Having dealt with the root cause of their defeat at Ai, Joshua is reassured by the Lord that all will be well and that He has given the city into their hand.
Whilst victory this time around is to be achieved by conventional military means, the instruction on laying the ambush comes from the Lord. Joshua’s lesson here is that not all victories will be won by ‘supernatural’ means as at Jericho. God would accomplish His purpose using conventional means, through the labour and warfare of His people. The critical factor was obedience to the detailed instruction given and victory would be assured.
So the ambush is set and the plan executed. The people of Ai, emboldened by their earlier success, commit the folly of over-confidence and leave their city open whilst pursuing the Israelites. Verse 3 states that thirty thousand people went up but another translation of ‘thousand’ is ‘captain’, so maybe it was in fact, thirty captains over the five thousand mentioned in v12. In any event, having lost thirty-six men in the first disastrous assault, there is no record of a single soul being lost in the capture and destruction of Ai.
If only Achan had waited! God now instructs the people that they can partake of the spoils from Ai and enrich themselves thereby. Achan’s disobedience and impatience cost him and his family their lives. If they had only waited for God’s time! How often do we lose out because we are too impatient and cannot contain until God’s purposes are worked out?
Having achieved total victory at Ai, Joshua renews the covenant at Shechem. In obedience to the word of the Lord (Deut 27) Joshua builds an altar on Mount Ebal and inscribes upon the stones the words of the Law. He then gathers the nation together, assembles them as instructed and reads the whole of the Law of Moses before the people and the strangers that lived amongst them.
What a beautiful scene; the men, women, little ones and strangers all gathered for the reading of scripture. The public reading of scripture is often central to important events in the nation’s history, particularly associated with revival, and if we are to know victory as God’s people, its importance must never be lost and its practice never cease.
Reports
The assembly in Tayport had the Bible Exhibition in their recently extended and refurbished hall at the beginning of September and it proved to be a very profitable week.
The small assembly in Stornoway on the island of Lewis must be one of the most isolated in the UK, and does not get many visitors.
4 weeks of Tent meetings on a School playing field in Bicester with Frank Sona and Marvin Derksen in August saw over 70 unsaved in attendance and one young girl professing to be saved.The children's meetings in the mornings of the first week, conducted by local brethren, saw new contacts being made.
Alan Barber writes about the Tall Ships opportunity in Hartllepool
The small assembly in Stromness again used the occasion of the annual July “shopping week” to reach out with the gospel.
Outreach and Encouragement
Here are a number of reports for Co. Antrim and also notice of some forthcoming meetings D.V.
Belmont Hall, Harrow, held its 21st Annual Holiday Bible Club for 3 hours every afternoon from 26th-30th July. The theme for the week was the “I am” sayings of Christ. About 45 attended each day. The assembly was very encouraged that over half of the children were new contacts, with some very keen to join the Sunday School and mid-week children’s meeting when they resume in September.
The assembly at Chappell Street invited Stephen Grant to conduct a series of gospel meetings in June. There was good support from other assemblies in Renfrewshire.The assembly was encouraged by the attendance of some from the town who must have been challenged by the powerful messages delivered each night. The gospel was also brought before the town in the many invitations distributed before and during the meetings. We pray that we shall yet see fruit from the seed sown.
Tent meetings began in late July. Good response in the morning children's meetings and help to preach in the evenings for Frank Sona and Marvin Derksen (Canada).
Nitish and Elen Patel write in their newsletter;
Gospel meetings with Roland Pickering.
Alan Barber reports from Hartlepool.
Various Reports from NI at end June
Various meetings to be held D.V. for your prayerful interest and support.
J Rogers was with this small assembly for the four weeks of June. 10,000 invitations were distributed. Good numbers attended, some local, others from neighbouring assemblies. M Radcliffe helped for the first 2 weeks and W Fenton for the last 2 weeks. There was help to preach and the Christians were encouraged. Prayer appreciated for this needy area.