Bible Reading Plan

Category: Joshua

  • Joshua 16

    Joshua 16

    Read Joshua 16

    Allotment for Ephraim and Manasseh

    1 The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan, east of the springs of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel. 2 It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz), crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth, 3 descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the Mediterranean Sea.

    4 So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.

    5 This was the territory of Ephraim, according to its clans:

    The boundary of their inheritance went from Ataroth Addar in the east to Upper Beth Horon 6 and continued to the Mediterranean Sea. From Mikmethath on the north it curved eastward to Taanath Shiloh, passing by it to Janoah on the east. 7 Then it went down from Janoah to Ataroth and Naarah, touched Jericho and came out at the Jordan. 8 From Tappuah the border went west to the Kanah Ravine and ended at the Mediterranean Sea. This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites, according to its clans. 9 It also included all the towns and their villages that were set aside for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites.

    10 They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter, like the two before it, seems like yet another description of how land was to be divided up. It is that, but it’s also so much more. A key point we can learn from in this chapter is in the final sentence: “They did not dislodge the Canaanites living in Gezer; to this day the Canaanites live among the people of Ephraim but are required to do forced labor.” Ephraim’s descendents didn’t force out the Canaanites that were living in Gezer even though that was the expectation that God laid out for them. They compromised and let them live among them in exchange for manual labor. They settled.

    This same mistake happened with some of the other tribes as well. But why? There are two likely reasons that they decided to not do as God commanded. First, it was the easier route. It’s easier to make a compromise than it is to force people out of the land. It’s easier to not start a battle. It’s easier to just turn a blind eye. But that wasn’t what God had instructed them to do. They took the easy way out. 

    The other likely reason is that it gave them more money. The Israelites got greedy. They could have paid their fellow Israelites to work for them, or they could force the Canaanites to do that same work in exchange for letting them stay in the land. Think about all the shortcuts we take that could all be traced back to the root cause of greed. Sometimes we think we are being financially savvy, but we are actually just lovers of money.

    On the surface, allowing the Canaanites to stay in Gezer does not seem like that big of a deal. But it’s these small concessions here and there that led Israel into complete chaos in the book of Judges. Idolatry and immorality became rampant and led to a complete disregard of God’s instructions. This serves as a helpful reminder to us that diligence in obeying God leads to life, but small compromises here and there will ultimately lead to death. Today, let’s be vigilant about the areas of our lives where we feel tempted to compromise.

    Questions

    1. What are other examples from Joshua of the Israelites failing to dislodge people from their land? 
    2. Where have you found yourself making small concessions for the sake of comfort or wealth?
    3. Scripture is full of stories of small compromises leading to grave consequences. When have you seen this play out in your life? What can you proactively do today to prevent yourself from compromising tomorrow? 

    By the Way

    Joseph (after only Judah) received the second-largest blessing from Jacob in Genesis 49. This is likely why the author addressed Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manessah, together.

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  • Joshua 15

    Joshua 15

    Read Joshua 15

    Allotment for Judah

    1 The allotment for the tribe of Judah, according to its clans, extended down to the territory of Edom, to the Desert of Zin in the extreme south.

