More about Joshua- My House

When do you know God is involved? At times God can seem like a whisp. At time's at least, this faithful misfit wonders where God is and when that happens along come the undercurrents: have I just imagined this God thing? Was it any more than a gas bubble? Have I surrounded myself with other wishful thinkers... we're all just confirming the illusion one to another...like lemmings in a dark room hoping for a light that will never come? Doubt, faith's ugly sister, comes a courting at times.

Yet at the same time there are moments in life that seem to be so infused with God's presence. He appears like a line of Gold thread in a blue sweater or the way cream mixes with coffee. In an instant there is change... evidence. The problem is that while God is fleetingly found in the moment the evidence seems more real looking behind. I am better at seeing God's handiwork in the way the myriad of past events seem to flow so smoothly than in the trials and tribulations of today.

My bible tells me that the story of Joshua is both historical and a theological reflection. Joshua, the leader of the Israelites, blazes into the promiseland. He is recounted, much like Moses, uplifting the law, challenging the Israelites to covenant , and even in one stunning event in chapter 5, Joshua has a vision. "Once when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, "Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?" He replied, "Neither; but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and he said to him, " What do you command of your servant, my lord?" The commander of the army of the Lord said to Joshua, "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy." (5:13-15) Echos, no scratch that, almost duplication of Moses. The book seems to pass on the torch. As my editors note reveal, "the promises made to Moses and the ancestors are now becoming fulfilled und Joshua." God has not been silent.

Yet even the editorial notes reveal that this book of the bible was probably written some time after the events. It makes one suspicious, as Obama spoke of Biden, of it making editorial flourishes. It may be but what about this post event understanding. Was it written trying to shore up a marginal leader or to make theological sense of the Israelites entry into the promiseland? For the writer (s) they saw that God had been true to his promise... the challenge as it is repeated through out the book of Joshua is either God or Joshua exhorting the people to remain faithful. As it seems to appear in cycles the people are told to be faithful, the people swear obedience (as they have done in the selection for the 9th) and through out the book it is not the people, but their faithfulness that determines their success. God does not want their power... it is not enough... God wants to be their power... and like the 4th man in a baton race he demonstrates his power but only when it has been handed off to Him.

As in this weeks reading the vision shows God's wearing of peoples like a loose blanket. Joshua throws back in the peoples face their half measure commitment... the angel in the vision is neither one of Joshua's people or one of his adversaries. The angel's fealty is only to God and as an agent he calls Joshua and the Israelites to that same fealty. It appears that God is not intersted in luke warm (no pun intended about the gospel) Israelites. God seems to want them completely... maybe even with jealosy. So like the angel who is the agent of none it could be possible in this weeks reading that God stands in the middle of the paint waiting to see what the peoples descision will be. If his people bring half heartedness God swats it out of play... If the choose to turn it over to him he turns and dunks it home.

Now some might have difficulty with the OT. Certainly there are some in our culture and this time that seek to dismiss the OT. I mean after all through out the story of Joshua we have a people at war. There is conflict, difficutly, and one people being led by God to overcome another people. This kind of event conflicts with persons understanding... at least as it has presented by some in Christianity, in a God of love. Bloodshed, war, does not fit in easily with the Gospel of Love. We're not the first to struggle with the OT at times. In fact this difficulty with the OT has led some to challenge the canon or even the inclusion of the OT as part of what we should hold as Christians. In the second century there was a son of a Bishop.. and that is kind of fun to say from the pulpit... son of a Bishop Marcion who himself became a bishop. He came to the conclusion in the second century that as a church we should jettison the OT as not neccesary to our salvation because it contained the worship of a lesser God Yahweh. Marcion held that in Jesus we are introduced to the God of love so we really only need to focus on the Gospels... and for Marcion it was the Gospel of Luke. Eventually the church disagreed with the truth that Marcion was offering and he was excommunicated. His teaching was understood as a Heresy or theological error. The church held that the OT was neccesary... even if at times we may scratch our head about it. Our own church certainly holds it in high regard... at the consecration of a Bishop, the ordination of a priest, and the ordination of a deacon, they all "solemnly declare that the bishop, or priest, or deacon do believe the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the Word of God and to contain all things necessary to salvation." So if we believe that God has helped form and maintain this church we least have to wrestle with the claim that the Old Testament contains God's word...ie we need to hear it to become attuned to Gods call on our lives. Now I don't think we should just take the OT claims because the church says we should. After all what Joshua reveals is that God, as a God of Love, is understood to be very active in what appears to be retributive events. Can this God be found as well in the NT? Do we have any evidence that this God who appears to knock weak game out of the court in the gospels? Does God as evidenced in Jesus Christ show up?

