Summary of Chapter 7: God is Holy and we make poor choices that have consequences.
At this point what do we know about God, Joshua, and Israel? 1) God is Holy and doesn’t compromise His standards 2) God is gracious when people turn from their sin back to Him…there is a second chance after failure when truly repentant, and 3) God is with those whose heart belongs to Him.
How do we pivot from failure? How long does it take to learn the lesson and move forward?

Joshua 8:1-8 ESV And the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed. Take all the fighting men with you, and arise, go up to Ai. See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land. 2 And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”
3 So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night. 4 And he commanded them, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready. 5 And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us just as before, we shall flee before them. 6 And they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us, just as before.’ So we will flee before them. 7 Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will give it into your hand. 8 And as soon as you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire. You shall do according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.”

Joshua’s battle with Ai is noteworthy and redemptive, but the most significant part of Chapter 8 starts in verse 30.
Joshua 8:30-35 ESV 30 At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, 31 just as Moses the servant of theLord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. 32 And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. 33 And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. 34 And 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 commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, hand the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.

A choice is clearly presented to them. Obey God’s law and be blessed or turn your own way and God will remove His blessing.
How does this show Jesus in the Book of Joshua?
The choice between blessing and curse remains today. The blessing now comes under a New Covenant established by God in the blood of Jesus Christ who fulfilled the Old Covenant recorded by Moses (referenced in Joshua 8).

Matthew 5:17 ESV: 17 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
Romans 8:3-4 ESV: 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Verbal Declaration of the New Covenant in the Blood of Jesus Christ:
God, we are sinners who miss the standard of Your Holiness. Rm. 3:23
God, we acknowledge that our sins both personally and corporately deserve eternal death and separation from you, but Jesus gives us eternal life through His sinless sacrifice. Rm. 6:23
God, we understand there is nothing we could do to deserve Your forgiveness. Eph. 2:8-9
God, we confess Jesus Christ as Lord and believe You raised Him from the dead. Rm. 10:9
God, by faith we believe the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ made us right with you. Rm 8:1-2
God, you place us in community with others, your church, for encouragement and accountability. Hb. 10:23-25
God, you give us purpose and a mission to make disciples and teach these things. Mt 28:18-20

Questions for discussion:
1) Why is it important who gives the orders regarding the attack on Ai in Joshua 8:1-2?
2) In the first couple of verses of chapter 8 the Lord tells Joshua to send the whole army. Why do you think God places such emphasis on unity in the book of Joshua (1:12-18; 3:1; 4:1; 5:8; 6:3, 7:1)?
3) The author of the book of Joshua gives detailed descriptions of only a few of the many battles fought. Why is the battle at Ai so important? What is learned from this story?
4) Only short times have passed between reminders of God’s Holiness and His Covenant. Why do the Israelites forget so quickly? Why do we forget so quickly?
5) What ceremonies do we use today to affirm or re-affirm commitment? Why do these matter?