Covenant Renewal

We have come, at last, to the final chapter of the book of Joshua.  What a journey it has been!  We have walked alongside Joshua as he has followed the Lord in leading the people of Israel into their promised inheritance.  There have been many battles along the way, most with the inhabitants of the land who needed to be driven out; some with their own disobedience and the idolatry which so often lurked just beneath the surface of their obedience.  Yet through it all we have seen the faithfulness of the Lord to fulfill his promises and settle the people in the land that he promised to their forefathers.

Joshua Exhorts the Israelites

Joshua chapter 23 is Joshua’s “farewell address” to Israel.  By some estimates there has been a twenty to twenty-three-year interval between the end of the previous chapter and this speech by Joshua.  The conquest is long over and the people of Israel have settled into their new homes and lands.  By now there are young adults living in Israel who were not alive, or at least old enough to participate, during the conquest.  Joshua led them from before they crossed the Jordan river, throughout the battles of the conquest, and into the first years of peacetime occupation of the land of their inheritance.  As he approaches the end of his life we see what is uppermost in his heart: exhorting the people of the Lord to continue to walk in obedience to their God.

Going Home

Chapter 22 of Joshua opens with an air of solemnity.  The conquest is won, the allotment of lands is complete, and now the time is come for the warriors from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh to return to their families and possessions on the East side of the Jordan River.  The first four verses of the chapter parallel and show the fulfillment of a passage from the first chapter of Joshua, where Joshua addresses these warriors before entering the land.

Every Promise Fulfilled

This week’s lesson explores Joshua chapter 21 and the allotment of the Levitical cities.  Choosing cities for the Levites was the final allotment, and it involved cities and land that had already been apportioned to the various tribes.  Before we consider the allotment, we must first go back to see why they are only given cities rather than lands of inheritance as the other tribes were given.

Division of the Rest of the Land

 

In last week’s study, we followed along as Joshua and the Israelites began dividing the promised land between the tribes of Israel.  This week we will see them finish the process.  As we re-join them in chapter 18, it seems that the seven remaining tribes have lost their momentum and need some encouragement to finish the task ahead.  Before we consider why they have stalled, we are asked why it is that they are commanded to divide the land before it is entirely conquered; how are they able to “count their chickens before they hatch,” and what does this say about God?  For help, we are referred to God’s promise to Abraham, as expounded by Paul in Romans 4:17:

“as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he (Abraham) believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.”

Receiving The Inheritance

We are now zooming through the chapters of Joshua, taking three whole chapters in lesson 12, as much in them is concerned with real estate boundaries, and we will be focusing more on the people involved.  We begin by reviewing the subject of the book of Joshua and how chapters 15 through 17 contribute to the theme.  The theme can be summed up in two verses.

The Promised Inheritance, Joshua 13 and 14

Alrighty now.  The holidays are behind us and we have returned for our first week of Bible study, and so it’s time for the weekly summary of our study lesson.  Let’s see if I can remember how to do this!

Learning Obedience

In chapter 8 of Joshua the Israelites return to the field of battle against the town of Ai, but this time they are following the command and lead of the LORD.  Right off the bat, verse 1 opens with the LORD saying to Joshua, “Do not fear and do not be dismayed.  Take all the fighting men with you and arise, go up to Ai.  See, I have given into your hand the king of Ai, and his people, his city, and his land.”  (Joshua 8:1) God then proceeds to give Joshua a rather detailed battle plan. 

Sin In The Camp

Last week we learned about the fall of Jericho, God's gracious gift of a mighty victory to his people, who watched in faith and obedience as the Lord carried out his covenant promise before them and the unbelieving world.  Chapter six ends with, "So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land."  How glorious.

And then we read the very next verse:

"But the people of Israel broke faith in regard to the devoted things, for Achan the son of Carmi, son of Zabdi, son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things. And the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel."  (Joshua 7:1)

The Fall of Jericho

This week's study covers Joshua 5:13-6:27.  We began by looking at Joshua's encounter with the commander of the army of the LORD.  Our first question was, who is this?   As James Montgomery Boice points out without equivocation, this is:

"...none the less than Jehovah speaking here in a preincarnate manifestation of the second Person of the Trinity, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Consecration and Covenant

In Bible study this week we looked at Joshua 5: 1-12.  After briefly reiterating the point that the Canaanites were quaking in fear at the miraculous crossing of the Jordan by the Israelites, we considered God's command to circumcise the sons of Israel.  We looked first at his wording of the command in verse 2, to "circumcise the people again."  

Crossing the Jordan

This week, in our third lesson studying the book of Joshua, we covered chapters 3 and 4, in which Joshua and the Israelites cross the Jordan River into the Promised land.

We dipped our toes into this subject by considering the conditions in which this crossing was made.  According to Joshua 3:15 the river was overflowing its banks, which, for an army, might not be a reason to cancel the expedition, but for approximately two million people wishing to cross with women, children, baggage, flocks and herds, it was an overwhelming proposition.  Furthermore, they were within sight of the enemy's walled city.  Their enemy was, as we found out in our last lesson, quaking in fear, but still, an army preparing to attack its enemy gives away no battle plans or movements.

Rahab, a God-Fearing Woman

Lesson 2 of our Bible study, which covers Joshua chapter 2, opens with a question concerning the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.  Why, if God had already told Joshua that he would be victorious in his conquest of Canaan, would Joshua send spies into the land?  The commentaries I am drawing from all agree that this presents no problem at all.  In fact, as C. F. Keil points out, Joshua was required to do his part in securing the work committed to him as, “the help of God does not preclude human action, but rather presupposes it.”  Indeed, the life of faith is a call to action for all believers, and we will see this theme play out through the rest of Joshua chapter two.

Be Strong and Courageous

This week marks a new chapter in my life.  I am, once again, leading a Bible study at church.  This is the first study I will lead since we moved from Pennsylvania and I am excited to dive into the Word with this group of ladies, some of whom I have already come to know, some of whom I have not.  Nothing fuels a relationship like spending time together in Scripture.