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Lent 2025: March 27

 To anyone out there, please leave a comment.  

I read the Book of Joshua this week in preparation for a Life Group lesson. Joshua is mostly conquests (and perhaps genocides) and land distribution. But in between there are relevant glimpses of God's care for the chosen people. Although one wonders why the others get such violence when the Israelites aren't so obedient. 

The cities of refuge: a place for those who commit involuntary manslaughter to wait out the revenge of kin. 

The five daughters who got their inheritance and became a test case. 

The Gibeonites - be careful who you make a pact with!

Caleb getting his land 45 years late. 

Joshua's stirring speech--and messing with the Israelites--in the last two chapters. 

Still, the mass killings are hard to take. I can see why some take it allegorically or symbolically. 

In stark contrast we have the God who dies for his enemies in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 

Wow.   

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