Joshua Chapter 8
The people of Israel were seeing prophecy fulfilled in real time. God had said He would go with them and that they would have victory over the inhabitants if they kept Him as their God and obeyed His voice. The first battle of Jericho was a great victory and so would the battle of Ai, when they listened and obeyed the word of the Lord. They also fulfilled prophecy when they went to the mountains of Gerazim and Ebal after the great victory at Ai. Here they heard all the laws read to them just as God had directed and they responded with a loud shout of “Amen!”
Deuteronomy 27:11-14 That day Moses charged the people, saying, “When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. And the Levites shall declare to all the men of Israel in a loud voice.
The first attempt at defeating Ai had been a disaster, but this time they would go in the power of the LORD and He would give them the victory. It is interesting to read the battle strategy that Joshua took as he went with a much larger number of men to defeat Ai.
Let's Reflect
1. In the very first verse we learn that God told Joshua what the outcome of the second attempt at defeating Ai would be. What did He tell Joshua?
2. God gave Joshua two other instructions about this battle. What were they according to verse 2?
3. They went with about 30,000 men this time instead of 3,000 and the army of fighting men was split into two groups. At what time of day did they go up to Ai to get set up for this ambush?
4. The group that was with Joshua acted as a decoy. They probably lit small campfires to get the attention of the people of Ai. This worked because the fighting men of Ai went after the Israelites that were with Joshua. What did that group of men pretend to do?
5. What was the sign that Joshua gave so that the other group lying in a ravine knew it was time to move in and attack the city from the other side?
6. The group that had been lying in a ravine on the far side of the city did what to the city?
7. The men of Ai were caught in the middle between two groups of Israelite men. All were taken that day except one. Who was saved and what did they do to him?
8. After the great victory at Ai they went to Mount Gerazim and Mount Ebal and Joshua built an altar to the LORD. What did he write on the stones of the altar?
9. All of the words that were written by Moses were read to the people. What was that book called?
Joshua did as Moses had directed, every single word was read to all of the people of Israel. What a fitting thing to do after seeing God deliver the people of Jericho and the people of Ai into their hands.
