The Book of Joshua: "Be Strong & Courageous"
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Intro:
Seated & Dismissed
Topic
Finished Ephesians
Book of Joshua
Intro to Devotions Series
Intro to Judges Series
Text
Transition: The Promised Land was not
Transition: The book of Joshua is among the historical books. Accounting for how the people of Israel finally made it into the promised land.
The Book of Joshua shows Joshua as a type of Moses and ultimately a type of Christ.
The beginning of Joshua starts like the gospels end and how the book of Acts begins. With a great commission.
Like the books of Acts, the entire outline and purpose of the book can be found in the introduction.
Look with me
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.
Joshua
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
Joshua As The New Moses
Joshua As The New Moses
Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours. Your territory shall be from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea. No one shall be able to stand against you. The Lord your God will lay the fear of you and the dread of you on all the land that you shall tread, as he promised you.
For if you will be careful to do all this commandment that I command you to do, loving the Lord your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, then the Lord will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours. Your territory shall be from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea.
Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours. Your territory shall be from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the western sea.
The promise was given to Moses, but Moses was unable to take the people into God’s promise land.
The Book of Hebrews tells us that The Promised Land was likened to Eden. It would be a Holy Land, in which God would dwell with his people.
This Rest reminds us of the 7th day of creation. When God creates all things and creates man to enjoy all things, and to chiefly glorify God and enjoy him fully.
Moses could not bring his people into this NEW EDEN, Moses died and so did all the people he brought out of Egypt. They died in the wilderness, for God swore in his wrath that they would not enter, due to their disobedience and lack of faith & trust in Yahweh.
But, Joshua was leading all of the children of the people who came out of Egypt. He would lead the next generation, who were born in the wilderness.
Joshua, unlike Moses, would lead them through the Jordan and into paradise.
Though, Joshua would not be a different kind of leader than Moses. Actually, there are many ways in which Joshua resembles Moses.
Joshua As The New Moses
Joshua As The New Moses
The Red Sea & the Jordan
Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.
So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.
:
Exodus 4:
They both hand to remove their sandals due to being on Holy Ground
Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.”
And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Joshua 5:13-
When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Joshua and Moses both had to have their Sons circumcised or the LORD would have killed them.
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!”
The Commander of the LORD’s Army had his sword drawn, Joshua and his people needed the sign of the covenant to show whose side they were on. Good thing that 10 verses before… Joshua made…
So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.
Exodus 4:24-
So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the sons of Israel at Gibeath-haaraloth.
At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.
… All the
comparison with Moses and Joshua on how many Kings they conquered
Exodus
Transition: There are many other connects to be made to Moses, but it is very clear that the people who followed Joshua, followed him as if he were Moses.
There are many other connects to be made to Moses, but it is very clear that the people who followed Joshua, followed him as if he were Moses.
Transition: There are many other connects to be made to Moses, but it is very clear that the people who followed Joshua, followed him as if he were Moses.
And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
Joshua
Theme of the Book: So this is the great theme of the Book. Joshua will be the new & greater Moses, able to lead God’s people into the promised land, so long as they trust and obey him they will be successful.
Transition: So that is the overall theme of the book, let’s take a look now at the Structure of the Book.=
Structure of Joshua
Structure of Joshua
I. Commissioning of Joshua
II. Crossing the Jordan
Jericho
III. Circumcision / Consecration
(“Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”)
IV. Commander of the Heavenly Armies
Commander of the Heavenly Armies
V. Conquest Begins
VI. Conquest Fails
VIII. Covenant Renewal
VIIII. Conquest Continued
X. Conquest Unfinished
XI. Commissioning from Joshua
Two Rules:
Be Strong & Courageous (Trust Me)
Be Careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you (Obey Me)
After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”
And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
And the Lord said 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. And you shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king. Only its spoil and its livestock you shall take as plunder for yourselves. Lay an ambush against the city, behind it.”
So Joshua and all the fighting men arose to go up to Ai. And Joshua chose 30,000 mighty men of valor and sent them out by night. And he commanded them, “Behold, you shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it. Do not go very far from the city, but all of you remain ready. And I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. And when they come out against us just as before, we shall flee before them. And they will come out after us, until we have drawn them away from the city. For they will say, ‘They are fleeing from us, just as before.’ So we will flee before them. Then you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city, for the Lord your God will give it into your hand. And as soon as you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire. You shall do according to the word of the Lord. See, I have commanded you.” So Joshua sent them out. And they went to the place of ambush and lay between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai, but Joshua spent that night among the people.
