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If the book of Joshua highlighted the triumphant entry of God’s people under the faithful leadership of Joshua into the land of Canaan as promised by God, the book of Judges narrates the tragic aftermath of Israel’s subsequent generations who struggle to maintain themselves in the land due to a recurring cycle of disobedience.

Judges 2:1-5
Our text opens with an appearance of the angel of the LORD. We last encountered an angel in Josh 5:13-15. In the Old Testament, the angel of the LORD serves as a mouthpiece for God. It is the angel of the LORD who appears to Hagar (Gen 16:7), Abraham (Gen 22:11), and Moses at the burning bush (Exod 3:2). Remarkably, in many of these contexts, the voice of the angel shifts into a direct communication from God. Here in 2:1, we find God’s people being addressed directly by the LORD. God reminds his people of the exodus out of Egypt and their entrance into Canaan. The emphasis on this reminder is on the action of God. The LORD was the agent responsible for their deliverance from Egypt and inheritance in the promised land as the LORD had promised Israel’s ancestors. God also reminds Israel of the unconditional nature of his relationship with them–God will not ever break his covenant. In other words, God begins his address of his people by rooting his words in grace. God has acted graciously on behalf of his people.

The expected response to grace is faithful obedience. As Israel entered Canaan, they were commanded to refrain from making covenants or treaties with the Canaanties and to tear down their places of worship. Yet Israel chose to disobey God. This created a predicament that required discipline. God delivered Israel and gave them the land so that they could serve as his missional people through whom God would one day bless the nations (Gen 12:3, Exod 19:4-6). Faithful obedience was the key to Israel’s success (Josh 1:7-8).

In response to Israel’s disobedience, the LORD declared in verse three through his angel that he would not drive out the nations any longer and that they would become Israel’s adversaries. This causes God’s people to cry out with weeping. Israel named the place Bochim (“Weepers”) and offered sacrifices to the LORD in recognition of the shift that has taken place in their lives as God’s people.

Judges 2:6-10
In these verses, we are carried back to the memory of the golden era of Joshua. Judges 2:6-10 in essence repeat Joshua 24:28-31. Verses 6-7 remind God’s people of the success and faithful obedience found under the leadership of Joshua. That generation acted in obedience and took possession of their inheritance in the promised land. Moreover, they worshipped the LORD alone during the days of Joshua and his elders. All of these people had witnessed the mighty acts of salvation that God had done for his people. Our text makes the connection between experiences with God and obedience. It also raises the issue of the responsibility and importance of passing on the faith to the next generation.

Joshua lived to be one hundred ten years old (verse 8). This is a significant number that Joshua shares with Joseph (Gen 50:22). Joshua was buried in the land of his inheritance. God had promised his clan the region of Timnath-heres and was faithful in driving out its inhabitants before Joshua. He dies with the same title as Moses: servant of the LORD (cf. Josh 1:1).

Verse ten sounds an ominous tone for the future of God’s people. Joshua and his entire generation died in the promise land, but the subsequent generation did not know the LORD or the mighty acts that he had done. This is a recipe for disaster. Obedience in the Scriptures is rooted in a relationship with God based on memory or experience of God’s saving work. It is remarkable that Joshua’s generation for all its successes did not pass on its faith experience to its children.
Judges 2:11-19
Verse 11 is the initial occurrence of a refrain that will characterize the ethic of God’s people during the days of the Judges (cf. 3:7, 3:12, 4:1, 6:1, 10:6, and 13:1). Rather than following God faithfully, God’s people chose to break the fundamental commandment to worship only the LORD (Deut 5:7-9 cf. Deut 6:4-5). Instead Israel worshipped the Baals. Baal was an important deity to the Canaanites. He was the storm god whose rains brought forth crops and made fertile the soils of Canaan. We find the plural form “Baals” because there would have been various formulations and understandings in the different cities and valleys across Canaan. For example, Israel had fallen into apostasy in Moab by being enticed to worship Baal of Peor (Num 25:1-13).

