixed on Jesus?  Obviously, this isn’t just for fathers…this is for all of us.  Maybe we could take a few moments to turn our eyes upon Jesus, and when we do, the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.

Conquering Ai

Don't get excited--this isn't a post about dealing with the looming specter of Artificial Intelligence (I'm sure that would be a good topic--I just don't know enough about it to discuss it intelligently...unless perhaps I used artificial intelligence...which would have cut this rambling parenthesis...anyways...), rather this post is about city in the book of Joshua, Ai.

Recently, someone asked my pastor and I to go pray at their home because they were experiencing demonic activity.  As I was praying on my way over, I felt the Lord impress into my spirit that if they really wanted the evil spirits to leave, they needed to close the doors the evil spirits were coming through by dealing with any sin and addiction.  The Lord moved in a powerful way as we prayed and discussed, and I started thinking about how people can attain spiritual victory in their lives.

When Jesus died on the cross, he spoiled all principalities and powers and obtained the promises of God for us who join him as coheirs in his inheritance.  His children who are born again into his family receive the benefits of his victory.  This is great news, but sometimes we get the wrong idea about this and wonder why we still don't have victory when theoretically we should.  One of the best illustrations for me comes from the book of Joshua.

God gave the children of Israel the promise of the land, but they still had to fight to obtain the promise.  I spoke on this recently in the adult class at our church, using the first couple of battles in the book of Joshua as a teaching metaphor.  If you want to watch or listen to that teaching, click here, or on the video below.

I believe we are called to have victory in our lives.  What kinds of battles do we fight that we need to have victory in?  When I look at the Old Testament, I see the battles and the conquests that happen as a metaphor for us overcoming things in our lives.  Think about this…we have been given promises as Christians.  What kind of promises?

• Victory over sin
• The Holy Ghost
• Power in the Spirit

The Israelites were given the promise of the Promised Land–but how did they get that land?  They had to fight for it.  I want to meditate on this for a few minutes.  Look at some of the promises that were given to the children of Israel in Deuteronomy, and think about how this compares to the promises given to us in our lives as Christians…

Deuteronomy 7:12  Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the LORD thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which he sware unto thy fathers: 

Deuteronomy 7:13  And he will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: he will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which he sware unto thy fathers to give thee. 

Deuteronomy 7:14  Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you, or among your cattle. 

Deuteronomy 7:15  And the LORD will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee; but will lay them upon all them that hate thee. 

Deuteronomy 7:16  And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that will be a snare unto thee. 

Now, notice that these promises are conditional, and the condition is that they listen to and keep the LORD’s judgments, and there’s a warning at the end that the gods of the people could become a snare to them, but look at the promises that are given!  The covenant and mercy of Yahweh! His love and blessings! Blessings for their children and finances and health!  That’s good stuff!  And we’ve been given some promises too!

2nd Peter 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 

2nd Peter 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 

2nd Peter 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 

2nd Peter 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 

Those are some powerful promises too!  They were going to multiply in children and sheep and corn and wine, but we are going to multiply in grace and peace! He has given us everything we need that pertains to life and godliness and has called us to glory and virtue!  He has given us exceeding great and precious promises, and these promises will enable us to partake in His divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust!

But when we think about what God has called us to, and then we look in the mirror, it can be discouraging.  We want the promises, but we can see the gap between what we’re supposed to be and what we are, and it can get us down.  We have devils fighting us that we HAVE to overcome to be what God wants, but it seems insurmountable.  Can anyone relate to that?  You know who else could relate to that feeling?  The Israelites!  Great promises of what will happen once they obtain the Promised Land, but there’s a problem…there are fortified cities and enemies that have to be overcome in order to conquer that land!

Deuteronomy 7:17  If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them? 

Deuteronomy 7:18  Thou shalt not be afraid of them: but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt; 

Deuteronomy 7:19  The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid. 

