Author: John Tillman

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Minority Report Vindicated

Links for today’s readings:

Jul 11 Read: Joshua 14-15 Listen: (7:20) Read: Ephesians 5 Listen: (3:42)

Scripture Focus: Joshua 14.6-12

6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’ 10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

Reflection: Minority Report Vindicated

By John Tillman

The first time Israel came to the Jordan river, they chose poorly.

Ten of the twelve spies took one look at the Anakites and fear took over. The ten reported to the camp that the size and strength of the Anakites made them feel like they were grasshoppers facing giant warriors. Two spies, Joshua and Caleb, tried to counter the fear, telling the people to trust in God. But their words were drowned out.

Fear spread through the camp.

Fear makes us forgetful. Hearing the story of the Anakites, the people forgot everything God had done for them. The plagues against Egypt were forgotten. The sea swallowing the Egyptian army was forgotten. The other battles they had won already were forgotten.

The fearful majority of Caleb’s generation overwhelmingly forgot God, yet God remembered the faithful. When Israel returned to the Jordan, Joshua and Caleb were the only remnant of their generation.

The remnant is not always a comfortable place to be. The remnant doesn’t usually win the argument, conquer in battle, or save the kingdom. That happens occasionally, but not normally.

Joshua and Caleb were outvoted and spent 40 years wandering the desert before being vindicated. Elijah, even after a great victory, had to hide in a cave. Jeremiah got thrown in a cistern. Isaiah, according to tradition, was sawn in two. Ezekiel, Daniel, Esther, and many others experienced exile, including persecutions and sufferings.

Regardless of what happens to the remnant, their words and work are important. The remnant represent a “minority report” that testifies against the fearful, the unfaithful, and the corrupt.

God is in the business of preserving faithful remnants among each generation. Are you in the remnant? Do you feel your voice is drowned out? Like no one is listening? Like everyone is responding in fear? Like you are trudging through a 40-year desert journey of someone else’s choosing?

When Caleb exited the desert, he asked to take on those Anakites directly, demonstrating that his faith was as strong as it ever had been. May God make you like Caleb, as strong when you exit the desert as when you entered.

God’s remnant is precious to him. May you be faithful, not fearful. Your testimony of faith will be vindicated. May you not turn to the left or the right. He will preserve your strength and walk with you every step.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

Our God will come and will not keep silence; before him there is a consuming flame, and round about him a raging storm. — Psalm 50.3

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: The Way of the Remnant

There is a pattern for the remnant that God will protect:
Out of hopelessness, faith. Out of shame, honor. Out of loss, victory.

The Way of the Remnant
Read more: It’s Not Over When It’s Over

Can we save falling things? Perhaps. But failing that, we can rise from destruction…endure to the end. All will fall down. We will stand up.

It’s Not Over When It’s Over
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Set Up For Success

Links for today’s readings:

 Read: Joshua 12-13 Listen: (8:18) Read: Ephesians 4 Listen: (3:58)

Scripture Focus: Joshua 13.1

1 When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.

Reflection: Set Up For Success

By John Tillman

Nearing the end of his life, Joshua recognized the next generation would have to complete what he started. He would not live long enough to finish what he set out to do.

From one perspective this may seem a human failure or tragedy. But from another perspective it is natural—even good.

Joshua’s mentor, Moses, fell short. Moses could not lead the people into the land and he himself only glimpsed it from a distance. (Deuteronomy 3.27) Joshua took up the mantle to complete Moses’ dream for Israel.

Joshua fell short. He could not take all of the territory and remove all of the sinful idolatry. The people would have to complete the work themselves. The tribes’ leaders would work together to take the remaining land. Then, when future troubles arose, God would raise up leaders to save the people.

As your mentors, teachers, and role models come to the end of careers or their lives, they will fall short. There will be failed projects and dreams that never came to completion. Perhaps you, if God calls you, will take up their mantle to continue the work.

Previous generations always leave behind undone work, unfinished tasks, and unattainted goals. No generation closes their book with every box ticked “complete.” When we pick up the mantle of those who have gone before us, there will always be messes to clean up and unfinished business.

Like Joshua, when we reach the end of our sojourn, we will also fall short. Our hopes for this world’s work must be passed on to those who follow us. Rather than being a tragedy, this may be how God intends his work to pass from generation to generation.

Jesus left work behind for his disciples. He left people to heal, sermons to preach, Centurions to baptize, and dying girls to bring back to life. (Acts 2.14-17; 3.6; 9.39-42; 10.47-48) He left Jerusalem, Samaria, and the rest of the world to be evangelized—a task still passed down to us. (Matthew 28.19-20; Act 1.8)

Jesus left his followers plenty to do and yet, he was able to say, “It is finished” because he completed his Father’s work. (John 17.4) He also empowered his followers with the Holy Spirit to complete their work.

