Summary

After Moses's death, God commissioned Joshua and told him to cross over the Jordan with the people into the Promised Land. God promised He would be with Joshua just as He had been with Moses and told him every where he would walk in the new land was already given to them, only be "strong and courageous."

Joshua commanded the people to get ready and sent two spies into the first city across the Jordan from them - Jericho. A prostitute named Rahab hid the spies from the kings men and told the men how terrified her people were of the people of Israel because they had heard all about what their God had done for them - bringing them out of Egypt and defeating other nations for them on their way to the Promised Land. Rahab also asked them to spare her family when they came into the city. The spies promised to protect everyone in her house that day, climbed out the window, hid three days as Rahab suggested, and then reported all she told them to Joshua.

Joshua told the people to get ready to cross the Jordan and follow the men carrying the Ark of the Covenant. When the men's feet touched the waters of the Jordan River, the waters "backed up in a heap very far away," and the people crossed over the Jordan. Each tribe brought a stone out of the middle of the Jordan to build a memorial to help their children remember God's provision and therefore fear Him in reverence all their lives. When the surrounding nations heard what happened, they were all terrified, and "their hearts melted" in fear. After Israel crossed the Jordan, they circumcised the males then celebrated the annual Passover. The next day, they ate the food grown in the Promised Land, and the manna stopped.

Before Israel took Jericho, Joshua saw a man standing before him with his sword drawn. When Joshua asked if he was for or against them, the man replied, "Neither. I am the commander of the Lord's army." Joshua worshiped him, and the man told him to take off his sandals just as Moses had been commanded. Then God gave Joshua his battle plan for attacking Jericho: The soldiers were to march around the city once a day for six days following the priests carrying the Ark of Covenant They were to march around seven times on the seventh day, and then all the people were to shout when they hear the trumpets. Then the walls of Jericho would fall.

That is exactly what they did, and that is exactly what happened. The people marched over the walls into the city and took it - dedicating everything to the Lord and saving nothing but Rahab and the people in her home. The capture of the next city did not go as well because one man, Achan, took plunder. As a result, some Israelites died in the first attempt, and Achan and his whole family were stoned.

After Israel repented and successfully took Ai, Joshua and the people built an alter to God on Mt. Ebal and made sacrifices to Him. Joshua wrote the law of Moses on the stones and read the whole Book of the Law as they renewed the Covenant as Moses had commanded them - with half of them on Mt. Ebal and half on Mt. Gerizim calling out the blessings and curses of Covenant.

Gibeon, one of the nearby nations, sent a delegation to Joshua pretending to be from a far off nation and wanting to establish a treaty with Israel. Israel accepted their terms without praying about it before they discovered their scheme. Israel kept their word not to harm the people but made them wood cutters and water carries for the Tabernacle.

The king of Jerusalem called other nations together to attack to Gibeon less they joined Israel and attacked them. Gibeon called for Joshua's help, a term of their treaty. God told him to go, and threw the opposing armies into a panic before Israel and sent hailstones down on them killing more than the soldiers killed. Joshua commanded the sun to stand still, and it did until Israel completely won the battle.

Israel continued their conquest of the Promised Land in the south and then the north as God directed. However, they did not completely remove the Canaanite people as God commanded. As a result, the people of the land continued to fight against them and eventually lead them astray from worshiping God. Joshua divided up the Promised Land among the tribes, established Cities of Refuge, and gave cities and pastures to the Levites throughout the whole Land so the could be among all the people and teach them the Law. The tribes that settled east of the Jordan returned home and committed to always serve God.

Before Joshua died, he called Israel's leaders together and told them to remain faithful to God and His commands. The people renewed the Covenant again at Shechem and promised to follow God. Joshua died at 110 years old, and the people continued to serve God as long as the elders who knew what God had done for them led them.

What happened to the next generations totally depended upon their own commitment to the Lord.

---

Back to Top

The Facts

---

Joshua - ESV - KJV - NIV

---

Important People

God, Joshua, the people of Israel, Rahab, Gibeonites

---

Major Events/Accounts

Battle of Jericho & Rahab
Battle if Ai
The deception of the Gibeonites
Taking the Land
Dividing the Land
Covenant renewed

---

Key Words/Repeated Phrases

Do no be afraid/Do not fear
I (God) will... (be with you, hand them over, etc)

---

Back to Top

Hide the Word in Your Heart

---

Verses from the Account

Joshua 1:7-9

7. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
9. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

---

Joshua 24:15

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

---

Joshua 24:24

And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.

---

Verses to Share the Truths Taught through the Account

Matthew 28:18-20

18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

---

1 John 2:3-6

3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

---

Back to Top

Jesus in the Account

---

Joshua's name means "God saves".

---

God promised never to leave Joshua, and He never leaves a Christian.

---

Rahab's family and the Gibeonites being brought into the people of Israel foreshadow Gentiles being brought into God's heavenly Kingdom.

---

Back to Top

Did You Know?

---

The total dedication of everything in Jericho, the first city Israel captured in the Promised Land, resembles an offering of First Fruits - giving the first of the harvest to God and trusting He will provide the remainder of the harvest.

---

Archaeological evidence at Jericho fit the Biblical description of what happened to the city.

Archaeologist found a completely burned city, a crumpled wall with a small section remaining (such as where Rahab lived), and whole jars of grain - consistent with a spring time battle after the harvest in which the attackers did not take anything from the city. Check out these links for more info: NY Times article and Answers in Genesis article.

---

Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim, located near Shechem where Abraham first pitched his tent in the Promised Land, form a natural amphitheater - perfect for the two groups of Israel to hear each other recite the blessings and curses of the Covenant.

You can search the internet for Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerizim amphitheater for more information.

---

The Samaritans built a temple on Mt. Gerizim.

See John 4 where Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman at the well. She told him, "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship" - John 4:20. Her people are the Samaritans, the people who came from the mix of people sent to occupy the area of the Northern Kingdom after the Assyrian invasion. The Samaritans had a mix of Biblical beliefs and other religions because the people sent to live in the area of the Northern kingdom had requested a priest of God be sent to teach them the ways of the "god of the land" because they were being attached by lions - 2 Kings 17:24-41. As a result, their religion is a mix of religions worshiping many gods. They said they feared God, but they worship Him alone as He commanded.

---

Back to Top

Discuss It

---

1. What is the most interesting thing or something new you learned from reading and studying this account?
2. Summarize the account and its message in your own words.
3. What did you learn about God from reading and studying this account?
4. How does this account point to God's plan to redeem this world through the sacrifice and obedience of Jesus?
5. How can you apply the truth of what you learned from reading and studying this account in your own life?

---

Back to Top

Teach It

---

Coming in 2021!

---

Back to Top

Share It

---

Coming in 2021!

---

Back to Top

Celebrate It

---

Coming in 2021!

---

Back to Top