DIVINE VISION: JOSHUA’S CHARGE

Week 3: See!

During this study, we will be doing a ‘deep dive’ into a scriptural passage. It is strongly encouraged that you study the passage and entire chapter ahead of the study. Also be prepared with your research tools, for example Google or your study Bible, as you will need to reference it during the study. Spend time answering and discussing each question with the intention to gain sufficient understanding to help your own private Bible study as you further explore these topics.

Study Chapters: Numbers 27, Deuteronomy 31-34, Matthew 1, Hebrew 4

Pilot text

Josh 6:2-5 2 And the Lord said to Joshua: “See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. 3 You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days. 4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets. 5 It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.”

Discussion Points

In this text Joshua is given a preview of God’s plan for taking Jericho. We know that perception beyond the five physical senses, or ‘vision’, was required here because Joshua is asked to “see!”. What follows is a blueprint for entering into Jericho. Note that Jericho was a secure city, and the Israelites were not equipped to physically overcome it, for example by laying a prolonged siege or pulling down its walls. If this city was going to be taken, a divine blueprint was needed. What then can we learn from Joshua’s charge?

1. God starts from the end (with the finished work). In giving Joshua a vision of His plan, God begins with a past tense statement ‘I have given Jericho into your hand’. In communicating our new testament realities in Christ, we see this language used often in the epistles, where emphasis is laid on what God has already done. Likewise, in showing us his desired plan for our lives, God will often show us the end. The result is that we need to trust Him to get there.
2. A divinely-inspired pattern of behaviour is required from us in order to enter into God’s promise. In this passage, we see that there was a requirement for God’s people to faithfully follow a pattern of behaviour for a period of time before they would see the manifestation of that promise. This was not a complex set of activities that only the wisest and most knowledgeable could follow, but a relatively simple instruction to march around the city once a day, for 6 days. The important thing was not that they marched around the city, or how they did it. The important thing was that this pattern of behaviour was determined by God’s will and attuned to his purpose. Under the new covenant, our pattern of behaviour is not about dos and don’ts; but transformed hearts and minds that are attuned to God’s will (Rom 12:2).
3. Specific action may be required in order to experience the manifestation of God’s promise. We often seek God’s face regarding specific situations. ‘How can I move my ministry to the next level?’ ‘How can I navigate my relationship out of this difficult place?’ ‘How can I step into that place of rest?’. We see from this example that God may give us a specific action to take – it may be one-off, not to be repeated and tied to that particular instance. For the children of Israel it was to do something different on the 7th day. Not only did they need to march seven times on this particular day, they also had to shout (after hearing the signal), and then walk straight ahead of them into the city. Note that this was premised on their obedience over the previous 6 days. For example it is doubtful that they would have got the same outcome if they ignored everything else that went before and decided to walk up to the walls.

Closing thoughts:

God’s guidance into a place of promise can sometimes be delivered to us through a divine vision, a blueprint of what we need to do. Divine vision, as used here, is a divinely-inspired communication beyond the five physical senses, that pertains to a desired future state aligned with God’s purpose. We have learnt a few things about divine vision through this study of Joshua’s life. First, in order to preview what God has prepared for us, we must position ourselves to receive what He is saying. This is not about a set of physical activities, but a posture of consecration; like we do when we really want to focus on what a person is about to say to us because it is very important. Second, as we take this posture, we need to worshipfully listen to what God is saying to us – asking for clarity where we need it. Worship is not about music or what we do at church on a Sunday. Worship is about submission to God’s purpose and will, entirely and consistently. We see Joshua demonstrate this during his encounter with the divine messenger. Third, in receiving the blueprint, we must pay attention not just to the ‘big’ things but also the ‘small’ things. The same God that asked the people to march consistently around the city for 6 days also asked them to do something different on the 7th day. Obedience is not full until it is complete.

1 Cor 2:9-10 9 But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

Application Questions (use scriptures to support your position):

1. “A divinely-inspired vision for your life is a divine commitment to deliver; you don’t need to do anything but wait for God to accomplish it”. Agree / disagree with reasons.
2. “You don’t need God to show you a vision to know what you want from life. Put your head down and hustle like everyone else, and you will find a way. Even the bible says that heaven helps those who help themselves”. Agree / disagree with reasons.