A draft scheme has been drawn up to unite our two parishes of St. Luke’s and St. George’s in Ramsgate. This will mean that both churches will be governed by one PCC and that any future vicar appointed will be appointed to look after both churches. Under the scheme both St. Luke’s and St. George’s will continue as parish churches of the new united parish.
SUMMARY OF MAIN PROVISIONS OF DRAFT SCHEME (NOT PART OF THE DRAFT SCHEME)
This draft Scheme provides for the union of the benefice of Ramsgate St George and the benefice of St Luke, Ramsgate and their constituent parishes in the diocese of Canterbury, for the appointment of the first incumbent of the new benefice and for his parsonage house to be that of the benefice of St Luke, Ramsgate and for the future patronage arrangements for the new benefice.
A climb up the iconic St George’s lantern tower will reward you with the best views of Ramsgate as well as inland across Thanet and out over the Channel. The crypt will also be open for some fascinating insights to local history. We recommend booking as demand will be high and although tours are free we encourage donations towards the resoration of the church.
The annual Ride and Stride event will also be taking place on the 1st Heritage Open Day on the 12th September.
We look forward to welcoming many new and returning visitors to St George’s.
We have just returned from our holiday in Clacton and Dartmouth. Travelling to and from Clacton is easy, it takes between two and three hours. On the other hand, travelling to and from Dartmouth is another story, especially in the summer.
Our journey from Clacton to Dartmouth took around 9 hours on one of the hottest days of the year. On the journey temperatures ranged from 30 to 34 degrees centigrade, and at times the traffic was frustratingly slow. If you have ever driven on the A303 in August, you will know what I mean!
That is not to say, that the travelling was all bad. I enjoyed travelling in our new electric car and experimenting with all the gadgets, and there was some great scenery on route. It was good too to spend time with family in the car and to enjoy listening to different family selections of music on the way.
Travelling is not always fun. So why keep going on such a long journey? Because we wanted to reach our destination. If the destination is good enough, then the struggles of the journey are worth it.
In many ways this is like the Christian life. It is full of joys and struggles, but in the end, what makes persevering with the Christian faith to the end is the destination, our eternal inheritance, a place with God in the new heaven and new earth.
But how do we get there? How do we keep going on the journey and not give up and turn around?
To answer that question, we have a great example in Caleb.
We only hear about Caleb at two points in his life. Firstly, when he is 40 and secondly, when he is 85.
The first time he was one of the twelve spies, sent by Moses to spy out the promised land soon after Israel had been rescued from slavery in Egypt by God. The second time is 45 years later, once Israel are in the land having won all the significant battles and preparing to share out the land as an ‘inheritance’ from God, which is the context of the Bible reading we have just had.
Here is a man, whose faith and passion are just as strong at 85, as they were at 40. He is a man who shows us what it means to persevered in a life of faith. So, what are the qualities that enabled him to keep going, to reach his inheritance? What are the qualities that we need to keep following Christ through all of our lives?
I have five quick points, that spell out the name, Caleb.
Courageous
Firstly, Caleb was courageous. At 40, he showed immense courage. When the Twelve spies returned from the land, they all agreed that it was an amazing land, full of wonderful fruit. But they also reported that the people of the land were particularly strong and fearsome, with well-fortified cities. The most worrying people were the Anakites, who were particularly tall.
For ten of the spies, this meant that Israel had no chance of invading the land. They said, “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes and we looked the same to them.” They said Israel should give up on the journey and return to Israel.
Caleb, supported by Joshua, however, had a different take. He believed that with God’s help they could easily win the battles and defeat even the Anakites. And although, he was outnumbered and even threatened with being stoned by his own people, Caleb was willing to speak up and tell people that. It can take immense courage to stand out from the crowd and argue for God, but Caleb was willing to do that.
Secondly, at 85, Caleb was keen to prove his point. He didn’t just want any inheritance; he wanted the land of the Anakites. At this point, although the tribes in the land had been defeated in major battles, inheriting the land also meant having to fight against the inhabitants of the land who were still there. Yet, Caleb still believed that he with God’s strength could defeat them. He still had courage to fight the battle.
If you are to persevere to the end of the Christian life you need the same kind of courage routed in faith. There will be times, when you will need to stand up and be counted as a Christian, even when everyone around you seems to be against you. Without such courage, your faith will not last. But, don’t be concerned, God will give you the courage when you need it. As he said to Joshua:
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
All-in
Not only was Caleb, courageous, but he was all-in for God. He wholeheartedly followed God.
When Caleb, was willing to be an almost lone voice arguing against the other ten spies, the conclusion Moses drew was that Caleb was whole-hearted in his faith. He was all-in not partly-in. He did not just trust God with some parts of his life, but he gave to God the whole of his life.
This is emphasised in our passage. Three times, it reminds us that Caleb was wholehearted in following God. In contrast to the other spies, he says:
“I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.” (14:8)
Moses’ promise to Caleb was based on his wholeheartedness:
“So, on that day Moses swore to me, `The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children for ever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.’ ” (14:9)
And the passage concludes that Caleb inherited the land because of his wholeheartedness:
“So, Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.” (Joshua 14:14)
If we are going to persevere in our faith, we need to be all-in. We can’t trust God with parts of our lives but hold back other parts. As James puts it in the New Testament:
“… for the doubter, being double-minded and unstable in every way, must not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:7, NRSV)
We need to be all-in for following Christ.
