Category: Joshua

  • Joshua 7

    Joshua 7

    Read Joshua 7

    Achan’s Sin

    1 But the Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel.

    Now Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth Aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the region.” So the men went up and spied out Ai.

    When they returned to Joshua, they said, “Not all the army will have to go up against Ai. Send two or three thousand men to take it and do not weary the whole army, for only a few people live there.” So about three thousand went up; but they were routed by the men of Ai, who killed about thirty-six of them. They chased the Israelites from the city gate as far as the stone quarries and struck them down on the slopes. At this the hearts of the people melted in fear and became like water.

    Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown to the ground before the ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. The elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. And Joshua said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord, why did you ever bring this people across the Jordan to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us? If only we had been content to stay on the other side of the Jordan! Pardon your servant, Lord. What can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies? The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will you do for your own great name?”

    10 The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face? 11 Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. 12 That is why the Israelites cannot stand against their enemies; they turn their backs and run because they have been made liable to destruction. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy whatever among you is devoted to destruction.

    13 “Go, consecrate the people. Tell them, ‘Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow; for this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There are devoted things among you, Israel. You cannot stand against your enemies until you remove them.

    14 “‘In the morning, present yourselves tribe by tribe. The tribe the Lord chooses shall come forward clan by clan; the clan the Lord chooses shall come forward family by family; and the family the Lord chooses shall come forward man by man. 15 Whoever is caught with the devoted things shall be destroyed by fire, along with all that belongs to him. He has violated the covenant of the Lord and has done an outrageous thing in Israel!’”

    16 Early the next morning Joshua had Israel come forward by tribes, and Judah was chosen. 17 The clans of Judah came forward, and the Zerahites were chosen. He had the clan of the Zerahites come forward by families, and Zimri was chosen. 18 Joshua had his family come forward man by man, and Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was chosen.

    19 Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, and honor him. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me.”

    20 Achan replied, “It is true! I have sinned against the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

    22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath.23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the Lord.

    24 Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold bar, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor. 25 Joshua said, “Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today.”

    Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. 26 Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since.

    Go Deeper

    We are a forgetful bunch. In Joshua 7, we see how quickly the Israelites forgot about the Lord and His great work. After wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, God’s people finally entered into the Promised Land. In Joshua 4 we see the Israelites build memorials to remember the Lord’s work, and in the very next chapter they reinstitute circumcision and the Passover. Then, in chapter 6, Joshua and the people fight the battle of Jericho and the walls come tumbling down. It’s been one victory and celebration after another, and the Israelites had every reason to trust the Lord’s commands and instructions. They must have felt unstoppable!

    But then comes Joshua 7. The Israelite army loses to the people of Ai, and Joshua responds by  telling God it would have been better if they were back wandering in the wilderness. God clearly responds by telling Joshua that His people are suffering the consequences of their sin and disobedience. There are consequences to sin. Achan was the one who stole from what was dedicated to the Lord, yet the entire people paid the price for this sin. His actions provide a great reminder for us today that when we sin, there are consequences that we face and sometimes that others must face as well.

    It’s easy to look back at the Israelites and scratch our heads and wonder how they could be so fickle and sinful. Yet we do the same today. We know it’s sin to look at another person with lustful intent (Matthew 5:27-28), yet we still gratify our selfish pleasures. We know it’s sin to get drunk because it leads to debauchery (Ephesians 5:18), yet we still choose to ignore the counsel of the Lord. We know it’s sinful to store up treasures on earth and love both God and money (Matthew 6:24), yet we still make poor financial decisions because we think stuff will satisfy. 

    Let’s thank God today for the reminder and the warning we get from Joshua 7. God is good, He never makes mistakes, and He’s always worthy of our trust.

    Questions

    1. Why did the sin of one person/family cause the whole nation to be defeated?
    2. What lesson(s) do you think God’s people learned from the example of Achan?
    3. What do you need to confess today to your Life Group, spouse, or co-worker? As you read Joshua 7, does any struggle or sin come to mind that needs to be confessed?

    Did You Know?

    Scholars believe that Achan’s family, along with Achan, was probably stoned to death with him because they were more than likely involved in the burial of the stolen goods beneath their family’s tent. This was not the sin of just one person.

