Behind them lay the Land of Egypt and the wilderness. Before
them was Canaan, the promised land, the land that flowed with
“milk and honey.” What bright prospects lay ahead!
To be sure, there were tremendous obstacles and fierce enemies.
Yet the Israelites were now poised on the border of the inheritance
God had promised hundreds of years before to Abraham. Here they
were, in the timing and plan of God, ready to enter in, claim
the land and realize in their very experience the blessing of
God.
The book of Joshua is the historical record of the conquest
of the land of Canaan. It is the record of the military conquests
conducted by the nation of Israel, under the direction of Joshua,
and ultimately, under the direction of the Captain of the Lord’s
Host. (Josh..5:15).
Joshua continues where the book of Deuteronomy ends, that
is, with the death of Moses and the Israelites on the brink of
entering into the land. It is a story of military campaigns and
miraculous events.
Table of Contents
|
Main Objectives |
Obstacles to Overcome |
| 1. 1:1-4:24 Bring Israel into their inheritance |
| 2. 5:1-8:35 Establish God’s law in the
land |
| 3. 9:1-12:24 Put down all rule and authority |
| 4. 13:1-18:1 Set up tent of meeting as collective
testimony |
| 5. 18:2-21:45 Maintain God’s service |
| 6. 22:1-24:33 Uninterrupted service for the
Lord |
|
| - Flooded Jordan = death |
| - Fortified pagan cities
of Jericho and Ai |
| - Southern and northern
armies of enemies |
| - Smaller pockets of enemies
that had to be removed from their inheritance |
| - Apathy |
| - Disunity among them |
|
|
1 - 12 Joshua as Conqueror |
13 - 24 Joshua
as Administrator |
| Ch. #1 Israelites commanded to
cross Jordan and claim their inheritance |
| Ch. #2 Rahab and the spies - a
salvation story of a gentile under judgment |
| Ch. #3 & 4 Ark enters Jordan,
the waters of death, providing safe passage |
| Ch. #5 Israel "rises"
out of Jordan - Covenant sign, Passover, & new diet |
| Ch. #6 Jericho destroyed - Promise
kept - Rahab saved from the wrath of God |
Ch. #7 Sin and the flesh judged
|
| Ch. #8 The law of God established
in the land |
| Ch. #9 Gibeonites who are far
off and aliens from Israel's commonwealth find salvation |
| Ch. #10 Security of the Gibeonite's
salvation maintained - Lord fights for them! |
Ch. #11 & 12 All enemies put
down
|
|
| Ch. #13 The challenge to possess
their possessions - their gift of land |
Ch. #14 & 15 Claiming the
promises of God
|
| Ch. #16 & 17 Desiring and
developing the inheritance |
| Ch. #18 Tent of meeting set up
as collective testimony |
| Ch. #19 God's mind discerned at
the door of the tabernacle (the house of God) |
| Ch. #20 Cities of Refuge - dealing
with defilement in the land: God's justice and mercy |
| Ch. #21 Provision for priestly
service - God's service maintained |
| Ch. #22 Maintaining unity - what
basis? The right altar |
| Ch. #23 Joshua's 1'st address
- challenge of separation & guarding the heart |
| Ch. #24 Joshua's 2'nd address
- compromise or dedication to the Lord - "Choose you this
day" |
|
Introductory Thoughts
What is the message of the book of Joshua? What did
it mean to the Israelites, both the generations in Joshua’s
day, as well as the subsequent generations?
There are several general features about the book that are
worth noting. This is the sixth book of the Bible and the first
to bear the name of a man. The number six in Scripture is often
associated with man (Gen. 1:26, 31, Rev. 13:18). The first five
books of the Bible are called the law or the books of Moses.
These books reveal the will of God. The book of Joshua chronicles
the carrying out of God’s will.
We should recognize that there has only been one Man able
to fully and completely, without failure, carry out the will
of God on planet earth, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Also,
Joshua is the first man told to regulate his life by a book (Ex.17:14).
Moses (the lawgiver) was not able to bring the Israelites
into the land. That land was the great inheritance, the portion
God would give the Israelites by His grace. This was the blessing
of God promised to Israel.
What Moses could
not do,
Joshua did do.
The New testament parallel is found in Romans 8:3, “
For what the law [Moses] could not do … God sending His
own Son [Jesus]” did accomplish. In this sense, Joshua the
man, portrays the work of the Lord Jesus.
Interestingly enough, “Jesus” is the Greek equivalent
of the Hebrew name “Joshua.” It is fitting then to
see that what Moses, the law, could not do, Joshua, a prototype
of Christ, did accomplish, although of course, not on the same
level as the Lord Jesus.
Layout of Book
As to the division of the book, it is helpful to chart
a table of contents based upon the events recorded by the author.
(See chart on left). One way to view Joshua, the book, is to
observe that the book is divided into two major “movements”
or sections. Section I is marked by the united effort of the
Israelites under the direction of Joshua, fighting together to
claim their inheritance. This section from Chapter 1 through
chapter 12 contains a number of “3s”:
3 MAJOR:
|
Objectives |
Obstacles |
Miracles |
| Bring them in |
Flooded Jordan |
Jordan's Crossing |
| Establish Law |
Walled Cities |
Jericho/Ai Defended |
| Destroy Enemies |
Enemy Coalition |
Hailstones / Sun & Moon Stand Still |
Section II of the book differs significantly in that Israel
now goes out, not as a united whole, but as individuals; individual
tribes, and occasionally, tribes banded together to form a coalition.
Gone also are the mighty miracles, the direct interventions
from Heaven that so mark section I.