Long-suffering
Caleb was courageous and all-in, but also long-suffering. Moses promised him when he was 40, that he would see his inheritance in the land, but he had to wait. He had to wait for 45 years. That takes patience or long-suffering.
He had to wait through all of Israel’s long wanderings in the wilderness, watching with frustration as the people of God constantly grumbled and rebelled.
He had to wait for Moses the great leader of Israel to die and for Joshua to take up the leadership and finally invade the promised land. He had to wait to see if he was right that Israel could defeat the lands occupants, despite their seeming strength.
Caleb was long-suffering. But he hung in there. He remained faithful to God and waited for the promise to him to eventually be fulfilled.
For us as Christians today, the Christian life is one of patience and waiting. The full promises of God, the great inheritance of the new heaven and new earth are still to come. Whilst there are blessings of faith in this life, the greater blessings are yet to come. So, we wait, through the struggles of this life, frustrations with the church or the people of God and all that being a Christian involves.
But, ultimately long-suffering pays off. Just as at the end of a long journey you reach the destination you have been heading for, so at the end of this life, we reach the far better life to come.
As Paul says in Romans,
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18)
Enthusiastic
Caleb was courageous, all-in and long-suffering, but he remained enthusiastic in following the vision that God had for him. When he was 40, he was enthusiastic about embracing the opportunity God gave them to enter the promised land straight away, even though sadly, the people did not share his enthusiasm.
Here at 85, his enthusiasm has not waned. You can feel the enthusiasm shining through in his speech. He may be eighty-five, but he is raring to go and take the inheritance he has been forty-five years for. He is not worried about the remaining Anakites, he knows that God will help him beat them.
This is in sharp contrast to the attitude of some of the other Israelites on receiving their allocation of land. In chapter 17, having been allocated the hill country in the middle of Israel, the Ephraimites complain:
“The people of Joseph replied, “The hill country is not enough for us, and all the Canaanites who live in the plain have iron chariots, both those in Beth Shan and its settlements and those in the Valley of Jezreel.”” (Joshua 17:16)
Their comments echoed the grumbling and complaining of the ten spies who Caleb had originally opposed, despite all that had happened to prove Caleb right and the others wrong since then.
There is always a temptation to cynicism and grumbling. Much of the internet is taken up with it, but it is not the result of the internet, it is a reflection of human nature. As Christians, who know we are saved through Christ, and that our inheritance is secured by his resurrection, our attitude needs to be different. It needs to be enthusiastic praise, for all we have in Jesus Christ. As Peter says:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3)
Blessed
So, Caleb is a great example to us. He was Courageous, All-in, Long-suffering and enthusiastic. That is what kept him going to the end. That is what enabled him to be a faithful warrior of God at both 40 and 85. And the result? He was blessed!
He was blessed with long life and a strength into old age, but more importantly he received his inheritance. Where others failed because of cowardice, half-hearted commitment, impatience or grumbling, Caleb overcame.
Will we follow his example and also overcome the enemies of faith in this life, that we may receive God’s promised inheritance? Will we endure the struggles of the journey and reach the destination God has provided for us?
As God says at the end of Revelation:
“He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.” (Revelation 21:7)
“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” (Colossians 1:15)
The readings from Joshua 10:1-14 and Matthew 15:21-28 describe pivotal moments in the stories of the Old Testament and the New Testament respectively, moments which are of great consequence for us in how we understand what God is doing in the world today.
The readings we have just heard from Joshua chapter 10 and the Gospel of Matthew chapter 15 describe pivotal moments in the stories of the Old Testament and the New Testament respectively, moments which are of great consequence for us in how we understand what God is doing in the world today.
The best way I have of explaining what is happening in those chapters is to start not with them, however, but with the Hollywood movie, The Day the Earth Stood Still. I’m talking here not about the 2008 remake, but the original film of 1951. In it, an alien spacecraft lands in Washington, and the people of Earth are warned that their new-found capacity to wage and to threaten nuclear war has brought them to the attention of the other inhabitants of the galaxy. Klaatu, the alien protagonist, at first has trouble gathering the presidents and prime ministers of the world together to hear what he has to say, so he captures their attention by making the Earth stand still.
Not literally, of course, in the sense of preventing the Earth from rotating on its axis. The Earth rotates at a speed of over 1,000 miles per hour at the Equator, and if it were possible for it to stop rotating, even for a moment, disaster would straightaway follow. Everything that was not bolted down, including the water contained in all the seas and oceans, and every living thing on Earth would be flung out into space at a tremendous speed, where they would instantly perish. Klaatu doesn’t precipitate this kind of destruction. Instead, in a demonstration of his otherworldly power, he brings everything that is mechanically or electronically powered to a complete halt – cars, radios, TV sets, escalators, elevators, etc. – for one hour. To prevent loss of life, the only things permitted to carry on are aeroplanes in flight and electricity in hospitals. That is how the Earth stood still in the film: not literally, but metaphorically.
To add to this, there is another layer of meaning to the title of the movie, a second time when the Earth metaphorically stands still. That is at the very end of the film when Klaatu, having gathered the leaders of the world together, delivers an ultimatum to them: step back, and stay away, from the brink of nuclear conflict, or else face destruction at the hands of a universe that will not tolerate this kind of risk. There follows a pregnant pause, while leaders from all around the world absorb this threat, and everyone waits for them to respond. And then the credits start rolling for the end of the film. The Earth metaphorically stood still while waiting for the answer to this cliff-hanger, and in this sense, it has stood still ever since.