I think to a certain extent this rough and tumble God shows up. Jesus is not placid. I imagine at times he was quite serene. I also believe he had a wonderful sense of humor .I also believe he had the ability to love his creation in ways that surpass even our best. I also note that I would not want to be in his way, if he saw difficulty or falsity. In those situations Jesus is rough like the angel appearing with a drawn sword. His actions reveal he was not afraid to show he was not with one or another but only with those as they were seeking the kingdom of God. Certainly, Jesus knocked the rich mans weak game out of the court. Certainly when the pharisees and lawyers kept coming at him with their understanding of law over salvation or righteous behavior over mercy they experienced a defense that itself was merciless. At one point Jesus response was so sound the gospels reveal... No one asked him questions anymore. And before we think that Jesus defense was only directed at Jesus opponents we can not forget the moment when Peter almost laughs off Jesus statement about having to die before being raised, you can almost see Jesus rise to 8 feet tall and devore Peter telling him "Get behind me satan" Swat! Not in my house, Peter.

God wants us to offer ourselves to him but he wants all of us. He wants us to grow/develop/ see beyond the shackles of our foolish beliefs or ways of living which lead not to life but death.

Next time- The power of intervention as evidence of God's duel role in the paint

My House!

"You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him."

Joshua is no pansy. He is not weak. He is not afraid of upsetting people's applecart. He has a passion to serve God and is intent on calling others not only to the reward but also the challenge of doing so. If nothing else he certainly is not worried that they might become upset and walk out. Church's should pay heed...not that we want people to leave but that we should not hold the power of God hostage (even if that were possible) for fear that some might find it too daunting.

Obviously I am wrestling with something here. I know what it is like to waffle. I know what it is like to wonder if a message will be received if not by the church than my colleagues. The truth be told I am envious of Joshua's passion and conviction. Here he his in the midst of his people. He is speaking to them as adults. He, without apology, offers them a crossroads. He is not pleading with them telling them "no, no don't go down that path of idolatry or chasing false God's." He is not trying to convince them "See our Lord is good... follow him" He simply and passionately makes a crossroad apparent... whom will you serve? Followed by that oft quoted line that hangs in so many Christian houses, "Me and my house serve the Lord."

And then the people ponder... HMMMMMMMMM... and they even reply well "yes we must respect the Lord. After all he has saved us/ lead us out of slavery/did great signs/went out before us etc, etc" "yes," they say "we will serve the Lord." And then it gets interesting.

Joshua then lays it out. Although he does not say it, Joshua tells the crowd that God will not be mocked. Joshua lets them know that God plays for keeps. It is as if the crowd there is playing basketball. They think they are driving the lane on some gauky and gangly seventh grader who would rather be anywhere else than the basketball court. The crowd may even think that God is on there side... did He not deliver them from all their distress? They think that God is driving the lane with them... then Joshua reverses the scene...



They are not playing against some mambee pambee pimply 7th grader but Kevin Garnett, Marcus Camby or Dwayne Wade. God stands there in the middle of the lane and asks "Don't bring your weak game to me because if you do, I'm going to swat it out of here."

What makes the scene interested is that Joshua... in caring for the people... challanges them to A.) realize that God has stayed true to His Covenant and B.) understand that to choose God is a commitment.