少儿圣经故事:约书亚的故事(4)/Story of Joshua(4)

??Joshua stood alone, his eyes and his mind fixed 1 on the city of Jericho. Jericho was very quiet and still now, for the people had heard how the God of Israel had opened up the Jordan River for His people to cross over. And when they heard, all of them were very afraid of Israel. So now the gates of the city of Jericho were shut. No one came in, and no one went out. Joshua looked at those high strong city walls. Perhaps he was wondering how his army would ever get past them into the city.

??Suddenly Joshua realized he was not alone! There to his side stood a man who also resembled a commander of an army, and he had his sword drawn 2 as if ready to fight!Bravely Joshua, the commander of the armies of Israel, challenged him：“Are you for us, or for our enemies？” “No, ” the stranger answered, “I have come as Commander of the LORD’S army!” Joshua needed no more information! Immediately the commander of Israel’s armies fell on his face to the earth and worshipped the Commander of the LORD’s armies! “What does my Lord have to say to his servant？” Joshua humbly 3 asked. Joshua was then told to take off his shoes for he was standing 4 on holy ground.

??Do you think Joshua obeyed？But Who was this Commander of the LORD’s armies？What was His name？??Boys and girls, it was JESUS! Even though he looked like a man, He was actually the Lord Jesus Christ. Does that surprise you'sometimes we think that Jesus began as a baby that first Christmas. But no, Jesus is God. He was there with God when the world was created. There are times throughout the Old Testament 5 of the Bible when Jesus appeared for different reasons. In the New Testament Jesus came into the world as a baby. Do you know what reason He had for coming at that time？Our sin was the reason Jesus came. God says all those mean things we say to others, those mean things we even THINK about others, and the wrong things we do to others, all keep us away from God and His wonderful Heavenly home. Our sin is like a great big debt that we owe, but cannot pay. And yet, God tells us over and over how much He loves us and wants us with Him forever. But Who could possibly pay for our sin, so we COULD be allowed in Heaven？It could only be God’s perfect Son, the Lord Jesus.

??Do you remember how He paid for our sin？Did He give money？No, the Bible says in Colossians 1：20, “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross…” Jesus willingly gave His life & His precious blood as payment for our sin. Three days after Jesus died, He came alive again and later went back to Heaven. Is Jesus still alive in Heaven？YES! The Bible says, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever!”

??The same Jesus Who died so your sins could be forgiven is the same Jesus Who appeared many years before to Commander Joshua.

??As Commander of the LORD’s armies, Jesus had come to assure Joshua of victory.

??Joshua would have an invisible army, the strongest and biggest of all, helping 6 him! The Lord Jesus began to explain to Joshua the battle plan for defeating Jericho：“See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with the king and all the mighty 7 men. Now, the plan is this：You are to march around the city once a day for 6 days, with your soldiers, seven priests with trumpets 8, and the priests who carry the ark of the covenant 9. Now the 7 priests will blow their trumpets as they march, but the rest of you will not make a sound, not a word!

??Until the seventh day!” Boys and girls, did you get those instructions？Well, Commander Joshua did! And he was very careful to obey those instructions! He knew they could only have victory over their enemy through God’s power, and that power came through careful obedience 10 to God’s Word! Joshua knew that, and that is why he was careful to listen and obey in every detail!

??So early in the morning, the first parade began! Do you think the people of Jericho were trembling and watching from somewhere on the wall？No doubt many were watching, as thousands of tightlipped soldiers began to march, then here came the priests blowing the trumpets continually, and then the ark of the Lord carried by 4 priests, and then thousands more Israeli soldiers. The people of Jericho were probably greatly relieved as they saw this strange parade return to their camp after marching around their city. “Ahhh, ” they might have said. “They probably see they have no way of getting past our very strong wall!” The very next day, the same thing happened over again! The 3rd day, the exact thing again. As the long parade ended on the 4th day, perhaps the army of Jericho was feeling a little less afraid. After all, the army of Israel still couldn’t get past their great wall! But what was it the people of Jericho COULD NOT see？The invisible army of Heaven! Can God’s army get past that wall？Romans 8：31 says, “If God be for us, who can be against us？” Joshua and his army just kept right on marching and obeying because Joshua knew he could only have victory over Jericho through God’s power! Joshua may not have understood all about the strange marching instructions, but he knew Israel could only have victory over Jericho through God’s power.

??Let’s leave Joshua as they begin their 5th day of marching. Joshua and his soldiers might have wondered why God wanted them to march around the city so many times. Why not just once？??If you know the Lord Jesus, you may wonder why you have to battle the same sin over and over. You may be staying close to God by praying and reading and obeying the Bible, but time after time you face the same temptations. Don’t give up! The same power God gave you to overcome the first time, He will give you again and again.

??Joshua was being careful to follow the counsel he was given when God first chose him to lead the people of Israel. Do you remember what that counsel was？Joshua was to know and obey God’s Word! Was He doing that？Yes! Will he have victory？We have to wait a few days to see, but I think you know by now!