Joshua arose early in the morning and mustered the people and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. And all the fighting men who were with him went up and drew near before the city and encamped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai. He took about 5,000 men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. So they stationed the forces, the main encampment that was north of the city and its rear guard west of the city. But Joshua spent that night in the valley. And as soon as the king of Ai saw this, he and all his people, the men of the city, hurried and went out early to the appointed place toward the Arabah to meet Israel in battle. But he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. And Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them and fled in the direction of the wilderness. So all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn away from the city. Not a man was left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel. They left the city open and pursued Israel.
Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Stretch out the javelin that is in your hand toward Ai, for I will give it into your hand.” And Joshua stretched out the javelin that was in his hand toward the city. And the men in the ambush rose quickly out of their place, and as soon as he had stretched out his hand, they ran and entered the city and captured it. And they hurried to set the city on fire. So when the men of Ai looked back, behold, the smoke of the city went up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers. And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had captured the city, and that the smoke of the city went up, then they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. And the others came out from the city against them, so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side. And Israel struck them down, until there was left none that survived or escaped. But the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him near to Joshua.
When Israel had finished killing all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai and struck it down with the edge of the sword. And all who fell that day, both men and women, were 12,000, all the people of Ai. But Joshua did not draw back his hand with which he stretched out the javelin until he had devoted all the inhabitants of Ai to destruction. Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their plunder, according to the word of the Lord that he commanded Joshua. So Joshua burned Ai and made it forever a heap of ruins, as it is to this day. And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.
At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, on Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the people of Israel, as it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, “an altar of uncut stones, upon which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings. And there, in the presence of the people of Israel, he wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written. And all Israel, sojourner as well as native born, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded at the first, to bless the people of Israel. And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the sojourners who lived among them.
Transition: So with the Structure of the Book to give us our bearings, and these Two seemingly simple Rules … I want us to pause a moment and imagine ourselves to be in Joshua’s shoes. Think of the confidence he must have had! I mean the guy prayed for the sun to stand still and it did! How could Joshua be so confident?
The Confidence of Joshua
The Confidence of Joshua
Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
Perfect Tense: “I have given you” “Not I will give you”, I Have.
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Joshua
Joshua 1:6
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
!
Then the whole congregation of the people of Israel assembled at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.
There remained among the people of Israel seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned. So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me. They shall divide it into seven portions. Judah shall continue in his territory on the south, and the house of Joseph shall continue in their territory on the north. And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their heritage. And Gad and Reuben and half the tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastward, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave them.”
So the men arose and went, and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, “Go up and down in the land and write a description and return to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord in Shiloh.” So the men went and passed up and down in the land and wrote in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions. Then they came to Joshua to the camp at Shiloh, and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the Lord. And there Joshua apportioned the land to the people of Israel, to each his portion.
The lot of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to its clans came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the people of Judah and the people of Joseph. On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan. Then the boundary goes up to the shoulder north of Jericho, then up through the hill country westward, and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven. From there the boundary passes along southward in the direction of Luz, to the shoulder of Luz (that is, Bethel), then the boundary goes down to Ataroth-addar, on the mountain that lies south of Lower Beth-horon. Then the boundary goes in another direction, turning on the western side southward from the mountain that lies to the south, opposite Beth-horon, and it ends at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a city belonging to the people of Judah. This forms the western side. And the southern side begins at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim. And the boundary goes from there to Ephron, to the spring of the waters of Nephtoah. Then the boundary goes down to the border of the mountain that overlooks the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, which is at the north end of the Valley of Rephaim. And it then goes down the Valley of Hinnom, south of the shoulder of the Jebusites, and downward to En-rogel. Then it bends in a northerly direction going on to En-shemesh, and from there goes to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. Then it goes down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, and passing on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-arabah it goes down to the Arabah. Then the boundary passes on to the north of the shoulder of Beth-hoglah. And the boundary ends at the northern bay of the Salt Sea, at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border. The Jordan forms its boundary on the eastern side. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin, according to their clans, boundary by boundary all around.
Now the cities of the tribe of the people of Benjamin according to their clans were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, Geba—twelve cities with their villages: Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, Zela, Haeleph, Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah and Kiriath-jearim—fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the people of Benjamin according to its clans.
Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
All of this in just chapter 1! And in all these verses Yahweh is speaking to Joshua.
Joshua 18
In Chapter 10, when Joshua prays for the sun to stand still, you see Joshua speaking this same confidence into the hearts of his warriors.
And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.”
English Standard Version Introduction
Israel conquered the land and divided it among the twelve tribes. In these battles it became evident that God fights for his people when they are “strong and courageous” (1:6, 7, 9, 18; 10:25) and
At that time Joshua spoke to the Lord in the day when the Lord gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel,
“Sun, stand still at Gibeon,
and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.”
And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,
until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.
Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in the midst of heaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day.
Joshua 10
Joshua spoke and the sun and moon obeyed him. Creation obeyed the voice of Joshua.
Joshua & The Commander of the LORD’s Army
Joshua & The Commander of the LORD’s Army
Now before we apply this verse to us, let’s apply this verse to Jesus.
When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?”
Joshua 5:
For when Jesus spoke, even the winds and the waves obeyed him.
Joshua and Jesus have alot in common too. Take their names for example.
Jesus - Greek | Joshua - Hebrew | Zachary (English), Zechariah (Hebrew), Zacchaeus (Aramaic), Zacharias (Greek)
I am the same person. However, Joshua and Jesus are not the same person.
Joshua was given the promised land, a little place over in the middle east.
Jesus has been given the entire world!
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.
Joshua 5:14
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Aorist tense. Past Tense. “Has been given.”
There is no place you can walk on the face of this earth that has not already been given to Jesus.
Take it. Go tell the nations that it all belongs to Jesus.
Excuse me Jericho. This place belongs to Jesus, Trust him and obey him.
Baptism them. And teach them to observe all that God has commanded through his servant, the Greater Moses.
I am with you always, never leave you or forsake you.
Why do we evangelize with so little confidence?
Why do we watch the news with such little faith?
Why do we we say there is no hope for this country when this country belongs to Jesus. Take it.
Tell this nation, that this land, and their very lives, belong to Jesus.
Think about that this week. There is no place your foot does not tread that has not already been given to Jesus.
If you’re really confident. Print that verse out and tape it to the bottom of your shoe! And go preach the good news. That King Jesus has conquered it all!!!
Transition: Back to the book of Joshua… after the Commission, Crossing the Jordan, Circumcision, & a visit from the Commander of Armies… the Conquest Begins… and no sooner does it begin, it fails.
The Conquest Begins & Begins to Fail
The Conquest Begins & Begins to Fail
In Chapter 6, Jericho is taken. Just as when the Levites blew the trumpets in to announce the coming of Yahweh to Mount Sinai, at the sound of the trumpets on the 7th day Yahweh shows up as a Mighty Warrior and destroys the city of Jericho. Death comes to all except the one with the scarlet cord as visible as the lambs blood over the doors at Passover. This should remind us of what will take place when the final trumpet sounds.
The trumpet will announce the presence of Yahweh. The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend. His enemies shall be vanquished, his bride (Rahab), will be saved.
Yahweh, the Commander of Armies, won the victory, therefore the spoils are his. Joshua said to the People,
But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it. But all silver and gold, and every vessel of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord; they shall go into the treasury of the Lord.”
But you, keep yourselves from the things devoted to destruction, lest when you have devoted them you take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel a thing for destruction and bring trouble upon it.
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.
They fight a battle against Ai and the Amorites and they lose.
They were very Strong and Courageous, but they did Not Obey God’s Commands.
Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings.
So he caused the ark of the Lord to circle the city, going about it once. And they came into the camp and spent the night in the camp.
They search out and find Achan who stole from the LORD. They destroy him and his household, in contrast to saving Rahab and her household, who Trusted Yahweh and Obeyed Him by placing the scarlet cord in her window.
Joshua 6
Then they fight and defeat the Amorites and the Conquest is back on track, and Joshua has a Covenant Renewal Service.
They renew their commitment to Yahweh.
To Trust Him and Obey Him
The Covenant is Renewed
The Covenant is Renewed
They go forth and Conquer All! The North, the South, they conquer and Divide among the 12 tribes.
The Land was theirs already. The Lord have given it to them. They needed only take their inheritance.
