Dec | 11 | God’s Bloody Hands

Dream Word – COURAGE

Joshua 10:40-42 So Joshua conquered all the land: the mountain country and the South and the lowland and the wilderness slopes, and all their kings; he left none remaining, utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded. And Joshua conquered them from Kadesh Barnea as far as Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even as far as Gibeon. All these kings and their land Joshua took at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. NKJV

God’s Bloody Hands

As General Joshua begins now to thoroughly take possession of the promised land, of the land flowing with milk and honey, make no mistake about it, that at this point, the land was flowing with the blood of the slaughtered inhabitants. Three times in this one chapter, after we read accounts of the genocidal and ethnic cleansing of the land, we hear the refrain regarding Joshua that: ‘he left none remaining.’ Our text for tonight however goes even farther and points out that not only was General Joshua acting under the expressed command of God Almighty, but the Lord Himself was intimately involved in the bloody conflict. Indeed, just as the Lord had took part in the battle against the five kings in Joshua Chapter 10, by raining down upon them His heavenly artillery, so in the same way, in the rest of this conflict, God was most thoroughly involved.

There is no doubt that under the terms of the present Geneva Convention and under International Law of today, that both God and Joshua, His earthly general, would face charges for ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ for there was no doubt whatsoever, about the full involvement of God in this total and bloody war. Think about that!

In your thinking tonight then, let me remind you of but five 'small' things:

Firstly, that this utter destruction was not a matter of some religious fanatic, some mad murderer, some sorry psychopath, shouting out that “God made me do it!” No, but by His direct presence and actions, God Himself was clearly, intimately and actively involved! The presence and actions of God the Almighty were not in question by anyone, especially by those people upon which He waged war. Yes, God was seen by everyone to have ‘fought for Israel.’

Secondly tonight, please remember that it was God who had placed these murderous scoundrels, this totally corrupt society, in His judicial courtroom dock. They had been on trial, not Him, and as judge and merciful jury, He had long since pronounced them guilty, even giving them centuries to amend their ways and finally, when they did not, He became most terrible in carrying out His righteous judgment upon them. It was God who was judging humanity here folks. It was humanity that had been on trial here, not God! Remember that.

Thirdly, note that the diabolical possession of a manifest spiritual evil had undoubtedly taken root in the land and this earthly conflict, was no doubt, part of a much greater heavenly conflict. The two were and are always, most intimately intertwined. The land of promise has always been a touching ground, a tinder box of bloody conflict, if you will, to try and halt both the first and second coming of Jesus, King of kings.

Fourthly, note that this same diabolical possession of manifest evil has throughout history and even today, been clearly seen in the devastations of two World Wars, Rwanda, Cambodia, Western Europe, The Middle East, ect ect etc and that God has been constantly fighting these evil manifestations so that His Gospel may be preached.


Yes, fifthly and finally tonight, note that though free forgiveness has been purchased through the shed blood of Jesus and that this good message has and is being proclaimed throughout the whole world and has been done so for some 2000 years now, that I am along with many others, increasingly convinced that the grace of this proclamation is quickly drawing to a close. The 'time of the end' battle lines are being drawn, people and practices are raising themselves up against the Most High God and He is coming to meet them.

I hear His feet pad deliberately toward the tops of Carmel tonight. I hear the wind sucked into His flared nostrils and see His great lungs fill with the hot air of His indignation. The Lion of the tribe of Judah is getting ready to roar dear friend, and when He does, well, you had better watch out and you had better take care because He is coming to judge the earth. Are you living in the reality of this? What difference would it make to your worries, your choices and your priorities if you did?

Think about that. 

Listen: - "The Lord roars from Zion, And utters His voice from Jerusalem; The pastures of the shepherds mourn, And the top of Carmel withers." Amos 1:2 NKJV
 
Pray:- Along with the Holy Spirit, we the Holy people align our voices with the pleading of all the centuries of saints and tonight so Great King, Mighty Master, Strong Saviour, Roaring Lion of the tribe of Judah, we say “Come! Yes even so! Come Lord Jesus!” Amen.