SURRENDER (song)

How Can I Be Right In The Sight Of God?

Anyone who has ever wondered who God is, or what God wants from us, has eventually come to the question "How can I be right in the sight of God"?
If there is a God, and if some day you will stand before Him and give an account of what you've done in this life, then you should find out what He requires before facing Him.
The first place to look for what God requires is in the Bible.
Proverbs 30:5- Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
Matthew 4:4- But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
To find out what God expects from you, you must search the Scriptures. And, if you search the Scriptures, you will find that believing His Word is the first thing that He asks from us. And, that Word is also a person.
John 1:1-5- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
Jesus Christ is the Word of God.
The next thing is that God requires us to believe on Jesus Christ and His work at Calvary.
Romans 10:9-12- That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
So, the issue is who is Jesus and why do I need His righteousness.
Salvation is conditional, you have to believe first before you can be saved. You have to accept the fact that Jesus is the Son of God manifest in the flesh. That He was perfect (He kept the entire law of Moses that was required by God in the Old Testament) and that He became sin for us (He took Sin in His sinless body on the cross and paid the price tag associated with it).
Salvation is personal. No one else can believe for you. No one else can step into your place before God and give an account for your decisions. You must make those choices.
Salvation requires a confession. The condition has nothing to do with the confession of sin, it has to do with agreeing with God about who He says Jesus is. You have to believe that Jesus is God's Son, and that He is the only way for you to acquire forgiveness of your sins by God.
John 12:42- Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
Did these men ever get saved? Were they ever forgiven? I don't know. It depends on whether they were willing to take a stand against what they knew was wrong.
Salvation must have belief from the heart. It's not enough to say that you believe. It's not just a head knowledge that is needed. It's a true belief, from the heart, that stands in spite of circumstances or feelings. It's the faith of a child when you tell them something- they believe! They will argue that belief!
Right now, you have the opportunity to believe that Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh. He was fully God and fully man. He is the Son of God and the son of man. He knows what God requires and He understands what man endures.
You have the ability to submit your sinful heart to His will and gain total forgiveness for every sin that you have done. It's not the fact that you've committed sins that sends you to hell. It's the fact that those sins have been paid for and you haven't accepted that payment on your behalf.
Leviticus 17:11- For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
Hebrews 7:27- Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Hebrews 9:28- So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
It's just one thing that you have to believe with the core of who you are. You believe you are a sinner and that God requires a payment made in blood for those sins. You believe that Jesus Christ paid that payment on the cross of Calvary. And, you confess that Jesus Christ is the son of God come in the flesh and that you are accepting Him as the Lord and Savior of your soul.
Salvation is a guarantee. Thou shalt be saved! There is no maybe. There is no probably. There is no perhaps. If you believe, and you confess aloud to the spirit world, then you will be forgiven of your sin. The righteousness and the salvation are synonymous as the result or end accomplished by Christ upon the yielding of the individual to Him.
2 Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
You have His word, His promise, His guarantee that you won't perish in hell. He wants all, that means everybody, to repent and accept His salvation.
There is boldness in a relationship. When you are with someone you let others know. It's the same with a relationship with Christ. You must confess Him to God the Father.
There is equality in a relationship. Anyone can be saved regardless of lineage, status, or even the depth of sin that they've been involved in.
John 3:16- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Whosoever means anyone.
Jehovah God of the Old Testament has been revealed as Jesus Christ in flesh in the New Testament. That is who Jesus is. And, eventually everyone will confess that.
Philippians 2:10-11- That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Right now you can submit of your own free will. But, one day, you will confess out of surrender and then it will be too late!
Revelation 20:11-13, 15- And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
IF you are content to pay for your own sins, then this is the required payment that you must make. And, the price tag takes an eternity to pay off.
Revelation 21:1, 27- And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
If you can see your need, and you can express a sincere belief in what God has said in His Word. Then you can gain the riches of an eternity in Heaven through the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Believe with all your heart. Confess with your mouth. And have your name written in the eternal book of life that cannot be erased or changed.

