Joshua 8:24-29: a reflection

24When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness in which they pursued them, and they had all fallen by the edge of the sword until they were consumed, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it with the edge of the sword. 25All that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the people of Ai. 26For Joshua didn’t draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the javelin, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. 27Israel took for themselves only the livestock and the goods of that city, according to the LORD’s word which he commanded Joshua. 28So Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap forever, even a desolation, to this day. 29He hanged the king of Ai on a tree until the evening. At sundown, Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised a great heap of stones on it that remains to this day.

This passage records the destruction of Ai, a sober and heavy account of judgment fallen on a city given over to the entrenched wickedness of the nations God was removing from the land. It is not a comfortable passage; it speaks of judgment carried out completely. Behind it lies the sober biblical truth that entrenched evil comes, at last, under God's judgment; that persistent, deep-rooted wickedness is not overlooked forever, but is reckoned with. The account is heavy precisely because judgment is a heavy and serious thing.

Notice the sober seriousness of God's judgment on entrenched evil. This is not a light or comfortable matter; it is grave. Deep-rooted, persistent wickedness, of the kind that filled the nations God was removing, does not escape God's reckoning forever; his judgment on entrenched evil is real, and serious. The passage does not let us treat sin lightly, or imagine that God is indifferent to entrenched evil; it shows judgment as a grave reality, to be taken with the utmost seriousness.

That sober truth should move us, not to comfort in others' judgment, but to take our own sin seriously and to flee to the mercy we do not deserve. If entrenched evil comes under God's judgment, then we cannot treat our own sin lightly, presuming it will simply be overlooked; sin is a grave matter before a holy God. And that should drive us, not to despair, but to the mercy God offers, for we too would stand under judgment but for his grace. Take your own sin seriously, in light of the sober reality of God's judgment on evil; do not presume it will simply be overlooked. And flee to the mercy God offers in Christ, grateful that the judgment we deserve has been borne for us, so that we who would stand under judgment for our own sin may receive mercy instead. Let the sober truth of God's judgment on entrenched evil deepen both your seriousness about sin and your gratitude for the mercy that spares you what you would otherwise deserve.

Lord, this passage records the destruction of Ai, a sober and heavy account of judgment fallen on a city given over to the entrenched wickedness of the nations you were removing from the land. It is not a comfortable passage; it speaks of judgment carried out completely. Behind it lies the sober truth that entrenched evil comes, at last, under your judgment; that persistent, deep-rooted wickedness is not overlooked forever, but is reckoned with. Show me the sober seriousness of your judgment on entrenched evil. This is not a light matter; it is grave. Deep-rooted, persistent wickedness does not escape your reckoning forever; your judgment on entrenched evil is real, and serious. The passage does not let me treat sin lightly, or imagine that you are indifferent to entrenched evil. Let that sober truth move me, not to comfort in others' judgment, but to take my own sin seriously and to flee to the mercy I do not deserve. If entrenched evil comes under your judgment, then I cannot treat my own sin lightly, presuming it will simply be overlooked; sin is a grave matter before you, a holy God. And that should drive me, not to despair, but to the mercy you offer, for I too would stand under judgment but for your grace. Help me take my own sin seriously, Lord, in light of the sober reality of your judgment on evil; and help me flee to the mercy you offer in Christ, grateful that the judgment I deserve has been borne for me. Deepen both my seriousness about sin and my gratitude for the mercy that spares me.