Today’s passage: Joshua 9:1-27

Helpful thoughts:

• At this point, it is clear that Israel has come for conquest. The peoples seemed to have two options:
  • Unite and fight, or
  • Deceive and hopefully survive…the people of Gibeon chose the second option.
• While it is clear the Israelites had their doubts concerning the claims of the Gibeonites, they did not consult with the Lord.
• This treaty would continue into the reign of King David (2 Samuel 21:1-6), and eventually resulted in some assimilation as evidenced by the Gibeonites return from the Babylonian exile and participation in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:7, 7).

Questions to consider:

1. In what ways did Israel fail in the midst of this deception by the Gibeonites?  What could they have done if they had doubts?
2. How can choosing the right actions get harder and harder when the situations we are in are the consequence of sin (Either the sin of others or our own)?
3. How should Christians today consult the Lord during difficult decision making times?  Where can we go to find the help we need (2 Timothy 3:16-17)?

Today’s passage: Joshua 8:30-35

Helpful thoughts:

• This altar’s location and the details of the events that occurred here were commanded in Deuteronomy 27:4-5, 11:26–32, and 27:12–13.
• The people of Israel were stationed on two hillsides facing each other, like a natural arena or stadium.
• After a time of sin, it was appropriate for Israel to pause, give sacrifices and review the content of their covenant, including the blessings and curses in the Law.
• It would take approximately fourteen hours to read the first five books of the Bible, which Moses wrote.

Questions to consider:

1. What does the fact that the people gathered included natural-born citizens of Israel and those who had joined along the way remind us of concerning God’s redemptive plan?
2. Why was it so important for Israel to stop, sacrifice, and study the Law together? Other than obeying what God had commanded, what would this have accomplished for them as the people of God?
3. How does this reading of the entire Law compare with Paul’s effort to declare the “whole counsel of God” to the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:27)?  What is the purpose of the sermon?  Why is it important for all of us to be there?

Today’s passage: Joshua 8:1-29

Helpful thoughts:

• Israel’s loss in the previous battle served as a tactic for the second and final battle.
• Every man in the nearby city of Bethel joined this fight, so it would make sense that Israel actually defeated two cities on this day, though they focused on the initial goal of taking Ai.
• Israel brought thirty thousand or more men for the battle.  The entire city of Ai had a population of twelve hundred.

Questions to consider:

1. What was Joshua’s lifted hand with javelin symbolizing?  Why did he not take it down until all of Ai was finally destroyed?
2. What was confirmed for Joshua and Israel after this battle victory?  Of what were they reassured and reminded?
3. Why would it be wrong to say that God had abandoned Israel in chapter 7 but “came back” in verse 8?  Did He ever leave them?  Does God abandon you when you sin?  (Hebrews 12:3-11)

Today’s passage: Joshua 7:1-26

Helpful thoughts:

• Achan sinned, Israel suffered.
  • 36 men died.
  • The fear of the people after the Jordan River crossing and after Jericho was abated.  Instead, now the hearts of the people of Israel were melting.
• As good as Joshua’s concern for the Lord’s reputation might have been, he was rebuked by God for his emotional despair.
• Confession glorifies the Lord.  It does not remove earthly legal consequences.
• Achan serves as a contrast (Foil) to Rahab.
  • The Gentile Rahab had taken part in the obedience of Israel and her household was saved.
  • The Jew Achan had taken part in the sin of the Canaanites and his household was destroyed.

Questions to consider:

1. Is it ever true that my sin only affects me?  Why is this a faulty and harmful way to think?
2. How could God’s rebuke of Joshua encourage us when things aren’t going the way we want?  Does God ever abandon us?  Will He ever act in ways that go against His character and promises?
3. How could this passage be a help to us in thinking through repentance, forgiveness, and consequences?  Is there a difference between eternal consequences and earthly legal consequences (Did Jesus die so that no one would have to pay a parking ticket or go to jail)?  Can you personally forgive someone and also turn them in to the authorities?  If a person believes their earthly judge must eliminate their earthly penalty, what might they be confused about concerning the cross, salvation and human government?

Today’s passage: Joshua 6:1-27

Helpful thoughts:

• You might notice a pattern in these first chapters of the book of Joshua.
  • God tells Joshua what to do.
  • Joshua leads the people to do what God said.
  • The people do what they were told…until they don’t (Next chapter).
• As loud as the people might have shouted, the walls of Jericho went down because God made them fall.
  • The people were commended for their faith in God’s promise in Hebrews 11:30.
• The army of Israel killed everyone and everything except for Rahab and those in her house due to her repentance and allegiance to the God of Israel.
  • God had commanded this in Deuteronomy 20:16-18.
    • This destruction was God’s chosen method of judgment for the sin of these people (Genesis 15:16).
    • This destruction was to prevent Israel from assimilating the pagan worship of these people and then practicing it in their own lives.
• Joshua’s curse over Jericho would be fulfilled in 1 Kings 16:34.

