The book of Joshua tells how Israel settled in Canaan, the land God promised to give them. The book gets its name from its main character, Joshua, who had become the leader of Israel following the death of Moses.
The book of Joshua has two parts. In the first part (1-12) the Lord helped Israel capture many of the cities and towns of Canaan. Sometimes this help involved miracles. for example, in the battle at Jericho, the Land made the city walls collapse (6.20). Later, in the battle at Gibeon, the Lord made huge hailstones fall from the sky and crush the enemy soldiers. Then he made the sun stand still so the Israelites had a longer period of daylight to catch and kill as many of the enemy soldiers as possible before night came (10.1-15).
But the Lord refused to help Israel if the people broke their agreement to worship only him and to obey his commands. for example, in the battle at Ai, Israel was defeated because one person broke Israel's agreement with the Lord (7.1-12).
The second part of the book (13-24) describes how each tribe received its land. Israel had captured territory east of the Jordan River. This land had already been promised to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh, but they had to help the other tribes take over the rest of Canaan. The tribes of Judah, Ephraim, and West Manasseh took over their sections of the land fairly quickly. Then the rest of the land was explored and divided into sections, and the Lord showed Joshua which sections to assign to each of the remaining tribes. But since the Levites were the special servants of the Lord, they did not receive a large area of land like the other tribes. Instead, they were given towns scattered throughout the whole country.
At the end of the book, Joshua made two speeches emphasizing how good the Lord had been to the Israelites. Then Joshua gave them a challenge:
Worship the LORD, obey him, and always be faithful (24.14a)
Here are 14 Lessons from The Book of Joshua
The Secret to Success
1 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 1.5-8
After Moses died, Joshua became the leader of the Israelites. The pressure of this new responsibility was great. He was to lead more than two million people into a foreign land to conquer and claim it as their own. Joshua easily could have become afraid or discouraged as he thought about his opposition. But the LORD promised to be with him. He encouraged Joshua to be strong, brave, and obedient.
The secret of true success, then and now, is complete obedience to God. We must believe that God is with us in every experience. As we obey his Word, he will give us the strength and courage we need to face whatever challenges come our way. New experiences can be frightening, but with God leading our lives, these challenges can be thrilling and rewarding.
An Unusual Ally
2 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 2.1-14
God was not pleased with prostitution in biblical times any more than he is now. So why did the spies stop at the house of Rahab, a known prostitute? Since the spies were seeking information, they may have felt it was a safe place to gather facts without being questioned in return.
Perhaps the nature of Rahab's business made her home the only place strangers could stay without attracting attention. Whatever the reason, the LORD knew Rahab's heart was open to him, and he used her to help the Israelites win the victory over Jericho.
Rahab's story shows that God will help us when we want to start doing right. No matter how we have sinned in the past, God can help us if we surrender to him.
God opens the Way
3 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 3.9-17
God was about to do some new and amazing things for his people as they were entering the land of Canaan. Joshua prepared the Israelites and told them God would stop the waters of the Jordan River so they could cross.
Today, some people have suggested that an earthquake caused a natural dam upstream, which is why the river stopped flowing just as the priests started across the Jordan. Whether this actually happened or not, the event is still a great example of one of the many dramatic instances when God ordered a natural event to help his people.
When there seems to be "no way" for us, we can remember the priests at the Jordan. Our rescue may not be as dramatic as this example, but God will make a way for us.
The Walls Came Tumbling Down!
4 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 6.1-5
The Israelites may have felt foolish marching around the city of Jericho for a week instead of going to battle, but the LORD's instructions were clear and the Israelites chose to obey.
We often think that God's instructions don't make sense, but let's follow the Israelites' example and take one day at a time as we follow God. Often, we will not see the logic of God's plan until we have completely obeyed his Word.
Aye-Aye Ai!
5 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 8.1-4
Once Achan's sin had been dealt with, the people could move forward again with the LORD's blessing. Joshua did not run from Ai in fear because of the earlier defeat; he planned another attack. This time, however, they would fight according to God's battle plan, not theirs.
We should not allow failure, mistakes, or sin to defeat us. Instead, we should learn from them. When we trust and depend on God, we are better prepared to do things correctly when the next opportunity comes along.
Cheap Trick
6 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 9.1-21
Which is more dangerous - the direct attack of an enemy or the sky tricks of people pretending to be friends? The Israelites faced both as word of their victories swept across the land. The direct attack of the kings didn't have the long-term effects that the treaty they were tricked into singing did.
We often experience these two forms of opposition also. The direct attack is sometimes easier to deal with than the trick, but we must be on our guard against both.
While the people of Gibeon were wrong to deceive God's people, the Israelites erred in not asking the LORD if they should make the treaty. Thus, Joshua and the Israelites had to live with the consequences of their rash promise. Let's listen to God before we make decisions.
The Longest Day
7 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 10.12-14
Was it a miracle or a mere coincidence? No natural explanation for this event can be found in science, and the Bible does not explain how the LORD did it. All we know is that the day was made longer by God.
The extra daylight was not a cosmic accident, not a coincidence. God was helping Joshua and the army who had fought hard and long. And Joshua knew he needed to ask God for help.