So now we come to the story of the Old Testament, as seen through the lens of Joshua chapter 10. In this chapter, the Israelites engage in a war, not of aggression, but of defence in aid of the Gibeonites, with whom they have entered into a military alliance. On the morning of his conflict with the Amorite kings, Joshua had prayed for the sun and the moon to remain in the sky simultaneously, as an aid for him in battle. So this was the Day the Sun Stood Still.
Please note, it could not have been the case that the sun literally stood still, because the sun does not revolve around the Earth. So we as readers have to find some other way of understanding what happened on this day. Some have understood the metaphor as indicating that the Earth was indeed prevented from rotating on its axis for twenty-four hours, so that it looked as though the sun had stopped in the sky. The problem with this reading has already been mentioned: it would have involved the immediate and fatal propulsion of every living thing on Earth into space, at break-neck speed.
Others have understood what happened in a completely different way, a way which is informed by the astrological superstitions that formed part of the non-Israelite, ancient near Eastern worldview.
According to this worldview, the shifting position of the stars in the sky acted as omens for what was likely to take place on the ground on any one day. The best day to go to war was widely agreed to be a day, that came in at around the middle of each month, but could not be predicted accurately to the exact date, on which the sun dropped below the horizon only a matter of a couple of minutes after the moon had risen, so that there was hardly any time at all when the sun and the moon both appeared in the sky at the same time . According to this astrological superstition, the days immediately before and afterwards, on which the sun appeared to be in no hurry to set, but stayed visible on the horizon long after the moon had risen, were thought to be extremely bad days on which to conduct warfare.
On this reading of Joshua chapter 10, and especially of verses 12 and 13, Joshua was praying for the day of battle to be one on which his enemies would see in the sky what they considered to be a bad omen, and start the day discouraged and frightened as a result. And so it turned out to be on the day of battle: the sun didn’t hurry to go down – as it did on a good omen day – until the following day, by which time the battle had been won and lost. ‘There has never been a day like it before or since’, commented the writer of the book of Joshua in chapter 10, verse 14, not because something had happened that was astronomically unthinkable, but because it was a day ‘when the LORD listened to a man’ who prayed as Joshua did, and granted his request.
And on this reading, the Day the Sun Stood Still was also the Day the Earth Stood Still, waiting to see what would happen in the wake of the battle Israel had entered. Remember that this was a defensive war, prompted by the attack the Amorites made on the Gibeonites, with whom the Israelites had allied themselves. But back in Deuteronomy chapter 7, we read the command to Israel that ‘when the LORD your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations … you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy … [or] the LORD’s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you.’ So the question at issue in Joshua chapter 10 is really whether the Israelites’ defence of the Gibeonites would lead to their own destruction.
This is a pivotal moment in the Old Testament, when we begin to learn how God chooses to work in the world today. And what we learn in this chapter is that, in a first and momentous step, the LORD extends his mercy past the ethnic boundaries of the people of Israel to embrace the Gibeonite people. This is the first step in helping us understand that his mercy extends to all who fear him, from generation to generation.
And if we can agree that this is a momentous step – a step on a journey which, if never taken, would have left all of us without God and without hope in the world – then let us [move on to the next slide and] think now about the second step, which is in our Gospel reading, Matthew chapter 15, verses 21-28.
The Canaanite woman from Tyre and Sidon was a descendant of the people who were defeated in battle with the Israelites, and so was her demon-afflicted daughter. The mother had no basis for any claim on the attention and compassion of Jesus, but she goes ahead and stakes a claim anyway, in the simplest of terms: ‘Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me’. Initially, he refuses to answer her, saying to his disciples that he was ‘sent only to the lost sheep of Israel’ (Matthew 15:24).
I think we can see what is at stake here. ‘Is the Davidic Messiah’s role to be that of a new Joshua who … will lead an obedient Israel in driving out the Canaanites who survived the original conquest, repossessing and cleansing the land? Or is his role confined to that of the shepherd of God’s scattered and injured sheep, healing and gathering them, saved at last from oppressive leaders and threatening nations alike?’1 What is Jesus’ final answer in relation to those outside the promise made to Abraham going to be?
It is as if the whole earth was standing still at that moment, with everyone waiting with bated breath to find out what answer he would lock in. Whichever way it goes, it won’t just be this Canaanite woman and her daughter who’ll be affected. All non-Jewish people in every generation, everyone including you and me, have skin in this game.
In answer to the Canaanite woman’s repeated cry for help, Jesus replied that ‘it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs’ (Matthew 15:26). ‘Yes, Lord’, she responded, in great humility and with great insight, ‘but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table’ (Matthew 15:27).
The story concludes with a momentous decision on the part of Jesus in favour of extending mercy far past the boundaries of Israel. This is a red-letter day for understanding how God works in the world. It is actually the fulfilment of the promise made to Abraham that the nations of the earth would not be destroyed, but would be blessed through him.