So if we start feeling like our sins or bad habits or circumstances that get in the way of God’s will are mightier than we are and we will never be able to overcome them, here’s the first thing we have to do: remember what God has already done.  He had already brought them out of Egypt, and it wasn’t by their own might.   Similarly, when we are trying to overcome things, remember what God has already delivered you from!  And remember how He did—by His own power and might, right?

Galatians 3:2  This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

Galatians 3:3  Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 

That’s encouragement #1.  But there’s more!

Deuteronomy 7:20  Moreover the LORD thy God will send the hornet among them, until they that are left, and hide themselves from thee, be destroyed. 

Deuteronomy 7:21  Thou shalt not be affrighted at them: for the LORD thy God is among you, a mighty God and terrible. 

Here’s encouragement #2: God is preparing the way ahead of you!  There are still battles you’re going to have to fight, but God has been there ahead of you, and He’s with you now!  And He’s powerful!  In other words, there will be some people that stay in the land, hiding from you that you are going to have to deal with, but God is actually sending hornets to clear the way for you before you even get there, and He is with you in these battles all the way.  But let’s get practical.  Because God COULD just wipe them out before the Israelites ever get there, but He chooses not to do that.  Why?  He tells us!

Deuteronomy 7:22  And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee. 

Deuteronomy 7:23  But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee, and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction, until they be destroyed. 

He doesn’t remove all the enemies from the land instantly, because the Israelites wouldn’t be able to handle the entire land of promise if they just walked into it.  And guess what?  We couldn’t handle all the promises of God if He just instantly gave them to us without any struggle either.  God allows some enemies to remain in our lives that we have to fight against and struggle with because we wouldn’t be able to handle all the promises without that struggle.  But He DOES expect us to fully obtain the promises!  Don’t get discouraged that it hasn’t happened all at once, but also it’s important that you don’t get TOO comfortable with the enemies and the habits and the sins that we’re struggling with because God DOES want us to progress and take our inheritance!

Deuteronomy 7:24  And he shall deliver their kings into thine hand, and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven: there shall no man be able to stand before thee, until thou have destroyed them. 

Deuteronomy 7:25  The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. 

Deuteronomy 7:26  Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. 

The kings that currently have dominion are going to be delivered into your hand and their name and reputation and authority blotted out from under heaven and we are to remove every vestige of the demonic control that was over the land before God gave it to you and put it under your authority.  We are to take total dominion.  So this got me thinking about the beginning of Joshua when they go into the land and the first couple of cities they defeat, and how they do it so that we can glean some lessons from our own lives.  It would be cool to do a whole in depth study of Joshua from this perspective–the conquest of Canaan parallel to our inheriting of the promises, but for this lesson, let’s just look at the first couple of cities to see how they defeat them and what we can learn from it.  So this is after they are officially out of the wilderness, they have crossed over the Jordan River, passed through the waters, been baptized if you will, renewed the covenant by getting circumcised when they cross over the waters, and now they have to face their first major foe in the land…the city of Jericho!

Joshua 5:13  And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? 

Joshua 5:14  And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? 

Joshua 5:15  And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. 

Joshua 6:1  Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 

Joshua 6:2  And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 

Joshua 6:3  And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. 

Joshua 6:4  And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. 

Joshua 6:5  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. 

So the first thing that happens before any battle is attempted is that Joshua gets a direct word from God Himself who is the Ultimate Commander!  Notice what He said when Joshua asked whose side He was on?  No, I’m the captain of the LORD’s hosts.  God is the same, and true.  We are the ones who are either on His side or not–He’s not on our side, we need to be on His.

During the Civil War, one of President Lincoln’s advisors said he was grateful God was on the Union’s side. Lincoln told him, “Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.”

It all depends on whether we listen to Him or not.  What does this direct command have to do with conquering the city?  In practical terms how will this help them?  It doesn’t seem to have any correlation.  But this is about obeying God’s Word whether we understand it or not.  So what is the principle we can derive from this?