Canaan- Part 6

Joshua and the Israelites had just gotten God's help to defeat 5 kings and their kingdoms. God had made the sun and moon to stand still so that they could defeat them in one day.
But, now, another group thought they could combine forces and destroy God's people.
Joshua 11:1-5- And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
Have you ever seen sand on the beach? Do you think there is a way to count all the little grains? That's how many enemy soldiers had assembled to battle Israel. It was so many that they couldn't be counted.
I don't know if Joshua was nervous, but God wasn't going to let anything happen to His people.
Joshua 11:6-9- And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire. So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
Not only did Joshua defeat these armies, but he also destroyed their war devices. No one could come along and claim them and try to attack Israel with them again.
Joshua 11:10, 12, 15- And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded. As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
Joshua obeyed all the Moses had told him to do- Even after Moses was gone and could no longer make sure that Joshua obeyed! Joshua kept the promises that he made! And by doing that, Joshua also obeyed God.
That's the same when we obey our parents. We obey God and make Him happy when we obey our parents.
Joshua 11:23- So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.
Finally, the children of Israel could relax. They had taken a good portion of the land for their possession. They had battled many mighty enemies. They had kept the promises that they made to Moses. And God had blessed them greatly!
How many kingdoms do you think they conquered?
Joshua 12:24b- all the kings thirty and one.
31 Kingdoms! But, that wasn't all that God had promised to them. He had promised much more land.
Joshua 13:1- Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
Joshua 14:1-3- And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them. By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.
The land was divided and the people were assigned their cities. They knew that God had kept His Word that He had spoken to Abraham so long ago.
God, who showed 10 wonders in Egypt, and parted 2 large bodies of water for them to cross. The God who fed and watered them in the wilderness, and spoke to them from the mountaintop.
God was there helping them the whole way! There were still some enemies to fight. There were still some cities to claim. Would they obey?
They had seen many miracles that God had performed. They were protected by His hand and guided by His Words. And now, Joshua wanted to make sure that they would always obey Him.
Joshua 24:1, 14, 15 - And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua reminded the people of all the miracles that God had done for them. He then told them to choose who they would worship- God, who had blessed them and brought them to this land, or the idols of the people of the land.
Joshua 24:24- And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
Joshua 24:26-28- And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.
Joshua wrote everything down in a book, and then he set a stone as a reminder that they had promised to serve the Lord. And the people went to their homes.
Joshua 24:29-32- And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel. And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
Joshua died at 110 years old. The people buried him in the land that God had given him.
They also kept their father's promise to Joseph. They buried Josheph's bones, which they had brought with them out of Egypt, in the tomb where Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were buried.

