Joshua 8:18-23: a reflection

18The LORD said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city. 19The ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand and entered into the city and took it. They hurried and set the city on fire. 20When 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. The people who fled to the wilderness turned back on the pursuers. 21When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned back and killed the men of Ai. 22The others came out of the city against them, so they were in the middle of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. They struck them, so that they let none of them remain or escape. 23They captured the king of Ai alive, and brought him to Joshua.

The taking of the city of Ai, which Israel had first failed to capture, comes when Joshua acts precisely according to God's specific direction. Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, the LORD says, for I will give it into your hand. Joshua does exactly as God directs, stretching out the javelin as the signal, and the ambush God had prescribed springs into action, and the city is taken. Israel had first tried to take Ai in their own confidence and failed; now, following God's specific direction, they succeed. The difference was not greater effort but obedience to God's particular direction, doing exactly what he said, in the way he said. When Israel followed their own strategy, they failed; when they followed God's direction, they succeeded. The difference God's direction makes, over our own strategy, is the lesson here. Success came through doing exactly what God directed.

Notice the difference between Israel's first attempt on Ai and this one: the first was in their own confidence, this in obedience to God's specific direction. Earlier, Israel had gone up against Ai in their own strength and strategy, and been defeated. Now Joshua acts precisely according to God's direction, stretching out the javelin as God commanded, and the ambush God had prescribed brings the victory. The success came not from greater human effort or better human strategy, but from following God's specific direction, doing exactly what he said. This highlights the difference God's direction makes. When we go in our own confidence, following our own strategy, we may fail; when we follow God's specific direction, doing what he says, we succeed as we could not otherwise. This is not a formula for guaranteed success, but a reminder that God's direction, followed obediently, makes a difference our own best strategy cannot. To seek and follow God's direction, rather than relying only on our own strategy, is wisdom. God's direction, obeyed, accomplishes what our own confidence cannot.

That is worth taking to heart, for following God's specific direction can accomplish what our own strategy cannot. We can go forward in our own confidence, relying on our own strategy, and fail as Israel first failed at Ai; but when they followed God's specific direction, doing exactly what he said, they succeeded. The difference was not greater effort but obedience to God's direction. There is wisdom in seeking and following God's direction rather than relying only on our own plans. Do not rely only on your own strategy, going forward in your own confidence; seek and follow God's direction, as Israel took Ai by doing exactly what God directed. Seek and follow God's specific direction rather than relying only on your own strategy and confidence, as Israel, who first failed at Ai in their own strength, took it when Joshua acted exactly according to God's direction; for God's direction, followed obediently, can accomplish what our own best strategy cannot, and the difference between failing in our own confidence and succeeding is often the difference between our strategy and God's direction, so that there is wisdom in seeking and following what he directs rather than relying only on our own plans.

Lord, the taking of the city of Ai, which Israel had first failed to capture, comes when Joshua acts precisely according to your specific direction. Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, the LORD says, for I will give it into your hand. Joshua does exactly as you direct, stretching out the javelin as the signal, and the ambush you had prescribed springs into action, and the city is taken. Israel had first tried to take Ai in their own confidence and failed; now, following your specific direction, they succeed. The difference was not greater effort but obedience to your particular direction. Show me the difference between Israel's first attempt on Ai and this one: the first was in their own confidence, this in obedience to your specific direction. Earlier, Israel had gone up against Ai in their own strength and been defeated. Now Joshua acts precisely according to your direction, and the victory comes. The success came not from greater human effort or better strategy, but from following your specific direction, doing exactly what you said. When we go in our own confidence, we may fail; when we follow your direction, we succeed as we could not otherwise. Take that to my heart, for following your specific direction can accomplish what my own strategy cannot. I can go forward in my own confidence, relying on my own strategy, and fail as Israel first failed at Ai; but when they followed your direction, doing exactly what you said, they succeeded. There is wisdom in seeking and following your direction. Keep me from relying only on my own strategy, going forward in my own confidence; help me seek and follow your direction, Lord, as Israel took Ai by doing exactly what you directed.