    2 Their southern boundary started from the bay at the southern end of the Dead Sea, 3 crossed south of Scorpion Pass, continued on to Zin and went over to the south of Kadesh Barnea. Then it ran past Hezron up to Addar and curved around to Karka. 4 It then passed along to Azmon and joined the Wadi of Egypt, ending at the Mediterranean Sea. This is their southern boundary. 5 The eastern boundary is the Dead Sea as far as the mouth of the Jordan.The northern boundary started from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan, 6 went up to Beth Hoglah and continued north of Beth Arabah to the Stone of Bohan son of Reuben. 7 The boundary then went up to Debir from the Valley of Achor and turned north to Gilgal, which faces the Pass of Adummim south of the gorge. It continued along to the waters of En Shemeshand came out at En Rogel. 8 Then it ran up the Valley of Ben Hinnom along the southern slope of the Jebusite city (that is, Jerusalem). From there it climbed to the top of the hill west of the Hinnom Valley at the northern end of the Valley of Rephaim. 9 From the hilltop the boundary headed toward the spring of the waters of Nephtoah, came out at the towns of Mount Ephron and went down toward Baalah (that is, Kiriath Jearim). 10 Then it curved westward from Baalah to Mount Seir, ran along the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Kesalon), continued down to Beth Shemesh and crossed to Timnah. 11 It went to the northern slope of Ekron, turned toward Shikkeron, passed along to Mount Baalah and reached Jabneel. The boundary ended at the sea. 12 The western boundary is the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. These are the boundaries around the people of Judah by their clans. 13 In accordance with the Lord’s command to him, Joshua gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion in Judah—Kiriath Arba, that is, Hebron. (Arba was the forefather of Anak.) 14 From Hebron Caleb drove out the three Anakites—Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai, the sons of Anak. 15 From there he marched against the people living in Debir (formerly called Kiriath Sepher). 16 And Caleb said, “I will give my daughter Aksah in marriage to the man who attacks and captures Kiriath Sepher.” 17 Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s brother, took it; so Caleb gave his daughter Aksah to him in marriage. 18 One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, “What can I do for you?”19 She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs.20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, according to its clans: 21 The southernmost towns of the tribe of Judah in the Negev toward the boundary of Edom were:
    Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, 22 Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, 23 Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, 24 Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, 25 Hazor Hadattah, Kerioth Hezron (that is, Hazor), 26 Amam, Shema, Moladah, 27 Hazar Gaddah, Heshmon, Beth Pelet, 28 Hazar Shual, Beersheba, Biziothiah, 29 Baalah, Iyim, Ezem, 30 Eltolad, Kesil, Hormah, 31 Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah,32 Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain and Rimmon—a total of twenty-nine towns and their villages.
    33 In the western foothills:
    Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, 34 Zanoah, En Gannim,Tappuah, Enam, 35 Jarmuth, Adullam, Sokoh, Azekah, 36 Shaaraim, Adithaim and Gederah (or Gederothaim)—fourteen towns and their villages. 37 Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal Gad, 38 Dilean, Mizpah, Joktheel, 39 Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, 40 Kabbon, Lahmas, Kitlish, 41 Gederoth, Beth Dagon, Naamah and Makkedah—sixteen towns and their villages. 42 Libnah, Ether, Ashan, 43 Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, 44 Keilah, Akzib and Mareshah—nine towns and their villages. 45 Ekron, with its surrounding settlements and villages; 46 west of Ekron, all that were in the vicinity of Ashdod, together with their villages; 47 Ashdod, its surrounding settlements and villages; and Gaza, its settlements and villages, as far as the Wadi of Egypt and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea. 48 In the hill country:
    Shamir, Jattir, Sokoh, 49 Dannah, Kiriath Sannah (that is, Debir), 50 Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, 51 Goshen, Holonand Giloh—eleven towns and their villages. 52 Arab, Dumah, Eshan, 53 Janim, Beth Tappuah, Aphekah, 54 Humtah, Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) and Zior—nine towns and their villages. 55 Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, 56 Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, 57 Kain, Gibeah and Timnah—ten towns and their villages. 58 Halhul, Beth Zur, Gedor, 59 Maarath, Beth Anoth and Eltekon—six towns and their villages. 60 Kiriath Baal (that is, Kiriath Jearim) and Rabbah—two towns and their villages.
    61 In the wilderness:
    Beth Arabah, Middin, Sekakah, 62 Nibshan, the City of Salt and En Gedi—six towns and their villages.
    63 Judah could not dislodge the Jebusites, who were living in Jerusalem; to this day the Jebusites live there with the people of Judah.

    Go Deeper

    At first glance, this chapter looks like a daunting one. Another list of names you most likely will butcher and cities that have very little geographical significance for you as you read this passage on your couch (or wherever you are). On the contrary, there is so much for us to glean from this text.

    This chapter deals with the actual division of the land of Canaan. Judah, as we have seen, was first by right of Jacob’s blessing. Here we have an outline of the borders of Judah’s territory, an account of Caleb’s occupation of Hebron and Debir, and an exhaustive list of the cities awarded to Judah. It’s also important to recall what happened just before this reading. Caleb (85 years young) continued to press forward and charge the mountain of his enemies (Joshua 14:6-12). Neither Joshua nor Caleb sat back and relaxed. No, these men traded retirement for restructuring. May we strive to have this tenacity as well! Caleb is a man worth emulating, from chasing out giants (v. 14) to giving blessings and streams amidst the desert (v. 19).

    However, not all of the people shared this tenacity. According to the author, the Jebusites “could not” be driven out of the land of Jerusalem. This begs the questions, “Why were they unable to drive out the Jebusites? Did not God say the land was theirs and that He would be with them?” It would seem that it was not so much a could not scenario but a would not. It would take the people of God many, many years to conquer Jerusalem. Not until 2 Samuel 5 when King David comes to power!

    So, after reading Joshua 15, we have a decision to make: We can choose to retire or restructure our culture. We can sit back and be could not people or have the heart of Caleb with a can do spirit. We can look at the opportunities all around us and push back darkness for the sake of the Kingdom. May we be a people who charge mountains and chase giants according to the will of God!

    Questions

    1. Read Gen. 49:9-10. How does this passage illuminate this allotment of land to Judah? How might this prophecy have been fulfilled by Jesus? 
    2. What promises has God given you that you result in confidence such as Caleb? 
    3. The chapter ends with the people saying they “could not” take Jerusalem. Now, recall Numbers 13 where 10 of the spies return with negative news. With these stories in mind, what lies/negativity are you allowing to overshadow God’s future for you?

    Did You Know?

    The “Valley of Achor” in verse 7 literally means the “Valley of Trouble” and is named after Achan who is buried there in Joshua 7. Even more beautiful is that the book of Hosea says that God will transform this “Valley of Trouble” into a “door of hope” for the people of Israel (Hosea 2:14-15). God promises to transform the trouble of the past into a triumphant future!