Verses 12-13 describe the extent of Israel’s apostasy. God’s people abandoned the LORD whom its ancestors served and who had delivered them from the land of Egypt. Notice the irrationality of Israel’s actions. The LORD was the God of Israel’s ancestors. This was a long-standing relationship. The LORD had delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt and given Israel a new life in the land of Canaan. The Canaanite deities had done nothing for Israel nor would they, but nonetheless God’s people forsook the LORD for the deities of Canaan. These were the very gods who had been unable to protect Canaan from the incoming Israelites. Yet these deities proved too enticing for Israel. Israel had disobeyed God by not pushing the Canaanites out of the land and destroying their idols and places of worship. Now the Israelites were openly following their deities and bowing down to them in worship. In sum, they turned from the God who had saved them to the gods and goddesses of the remaining peoples of Canaan. This caused the LORD to become angry.

The Israelites’ apostasy had immediate consequences. In verses 14-15, the LORD’s anger manifested in his allowing of Israel’s enemies to gain the upper hand against God’s people. Instead of enjoying victory and peace as they had in Joshua’ day, God’s people now faced defeat and the instability caused by conflict and constant oppression.

But God remained gracious. In spite of Israel’s disobedience, they remain God’s people and God remains faithful to his covenant (2:1). In response to the oppression of Israel’s enemies, the LORD raised up a series of extraordinary individuals called judges who acted to lead and deliver Israel (verse 18). In the book of Judges, readers will encounter men and women such as Ehud, Deborah, Gideon, and Samson. Notice that God responds to the cries and groaning of his people under persecution and oppression. Just as God responded to the cries of his people in the days of Egyptian servitude (Exod 2:23-25), God continues to respond to the cries of the oppressed.

Verses 17-18 report that Israel continued in sin despite the graciousness of the LORD sending a judge to deliver them.

Verse 19 informs us that deliverance was a short lived experience for God’s people during the time of the Judges. The issue was not God’s ability to save Israel; it was Israel’s inability to turn fully to God and abide in him. Our text tells us that as soon as a particular judge died God’s people would immediately backslide into an even worse situation. Notice the language of intensification: they turned back and were more corrupt than their fathers. Our text is not merely observing a recurring pattern of disobedience—it is suggesting a downward spiral in which each subsequent generation acted more corruptly than the one before it. This is one of the dangers of idolatry. It thwarts the mission of God’s people by moving them further and further away from the true God. The end of turning from God is the service and worship of a pseudo-deity. Israel replaced its allegiance to the LORD with the worship of the gods and goddesses of the Canaanites.

The end of verse 19 reflects on the causes of Israel’s apostasy: bad practices and stubbornness. God’s people continually fell into idolatry because they remained mired in sinful habits. They may have wanted to follow God but they did not change their practices to match the way of the LORD. Moreover, they remained stubborn or hard in their ways. The words translated stubborn is identical to one of the words used in Exodus of Pharaoh’s hard heart (Exod 7:3 and 13:15) and in the phrase stiff-necked that is sometimes used to describe Israel (Exod 32:9, 33:3, 33:5, and 34:9).

Judges 2:20-23
Israel’s pattern of disobedience resulted in judgment. God became angry with his people. Verse 20 emphasizes that it is Israel’s actions that are the cause of God’s anger. God has been faithful and gracious to his people. Instead of living as the people whom God called them to be—a missional people who served as agents of God’s blessing to the nations—God’s people have turned to serve other deities. As a consequence of disobedience, God declares that he will no longer drive out any of the nations that remained in Canaan after the death of Joshua. The peoples that remained in the land (see 3:1-6) would serve now as a test of Israel’s faithfulness. What kind of people would Israel become? Would they return to the LORD wholeheartedly and reengage his mission, or would they completely turn from the LORD and simply integrate into the population of Canaan? The book of Judges stands as a testimony to this danger that every generation of believers faces. Judges also testifies to the graciousness of God who will continue to raise up Judges to lead Israel even in spite of the unfaithfulness of God’s people.

