This Week in Deeper

Holden Lane

Deeper Student Ministries is a student ministry based in Athens, Tennessee. Our goal is to see students build an ongoing and life-long relationship with Jesus Christ! Our student ministry is build on 4 pillars. Every Student, Build Strong Families, Teamwork makes the Dream Work, and the Bible is our Source! This podcast is a way to connect to our ministry and we hope that it is beneficial to you!

  1. Ep.46 "Woodcutters and Water Carriers"

    02/23/2021

    Ep.46 "Woodcutters and Water Carriers"

    For the Israelites to break a covenant, even one that was made under the pretense of a lie, would’ve been disobedient and would incur God’s anger. The text specifically notes here that the Israelites had failed to consult God in this matter. There were several red flags in play here that the Israelites should’ve picked up on. For one, why would people from a distant land try to make a peace treaty with a nation not technically in charge of really anything yet. At this point they had only won a handful of battles and not necessarily at the point of making international treaties just yet. What truly motivated the Gibeonites was survival and fear of the Lord, God of Israel. Which becomes apparent in verse 9-11 which says, They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 1and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon the king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, who lived in Ashtaroth. So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, ‘Take provisions in your hand for the journey and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants. Come now, make a covenant with us.” ’ Because the name of the Lord your God. Just as the Fear of God drove Rahab, it had driven the Gibeonites. An interesting parallel here is that the Gibeonites came to Joshua seeking a treaty because of the NAME of the Lord, your God. They feared the God of the Israelites and therefore called on His name. The prophet Joel wrote “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Joel 2:32 Therefore Joshua and the leaders, without consulting God, made a covenant with people who lived in the land of Canaan. While they did call on the name of the Lord, The Gibeonites brought ungodly influence into the community of Israel. This covenant also made it Israels responsibility to defend the Gibeonites in battle which raised their level of responsibility in the land. This should serve as a reminder to us today that we should never do anything in life without first making it a matter of prayer.

    11 min
  2. Ep.45 "Plunder"

    02/22/2021

    Ep.45 "Plunder"

    Jericho was a relatively small city by comparison to what we might think of as a city today, a lap around the city was a whopping 1.24 miles. But the walls were at least 12 feet tall and at some points up to 30 feet tall and around 20 feet thick. The city was fortified and served as a shelter for not just the residents of Jericho, but for the surrounding countrysides as well. The city of Jericho was considered invincible, and was though to be protected by Canaanite gods. Jericho had a reputation for being the strongest city in the region, which is why it was a key starting point for Joshua and the Israelites. It would be a statement win for God to topple the mighty Jericho. We understand from the passage that the people of Israel essentially watched as the Lord destroyed the city walls. Only Rahab the prostitute and all of her household was spared in the destruction of the city as the Israelites destroyed the city by fire. All that they kept went into the Lords treasury After the stunning upset victory at Jericho, Israel then took aim at their next battle, which was the small town of Ai. The only problem is that, the Lord is angry with the people because Achan had stolen some of what was supposed to be devoted to God. God was not with the Israelite warriors when they went to battle the small town of Ai. It was so small in fact that Joshua’s intelligence advised that he only send a couple thousand men. Joshua decided to add to that number and sent 3,000 men. They were routed by the men of Ai and about 36 Israelite mighty men were killed in the battle. The people of Israel were devastated, and terrified. Not only had they lost the battle, but they lost after Joshua added to the number of warriors… Joshua was also devastated. He thought that this battle signified the end of his leadership. In his mind the people had lost all momentum from their big defeat of Jericho. After all if the Israelites couldn’t defeat the small town of Ai, then they were no match for stronger Canaanite cities, and those people would be encouraged to fight against the Israelites. So Joshua turned to God.

    12 min

About

Deeper Student Ministries is a student ministry based in Athens, Tennessee. Our goal is to see students build an ongoing and life-long relationship with Jesus Christ! Our student ministry is build on 4 pillars. Every Student, Build Strong Families, Teamwork makes the Dream Work, and the Bible is our Source! This podcast is a way to connect to our ministry and we hope that it is beneficial to you!