Section I climaxes with the phrase, “the land rested
from war” (11:23), and then ends with a list of victories
in chapter 12. Yet we find Section II containing statements such
as, “There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed…”
(13:1), and, “ How long will ye be slack to go up and possess
the land…” (18:3).
Section II also contains four accounts of individuals or groups
that are examples by way of their desire for the inheritance
or for more of the inheritance. They come and ask Joshua and
thus are models in the respect that their desires were for the
things of God.
Chapter 14 - Caleb
Chapter 15 - Achsah
Chapter 17 - Zelophohads
Chapter 17 - Josephites
In the second half of Joshua, the people are exhorted to go
out and make good their possessions. They were to possess their
inheritance, secure it, defend it, expand it and develop that
which God had brought them into. So we see that the very order
of the book suggests New Testament truths that can be applied
to the believer’s life and walk.
JOSHUA AND EPHESIANS
Joshua 1-12 shows how Israel came into the land, their inheritance
from God. It was achieved by God’s work for them. Ephesians
1-3 shows the church how their inheritance is “in Christ”
in heavenly places. “In whom [Christ] we also have obtained
an inheritance” (1:11). And that inheritance is not by the
work of man, but a gift from God, solely wrought by the death
and resurrection of Christ.
Joshua 13-24 shows Israel’s responsibility to claim their
inheritance and function in it for God’s glory. Ephesians
4-6 shows the church’s responsibility to “walk worthy
of the vocation wherewith ye are called” (4:1). We are to
walk in the power of the salvation we now have, for His glory.
|
In Section I the story is of how Israel received their inheritance,
which equates to the blessing of God. It was not Moses, the law,
but Joshua who led them in. Yet, more than this, the book emphasizes
strongly that it wasn’t through their striving or their
own ability that they got in to Canaan. God performed mighty
miracles to accomplish their “salvation.”
Thus, the Jordan river was crossed at floodtide, (ch. 3&4),
the walls of Jericho taken down, (ch. 6), the hailstones from
heaven defeating the enemies was accompanied by the sun and moon
standing still (ch. 10). How this pictures to us the truth of
the gospel! How is it that we get into the blessing of God? (Eph.
1:3; 1Pet. 1:7,8). It is not through what we do for God. Neither
is it by our own strength or ability. It is what Christ has done
by going down into that place of death, then rising victoriously,
defeating all enemies that were against us, even death itself.
But, like we find in Section II, once brought in to the land
there were still battles to be fought and territory to be possessed.
The Israelites had to make good their inheritance. Likewise
believers in the Lord Jesus, secure in His salvation and brought
into the great inheritance that is “in Christ,”
must now “possess their possessions.” The stress now
is upon our responsibility, depending upon Him, to develop our
inheritance and maximize its benefits. There are battles to be
fought and enemies that sometimes creep back in to encroach upon
areas of our lives. Thus, steadfastness and vigilance are required
as well as the energy of faith.
Toward the close of the book, we find Joshua still challenging
the people with these words:
“How long will ye be slack…”
Even in the final chapter he calls upon them to make their
decision:
“…choose you this day whom
ye will serve…”
In Section II the Lord made provisions so that His testimony
was able to be maintained. The Tabernacle was erected (ch.18)
and the worship and service of God carried on according to His
word. Land grants were allotted to the Levites (ch. 21) so that
God’s service might continue uninterrupted. Cities of refuge
were established (ch. 20) to provide refuge and protection and
keep the land free from the shedding of innocent blood.
In this, the “church
age,” the Lord has made every provision necessary for the
maintenance of His service & worship, the expansion of His
work and the blessing of His people. This provision is found
in the church, which is the spiritual house of God, the Word
of God and the Lord Jesus, our great High Priest.
(See 1Tim. 3:16; 2Tim. 3:15-17; Heb. 10:21)
Closing Challenges
The closing chapters of Joshua present some of the challenges
faced by the Israelites as they sought to carry out God’s
will in the land. There was the test of “doctrine”
that nearly split the nation from east to west (ch. 22). They
were warned of the danger of compromise with the nations around
them. The ever-present danger of intermarriage with pagans would
prove to be a major problem in the subsequent history of the
nation. Many of these dangers were challenges to their loyalty
and love for the Lord. Joshua calls an all-tribal assembly (23:2)
and puts it straight before the people, the difficulty of serving
the Lord: “He is a Jealous God” (24:19).
The people covenant together to dedicate themselves wholly
to the Lord. Their decision is inscribed upon a stone for a memorial.
From time to time they would pass by the stone and evaluate their
lives in regard to their decision to follow the Lord.
The next book, Judges, continues where Joshua ends. Joshua,
the man, dies and the people are left to carry on. Similarly,
the Lord Jesus has ascended back into glory and has left us here
to carry out His will.
PICTURE OF CHRIST
|
In chapters 1-12, Joshua is presented as the conqueror of
the enemies. This depicts the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus
in conquering Satan, sin and death by the cross and resurrection.
In chapters 13-24, Joshua is absent as a warrior but is now
directing the affairs of Israel. This depicts the heavenly ministry
of Christ as the Head of His church.
|
From time to time, it does us good to check our heart’s
devotion to Him in light of the truth of His word. How are we
carrying on? Perhaps it is true with us, individually and corporately,
that “there remaineth much land yet to be possessed.”
Let us rejoice in the undeniable victories that have been accomplished.
Let us remember all that He has brought us in to. And let us
also realize that there are still enemies to fight and “territory”
to be claimed and developed for Him and for His glory.