Canaan series coloring pages

Canaan- Part 5

Joshua 10:1-5- Now it came to pass, when Adonizedek king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty. Wherefore Adonizedek king of Jerusalem sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel. Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
Now, things were starting to get very interesting. The first 2 wars that Israel fought were with just one king and one city. This war was with 5 kings and 5 major cities!
These 5 kings decided that first hey would destroy the Gibeonites that had made peace with Israel. Their next stop would be to attack Israel directly.
Joshua 10:6-7- And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us. So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour.
Joshua gathered all the Israelite warriors and headed for Gibeon.
Joshua 10:8-10- And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee. Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night. And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
The Lord told Joshua that he would help them to defeat these great armies in battle. But, the Lord did more than just give them strength to conquer their enemies. He, also, helped them in the battle.
Joshua 10:11- And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
God rained down huge stones on the enemy army. More of the enemy died from the stones that God rained from heaven than in the battle. But, that wasn't the only amazing thing God did that day!
This was the only time where God listened to a man and stopped the heavens!
Joshua 10:12-14- Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel.
God allowed the sun and moon to stand still for around 10 hours! The Israelites had enough day light to finish the battle.
There is a curious statement in this part of the Bible. The Bible mentions the book of Jasher, which is not in our Bible. Jasher means "just man". There are some books that are called by this name, but they weren't written during Joshua's time. Whatever this book was, God thought that it was worth mentioning in His Holy Word.
Joshua 10:15-17- And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal. But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.
The five kings that led the army had hidden themselves in a cave. Someone found out and came and told Joshua.
Joshua 10:18-21- And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand. And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities. And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Joshua sealed the wicked kings in the cave. Then he sent his army to the cities of those kings. Once they cities had been conquered, the army returned to deal with the kings.
Joshua 10:22-27- Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them. And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the LORD do to all your enemies against whom ye fight. And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.
Joshua killed the kings and hung them on a tree. Why would he do that?
Galatians 3:13b- Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
Joshua was showing the Israelites that these men had been cursed by God. Anyone who goes after God's people will bring a curse on themselves.
Joshua didn't know it, but he was also showing the people that Christ would become cursed of God for their sakes when He died on Calvary. He was nailed to a tree, a cross, and took all our sins in His body. When He did that, He became cursed on God. When we accept His sacrifice for our sins, God removes the curse of death and we no longer have to pay for our own sins in hell.
Joshua had defeated all these kings and their kingdoms!
Joshua 10:40-43- So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon. And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.

Canaan series coloring pages

Canaan- Part 4

The Israelites have just taken care of the curse that Achan put on them. Remember, they had lost their last battle with the city of Ai, because Joshua didn't ask for God's direction. Joshua listened to the people around him, and 36 men died in that battle.
Now, it was time to battle Ai. But, this time, Joshua would go to battle with his men, and he would do it God's way!
Joshua 8:1-2- And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
God told Joshua that they would win the battle, and that they could take anything they wanted from this city- No curse would come on them.
God's battle plan for Ai was to set an ambush behind the city.
Joshua 8:3-8- So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night. And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them. Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand. And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
Joshua sent men out to hide behind the city. When the people came out the front to fight Joshua, he was going to lead them away from the city. Then, the 30 men would come out of hiding and go into the city. Once they had control of the city, they would burn it with fire.
Joshua 8:10-13- And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai. And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city. And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
Joshua went to the city to start the fight. All the warriors came out because they thought they could whip the Israelite army again. When Joshua turned to flee, the men of Ai followed them. That left their city open and undefended.
Joshua 8:18-21- And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city. And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire. And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
When the men of Ai saw that their city was on fire, they gave up. They didn't know what to do. God gave the city into their hands, and they won the battle.
Joshua 8:25-29- And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai. For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua. And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day. And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
The Israelites knew that God was going to help them win the Promised Land. But, now they realized how important it was to get what God had promised God's Way.
Joshua 8:30-35- Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings. And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel. And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
The Israelites had a church service, sort of. They offered sacrifices to God and read his laws, and gave him thanks and praise.
It is very important to obey God. And even though God has promised us something, it doesn't mean we can take it any time we want or get it anyway we want. We need to learn to get God's blessings in God's time by obtaining them God's Way.

Canaan series coloring pages

Canaan- Part 3

Joshua and the Israelite army had just defeated the reat city of Jericho. The only people saved were the ones who were inside Rahab's house.

Everything in the city was to be destroyed. Only certain things would be kept and put into the tabernacle of the Lord.Anyone who took anything would become cursed.

God was trying the Hebrew children to see if they would listen to Him. He wanted to know that they would be more obedient than their fathers in the wilderness.

Joshua 7:1- But the children of ISrael committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Crmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

Even though almost everyone obeyed, there was one man who didn't. His name was Achan. He saw some stuff that he just had to have! He took it and he hid it. He thought he had gotten away with it.

Achan was going to find out just how much this sin would cost him and everyone around him.

Joshua 7:2-5- And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai. And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai;  and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few. So there went up thither of the people about two or three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. And the men of Ai smothe of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

Joshua didn't fight in this battle, nor did he sent the entire army. I don't even see where he consulted the Lord in this matter, either. Had he consulted God before sending a few men to battle, he would have found out about the curse.