If our study of Joshua 6 last week was one of triumph and celebration, Joshua 7 explores the costliness and danger of disobedience.
7:1-15 The Failure of Israel

Israel had just celebrated a dramatic victory over Jericho. God had delivered the entire city over to God’s people. However, Joshua 7 begins with an ominous note. The Israelites have broken faith with the LORD. Specifically, verse one tells us that one man — Achan took some of the “devoted things” from Jericho. In Joshua 6, God had commanded that Jericho and its inhabitants be completely destroyed. There was to be no taking of plunder by individuals. Only silver, gold, iron, and bronze was to be preserved as part of the treasury of the LORD. Achan acted alone, but his action damaged the entire community because his sin caused the LORD to become angry with God’s people. God’s people have a mission to fulfill. As we have seen in the previous lessons, the key to their success is the faithful obedience of the whole community.

Achan’s actions were unknown to Joshua and the Israelites so they carried on with their mission. The city of Ai was the next target. In verses 2-5, Joshua follows the same plan as used against Jericho. Spies are deployed. As before, the spies return to Joshua with a favorable report. In fact, the Israelites have grown in boldness and confidence. The spies recommend to Joshua that only two or three thousand people are needed to attack Ai. Joshua follows their advice but instead of victory the Israelites taste a bitter defeat. When the three thousand Israelites encountered the men of Ai, they fled before them. Moreover, thirty-six Israelites fall dead and the rest flee for their lives. Notice the end of verse five: The hearts of the people melted and turned to water. This is an astonishing detail. The Canaanites have now gained the upper hand. In 2:11 and 5:1, we learned that the Canaanite’s hearts had melted before Israel. Now it is Israel who is cowering. This episode is a reminder of the nature of the conflict in the book of Joshua. God is the ultimate decider of this war. It is not about human ability or military power of the sides. God is on a mission to give the land to God’s people as a means of blessing the nations, but for God’s people to succeed, they must practice faithful obedience. They represent a holy God before the nations so they must be holy in their actions.

Verses 6-9 narrate Joshua’s response. He assumes a position of repentance by tearing his clothes, putting dust upon his head, and falling with his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The elders of God’s people join him. Joshua prays fervently. He does not understand the reason for their defeat, but recognizes that the solution is found in God alone. Verse 9 brings Joshua’s lament to a climax. He fears that God’s people will be eliminated and that this will reflect badly on God’s honor before the nations.

In verses 10-15, the LORD answers Joshua’s plea. He commands Joshua to get on his feet. Joshua has work to do. Israel’s failure is the direct result of transgressing God’s covenant through disobedience. God had commanded that everyone and everything in Jericho be devoted to the LORD. Yet Israel had retained some items. This breech in the relationship between God and Israel is serious enough that God refuses to be powerfully present with God’s people unless there is immediate repentance in the form of destroying the items that were taken. God commands Joshua to call the people together in order to identify the person guilty of disobedience. The guilty party along with the stolen items would be destroyed.

Joshua 7:16-26 The Purging of the Community
In obedience to the LORD’s command, Joshua brought together God’s people tribe by tribe. In verses 16-18, the process of identification is conducted methodically. Out of the tribes, Judah is selected. Then out of the clans of Judah, the Zerahites are taken. Then each family of the Zerahites makes its way near Joshua. The family of Zabdi is picked. Then as the members of Zabdi’s family process by Joshua, Achan is identified. God surely knew the actions of Achan and could have informed Joshua without resorting to mustering all Israel. But the effect of the identification process was to emphasize the communal dimension of Israel’s life before the LORD. God’s people exist as a community of faith. The actions of one member affect the corporate witness of the whole. Moreover Achan is part of the tribe of Judah. Judah is the Israelites tribe out of which will arise King David a few centuries later. Yet, the sin of Achan does not blemish the tribe so as to negate its future.