And, in fact, this decision had already been made:
in the eternal purpose of God, to bring all nations within his kingdom;
in Matthew’s Gospel narrative, which begins with a genealogy that includes Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, and a nativity narrative which includes the Magi;
and by Jesus himself, who said back in Matthew chapter 8 that many would come from the east and the west, and would take their places at the feat with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
What we have read in Matthew chapter 15 is simply the story of the day salvation came to the house of the Canaanite woman. And so the story of God’s favour reverberates throughout the pages of the entire New Testament, just as it does through the Old. Because of God’s favour, the Day the Earth Stood Still became the day the crumbs fell from the Lord’s table, for us to scoop up. As I hope you already know, none of us here are worthy to gather up the crumbs under his table, but he is the same Lord, whose nature is always to have mercy. We rejoice daily in this mercy; we cling daily to this mercy. In this way, there are no longer any barriers to our communion with God. It is granted to us so to eat the flesh of his Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us. So let us cling to his mercy, and rejoice in his mercy, for Jesus’ sake.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” Proverbs 3:5
This is the next instalment of our Joshua series. The question I want to explore is: do we trust God to speak into the things in our life that seem obvious?
The theme running through this passage is really about trust, and about whether we trust God rather than relying on our own understanding.
So, to run through what happens in Joshua 9.
The land has been given to Joshua and the Israelites. They have to conquer the land. Paul has previously did a great sermon on the violence of this book of the bible, and they are going into the land and taking it.
But then they are tricked.
The Gibeonites know what is coming. They know that the Israelites are going to conquer the land, so they come up with a plan.
The kings conspire and send their agents to Joshua. They have heard how great their God is, and they are scared.
So they take wine and bread and make everything look old and worn, as if it has taken them a long time to get there. They want to make it look as though they have come from somewhere far beyond where the Israelites are going to conquer. They plead with the Israelites to make a treaty of peace with them, using the rotten food and tattered clothes as evidence that they do not live in the land. The Israelites lean on their own understanding of what it ‘looks’ like is happening, and they make the treaty, an oath of peace. ‘”The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.”
Then, in verse 16 onwards, they hear that actually these people are their neighbours.
The whole assembly of the Israelites grumble against the leaders as Joshua makes it clear they have to have integrity and honour this treaty sworn to the people of Gideon.
The Gibeonites’ lie saves them, but it also enslaves them.
But notice the service they are given.
They are given a place right close with God, with purpose, protected.
The Israelites hadn’t asked them to do anything they weren’t already doing themselves, or weren’t prepared to do for the foreseeable future, right? They get them to do a job that needs to be done.
God remembers the covenant
There is another striking part of this story. We rarely get to see what ‘might’ have happened within the Bible, but 300-350 years later we see what happens to King Saul when he breaks this treaty of Peace.
When asking why there is a famine,“The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
God remembers the treaty even when the descendants haven’t.
And so we come back to the question of trust.
Prisoners or Servants
Years ago Tom and I visited Oxford Castle and Prison that was quite notorious in Victorian times. They told us how some prisoners would pump water up to the top of the prison and others had to carry it down right back to the start. There was no purpose or benefit to what they were doing and they were repeatedly told how what they were doing was meaningless. This was done to break their spirit. But these jobs given to the Gibeonites are not to break their spirit.
These are jobs at the heart of their worship.
Quite a trusting job in itself, really.
Bread Wine and Clothes
In Joshua 9, we see mouldy bread, rotten wineskins and worn out clothes saving the Gibeonites in an imperfect and deceitful way. However, Jesus offers bread and wine overflowing that will never run dry, that will give eternal life.
His clothes aren’t ripped and worn, but are of such pure quality that the soldiers cast lots when he is crucified.
And we celebrate this during communion; the bread he offers is the bread of life, wine for his blood that he shed for us for the new covenant.
A covenant of family, of sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, not of servants.
We can try to fix things ourselves
We can fix problems by ourselves, and then we might get the solution we want, but God provides us with the best outcome.
Trust God and lean not on your own understanding.
Whether it’s the Israelites or us, God has the best for you.
And that is really the challenge of Joshua 9.
The Israelites saw what seemed obvious. They looked at the evidence in front of them. They made a decision based on their own understanding.
But they didn’t stop and ask God.
And sometimes we can do exactly the same thing.
We can look at a situation and think, I know what to do here.
We can try to fix it ourselves.
We can make the decision that seems sensible, obvious or easiest.
But Proverbs reminds us:
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
And perhaps that is the question for us: do we actually trust God enough to let him speak into the things that seem obvious to us?
Do we trust God, or do we lean on our own understanding?
Because sometimes our own solutions can look like the answer. They can seem obvious. They can even seem like the sensible and compassionate thing to do.
But we don’t see the whole picture.
God does.
And so, rather than relying on our own understanding, we can trust that God has the best for us.
“For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” (Romans 8:13)
The story of Achan reminds us that sin is serious. It is deadly. His sin caused the whole of Israel to fail. That may not seem fair, but it reminds us that we have a collective responsibility to take sin seriously and to encourage and even discipline one another, so that sin is rooted out.
If you think back to the World Cup, if you watched it you may remember feeling ecstatic when England won, particularly when they played well, but maybe devastated when they lost to Argentina. The immediate effects of success are joy and elation, whilst failure can leave us feeling depressed and miserable.
And success matters. This week, we were delighted that our daughter was successful in her application for a three month internship. Success means she has a job, income and experience to build a career on. Failure, would have left her unemployed and still looking for work.
On the whole success is a good thing and failure is bad. And yet, that is not the whole story. There are dangers that come with success. It can lead to over-confidence and entitlement, whilst failure can teach you valuable lessons. After all, the old adage, “You learn from your mistakes.” Is a very true saying.
The story of Joshua so far has been one of success. Miraculously, God stopped the river Jordan, so that the Israelites could cross over into the Promised Land. The first major obstacle to the Promised Land had been overcome. Then last week, we heard about their success in defeating Jericho, again with the help of a miracle of God, bringing the walls down, so that Israel could charge in unopposed.
