Israel has now wandered in the Sinai Desert (the Desert of Sin) for 40 years while the Lord killed off the guilty generation. Now we find Joshua preparing to lead the Israelites into the land God had promised their father Abraham many generations earlier. In preparation for entering the Promised Land God gave Joshua a set of instructions concerning what Israel was to do once they arrived. His commands were to be followed with exactness, as is the case in all of His doctrines. One of His orders was to push EVERY inhabitant of Canaan out of the land Israel was to occupy. Not one Canaanite would be allowed to stay in the designated area. Israel was to then remain geographically segregated from the heathen (Gentiles) nations that would border them on three sides, the Mediterranean Sea forming the western border. Israel was to have nothing to do with their neighbors on a spiritual or social basis for God knew that leaven leavens the loaf. If Israel associated with Satan’s people they would embrace their gods and their lifestyles. Therefore all Gentiles had to go. Those who refused to leave were to be killed. The following two incidents are recorded in the Book of Joshua.

To expedite their entrance into the Holy Land, God caused the Jordan River to stop flowing which enabled Israel to cross on dry land. Before them stood the mighty walled city of Jericho. Before attacking the city God gave Israel specific instructions as to what and what not to do. All went well until a man named Achan disobeyed Him on ONE point. Because of this Israel was defeated in battle by a tiny hamlet called Ai. After a day of fasting God revealed Achan’s sin to Joshua and the nation. Achan and his family were stoned to death, burned and buried under a pile of rocks.

Following this incident, Israel moved farther inland, forcing those living there to flee. Over time Joshua grew tired which caused him to lower his guard for a moment. As a result he was deceived by a group of people into allowing them to remain where they were. They had lied to him by telling him that they lived outside Israel’s territory. Failing to consult God, Joshua found himself bound by his word. Because of Joshua’s sin, Israel was forced to not only allow a heathen people to remain within the borders of Israel, but also to protect them from their enemies, which she was forced to do shortly thereafter.

In the 13th chapter of First Kings we find the story of a prophet whom the Lord had sent to Israel’s King Jeroboam with a message. The Lord strictly instructed the prophet that, once he had fulfilled his mission he was to return immediately following the exact same route he had taken to Bethel. His instructions were exact and were to be followed without exception. However, after delivering his message to the king the messenger was persuaded to have a meal with a man who lived in the area. For his error God sent a lion to kill him.

In Second Samuel 13 we find King Saul, having won a victory in battle, refusing to wait for God’s prophet to arrive who would make a sacrifice to the Lord. Instead, Saul entered into the ministerial role and performed the sacrifice himself. The result of his sin was the ending of his family monarchy, the death of himself and his sons and the establishment of David as Israel’s king.

Why does God punish both individuals and nations? DISOBEDIENCE TO HIS WORD. Church doctrine holds that under the New Covenant God no longer punishes church sinners, but rather covers their sins with grace. That is what man says about Him. But what does He say about Himself? “I am the Lord, I change not” (Mal. 3:6). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8). In Him there is no shadow of turning (Jam. 1:17). Considering His unchanging nature, what will be the end of those in the Institutional Church who refuse to believe and obey His Words concerning Satan’s Sabbath, Christmas and Easter, salvation and rebirth, the rapture, denominations, the Law, heaven, original sin, etc? For the answer see the above. L.J.