In verses 19-21, Joshua confronts Achan, and Achan confesses his sin. Joshua’s words in v. 19 function as an exhortation to Achan to glorify and praise the LORD by coming clean regarding his offense. The phrase translated “make confession to him” in v. 19 literally reads “give praise to him.” By owning up to his transgression, Achan glorifies and praises God by confessing to the community that God’s actions are just and right. Achan admits fully his guilt. He took a mantle, silver, and gold from Jericho and hid them in the ground under his tent. In v. 21, Achan attributes his actions to covetousness. Achan coveted the devoted items. This led him to break the commands of the LORD. The Ten Commandments warn against coveting (Exod 20:17; Deut 5:21). At its core, to covet is to desire something or someone to which you have no intrinsic right or claim. Achan did not resist his impulse because the mantle was “beautiful” and the gold and silver were valuable.

Before acting further, Joshua sends messengers to confirm Achan’s words by retrieving the devoted items from Achan’s tent (vv. 22-23).

In verses 24-26, Achan, his immediate family, all his possessions, and the stolen items are brought before all Israel in the Valley of Achor. Upon arrival, Joshua pronounces judgment upon Achan and all Israel stones Achan and his family. Israel burns them along with all of their possessions and buries their ashes under a large piles of stones. The heap stands as a witness and warning to the community regarding the costliness of disobedience. The actions of Israel against Achan restore the favor of the LORD. This episode in Israel’s life causes the valley to be named “Achor” which in Hebrew means “trouble.” The judgment pronounced on Achan, which extended to his family as well as to his possessions, was heavy. It stands as a testimony to the seriousness of sin, the costliness of its effects on the community as a whole, and the necessity for God’s people to walk in faithful obedience to the LORD’s commands for the sake of God’s mission. Details matter in our walk of faith.

Josh 8:1-29 Israel’s Obedience and Victory at Ai
Joshua 8:1-29 narrate Israel’s victory over the city of Ai. In vv. 1-2, the LORD charges Joshua to go and capture Ai. God exhorts him to turn away from fear because God has granted Joshua and Israel victory. Joshua is commanded to destroy all the people of Ai as he did at Jericho, but unlike Jericho, Israel is able to keep all the possessions and livestock of Ai. God also orders an ambush as the tactic for capturing the city.

In verses 3-8, Joshua gives details of the battle plan to his army. He will send a detachment of warriors under the cover of darkness to hide near Ai. Then Joshua will approach Ai openly with the remaining forces. When the army of Ai comes out of the city to fight Joshua as they had before, Joshua will withdraw his forces to simulate a retreat. As the men of Ai pursue the retreating men of Joshua, those hiding in ambush will seize the now defenseless city and burn it.

In vv. 9-17, the Israelites carry out the ruse to perfection. After spending the night in camp, Joshua stations a group of 5000 warriors behind the city in ambush. Meanwhile, he led the remaining forces in plain sight against the city of Ai. As expected the king of Ai marched out to meet Joshua in battle. He arrogantly assumed that they would enjoy the same success as before (7:2-5). When the forces of Israel and Ai clashed, Joshua and Israel feigned defeat and began to flee away from Ai. The king of Ai then called for all inhabitants of the city to come out in pursuit of Israel. Verse 17 reports that there was not a man left in the town. The trap was now set.

At that moment (v. 18), the LORD commanded Joshua to stretch out his hand to the city and promises that Joshua will be victorious. Joshua immediately stretches out his hand with his sword pointed toward Ai. Don’t miss the importance of this statement. We have seen in our Bible lesson that God pays attention to details. Joshua does precisely as he was commanded. Our text mentions Joshua’s outstretched hand four times in vv. 18, 19, and 26. This emphasizes Joshua’s obedience and reminds us that the victory’s ultimate cause was God.

