Questioning God

Reacting to the unexpected defeat of Israel’s soldiers at Ai, Joshua tears his clothing, puts dust upon his head, and prostrates himself before the ark of the covenant along with the other elders of Israel. These actions are designed to express grief, but Joshua’s subsequent prayer seems to indicate they are grieving not over Israel’s violation of the covenant but over what they perceive as God’s failure to keep His covenant promises. Joshua cries, “ ‘Alas, Lord GOD, why have You brought this people over the Jordan at all—to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us?’ ” Incredibly, the possibility that Israel has incurred guilt never seems to occur to him. Rather, the setback at Ai causes him to ask whether all God’s promises to give Canaan to Israel were genuine or whether God had a secret, sinister agenda—to lead Israel to its destruction. And so Joshua questions God. However, his “Why?” is asked out of perplexity, not rebelliousness. “This savors too much of discontent and distrust of God, and cannot be justified,” Matthew Henry says. “Those words, wherefore hast thou brought us over Jordan to destroy us? are too like what the murmurers often said (Ex. 14:11–12; 16:3; 17:3; Num. 14:2–3); but He that searches the heart knew they came from another spirit, and therefore was not extreme to mark what he said amiss.”

Joshua goes on to lament that Israel was not content to remain on the eastern side of the Jordan and wonders aloud what he will tell the Israelites by way of explanation. He then expresses his fears about what he sees as the possible failure of another of God’s promises: to give Abraham a great name (Gen. 12:2). He believes this defeat will hearten the Canaanites, so that they will attack Israel and wipe out “ ‘our name from the earth.’ ” And if that happens, if Israel is destroyed, “ ‘what will You do for Your great name?’ ” he asks. At first glance, this question seems to be the most impertinent of all, but Joshua is praying as Moses prayed in Numbers 14 after Israel sinned by refusing to enter Canaan. He correctly believes that if God changes His plan to bring Israel into Canaan, He will be deprived of the testimony of that mighty act before the pagan nations. But Joshua is being forgetful, for as God reminded Moses, He is capable of bringing glory and honor to Himself in any way He chooses (Num. 14:20–23).