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  • Joshua 6

    Joshua 6

    Read Joshua 6

    Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

    Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

    So Joshua son of Nun called the priests and said to them, “Take up the ark of the covenant of the Lord and have seven priests carry trumpets in front of it.” And he ordered the army, “Advance! March around the city, with an armed guard going ahead of the ark of the Lord.”

    When Joshua had spoken to the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets before the Lord went forward, blowing their trumpets, and the ark of the Lord’s covenant followed them. The armed guard marched ahead of the priests who blew the trumpets, and the rear guard followed the ark. All this time the trumpets were sounding. 10 But Joshua had commanded the army, “Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!” 11 So he had the ark of the Lord carried around the city, circling it once. Then the army returned to camp and spent the night there.

    12 Joshua got up early the next morning and the priests took up the ark of the Lord. 13 The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets went forward, marching before the ark of the Lord and blowing the trumpets. The armed men went ahead of them and the rear guard followed the ark of the Lord, while the trumpets kept sounding. 14 So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

    15 On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. 16 The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the army, “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city! 17 The city and all that is in it are to be devoted to the Lord. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall be spared, because she hid the spies we sent. 18 But keep away from the devoted things, so that you will not bring about your own destruction by taking any of them. Otherwise you will make the camp of Israel liable to destruction and bring trouble on it. 19 All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury.”

    20 When the trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the men gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so everyone charged straight in, and they took the city. 21 They devoted the city to the Lord and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.

    22 Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, “Go into the prostitute’s house and bring her out and all who belong to her, in accordance with your oath to her.” 23 So the young men who had done the spying went in and brought out Rahab, her father and mother, her brothers and sisters and all who belonged to her. They brought out her entire family and put them in a place outside the camp of Israel.

    24 Then they burned the whole city and everything in it, but they put the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron into the treasury of the Lord’s house. 25 But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho—and she lives among the Israelites to this day.

    26 At that time Joshua pronounced this solemn oath: “Cursed before the Lord is the one who undertakes to rebuild this city, Jericho:

    “At the cost of his firstborn son
        he will lay its foundations;
    at the cost of his youngest
        he will set up its gates.”

    27 So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

    Go Deeper

    This battle plan just didn’t make sense. Joshua didn’t try to find the weakest spot in the wall. The army didn’t try a sneak attack during the night. Instead, the plan from God was that the Israelites would overtake the city by marching around it and shouting? Why even bother with that plan? Not only would it certainly not work, but it would be an embarrassment to the people of God. They would walk around the city with the people of Jericho mocking them with every step they took. This plan is simply ridiculous! It would crush their morale and destroy their trust in their God if it didn’t work. But Joshua didn’t think twice. As soon as he heard from the Lord, he put the plan into action. Even though it didn’t make sense. Even though he probably had a better battle plan. Joshua was faithful anyway.  

    God hasn’t changed from the times He was leading Joshua and the Israelite army.  He’s still giving out orders that don’t seem to make sense to us. He asks us to give more than we want to, pray about things that don’t seem possible, and keep ourselves from pleasures that seemingly would make our lives better. Do we really have to trust God when the plans don’t make sense? But if we only follow God when we understand, we aren’t following Him we’re following our own thoughts. It’s only when we choose to follow Jesus when we don’t understand (or flat out don’t want to!) that we are truly living by faith. 

    As followers of God we act in ways that we wouldn’t on our own. There’s a temptation in us to follow conventional wisdom and the ways of the world. We want to take the next logical step. But sometimes we’re asked to step out in faith in a way that doesn’t quite make logical sense. When we step out in faith, we can follow the plans of God because we trust in the results. We know that if He asks us to march in order to win the battle, we need to march! And when we live into the ways of God, we get to see Him provide in ways that we wouldn’t otherwise. Because when we live by faith, it grows our trust in Him, and He gets all the glory.

    Questions

    1. What most stuck out to you about this passage?
    2. What keeps you from living by faith?
    3. What are some commands from God that you need to start following?

    Keep Digging

    The battle of Jericho is one of many exciting stories in the book of Joshua. For a digital guide with an in-depth summary, some FAQs, and extra resources, check out this guide from The Bible Project!