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  • Joshua 14

    Joshua 14

    Read Joshua 14

    Division of the Land West of the Jordan

    1 Now these are the areas the Israelites received as an inheritance in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel allotted to them. 2 Their inheritances were assigned by lot to the nine and a half tribes, as the Lord had commanded through Moses. 3 Moses had granted the two and a half tribes their inheritance east of the Jordan but had not granted the Levites an inheritance among the rest, 4 for Joseph’s descendants had become two tribes—Manasseh and Ephraim. The Levites received no share of the land but only towns to live in, with pasturelands for their flocks and herds. 5 So the Israelites divided the land, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

    Allotment for Caleb

    6 Now the people of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, “You know what the Lord said to Moses the man of God at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. 7 I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the Lord sent me from Kadesh Barnea to explore the land. And I brought him back a report according to my convictions, 8 but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly. 9 So on that day Moses swore to me, ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly.’

    10 “Now then, just as the Lord promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! 11 I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. 12 Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.”

    13 Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. 14 So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly. 15 (Hebron used to be called Kiriath Arba after Arba, who was the greatest man among the Anakites.)

    Then the land had rest from war.

    Go Deeper

    Faithful obedience. That is the character trait that Caleb is remembered for. We learn a little about Caleb’s background in this passage. He was one of the 12 men chosen by Moses to scout out the land of Canaan. Of the 12 that were sent out, 10 returned telling Moses not to enter the land because they were fearful of the inhabitants and didn’t think it was safe. But Caleb and Joshua returned, and despite seeing the obstacles, were confident that the Lord would give them victory over the Canaanites (Numbers 13:30).

    As a result of his faithful obedience, Caleb is repeatedly referred to as one who wholeheartedly followed the Lord. In verse 8, Caleb describes himself in this way when he pleads “but my fellow Israelites who went up with me made the hearts of the people melt in fear. I, however, followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.” We learn that Moses referred to him in this way in verse 9 when he said “The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.” And if we look back to when his story started, we see that in Numbers 14:24, the Lord Himself said about Caleb “But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.”

    Caleb wasn’t influenced by the murmurings and fears of those around him. He didn’t let the obstacles he saw before him deter him from believing in what God could provide. From all accounts in Scripture, we know that Caleb wholeheartedly devoted his life to trusting in God and believing His promises. Not only was Caleb steadfast, but he was also patient. At this point it has been about 45 years since this land was promised to Caleb, but we can be encouraged by the fact that God rewarded Caleb for both his patience and his faithfulness. May we be like Caleb, faithful to God even when the circumstances seem insurmountable and patient to wait on the Lord’s timing.

    Questions

    1. When those around you look at your life, what do you think they would say you “wholeheartedly” devote your life to?
    2. On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate your patience level for the Lord’s timing (1 being not very patient, 5 being very patient).
    3. What qualities do you admire about Caleb?

    By the Way

    Because of the lack of faith from the other ten spies, the Israelites had to wait 40 years in order to enter the Promised Land. According to Numbers 14:26-38, Joshua and Caleb were to be the only two to get to enter. The rest died in the wilderness.

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  • Joshua 13

    Joshua 13

    Read Joshua 13

    Land Still to Be Taken

    1 When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.

    2 “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites 4 on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek and the border of the Amorites; 5 the area of Byblos; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.

    6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”

    Division of the Land East of the Jordan

    8 The other half of Manasseh,  the Reubenites and the Gadites had received the inheritance that Moses had given them east of the Jordan, as he, the servant of the Lord, had assigned it to them.

    9 It extended from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and included the whole plateau of Medeba as far as Dibon,10 and all the towns of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon, out to the border of the Ammonites.11 It also included Gilead, the territory of the people of Geshur and Maakah, all of Mount Hermon and all Bashan as far as Salekah— 12 that is, the whole kingdom of Og in Bashan, who had reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei. (He was the last of the Rephaites.) Moses had defeated them and taken over their land. 13 But the Israelites did not drive out the people of Geshur and Maakah, so they continue to live among the Israelites to this day.

    14 But to the tribe of Levi he gave no inheritance, since the food offerings presented to the Lord, the God of Israel, are their inheritance, as he promised them.

    15 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Reuben, according to its clans:

    16 The territory from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge, and from the town in the middle of the gorge, and the whole plateau past Medeba 17 to Heshbon and all its towns on the plateau, including Dibon, Bamoth Baal, Beth Baal Meon, 18 Jahaz, Kedemoth, Mephaath,19 Kiriathaim, Sibmah, Zereth Shahar on the hill in the valley, 20 Beth Peor, the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth Jeshimoth— 21 all the towns on the plateau and the entire realm of Sihon king of the Amorites, who ruled at Heshbon. Moses had defeated him and the Midianite chiefs, Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—princes allied with Sihon—who lived in that country. 22 In addition to those slain in battle, the Israelites had put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practiced divination. 23 The boundary of the Reubenites was the bank of the Jordan. These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Reubenites, according to their clans.