As soon as Joshua raised his hand, the soldiers waiting in ambush arose, entered the city, and put it to the flame (v. 19). The men of Ai saw the smoke, but it was too late (v. 20). They were now caught between forces in the open and were annihilated (vv. 22-26). Only the king of Ai was captured alive, and he was brought before Joshua (v. 23).

Verses 27-29 record the aftermath of the battle. They portray Israel in faithful obedience to the word of the LORD. First, God’s people collect the livestock and other treasures from Ai for themselves as God had permitted on this occasion (v. 27). Second, Joshua oversees the destruction of the city of Ai (v. 28). It is burned and turned into a heap of rubble. Our text mentions that it remained a site of destruction to the day of the author of Joshua. Last, Joshua hanged the king of Ai. The LORD had commanded the destruction of all of Ai’s inhabitants. The king had been captured alive. Joshua kills him in obedience to God. He is buried under a pile of stones as a reminder of God’s work at Ai.

Joshua 7:1—8:29 offers two contrasting portraits. This narrative exists to remind God’s people of the costliness of disobedience and spoils of obedience. Israel captures Ai by carefully following the instructions of God. Their victory depends not on their own power or resources but on the graciousness of God who works through the obedience of his people. Achan’s sin stands as a testimony of the grave effects of individual sin on the success of God’s mission through his people.

In Numbers 20:1-12, Moses and Aaron are disqualified from leading Israel into the Promised Land. This text continues to confound interpreters. Here are my thoughts on the text:

1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, “If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4 Why did you bring the LORD’s community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 “Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.”
9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, “Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.”

Num 20:1 Death of Miriam
The book of Numbers consistently reports the itinerary of Israel as it marches and camps in the wilderness between Egypt and Canaan. At this point in Numbers, the Exodus generation is wandering around the desert waiting to die. This happens gradually over the forty years of Israel’s time in the wilderness. The people had chosen rebellion against God over entrance into the promised land. This led to their disqualification.

Miriam was a key leader among God’s people so her death marked a significant passing. Miriam was the sister of Moses and Aaron. Many believe that she was the unnamed sister in Exodus 2:1-10 who followed the baby Moses’ basket and facilitated Pharaoh’s wife’s hiring of Moses’ mother to serve as Moses’ wet nurse. Miriam was recognized as a prophet among the people (Exod 15:20). She led the victory dance and celebration on the eastern banks of the Red Sea following the dramatic crossing and God’s destruction of the Egyptian forces to complete the deliverance of God’s people from Egypt (Exod 15:20-21). In Numbers, she participated with Aaron in a challenge to Moses’ authority (Num 12:1-16). The prophet Micah affirms her importance as an early leader among God’s people by listing her with Moses and Aaron as the three leaders who the LORD set over Israel (Mic 6:4). Sadly, in burial she joined the others of her generation who would not see the promised land. Her death serves as an ominous foreshadowing for the rest of our Scripture lesson.

Num 20:2-5 Water Rebellion
God’s people find themselves in a familiar spot—in the desert with no access to fresh water. Years before they had twice faced the same problem (Exod 15:22-25 and 17:1-7). In both cases, God’s people grumbled against Moses. But each time Moses cried out to the LORD and God provided water for the people. Subsequently, God also provided a steady diet of manna and occasionally quail for the people to eat. The key is that the grumbling of the Israelites makes less and less sense in light of God’s faithfulness to them over the years.

In response to the lack of water, the congregation of Israel gathered against Moses and Aaron. As we have seen in the past lessons, Moses and Aaron receive the brunt of Israel’s grumbling. As leaders, they are blamed for the problems that the community faces.

Verses 3-5 record the content of their complaint. Their words are directed at Moses specifically. Verse 3 records a wish that they would have died in one of the earlier expressions of grumbling. But there is something more insidious. Their complaint associates the LORD only with the death of their kindred. Through grumbling and complaint, Israel has reduced the LORD, the Creator of the World and the deliverer of Israel from Egypt into a killjoy and executioner.