When something we have prayed about actually happens, do we just chalk the event up to coincidence? do we find it hard to believe that God really cares about the details of our lives? The Bible tells us repeatedly that God does care and that he will respond when we pray. With these promises in mind, we should not be surprised when miracles happen. And we can thank God for his response.
Unshakeable Faith
8 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 14.6-12
One of the twelve spies Moses sent into Canaan, Caleb, had stood beside Joshua to proclaim his confidence that the LORD would give the Israelites victory over the Canaanites, God promised Caleb a special place in Canaan because of this faith.
Now, forty-five years later, Caleb stepped up to remind Joshua of the LORD'S promise and to calm his land. Notice, he didn't ask Joshua for the lush land in the valley; he asked for the hill country that was populated by very large people know as Anakim. At eighty-five years of age, Caleb was still faithful, feisty, and prepared for battle.
What an example Caleb has set for us! We are never too old to trust God for great victories and to act out of our faith. Nor should we be shy about claiming God's promises.
No Doubt About It
9 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 15.1-12
God defined the borders of each tribe's land very specifically, so the people knew exactly the extent of their responsibility. The Precise boundaries allowed no room for quibbling.
When we are not certain what to do, we should ask God for guidance, for he has promised to lead us. However, more times than most of us care to admit, we know exactly what God wants us to do. Rather than wasting our time debating the issue, we need to get busy. When God gives us clearly marked responsibilities, we should fulfill our duties wholeheartedly.
Argument Versus Action
10 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 17.14-18
The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh were given large sections of fertile land, but they were too fearful to drive out the wicked people who lived there and take full control of it. Instead, they argued with Joshua saying they needed more land to accommodate their many people. But Joshua used their own arguments against them - he showed the two tribes that if they would simply do as the LORD had commanded, they would have all the land they needed.
When God tells us what he wants us to do, we often waste time inventing "reasons" why we can't do them. But we can't be certain that the LORD will never ask us to do something without giving us the resources to get it done.
When the Going Gets Tough
11 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 19.47-48
The tribe of Dan had difficulty claiming and holding onto the land they were given. Although God had given Israel victory in other more challenging situations, the tribe of Dan chose to pack up and move to another place.
We usually find it is easy to trust God when everything is going our way. But the true test of our faith comes when we face conflict or opposition. Will we really trust God to get us through? Do we believe he will guide us and give us strength? Or will we give in and run away?
God's Word never says that obeying him will always be easy or that we will never have problems. He does promise that is the midst of our worst cries, he will be there to help us win the battle.
God's Promises Fulfilled
12 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 21.43-45
At first glance, these verses seem to contradict each other. How could it be said that the Israelites were given the land promised to their ancestors, when their enemies were still living on it?
But the LORD did fulfill his promise to the Israelites. He was faithful to his people and helped them defeat their enemies every time the Israelites were willing to confront them. God couldn't be blamed for the presence of their enemies in the land; the Israelites had failed to believe his promise to help them.
If there are undefeated enemies in our lives, it's not God's fault. He is willing to help us drive them out when we are willing to confront them. Defeat comes not because an enemy is strong, but because our faith is weak. god keeps his promises every time!
We Can Overcome!
13 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 23.1-16
Joshua knew his life was coming to an end. Recognizing that there was still much work to be done in claiming the land God promised them, he reminded the people that the LORD would help them drive out their enemies.
Then, in his farewell message, he reminded them of several important rules: obey the Word of God; stay away from the sinful enemies and their gods; and do not become friends with, nor many, anyone from the sinful lands around Israel!
Joshua warned that obedience to these rules was necessary for continued victory. When Israel ignored these rules later in history, the people suffered awful consequences.
God knows our weaknesses. His rules serve to protect us, not to cramp our style. We need to learn to recognize the temptations that have a strong pull in our lives and take steps to avoid them.
A Pledge of Obedience
14 # Short Commentary & Lesson from Joshua 24.13-18
When will you obey - the gods of this world or the one true God? That is the question Joshua was putting before the Israelites, and that same question comes to us in dozens of decisions we make every day.
And, like us, the Israelites had to make the decision for themselves; Joshua couldn't do it for them. To their credit, they pledged to obey the LORD. And they did obey while Joshua was alive. Unfortunately, after Joshua's death, the people broke their promise.
Anyone can say they will obey God; however, the real issue is not what we say we will do, but whether or not we are actually living for the LORD and obeying his commands.
Promises For Us
Athletes know that practice should be harder than the game. In practice, things are supposed to go wrong; the team repeats fundamental skills and plays over and over to eliminate mistakes on game day. Practice sessions are where stamina is built up so that players are in shape for the real contest.
Consider the book of Numbers as Israel's 40-year practice session in the desert and Joshua as their 7-year game in the land of Canaan. Numbers recorded dozens of mistakes as Israel tried to get ready; Joshua records victory after victory in Canaan. This is a story of strength and courage, a tale of faith and obedience.
Joshua challenges everyone who has come to trust God to dare to live for him. Do you want to know how a partnership with God works? The book of Joshua shows you.
For Consideration
- What parts of your life most nearly resemble a battleground or a war?
- What are you struggling against in order to achieve fulfillment?
- What do you think God expects from you in the struggles of your life, and what can you expect from him?
