Trouble to Triumph

Joshua 8:1-35 | Ben Potloff | God often uses our setbacks and failures to teach us to rely on Him more completely. In this chapter, we see Joshua grow as a leader as he learns to walk in deeper dependence upon the LORD. We see God take the very means of their earlier defeat at Ai and turn it into a brilliant strategy for victory. God’s plan to deliver his people is back on track. Joshua’s position as a leader is strengthened, and Joshua gains a new understanding of God’s steadfast mercy and sovereign will.MAIN IDEAGod blesses the obedient and curses the rebel. OUTLINEI. God is faithful and gives His people victory (vv. 1-29)II. God gives His people His Word (vv. 30-35)DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Your army just faced its first defeat and one of your soldiers disobeyed a direct order. If you are the leader, how would you be feeling about this? How would you respond to God’s instruction in verses 1-2 ? Would you be doubtful, or hopeful?2. Compare and contrast God’s battle plan (v. 2-8) with the one used in the previous attack on Ai (see Joshua 7:3-5). Tell of a time when your first attempt to tackle a problem didn’t work out very well; but then you prayed about it, and God showed you a better way.3. How does God “redeem” Joshua’s earlier defeat and make it a key element of victory? How have you experienced this in your own life, where God takes something you thought was really bad and turns it into something redemptive?4. Compare God’s instructions regarding the plunder of Jericho and Ai (6:18-19 vs. 8:2). At Jericho, Achan disobeyed and faced judgment – if only he had waited! How do we sometimes do this? (God wants to give us something but we aren’t willing to wait). Is there a situation in your life where you need to wait on the Lord, and trust Him to provide in his own way and his own timing?5. Moses gave instructions for the Covenant renewal in Deuteronomy 31. Why do you think Joshua did this AFTER God gave them victory at Ai instead of before? How is this an example of God’s mercy and loving-kindness towards us? How is this truth expressed in 1 John 1:10, 19?