How does Joshua 6:24 demonstrate obedience to God's specific instructions? The Verse “Then they burned the city with fire, and everything that was in it. Only the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron they put into the treasury of the LORD’s house.” — Joshua 6:24 What the LORD Had Previously Commanded • Jericho and all that is in it were to be “devoted to destruction.” • Everything living was to be destroyed; only Rahab and those in her house spared. • “All the silver and gold, and the articles of bronze and iron, are holy to the LORD; they must go into His treasury.” Actions Taken in 6:24 • Burned the entire city, leaving nothing to chance. • Destroyed “everything that was in it” — total, not selective, devotion. • Set apart the precious metals exactly as told, depositing them in the LORD’s treasury. Why This Proves Obedience to Specific Instructions • Precision: They followed the command word-for-word, mirroring Joshua 6:17-19. • Completeness: No partial obedience or personal plundering. Everything living was destroyed, and all valuables were surrendered. • Separation: By burning the city, they prevented future temptation to reclaim or reuse forbidden items (cf. Deuteronomy 7:25-26). • Worshipful Stewardship: Handing the metals to the tabernacle treasury declared that victory spoils belong first to the LORD (Proverbs 3:9). • Corporate Unity: The whole nation acted together; obedience wasn’t left to individual preference. Scriptural Echoes and Contrasts • Deuteronomy 13:16 — Entire cities under the ban were to be burned; Israel does exactly that here. • 1 Samuel 15:3, 9 — Saul’s later failure to destroy Amalek shows the danger of “almost” obeying. Joshua 6:24 stands as the positive model. • Joshua 7:1 — Achan’s theft of devoted items immediately illustrates what disobedience looks like and its severe fallout. • John 14:15 — “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Israel’s actions in Jericho prefigure this New-Covenant principle. Takeaways for Today • Obedience means doing exactly what God says, not merely approximating it. • Partial compliance equals disobedience (James 2:10). • Devoted things must stay devoted; treating God’s property as personal invites judgment (Malachi 3:8-10). • Corporate faithfulness matters; one person’s compromise can endanger many (Joshua 7). • True worship involves surrendering the first and best to God, trusting His provision for everything else (Matthew 6:33). |
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