Study 12: Entering the Promised Land

Overview of the Book of Joshua

Context

The book of Joshua takes up where Deuteronomy left off. Moses has died on mount Pisgah and Joshua under divine command leads the children of Israel into the promised land.    Joshua 1:1-2

Author:  Joshua the son Nun (Joshua 24:26), whose name was originally Oshea (or Hoshea) (Numbers 13:8), which Moses changed to Jehoshua or Joshua (that is, "God's salvation").

This is a connecting book between Israel born as a nation and wandering for 40 years in the wilderness, and Israel in the Promised Land. The relationship between God and his People is epitomised: God's covenant and their obedience based on the relationship between God and his people (Chapter 24).

This book bears the name of Joshua, because it is about him and his actions in the land of Canaan. It tells the story of Israel doing what they should have done immediately after departing from Egypt, that is, crossing the Jordan into Canaan and taking the land, since God would have fought their battles, as promised. The book shows the power of God and the outcomes of the one who obeys the Lord.

Key verses

Joshua 1:8

Joshua 24:14

Period

Entry to land around 1406 BC
Joshua died 1390 BC
Eleazar and Phinehas completes the book 1375 – 1370 BC

What Christians get from the book of Joshua

For the Christian, the book Joshua is encouraging; it sets out that God is a covenant keeping God, irrespective of the sinfulness of man. Joshua tells of how God kept His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by enabling the Children of Israel to take the land. In this we have comfort that the promise of the Messiah returning for his own will be accomplished. God is faithful to His people - both to Israel in Joshua's day, and to the Church, today. It shows that God is not distant, but has a direct and personal relationship with those He loves. The lesson for the Children of Israel was the oneness of God, and the importance of His ordinances. The same applies to Christians today: By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. (1 John 5:2).

Theology of importance

• The importance of the Word of God (1:1-18)
• The theophany observed Joshua 5:13-15
• Female ancestors of Messiah Joshua 2:1-3; 6:17-25; Hebrews 11:31; Matthew 1:5
• The sin of one man Archan affected the entire nation (Joshua 7:1-24; 20:20)
• God is willing to save gentiles (Rahab)
• Active faith leads to active obedience -> blessings from God
• Victory comes through faith in God in obedience
• Spiritual strength comes from mediation on the Word of God
• The Law of Moses in action

The Narrative of Joshua

The book can be divided into two: (1) conquest and (2) A. The entrance of the people into Canaan and the conflicts.

1. Conquest of the Land
   1. The entrance commanded and success promised (1:1-18)
   2. The spies and Rahab's faith (2:1-24)
   3. The passage of Jordan (3:1-17)
   4. The memorial stones (4:1-24)
   5. At Gilgal (5:1-15)
   6. The fall of Jericho (6:1-27)
   7. Achan's sin and Israel's defeat (7:1-26)
   8. The overthrow of Ai (8:1-35)
   9. The Gibeonites and their victory (9:1-27)
   10. The victorious conquest (10-12)
2. The division of the land: Joshua 13 - 21
3. The final words of Joshua and the epilogue.
1. Joshua's two addresses (23:1-24:28)
   1. Charge to keep the law (Joshua 23:1-24:13
   2. Choosing who they would serve (Joshua 24:14-28)
2. The epilogue Joshua 24:29-33)