Closer To Heaven
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Why is coveting part of the Ten Commandments? Join the Hit the Mark panel as they discuss this and other questions from Sabbath School Lesson 6 – The Enemy Within. It’s the fastest hour of the week!
(0)Daily Lesson for Thursday 6th of November 2025
As we have learned, God had given the pagan nations an opportunity to know about Him and to turn from their evil ways (see Lesson 5). They, however, had refused and were ultimately facing the judgment of God.
Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com
At first, Joshua sounds like the children of Israel in the midst of their hardships after leaving Egypt: “ ‘Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger’ ” (Exodus 16:3, NKJV).
And here’s Joshua: “ ‘Alas, Lord God, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? Oh, that we had been content, and dwelt on the other side of the Jordan!’ ” (Joshua 7:7, NKJV).
Soon after, however, he shows his great concern for the damage that the name and reputation of God will take from this defeat. “ ‘For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?’ ” (Joshua 7:9, NKJV).
This reveals a theme and principle that was central to God’s purposes with Israel. Though He wanted the pagan nations around them to see what great things God would do for His people who obeyed Him, they could also, as Rahab did, learn about Israel’s God by the power of His people’s conquests. On the other hand, were things to go badly, as they did here, the nations would deem Israel’s God weak and ineffective (see Numbers 14:16, Deuteronomy 9:28), which could embolden Canaanite resistance.
In other words, even in the context of the Hebrews’ taking the land, great issues and principles were involved, which included bringing honor and glory to God, who was also the only hope for the pagans, as well as for Israel.
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Read Deuteronomy 4:5-9. In what ways can we see a parallel here between Israel and their witness to the world and our witness as Seventh-day Adventists today? |
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Join It Is Written Sabbath School host Eric Flickinger and this quarter’s author, Dr. Barna Magyarosi, as they provide additional insights into this week’s Sabbath School lesson.”
(0)View an in-depth discussion of The Enemy Within in the Hope Sabbath School class led by Pastor Derek Morris.
Click on the image below to view the video:
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With thanks to Hope Channel – Television that will change your life.
(0)Daily Lesson for Wednesday 5th of November 2025
The strategy of Yahweh converts Israel’s initial defeat into a tactical advantage, thus transforming the Valley of Achor (Hebrew word for “trouble”) into a door of hope (compare with Hosea 2:15). Having gained too much self-confidence by their first victory over the Israelites, the citizens of Ai repeat their strategy in attacking the Israelites, who feign retreat and defeat.
Image © Bible Adventure Collection at Goodsalt.com
Once the inhabitants of Ai are lured out of their stronghold, the 30,000 Israelites, positioned not too far behind the city (Joshua 8:4), will capture the empty city by setting it on fire. Joshua 8:7 makes it clear that it is not the strategy that brings victory, but it is the Lord Himself who will grant the victory and hand the city of Ai over to the Israelites. Even in a chapter in which the military aspects dominate the narrative more than in any other chapter of the book, the text highlights the underlying truth that victory is the gift of Yahweh.
The decisive moment of the battle occurs when the men of Ai leave the city and start pursuing the Israelites. This is the second time that God speaks in the whole chapter after He gave the strategy in Joshua 8:2, signaling that He oversees the battle. Until this moment, we don’t know the outcome of the battle. From this point onward, it becomes clear that the Israelite army is victorious.
The weapon in the hand of Joshua was a sickle sword, or scimitar, rather than a sword or javelin. In the time of Joshua, it may not have been used as an actual weapon, but it had become a symbol of sovereignty. And, besides giving the signal for attack, it expresses God’s sovereignty in the defeat of Ai. By stretching out the sickle sword until the full victory is won, Joshua is shown to have fully assumed the leadership role Moses exercised at the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16) and in the war against the Amalekites (Exodus 17:11-13), where Joshua personally led the combat.
This time there is no visible, miraculous intervention of God, yet the victory over Ai is no less divinely assisted than that over the Egyptians in the first generation or in the recent victory over Jericho. The key to success is in Joshua’s faith in the word of the Lord and his unwavering obedience to it. The principle seen in this story remains valid for God’s people today, wherever they live and whatever their challenges.
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