Joshua 8.
ONCE sin is judged, God’s word to His people is, “Fear not, neither be dismayed.” Yet the attack upon Ai is greatly changed from the simple procedure at Jericho. Now, all the people must go up to the little city, and “thirty thousand mighty men of valor” are sent at night to be in ambush, while the remainder of the people are to approach the city openly. These are to appear to run away for their lives, so drawing the men of Ai out of the place after them, and then the Israelites in ambush were to enter the town and destroy it, the end being, the destruction of all the people of Ai.
All of this was a rebuke to the pride and self-confidence shown in the first attack upon Ai. It has been truly remarked that more pains are needed to return into the path of blessing, than to have avoided the evil, but the simplicity of faith and its strength can be regained in no other way.
It does not appear that the ambushed men saw Joshua’s stretching out his spear (verses 18, 19); it seems rather to be an illustration of God’s directing His people unseen, and perhaps unrealized by those He acts upon.
There is no rebuilding Jericho and Ai (verse 28). Ai, which means “heap” becomes a heap forever. There can be no restoration of Satan’s rule.
Joshua here by two acts signifies that he has taken possession of the land in God’s name.—first, by his commanding that the body of the king of Ai be taken down at sunset, as Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 ordered: and second, in the building of the altar unto the Lord God of Israel in Mount Ebal, which served both as a witness and a bond between the people and their God who gave them the land. Evidently divine strength and human weakness had both, to be brought out first, otherwise the altar might have been built as soon as the promised land was entered (Deuteronomy 27: 1-8).
All that Moses had commanded was read to the people, —the law, the blessings and the curses (See Deuteronomy 27:11-20.
ML 07/19/1925