Gods Providence in a Jericho Journal

What if excavators uncovering ancient Jericho found the following journal?

Monday: Today Israelites have finally come, gathering by the thousands, then marching around the city, inspecting our formidable walls. They must be impressed; they do not even try to attack. By morning they'll probably give up and leave.

Tuesday: They have not left but are marching around the city, same as yesterday. Not one makes a sound, except the blowing of their horns. No doubt they'll attack tomorrow or else be gone.

Wednesday: They have neither attacked nor gone away. They just march around Jericho. What are they up to? We're all making fun of them. All except the harlot innkeeper, who just watches in silence, clutching her cloak around her and shuddering as if she's freezing. Their general must be insane!

Thursday: The marching continues. Perhaps their general is not insane. Perhaps it is a clever strategy. Our people do not taunt them as much as yesterday. The harlot's relatives have all gathered to her at the inn. Does she know something the rest of us don't?

Friday: More marching. Our king holds council--arguing and cursing are heard inside. We're confident, yet anxious. We have many weeks' supply of food and water within our stout walls. Perhaps tomorrow they'll call our king out for a parley.

Saturday: They do not call out our king. Only more marching. The inn is closed--its door locked from the inside. This marching and marching cannot go on the same forever--or can it?

Sunday: It's not going on the same. Today they are marching many times around. Six times so far and starting on the seventh. Perhaps the change is significant. Perhaps something is about to happen. The inn is still locked up tightly. Our king--

This is all. The burned edge comes to just below the last line. (Read the story of the fall of Jericho in Joshua 2:1 - 6:27.)

God in His wisdom has confounded the wisdom of this world by what seems to be nonsense (1 Cor. 1:20-29; 3:18-20). Those with a worldly perspective fail to grasp what He is doing.

Steve Singleton has written and edited several books and numerous articles on subjects of interest to Bible students. He has taught Greek, Bible, and religious studies courses Bible college, university, and adult education programs. He has taught seminars and workshops in 11 states and the Caribbean.

Go to his DeeperStudy.org for Bible study resources, no matter what your level of expertise. Explore "The Shallows," plumb "The Depths," or use the well-organized "Study Links" for original sources in English translation. Sign up for Steve's free "DeeperStudy Newsletter."

RELATED ARTICLES

Heroes & Villains in the Quest for Spirituality: 100 Significant Characters of the Hebrew Bible

The Holy Spirit is our Teacher
Now that we know God and Jesus want to release Their knowledge direct to us from Their throne room in heaven - how is this knowledge actually transmitted to us? This will now bring us into the next set of Scripture verses.

Why Go To Church - Want To Know 13 Reasons?
It's not necessary to go to church in order to getsaved and therefore go to heaven, but going to churchstill has very important benefits that can helpimprove your life and keep it in order.

The Purpose of Creation: the Kabbalah of Transformation
"I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts; the rest are details". ? Albert Einstein

Give Him a Stone
Luke 11:10-11:13

Bible and Kabbalah: The Hardening of Pharoahs Heart
There is continuous creation, out of the new ideas discovered in the Torah.

The Word: What has it Changed in You Lately?
In Matthew 13 Jesus relates a paprable to His disciples. This parable is commonly known as the Parable of the Sower. The focus was on the soils, so the focus of this article will be.

Catholic Voters Need to Rethink Morality
If Catholic doctrine calls for the sanctity of all human life, then why is it that church leaders implicitly endorse Republican candidates that are pro-life at the expense of all else. In fact, the sanctity of life doctrine stands directly in opposition to the death penalty as well as abortion. Nevertheless, The Tablet, the official weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Brooklyn, is far more enamored with abortion than the death penalty and our President who executed approximately 30 people as the governor of Texas in 1999.

Evolution Simplified and Factual
The study of evolution puts into perspective our relative insignificant existence. People who deny evolution must have a hard time swallowing the fact that humans are just a teeny tiny portion of all that is in our 13.7 billion year old universe. We are a microscopic speck...if that big. Creationists seem to like the theory of human beings being at the center of things. Slightly egotistical? Literal interpretation of the story of creation from the beginning of the Bible goes right along with the "flat earth" mentality.

The Greatest Love and Self-image
The Greek language had three words for "Love" First there was "eros," from which we get "erotic.. This was, of course a purely selfish love. Then there was "Phileo" (Philadelphia), or "brotherly love" This is the love of one family member for another. But the Bible added a new one--"agape" "Agape is a giving love, entirely unselfish. By way of both illustration and practical application, let me quote the following note from Mary Ellen Grisham, publisher of "Eternal Link:"After counseling young couples for years, a minister I know suggested that "love is what you do." Young couples frequently have adjustments to make to the differences in romantic courtship and the realities of day-to-day living with the rigorous requirements of work, children, house and yard keeping, and all the many tasks required to maintain a good home and marriage.