The campaign so far had been one of amazing successes. But, success can lead to entitlement and over-confidence. Still revelling over the success with Jericho, Joshua’s spies look over the next target, a small outpost called, Ai. This they say, should be easy. It won’t need all the troops to capture it, only a few will do. So, Joshua sends a small contingent to attack Ai, but it is a total failure. The Israelites are routed and 36 of them lose their lives. Israel are suddenly faced with their first failure. What has gone wrong? How are they going to deal with failure?
How not to Respond to Failure: Joshua’s Despair
Joshua’s response is despair. But at least it is despair directed towards God.
He and the other leaders of Israel, turn to a state of mourning and throw themselves on the ground before God.
Turning to God is good. Perhaps the failure, grew out of their over-confidence. After all, God had helped them cross the Jordan and defeat Jericho, but their attack on Ai had been without reference to God.
What Joshua, says, however, is not good. Look at verse 7:
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan!” (Joshua 7:7)
In many ways, he is catastrophising, turning a mole hill into a mountain. After all, they had crossed the Jordan and defeated Jericho, now one small force has been defeated and only 36 men lost in the battle, to lose one small battle is not to lose the war, but Joshua speaks as though the war is completely lost. It is easy to lose perspective after failure.
Worse than that, he speaks in a way that echoes the grumbling of the Israelites in the wilderness. A grumbling that looks back to the past as a better place, and fails to trust God for the future. These words of Joshua are focussed very much on himself and the Israelites, they are full of self-pity, they imagine the worst for the future, they show a complete lack of faith in God. These are exactly the same attitudes that caused the previous generation of Israelites to wander in the wilderness for forty years. This is not the way to respond to failure. This is the kind of attitude that turns one failure into a life of failure!
How to Respond to Failure: God’s Diagnosis
Despite Joshua’s defeatist talk, God is gracious and shows Joshua how he should be responding to failure. He needs to see what has gone wrong and deal with the problem.
God says, to Joshua in verse 10:
“Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?” (Joshua 7:10)
He then proceeds to tell them why the failure has occurred and what they need to do about it. The problem was sin. The solution was to discipline those who had sinned. We’ll look into the details of that in a moment.
At a purely common sense level it is better to deal with failure, not with despair and imagining the worst possible outcomes, but to consider what has caused the failure and to take steps to fix the problem
For us as God’s people, though, we need to ask have we failed because of sin. Has God stopped supporting us, because either we are sinning in some way or someone in the team that failed has sinned in some way or there is something wrong with the mindset or culture of the team. This is not always the reason for failure. God may allow us to fail, because he wants us to show perseverance and build up our faith. But it is a question that needs to be asked, and sometimes it will give us the explanation for the failure and show us what needs to be changed.
So, let’s think about the sin that caused the failure for Israel at Ai on this occasion.
Israel’s Sin: Achan’s Greed
We are told at the start of the chapter, what Joshua does not know. Achan had taken some of the devoted things during the battle of Jericho.
The instructions for the conquest of Jericho had been clear, everything was to be devoted to God. That meant it was either to be burned or if it was gold or silver to be taken into God’s treasury. This was unique to Jericho, because it was the first conquest in the Promised Land. But, it was a necessary way, of Israel accepting that the land and everything in it belonged to God and that it was through God’s actions, that they won the battle. Once they had demonstrated that by devoting all the plunder to God on their first victory, then God would allow them to take the plunder for themselves in future battles.
But Achan had not obeyed this command. He had taken some of what was devoted to God and hidden it in the ground under his tent. Why had he done this?
When Achan is called out for being the person responsible for the sin, he says in verse 21:
“When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.” (Joshua 7:21)
First, notice that Achan does not describe them as ‘devoted things’, but as plunder. He does not acknowledge that they rightfully belong to God, but he thinks that they belong to him as a prize of war, as reward for being part of the successful destruction of Jericho. This is one of the dangers of success, it can lead to a sense of entitlement, that I deserve some kind of reward because of what I have achieved. Achan did not acknowledge God’s crucial role in securing their victory, it was all about him. When we have success in life, let us not forget to acknowledge God and to recognise that everything we have comes from him. Our response to success needs to be gratitude to God, not glory for ourselves.
Second, he says he coveted, took and hid them. Clearly, this is breaking three of the Ten Commandments, the command not to lie, the command not to steal and the command not to covet. But, before we sit back smugly in judgement on Achan, let me ask you a question: “If someone offered you money to give up following Jesus, how much would it take to persuade you?”
What Achan took was worth a lot of money. At today’s value, the gold and silver he took is worth over £7,000. That does not include, what was obviously a luxury cloak imported from Shinar, which was hundreds of miles from Jericho. Achan had taken this haul, because it was a valuable acquisition. He was motivated by greed not obedience to God.
To seek your own glory rather than giving gratitude to God, is a form of idolatry. Greed, which puts possessions as more important than God is also a form of idolatry. Paul says in Colossians 3:5:
“Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5)
Achan’s crime was not a misdemeanour, it was a rebellion against God himself. It was a form of idolatry and idolatry is what the people of Jericho were being judged for. So, it is no surprise that Achan and all who belonged to him, were treated as though they were one of the people of Jericho. They were killed by the Israelites, burned and turned into a heap of rubble.