Because Joshua didn't ask God for guidance, 36 soldiers died. And all Israel was terrified! What had happened?

Joshua 7:6, 10-13- And Joshua rent his clothes and fell upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads. And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

Can one person's disobedience to God really cause God to leave? It did here! Because of Achan's sin, God no longer protected the entire nation of Israel.

Joshua 7:14-15- In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man. And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.

God was so upset by this that He told Joshua to find out who it was and kill them.

Now, did God know who did it? Yes! Why didn't He tell Joshua who it was? I think it was because God was giving Achan a chance to repent and confess.

Joshua 7:16-21- So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: And he brought the family of Judah: and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: And he brought  his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against t LORD GOd of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garminet, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

Once Achan was found out, he confessed. But it was too late! The sin had been exposed. The judgement had been passed. And now, the price had to be paid.

Joshua 7:24-26- And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

What is the price of sin? It was the death of 36 soldiers, and the loss of everything that Achan had. It was the destruction of Achan's family.

Our sin always costs us. It might be a long time before we see the full price tag, but disobedience to God never comes without a price!

Canaan series coloring pages

Canaan- Part 2

Joshua had told all the Israelites to prepare to cross the Jordan River and enter the promised land. Then, he sent two spies to search the other side of the river and see what they would meet when they got there.
The two spies had searched the city of Jericho, narrowly escaped a manhunt by the soldiers, and had promised a woman named Rahab safety for helping them out of the city.
Joshua 3:1-3- And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
Joshua was expecting God to part the Jordan River like he had parted the Red Sea for Moses. The Levite priests were going to carry the ark of the covenant, a special piece of the temple that they used for worship. The people were to follow the priests into the Jordan River.
Joshua 3:7-8, 15-17- And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan. And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho. And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
So, the priests step into Jordan, and the waters part to create a pathway for the Israelites to cross. The Hebrew children crossed so close to the city of Jericho that anyone on the huge wall could see what was going on.
Joshua 4:4-5, 8-9- Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take ye up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel: And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
Joshua had 12 men take a stone each from the center of Jordan so that he could build a memorial for the children of Israel. They could see the pillar that Joshua built and remember how the Lord worked a miracle.
Joshua 5:1- And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
The tale of the Israelites crossing quickly spread throughout the promised land. Every person that heard if feared the battle that was coming, for they knew they couldn't win against an army with a God as powerful as that!
Joshua 5:10-12- And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho. And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Now that the Hebrew children were in the promised land, God stopped sending them manna. They were in Canaan, the land of milk and honey. There was plenty of food to eat, and lots of clean water to drink. God didn't need to send angel's food anymore, because He had sent them to a land where He had made all they needed abundant.
Joshua 5:13-15- And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
God met with Joshua. He told Joshua exactly what battle plan to use to conquer Jericho. This was Joshua's first test as leader. Would he follow what God said to do even if it didn't sound like it would work?
Joshua 6:1-5- Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
The plan was for the entire army to walk around Jericho once a day for six days. The priests would carry the ark, and some of them would be blowing on trumpets. No one would talk, or make a sound. And then they would go back to their camp.
On the seventh day, they would walk around the city the same way, only they'd do it 7 times. And then the priests would blow a long sound on the trumpet and everyone would shout. Then the walls would simply fall down and they could enter.
Do you think some of the people wondered about this plan? If anyone questioned Joshua's strategy, no one said anything.
So, the people followed Joshua's instructions.
Joshua 6:16-18- And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city. And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent. And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Joshua kept the promise that was made to Rahab. He told the Hebrew children that everything in the city was cursed, and was to be destroyed. The only thing that could live was whoever was in Rahab's house.
He also warned that if anyone took anything from the city that they would become cursed. Only the things that would be dedicated to the Lord wouldn't have a curse on them.
Joshua 6:20-24- So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword. But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel. And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.

Canaan series coloring pages