March 9, 2022: Day 52 – Joshua 7-9 and Acts 7-9

We continue along in the story of the Israelite gobbling up the land in front of them as they take over the promised land that was a part of the covenant that God made with the Israelites.  Some of the regions that they conquer they are allowed to take loot, but others they are not.  When they take over Jericho they were not allowed to take anything, but Achan saw a really pretty robe and some silver and figured no one would know.  Well, the next time Israel went to battle they lost and armed men died.  Achan is discovered and he dies along with his family and his livestock and all of his goods are burned.

That does the trick and Ai is then destroyed with an ambush that was carefully planned.  Joshua then renews the covenant with God.  But wait, back in 7:7 we see Joshua complain after the lost battle just like the Israelites complained when they were in the wilderness: It would have been better if we had stayed in Egypt.  Not something you want your leader to say.  In chapter 9 the Gibeonites do their own bait and switch as they make a pact with Israel so that they would be protected.  It works, as they pretend to be foreigners from far away, but are actually a neighboring country, which means that Israel could not take over their land and slaughter them, but they can take over their land and make them wood cutters and water bearers, so that happens.

In Acts we find the first martyrdom of a disciple, and that would be Stephen, who graduated from a deacon to preaching the Word of God.  He dies quietly, after preaching the Gospel from beginning to end.  At his death we see this new character, Saul, approving of his murder.  Look at 8:1-3 where you see the persecution of the church which continues strongly even after Saul comes on board.  My favorite story in Acts is seen in 8:26-40 where Philip converts the Ethiopian eunuch, but not by his own initiative, but rather by the initiative of the Spirit and the eunuch.  He does not force himself, but rather simply answers the questions that are posed to him by the eunuch.  That is a great model for evangelism.

We then see the conversion of Saul which will be repeated a number of times in the Bible.