24th.: See What You Get for not Asking
Joshua took over leading the Israelites from Moses.
Each major step that Joshua made, was done at the command of the Lord:
For example
Josh. 1:1-9: Go over the river Jordan.
Josh. 3:7-8: Priests go into the river Jordan.
Josh. 4:15-16: Priests come out of the river Jordan.
Josh. 5:2: Circumcise the men of Israel. The men stayed in this place (Gilgal) to heal.
Josh. 6:2-5: Directions on how to fight Jericho.
Ai (a town, not artifical intelligence) was different.
Joshua sent men to spy out Ai (see Josh. 7:2).
They came back saying it would only take two or three thousand men to defeat AI (Josh. 7:3).
Joshua must have thought that Ai was not a major step.
He therefore ordered an attack.
Unfortunately,
"So there went up there of the people about three thousand men, and they fled before the men of AI." (Josh. 7:4).
The Lord had not told Joshua to attack Ai.
Neither had Joshua asked.
That, coupled with the sin of Achan, led to Israel getting beat.
Joshua should have at least asked the Lord, before he attacked Ai.
If nothing else, Joshua would have learned that something had to be corrected, before attacking Ai.
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” (John 15:4)
“Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom. 14:23b)