Having marginalized the LORD, they turn to accusations against Moses. These accusations are framed as questions. Both questions place blame on Moses for the community’s troubles. It is Moses’ fault that the people and livestock are dying in the wilderness. It is Moses’ fault that the people are in the wilderness rather than in Egypt. These are words of a demoralized and defeated people who have forgotten their identity and mission. More profoundly, they have forgotten their relationship with the LORD. When we lose trust in the LORD, our grounding disappears. This leads to poor decisions and disobedience. Life is reduced to mere existence rather than a resilient focus on fulfilling God’s mission for God’s people. Israel is reduced through its grumbling to an embittered people who misrepresent God, blame Moses for their problems, and worry only about their next meal. All of this occurred despite the LORD’s ongoing faithfulness to them and daily provision of food.

Num 20:6-8 The LORD’s Provision
Moses and Aaron immediately respond in their typical fashion. In the face of grumbling and complaining, they turn to the LORD for help (v. 6). They withdraw from the congregation and fall on their faces in humble submission before the entrance of the Tabernacle. The LORD’s powerful presence appears before them.

Verses 7-8 record the LORD’s response. The LORD orders Moses and Aaron to take the staff that they have carried since returning to Egypt to rescue God’s people and assemble the people before them. They are then to command a rock to produce water. This act will provide enough water for all the people and their livestock.

The LORD continues to provide the necessities of life to Israel. There is no hint that God is angry. The LORD remains gracious and merciful.

Num 20:9-11 Moses and Aaron Provide Water
Moses takes the staff in obedience to commandment of the LORD (v. 9). Faithful obedience has been a hallmark of Moses’ leadership since answering God’s call in Exodus 3-4.

Verses 10-11 record the actions and words of Moses and Aaron. In accordance with God’s commands, they assemble the people before a rock. At this point, Moses interjects a rhetorical question: Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock? Moses then took the staff, struck the rock twice, and watched the water pour out of it for the people and their livestock.

Num 20:12-13 The LORD Rebukes
Everything may have appeared fine to God’s people. They had received water. Moses and Aaron were probably relieved that another crisis had been averted. But there was one character in the story, who was not pleased—God. The LORD responds to the actions of Moses and Aaron in a way that has confounded many Bible readers. The LORD disqualifies both from leading the people into Canaan. They will die in the Wilderness just as the rest of the Exodus generation (with the exception of Joshua and Caleb).

What did Moses and Aaron do in this episode that justified their disqualification from leading the people into Canaan? Our text reads Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites…. The LORD suggests that Moses and Aaron through their actions did not represent the LORD well before the people.

There are multiple possibilities at play here in this text. First, Moses calls the people “rebels” (v. 11). We are left to judge the tone that Moses used when he spoke to the Israelites. Regardless, God does not deploy this language to describe God’s people. Moreover, God does not appear to view this episode as a rebellion. The only persons punished on this occasion are Moses and Aaron. The people’s desire for water was a legitimate one. Perhaps Moses and Aaron are disqualified for making a rash pronouncement on God’s people. They had endured the grumbling and complaining for too long in the wilderness and simply had enough. The Psalmist in 106:32-33 understands Moses’ failure in terms of his speech: [God’s people] angered the LORD at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account; for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke words that were rash. But by acting in this manner, Moses claimed as his own the LORD’s role as judge.

Second, Moses deploys “we” language when addressing the Israelites. The implication of his words shall we bring water for you out of this rock? was that he and Aaron had usurped the LORD role as Israel’s source of provision in the Wilderness. Moses and Aaron did not bring water out of the rock for Israel—God did. By using “we” language instead of crediting God, Moses and Aaron missed an opportunity for the LORD to demonstrate his power, grace, and mercy before a watching world. The world did not need more miracle working religious leaders—it needed a true encounter with the Living God. Moses’ words were particularly ill chosen given the words of the people in verses 4-5 where they blame Moses for bringing them out of Egypt. They have already forgotten the LORD. Moses’ words do nothing to call them back to faith.

