When God Works Through Human Hands

 Lessons of Faith from Joshua - Sabbath School Lesson 4 -  Thuesday

When God Works Through Human Hands

The Second-Best Option

Scripture Reading: Exodus 17:7–13; Joshua 6:15–20

Both Exodus 17:7–13 and Joshua 6:15–20 describe moments of divine victory—but victories that unfolded through human participation. In each story, God’s power is unmistakable, yet He chooses to involve His people in the process.

In Exodus 17, Israel faces the Amalekites. As Moses stands on the hill with the staff of God in his hand, the tide of battle depends on whether his hands are raised. When Moses’ arms grow weary, Aaron and Hur hold them up, and Israel prevails. The battle is won not because of military might, but because of obedience, faith, and cooperation with divine instruction.

In Joshua 6, the people of Israel march silently around Jericho for seven days—an action that must have seemed illogical to any military commander. Yet when they follow God’s specific directions, the impenetrable walls collapse. Once again, the victory is clearly God’s, achieved through human trust and obedience.

Both narratives reveal a profound truth: God could have acted alone, but He chose to work through people. His power was never limited, but His purpose extended beyond defeating enemies—it was to teach faith, dependence, and unity.

However, these stories also hint that God’s cooperation with humans is often a concession to human limitation, not His first or ideal plan. God’s ideal might have been that His people rest entirely in His deliverance, as at the Red Sea, where they were told to “stand still and see the salvation of the Lord” (Exodus 14:13). But as faith wavered and human weakness appeared, God adapted. He invited human participation—not because He needed it, but because His people did. Through these acts, they learned trust, perseverance, and obedience.

So it is with us today. God still works through human hands, voices, and lives. He calls us to act in faith, even when the method seems strange or the outcome uncertain. And sometimes, He patiently works with our imperfect trust, shaping us into people who one day can rest fully in His will.

Our greatest victories come not when we act in our own strength, but when we, like Moses and Joshua, cooperate with God’s divine strategy, trusting that His ways, though mysterious, always lead to triumph.

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Reflection Questions

1. When have you seen God use an unexpected method to bring victory in your life?

2. What does it mean for you personally to “cooperate” with God’s plan today?

3. How can faith and obedience help you align with God’s higher purpose?

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Prayer

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for reminding us that You are the source of every victory. Even when Your ways seem beyond our understanding, help us to trust and obey. Forgive us when we try to fight in our own strength instead of resting in Yours. Strengthen our faith to lift our hands like Moses, to march like Joshua, and to wait for Your perfect timing. Work through us, Lord, until our hearts are aligned with Your ideal will.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Sabbath School Quarterly Online: The Lessons of Faith from Joshua