??约书亚在靠近耶利哥城的地方独自站着, 他的眼目和心思都注意在耶利哥城。耶利哥 城现在很安静, 那里的人已经听说神使约但河的水断绝, 成为干地, 使以色列人过了河。 他们一听说这件事, 心里都很害怕。现在, 耶利哥的城门紧紧地关着, 没有人出入。约 书亚看着那高大的城墙。也许他在想, 怎样才能攻破它呢？

??突然, 约书亚意识到他旁边有一个人。那人手里有拔出来的刀, 好像准备要打仗。 约书亚鼓足勇气, 问他说：“你是帮助我们呢？还是帮助我们敌人呢？”他回答说：“不 是的, 我来是要作耶和华军队的元帅。”约书亚不需要再问了。这位以色列军队的元 帅马上俯伏在地, 向耶和华军队的元帅下拜, 说：“我主有什么话吩咐仆人？”这个人 让约书亚把脚上的鞋脱下来, 因为他所站的地方是圣地。约书亚照着行了吗？谁是耶 和华军队的元帅呢？他叫什么名字呢？

??小朋友们, 这个人就是我们的主耶稣。你是不是觉得奇怪？有时我们以为耶稣第 一次来到世上是两千年前的那个圣诞节。其实, 耶稣就是神。在神创造这个世界以前 , 他就与神在一起。在旧约圣经中, 耶稣因为不同的原因曾几次出现。在新约中, 耶稣 作为一个婴儿进入这个世界。你知道他为什么来吗？是为了我们的罪。神说我们说过 别人的坏话, 甚至只是脑子里想一想的坏事, 我们作的错事, 使我们远离神和那美丽的 天堂。我们的罪就象一笔我们负不起的债。但神一次又一次地告诉我们, 他爱我们, 他 要我们与他永远在一起。但是, 谁能付清我们的罪债呢？只有神完美的儿子：耶稣基督。

??他是怎样付我们的罪债呢？用钱吗？不是!歌罗西书第1章20节说：“既然藉着他在 十字架上所流的血成就了和平”, 耶稣情愿付上他的生命和宝血来做为我们赎罪的代 价。耶稣死后三天, 他从死里复活, 又回到天上。他今天仍然活在天上吗？是的!圣经 说：“昨日, 今日, 直到永远, 耶稣不改变。”这位为我们的罪而死的耶稣在许多年以 前曾向约书亚显现。

??作为耶和华军队的元帅, 耶稣来使约书亚确信他一定能胜利!因为有一支看不见 的, 世界上最强大的军队来帮助他。主耶稣告诉约书亚打败敌人的方法：看哪, 我已经 把耶利哥和耶利哥的王, 并大能的勇士, 都交在你手中。你们的兵丁要绕这个城, 一天 绕一次, 要绕六天。七个祭司要拿着羊角走在约柜前面, 边走边吹角。其他的人都不 可出声, 连一句话也不可说, 直到第七天。小朋友们, 你们有没有听说过这样奇怪的规 定？约书亚听见后, 就小心地照着做。他知道要想胜过敌人, 只有靠神的力量。而这能 力是来自于听神的话。约书亚小心地听从神一切的吩咐。

??一大早, 第一场游行开始了。耶利哥城的人也许在害怕地暗中观望着。祭司们吹 着羊角, 后面有四个祭司抬着神的约柜, 然后是千千万万的以色列士兵开始游行。也 许当耶利哥城的人看见这些以色列士兵游行完后, 就回到自己的营地, 他们长长吁了 口气。他们可能会说：“我们的城墙又高又厚, 他们可能攻不下来。”第二天, 第三天 , 又是这样。到了第四天, 也许耶利哥城的人不再那么害怕了。毕竟, 以色列人还没有 办法攻破耶利哥的城墙。但是, 耶利哥城的人看不到那天上的军队。神的军队能攻破 耶利哥的城墙吗？罗马书第8章31节说：“神若帮助我们, 谁能敌挡我们呢？”约书亚的 军队照着神的吩咐做, 也许约书亚也不明白为什么神给他们这样奇怪的规定, 但他知 道, 只有神的能力才能使他们攻破耶利哥城。

??以色列人开始了第五天的游行, 我们的故事先停在这里。约书亚和他的士兵也许 在想为什么神让他们绕城这么多次, 为什么不一次就完了呢？??如果你相信主耶稣, 你也许会想为什么你一次又一次地与同一个罪打仗。你可能 向神祷告, 读圣经, 遵守圣经的话语, 可是, 你时常会遇到同样的试探。别灰心!神会一 次又一次地给你能力来胜过试探。

??约书亚一直小心地遵循着神在当初拣选他, 让他带领以色列人的时候, 向他显明 的旨意。你还记得那个旨意是什么吗？约书亚应该认识并听从神的话, 他这样做了吗 ？是的!约书亚能得胜吗？在下一次的故事里你就知道了。但是我想你已经有了答案, 对吗？