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July/August 2008 A word
Moses, their beloved leader, had just died. Many were still in deep mourning over his death, and everyone was weary after years of wandering. In the midst of this fatigue and sorrow, they heard what God had spoken to Joshua, “Prepare to cross the Jordan here, with all the people into the land I will give the Israelites. As I promised Moses, I will deliver to you every place where you set foot” (Josh. 1:2 – 3). Even though they had suffered cruel slavery in Egypt and 40 years of wandering in the wilderness, they had persevered because they remembered the promise God had made to Abraham of a land that would belong to his descendants The book of Joshua demonstrates God’s abundant grace, unshaken fidelity to His promises, power to accomplish every good work, and loving and lavish provisions for His people. Themes of His faithfulness and desire for obedience and commitment to Him alone run throughout the book. The conquest of Canaan (ch. 1-12) Before entering the land across the Jordan, Joshua sent two Israelites to spy it out. When the king of Jericho discovered that Rahab, the prostitute, was protecting these two spies, he sent soldiers to her demanding that she give them up. She directed the soldiers on a “wild goose chase” and then helped the spies escape with the request, “Please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign that you will spare the lives of my [family] …” (2:12-13). The spies swore that, if she tied a scarlet cord in the window, kept her family confined within her house, and did not betray them, they would spare her and her family when they took the city. After their escape, the spies reported to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us” (2:17-24). In order to get to Jericho, the Israelites had to cross the Jordan River, which was at flood stage. So God gave them a sign in order that they would know He was with them and would empower them to possess the land. As soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant set foot in the Jordan, its waters stopped flowing. Forty thousand Israelite, men armed for battle, crossed the Jordan on dry ground. As they were crossing the Jordan, God commanded 12 men to collect 12 stones with which they were to set up a monument to remind them and all the peoples of the earth that, “the hand of the Lord is powerful … so that [they] might always fear the Lord [their] God.” When everyone was on the other side of the Jordan, its waters returned to flood stage (ch. 3-4). God’s act not only encouraged the Israelites but also put fear into the Canaanites, who lost their courage to face the Israelites. Before the first battle, God told Joshua to circumcise all males. Circumcision was the mark of their identity as God’s people, and none of this new generation had been circumcised in the wilderness. Chapters 5-11 document many battles from the south to the north of Canaan, particularly two — Jericho God then commanded the Israelites to march around Jericho for six days carrying the ark in total silence. On the seventh day, they were to blow their trumpets and shout. As they did this, Jericho’s walls fell and the Israelites charged into the city, burning it to the ground and destroying every living thing within it, except for Rahab and her family, whom they saved. When the battle was over, Joshua had instructed the soldiers that all booty taken from Jericho belonged to the Lord. However, Achan kept a Babylonian robe and some silver and gold for himself. As a result, the Israelites suffered defeat at their first attempt to take Ai. After Achan confessed and the Israelites executed him for his crime (many men had died because of his greed), God gave Joshua instructions for conquering Ai and they succeeded. This ordeal emphasized God’s insistence that His people obey His commands (ch. 7). To reinforce the significance of the Law, Joshua then built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, offered burnt offerings, and copied the Law of Moses on stones. Afterward, he read to the people “all the words of the At the end of ch. 11, the author offers this summary, Joshua “left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. … [He] took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war” (11:15, 23). The division of the land (ch. 13-21) The return of the Transjordan tribes and Joshua’s farewell (ch. 22-24) “After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then old and well advanced in years, summoned all Israel — their elders, leaders, judges and officials” (23:1-2) and delivered to them his final words. • You have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all of these nations for you. It was the Lord your God who fought for you (23:3).
Joshua then reminded them that they were in the land of Canaan because their history had been established by a loving, powerful, sovereign, faithful God (24:2-12). He ended by saying, “Decide today whom you will serve. … As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (24:14-15). The people responded, “We will still serve the Lord,” (24:21). “After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. … Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel” (24:29, 31).
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Lord your God (23:11).