Category: Bible Challenge

“‘Sir,’ Gideon replied, ‘if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? And where are all the miracles our ancestors told us about? Didn’t they say, ‘The Lord brought us up out of Egypt’? But now the Lord has abandoned us and handed us over to the Midianites.’” v.13
Gideon questioned God about the problems he he and his nation faced and about God’s apparent lack of help. What he didn’t acknowledge was the fact that the people had brought calamity upon themselves when they decided to disobey and neglect God. How easy it is to overlook personal accountability and blame problems on God and others. Unfortunately, this does not solve our problems. It brings us no closer to God, and it escorts us to the very edge of rebellion and backsliding.

When problems come, the first place to look is within. Our immediate response should be confession to God of sins that may have created our problems.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“After Ehud’s death, the Israelites again did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord turned them over to King Jabin of Hazor, a Canaanite king. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-haggoyim. Sisera, who had 900 iron chariots, ruthlessly oppressed the Israelites for twenty years. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help.” v.1-3
After 20 years of unbearable circumstances, the Israelites finally cries to the Lord for help. But God should be the first place we turn when we are facing struggles or dilemmas. The Israelites chose to go their own way and got into a mess. We often do the same. Trying to control our own lives without God’s help leads to struggle and confusion. By contrast, when we stay in daily contact with the Lord, we are less likely to create painful circumstances for ourselves. This is a lesson the Israelites never fully learned. When struggles come our way, God wants us to come to him first, seeking his strength and guidance.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“‘So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord alone. But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.’” v.14-15
The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven his trustworthiness, or obey the local gods, which were only hand-made idols. Talk is cheap. It is easy to say we will follow God, but it is much more important to live like it. It’s easy to slip into a quiet rebellion – Going about life in your own way. Joshua told the Israelites to destroy their foreign gods, or idols. To follow God requires destroying whatever gets in the way of worshiping him. We have our own form of idols – greed, wrong priorities, jealousy, prejudices – that get in the way of worshiping God. God is not satisfied if we merely hide these idols. We must completely remove them from our lives. The time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you. The choice is yours. Will is be God, your own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? Once you have chosen to be controlled by God’s Spirit, reaffirm your choice every day.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“‘So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction. Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left. Make sure you do not associate with the other people still remaining in the land. Do not even mention the names of their gods, much less swear by them or serve them or worship them. Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now.’” v.6-8
Joshua knew the nation’s weak spots. Before dying; he called the people together and gave commands to help hem where they were most likely to slip:
1.) Follow all that is written in the Book of Instruction without turning aside.
2.) Don’t associate with the pagan nations or worship their gods.
3.) Don’t intermarry with the pagan nations.
These temptations were right in their backyard. Our associations and relationships can be temptations to us as well. It’s wise to identify our weak spots before we break down. Then we can develop strategies to overcome these temptations instead of being overcome by them.

Taken from the MLT Life Application Study Bible

“So Joshua and his entire army, including his best warriors, left Gilgal and set out for Gibeon. ‘Do not be afraid of them,’ the Lord said to Joshua, ‘for I have given you victory over them. Not a single one of them will be able to stand up to you.’” v.7-8
Joshua’s response shows integrity. After having been received by Gibeonites, Joshua and the leaders could have been slow about their attempt to rescue them. Instead, they immediately responded to their call for help. How willing would you be to help someone who had already deceived you, even though you had forgiven him of her? We should take our word just as seriously as Joshua did.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“‘Get up! Command the people to purify themselves in preparation for tomorrow. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Hidden among you, O Israel, are things set apart for the Lord. You will never defeat your enemies until you remove these things from among you.’” v.13
Things to be “set apart” refers to all the clothing, cattle and other plunder that God said to Israel should destroy when they conquered Jericho. It was not that they found a good use something that was going to be thrown out anyway. This was a serious offense because it was in direct defiance of an explicit command of God. Notice the results of Achan’s sin:
1.) Many men died 7:5
2.) Israel’s army melted in fear 7:5
3.) Joshua questioned God 7:7-9
4.) God threatened to withdraw his presence from the people 7:12
5.) Achan and his family had to be destroyed 7:24-26

When Israel eliminated the sin from their community, these were the results:
1.) God’s encouragement 8:1
2.) God’s presents in battle 8:1
3.) God’s guidance and promise of victory 8:2
4.) God’s permission to keep the plunder and livestock from the battle for themselves 8:2
Throughout Israel’s history, blessings came when the people got rid of their sin. You will experience blessings when you turn from your sin and follow God’s plan wholeheartedly.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. But the Lord said to Joshua, ‘I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.’”
God told Joshua that Jericho was already delivered into his hands – the enemy was already defeated! What confidence Joshua must have had as he went into battle! Christians also fight against a defeated enemy. Our enemy, Satan, has been defeated by Christ. Although we still fight battles every day and sin runs rampant in the world, we have the assurance that the war has already been won. e do not have to be paralyzed by the power of a defeated enemy; we can over-come him through Christ’s power.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

“So Joshua told the Israelites, ‘Come and listen to what the Lord your God says.’” v.9
Just before crossing over into the Promised Land, Joshua gathered the people to hear the words of the Lord. Their excitement was high. No doubt they wanted to rush on, but Joshua made them stop and listen. We live in a fast-paced age where everyone rushes just to keep up. It is easy to get caught up in our tasks, becoming too busy for what God says is most important – listening to his words. Before making your schedule, take time to focus on what God wants from all your activities. Knowing what God has said before you rush into your day can help you avoid foolish mistakes.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

Before the spies went to sleep that night, Rahab went up on the roof to talk with them. ‘I know the Lord has given you this land,’ she told them. ‘We are all afraid of you. Everyone in the land is living in terror. For we have heard how the Lord made a dry path for you through the Red Sea[b] when you left Egypt. And we know what you did to Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan River, whose people you completely destroyed. No wonder our hearts have melted in fear! No one has the courage to fight after hearing such things. For the Lord your God is the supreme God of the heavens above and the earth below.’” v.8-11
Many would assume that Rahab – a pagan, a Canaanite, and a prostitute – would never be interested in God. Yet Rahab was willing to risk everything she had for a God she barely knew. We must not gauge a person’s interest in God by his or her background, life-style, or appearance. We should let nothing get in the way of our telling people the Good News.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible

‘”Be strong and courageous, for you are the one who will lead these people to possess all the land I swore to their ancestors I would give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’” v. 6-9
Many people think that prosperity and success come from having power, influential personal contacts, and a relentless desire to get ahead. But the strategy for gaining prosperity that God taught Joshua goes against such criteria. He said that to succeed Joshua must
1. be strong and courageous because the task ahead would not be easy
2. obey God’s law
3. constantly read and study the Book of Instruction – God’s Word – The Bible
To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes – and his opinion is most important.

Taken from the NLT Life Application Study Bible