    24 This is what Moses had given to the tribe of Gad, according to its clans:

    25 The territory of Jazer, all the towns of Gilead and half the Ammonite country as far as Aroer, near Rabbah; 26 and from Heshbon to Ramath Mizpah and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir; 27 and in the valley, Beth Haram, Beth Nimrah, Sukkoth and Zaphon with the rest of the realm of Sihon king of Heshbon (the east side of the Jordan, the territory up to the end of the Sea of Galilee). 28 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the Gadites, according to their clans.

    29 This is what Moses had given to the half-tribe of Manasseh, that is, to half the family of the descendants of Manasseh, according to its clans:

    30 The territory extending from Mahanaim and including all of Bashan, the entire realm of Og king of Bashan—all the settlements of Jair in Bashan, sixty towns, 31 half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth and Edrei (the royal cities of Og in Bashan). This was for the descendants of Makir son of Manasseh—for half of the sons of Makir, according to their clans.

    32 This is the inheritance Moses had given when he was in the plains of Moab across the Jordan east of Jericho.33 But to the tribe of Levi, Moses had given no inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as he promised them.

    Go Deeper

    Joshua 13:1 says, “When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.”” The Lord was kind enough to remind Joshua he wasn’t just old, but “very old.” In his younger years, he and Caleb were spies (as described in Numbers 13), he served as Moses’ right hand man, and he led God’s people into the Promised Land. He had quite the resume and was probably near the age of “retirement.” Joshua earned the right to kick back and celebrate a life of faithfulness. He had lived the American Israelite Dream.

    Many of us desire to live out the American Dream: be successful in your work, make a lot of money, retire early, and then collect seashells on your many vacations around the world. It sounds very appealing and for many is the end result of decades of hard work. But in Joshua 13, the Lord reminds Joshua there’s still work to be done. Even after a lifelong legacy of faithful work in leading God’s people, Joshua can’t just prop his feet up outside his tent. God has more work for Joshua to do in leading His people and finishing his assignment of splitting up the land among the 12 tribes of Israel (see Numbers 34-35).

    What would it look like for you to have a mentality like Joshua’s? What do you think the Lord would have you do to finish well? For many of us that may be 50-60 years down the road. For others, it’s right around the corner. Regardless, what if we finished strong like the Lord called Joshua to finish? In 2 Timothy 4:7, Paul writes, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Whether you have 1 or 100 years left, let’s finish the race strong and remember the Lord has work for us to do.

    Questions

    1. What is the significance of the word “inheritance” that is used many times in this chapter?
    2. Why do you think we’re given so many details about the allotment of land? Why does this matter to us today?
    3. Who do you know who’s tired or weary? Encourage them today to continue and finish the work the Lord has given them to do.

    Did You Know?

    Between Joshua 13-18, we’re told four times that the Levites would not receive an inheritance since the Lord was their inheritance. Part of the reason for this is because the Lord may not have wanted them to be distracted by land ownership and so that they could be mingled among the other tribes to help teach them the law.

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  • Joshua 12

    Joshua 12

    Read Joshua 12

    List of Defeated Kings

    1 These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon,including all the eastern side of the Arabah:

    2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.

    He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge—from the middle of the gorge—to the Jabbok River ,which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead. 3 He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Galileea] to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth,and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah.

    4 And the territory of Og king of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaites, who reigned in Ashtaroth and Edrei.

    5 He ruled over Mount Hermon, Salekah, all of Bashanto the border of the people of Geshur and Maakah,and half of Gilead to the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.

    6 Moses, the servant of the Lord, and the Israelites conquered them. And Moses the servant of the Lord gave their land to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh to be their possession.

    7 Here is a list of the kings of the land that Joshua and the Israelites conquered on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir. Joshua gave their lands as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their tribal divisions. 8 The lands included the hill country, the western foothills, the Arabah, the mountain slopes, the wilderness and the Negev. These were the lands of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. These were the kings:

    9

    the king of Jericho one the king of Ai (near Bethel) one

    10

    the king of Jerusalem one the king of Hebron one

    11

    the king of Jarmuth one the king of Lachish one

    12

    the king of Eglon one the king of Gezer one

    13

    the king of Debir one the king of Geder one

    14

    the king of Hormah one the king of Arad one

    15

    the king of Libnah one the king of Adullam one

    16

    the king of Makkedah one the king of Bethel one

    17

    the king of Tappuah one the king of Hepher one

    18

    the king of Aphek one the king of Lasharon one

    19

    the king of Madon one the king of Hazor one

    20

    the king of Shimron Meron one the king of Acshaph one

    21

    the king of Taanach one the king of Megiddo one

    22

    the king of Kedesh one the king of Jokneam in Carmel one

    23

    the king of Dor (in Naphoth Dor) one the king of Goyim in Gilgal one

    24

    the king of Tirzah one thirty-one kings in all.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter probably feels far less exciting to read than it would have been to experience. This passage describes the many different kings that were defeated by the armies of Moses and Joshua. While these kings are just names on a page now, each one of them represents a battle that God won for the people of Israel. In all of these instances, the Israelites were forced to fight against someone who “owned” the land. These kings were the ultimate authority over the cities in which they ruled. The Isrealites had no chance against these armies! And yet, each time God won the battle for them. It’s a reminder of how Daniel describes God in Daniel 2:20-21, “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others.” 

