Joshua

-This is the first book in the Historical sections of the Old Testament. There are 12 historical books. The Man Joshua: He was born in slavery in Egypt. His parents named him Hosh!a" which means# salvation". $oses changed his name to %osh!a" which means# salvation of the &ord". The 'recian form of that name is %es!s". ()hen %es!s walked the earth# He was known as *esh!a".+ %osh!a was a type of %es!s. ,rom the very beginning of the wilderness wanderings# %osh!a was the right-hand-man" of $oses. 'od was preparing %osh!a for leadership. -omeone has said# Success is being ready when opportunity comes. %osh!a proved himself !nder $oses. He led the army in the fight against the .malekites (E/. 10:1+. He was with $oses in the $o!nt (E/. 22:13+. He was one of the 12 spies (4!m. 13:5#16+# and %osh!a and 7aleb were the only two that came o!t of Egypt that entered into 7anaan. (.ll the remainder of that generation died beca!se of their !nbelief. $oses was not allowed to enter beca!se of his sin.+ This book commences where the story of 8e!teronomy ends# and records the events over the ne/t 20 years. The 9ook of 8e!teronomy concl!des with the death of $oses. God buries his workmen, but His work goes on! Even great men are not indispensable. -o# 'od:s )ord comes to %osh!a (1:2+: $oses my servant is dead; now therefore# arise# go over this %ordan". <srael co!ld not go while $oses still lived. 'od removed him# and now they were to go forward. 'od said He wo!ld give them the land# b!t they m!st arise to possess it. )e m!st always maintain a proper balance between 'od:s provision and h!man responsibility. 5:12 - And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the land The principle is this: )hen yo! can!t get provision# then yo! can e/pect 'od to provide s!pernat!rally. 9!t# if yo!:re in a place where provision is available# then yo! sho!ld eat of the land". ,aith isn:t sitting back - (not getting a =ob+ - and e/pecting 'od to drop things o!t of Heaven into yo!r lap> (<f =obs are available# then go get one>+ <n the wilderness# where food wasn!t available # 'od rained down manna from Heaven. 9!t# when they came into the land# where food was available# the manna stopped# and they were responsible for getting their own food. 'od offered enco!ragement to %osh!a. 4otice how many times the word co!rage" is fo!nd in chapter one. .lso# in this first chapter# 'od gives the key to s!ccess (1:5+. O!r s!ccess is more dependant !pon !s# than it is on 'od. <f we do what 'od has said# then thou shalt make thy way prospero!s". The choice is o!rs.

Types in the Book: 7anaan is not a type of Heaven. (There are no battles or giants in Heaven> .lso# nine times in this book# we see the children of <srael driven o!t of the land# and they had to fight their way back in. That:s not tr!e of Heaven>+ 7anaan is a type of the overcoming# victorio!s life of faith that any believer can enter into# if they:ll come o!t of the wilderness" of !nbelief. The %ordan ?iver is not a type of death. <t is a decision to walk the life of faith# based on 'od:s )ord. (.nd# even tho!gh it may not look like it# every place < set my foot on belongs to me# beca!se 'od has promised it to me.+ -.s the children of <srael crossed over into 7anaan# their greatest enemy was the sense-world. They saw" the giants# they heard" the report# and they felt" the oppression of the enemy. They had to make a decision to go with the )ord# or with what they saw> They chose the )ord# and the people were at rest in the midst of the battle.

A Change in Emphasis: This is the first book in the Old Testament# where people had to depend on the written )ord (1:5+# rather than on miracles# signs and wonders. (<n the wilderness# they were led by a

clo!d by day# and by a pillar of fire by night. .ny provisions they needed were rained down from Heaven. 9!t# now any signs and wonders they see are going to come as a res!lt of believing the )ord. Passage of Jordan: <n E/od!s 12# $oses stretched o!t his rod# and the waters rolled back (all at one time+. <n %osh!a# however# the %ordan river only separated after they stepped into them (3:12-10+# and the ?iver divided in front of them# as they moved> ()ith every step# it divided a little f!rther>+ *o! see a greater level of faith here>

The Fa of Jeri!ho: 7hapter si/ contains the acco!nt of the first battle. 'od wo!ld teach them at the very o!tset# that He wo!ld give them the land> ,rom the o!tset# He ta!ght them the s!preme importance of faith and obedience. The walls of %ericho didn:t cr!mble. The gro!nd aro!nd the city swallowed !p" the wall# and the people walked over flat gro!nd# to get into the city. (6:@ - $argin - the wall of the city shall fall down !nder it".+ .rchaeologists digging in those ancient r!ins have confirmed this 9iblical acco!nt. Orders had been given to e/terminate the corr!pt 7anaanites. Only ?ahab and her family were spare# and that was beca!se she h!ng the scarlet cord from her window. That scarlet cord was a type of the blood of 7hrist.

The "in of A!han: The second strategic city of 7anaan was .i. <srael# overconfident by their victory at %ericho# decided to send only a token army against .i. They were so!ndly defeated. -in had entered the camp# and 'od had to withdraw His hand. That sin had to be dealt with before .i co!ld be defeated. .chan was discovered by casting lots"# !rim and th!mmim. (E/. 25# %osh. 0+

The Con#uest of the $and: 7hapters 1A-22 have to do with the conB!est and division of the land. .gain# we see 'odCs provision# and h!man responsibility. 'od gave them the land# b!t they had to possess it. (,aith witho!t works is dead.+ Then# the land was divided o!t by 'od:s direction. <t was divided fairly# and there was eB!ality. However# not all the land was s!bd!ed. The children of <srael stopped short of 'od:s best. They were content to dwell among" the inhabitants of the land. (%osh. 1@:63; 16:1A; 10:12+. They had been warned that by so doing# they themselves wo!ld become entangled (8e!t. 2A:10-15+.

Joshua%s Fare&e : 7hapters 23-22 - .s the time for %osh!a:s passing approached# he twice gathered the people together# and delivered farewell messages. The theme of the first was the power and faithf!lness of 'od# with an earnest desire for the faithf!lness of the people of 'od> %osh!a:s warnings were perhaps even more fiery and searching than those of $oses. <n %osh!a:s second address (at -hecham+# he traced their history from the call of .braham to the (then+ present time# emphasiDing the fact that everything of greatness in their history was of 'od. He changed them# 4ow# therefore# fear the &ord# and serve Him". <f they wo!ld not serve 'od# he called them to choose whom they wo!ld serve> )o!ld they go back to the gods of their fathers beyond the river# or wo!ld they t!rn to the gods of the .morites# in whose land they now dweltE He ended by declaring# .s for me and my ho!se# we will serve the &ord". The book closes with the death of %osh!a# the second great leader# and the death of EleaDar# the second priest. This book portrays the effect %osh!a:s life had !pon the nation - and <srael served the &ord all the days of %osh!a" (22:31+. $ay it be o!r desire that o!r lives will affect others in the same way.