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Tag Archives: Joshua

Getting Around to Jericho

13 Jan
English: The Taking of Jericho, c. 1896-1902, ...

English: The Taking of Jericho, c. 1896-1902, by James Jacques Joseph Tissot (French, 1836-1902) or follower, gouache on board, 7 1/4 x 5 15/16 in. (18.6 x 15.1 cm), at the Jewish Museum, New York (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Is it time yet? Is it time?

You know what time. I want to hear how those Israelites gave the city of Jericho what for? You’ve been promising to tell me about it.

I promise. I’ll be quiet and listen.

Those people in Jericho were scared of the Israelites, so they shut their city up tight. Nobody came in and no one went out. And the Lord told Joshua that He had delivered Jericho into their hands.

Are Joshua and the Israelites going to break down the walls and storm in and give them what for?

What do you mean, that’s not what they did?

Yes, I’m listening.

The Lord told Joshua to march around the city with all the armed men once a day for six days. The Lord said to have seven priests carry trumpets of rams horns in front of the ark. Then on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times with the priests blowing the trumpets.

That’s a lot of marching.

I’ll listen, but couldn’t they have just gone in and given them what for? I’ll bet if I was there I could have led them in a big battle.

So the people got up early and marched around the city and went back to their camp. And they did the same thing the next day, and every day for six days.

Is that it? They’re just marching around the city? That sounds boring.

I am listening.

On the seventh day the Israelites got up at daybreak and did the same thing – except they marched around the city seven times. On the seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!”

It’s about time.

The trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and the wall collapsed.

That was some shout.

They charged in and took the city.

But Joshua sent in the two men who had spied out the land to get Rahab and her family and they put them in a place outside their camp.

Wasn’t Rahab’s house in one of the walls of the city?

Is that why they had her tie a scarlet cord to her window? So they could grab onto it and keep her wall from falling over? If I was there I could have grabbed that cord in my teeth.

 
16 Comments

Posted by on January 13, 2013 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

 

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Crossing the Jordan

06 Jan
English: Israel Enters the Promised Land, as i...

English: Israel Enters the Promised Land, as in Joshua 3:5-17, illustration from a Bible card published between 1896 and 1913 by the Providence Lithograph Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hey person, I’m trying to figure something out. Last week you told me a story about those spies who went to Jericho. And then they had to go across the Jordan River to get back to where Joshua and all the Israelites were.

So doesn’t that mean that all the Israelites are on the wrong side of the Jordan River from Jericho? How are they going to get there to give Jericho what for?

I could probably swim across that river. But those Israelites lived in the desert all their lives. I bet most of them couldn’t swim. Dogs just take to swimming naturally, but people aren’t usually that smart.

Person, I didn’t mean you. You must be smart. You tell me all these good stories. So how did they get across that river?

What? The Jordan River was in flood stage right then? Did they have to wait awhile to give Jericho what for? That must have been hard. I bet they were all anxious to go.

I’m listening person. I just don’t see how those Israelites are going to get across that river.

Joshua told the priests to take the Ark of the Covenant and go ahead of the people.

Are they going to float across the river on the ark? What if they float downstream?

Oh. The ark is sacred and they can’t float on it? That makes it even harder to get across.

God told Joshua to tell the priests with the Ark of the Covenant to stand in the river when they reach the water’s edge.

What if they get their feet wet? Isn’t that river moving awfully fast? You said it was at flood stage.

Yes, I’ll listen.

As soon as the priest’s feet touched the water’s edge the water coming from upstream stopped flowing. The water piled up in a heap a long ways away from them. The priests carrying the ark stood in the middle of the Jordan on dry ground while all the Israelites crossed.

When the people had crossed they took twelve stones from the middle of the river where the priests were standing and made an alter to remember the day that God had stopped the river for them. And as soon as the priests came out of the river with the Ark of the Covenant and set their feet on dry ground the river started flowing at flood stage again.

I sure hope nobody forgot something on the other side of that river.

 
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Posted by on January 6, 2013 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

 

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The Scarlet Cord

30 Dec
Rahab and the Emissaries of Joshua

Rahab and the Emissaries of Joshua (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.             Joshua 1:9

Hey person, I just got here and there are words already on my blog. I wanted you to tell me a story about Joshua. You know, the guy who took over after Moses died.

Really? God said those words to Joshua when He told him to go take the Promised Land?

Do you think God would say those words to me the next time there’s thunder?

I would too listen to God.

I do too listen to you. Okay, I’m listening now.

Joshua sent two spies across the Jordan River to look over the land. He told them to especially look over Jericho. So the spies went to Jericho and stayed at the house of a prostitute named Rahab.

The king of Jericho heard that the men had come and he sent messengers to tell Rahab to bring them out.