Last, Moses deviates from the expressed plan of the LORD. God had ordered Moses to take the staff in his hand and command the rock verbally to pour out water. Instead, Moses takes the staff and strikes the rock twice without saying any words. In Exod 17:1-7, God had commanded Moses to strike a rock with his staff as the means for bringing out its water. Perhaps Moses’ moving beyond the LORD’s expressed commands was the cause of the disqualification. God’s people needed to learn faithful obedience, and Moses and Aaron as leaders needed to serve as standard bearers of such a life.

The LORD also diagnoses Moses and Aaron as having a lack of faith: because you did not trust in me. They did not trust the LORD to do what was right. From this angle, perhaps we do not need to choose from among the above three observations as the reason for the LORD’s anger at Moses and Aaron and instead see all of their actions as a demonstration of a lack of faith in the LORD’s ability to respond adequately to the grumblings and complaining of God’s people. If we do not trust God to act, who will we trust? Generally, we turn to ourselves and trust our own actions. As this story shows, a reliance on self apart from a life of faithful obedience to the LORD is a risk not worth taking.

One of the key roles of spiritual leadership is live so that the LORD gets the credit and glory. John the Baptist modeled this. After Jesus’ baptism as the crowds moved away from John and flocked to Jesus, John confounded his own followers by saying this of Jesus: He who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:29-30). There is no room for self-aggrandizement in God’s kingdom. God’s mission is to bring wholeness, hope, and reconciliation to the world. The LORD has chosen to use a peculiar people—the people of God—as agents of this mission. Leadership must model the necessity of always serving as clues to the mystery of God. Our lives must point to the LORD and not merely bring fame to ourselves. This was the error of Moses and Aaron in their lapse of judgment, but with the salvation of the world in balance, there was no margin for missteps.

What do you think?

Failure is part of life. It throttles some; it unleashes others. Want to succeed. Learn to use failure as a stepping stone to success. Check out the video:

What lessons are here for missional leadership? Is the Christ following movement afraid to fail?

When was the last time that you were passionate about the life that God is calling you to live?

Last Spring, I acted on a longstanding desire to learn to surf. I had been body surfing and body boarding for most of the last twenty years. But I was always keenly interested in riding the waves standing up. I am nearing 40 years of age now so I figured it was now or never.

I purchased two boards: one for my daughters and one for my wife and me. We took the boards to the beach in the north Cocoa Beach area of Florida and began the process of learning to surf.
It was not easy. At least, it wasn’t easy for me. My daughters were able to stand up immediately and begin to ride waves. I think that I fell 40 times before finally getting my feet under me and experiencing the raw, sublime power of the ocean propelling me toward the shore.

It was a life-changing moment. I knew instantly why grown women and men leave jobs at the drop of hat when the word gets out that good waves are present. I understood why otherwise responsible adults head for the coastline as storms approach in search of a big wave. There is nothing quite like surfing. I love to talk to friends about my experiences.

But a peculiar twist occurs in most of my conversations with others about surfing. No matter how I describe the pleasures and sheer joy of surfing. No matter how well I share the sense of oneness with creation or the powerful rush of the primordial waters. People tend to have a different question on their minds: BRIAN, AREN’T YOU AFRAID OF SHARKS?

Isn’t this an interesting shift? But its all too human. Fear prevents most of us from experiencing the life that God dreamed for us when we were created. Even Christ followers gravitate to the path of least resistance. How do we break out of the stifling grip of fear? It takes a reality altering moment of transformation. Catching my first wave changed me. Of course I have no desire to be chewed up by a hungry shark, but when I’m in the ocean, I am not worrying about sharks (and I’ve never seen one). When I am surfing, I am in the ocean to catch waves. Period.

