Reliable Word Of Procedure

The LORD said to Joshua, Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them over to Israel, slain. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots. Joshua 11: 6

As we come to the close of a tremendous week of revisiting, remembering and receiving, we are drawn back to a week of unmistakable evidence of the reliability of God as Father in the life of each of His children. We have stuck with Joshua, as a child and servant of Father God, just as you and I are. We have been with our brother Joshua, at a time of fierce opposition, when he was totally outnumbered, completely overpowered and fully poised for defeat. We have witnessed the response of God, as Father, to one of His children facing an unconquerable foe. Father God did not just come to the rescue of Joshua, but He stood with him, teaching him a lifelong lesson about how reliable He is as his Father in Heaven. He is reliable in the Promises He makes; the Peace He bestows; the Providence He unfolds and the Power He wields.

At this point, I did pause for a moment to ask myself about what the robin would be saying to the sparrow, as they observed Joshua and the army of God, in this anxiety-feeding, worry-breeding and panic-striking situation. Will you give it a thought also? I can just hear the robin saying this to the sparrow. Look, those humans are in a right old pickle, yet I don’t see any marks or fruit of panic and anxiety in their manner. They are facing their gigantically grave problem with unbelievable strength and confidence. Those human beings are boldly moving forward as people who already know that all is well, and that they are the victors, even before the fighting has begun. I can also hear the sparrow chiming forth and saying to the robin, I know exactly what it is. I can hear him telling the robin, with a twinkle in his eyes and a sparkle in his voice. “Friend, I think that it must be, that they have a Heavenly Father, such as cares for you and me.” What a testimony! What glory! What faith and trust! What a Reliable, Heavenly Father we have.

Nevertheless, we must not stop here, but go on to the final of the five, palatably sweet, precious and reliable words.

The Word of Procedure - You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.

There is procedure to follow. God tells Joshua that after He has handed the enemy slain into the hands of all Israel, there is a procedure which he must follow. Joshua and the fighting army of God, are to ensure that the horses of the enemy were no longer fit for use, for war, or any other purpose. Regardless of the high-end breed or not and the high-priced value of the horses - from soldiers’ horses to kings’ stallions - all were to be houghed. Additionally, they were to burn every single chariot, regardless of how state-of-the-art and swift the chariots were.

In this time of assured, reliable victory over the formidable allied enemy, God gives an order of what He wishes to follow on after the enemy has been slain by God Himself. This is God’s prescribed procedure. In other words this is the way God wants His victorious people to proceed in this entire battle. God is closing it once and for all, bringing this victory to its final conclusion, as it were. In this obvious miracle-working time, when none can doubt the providence and power of their Heavenly Father with them and among them, there is a procedure they are to follow as commanded by their Father.

This is extremely important for you and me to follow closely, understand and obey, in our individual victories. Procedure is given so that the responses of Joshua and his men, completely and unequivocally complement the miracle works of his reliable Heavenly Father. In everything and in every way, God is a Father who is constantly and relentlessly teaching and training His children. This is paramount, for it is His children who always need to be taught responses. It is not the Father’s will that His children fall victims to unreliability in an atmosphere teeming with reliability. To ensure the response the Father wants, He gives orders to Joshua, the procedure which will be as a sacred act of thanksgiving, praise, honour, gratitude and rededication of life to their Father. It is the one action of obedience, in reliable responses.

The allied forces have got to where they are by means of horses and chariots, their reliable means of transportation. But note, it is also their proud means of identification. This is not unlike race-car enthusiasts who are identified by their specially made race cars, different from cars of ordinary drivers.  In addition, these horses were their protection. They were some of the swiftest horses out, capable of high speeds, able to get them out of difficult situations. Here is God’s simple procedure for Joshua and the Israelite army. Get rid of them. I have given you an enemy that’s no longer able to challenge and intimidate you. Now you are to make their means of transport, identity and protection useless to them or anyone for that matter. God’s procedure for the enemy is total and complete destruction.

How obedient is Joshua? Fully obedient and compliant. Look, the enemy is defeated and the victory belongs to Joshua. There is no one to stop him taking the best transportation – horses and chariots – all of them, way superior to what he has. But he and his men burn them all, good reliable, useable chariots. Expensive, enviable stallions are houghed, when they could be of tremendous value to the Israelites.  But our Heavenly Father does not operate as we think He should. His ways are beyond our understanding. Obedience is what He delights in, in His people.

Our heavenly Father, regardless of how I am thinking and feeling about my miracle given victory and in spite of what others are advising me to do, I will follow Your procedure. I will obey You Father, for I have lived Your perfect reliability to me, and my one desire is to be reliable in my obedience to You. Nothing of the enemy, good or bad, must remain. You have given me, and all with me, the work of houghing every enemy horse and burning every single chariot. Spirit Divine teach us ever, reliability in obedience. Amen!