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  • Rest Day + Family Guide (Deuteronomy 34-Joshua 5)

    Rest Day + Family Guide (Deuteronomy 34-Joshua 5)

    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!

    Memorize This

    “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

    ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:7-8‬ ‭NIV

    Family Guide

    Check out this week’s Deuteronomy 34-Joshua 5 Family Guide!

  • Joshua 5

    Joshua 5

    Read Joshua 5

    1 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.

    Circumcision and Passover at Gilgal

    At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.

    Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.

    Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal to this day.

    10 On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. 11 The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. 12 The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.

    The Fall of Jericho

    13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

    14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

    15 The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

    Go Deeper

    Over the last few days, we have traveled through the events that followed the death of Moses as the Israelites approach the Promised Land. With Joshua at the helm, in Joshua 5 we see that Israel has arrived in the Promised Land and they are ready to begin their conquest. This chapter underscores things of greater importance: the reinstitution of circumcision and Passover. Circumcision was a reminder of Israel’s covenant relationship with God, and Passover was a reminder of Israel’s redemption out of bondage from the Egyptians. This is paralleled by Baptism and the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament. Baptism is a sign of our covenant relationship with God (see Col. 2:11-12), and the Lord’s Supper is a sign of our redemption (see Matt. 26:18-19). 

    This chapter culminates with an unusual encounter between Joshua and the commander of the army of the Lord. Joshua is reminded that he is reliant upon the Lord in all things. This encounter parallels Moses’s experience with God at the burning bush in Exodus 3. They are both commanded to take off their shoes, and they bow in reverence because they are on holy ground in the presence of Yahweh. Joshua recognizes his own insufficiency in light of God’s very presence. 

    We too must approach God in reverence, not flippantly, for He is far greater than we can possibly fathom. We see that Joshua postures himself in worshipful surrender in God’s presence before he goes out to battle. Joshua rightly understands that he must be submitted to God’s authority. Great leaders are led by someone greater than them (and they know that). This is true of Joshua as he encounters the “commander of the army of the LORD.” 

    Is this true for us? Just as Joshua and the Israelites will go into Jericho (in the next chapter), we too will go into situations in life that will require God’s guidance. In these moments our true relationship with God will be exposed and we will see if we have been doing things in our own power or by God’s power.

    Questions

    1. How have you postured yourself in reverent worship today? 
    2. Why is it important to recognize God’s holiness in light of our own insufficiency? 
    3. In the same way that circumcision and Passover were signs of God’s faithfulness to the Israelites, how are the New Testament ordinances a sign of God’s faithfulness to you now?

    Did You Know?

    God stopped providing manna for the Israelites to eat in verse 12, but they didn’t go hungry. There was an abundance of produce for them to eat now. This is just another reminder of how God provides for His people based on their needs.

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  • Joshua 4

    Joshua 4

    Read Joshua 4

    1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

    So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

    So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

    10 Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, 11 and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. 12 The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. 13 About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

    14 That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

    15 Then the Lord said to Joshua, 16 “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.”

    17 So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

    18 And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.

    19 On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. 20 And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. 21 He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 22 tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

    Go Deeper

    In Joshua 4, God gives His people a tangible way to remember Him. He asks representatives from the 12 tribes of Israel to build a memorial with 12 stones in Gilgal. This memorial was intended to remind the people of God’s work when He dried up the Jordan River so the Israelites could cross the Jordan into the Promised Land. We saw the Lord do something similar and equally miraculous in Exodus 14 when Moses led God’s people out of Egypt through the Red Sea!

    These 12 stones were to serve as a reminder of what God did for His people. We need reminders! We worship and praise God in church on Sunday and then a few hours, or maybe even minutes later, we forget and turn to the world. 

    What do you do to remember His love for you? In the midst of the hustle of life with jobs, kids, community, a spouse, and much more, what can you do to remember? We need the reminder in our lives and God intends for us to use reminders to pass on Truth to the next generation. How easily we forget what God teaches us and has done for us. The challenge today is to find one simple way to remember God’s love for us.