Some obstacles, some enemies will be conquered simply by doing what God says consistently, whether or not it seems like it directly relates to the issue we’re facing or not.  What does raising your hands in worship have to do with overcoming a pornography addiction?  How will paying your tithes help you to stop smoking?  How does consistently going to church help you get out of debt?  How does giving to the poor restore your relationship with your estranged children?  These things may not seem to have anything to do with each other, but consistently obeying God’s direct commands can actually help us defeat even the worst and strongest enemies.  

I always think about this when I go to the doctor and when they are trying to determine how at risk I am for things, they go down the list of, “Do you smoke? Do you drink? Do you have illicit sex?”  And it feel so good to be able to say no to each of those things because I know it’s making me healthier, but I didn’t make those decisions so that I could answer that questionnaire at the doctor’s office to be healthier–I avoided those issues because I’m living for God and obeying Him, and the health is a great side benefit!  It’s true with many things.

Think about what God asks the children of Israel to do to conquer Jericho.

Joshua 6:6  And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD. 

They are to take the ark, the symbol of God’s presence, and the symbol of the covenant. What is our ark of the covenant?  The Holy Ghost–it is both God’s literal presence and the sign of the covenant!  They are to take trumpets of ram’s horns…worship.  God, I love Your presence and Your covenant and Your worship, but I’m a little distracted by all the heavy things going on in my life, and I don’t see how this will help.  Well, you might be surprised.

Joshua 6:10  And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout. 

Joshua 6:11  So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. 

This is the end of the first day.  They quietly did what God told them to do, but nothing changed.  And that may be the case for you tomorrow.  You may quietly do what God asked, go home, and nothing has changed.  But what about the next day?

Joshua 6:12  And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 

Joshua 6:13  And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. 

Joshua 6:14  And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days. 

This is what we call “consistency.”  Doing the same thing, day after day, just because God said to do it even though you see no change.  Think about Naaman the leper.  There’s a parallel with this story.  How many times did he have to dip in the Jordan?  Over and over until something changed.  The children of Israel are marching around the wall, day after day, throughout the week, doing the same thing, and nothing is different for six days.  What if you go through this whole next week doing what God says and nothing changes?  Do you throw in the towel and get frustrated?  No.  You get up the next morning and come to church to praise the Lord.

Joshua 6:15  And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 

Joshua 6:16  And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. 

I don’t know about you, but I’ve noticed that if I pray consistently throughout the week, even if I’m not breaking through the vail and feeling the presence of God and I’m tired and it doesn’t seem like I’m accomplishing anything…if I still pray every day consistently, Sunday service is often amazing, compared to weeks when I am not consistent in prayer.  If I read the Bible consistently, even though I don’t understand everything, when I’m in the middle of a conversation trying to witness or we’re having a Bible study, all those verses I was reading and not getting anything out of suddenly start flooding back to my mind, and as I listen to a powerful camp meeting sermon, everything starts to fit together and I start getting all this revelation and the power of God falls!  But the consistency comes before the final big push and the shout of victory!  But there’s also a warning…

Joshua 6:17  And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. 

Joshua 6:18  And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it. 

Joshua 6:19  But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. 

Joshua gives them this warning, because sometimes the time we slip up the most is right after a victory when we are feeling confident and victorious and that’s when Satan slips in out of nowhere with a temptation, or an old friend shows up or whatever.  Rahab the harlot gets to live because she repented and expressed faith in God.  She’s the only good thing coming out of the city of destruction.  Everything else you need to leave alone and have nothing to do with after your victory.  Don’t get cocky and think you can hang on to relationships and objects that are directly associated with your failures and bondage unless there’s a genuine heart-change and repentance like Rahab had.

Joshua 6:20  So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. 

Joshua 6:21  And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. 

Joshua 6:22  But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 

Joshua 6:23  And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. 

