Joshua 7:8-12 - What are you doing down on your face?

7:8,9

As well as feeling sorry for himself, Joshua also expresses some concern for God’s name. Is this genuine concern? Who knows. When we are in a mess it can be very difficult to know which of our thoughts and emotions are genuine and which are not. We should remember that we are saved by grace, by Christ’s goodness, not any goodness of our own.

7:10-12

The Lord commands Joshua to stand up and stop being on his face. The matter was very simple, Israel had sinned against God in taking some of the devoted things. The devoted things were devoted to destruction, and by holding on to them, Israel made herself equally liable to destruction. This was the reason that Israel was now being defeated. All this was actually good news. For if Israel repented and put the matter right then the situation would change. As the church we should not be afraid to talk about sin. Our nation is in a complete mess, but if, as a nation (starting with the church) we repent and turn to God things will start to get sorted out.