Chapter 8 - the Way of Recovery

The wicked person had been put away from the congregation of Israel, but by the presence of evil in their midst, God had brought them to the discovery of their own self-confidence. Such.cases often present themselves when an assembly is satisfied with its state, and begins to boast of - it, and of its blessing and growth. Israel did this, placing their reliance not in God but in their late victory, and thus preparing a way for defeat. They had to be judged, and then to purify themselves from the evil. But restoration of soul does not consist only in self judgment and practical sanctification. Communion with God, which sin has interrupted, must be restored.
Here I would make a remark which is perhaps of importance. In chapter vi. God manifests His power in connection with Israel in the victory over the enemy at Jericho. This same power is shown too in the 'Christian's life. It may be that one has been in the enjoyment of divine power and the victories thereby obtained, without perhaps having really known either God or oneself.
And yet there was no excuse for Joshua's want of apprehension. The Captain of the Lord's host had revealed Himself to him with the drawn sword in His hand, as the Holy One armed with power for the conflict. Then, in company with the people, Joshua had witnessed the exercise of this power before Jericho; but his conscience had to be brought in contact with divine holiness,' and he had as yet no sense of what it necessitated from the people as to the character of their walk. The anger of the Lord (chap vii. 1) had to be made known to Israel and their leader, before they could learn that God in His holiness could not tolerate the accursed thing. The knowledge of God in power is not all. To possess a true and complete knowledge of Him, much more has to be learned.
With regard to Gilgal and the learning of ourselves, it might seem that when once this point in the soul's history is reached, self ought to be done with, but in reality this is only practically realized in the measure that one keeps at Gilgal.
How little did the people know themselves after the victory of Jericho! Though God had taken a thousand pains to prove to them that all was of Him in the victory, what self-sufficiency, what forgetfulness they show in attempting to face the enemy without Him!
Flight and trouble are the result, and when they resume the offensive, their path becomes difficult, laborious, and full of complications, thus, exposing to their view their own weakness, which had been already made apparent to the enemy in their defeat. They have to retrace their steps, forced afresh to the discovery of themselves, but it will now be a lesson learned through grace with Christ and not with Satan.
Notice in chapter viii how complicated everything becomes, through not having followed the simple path of faith. The soul, humbled, finds itself once more with God, and His presence with it, but the consequences of a carnal walk remain; and although God can ultimately use these for their blessing, the path has no longer the simplicity of the early days of faith. It is a very simple path, for, to the believer who follows God's guidance in human dependence on His word, victory is assured. It was thus at Jericho, and the same power which had brought down the walls of the accursed city is with Israel at Ai; it has not changed, although the army must maneuver and separate into two corps, five thousand men lying in ambush, whilst the rest entice the defenders of Ai out of their stronghold.
In chapter 7 the spies had said in their -report: " Let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai, for they are but few." And now about thirty thousand chosen mighty men of valor are required. What a humiliation, and how it lowered Israel in their own estimation! 'They had to go up by night, and whilst some hid, others feigned flight before the enemy. What room for boasting after this?
But you may say: You have shown us that at Jericho it was not a question of human means, -;and now here are all sorts of contrivances for conquering the enemy. I reply: If you are content to use means which bring your incapacity into prominence, leaving on man the impress of his total weakness, and humiliating him so that his only resource is to flee before the foe, all well....and good. But it is not in your power to do this. In truth at Ai they are no more human means than at Jericho. The difference is, that there God, ordered the arrangements so that Israel might learn his power, whilst at Ai His object was to -teach them their own weakness.
But in the one case and the other, let me repeat, the power of God had not changed. Israel gained the victory at Ai by means of it; Joshua was there, Joshua with the spear in 'his hand. At Jehovah's command Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city(Ver. 18.) "For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai." (Ver. 26.) It remained stretched out all through the conflict.
One often hears it repeated: " What does it matter if there are divisions? Have we not all the same end in view? Are we not all fighting for the same Lord, although it may be under different standards?" Is this then the teaching to be gathered from these chapters? No, they contain one great prevailing truth. The people were one; one in their victory, one in their failure, one in their defeat, one in the judgment of the evil, one in their restoration. We see around us the poor children of God scattered and divided, and they are content to say: " What does it matter?" Brethren, for what purpose did Christ die? Was it not " to gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad." (John 11:52.) Does God scatter them after He has gathered them? No, it is the wolf who scatters the sheep. (John 10:12.) And can we say: " What does it matter?"
Diversity is not division; for it displays itself in unity. The ambush take Ai and set it on fire, whilst the twenty-five thousand men flee before their enemies, until advised by the smoke of the city to turn back upon them. Just as they begin to fight, the ambush issuing out of the city join in the battle (ver. 22), and then all the Israelites return unto Ai and smite it with the edge of the sword. (Ver. 24.) Thus there is diversity in the action and service, but it is an action in common. The body is one; the several parts are joined together, and Joshua with his spear is the bond of union. If the unity is lost sight of, defeat is the result.
In 1 Corinthians 12., we find diversity and unity closely brought together in the church. " Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit;" " and there are diversities of operations; but it is the same God which worketh all in all." (Vers. 4, 6.) " For as the body is one and hath many members " (this is diversity in unity), " and all the members of that one body being many are one body" (this is unity in diversity), " so also is the Christ." We are united in one body, the Christ, and yet every child of God has his appointed work which no one can accomplish for him. Each one is entrusted with a different service; I cannot do yours, nor' you mine.
Israel is now restored to communion with God. Throughout this scene the activity of the people is blessedly characterized by the presence of Joshua. When they were going to war, we read: "Joshua arose, and all the people." (Ver. 3.) On the eve of battle: " Joshua lodged that night amongst the people." (Ver. 9.) When the march was about to begin: "Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley." (Ver. 13.) When it was a question of enticing the enemy: " Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten." (Ver. 15.) When they had put to flight the enemy: " Joshua and all Israel.. slew the men of Ai." (Ver. 21.) And finally when the victory was decided in their favor: " Joshua drew not his hand back.. until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai." (Ver. 26.)