Kingstanding SDA Church | The Conflict Behind All Conflicts | Sabbath school |

Title: The Conflict Behind All Conflicts Memory Text: (Joshua 10:14, ESV). “There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded the voice of a man, for the Lord fought for Israel” Summary: Reading the pages of Joshua, we are confronted with the aggressive military campaigns carried out at the command of God, in the name of God, and with the help of God. The idea that God was behind the conquest of Canaan pervades the book of Joshua, and it is expressed in the assertions of the narrator (Josh. 10:10, 11), in God’s own words (Josh. 6:2, Josh. 8:1), in Joshua’s addresses (Josh.4:23, 24; Josh. 8:7), by Rahab (Josh. 2:10), by the spies (Josh. 2:24), and by the people (Josh. 24:18). God claims to be the initiator of these violent conflicts. This reality raises unavoidable questions. How can we understand that God’s chosen people carried out such practices in Old Testament times? How is it possible to reconcile the image of a “warlike” God with His character of love (for example, Exod. 34:6, Ps. 86:15, Ps.103:8, Ps. 108:4) without diluting the credibility, authority, and historicity of the Old Testament? This week and next, we are going to explore the difficult question of divinely commanded wars in the book of Joshua and elsewhere. Further Thought: Read Ellen G. White, “The Fall of Jericho,” pp. 487–493, in Patriarchs and Prophets. When rebellion against God’s authority arose in the universe, either God was going to cease to be what He essentially, immutably, and eternally is and give away the leadership of the whole universe to one of His rebellious creatures, or He was going to be the holy, righteous, loving, and merciful Father of all that exists. The Bible presents the second picture, and in this case, the clash between the forces of evil and His power is inevitable. When political or sociohistorical powers associated with chaotic and rebellious cosmic forces manifested the same defiant attitude against Yahweh, He, as the Sovereign Lord of the universe, intervened. The motif of Yahweh as a warrior becomes a prefiguration of that ultimate victory, which will finally put an end to the ongoing cosmic conflict between good and evil (Rev. 20:8–10). Moreover, Israel’s divine wars not only reflect a glimpse of the cosmic conflict as in a mirror but are part and parcel of the same controversy, anticipating God’s end-time judgment in the sphere of present history. “God had made it their privilege and their duty to enter the land at the time of His appointment, but through their wilful neglect that permission had been withdrawn. . . . It was not His purpose that they should gain the land by warfare, but by strict obedience to His commands.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 392. Discussion Questions: How does the cosmic conflict background help you better understand the Lord’s commanding Israel to go to war? In class, discuss your answers to Monday’s question regarding the reality of the great controversy and how it plays out in the world around us. What is our role in this controversy, and how do we seek to fulfill it? How can we apply the principle of standing still and waiting for the Lord to fight for us in our spiritual life? Many times, in our discussions and occasional disagreements in the church, we want to see who is on our side. How should we change our attitude in light of Joshua 5:13–15? We hope you have a blessed day with us Don't forget to like, share and subscribe!