Achan, despite being an Israelite, failed to fear and trust in the God of Israel. He swapped places with Rahab, who despite being a Canaanite had feared and trusted in the God of Israel. Rahab and her family were rescued from the judgement of Jericho, Achan and his family were treated as though they were under the judgement of Jericho.
Israel dealt with Sin and found Success
This whole story underlines the importance of obedience and commitment to God. As Christians we rightly remember that God is a God of grace and forgiveness, and Rahab demonstrates that.
But, the story of Achan reminds us that sin is serious. It is deadly. His sin caused the whole of Israel to fail. That may not seem fair, but it reminds us that we have a collective responsibility to take sin seriously and to encourage and even discipline one another, so that sin is rooted out.
And of course, although the cross of Jesus, is a great symbol of God’s grace and love, a sign that like Rahab anyone can find salvation through trust in Christ. The cross is also a symbol of the seriousness of sin. If Jesus had to die for our sin, then we are reminded that sin is disastrous and deadly. We need to be serious about cutting it out of our lives.
Israel under Joshua took steps to deal with the sin in their midst. The result was that God’s presence and support were restored and so in the next chapter, they were successful in their second attempt to conquer Ai. Their failure had taught them a valuable lesson.
If as a church we want to be successful, we need to take sin seriously, and acknowledge that it might be the reason behind our failures. In particular, we must avoid any sense of entitlement that forgets God’s role in our success or greed that looks to salvation in possessions rather than God. We need to keep our relationship with God as the most important and valuable thing in our lives. As Jesus says,
“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36)
“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days.” (Hebrews 11:30)
Joshua defeated Jericho when he was obedient to the strange commands given him by the LORD.
We need to learn obedience to him and trust in him, too, even when to do so seems to go against the logic of a purely earthly based perspective. Joshua and Israel did that and they were victorious. We need to do the same.
Will we look for God at work in our lives and the lives of those around us? Will we prioritise obeying God, even when it feels odd to do so? Will we live as those on the LORD’s side?
This week, in the news we have heard of two things that we should have a natural fear for: the sea and fire.
Both are good things. I love living by the sea and swimming in the sea. Similarly, a bonfire in the autumn can be great fun to gather around. But, both need to be treated with a certain amount of fear.
If you do not have a right fear of the sea, you can find yourself washed away by rip tides or caught up in rough waves. Sadly, people drown as a result. Similarly, fire when it is out of control is lethal, so it is no wonder that with wild fires raging around Europe we see people being evacuated in Spain, France and even Scotland. Having a right fear can save your life.
The Uniqueness of Jericho
Today, we are looking at the story of Jericho. I want to show, that it is all about teaching us a right fear of God.
The story is one of the most famous and memorable stories in the Bible, but it is also one of the more difficult ones to look at because God commands the complete slaughter of all the citizens and animals of Jericho.
So, how are we to approach this story? If we believe the whole of Scripture is God’s word, how do we marry Jesus’ command to love our enemies, with the command to Joshua to slaughter all the inhabitants of Jericho?
The most important thing to notice, is the uniqueness and exceptional nature of the story of Jericho. This was an important moment in Israel’s entry to the Promised Land. It was the first battle they were fighting. If they failed at this first attempt, then the nation might well have been destroyed. This was the equivalent of D-Day in World War II, if the Allied Forces had failed to form a bridgehead in the first few days, then the prospects of freeing Europe from Nazi rule would have faced a massive setback.
But, even given this context, the story has many unique features.
Divine General
Firstly, there is the Divine general. Joshua was the expected leader of the people, but as he walks around near Jericho he is confronted by ‘the commander of the army of the LORD.’ It is this commander that gives the instructions as to how to fight the battle of Jericho. He is the one that acts as the general not Joshua. This in itself, is unique in the story of the whole Bible.
A Religious Carnival
Secondly, there is the way the battle is to be fought. The instructions sound more like the instructions for a carnival than a battle. Marching around Jericho once a day for six days, trumpets blazing and carrying the ark with them. Then doing this seven times on the last day, before raising a final shout so that all the walls fall down. This is a bizarre battle plan in the extreme and not one that is duplicated in any of the other many battles recorded in the Bible. This is a unique tactic.
These two points show us that this whole battle was not just sanctioned by God, but directed by him in a unique way. God was clearly judging the people of Jericho.
Extreme Violence
Then, thirdly, the extreme violence is itself unique to this battle.
In Deuteronomy 20, Moses had given instructions on war and in particular on laying siege to a city. Moses commands the Israelites to always offer peace to the people of the city before attacking it and even when they refuse peace, only the fighting men of the city are to be killed, the women, children and livestock are to be spared.
The chapter, however, does make an exception for the inhabitants of the land that God was giving Israel. Here it says to completely destroy them, so that Israel do not become lured into following their evil practices, which included child sacrifice. Indeed, the rest of the Old Testament is clear, that the people of the land are only being driven out because of God’s judgement on them for their evil practices, and in Genesis God makes it clear to Abraham that his descendants would have to wait until this evil reached its full measure.
So, the violence in the invasion of the Promised land was exceptional and formed part of God’s judgement on exceptionally evil cultures at a specific time in a specific place. The same approach cannot be taken today and certainly is no justification for what Israel has done in Gaza in recent years. If a modern parallel is to be drawn, perhaps it is to the events of World War II, where the allies fought until the Nazi power in Germany was utterly destroyed and millions of Germans were killed in the process.