Have you thought about what you are leaving undone that you pray the next generation can finish? How are you preparing them to take over? Are your actions today setting them up for success in the future?

Divine Hours Prayer: The Request for Presence

You are the  Lord; do not withhold your compassion from me; let your love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever. — Psalm 40.12

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Time to Go

Are we viewing the younger generations…as future leaders? Are we humble enough to step down when God calls us?

Time to Go
Read more: Glimpsing the Promise

Yet, all is not lost…God will be faithful to his purposes for the next generation. God’s grace to us is being able to glimpse it.

Glimpsing the Promise

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Dethroning Kings and Powers

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Joshua 10 Listen: (7:23)  Read:  Ephesians 2 Listen: (3:04)

Scripture Focus: Joshua 10.22-26

22 Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks. 25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” 26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

Reflection: Dethroning Kings and Powers

By John Tillman

In 2003, Saddam Hussein was dragged from a hole in the ground in Iraq, humiliatingly illustrating his fall from power. Three years later, Iraqis convicted Hussein of one of many mass killings from decades of unaccountable brutality, and executed him by hanging.

Across Iraq and the world, people celebrated sang, danced, and cried tears of relief. Victims and families felt a measure of justice. Few mourned Hussein or his brutal regime, even as we mourned the devastation of Iraq required to bring him down.

Like Hussein, five Amorite kings were dragged from a cave where they were hiding from Israel’s army. We aren’t given details of their crimes. We only know that during Abraham’s time, their sin had not “reached its full measure,” but in Joshua’s day, the time of judgment had arrived. (Genesis 15.16)

Joshua had Israelite leaders place their feet on the kings’ necks before he killed them. Kings who spent their lifetimes with their feet on the necks of their subjects and enemies, were treated as they had treated others. For the proud, humiliation is worse than violence and dishonor worse than death.

Knowing these kings were wicked doesn’t make Canaan’s conquest easy reading. Wars and deaths, even when we know the criminality of leaders, peoples, or countries are still tragic. People, wicked or not, suffer, and death is our enemy, not our ally.

From one perspective, Joshua is the story of a king-killer and a god-killer. Just like the plagues of Egypt made theological statements, disarming the gods of Pharaoh, the destruction of Canaanite city states made theological statements, disarming the gods of Canaan’s kings. Joshua was defeating the spiritual powers over the land. Joshua threw down kings but did not take their place. God was the only king or power Israel needed.

We usually don’t mind killing kings when they are wicked. The problem is we want their thrones for ourselves. Like Israel, we want a king “like other nations” (1 Samuel 8.4-7) and we want it to be us. We dethrone sinful despots, then become them. Whether or not there are wicked kings and their gods over us, there are often wicked kings and their idols within us.

The regime change we need is to dethrone the sinful powers in our hearts. We need to drag them out of hiding, where Jesus the seed of Eve will crush their heads under his feet.

Divine Hours Prayer: A Reading

Meanwhile the eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” — Matthew 28.16-20

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Forces and Powers

We don’t resist the world’s powers with worldly weapons or resist demonic powers by attacking humans.

Forces and Powers

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Grafting in the Gibeonites

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Joshua 9 Listen: (3:46) Read: Ephesians 1 Listen: (3:10)

Scripture Focus: Joshua 9.24-27

24 They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.” 26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

Romans 11.17-22

17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” 20 Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.

22 Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.

Reflection: Grafting in the Gibeonites

By John Tillman

The Gibeonites didn’t originate the phrase “If you can’t beat them, join them,” but they lived it.

I was first introduced to this aphorism when Yosemite Sam, representing the British army, could not defeat Bugs Bunny, representing the American revolutionaries, and determined to join the revolution instead.

The NIV says the Gibeonites “restored to a ruse.” The NASB says, “acted craftily” and the NLT, “resorted to deception.” (Joshua 9.4) The translated phrase has negative aspects of cunning and deception, however, it can also mean prudence, discretion, or even wisdom.

Gibeon is the third of three stories of deception or betrayal in the early chapters of Joshua. Rahab betrays Jericho, Achan betrays Israel, and the Gibeonites betray Canaan’s other kings. These stories illustrate what Paul would later write about the “tree” of Israel—unfaithful branches will be broken off and “wild” branches grafted in. (Romans 11.17-24) Achan is broken off while Rahab and Gibeon are grafted in. As Peter would learn, God accepts from any nation ones who fear him and do what is right. (Acts 10.35)

People sometimes think that the “Old Testament God” and “New Testament Jesus” are two different beings. One is murderous. The other is merciful. One is violent. The other is virtuous. Let not faulty human logic separate Yahweh, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They are one. These stories show that they are. The hard-hearted face justice. The repentant find mercy. The proud perish. The humble escape.