Jesus’ death on the cross and God the Father’s action of raising the Son from the dead on the third day is the ultimate game changer in Creation. Through Jesus’ sacrificial death for sin, suffering and injustice and his resurrection for the sake of God’s ultimate victory, we can now make sense of the past because the future of Creation is guaranteed. Thus, we can now live purposively and courageously for God’s mission in the present.

Jesus’ call becomes a call to live free as the people whom we were created to be. We can live unfettered by the fears that rob the masses from true life. We live as dead men and women walking.

When we (re)align our lives in light of God’s game changing actions in the life, death, and resurrection, our lives become paradoxical. We learn to relish risk. We begin to fill more alive because we are dead to the world. We understand profoundly that our future is utterly secure because of what Jesus has already accomplished. This unleashes us to be free in the present. We live purposefully and courageously in the present.

We learn the truth of sayings such as:
“One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” Andre Gide

“A ship in harbor is safe — but that is not what ships are built for.” William Shedd

I’ve begun to understand what this life looks like by learning to surf:
1) The only way to surf is to leave the safety of the shoreline.
2) To get to the waves you have to paddle through the breakers.
3) After a wipeout, you simply paddle back out and catch another wave.
4) Stormy weather can bring the best waves.
5) Every wave is different, but even the perfect one does not last forever.
6) Surfers are passionate about surfing — they live to surf.
When was the last time that you were truly passionate about the life that God is calling you to live.

(Re)Aligning for the Future of God’s Dreams

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” C. S. Dream

The future looks different when we are (re)aligned with God missional dreams.
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” George Bernard Shaw, writer

God is looking for women and men who are unreasonable in the sense that we are captured and committed to God’s dreams—we are unwilling to settle for the stifling of the status quo whenever we are called anew and afresh by Jesus into the world on mission.

What are you afraid of? What is keeping you from pursuing the missional dreams of God for your life? What would it mean for you today to take the initial step?

© 2008 Brian D. Russell

Leadership for Life

My wife and I desire for our daughters to grow fully into the women whom God created them to be. As part of their education, I am teaching and modeling (hopefully) leadership for them.

I agree with John Maxwell that “leadership is influence.” I understand influence to be the effect of our words, actions, attitude, and demeanor on other people and situations. During walks and meals with my girls, we regularly reflect on what godly influence looks like.

Here are some of the principles and maxims that we are working on:

1) Good manners are the lubricant of a civil society. The power of “please” “excuse me” and “thank you.”

2) Courage is the key that opens the door to the future of God’s dreams.

3) Success is more related to a journey and effort than a destination.
Wooden “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to do your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” And “Never try to be better than anyone else, but never stop trying to be the best you can be.”

4) Fail Forward. Failure is a means to ultimate success rather than the end of one’s dreams.

5) Character counts.
“Character is destiny.” Heraclitus

6) Cultivate, maintain, and project a positive attitude.
“Positive thinking won’t let you do anything, but it will let you do everything better than a negative attitude.” Zig Ziglar.

“Our life is what our thoughts make it.” Marcus Aurelius

“The most important lesson I have ever learned is the stupendous importance of what we think. If I knew what you think, I would know what you are, for your thoughts make you what you are. By changing our thoughts, we can change our lives.” And “Am I advocating a Pollyanna attitude toward all our problems? No. Unfortunately life isn’t that simple. But I am advocating—in the strongest of terms—that we assume a positive attitude instead of a negative attitude.” Dale Carnegie

7) Humility. Think of others before you think of yourself.

8 ) Add value to all people and all situations. Be known as a giver rather than as a taker. Build up; don’t tear down. Replenish; don’t deplete. Don’t criticize or take away unless you have a better solution that you are willing to invest the time and energy to make happen.

9) Gratitude. Live life as if it were a gift. Learn to say, “Thank you.”

10) Own Up to Your Mistakes. Don’t make excuses. Learn to apologize honestly and alter your life to avoid the mistake in the future.

What else would you add?

© 2008 Brian D. Russell