    As followers of Christ, we need to look for ways to tell others who the Lord is and what He has done for us. Whether it’s capturing and telling your story of faith, sharing the Gospel with others, or literally building your own stone pile of remembrance, look for a way to remember what He has done for you. We get the privilege of teaching our children, the next generation, and a lost world about the Lord. If we don’t, they’ll turn away (or stay away) from the truths of the gospel and start following the world. Look for a way today to remember and share with others about the goodness of God.

    Questions

    1. What was the purpose of the stones placed in Gilgal and in the middle of the Jordan River?
    2. Why do you think the Lord had Joshua leave a pile in the middle of the Jordan River, knowing that no one would be able to see the pile once the waters returned to their normal levels?
    3. What’s one way today you can remember the Lord and His work in your life?

    Did You Know?

    This memorial of 12 stones in Gilgal would eventually lose its spiritual significance. The prophets Hosea and Amos later condemned the people for worshipping at Gilgal instead of in Jerusalem.

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  • Joshua 3

    Joshua 3

    Read Joshua 3

    Crossing the Jordan

    1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

    Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

    Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

    And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

    Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

    14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

    Go Deeper

    This chapter ends with a familiar scene: the Israelites walking across dry ground through a parted sea. It is reminiscent of Exodus 14 when God parts the Red Sea, only this time the Israelites aren’t being chased. They’re moving on towards the land that God had promised them so long ago. This has to be one of those “exhale” moments for the Israelites as they look back on all that they have lived through.  

    We would be missing something really important if we were only focused on the end of this chapter, though. Joshua gives the Israelites an interesting command in verse 5 when he says, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” Consecrate isn’t a word we use often. The best explanation of it is to wholly dedicate yourself to a purpose (in this case, to God). Joshua knew that everything that was about to happen was a spiritual issue. They couldn’t flippantly walk into the Promised Land. That would be missing the point. They had to first ensure that they were wholly and completely surrendered to God.

    God works in and through people all the time. It is what He has done all throughout scripture. But we can’t be off on our own, wandering through life in unrepentant sin, living self-indulgent lives and expecting God to use us to further the Kingdom in the midst of that. We have to daily put sin to death. Put our desires to death. Put our selfishness to death. We have to daily consecrate ourselves to the Lord with the hope and expectation He will do amazing things among us. Second Timothy 2:20-21 tells us that we’re like vessels or jars, ready to be used by the Master as long as we’re willing to purify and cleanse ourselves from all that is dishonorable. 

    Today, let’s consecrate ourselves to God.

    Questions

    1. What parallels do you see between this story and what happens in Exodus 14?
    2. What does it look like to practically consecrate yourself to God today? What needs to change from yesterday to today?
    3. What amazing things do you see God doing around you right now? Spend time thanking God for being on the move.

    Did You Know?

    The Israelites were instructed to keep about 1,000 yards of distance between them and the Ark. This was so that they could a) respect the holiness of the Ark of the Covenant but also b) ensure that everyone had a clear view of it.

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  • Joshua 2

    Joshua 2

    Read Joshua 2

    Rahab and the Spies

    1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

    The king of Jericho was told, “Look, some of the Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.” So the king of Jericho sent this message to Rahab: “Bring out the men who came to you and entered your house, because they have come to spy out the whole land.”

    But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them. She said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they had come from. At dusk, when it was time to close the city gate, they left. I don’t know which way they went. Go after them quickly. You may catch up with them.” (But she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them under the stalks of flax she had laid out on the roof.) So the men set out in pursuit of the spies on the road that leads to the fords of the Jordan, and as soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

    Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given you this land and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.10 We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed. 11 When we heard of it, our hearts melted in fear and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.

    12 “Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure sign 13 that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them—and that you will save us from death.”

    14 “Our lives for your lives!” the men assured her. “If you don’t tell what we are doing, we will treat you kindly and faithfully when the Lord gives us the land.”

    15 So she let them down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall. 16 She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

    17 Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us 18 unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. 19 If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. 20 But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

    21 “Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

    So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

    22 When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. 23 Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. 24 They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.”

