Message Theme & Verses: Joshua
Memory Verse: Joshua 21:45 Not one word of all the good promises that the Lord had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.
Joshua is Israel’s mighty warrior. This first historical book, bearing his name, continues the story of the Pentateuch. This epic narrative highlights God’s faithfulness to His promises as He is victorious over the peoples of Canaan, judging them for their idolatry and evil ways, while at the same time providing His people with rest in the Promised Land.
The book is broken into two halves, focusing first on Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan and then on the distribution of the land among the twelve tribes. There are four major sections.
Cross the Jordan into the land (1-5)
Take the land (6-12)
Divide the land (13-21)
Serve the Lord in the land (22-24)
God had promised Abraham that he would be made a great nation with a land of their own. We read in the books of Moses how God grew one family into a great nation, but at the end of the first five books, the people still had not entered the land. The generation that had been rescued from Egypt were kept from the Promised Land due to their lack of faith. Even Moses, God’s chosen leader and mediator sinned and was forbidden. Only Joshua and Caleb, the two faithful spies who trusted in God’s promises, would be permitted to lead the next generation into God’s place of rest.
There are many themes in Joshua as God reveals more of who He is and shape His people to serve Him.
God’s presence with His people is what gives them strength and courage.
The land and rest are gifts from God.
God’s people are to live God’s way in God’s place.
God can save and bless “outsiders” like Rahab and “insiders” can come under God’s curse like Achan.
God is the divine Warrior who judges at the perfect time.
God is the keeper and protector of His covenant
It is necessary to remove false gods and to worship the true God alone.
Read Joshua 23. You may also add 24 if time permits.
Joshua is an old man in these last chapters and we have a good summary of the themes throughout this story. God has given His people victory, land, and rest, all the while reminding them that the battle is His. He has provided through believers outside of Israel and miracles such as making the sun stand still. God is faithful to His promises and He calls His people to be faithful to His commands. As the Creator, all of the earth belongs to God and He is right and just to divide it according to His will. God justly judges the sin of the Canaanites and protects His people from the evil influence of idolaters by driving them out of the land. At the same time, He shows His mercy and grace by making provision for the salvation of Canaanites who will worship Him alone. Some people try to use the wars of Joshua to justify “ethnic cleansing,” but this is sin. God punishes Israel for their idolatry and wickedness the same as He does other nations. The criteria for being included in God’s family is not nationality or bloodline, but God’s grace given to God’s people through faith.
Jesus in Joshua
Because the Greek name Jesus is the same as the Hebrew name Joshua, it is natural to see a picture of Christ in the story of Joshua. Both names mean “God saves” and as we read about Israel’s warrior Joshua defeating the Canaanites and opening the land for rest, we should picture God’s Warrior, Jesus, driving sin from our hearts and defeating Satan and even death that we might enter into eternal rest with Him. The author of Hebrews reminds us that David warns the people in the Psalms to not be disobedient and faithless like the first generation out of Egypt. “Do not harden your hearts” like them, or like them you will not enter God’s rest. This show us that the perfect rest promised by God was not to be found in Canaan. We will find that rest through Christ in a better city prepared by God’s own hands.
Questions
Joshua had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised and. What is the longest you’ve had to wait for anything?
What would you do if you had your very own land?
What does rest mean to you?
Do you think it is okay to have war? Why or why not?
Why do you think God instructed Joshua to destroy entire cities like Jericho? (God had given the people there hundreds of years to repent of their sin and turn to Him, but now was the time for judgment. The other reason was to protect the purity of His people. God knows that we are weak and easily tempted. He knew that if His people lived together with the idol worshipers that Israel would turn to idols as well. He was protecting His people from their own sin and the trap of false gods, but they still gave in to their sin.)
What are some good things to remember as we read these stories to others, especially our children? (First our strength and courage are found in the Lord. The people of Israel were no match for the evil surrounding them on their own. Secondly, war is not glamorous, but deadly and terrible. This was a special time in God’s plan and Christians are not called to conquer by the sword, but to win souls by the cross. We do not force people to follow Jesus, we proclaim the Gospel and pray for the Holy Spirit to change their hearts while we live lives of righteousness, mercy, and sacrifice to show love. Paul says that for the Christian, our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against evil spiritual forces. Our hope in victory assured is that Jesus is our perfect Warrior.)
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