Joshua's Arm Cramp

April 7, 2009

Today's Reading: Joshua 7-8 and Proverbs 30

Yesterday I discussed the possibility of what would happen if all those armies of the Israelites didn’t keep their mouths shut as they walked around the walls of Jericho.

Most of us like the aspect of doing something for God and God does something for us. It is a nice dependable system that we can bank on. Unfortunately, I’ve found that God has a lot of grace and gives something to us even if we don’t deserve it. Not only that, doing good things is no guarantee that we are going to get anything either.

There is something that happened today in the book of Joshua that I found interesting. It occurs when Joshua and his armies win the battle of Ai. Part of the victory seems to stem from the fact that Joshua held out his javelin, and this seems to turn the tide of battle into a complete slaughter.

What isn’t said in this story is the story of Hallah. Hallah is a good guy, who sadly believed the other ten spies and had to walk forty years with the rest of them. In this time, he and his wife had four kids. He was always faithful to his wife, and his oldest daughter is about to have her first child, his first grandchild.

Hallah spent some time marching with the Israelites when the walls of Jericho fell. He saw some action after the walls fell, but it was pretty easy to win the battle after that. There was a rush of adrenaline mixed with fear, and it happened again at Ai. Hallah was one of the lucky ones that survived, despite of what Achan did.

Then, the second time he was on the battlefield at Ai, an enemy soldier blindsided him with a spear, and Hallah faced his death on the battlefield. He was mourned by his wife and four children, and his first grandchild was born shortly afterward in a bittersweet moment.

Who is Hallah? Where is he mentioned in Scripture? He is not there. I just made him up.

So how did Hallah die? Oh, at one point, Joshua got a little tired and relaxed his arm that was holding his javelin. As a result, there was a “hiccup” on the battlefield. It cost poor Hallah his life. It is similar to what happened in the one battle where Moses had to hold up his arms to win the battle. Fortunately, Aaron and Hur were there to hold up his arms, and so the tide of the war was turned. Sadly, many lives were lost in that interim period.

So what is my point? Perhaps that there are occasions where giving into the desires of the flesh for an instant can cost a life, or many lives. Hopefully, you won’t be put in that position for too long, but please give you full strength when that time comes.