Introduction:

“. . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15).  These words sum up the message of the book of Joshua, as well as the character of the author.   The book of Joshua reveals how successful the people of God can be when they are totally dependent upon Him and the high standards of obedience that God expects from His followers.  Powerful forces cannot stand against the might of the children of Israel when they trust in Yahweh.  Walls of impregnable cities fall.  Confederations of mighty men are defeated. However, the disobedience of one follower and self-reliant overconfidence allow the smallest of foes to overcome God’s chosen ones.  Their example speaks to us today of the importance of obedience, reliance on our Savior alone, and the consequences of the choices that we make.

Background:

The crucial time to finally enter the Promised Land had arrived.  The present generation had grown up under Moses’ tutelage.  They had followed him around the desert experiencing miracle after miracle for forty years.  They had graphically observed both the results of disobedience and the sustaining power that comes from trusting God to lead them.  They were well-trained and prepared for the mission facing them, but Moses, the prophet who had led them out of slavery in Egypt and through the wilderness, was dead.  Who would guide them now?  This was a pivotal moment in the progress of the children of Israel.  The wrong leader could bring them to ruin. They needed a strong chief who would lead with humility and trust in God.  Where could such a man be found?  Right where God had placed him so long ago—at Moses’ right hand.

Joshua had been a slave in Egypt. He had experienced the parting of the Red Sea and followed the fire and cloud of God to Mt. Sinai.  He had been on the mountain faithfully waiting for Moses when the children of Israel rebelled and worshipped the golden calf.  Of the twelve men sent to spy out the Promised land, only he and Caleb had advised the people to enter in with confidence.  When Moses wanted a general to fight Amalek, he sent Joshua. On every step of the journey, Joshua had always chosen to trust and serve God.  While Moses had been their commander, Joshua had also been a faithful mainstay for the people from childhood.  They had experienced only competence and loyalty from Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim.  Thus, when God chose Joshua to lead them into the Promised Land, the people had confidence in the successor to the great prophet Moses.

As a leader, Joshua was careful to follow the blueprint given to him by Moses.  He listened to and had trust in the Lord, from being commanded to circle a city repeatedly and to blow trumpets in order to make the walls fall down to requesting with confidence that God would make the sun stand still until all his enemies were defeated.  Joshua knew that the God he served could and would always take care of his people.  This was why Joshua was so devastated when a small town that should have been easily defeated conquered his army.  However, Joshua recognized what to do when overwhelmed.  He took his case to God and found the remedy to his problem.  If Joshua had one weakness, it was that he did not always consult God before making decisions.  Even this is a lesson for us today.  The book of Joshua demonstrates the consequences of overconfidence, as well as God’s willingness to work to overcome the mistakes of His people.

Authors:

The author for the majority of the book is Joshua, son of Nun.  A small portion of the book (Joshua 24:29-33) was added on after Joshua’s death.  One source, the Jewish Talmud, claims that Eliezer the priest wrote verses 29-32 while his son Phinehas added the last verse about Eliezer’s death.

Organization:

The book of Joshua is divided into two sections.  The first part of the book deals with the conquest of Canaan.  The final half describes the division of the Promised land into tribal areas and the setting up of special cities.

Chapters 1-12  Entering, Dedicating themselves to God, and Conquering

• 1:1-4:24  Crossing the Jordan
• 5:1-6:27 Conquering Jericho
• 7:1-8:35 The village of Ai—defeat and victory
• 9:1-27 Tricked by the Gibeonites
• 10:1-27 Battling the Canaanites
• 10:28-12:24 Completing the conquest of the Promised Land

Chapters 13-22 Organizing a Society

• 13:1-22:34 Dividing the land among the twelve tribes
• 20:1-21:45 Special cities—Sanctuary and Levitical
• 22:1-34 The tribes beyond the river return home

Chapters 23-24 Joshua’s Farewell Speech and Death

Conclusion:

This was the faithful generation.   They had learned to trust God, unlike their parents who died roaming around the wilderness because of rebellion and the later generations described in the book of Judges who did whatever was right in their own eyes.  The book of Joshua gives us hope that there can be a group of people who follow God wherever He leads and trust Him to take care of them regardless of the danger or the situation.  We need this example because a time is coming when there will again be a generation who are called to follow the Lamb wherever He goes in a time of great tribulation (Revelation 7 and 14).  The Bible describes so many situations where the people of God have failed, and it can be discouraging.  History is also full of the apostasy and injustice of the church, but the book of Joshua shows us what it looks like when God’s people get it right.  The theme of the book and of our lives is the same: If we trust and obey, we will have a home in the Promised Land.