You Shall Not Rebuild This City Joshua 6 Dr. Joseph Chang 7/28/2013 BOLGPC

Joshua 6:15-21, 26 15On the seventh day they rose early, at the dawn of day, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. 16And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, "Shout, for the Lord has given you the city. 17And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent. 18But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. 19But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord."

Joshua 6:15-21, 26 20So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city. 21Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword. . . . 26Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, "Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. " At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates." (Josh 6:15-21, 26)

Two Commands for Joshua & Later Generations (1) You Shall Not Take the Devoted Things 18But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. (Josh 6:18) (2). You Shall Not Rebuild Jericho 26Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, "Cursed before the Lord be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. " At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates." (Josh 6:26)

Failing Histories (1) Achan took a beautiful Shinar cloak, 200 shekels of silver, 50 shekels of gold. (2) 34In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the Lord,which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun. (1King 16:34)

Jericho Ruin/耶利哥廢墟

I. Tithing belongs solely to the Lord, we cannot use it. ~r,xe , cherem Verse 17 和合本: 都要在耶和華面前 “毀滅”. NIV: “to be devoted” to the LORD. ESB: “to be devoted” to the LORD for destruction. NLT: must be “completely destroyed as an offering” to the LORD.

I. Tithing belongs solely to the Lord, we cannot use it. ~r,xe , cherem Verse 18 18至於你們，務要謹慎，不可取那當滅的物，恐怕你們取了那當滅的物就連累以色列的全營，使全營受咒詛。 18 But keep away from “the devoted things”, so that you will not bring about your own “destruction” by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to “destruction” and bring trouble on it.

I. Tithing belongs solely to the Lord, we cannot use it. ~r,xe , cherem explanations in verses 19, 21, 24 21又將城中所有的，不拘男女老少，牛羊和驢，都用刀殺盡。(書 6:21) 21Then they devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword. (Josh 6:21)

I. Tithing belongs solely to the Lord, we cannot use it. ~r,xe , cherem explanations in verses 19, 21, 24 24眾人就用火將城和其中所有的焚燒了；惟有金子、銀子，和銅鐵的器皿都放在耶和華殿的庫中。(書 6:24) 24And they burned the city with fire, and everything in it. Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. (Josh 6:24)

I. Tithing belongs solely to the Lord, we cannot use it. ~r,xe , cherem explanations in verses 19, 21, 24 24. . . Only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. (Josh 6:24)  19But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord." (Josh 6:19)

II. Why so cruel? God’s judgment will surely come. 9"When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. 10There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer 11or a charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer, 12for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. 13You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, 14for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this. (Deut 18:9-14)

II. Why so cruel? 13Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15As for yourself, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. 16And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete." (Gen 15:13-16) (100-85) +60 +130 +430 +40 = 675

III. Tithing signifies that God has the absolute authority over us. 6以色列人在曠野走了四十年，等到國民，就是出埃及的兵丁，都消滅了，因為他們沒有聽從耶和華的話。耶和華曾向他們起誓，必不容他們看見耶和華向他們列祖起誓、應許賜給我們的地，就是流奶與蜜之地。(書 5:6) 6For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because they did not obey the voice of the Lord; the Lord swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the Lord had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with milk and honey. (Josh 5:6)

IV. Tithing is an expression of faith 6人非有信，就不能得神的喜悅；因為到神面前來的人必須信有神，且信他賞賜那尋求他的人。(來 11:6) 6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Heb 11:6)

Conclusion What I have, is it God’s blessing, or is it my own achievement? Should God thank me for offering? Or, do I give to God to show thanksgiving! May Jericho be a sign for God’s gift to me and God’s gift to my future generations.