Joshua 8:30-35 (NASB)

³⁰ Then Joshua built an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel in Mount Ebal,

³¹ just as Moses, the servant of the LORD had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones, on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.

³² And he wrote there on the stones a copy of the Law of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel.

³³ And all Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both side of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the LORD had given command at first to bless the people of Israel.

³⁴ Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

³⁵ There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Jushua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them.

Theme: Two Elements of Israel’s worship in the land which parallel our priorities in corporate worship so we might properly enter into it.

I. The worship in offerings – vv. 30-31

a. Joshua builds the altar to the LORD

1. To the LORD, the God of Israel – v. 30a
2. Location is “in” or “on” Mount Ebal – v. 30b
3. According to the command of Moses – v. 31a
4. Of uncut stones – v. 31b

b. Israel makes the offerings to the LORD

1. Burnt offerings – v. 31c
2. Peace offerings – v. 31c

II. Worship in receiving God’s Word: Three critical parts – vv. 32-35

a. Copying the Law – v. 32
b. Centrality of the ark – V. 33
C. Covenant renewal – priority of reading the Law – vv. 34-35

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Joshua 8:1-9 (NASB)

¹ Now the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear or be dismayed. Take all the people of war with you and arise, go up to Ai; see, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, his people, his city, and his land.

² You shall do to Ai and its king just as you did to Jericho and its king; you shall take only its spoil and its cattle as plunder for yourselves. Set an ambush for the city behind it.”

³ So Joshua rose with all the people of war to go up to Ai; and Joshua chose 30,000 men, valiant warriors, and sent them out at night.

⁴ He commanded them, saying, “See, you are going to ambush the city from behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you be ready.

⁵ Then I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out to meet us as at the first, we will flee before them.

⁶ They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are fleeing before us as at the first.’ So we will flee before them.

⁷ And you shall rise from your ambush and take possession of the city, for the Lord your God will deliver it into your hand.

⁸ Then it will be when you have seized the city, that you shall set the city on fire. You shall do it according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.”

⁹ So Joshua sent them away, and they went to the place of ambush and remained between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai; but Joshua spent that night among the people.

Introduction:

Review:

Theme: Four blessings of obedience to the LORD so you might recognize the joy of His help.

I. Encouragement from the LORD v. 1

1. The LORD’s prohibition
2. The LORD’s provision
3. The LORD’s promise

II. Direction from the LORD v. 2

1. Regarding the city and its king
2. Regarding the spoils of war
3. Regarding the battle plan

III. Confidence in the LORD vv. 7b-8

1. Communicating the LORD’s promise v. 7b
2. Communicating the LORD’s commandment v. 8

IV. Victory from the LORD v. 18

1. The LORD commands Joshua to signal for the attack v. 18a
2. The LORD restates His promise to deliver over Ai v. 18b

Conclusion:

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