Joshua Commissions the People
Joshua Commissions the People
A long time afterward, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders and heads, its judges and officers, and said to them, “I am now old and well advanced in years. And you have seen all that the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the Lord your God who has fought for you. Behold, I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. The Lord your God will push them back before you and drive them out of your sight. And you shall possess their land, just as the Lord your God promised you. Therefore, be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day. For the Lord has driven out before you great and strong nations. And as for you, no man has been able to stand before you to this day. One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the Lord your God who fights for you, just as he promised you. Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.
Joshua now in his old age in Chapter 23 and 24, he wishes to renew the covenant knowing that the conquest was still unfinished, for not all the enemies were driven from the land.
So he charges & warns the people
Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God. For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know for certain that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you, but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good ground that the Lord your God has given you.
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods,
They do serve the Lord for as long as Joshua lives and as long as the elders of the people live.
That generation serves the lord all thier lives, but after they died there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD.
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
But Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm and consume you, after having done you good.” And the people said to Joshua, “No, but we will serve the Lord.” Then Joshua said to the people, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him.” And they said, “We are witnesses.” He said, “Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord, the God of Israel.” And the people said to Joshua, “The Lord our God we will serve, and his voice we will obey.” So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and put in place statutes and rules for them at Shechem. And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord. And Joshua said to all the people, “Behold, this stone shall be a witness against us, for it has heard all the words of the Lord that he spoke to us. Therefore it shall be a witness against you, lest you deal falsely with your God.” So Joshua sent the people away, every man to his inheritance.
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods, for it is the Lord our God who brought us and our fathers up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight and preserved us in all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed. And the Lord drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the Lord, for he is our God.”
Joshua 24:14-
Joshua 24:14
Judges
And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger.
And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.
And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger.
When Joshua dismissed the people, the people of Israel went each to his inheritance to take possession of the land. And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the Lord had done for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110 years. And they buried him within the boundaries of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of the mountain of Gaash. And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.
And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals. And they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They went after other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed down to them. And they provoked the Lord to anger.
The Need of an Eternal Joshua
The Need of an Eternal Joshua
Moses couldn’t bring the people into the promised land because of their sin
Joshua couldn’t keep the people in the promised land because of sin and death.
The people Obeyed God as long as Joshua was alive, and even when Achen sinned, they dealt with it and have a covenant renewal service. If only Joshua could lead the people forever.
But, God’s people cannot remain in God’s presence because of their sin
They will eventually kill the prophets God sends and whoring after other Gods they will be handed over to their enemies and exiled from the land
There needs to come one who is greater than Moses to save God’s people not from the slavery of Pharoah, but from the chains of the greater master, Sin.
There needs to come one who is greater than Joshua. One who can save God’s people from the enemy of sin and death. A Warrior, A Commander of Armies, to wage war and win the battle. To fight for them, to be their righteousness, to be their King. To roll away their shame.
Jesus is the Greater Joshua
Jesus is the Greater Joshua
Context in Structure
As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, he feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, like one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all its men were warriors.
As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,
Joshua made a peace treaty with Gibeon… The rest of the Kings were scared of what Israel and Gibeon could do together, so they got 5 Kings and Kingdoms to join forces to take over Gibeon before they could join Israel.
Joshua 10:1
What would Israel do to the King Adoni-zedek the Lord of Righteousness, King of Jerusalem?
They same thing they did to the other kings.
And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening. And at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree and threw it at the entrance of the gate of the city and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.
Joshua 10:
And they raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his burning anger. Therefore, to this day the name of that place is called the Valley of Achor.
These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them,
Joshua 10:16-27
Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.” And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
Joshua 10:
But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
As for Makkedah, Joshua captured it on that day and struck it, and its king, with the edge of the sword. He devoted to destruction every person in it; he left none remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah just as he had done to the king of Jericho.
These five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. And it was told to Joshua, “The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.” And Joshua said, “Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave and set men by it to guard them, but do not stay there yourselves. Pursue your enemies; attack their rear guard. Do not let them enter their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.” When Joshua and the sons of Israel had finished striking them with a great blow until they were wiped out, and when the remnant that remained of them had entered into the fortified cities, then all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah. Not a man moved his tongue against any of the people of Israel.
Then Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.” And they did so, and brought those five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. And when they brought those kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the men of Israel and said to the chiefs of the men of war who had gone with him, “Come near; put your feet on the necks of these kings.” Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. And Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous. For thus the Lord will do to all your enemies against whom you fight.” And afterward Joshua struck them and put them to death, and he hanged them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. But at the time of the going down of the sun, Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves, and they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.
