Joshua 7:1-5 – Don’t take victory for granted

The conquest of Jericho was certainly wonderful. Joshua, we discovered, was not only a great leader but also a military strategist. He had shown great eagerness to press on to conquer the rest of Canaan. His strategy was to dissect the land in the middle, separating it into two halves – the north and the south. His first campaign was then to move up north, conquer it, before moving south to take it. However, he was soon to discover that not all the enemies he had to face would be hiding and cowering behind walled cities. He soon realized that the road to complete victory was also paved with hindrances and setbacks. Like him, we who wish to advance in the journey of life must also know that the road to complete victory is not automatic. Living an overcoming life demands that we take positive steps to cope with hindrances and setbacks aimed at retarding our walk and hinder our progress.

At this point, the whole of Israel was still at Jericho. We see no indication that Joshua made any inquiry of the Lord concerning what his next step should be. He sent spies to reconnaissance Ai, a little insignificant village which they had underestimated. The spies returned with the suggestion that they need not send an entire army for so small a place. Their estimate was that two to three thousand men would be sufficient to take Ai.  Taking up their suggestion, Joshua only sent 3,000 men to claim that village but they were routed. This was their first defeat in Canaan. Thirty-six of the children of Israel were struck down. The whole camp became discouraged and their heart melted.  

There are two lessons we can learn from Israel’s first defeat in the promised land. Firstly, we learn that there is a necessity to seek the mind of God in our spiritual expedition. We see no indication that Joshua consulted the Lord on what he should do before he sent the 3,000 men to confront Ai. Seeking the direction of God in any undertaking is needful if we desire success. Secondly, we must know that success in life takes a series of overcoming. Winning one battle should not be equated to winning the whole war. They could have allowed their recent victory over Jericho to undermine their necessity to show care in the future undertaking. Giving thanks for every success is needful but careful planning for every endeavor is just as needful. We must not take for granted that success will be automatic because of one victory. From Joshua’s first defeat in Canaan, we must learn not to take things for granted. We must not rest on the laurel of our past success. Every endeavor in life has to be approached with proper estimation and appreciation of the situation. Let us not be blindsided by an overconfidence till we are left overlooking the potential dangers that may be looming. Seeking the Lord’s direction is paramount in every step that we take.