Go up to Ai.

Joshua 8:1-2, 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. And 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.”

Isn’t it interesting that the lectionary leaves out the discovery and punishment of the one who brought death and defeat on the nation by taking the things under the ban? Unlike the composers of the lectionary, God takes sin seriously. Modern editing of scripture wants to skip over the serious nature of sin in the presence of a Holy God to the victory over Ai. We are indeed blessed that God has provided the ultimate victory for us in that Jesus Christ has become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God!

Thank You that You went to the cross to take away the sin of the world!