4:1–3, 8, 10–11, 17–24

Bible Studies for Life
Associate Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

The Thrill of Victory
Joshua 4:1–3, 8, 10–11, 17–24
Leaders come in assorted kinds. We might speak of military leaders, political leaders, community leaders, church leaders and the like. When we think of Joshua, we can speak of a military leader who was pre-eminently a spiritual leader. He sought to obey God personally and lead Israel in obeying God. Thus Joshua was careful to receive instructions from God and then carefully pass them on to others. The thrill of victory resulted from obedience to God.
God gives victory to His obedient followers. What should we do with our spiritual victories? How can we be good stewards of God’s victories? This study points us to three actions to be taken in relation to our victories.

Remember Victories to Mark Them (1–3, 8)
Even before the victory of crossing the Jordan River was fully completed, Joshua heard from God and responded obediently. The Lord instructed Joshua to cause a stone memorial to be erected. The whole nation was to be represented in the memorial. Twelve men, one from each of the twelve tribes, were designated each to take a stone from the riverbed. The stones came from the very spot in the river where the priests had stood bearing the Ark of the Covenant while the nation crossed on dry land. Joshua passed on the instructions. The people did as instructed by God through His leader.

Spiritual victories are possible when spiritual leaders hear from God and obey Him totally. The victories happen when people faithfully obey God and follow their trustworthy leaders. Once victories take place, God’s people do well to preserve the memory of those victories within their community. A return to the memories of past victories often fortifies our faith for future exploits and rekindles our faith when spiritual energy flags or faith waivers. Along life’s journey, all God’s children need victory markers that declare to us, “Hitherto has the Lord helped us.”

Recognize Victories as God’s Doing (10–11, 17–18)
Against all normal expectations, the priests were able to stand in the midst of the river while the people passed over on dry ground. The priests came out of the riverbed last. They came from the river on cue when Joshua issued the command for them to do so. As soon as the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground on the riverbank, the waters of the Jordan returned to flood stage as the river had been before God acted miraculously in behalf of His people. Both the priests who stood in the midst of the river and the people who passed through the river were left with no doubt that the victorious crossing was God’s doing from beginning to end.

We humans live with the temptation to take credit for our spiritual victories. We want to mark it up to our keen insights, our mighty praying, our prevailing faith or our bold daring. To be sure, God honors insight, prayer, faith and boldness when these occur with His leading and within His permission. In our best moments, however, we know that victory belongs ultimately to the Lord who gives wise insight, answers believing prayer, honors persistent faith and permeates all our ventures done in His name.

Recall Victories as Incentives to Worship (19–24)
After crossing the Jordan River, the people encamped set up the memorial stones at Gilgal, near Jericho. The memorial would be a reminder to future generations. It would occasion telling the story behind the stones by emphasizing what God had done for His people both in crossing Jordan and what He had done earlier in the crossing of the Red Sea. The memorial and its story had a dual purpose. One purpose related to their witness and the other to their worship (19–24).

As to their witness, the purpose was that all peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is mighty. As to their worship, the purpose was that the people themselves might fear the Lord their God forever.

If we should use spiritual victories to build our personal reputations by attempting to show ourselves great, then we become unworthy stewards of God’s blessings. Every spiritual victory properly should point people to what the Lord has wrought as a witness to them. Recalling past victories should call us to wholehearted worship of God who always does all things well.