The best pitcher in Major League Baseball this year has been Gerrit Cole of the Houston Astros. As of today (10-16-19) he as 19 straight wins. In this day and age that is unheard of. He finished the year with 20 wins, 5 losses; an 80% winning percentage. His salary this year has been $13,500,000. After this past season, seeing that he will be a free agent after the World Series, that salary will skyrocket into the $30+ million dollar per year range; probably signing a contract in the 7 years for $245 million neighborhood. As amazing as that is, this article is about someone in the Bible with a better record. Their winning percentage was 90%.
Over about a 48 year period, the Bible records approximately 20 battles/wars that the Israelites fought from the time they left Egypt (under Moses’ leadership) until the Promised Land was conquered (under Joshua’s leadership). 18 of those times Israel won; only 2 times did they lose.
The lessons from the wins are easy. 1- every win was by God’s power, not yours. 2- victory was only possible by following God’s directions to the letter, even when they didn’t make sense. Those 2 lessons led to 18 wins and a 90% winning percentage. Want to know why it wasn’t 100%? That would lead us to the lessons from the 2 losses.
The first time Israel tasted defeat was in Numbers 14. 12 leaders, one from each one of the 12 tribes, were sent to spy out the land. Foolishly, 10 returned by saying, “We can’t do this.” Joshua and Caleb contradicted the 10 by saying, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.” Num 14:7-8 The vast majority sided with the 10 and God acted accordingly. All of the rebellious one over 20 yrs of age would die in the wilderness as Israel wandered for 40 years. They threw a fit, slept on their punishment and then awoke the next morning with, “We goofed, but now we are ready to go fight.” The Lord told Moses and Moses to the Israelites, “God is not with you, so don’t go and fight – YOU WILL LOSE.” They refused to listen, went to fight the Amalekites and Canaanites and lost.
Lessons? 1- no faith = no blessing. 2- rebellion will always be punished by God. 3- faith will always be honored and blessed by God (Joshua, Caleb).
Loss #2 came about 40 years later. Israel had done marvelously well against Jericho in their first battle west of the Jordan River. When it was time for battle #2, the city of Ai, bitterness was the only taste left in their mouths. Josh 7:5 “They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.” No one handled the loss well, not even Joshua. However, what they learned from God was that there was sin in the camp.
God had ordered a ban on the city of Jericho. Josh 6:17-19 “The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. … keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”
God then showed Joshua that Achan, from the tribe of Judah, had stolen some of the silver and gold that was banned. Israel had lost to Ai as the Lord had said: “you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it.” God commanded that Israel stone Achan and his family and his livestock and burn his possessions. After their obedience, Israel returned to fight Ai again and were back on the winning track.
Lessons: 1- God expects total obedience to His commands. 2- God’s punishment is stern. 3- God’s reward for obedience is significant. Learn from Israel.
Mike Sublett is a pastor at Hi-Land Christian Church, 1615 N. Banks St., Pampa, Texas 79065. Email him at pawdad@nts-online.net.
