Josue 7 - Know Thy Place

This won't be a lengthy post.  I just wanted to mention how important it seemed to me that immediately after telling of the dramatic and powerful victory over Jericho, it is told of the Israelites' humiliating loss to the citizens of Hai.  The timing of all of these events is profoundly significant.  The defeat of Jericho was clearly meant to exhibit God's power and the fact that the Israelites were not your average fighting force.  They were an army led by God, as the appearance of the "prince of the host of the Lord" in Josue 5 made clear.  And the defeat of Jericho was no ordinary defeat.  The city fell in a monumentally breathtaking way.  This was again all to show that the Israelites ought to not fear what was ahead.  They were to proceed with confidence in the Lord's power.  And then in the very next chapter, Josue 7, we see the weakness of man yet again prevail.  Avarice consumed the heart of Achan, and he hoarded plunder from the defeated city.  To show His displeasure, God allowed the Israelites to attack the next city in Canaan without His divine aid.  They set upon the city of Hai (or Ai) and were soundly defeated.  It was a lesson in humility.  The Israelites learned quickly that their success in this military endeavor would not be of their own doing, lest they be tempted to think so.  Each victory would be an act of God, and due thanks must be given.  So the might and power exhibited at Jericho was important, but the defeat at Hai was equally important to show the necessity of God's aid and the dire consequences of sinful deeds done in the face of a God Who had promised to protect this people.