Devoted to Destruction

“And the city shall be devoted to Jehovah for destruction, it and all that is in it. Only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all who are with her in her house, because she hid the messengers we sent. But as for you, keep yourselves from what has been devoted to destruction, lest you devote yourselves to destruction by taking of what has been devoted and you make the camp of Israel something devoted to destruction and bring trouble to it.” (Joshua 6:17-18, RecVer)

“But the children of Israel acted unfaithfully in that which was devoted to destruction, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of that which was devoted to destruction; and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the children of Israel.” (Joshua 7:1, RecVer)

“Israel has sinned. Indeed they have trespassed My covenant, which I commanded them; indeed they have taken of that which was devoted to destruction; indeed they have stolen; indeed they have been deceptive; indeed they have put it among their goods. Thus the children of Israel are not able to stand before their enemies; they turn their backs before their enemies, for they have become something devoted to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy that which was devoted to destruction from among you. Rise up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, There is something devoted to destruction among you, O Israel; you will not be able to stand before your enemies until you remove that which was devoted to destruction from among you.” (Joshua 7:11-13, RecVer)

“And he who is taken with that which was devoted to destruction shall be burned with fire, he and all that belongs to him, because he has trespassed the covenant of Jehovah and because he has committed folly in Israel.” (Joshua 7:15, RecVer)

The Lord enlightened me afresh this morning during my Bible reading time concerning the seriousness of involving in something that Jehovah God has destined for destruction. The children of God should have nothing to do with what God hates. Any compromise, any mixture with the world will face a stern punishment from the Lord. The story of the Israelites serves a good testimony to paying heed to what God had commanded. Disobedience to God’s word was meted out with dire consequences. O what a warning!

In the New Testament too, the principle is still the same. But we have the divine life of God, our Father, that can enable us to obey what He has commanded. It is by living by the Father's divine life that true obedience is practical. On the one hand, there is the warning and on the other hand there is the divine life supply that enables us, the children of God, to heed to the warnings. What a blessing!

There is the divine part which God has gracefully bestowed, His divine life and nature. And there is the human part which the children of God have to actively exercise their free will to obey God’s word. The coordination between the divine and human will enable one to be truly obedient to keep oneself from the things devoted to destruction. 

This is the Lord’s Holy warning!

Lord, I need Your grace day by day to actively exercise my free will to choose You and cooperate with You to keep myself away from the things devoted to destruction. May I be preserved from anything devoted to destruction. Lord, save me!