Articles
Important Questions - 13
“Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan … to destroy us? O Lord, what shall I say when Israel turns its back before its enemies? … Then what will You do for Your great name?” (Joshua 7:7-9)
Joshua asks these questions in his first, full-blown leadership crisis. Achan’s contraband has led to Israel’s defeat at Ai, and Joshua is distraught. This is from a man who was with Moses on Mt. Sinai, who was confident that Canaan could be taken, who conquered enemies in previous battles, who had a front-row seat as Moses mediated between God and Israel. Yet now he is firing anguished questions at God.
Even men of great faith can become despondent: David, Elijah, John the Baptist. It is easy to lose sight of past triumphs amid present distress. Sometimes God is patient with such weakness, and sometimes He is not. He is not so patient with Joshua, who should have been stronger, and fires back His own rhetorical question: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face?” (7:10).
God’s favor is not whimsically granted or withdrawn. There is a reason for the defeat at Ai that must be discovered and corrected. If we trust in God based on His eternal principles and consistent character, we will not panic at the first sign of trouble.