    While we don’t know all the details behind each of these kings, we do know what comes with holding that title. These leaders were no doubt confident in their position, arrogant in their power, and settled in their place. These kings were well established and no one could remove them…but God. 

    This chapter should be a reminder to you that God can change your life in an instant. That sin that has taken hold of your heart for years can be removed. That relationship you thought was dead can be restored. God is not scared off by kings, let alone the problems that you are dealing with today. Joshua 12 served as a reminder to the Israelites that what God did before, He could do again. Maybe today you need to make your own list of the giants that God has defeated in your life. What has he saved you from in the past? Let that list be a reminder that there’s nothing God can’t do for you in the days ahead.

    Questions

    1. Why do you think this chapter was included in the Bible?
    2. Why didn’t God just give the Israelites unoccupied land?
    3. What are some established things in your life that you want to remove or change?

    Did You Know?

    The list of kings given in Joshua 12 serve as an important reminder to us that what we are reading is history. They are not fictional characters in a fictional, far-away, made-up land. These are real names, real places, and real time periods and God was at work in their midst. 

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Joshua 6-Joshua 11)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Joshua 6-Joshua 11)

    Rest Day

    Each Sunday is a Rest Day. There is no new Bible reading to do. Today, the goal is simple: rest in the presence of God. Maybe you need to use today to get caught up on the reading plan if you’re behind, maybe you want to journal what you’re learning so you don’t forget what God is teaching you, or maybe you want to spend time in concentrated prayer–do that. Above all, just spend time in God’s presence.

    Each Rest Day, we will have an additional element to help you dig deeper. Sometimes it will be extra resources to further your study, a video to watch, or a podcast to listen to. Sometimes we’ll have a verse to commit to memorize to help you hide God’s Word in your heart. 

    If you have kids, our Family Guide will help you discuss what you’re reading and learning with them! It’s a great opportunity for your family to read God’s Word together and review what we read the previous week!

    Watch This

    Because it’s Easter Sunday, we’ll take a pause from Joshua and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus! Check out this video from The Bible Project!

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Joshua 6-11 Family Guide!

  • Joshua 11

    Joshua 11

    Read Joshua 11

    Northern Kings Defeated

    1 When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron and Akshaph, 2 and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Kinnereth, in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor on the west; 3 to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites below Hermon in the region of Mizpah. 4 They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. 5 All these kings joined forces and made camp together at the Waters of Merom to fight against Israel.

    6 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel. You are to hamstring their horses and burn their chariots.”

    7 So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly at the Waters of Merom and attacked them, 8 and the Lord gave them into the hand of Israel. They defeated them and pursued them all the way to Greater Sidon, to Misrephoth Maim, and to the Valley of Mizpah on the east, until no survivors were left. 9 Joshua did to them as the Lord had directed: He hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots.

    10 At that time Joshua turned back and captured Hazor and put its king to the sword. (Hazor had been the head of all these kingdoms.) 11 Everyone in it they put to the sword. They totally destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed, and he burned Hazor itself.

    12 Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded. 13 Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds—except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 14 The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed. 15 As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses.

    16 So Joshua took this entire land: the hill country, all the Negev, the whole region of Goshen, the western foothills, the Arabah and the mountains of Israel with their foothills, 17 from Mount Halak, which rises toward Seir, to Baal Gad in the Valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He captured all their kings and put them to death. 18 Joshua waged war against all these kings for a long time. 19 Except for the Hivites living in Gibeon, not one city made a treaty of peace with the Israelites, who took them all in battle. 20 For it was the Lord himself who hardened their hearts to wage war against Israel, so that he might destroy them totally, exterminating them without mercy, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

    21 At that time Joshua went and destroyed the Anakites from the hill country: from Hebron, Debir and Anab, from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel. Joshua totally destroyed them and their towns. 22 No Anakites were left in Israelite territory; only in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod did any survive.

    23 So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.

    Go Deeper

    At first glance, this chapter doesn’t seem fair. It doesn’t seem fair for Joshua who, in his obedience to God, finds himself surrounded by a great horde of enemies. It doesn’t seem fair for the Canaanites to be killed and pushed out of their land. After all, they were there first! In Genesis 15, God referred to the Amorites as he made his promise to Abraham. The Lord said, “their iniquities are not yet complete” (Genesis 15:16). 

    He gave them hundreds of years to turn from their sins but instead they grew increasingly wicked. We know God is patient towards people. Scripture says in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” God had given them time to repent, yet they stayed in their sin.

    Instead of comparing ourselves to others or trying to decide if our circumstances are fair, we have an opportunity to surrender to the fact that they simply are not. We can thank God that He is not fair. Not only does He withhold punishment from us that we deserve, but He also gives us far more than we could ever ask or imagine. 

    Joshua had a choice. We have a choice. We can look to our circumstances and complain. We can look at situations that others are in and declare them as unfair. Or we can look to God and trust that He is in control and He is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28). God’s sovereignty can be our peace. In all things our lives can bear witness to the greatness of God. When we experience victory over a stronghold in our life we can give glory to God. When we find strength to persevere in the face of trials, we can give glory to God. When we think about the destructive patterns of our own lives that have been exchanged for peace, we can give glory to God! Joshua didn’t need the horses and the chariots of his oppressors. He did not have to shrink back or change his route when he found himself surrounded by many who wanted to see him fall. He drew courage and strength from the voice of His God. 