Why do Humans Need a God?
Many have asked why people need a God to cope with life? There must be a reason, because it appears that every culture in recorded history had some belief in some type of god. All the different cultures, tribes, societies and civilization had their Gods, trinkets, traditions, rituals and temples. But why; we know now, or some of understand that all these stories and myths were nothing more than figments of our imagination. Most all ancient writing has in it; Invisible ghosts, invisible friends and/or Gods. Isn't it amazing that even modern day civilizations cannot seem to shake this and those who wish to lead use it to manipulate us into their created realities. Just look at the Evil Muslim Clerics who twist and turn the people commit atrocities against humanity? Look at the Witch Doctors in Haiti with their Voodoo Dolls? Look at the Catholic Church and their strangle hold on their followers, while they allow their leadership to rape and molest our children?

Facing Our Fears
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14: 27, NIV

Slaves Songs and Freedom
It may seem trite and naďve to suggest we can use the codes that slaves used in their Gospel songs to truly communicate. Unfortunately these black Americans now believe the Gospels they used to make their masters think they were happy and going along with the slave driver. It may seem paranoid to suggest we are still slaves even if we have lots of goodies or three cars in the garage. The truth of our world civilization is not very civilized. The wars and borders that keep us fighting or seeking to be chosen above 'others' in some racist ideology that includes frequent genocides is real. All religions are obviously not trying to let people know that whatever God might be it does not vary from one place to another and all life is part of it. They must start saying they all worship the same thing and tell their followers no one is better than anyone else.

Do Not Believe All You Read In The Holy Books
Observation shows that human creative activity has a physical, a social and a spiritual aspect. (By human creative activity I mean useful and constructive activity by human beings). The physical aspect of our creative activity concerns our activity in relation to the physical universe. The social aspect relates mainly to human behaviour and interaction amongst humans. The spiritual aspect of our creative activity primarily concerns our activity in relation to God. Over time, mankind has acquired considerable knowledge of the physical universe. This knowledge has been classified as the physical and natural sciences. Knowledge we have acquired of human behaviour and interaction amongst humans has been classified as social science. This has not been the case with knowledge we have of the spiritual aspect of life. Such knowledge has not been classified as spiritual science. This is so because much of what at present constitute spiritual facts and beliefs cannot be considered as science. A lot of such facts are not backed by proof and many of the beliefs are not founded on reason. Unverifiable conjectures about phenomena and existence beyond this life are professed as truths. The situation at present is such that spiritual works available to us contain fiction, misconceptions, superstition and falsehood in addition to actual facts. I will use some examples from the Christian teaching and Holy Bible to illustrate this point.

Spring Into Gods Love
Spring is springing here in the Pacific Northwest the plants and trees are blooming. We are fast approaching the Christian celebration of Easter Sunday and if my Catholic is correct we should be in Lent right now.

Religion Versus Science: The Truth
I find myself amazed and appalled that such strong antipathy exists in this day and age between non-believes and believers--and between diverse groups of believers--that murder and injustice are perpetrated daily on innocent men, women and children.

Living Without Blueprints
Some people look at the biblical book of Revelation as a blueprint for the end of time. It tells exactly when the end will come, how it will come and who will be punished when it happens. Those with this perspective buy up apocalyptic fiction like the "Left Behind" series and confidently pronounce that we are in the "end times." They may even associate certain modern day figures or happenings with supposed end-of-times events. There are three basic problems with this perspective: (1) It is counter to the pronouncements of Jesus himself; (2) It ignores the long history of people who have tried to use Revelation in this way; and (3) It is counter to the nature of faith itself. Let's look at these three problem areas more closely.

Christians versus Mormons
Please read the passage carefully and note all the pejorative words and ways they demean without fair reportage. Do some research and study hard or you will continue to be made more of a sheep for the paradigm. Ask yourself what role the Masons had in all of this on both sides of the issue including the Mormons, Hitler and other real mind control cults like Scientology.

Church Retreat and Church Retreats
Church retreats are an excellent way to involve the church in an important part of church involvement. Offering a church retreat creates community and support with the people closest to you spiritually. Planned correctly, a church retreat can be excellent for the church's overall well-being.

The Unjust Steward
In my opinion, this story has two very powerful spiritual principles that God wants us to get a hold of. These two principles are spelled out at the end of this passage.

home | site map | www.1001topwords.com