But Jericho was exceptional, even compared with the invasion of the Promised Land as a whole. Israel did not destroy all the peoples in the land during the invasion, they did not take the same approach to killing everything in the other cities of the land. But perhaps, by being so brutal in this first battle, the aim was to warn the other cities in the land not to resist the Israelites. It acted as a warning against resistance. Even today, we as a country invest Billions of pounds in weapons that have the capacity to kill far more people than were killed in Jericho, not because we want to kill people, but because we want to create a right fear of our military might, so that no-one attacks us.
In short, the battle of Jericho, was extremely violent, but it was a unique situation and not one the Bible encourages us to mimic. Neither does it glorify in the violence.
But it does remind us that God is a God of justice, who will not allow evil cultures to flourish and continue forever. Jesus, does not command Christians to engage in military campaigns or to commit acts of violence. Our battles are fought through proclamation of God’s word, prayer and demonstrations of love. Nonetheless Jesus, does emphasise that one day God’s judgement will come on all evil. In the light of that he encourages a right fear of God:
“But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” (Luke 12:5)
So, the story of Jericho, teaches us to rightly fear God, but it also gives us two examples of people fearing God in the right way.
Joshua’s fear => Doing things God’s Way
The first person is Joshua, as he hangs around near Jericho, he sees a man with a drawn sword. His initial reaction is to ask whose side he is on, but then the man reveals himself as the Commander of the Army of God. Joshua’s response is to fall face down in front of him, itself an acknowledgement of respect and right fear before God himself.
Then the angel gives the commands as to how the battle is to be played out. Although, the commands seem completely ridiculous as a battle plan, Joshua does exactly what he is told by God. More than that the rest of the Israelites do what Joshua commands them, even though the whole thing must have seemed ridiculous. Because Joshua had a right fear of God, he was willing to obey God, even when he couldn’t see how what God was commanding would work out. A right fear of God, leads to a right obedience of God.
This is a reminder to us, that the Christian life is meant to be one of obedience to God. The Bible often explains why God commands what he does. We should work to understand the Bible’s teaching and the rationale behind its commands. Yet, there will be occasions when we do not fully understand why God is commanding us to do what he does. The rules may seem strange or odd. Nonetheless, when they are clearly from God, then we should have a right fear of God and so we should obey them anyway, trusting that God knows best.
Rahab’s fear => Joining not Fighting God
The second person is Rahab. For a story about Israel’s destruction of Jericho, it is important to notice how much space is given to the rescue of Rahab from the destruction.
We already saw two weeks ago that Rahab had chosen to liaise with God and his people, because of fear of him. She expresses this fear clearly:
“I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.” (Joshua 2:9)
But rather than being paralysed with fear, Rahab reaches out in hope of mercy from God. She helps the Israelite spies and in return receives a promise that she and her family will be spared from the fate of the rest of Jericho. They are given the promise and told to tie a red chord in the window and make sure everyone is in Rahab’s house.
Now imagine if you were one of Rahab’s family in the week that the Israelites are going around the walls of Jericho. Rahab has told you that if you want to be safe, you need to come to her house. But, you do not know when the Israelites would invade. You may also think it a bit of a risk to hide with Rahab. What if the king of Jericho finds out that she is siding with the enemy, wouldn’t you then be in trouble for being in her house? Who are you ultimately more afraid of, the Israelites outside the walls or the king and his mob inside the walls? And if you go to be with Rahab, can you really be sure that God’s people will keep their promise and spare you?
As the Israelites walk around the walls, blowing their trumpets day by day, you have to make a decision before it is too late. Will you have a right fear of God and trust in his promise of mercy?
We know the end of the story. Rahab and all those with her were saved. Perhaps the reason for marching around the walls, seven times was to give more people a chance to join with Rahab.
All of this is an illustration that even for those people under God’s judgement for the worst of evil, God provides the opportunity to join his side and find salvation.
I mentioned that Jesus warns that there will be an ultimate judgement. But God delays the judgement to give time for us to turn away from the evil of our world and join his people.
It says in 2 Peter:
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
(2 Peter 3:9)
In many ways that picture of the Canaanites in Jericho is a picture of our world. Rahab’s house is the church, the gathering of people waiting for salvation from the coming judgement. Our choice is whether to join God’s people or stay with those who choose to fight against him. When we have a right fear of God, then the choice is obvious.
Conclusion:
Jericho is a unique moment in Israel’s history. We are not called to mimic the violence of the Israelites, but we are called to mimic the right fear of God. A fear illustrated by Joshua in his obedience of God, even when the commands were strange and a fear illustrated by Rahab, who chose to join with God and his people to find salvation from God’s judgement. Do we live with a right fear of God?
Key notices: Update on grant applications for St. George’s, Baptism in the sea, Diocesan Safeguarding Survey
Over the Summer: Sailors’ Church Services, Dare to Pray
Beyond the Summer: Four Visions of Hope, 150th Anniversary of St. Luke’s
Interesting Blogs: Speaking in tongues, Slowing down in a distracted culture, Sharing Stories
Summer Calendar
Online Forms: Event application, Submit a notice, maintenance report, Safeguarding
Scroll on…
Opening Reflection
Have you ever heard of a more ridiculous set of battle tactics than those recorded in Joshua 6 for the Battle of Jericho? Spend six days marching around the city once each day blowing some trumpets and carrying a golden chest, then on the seventh day do the same things seven times, then shout. It sounds more like a plan for a carnival than a battle.