    Questions

    1. Do you find yourself focusing more on the fairness of life or on God’s sovereignty over all circumstances?
    2. Joshua listened to the voice of God when the odds were stacked against him. Where do you feel God encouraging you to not be afraid?
    3. Joshua’s victory did not come quickly nor did it come without complete obedience (v. 15). Where have you held fast to the commands of God? 

    Did You Know?

    The Anakites that Joshua defeated (verses 21-22) have been referenced before in Numbers 13:28. When the ten spies were sent out in Numbers, they feared the Anakites because they were gigantic warriors.

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  • Joshua 10

    Joshua 10

    Read Joshua 10

    The Sun Stands Still

    1 Now Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem heard that Joshua had taken Ai and totally destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and that the people of Gibeon had made a treaty of peace with Israel and had become their allies. 2 He and his people were very much alarmed at this, because Gibeon was an important city, like one of the royal cities; it was larger than Ai, and all its men were good fighters. 3 So Adoni-Zedek king of Jerusalem appealed to Hoham king of Hebron, Piram king of Jarmuth, Japhia king of Lachish and Debir king of Eglon. 4 “Come up and help me attack Gibeon,” he said, “because it has made peace with Joshua and the Israelites.”

    5 Then the five kings of the Amorites—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon—joined forces. They moved up with all their troops and took up positions against Gibeon and attacked it.

    6 The Gibeonites then sent word to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal: “Do not abandon your servants. Come up to us quickly and save us! Help us, because all the Amorite kings from the hill country have joined forces against us.”

    7 So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. 8 The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

    9 After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise. 10 The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah. 11 As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

    12 On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

    “Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
        and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”
    13 So the sun stood still,
        and the moon stopped,
        till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,

    as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

    The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. 14 There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!

    15 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

    Five Amorite Kings Killed

    16 Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah. 17 When Joshua was told that the five kings had been found hiding in the cave at Makkedah, 18 he said, “Roll large rocks up to the mouth of the cave, and post some men there to guard it. 19 But don’t stop; pursue your enemies! Attack them from the rear and don’t let them reach their cities, for the Lord your God has given them into your hand.”

    20 So Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely, but a few survivors managed to reach their fortified cities. 21 The whole army then returned safely to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah, and no one uttered a word against the Israelites.

    22 Joshua said, “Open the mouth of the cave and bring those five kings out to me.” 23 So they brought the five kings out of the cave—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon. 24 When they had brought these kings to Joshua, he summoned all the men of Israel and said to the army commanders who had come with him, “Come here and put your feet on the necks of these kings.” So they came forward and placed their feet on their necks.

    25 Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.” 26 Then Joshua put the kings to death and exposed their bodies on five poles, and they were left hanging on the poles until evening.

    27 At sunset Joshua gave the order and they took them down from the poles and threw them into the cave where they had been hiding. At the mouth of the cave they placed large rocks, which are there to this day.

    Southern Cities Conquered

    28 That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

    29 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. 30 The Lord also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

    31 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it.32 The Lord gave Lachish into Israel’s hands, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah. 33 Meanwhile, Horam king of Gezer had come up to help Lachish, but Joshua defeated him and his army—until no survivors were left.

    34 Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Lachish to Eglon; they took up positions against it and attacked it.35 They captured it that same day and put it to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it, just as they had done to Lachish.

    36 Then Joshua and all Israel with him went up from Eglon to Hebron and attacked it. 37 They took the city and put it to the sword, together with its king, its villages and everyone in it. They left no survivors. Just as at Eglon, they totally destroyed it and everyone in it.

    38 Then Joshua and all Israel with him turned around and attacked Debir. 39 They took the city, its king and its villages, and put them to the sword. Everyone in it they totally destroyed. They left no survivors. They did to Debir and its king as they had done to Libnah and its king and to Hebron.

    40 So Joshua subdued the whole region, including the hill country, the Negev, the western foothills and the mountain slopes, together with all their kings. He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded. 41 Joshua subdued them from Kadesh Barnea to Gaza and from the whole region of Goshen to Gibeon. 42 All these kings and their lands Joshua conquered in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

    43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

    Go Deeper

    Joshua 10 is a chapter that demonstrates quick obedience and earnest trust. In the midst of tension between kings, treaties, and war, Joshua repeatedly shows us what it looks like to rely on God. When surrounded by enemy warriors, the people of Gibeon went to Joshua and pleaded for help. Joshua then gathered his men, but before stepping into battle, he listened for the Lord.  

    In verse 8, the Lord tells Joshua, “Do not fear them, for I have given them into your hands. Not a man of them shall stand before you.” Without missing a beat, Joshua demonstrates quick obedience by immediately getting up and heading to battle. Joshua confidently went into battle because God prepared the way for him. God threw the enemy warriors into a panic and fought for His people by throwing down large hailstones from heaven. God crushed the enemy and delivered His people.  