Questions to consider:

1. What do you think was communicated to the region by this event?
2. What do you think was communicated to Israel by this event?
3. How might a passage like Isaiah 55:9 or Romans 11:33-36 help us to think about all the death in this battle?  Why do our ideas of fairness often fall short of God’s will and ways?  How might our accusations against God evidence an incorrect high view of ourselves? (Think Ephesians 2:8-9)

Today’s passage: Joshua 5:13-15

Helpful thoughts:

• The Commander of the army of the Lord is the LORD.
  • He accepted worship.
  • He required obedience.
    • His presence required the same response as was expected of Moses at the burning bush.  This was holy ground.
• Joshua would not properly lead Israel into the conquest of the Promised Land if his worship was not rightly placed.
  • This conquest wasn’t first about Israel.
  • This conquest wasn’t first about the Canaanites (Israel’s “adversaries”).
  • This conquest was for the glory and purposes of the Lord.

Questions to consider:

1. When God said “No” to being for Israel or her adversaries, He was declaring that Joshua (And everyone else) was for Him!  Why would this apparent self-centeredness be terrible if we acted this way, but wonderful when God does?  Who is God if He is not the Commander?  What is the best thing that God can give us?
2. Why is it so important to remember that we are God’s servants?  What happens when we begin to think that God exists for our purposes?

Today’s passage: Joshua 5:1-12

Helpful thoughts:

• It didn’t take long for news to spread of over two million people crossing the Jordan on dry ground with a giant wall of water 15 miles north of them.  The people there knew, and they were terrified.
• The generation of Israel that died in the wilderness did not obey the Lord.  One area of disobedience was in not circumcising their boys, disregarding the promise of God.  Upon their circumcision, Israel was now renewed in their promise from God to multiply their people (His people).
• God brought Israel into the land in time for Passover, celebrating the last meal their people had eaten before departing Egypt.  The celebration of Passover, the circumcision of this generation, and the cutting off of the manna marked a new chapter in the history of the nation.
  • And, the Passover pointed them forward to the ultimate blessing which their existence would bring about, their Messiah, Jesus Christ!

Questions to consider:

1. How does this generation of Israelites contrast with the generation that died in the wilderness?  What characteristics are being put on display?  How are different people responding to the same God?
2. How was Egypt’s reproach of Israel “rolled away”?  What did the reaffirmation of circumcision and the end of Israel’s wanderings communicate to Israel and to Egypt about God faithfulness?
3. How does a right fear of the Lord (Joshua 4:24) give me a right perspective of the commands of God, the specificity of my obedience, and the opinions of other people who do not fear God?

Today’s passage: Joshua 4:1-24

Helpful thoughts:

• There are two possible interpretations on the twelve stones.  Either way, they serve the same purpose.
  • There are two sets of twelve:
    • One set was picked up by a member of each of the 12 tribes of Israel.  These stones were set up at Gilgal,  the location of the first encampment of Israel IN the Promised Land.
    • A second set was arranged in the Jordan River at the location of the Ark, before the priests moved the Ark, while the ground was still dry.
  • There is one set of twelve:
    • If almost all of verse 9 is a parenthetical statement, then it is simply telling us that Joshua personally selected the twelves stones from the location of the Ark and had them set up so that when the twelve appointed men came through, they knew which stones to take.
• The stones were to remind the children of Israel and the whole world.
• The stones were not to remind the children or the world about the water.  They were to teach of the mightiness and then the appropriate fear of the Lord.

Questions to consider:

1. What would be a better application from this text (And from these stones)? God will always get us out of jams. -or- God is powerful and worthy of our never ending worship.
2. Why did the people stand in awe of Joshua?  What would have been a right and healthy way to view him?  What would be a wrong and unhealthy way for Israel to view him?
3. We could get lost in the details of this chapter, but if we take a big step back, what just happened for the nation of Israel on this day?  Where are they?  What does this teach us about the faithfulness of God?

Today’s passage: Joshua 3:1-17

Helpful thoughts:

• God uses the miracle of heaping up the waters of the Jordan River to:
  • Get the Israelites into the Promised Land.
  • Show the nation that He was with Joshua just as He had been with Moses. (Think Red Sea…)
• Joshua takes the opportunity to remind the people that God is still among them and for them.
• The Ark served as a reminder of the presence and the covenant of God.
• Amazing facts:
  • There would have been over 2 million people crossing the Jordan River that day.
  • The waters were piling up into the air about 15-20 miles north of where Israel crossed over.
  • The ground was dry…not muddy.

Questions to consider:

1. Why didn’t God just have Israel make boats?  What was His purpose for this miracle?
2. What would the distance between the Ark and the location of the waters being stopped have taught Israel?  Why was God able to stop the waters so far away?  What is true about Him?
3. How can these reminders of God’s omnipotence (Power), omnipresence (Everywhere present all the time), and faithfulness (He never abandons His people or His promises) encourage you to trust Him and follow Him today?