To be fair to Joshua, the plan was not his idea. Shortly before the battle he came across a man standing with a drawn sword. Immediately alert he asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” It is an important question in war. The answer, however, immediately challenges Joshua’s assumptions. He says, “Neither, but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.”
Joshua is reminded that God is not their magic talisman to help them win the battle. The question is not whether God is on Israel’s side, but whether Israel is on God’s side. This leads to a deeper question. Will Israel rely on superior military tactics or on God for their victory?
The commander of the LORD goes on to reassure Joshua that he will defeat Jericho then commands him to carry out the battle in the strange way I described above. The point, I think is to show that we need to look beyond the merely material world to the God who is beyond. We need to learn obedience to him and trust in him, even when to do so seems to go against the logic of a purely earthly based perspective. Joshua and Israel did that and they were victorious. We need to do the same.
Will we look for God at work in our lives and the lives of those around us? Will we prioritise obeying God, even when it feels odd to do so? Will we live as those on the LORD’s side?
Paul Worledge
Key Notices:
Update on Grant Applications for St. George’s Building
We are delighted to report, that St. George’s has been selected as a Demonstrator Church for net zero carbon emissions. This means we will receive £18,000 towards the cost of surveys and plans to incorporate net zero technology in the future building works, with a possibility of further funding towards the cost of installing it. We are also making good progress on another application for significant funding for the work needed on St. George’s.
Baptism in the sea
We are planning on having an adult baptism in the sea after the service on Sunday 13th September. If you are an adult new to faith and have not been baptised (or christened) as an adult or child and would like to consider being baptised on this date in the sea, then please talk to Paul, asap.
Diocesan Safeguarding Survey
As you may be aware INEQE Safeguarding Group have been commissioned to conduct Independent Safeguarding Audits of the Church of England to make sure dioceses and cathedrals are doing all they can to create environments where everyone feels safe, valued and respected. As part of the audit process for Canterbury, INEQE hope to engage with parishioners and members of the parish community through an online survey which will act as a mechanism through which individuals can comment on any matters relevant to the Audit’s focus. The survey is both anonymous (we are not seeking to identify you) and confidential (you will not be identified). We would therefore ask you to be open and honest with your responses. The survey results are received directly by INEQE’s Audit Team and not by the Church of England. The survey is now live and will close at 11.30 pm on Wednesday 2nd of September 2026. Access the Survey.
Over the Summer:
Sailors’ Church Services
Each Sunday in August, refreshments from 5:30pm, service starts at 6pm. Join us for some lovely services in Ramsgate harbour’s Sailor’s Church. This year the theme will be: ‘Wisdom.’
Dare to Pray
This will be on Saturday 22nd August at 9:30-10:30am and this time we will make it a prayer walk. Please meet at the entrance to St. George’s at 9:30am.
Beyond the Summer:
Four Visions of Hope
A course on the message of the major prophets by Robin Plant at Newington Free Church on Tuesdays 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th September, 7:30-9:00pm.
150th Anniversary for St. Luke’s
We are looking forward to a number of events in October to celebrate St. Luke’s 150th anniversary. Plans so far include: a talk on the early history of St. Luke’s (3rd October, 3pm), a Baroque Recital (10th October, 3pm) and a social including a barn dance (17th October, evening). This will culminate with a joint special service on Sunday 18th October, which is St. Luke’s day. Please also do take time to submit some ‘anni-versary cards’. It would be great to reach 150 of these by October.
Interesting Blogs to Share:
Speaking in Tongues
In this carefully thought through essay, a Biblical Scholar, who doesn’t himself speak in tongues (or want to!), makes a case for their use and benefit today. Read more… (15 mins)
Slow down in a distracted culture
Drawing insights from Sylvie’s book, The Art of Living in Season, and Kevin’s recent release, Mere Christian Hermeneutics, this conversation explores how to resist our modern culture of distraction. Discover how the spiritual discipline of slowing down, the beauty of the local environment, and the daily rhythms of marriage and parenting serve as profound environments for Christian discipleship. Watch Video (25 mins)
Sharing Stories
Check out this website, which shares stories of Christian life and faith from people all around the country. You might be inspired to add your own story. connect4life/sharing stories
Sunday 16th August – Eleventh Sunday after Trinity
Family Communion Service – Joshua 10:1-15
Sunday 23rd August – Twelfth Sunday after Trinity
Family Service – Joshua 14:6-15
Sunday 30th August – Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
Family Service – Joshua 24:14-28
Life Groups
Will you dare to share the Christian life with others? Life groups are a great way to meet together regularly with a small group of other Christians, for mutual support, to share in reading God’s word and to pray for one another.
Please see Paul if you are interested in joining one. There are now more groups available! They meet at the following times:
Monday evening (two groups)
Tuesday afternoon
Wednesday morning
Wednesday evening
Thursday morning
There is also a youth life group on a Sunday afternoon.
Online Forms:
Under the ‘Contact’ tab on the website, there are now three forms that you can use to help us in managing the church:
Events Application Form. Use this if you are organising a church event that needs a church room booked, advertising or ticketing.
Submit a Notice. Use this if you want to ask us to include a prayer request or other notice in the church notice sheet or email.
If you volunteer in anyway at church the national authorities you should take at least the Basic Module in safeguarding training once every three years. If you hold a role connected with vulnerable adults or children and young people, then you will also need to take the Foundation Module. Once you have completed your training, please forward that certificate to James, our administrator, (office@churchramsgate.org) so that we can keep records of who has done the training.
St. George's Church Ramsgate 