    Though victory was in their favor, the Lord’s people were running out of daylight to finish the battle. It was here that Joshua pleaded with the Lord for a miracle. He earnestly trusted God’s power and asked for more time to win the battle. God answered. He stopped the sun and moon from moving to give Joshua and His army time to defeat the people and the kings of the surrounding land.  

    Many of us face battles, yet God doesn’t send us into battle alone. Despite the “impossible” nature of our circumstances, He can win any battle we face. As He did for Joshua and His people, He is fighting for us by preparing the battlegrounds ahead of us, interceding and fighting alongside us in our present struggles, and protecting us from things that might sneak up from behind. God equips us for battle. In Ephesians 6, God lists the armor He’s given us. He isn’t leaving us helpless. He has empowered us. Let us be people who have the faith in God that He can do the impossible. If He can stop the sun from setting, He can make a way for you. 

    Questions

    1. How can you practice quick obedience and earnest trust today?  
    2. How can you intercede and pray for victory in the battles your family, neighbors, or friends are facing?  
    3. How has God equipped you for the battles you are facing right now?

    Did You Know?

    The Canaanites revered the sun and moon as deities. The fact that the sun and moon were under the control of God’s hand showed just how powerful Yahweh was. 

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  • Joshua 9

    Joshua 9

    Read Joshua 9

    The Gibeonite Deception

    1 Now when all the kings west of the Jordan heard about these things—the kings in the hill country, in the western foothills, and along the entire coast of the Mediterranean Sea as far as Lebanon (the kings of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites)— 2 they came together to wage war against Joshua and Israel.

    3 However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, 4 they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. 5 They put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. 6 Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the Israelites, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.”

    7 The Israelites said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us, so how can we make a treaty with you?”

    8 “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua.

    But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?”

    9 They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. 11 And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ 12 This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. 13 And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.”

    14 The Israelites sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord. 15 Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.

    16 Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them.17 So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. 18 But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.

    The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, 19 but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.20 This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that God’s wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” 21 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers in the service of the whole assembly.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.

    22 Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? 23 You are now under a curse: You will never be released from service as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

    24 They answered Joshua, “Your servants were clearly told how the Lord your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you the whole land and to wipe out all its inhabitants from before you. So we feared for our lives because of you, and that is why we did this. 25 We are now in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you.”

    26 So Joshua saved them from the Israelites, and they did not kill them. 27 That day he made the Gibeonites woodcutters and water carriers for the assembly, to provide for the needs of the altar of the Lord at the place the Lord would choose. And that is what they are to this day.

    Go Deeper

    This is a wild story that begins with deception and ends with a discovery that the Gibeonites weren’t who they presented themselves to be. All the kings and all the kingdoms heard what happened at Jericho and Ai, so their fear was justified. The Gibeonites, however, had a more clever approach dealing with Joshua: pretend to be a friend. You have to give them points for creativity! While this story at first reads like an amusing anecdote in the middle of a history book, there are two things that we can learn from Joshua and the Gibeonites.

    First, we see the Israelites get in trouble because they didn’t seek the counsel of the Lord. When the Gibeonites showed up with their costumes and backstory, Joshua instantly made a treaty with them before taking it to God. How often do we find ourselves trusting our gut or making impulsive decisions without praying about them? We don’t consult God because we think we’ve got it all under control. We think we deserve autonomy when it comes to our decision making. The problem here is that we try to compartmentalize our lives into two categories: the spiritual and the non-spiritual. But, if we believe what we say we believe, isn’t everything spiritual? Of course Joshua should have consulted with God prior to accepting the Gibeonites. But he didn’t and the Israelites had to live with the consequences of that decision. 

    The second lesson for us in this passage is that God can (and does) use anyone for His purposes. Even after their deception, the Gibeonites were put to use serving in the temple. Joshua couldn’t kill them, but he could put them to work doing menial tasks. There was work to be done in the temple and the Gibeonites had seen God’s relationship with Israel up close. They saw what it meant to be God’s people and they wanted in on that, so they were willing to do whatever had to be done. God can and does use people to accomplish His plans here on earth. It shouldn’t surprise us when He uses unlikely people — He does it all the time! It’s a helpful reminder for us that any of us, no matter how unlikely it may seem today, can be used by God tomorrow. 

    Questions

    1. Why did the Gibeonites take the approach that they did? Why did they choose to deceive the Israelites in their costumes? 
    2. Do you find yourself relying on your own decision-making ability instead of bringing everything before God? Why? 
    3. When have you seen God use unlikely people in your own life? What did you learn from that experience?

    Did You Know?

    There are a number of parallels between the story of Rahab (Joshua 2) and the Gibeonites. Both were outsiders, both came to God as sinners, and both were willing to risk their former lives to be counted as God’s people. 

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  • Joshua 8

    Joshua 8

    Read Joshua 8

    Ai Destroyed

    1 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Take the whole army with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land. 2 You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their plunder and livestock for yourselves. Set an ambush behind the city.”