Joshua 6:24  And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 

Joshua 6:25  And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho. 

Joshua 6:26  And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it. 

Joshua 6:27  So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was noised throughout all the country. 

Give God all the plunder, but don’t try to redeem or rebuild things out of the city that God gave you to conquer because you’ll end up losing your family in the midst of trying to rebuild what God has destroyed in your life.  Don’t reserve for yourself a glass of wine or a beer with friends if God has given you the victory over being an alcoholic.  Don’t reserve for yourself that girl’s number or keep her as a Facebook friend if God delivered you from a destructive relationship.  Don’t reserve one credit card for yourself if God delivered you from a shopping addiction that took you into tens of thousands of dollars of debt.

Galatians 2:17  But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 

Galatians 2:18  For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 

Galatians 2:19  For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 

Galatians 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

There’s a very sobering warning in this story for those who want to keep just a little part of Jericho for themselves.

Joshua 7:1  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 7:2  And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. 

Joshua 7:3  And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, 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. 

Joshua feels very confident because Ai is actually a smaller city than Jericho so it should be easier to defeat!  But there’s a funny truth that we have to grapple with that sometimes it’s the smaller sins that are harder to tackle than the big, obvious ones.

Joshua 7:4  So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 

Joshua 7:5  And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water. 

Joshua 7:6  And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. 

Joshua 7:7  And Joshua said, Alas, O Lord GOD, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 

Joshua 7:8  O Lord, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 

Joshua 7:9  For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name? 

Has anyone else been here?  A great victory has been won, but then what should have been an easy victory is lost, and now all of a sudden it seems like the ground that WAS gained is meaningless and that God has left you and you’re starting over from ground zero.  It feels like you never should have even attempted to try to take God’s promises in the first place.  But look what God says to Joshua–this cracks me up.  But only because I’ve been there and God has had to say stuff like this to me.

Joshua 7:10  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 

Joshua 7:11  Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. 

Joshua 7:12  Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. 

Joshua 7:13  Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you. 

This isn’t popular, but we HAVE to be sanctified.  It’s not that God doesn’t love us–it’s that He cannot give us more victory until we’ve dealt with the sin that we’re hiding under our tent.  He loves us too much to get away with that. A lot of people wonder why they can’t receive the promise of the Holy Ghost…but a lot of people also have stuff hidden under their tent that they haven’t confessed before the Lord.

So they go through this whole process and finally discover that Achan (whose name means “trouble” just fyi) is the one that did it.  Look at what happens next.

Joshua 7:18  And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. 

Joshua 7:19  And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 

Joshua 7:20  And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 

Joshua 7:21  When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. 

Joshua 7:22  So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 

Joshua 7:23  And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. 

Joshua 7:24  And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 

Joshua 7:25  And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 

Joshua 7:26  And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day. 

Obviously, this isn’t God’s desire.  He wants to save and redeem.  The prophet Hosea references this story and look what he says about it:

Hosea 2:14  Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. 

Hosea 2:15  And I will give her her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope: and she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the day when she came up out of the land of Egypt.

The valley of Achor is the valley of trouble where Achan was exposed…but God wants to replace that with a door of hope!  Get this–the word for hope is tikvah–which also means cord or rope, and it’s the exact same word used for the scarlet line that Rahab was supposed to hang out the window as the sign that she trusted God and had not exposed the spies in Joshua 2:18. (Like the blood of the lamb at Passover!  As long as she stayed in the house she had the hope of salvation!)

Joshua 2:18  Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee. 

Joshua 2:19  And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him. 

Joshua 2:20  And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. 

Joshua 2:21  And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. 

God wants to replace our Achan story with a Rahab story.  But compare and contrast Rahab and her family for a second with Achan and his family.  Rahab hid the spies, and by doing that allied herself with God’s people, even though she was from Jericho, and by this saved her family.  Achan hid the plunder stolen from Jericho, and by doing that, allied himself with the people of Jericho, even though he was from God’s people, and by doing this destroyed his family.  Where are our allegiances going to lie?  With this world or with the people of God?