The Gibeonites had the right idea, even if they did it in a wrong way. God accepted them, even though they didn’t deserve it, just like Jesus accepts us. Israel had the right idea to accept them, even if they did it for wrong reasons and never fully included them.

There’s probably someone in your life who thinks, like the Gibeonites, they’ll never be accepted by God as their true selves. They don’t know God but they see what is said about him and what is said about them. Perhaps they will just harden their hearts against God, like the other Canaanites hardened their defenses. But perhaps they will come to you, maybe with the wrong reasons, maybe in the wrong way.

If they do, find in your heart the same grace for them that God showed the Gibeonites. Those who come to Jesus in repentance won’t be second-class community members. They will be fully accepted family members.

Remember, you don’t deserve to be grafted in either.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons

Happy are they who fear the Lord, and who follow in his ways!
You shall eat the fruit of your labor; happiness and prosperity shall be yours. — Psalm 128.1-2

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Ask and Keep Asking

By God’s sovereignty, not only the Ephesians but we are included in Christ by hearing and believing the gospel of salvation.

Ask and Keep Asking
Read more: Becoming Part of the Promise

Rahab the Canaanite prostitute becomes a part of the Abrahamic promise…No situation is hopeless and no person is doomed to destruction who turns to God.

Becoming Part of the Promise

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Forces and Powers

Links for today’s readings:

Read: Joshua 5-6.5 Listen: (5:25)  Read: Colossians 2 Listen: (3:27)

Links for this weekends’ readings:

Read: Joshua 6.6-27 Listen: (4:47) Read: Colossians 3 Listen: (3:09)
Read: Joshua 7 Listen: (4:58) Read: Colossians 4 Listen: (2:21)
Read: Joshua 8 Listen: (5:55) Read: Philemon Listen: (2:52

Scripture Focus: Colossians 2.8-15

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self, ruled by the flesh, was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Reflection: Forces and Powers

By John Tillman

When Paul says there are “forces” and “powers” in this world, what does he mean?

Paul’s language seems ambiguous. Some translations use “basic principles” instead of “elemental spiritual forces”. (Colossians 2.8) Paul’s ambiguity is probably intentional. Ancient thinkers were comfortable with the concept of spiritual powers co-mingling with other powers. Paul recognized layers of visible and invisible powers and forces operating in his world.

Our world also has interconnected forces and powers. Obvious forces include local, state, and federal governments. Cultural forces include social and economic philosophies. We also see the effects of less obvious forces. Corporations create algorithims that influence our media and social media. Dark money floods politics. Insider trading infests banking and business. Wealthy influence peddlers push cultural narratives. And behind the visible and hidden human powers are spiritual powers.

A word of warning: Dangerous and manipulative movements and leaders twist teachings about spiritual things to cause panic and excuse violence and vitriol. The existence of spiritual powers doesn’t mean everyone who votes differently from you or does something you oppose is “demonic.” Beware those discussing “spiritual warfare” in these ways.

How do we navigate a world with multiple layers of spiritual and non-spiritual forces and powers? Look to Paul’s example. Paul stood trial before Roman rulers. Paul opposed ideological forces of Greek philosophy and idolatry at the Areopagus. Paul resisted spiritual forces by tearing down strongholds of spiritual arguments and casting out spiritual beings.

In all cases, Paul defended himself and others against these powers by testifying to the gospel in the name of Jesus. That’s it. No weapons. No mobs. No insurrections. No attacks. No violence. Paul delivered people from demonic influence. He didn’t attack them. Paul just spoke the truth of Jesus.

We must resist many “powers.” Like Paul, we don’t resist the world’s powers with worldly weapons or resist demonic powers by attacking humans. Demonizing and dehumanizing are sinful synonyms from a Christian perspective.

As for the spiritual powers, we don’t fight them—we announce their defeat by Jesus. We don’t disarm the powers—we remind them that Jesus already did.

It’s foolish to be unwary of spiritual forces, yet dangerous to be obsessed with them. Instead, we can walk through the world of powers, confident that Jesus has disarmed them. So long as we walk with him, we cannot be captured by any force or power. Rooted in him, we cannot be moved.

Divine Hours Prayer: The Small Verse

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty. — Revelation 1.8

– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle

Read more: Jericho’s Wall

God isn’t interested in destroying people we call our enemies. He’s not on “your side.”

Jericho’s Wall

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