    3 So Joshua and the whole army moved out to attack Ai. He chose thirty thousand of his best fighting men and sent them out at night 4 with these orders: “Listen carefully. You are to set an ambush behind the city. Don’t go very far from it. All of you be on the alert. 5 I and all those with me will advance on the city, and when the men come out against us, as they did before, we will flee from them. 6 They will pursue us until we have lured them away from the city, for they will say, ‘They are running away from us as they did before.’ So when we flee from them, 7 you are to rise up from ambush and take the city. The Lord your God will give it into your hand. 8 When you have taken the city, set it on fire. Do what the Lord has commanded. See to it; you have my orders.”

    9 Then Joshua sent them off, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai—but Joshua spent that night with the people.

    10 Early the next morning Joshua mustered his army, and he and the leaders of Israel marched before them to Ai. 11 The entire force that was with him marched up and approached the city and arrived in front of it. They set up camp north of Ai, with the valley between them and the city. 12 Joshua had taken about five thousand men and set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. 13 So the soldiers took up their positions—with the main camp to the north of the city and the ambush to the west of it. That night Joshua went into the valley.

    14 When the king of Ai saw this, he and all the men of the city hurried out early in the morning to meet Israel in battle at a certain place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set against him behind the city.15 Joshua and all Israel let themselves be driven back before them, and they fled toward the wilderness. 16 All the men of Ai were called to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were lured away from the city. 17 Not a man remained in Ai or Bethel who did not go after Israel. They left the city open and went in pursuit of Israel.

    18 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city.” So Joshua held out toward the city the javelin that was in his hand. 19 As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.

    20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising up into the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction; the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the wilderness had turned back against their pursuers. 21 For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from it, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22 Those in the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives. 23 But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.

    24 When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the wilderness where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 25 Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai. 26 For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed all who lived in Ai. 27 But Israel did carry off for themselves the livestock and plunder of this city, as the Lord had instructed Joshua.

    28 So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day. 29 He impaled the body of the king of Ai on a pole and left it there until evening. At sunset, Joshua ordered them to take the body from the pole and throw it down at the entrance of the city gate. And they raised a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day.

    The Covenant Renewed at Mount Ebal

    30 Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, 31 as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the Israelites. He built it according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses—an altar of uncut stones, on which no iron tool had been used. On it they offered to the Lord burnt offerings and sacrificed fellowship offerings. 32 There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses. 33 All the Israelites, with their elders, officials and judges, were standing on both sides of the ark of the covenant of the Lord, facing the Levitical priests who carried it. Both the foreigners living among them and the native-born were there. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the Lord had formerly commanded when he gave instructions to bless the people of Israel.

    34 Afterward, Joshua read all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—just as it is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the foreigners who lived among them.

    Go Deeper

    The first two verses of Joshua 8 are in stark contrast to the first verse of Joshua 7. 

    “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged…for I have delivered into your hands the (victory)…carry off the plunder for yourselves.” (Joshua 8:1-2 summarized). Read that in contrast with Joshua 7:1, “The Israelites were unfaithful…so the Lord’s anger burned against them.” 

    Where sin abounds with Achan at Jericho (and subsequently all of Israel), grace abounds all the more with the defeat of Ai. What is this kind of grace? What is this kind of mercy? This kind of generosity and forgiveness is beyond our capacity to understand, yet it is still available to us today. His mercies are new every morning. 

    In our economy, we think our record of sin and selfishness compared to our record of obedience and faithfulness determines God’s willingness to bless or curse us. We think that our sin makes God reserved in what He gives us next time. As if God is a formula we could figure out or something we could manipulate. He reserves the sovereign right to will and act for His good pleasure. Like all the different strategies He implements for military victory throughout Joshua, we can’t presume to know God’s plan for every situation, including His generosity and grace toward sinners (us).

    God’s response to Israel’s abuse of grace and their repentance is more grace. After Israel’s repentance, God increases His generosity to them, not decreases. In fact, He not only delivers them to victory, He gives them the spoils. If only Achan had waited on the Lord. If only Achan had believed God. His greed seems so foolish now. 

    We often need to know how to get back up and get back in the fight after failure. God isn’t depressed or despondent because of the Israelites failure nor is He despondent or depressed because of our failures. We aren’t powerful enough to mess up beyond God’s ability to forgive and redeem. He uses failure as a foundation for great victory. We can be encouraged, then. Where we have tried to find satisfaction and fulfillment outside of the will of God, let’s repent. And, when victory comes, let’s learn from the Israelites and allow the victory to remind us of God’s covenant promise of eternal life to us through Jesus.

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about the character of God in this passage?
    2. What is your attitude toward your failures and God’s forgiveness? What does this passage teach you about God’s forgiveness and our failures? 
    3. What do you learn from the Israelites’ response to their victory?

    Did You Know?

    Joshua is obeying the instruction Moses gave him Deuteronomy 27:

    “When you have crossed the Jordan into the land the Lord your God is giving you, set up some large stones and coat them with plaster. Write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over to enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. And when you have crossed the Jordan, set up these stones on Mount Ebal, as I command you today, and coat them with plaster.”

    ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭27:2-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬



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