Great Battles of the Bible

The Conquest of Ai

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

I’m always intrigued how God directed the battles that His chosen people fought that are recorded in the Bible. One such account is given in Joshua chapter 8. The chapter begins with instructions from the Heavenly Commander in Chief, the Lord God Almighty. He speaks to Joshua and tells him not to be afraid or discouraged, but to take his whole army and attack Ai. God states that He has already given Joshua the victory in this battle and has delivered into his hand the King of Ai, the city and all the associated lands. It’s interesting that God opens his instructions to Joshua with the words, “do not be afraid or discouraged.” Very likely God knew that any normal person would be greatly concerned about leading his armed forces against a fortified city whose leader was a formidable opponent. He anticipates Joshua’s concerns by opening with an encouragement rather than a challenge. This illustrates God’s understanding and empathy for our human condition. He does not instruct us to obey His commands without verifying that He is trustworthy and that He has good reasons for His instructions.

 

In verse 2 God reminds Joshua of the victory at Jericho and uses this as further evidence that the victory at Ai will be in accordance with God’s plans and that obedience to His instructions brings success in battle. God then proceeds to lay out the basic framework for how victory will be achieved, through the staging of an ambush. Joshua listens carefully and follows God’s battle plan to a tee.

 

We see in the following verses that Joshua takes his entire army of 30,000 men and proceeds to march to Ai. Joshua divides his force according to the Lord’s instructions with 25,000 of his force marching north of the city where they set up camp. The other 5,000 of his men proceed to the west side of the city between Bethel and Ai; this would be the force that would carry out the ambush. Below is a map of the location of the cities. Bethel and Ai can be seen at the top of the map.

 

The next morning Joshua takes his large army and prepares to attack the city of Ai from the north. The King of Ai and his commanders see the attackers and immediately launch out from the city to engage in battle. Joshua and his army allow themselves to be driven back and high tail it for the safety of the desert. The King of Ai sees an opportunity to wipe out his enemy and pursues Joshua. Every other man left in the city is also tempted by the chance to kill their enemy and they vacate the city completely to achieve their desires. This action leaves the city of Ai completely deserted of any defensive force. God knew that the forces of Ai could not resist the temptation of wiping out Joshua’s force and therein lays the wisdom of God’s plans for an ambush. God knew the capabilities of His chosen people and the strength of their foe. He knew that a fortified city could not be easily taken by frontal assault without great loss of life. He therefore devised a plan that if followed, would grant easy and complete victory.

 

In verse 18 we see that God does not sit in a rocking chair in heaven and watch the battle unfold. He is active and instrumental in the battle plan. He speaks to Joshua and instructs him to hold out his javelin to signal the ambush force to attack. The men who will carry out the ambush see the signal. They stream into the city of Ai and begin the process of burning it to the ground.

 

Imagine the surprise of the King of Ai and his armed forces when they look behind them and see their beloved city burning. The smoke and fire must have been a sight to see. The exaltation of a glorious victory over Joshua is now replaced with the sad loss of their homes and the security of its surrounding walls.

 

The full victory for Joshua is now at hand. He leads his force from the north against the forces of Ai. His ambush force exits the city and attacks from the south. King Ai is caught in the middle and Joshua wins a great battle killing all the army of Ai leaving over 12,000 dead. King Ai is captured alive and hung. His body is thrown down at the gate of the city. The city of Ai is utterly destroyed and a pile of rocks is constructed on the site. Joshua erects an altar to the Lord on Mount Ebal and gives an offering to the Lord.

 

We can learn several things from such a God-directed battle.

We see that God always knows the strengths and weaknesses of our enemies as well as ourselves. He knows what we can handle and what we cannot. He knows how to best achieve victory and always has a plan of attack for us.

 

Today our enemy is not normally armed forces, but usually temptations, confrontations, struggles and hardships. We need to realize that God can be trusted in such situations because He has complete knowledge of every aspect of the temptation or problem. He provides solutions through His Word, through prayer, through guidance from His Holy Spirit and through the counsel of fellow Christians. His answers are not cold commands of afterthoughts. They are truthful instructions that come from a deep love for His servants who are His children. His knowledge is not only limitless but is full of perfect wisdom. His plans not only bring us victory, they also bring God glory when we obey and succeed. His plans for facing struggles and hardships require us to trust and follow His guidance. His arrangements for avoiding sin are to make an avenue of escape for us so that we never have to fall into temptation. Listening to God, trusting Him, following His instructions and remaining steadfast with courage brings victory.

 

When we face difficulties in life I would suggest that this account of the Battle of Ai gives us five basic instructions we need to follow.

 

First (Joshua 8:1) we acknowledge that God cares about us and we are not alone in the battle. God is always by our side to instruct, guide, encourage and comfort us.

 

Secondly (Joshua 8:2) if we listen to His instruction through whatever means He has provided (scripture, the Holy Spirit, prayer, other Believers) a plan of action is always available to us.

 

Thirdly (Joshua 8:3-25) we must follow His advice and guidance to assure victory. This is the only condition that He lays down to assure us the confidence of conquering our problem. Deviation from His plan through our own wisdom or rationalization will surely bring defeat.

 

Fourthly (Joshua 8:26) we must remain steadfast in trusting in God and His advice. Crucial to this is establishing a close relationship with Him and remaining in communication with Him. Sometimes God reveals His plans gradually and over time. If we stray from Him we may miss a course change we are supposed to take. God continued to guide Joshua during the battle and He will continue to be by our side in the struggles we face as well.

 

Lastly (Joshua 8:30) we must always remember to give God the glory and praise for the victory. There is nothing we face that cannot best be handled in a Godly manner. When we rely on our own plans and knowledge we may win a battle or two but lose the war. Joshua could have taken credit for his role in the battle, after all, he stood and fought the King of Ai, but he knew that no amount of human effort would guarantee victory without God’s blessing.

 

May God grant you a glorious victory in each and every battle you face, as you trust His love, instruction, and presence in your life.

 

God could have hurled fireballs onto the city of Ai if He had wanted to defeat the city and its King, but He chose to work through Joshua and his army to achieve a victory. God knows that it was important for Joshua, just as it is for us today, to participate in the battles of life. This helped Joshua and God’s chosen people, and helps us to appreciate the victory that can be won and to understand that such victory comes from dependence on our Heavenly Father.

 

May God grant you victories in the battles you face. God is always one step ahead of you in your struggles and temptations in life. Remember He loves you deeply and desires to bring Himself glory in the victories you win by observing His will.