“But the people of Israel broke faith.., for Achan… took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned…
“So about three thousand men went up [to Ai]. And… the men of Ai killed about thirty-six of their men and chased them… and struck them at the descent. And the hearts of the people melted and became as water.
“Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening… ‘Alas, O Lord God, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to give us into the hands of the Amorites, to destroy us? Would that we had been content to dwell beyond the Jordan! O Lord, what can I say, when Israel has turned their backs before their enemies! For all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it and will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will you do for your great name?’
“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Get up!.. Israel has sinned;.. they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies… I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. Get up! Consecrate the people.'” Joshua 7:1,4-13a
Joshua had led Israel on dry ground across the overflowing Jordan River, then commandeered the remarkable fall of Jericho. God was fulfilling His promises to this successor to Moses in marvelous ways. Now this? Such a significant setback at Ai? In his troubled confusion, Joshua rightly went immediately to the Lord, but wrongly assumed of Him ill motives. His Lord GOD corrected his thinking and reset his perspective. This would be His conquering, not only of Canaan but of Israel’s heart. His holy name would be upheld. (Joshua 3:14-17; 6:15-16,20,24; 7:20)
To gain proper thinking we may assume the power and holiness of God, because His character is pure and consistent. We slip into mottled assumptions when we think too highly of ourselves and fail to beware the absolute truth of “no not one.” Left to ourselves, even armed with the most earnest intentions, we can fall to greed, deceit, covetousness, pride. Instead of questioning God we should search ourselves to uncover sin we’ve justified or placated, and come clean. Regular worship, surrender, and realigning with God’s holy word keeps us in check. (Joshua 8:30-35; Romans 3:10; 12:3)
Where are we making sloppy assumptions about God, assigning motives to Him not befitting His righteousness and glory? Where are we blaming God for consequences rightly suffered? In what situations do we refuse culpability by excusing wrong behavior in ourselves or covering for it in others? How might our reactions to hard circumstances change if we assumed our Sovereign had our best and redemptive interest in mind?
We can be sure of God’s goodness and stand on right assumptions about His generous mercy and unfailing love. He bids us come and return to Him, to confess our sin and go forth in freedom, clinging to His trustworthy promises. (Psalm 33:4; Zechariah 1:3; 1 John 1:7-9)
Lord God, correct all my wrong assumptions and keep my understanding and decisions rooted in Your truth and character. To You be all wisdom, power, and praise. (Daniel 2:20)
As the rain and snow 