Joshua’s Signature Move:
Hang the King on a Tree
Remove him from the Tree and bury him under stones
“Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”
his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
“Buried under stones to this day” / Like a city that lies in ruins, a Kings dead body under stones is a sign of denied resurrection. This is an ancient near eastern understanding.
Joshua pronounces that not only are these Kings cursed by God, by hanging them on a tree, but they are denied resurrection, cursed not only in this life, but in the life to come.
Joshua pronounces that not only are these Kings cursed by God, by hanging them on a tree, but they are denied resurrection, cursed not only in this life, but in the life to come.
This is the
But what about when Israel, goes astray? What about when God’s people deserve to be cursed along with the canaanites? What happens when God’s people rebel against him and become his enemy? What happens when Israel deserves to be cursed, hung upon a tree, and a heap of stones over them. Cursed by God in this life and the life to Come.
I believe foretells of a future King of Jerusalem who will be put to death by Israel, hung on tree and buried behind a stone.
As soon as Adoni-zedek, king of Jerusalem, heard how Joshua had captured Ai and had devoted it to destruction, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them,
Joshua 10:1
Adoni-Zedek (Lord of Righteousness)
King of Jerusalem who was there before Israel arrived, Foretells of the way Israel would kill him.
The Lord of Righteousness says, Israel will arrest me, hang me on the tree as a cursed enemy of God, and bury me behind a stone with guards standing by.
Foretells of the way Israel would kill him.
Israel will hang me on the tree and bury me behind a stone as an enemy of God.
An this is exactly what happens to the Future Adoni-Zedek
The future Lord of Righteousness. The true King of Jerusalem and King of the world, who would be arrested, hung on a tree by his own people, treated as , stricken smitten by God, cursed, and buried in a tomb.
But, why did he die on a tree when he is the Lord of Righteousness.
It was not because of his sin, but ours.
It was not because he was cursed by God, but he became a curse for us, so that we might become the righteous.
He was buried behind a stone… But was not denied resurrection.
On the third day when the stone is rolled away, not only do we then know that Jesus is not God’s enemy, we also realize that because of what the Lord of Righteousness has done, neither are we.
We are no longer his enemies. When the stone is rolled away, so is our shame.
And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
When the circumcising of the whole nation was finished, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
Joshua 5
This is what God does for Israel and for all you Rehabs, who at one time or the other will fail your conquest, break one or both of the two rules, and be deserving of death.
Failed in our mission this past week
Deserving of cursing, deserving of being cut off from God’s presence… BUT
We hold a Covenant Renewal service every Sunday to remind us that Christ has been cut off on our behalf
Christ has been cut off on our behalf
And that when the stone rolled away, so did our slavery to sin
And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” And so the name of that place is called Gilgal to this day.
We need to camp out in Gilgal
I wish the name of the place was called “Gethsemane” but it was called Gilgal which sounds like the Hebrew word for “Roll”
So they camped out in the place where God rolled away their shame of being slaves.
While the people of Israel were encamped at Gilgal, they kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month in the evening on the plains of Jericho.
We get to camp out at Gilgal every week during Communion.
We keep the new Passover, of the new sacrifice, and the new and greater Joshua, Who conquered satan sin and death.
And remember Church, Jesus is Better. (TAKE THESE FINAL WORDS TO HEART)
He would be the passover lamb sacrificed
He would be the Lord of Righteousness and true King of Jerusalem, treated as an enemy of God but resurrected as the greater Joshua
The greater Joshua, the Commander of Armies, able to wage war and win your soul for all eternity.
He gives you a better promise than Joshua could give his people, He will be with you forever. He’ll never leave you or forsake you.
He is with you right now. Even if you find yourself in the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
He is Fighting the battle for you.
You must only Trust Him & Obey Him.
Be Strong and Courageous
Like Rehab, Place your Hope in Him Alone
And go from enemy to child, from citizen of Jericho to citizen of Jerusalem, from cursed to blessed, from working and striving, to resting in his righteousness, from naked and ashamed to stone rolled away.
And Go throughout this entire world knowing, that Jesus is Lord of all.
The LORD is your salvation.
You must only choose this day
Only, choose this day whom you will serve.
If you do choose, join me in reading this verse on the screen…
“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
“As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Only, choose this day whom you will serve.
If you do choose, join me in reading this verse on the screen…
Let us pray.