Was that king going to give those men special honor? That’s pretty cool – a king wanted to see them.

I am listening.

Rahab hid the men and told the king’s men that they had gone. She sent the king’s men down the road looking for them.

Rahab was pretty sneaky, wasn’t she?

I’ll listen. I promise.

Rahab talked to the men she had hidden and told them that everyone in the land was afraid of their people because of the things God had done for them. She asked them to spare her life and the lives of her family.

The men agreed that if Rahab didn’t tell anyone what they were doing they would treat her kindly and faithfully. Rahab’s house was part of the city wall, so she let the men out of a window by a rope and told them to go into the hills for three days so they wouldn’t be found.

The men had climbed down on a scarlet cord, and they told Rahab that if she tied it in her window and brought her family into her house they would be spared.

Rahab agreed and sent the men on their way. They hid in the hills for three days, then forded the Jordan River and told Joshua everything that had happened to them.

So what happened next? Did Joshua and the Israelites go give those people in Jericho what for?

What? I have to wait to find out what happens next? Maybe I’ll go to Jericho and huff and puff and blow the walls down.

What do you mean I have the wrong story? I am not a big, bad wolf!

 
15 Comments

Posted by on December 30, 2012 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

 

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Yeshua is Born

16 Dec
Yeshua

Yeshua (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Okay person, in the last Bible story you told me you said Moses climbed a mountain and died, and Joshua took over. But you weren’t going to tell me any stories about Joshua right now because there’s someone else you want to tell me about who has the same name, but different.

Okay, I’m waiting. Who is this person with the same name – but different?

His name is what? Yeshua? That’s a strange name. I’ve never heard of a name like that before.

And Joshua had a name like it? Wait a minute. Joshua’s name is Joshua.

Person, you are really confusing. Okay, I’ll listen.

Yeshua is a shortened version of Joshua’s Hebrew name Yehoshua? Joshua was sometimes called Yeshua. How come Joshua has so many names?

Because his Hebrew name is translated to his English name when the Bible is translated into English? Okay person, what would his name be in Doglish?

I am listening.

This story is about Yeshua, who was born in Bethlehem to Mary and Joseph, and laid in a manger because there was no room at the inn.

Wait a minute person. You told me this story last year. But it was about Jesus. There can’t be two babies who hung out in mangers.

They were the same baby? Now I’m really confused.

Yeshua is Jesus’ Hebrew name. Then how come we don’t call him Joshua like that other guy.

Because Jesus’ name was translated into Greek first (part of the Bible was written in Greek?) and then into English, so it became Jesus instead of Joshua.

Oh dog, that’s all Greek to me. What would his name be if it was translated again into Doglish?

The name Yeshua means Salvation? I know what it would be in Doglish then.

Dinner.

 
14 Comments

Posted by on December 16, 2012 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

 

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Climbing the Mountain

09 Dec
Moses shown the Promised Land

Moses shown the Promised Land (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hey person, you’ve been telling me a lot of stories about Moses. Isn’t he getting kind of old by now?

No way! Moses was one hundred twenty years old? How old is that in dog years?

You just don’t want to do the math, do you?

I’m listening.

After Moses lifted up that bronze snake that healed the people who looked at it, he led the Israelites in a few more battles against nations that had come against them.

Did he give them what for?

I am listening. But did Moses give those nations what for?

Woo woo! My person says he did give them what for. But then God told Moses what? That he would be gathered to his people? What does that mean?

Oh. God told Moses he was going to die. That wasn’t a very nice thing to say to Moses.

Okay, I’ll listen but this is getting sad.

Moses appointed Joshua son of Nun to take his place as leader and lead the people into the Promised Land.

Then God told Moses to climb to the top of Mount Nebo where he could see all of the Promised Land. He told Moses that he would die on top of the mountain and be gathered to his people.

Why didn’t Moses just not climb the mountain then?

Moses was obedient to God? I’m not always obedient to you person. You aren’t going to make me climb up a mountain are you? I’m not going.

God told Moses he couldn’t go into the Promised Land because he had not upheld God’s holiness among the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the desert of Zin. That was when Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it like God had told him to do.

I guess Moses didn’t want to disobey God twice, but that would be pretty scary climbing up that mountain.

After Moses saw the Promised Land from the top of the mountain he died. God buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but nobody knows where the grave is.

And Joshua took over as leader of Israel and the Israelites had some awesome adventures.

I’m sticking with Joshua and maybe get to watch some walls fall over. I heard that Jericho doesn’t have a chance.

What? Oh yeah, it’s almost Christmas. It’s hard to remember that when we have sunshine instead of snow. What does that have to do with Joshua?

