If I was God, I would never let an evil man like Joshua be a spokesman for me. This man dared command in God's name that a child be murdered and laid at the foundation of Jericho after Israel had laid it to waste.
Joshua laid an oath on them at that time, saying, “Cursed before the LORD be the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho. “At the cost of his firstborn shall he lay its foundation, and at the cost of his youngest son shall he set up its gates" (Joshua 6:26).
Yeah, well if you're not understanding how I'm getting a murder and body-laying at the foundation of Jericho from that, I understand. I'd read the book of Joshua at least a couple times through before, and I'd never realized what this meant. Let's skip to the future during which time Jericho is rebuilt. Ahab, king of Judah, was reigning.
In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho. He laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua the son of Nun (I Kings 16:34).
If you're still lost, all you need to do is look into history to learn about something called foundation sacrifice. It was common in ancient times for peoples to sacrifice individuals and lay them at a city's foundations and/or gates. They believed it would bring good fortune. Archaeologists have unearthed remains of bodies that were laid in the walls of cities.
The god Joshua served who called Joshua a good and faithful servant was a god who apparently spoke through Joshua his demands that human sacrifices were to be carried out if Jericho was to be built again.
Are you appalled yet?
This has been "If I Was God...#6."
