Reading Scripture is not easy. Scripture is the raw, uncensored history of an ancient people chosen by God because of the faith of their forefather. It’s all of our history ultimately. The people living in the land God had chosen for His people were driven out because of their sins; and God did not spare His people when they, too, sinned. Looking at the world today, at the world then, I can’t help but ask, what is the point, Lord? Scripture is history of God calling to us. Scripture records God’s words of life and mankind’s rejection of those life-giving words and choosing his own way. Over and over and over and into today. Did God want the people who were driven out of Ai driven out? No. He has always wanted us to choose life and live…all of us.

Joshua 8 tells about the Israelites defeating the city of Ai, a city 11 miles from Jericho. Following God’s instructions this time, they take the city and burn it. Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law – the blessings and the curses – just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them. v. 34-35. The foreigners, too.

As I read Scripture, the inspiring parts and the difficult parts, I need to remember the context. Our history of blessings and curses played out over and over and into today. Blessings that come from God, curses our actions bring upon us. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17. In Jesus’ time on this earth, His own people were expecting a Messiah but they did not recognize Him because they were expecting a warrior. The Jewish leaders went to John the Baptist asking him if he was the Messiah…if he was Elijah…if he was the Prophet (Deuteronomy 18:15: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him). John’s answer: No. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29.

Do we expect the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world? Can we read Scripture with an eye to people’s hearts for God? Do we trust God’s love that takes away the sin of the world? All sin. All God’s love. I think that’s the point.