You mean I have to wait to hear stories about Joshua? That’s okay. I can’t wait for my treats and toys. I’ll have lots of stories about my new presents.

What do you mean, Christmas isn’t about snow, treats, or toys? What else is there?

Now I’m totally confused. You mean Christmas is about someone who had the same name as Joshua, but it was different? I don’t get it.

Oh, in English – you mean Doglish I’m sure – the names are different but they mean the same thing. I’m still confused.

You’re going to make me wait to find out? This is almost as hard as waiting for my presents.

***

P.S. A new friend, Molly the Wally, shared one of my posts today. You can check it out by clicking here.

 
12 Comments

Posted by on December 9, 2012 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

 

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Exploring the Land

04 Nov
English: Moses and the Messengers from Canaan,...

English: Moses and the Messengers from Canaan, by Giovanni Lanfranco, oil on canvas, 85-3/4 x 97 inches, at the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Those Israelites that Moses was leading sure had to hang out in the desert for a long time before God would let them go to the Promised Land.

Really? They finally were almost there? Are they going to march right in and take over?

Oh. They sent some explorers in first, huh? That’s what God told Moses to do? I guess that’s a pretty good idea. Could I go with them? I could wear my explorer hat.

What do you mean, I don’t have an explorer hat?

I wouldn’t run off. Really I wouldn’t.

I’m listening.

Moses sent a leader from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to explore the land. He told them to see what the people were like and what kind of land they lived in. He told them to see if the towns were fortified or not, if the land was good for farming, and if there were trees. And he asked them to bring back some of the fruit of the land.

Could they bring back some dog treats too?

Yes, I’ll listen.

Those men explored the land for forty days and when they came back they brought a branch with a cluster of grapes that was so big it took two of them to carry it on a pole between them.

That’s a lot of grapes. I hope they’ll share some with me.

What do you mean, dogs aren’t supposed to eat grapes? I think they should go back then and get something I can eat. A nice meaty bone maybe.

I’ve been listening all along.

The explorers told Moses that the land truly was a land flowing with milk and honey, but the people were powerful, the cities fortified, and they even saw giants.

Only Caleb and Joshua said that they should go take the land, because those two knew that God was with them and they could do it.

The other ten explorers turned the Israelites against Moses and Aaron and they all grumbled. They were afraid they would all die by the sword and their wives and children would be taken as plunder. They wanted to choose a leader to take them back to Egypt.

The Lord became angry with the people, and Moses had to talk Him out of destroying them and using Moses to start a new nation.

So what happened? Did they go back to Egypt?

They did? They had to hang out in the desert for forty years? Wow! That’s a long time.

No way! God said everyone over twenty except Joshua and Caleb would die in the desert during those forty years? And their children would be the ones to take the land?

Do you think when those children go in there they could get me some treats?

 
14 Comments

Posted by on November 4, 2012 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

 

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Hold up Your Hands

23 Sep
English: Victory O Lord, by John Everett Milla...

English: Victory O Lord, by John Everett Millais, the Amalekites defeated, as in Exodus 17:8-16, 1871 oil on canvas, at the Manchester City Galleries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hey person, Moses and those Israelites really had it made now, didn’t they? God had helped them escape from Egypt, He gave them manna to eat, and now He’d given them water from out of that rock. I bet they were ready to lie down and take a nice, long nap.

What? Oh, no! My person says that while the Israelites were still camped at Rephidim, drinking all their water, the Amalekites came and attacked them.

Those Amalekites need to find their own rock to get water out of.

I’ll listen person, as soon as I chase those Amalekites away.

What do you mean, it’s not my job to chase them? It’s always a dog’s job to chase the bad guys.

Okay, I’ll listen.

Moses told Joshua to choose some men and go out and fight the Amalekites.

I bet Joshua needs some help. I could go out and help him.

I am listening, person, but I can’t help myself. I just want to grab those Amalekites by their robes and yank on them.

Okay, I’ll try to calm down.

Moses said he was going to stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in his hand. Moses’ brother Aaron and Hur went with him.

As long as Moses held his hands up, Joshua and the Israelites were winning. But when he put them down again the Amalekites started winning. So Aaron and Hur got a stone and put it under Moses for him to sit on …

Excuse me, person. I don’t think a stone would be very comfortable to sit on. Didn’t they have one of those cushy chairs they could get for him?

I am listening.

Aaron and Hur stood on either side of Moses and held his hands up until sundown. And because Moses’ hands were up Joshua beat the Amalekites.

Moses built an altar called The Lord is my Banner because he said his hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord.

Hey person, the next time Scratchy tries to eat my food, could you lift up your hands?

 
20 Comments

Posted by on September 23, 2012 in Bongo, Dogology, humor

 

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