Day 106- Joshua 2-3; Mark 1

I have to start today's blog with reference to our sermon at church which went great lengths to solidify my Anglican decision.  He spoke about perversion and sexual perversion and he referenced many of the books and chapters we have already read.  Perversions exist in almost every facet our lives.  We have come to accept many of them.  Perhaps we should question and refuse to accept them, as we are able.

I ponder why the harlot could lie and that is not a sin because it promoted God's will?  Henry explains,

II. The providence of God directing the spies to the house of Rahab. How they got over Jordan we are not told; but into Jericho they came, which was about seven or eight miles from the river, and there seeking for a convenient inn were directed to the house of Rahab, here called a harlot, a woman that had formerly been of ill fame, the reproach of which stuck to her name, though of late she had repented and reformed. Simon the leper (Mt. 26:6 ), though cleansed from his leprosy, wore the reproach of it in his name at long as he lived; so Rahab the harlot; and she is so called in the New Testament, where both her faith and her good works are praised, to teach us, 1. That the greatness of sin is no bar to pardoning mercy if it be truly repented of in time. We read of publicans and harlots entering into the kingdom of the Messiah, and being welcomed to all the privileged of that kingdom, Mt. 21:31 . That there are many who before their conversion were very wicked and vile, and yet afterwards come to great eminence in faith and holiness. 3. Even those that through grace have repented of the sins of their youth must expect to bear the reproach of them, and when they hear of their old faults must renew their repentance, and, as an evidence of that, hear of them patiently. God’s Israel, for aught that appears, had but one friend, but one well-wisher in all Jericho, and that was Rahab a harlot. God has often served his own purposes and his church’s interests by men of different morals. Had these scouts gone to any other house than this they would certainly have been betrayed and put to death without mercy. But God knew where they had a friend that would be true to them, though they did not, and directed them thither. Thus that which seems to us most contingent and accidental is often over-ruled by the divine providence to serve its great ends. And those that faithfully acknowledge God in their ways he will guide with his eye. See Jer. 36:19, Jer. 36:26

Henry's introductory remarks best describe the historical importance of Joshua 3,

This chapter, and that which follows it, give us the history of Israel’s passing through Jordan into Canaan, and a very memorable history it is. Long afterwards, they are told to remember what God did for them between Shittim (whence they decamped, v. 1). and Gilgal, where they next pitched, ch. 4:19 , Mic. 6:5 , that they might know the righteousness of the Lord. By Joshua’s order they marched up to the river’s side (v. 1), and then almighty power led them through it. They passed through the Red Sea unexpectedly, and in their flight by night, but they have notice some time before of their passing through Jordan, and their expectations raised.

And now we begin another viewpoint, another Gospel on Jesus which Henry introduces,

"Mark’s narrative does not take rise so early as those of Matthew and Luke do, from the birth of our Saviour, but from John’s baptism, from which he soon passes to Christ’s public ministry. Accordingly, in this chapter, we have, I. The office of John Baptist illustrated by the prophecy of him (v. 1-3), and by the history of him (v. 4-8). II. Christ’s baptism, and his being owned from heaven (v. 9-11). III. His temptation (v. 12, v. 13). IV. His preaching (v. 14, v. 15, v. 21, v. 22, v. 38, v. 39). V. His calling disciples (v. 16-20). VI. His praying (v. 35). VII. His working miracles. His rebuking an unclean spirit (v. 23-28). His curing Peter’s mother-in-law, who was ill of a fever (v. 29-31). His healing all that came to him (v. 32, v. 34). His cleansing a leper (v. 40-45)."