THE FAITH DARE

6/10/2012

1.     FAITH IS THE VICTORY (JOSHUA 2:1-24)

1A. FAITH EXPRESSED IN WORDS (JOSHUA 2:1,8-13)

1 Then Joshua the son of Nun sent two men as spies secretly from Shittim, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho." So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.

NASB

Verse 7

·         Rahab told the king an outright lie to protect the spies.

·         In doing so, she actually jeopardized her own life.

·         Why did she lie to her own people and protect the enemy?

·         Scripture is very clear that the children of God are to obey authority and those that have rule over us. Rahab certainly did not do that.

·         One explanation is that we cannot call her a child of God until sometime after this experience; however there is another, more meaningful, explanation.

·         When the laws of a state conflict with God's revealed will, then the Christian had no choice but to obey the command of God.

8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men, "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And when we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, please swear to me by the LORD, since I have dealt kindly with you, that you also will deal kindly with my father's household, and give me a pledge of truth, 13 and spare my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters, with all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death. "

NASB

·         Rahab gives an insight into the thinking of the Canaanites at that time.

1B. FAITH EXPRESSED IN ACTIONS (JOSHUA 2:6,14-15)

6 But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them in the stalks of flax which she had laid in order on the roof. 7 So the men pursued them on the road to the Jordan to the fords; and as soon as those who were pursuing them had gone out, they shut the gate.

NASB

Verse 12

·         Rahab not only believed, but she acted on that belief! This is her reason for putting her life in jeopardy to protect enemy spies.

14 So the men said to her, "Our life for yours if you do not tell this business of ours; and it shall come about when the LORD gives us the land that we will deal kindly and faithfully with you."

15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall, so that she was living on the wall.

NASB

1C. FAITH REWARDED (JOSHUA 6:22-23)

22 And they departed and came to the hill country, and remained there for three days until the pursuers returned. Now the pursuers had sought them all along the road, but had not found them. 23 Then the two men returned and came down from the hill country and crossed over and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and they related to him all that had happened to them.

NASB

Verse 24

·         The report of these spies is entirely different from the spies who went into the land 40 years earlier.

2.     ON JORDON’S STORMY BANKS (JOSHUA 3:1—4:24)

·         3:1-17 TRUSTING GOD'S POWER IN CROSSING THE JORDAN RIVER

o       Some obstacle always appears to stand between us and God's purpose for our lives.

o       This lesson teaches that when we are confronted with a problem, we should not see God through the problem; we should see the problem through God.

·         4:1-24 CONSTRUCTION OF TWO MEMORIALS

o       12 stones, taken from the Jordan River were carried to the West bank and placed there as a memorial of God's tremendous power on the behalf of Israel.

o       Then 12 stones were set up in the "midst of the Jordan," in the river itself. And the stones "are there to this day," that is, they were there when Joshua wrote this record.

o       The 12 stones that were placed in the "midst of the Jordan" speak of the death of Christ.

o       And the 12 stones that were taken out of Jordan and put on the west bank of the river represent the resurrection of Christ.

o       Crossing the Jordan River into Canaan was a major turning point as far as the faith of the Israelites was concerned.

o       Once crossed, they would have to face the enemy with their armies, chariots, and walled cities. The entire nation of Israel took this step together in complete commitment to God.

3.     FAITH OF OUR FATHERS (JOSHUA 5:1-12)

·         The central bible truth for this chapter is that we need to have a relationship with God based on personal commitment.

·         Now that the Israelites were about to enter battle, the Lord wanted them to rededicate themselves to Him.

·         Circumcision was a prerequisite to participation in the Passover.

·         Since none of the males born in the wilderness had been circumcised; it was necessary for them to receive the rite before they could observe the Passover.

4.     I SURRENDER ALL (JOSHUA 5:13—6:27)

·         5:13-15 THE DIVINE VISITOR - THE CAPTAIN OF THE HOST

o       The captain of the Lord's hosts is, of course, none other than that great Captain of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

·         6:1-27 CONQUEST OF JERICHO

o       Jericho represents the "world" to the believer.

o       It is strong and formidable and foreboding -- the conquest depends upon faith.