Joshua 8:1  And the LORD said unto Joshua, 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: 

Joshua 8:2  And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it. 

If Achan could have waited, he would have gotten to a city where they were allowed to take the spoil, but he followed the lust of his eyes instead and took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for himself.  But notice something else…they are to treat Ai and her king the same way they did Jericho and her king…so the outcome of victory will be the same, but God tells Joshua to go about it a different way.  This is significant.  Because sometimes we don’t win the victory just by doing what God says…sometimes there are more stubborn obstacles and enemies and habits and addictions that we have to lay an ambush for.  Let’s see what happens.

Joshua 8:3  So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night. 

Joshua 8:4  And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: 

Joshua 8:5  And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, 

Joshua 8:6  (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them. 

Joshua 8:7  Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. 

Joshua 8:8  And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you. 

Look at this: this time they have a whole strategy!  And though God told him to do it, Joshua had to come up with the details himself, and this isn’t necessarily a supernatural thing, though, of course, it actually still is because God is still the one either giving them victory or not, but God is giving them the victory in a different way this time.  The walls of this city aren’t just falling down flat–they have to do this whole ambush thing.  Why?

Joshua 8:9  Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 

Joshua 8:10  And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 

Joshua 8:11  And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai. 

Joshua 8:12  And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. 

Joshua 8:13  And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley. 

Joshua 8:14  And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city. 

Joshua 8:15  And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 

Joshua 8:16  And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. 

Joshua 8:17  And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel. 

Joshua 8:18  And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city. 

Joshua 8:19  And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire. 

Joshua 8:20  And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. 

Joshua 8:21  And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai. 

Joshua 8:22  And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape. 

Joshua 8:23  And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua. 

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. 

Joshua 8:25  And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai. 

Joshua 8:26  For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 

Joshua 8:27  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. 

Joshua 8:28  And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day. 

Joshua 8:29  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. 

I know that was a long reading, but look at what happened here.  This time, God gave them a strategy for the victory.  And here’s the truth about our battles…sometimes we need a strategy to trick our flesh and trick the enemy into being subjected to the cross.  Sometimes God knocks the walls down when we praise Him and we can just waltz right in and take the victory!  But sometimes we need a strategy against our flesh.  This isn’t the only time this happened in Scripture!

2nd Samuel 5:17  But when the Philistines heard that they had anointed David king over Israel, all the Philistines came up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went down to the hold. 

2nd Samuel 5:18  The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 

2nd Samuel 5:19  And David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the LORD said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 

2nd Samuel 5:20  And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The LORD hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. 

2nd Samuel 5:21  And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. 

2nd Samuel 5:22  And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. 

2nd Samuel 5:23  And when David enquired of the LORD, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. 

2nd Samuel 5:24  And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the LORD go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. 

2nd Samuel 5:25  And David did so, as the LORD had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer. 

Why didn’t God just give David the victory the exact same way both times?  The end result was the same!  I don’t know–but it’s a good thing David asked God again, huh?  Instead of just assuming he could do it the same way and that God would rubber stamp his victory?  Here’s the thing.  When an enemy returns after God gave us victory, sometimes we need a heavenly, divine strategy.  I don’t know what your specific issue is but let this whole lesson serve as a plug for the Recovery Group on Friday nights.  If you’re struggling with a persistent sin, or habit, or addiction, or hangup, or hurt, or broken relationship–THAT is where you can go and get your strategies for overcoming.  Seek and enquire of the Lord, and then allow Him to speak to you, both in your own prayer closet, but also through your brothers and sisters, through counseling with a man or woman of God, through Sunday morning adult class or Wednesday night Bible study. Have hope!  God wants to give you victory and the goal is that we will conquer the entire Promised Land!