    Go Deeper

    Joshua chapter two begins with a secret mission. Two spies commissioned by Joshua to accomplish two things: stay safe and get a lay of the land, specifically Jericho. Think about this scene for a minute. Joshua, a spy himself, sending out two spies. He knew what he was asking of them. He knew what courage and strength would be required. Never underestimate God’s plan to use our history and experiences to encourage and equip others. Joshua was uniquely qualified to instruct these two men. 

    Even though Rahab is a Canaanite prostitute, she fears YHWH, the One true God. She’s heard stories of His deliverance, power, and mercy and expresses a real, personal faith and knowledge of God. Rahab is confronted with two sinful options: lying or contributing to the execution of God’s representatives. She chooses the option that would bring the most glory to God—protecting His people. She hides the spies and saves their lives and makes an agreement with them that they will, in turn, spare her and her family on the day of battle. 

    This woman’s background and significance in God’s Kingdom plan cannot be overstated. The whole outcome of the spies’ mission hinges on the action of a woman, and not just any woman, but a prostitute. A traitor to her people. An outsider. A foreigner to the Hebrews. Yet, she’s praised twice in Scripture for living out her faith and is a link in the genealogy of Jesus. 

    Her story provides hope to us all. Throughout Scripture Rahab is repeatedly identified by her occupation as prostitute (even in the New Testament). Repetition is important. God wants us to know that no matter how wretched our past, He can do great things through anyone who repents and believes in Him through faith. God is always willing to spare the repentant—the one who surrenders their life to Him. He delights in delivering and using the disregarded, the downcast, and the disgraced.

    Questions

    1. What do you learn about the character of God in this passage?
    2. What do you learn from Rahab? What do you learn from the spies?
    3. How do you apply what you observe and learn in Joshua 2 to your life?

    Did You Know?

    Over the years archaeologists have uncovered houses from within the ruined walls of Jericho. The scarlet cord that Rahab hung outside of her house would have been such a contrast in color that it would have made it easy for the Israelites to spot.

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  • Joshua 1 + Introduction

    Joshua 1 + Introduction

    Joshua Introduction

    Joshua, a Hebrew word meaning “Yahweh saves”, is another one of the history books in the Old Testament. Similar to Genesis and Exodus, this book is full of the recorded events of Israel’s past. While there is some debate amongst scholars about whether or not Joshua was the author of this book, he is a central figure in this story. The events in this book take place somewhere around 1406 B.C., after Israel had spent 40 years in the wilderness as they’re ready to enter the Promised Land. 

    Leadership transitions are almost always complicated and the book of Joshua is no exception. Moses had passed away and now it was someone else’s turn to guide the Israelites. Enter Joshua. Can you imagine being the next person to fill the shoes of Moses? Talk about pressure! We’ll watch Joshua grow into this role. Sometimes he will heed God’s word and the Israelites are blessed because of that. Other times he gets ahead of himself, often leading to disastrous results. 

    Along the way we’ll meet other characters and read some exciting stories full of dramatic twists and turns. As we read, grab a journal and take good notes. What do these chapters teach you about God’s character? What does it teach you about humanity? What are the implications for you today? We have said it before, but it’s important to remember the significance of these Old Testament books. Too often we get confused by the Old Testament because some of the names sound funny and because we equate “old” with “irrelevant.” There are so many things we can learn about God (and ourselves) through the lens of this book. Over the next 24 chapters, let’s continue to dig deep into the story of the Israelites.

    Read Joshua 1

    Joshua Installed as Leader

    1After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

    “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

    10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people: 11 “Go through the camp and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions ready. Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

    12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your children and your livestock may stay in the land that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites. You are to help them15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

    16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”

    Go Deeper

    The opening chapter of the book of Joshua marks a very important moment in Israel’s history. Their one leader, Moses, who had guided them for years and years has died. The people had grown used to Moses being the one who would speak to God on their behalf. He carried the relationship with God for the rest of his people. But since he is gone, the torch has been passed from Moses to Joshua. Now Joshua has to learn how to have his own intimate relationship with God. Not only that, but he also has to figure out how to courageously follow God wherever He leads. All of Israel is looking to Joshua to maintain their relationship with God. No pressure!

    One of the main lessons of this chapter is that Joshua can no longer rely on someone else’s faithfulness. Just because Moses had a deep relationship with God, does not mean that Joshua will have that same kind of relationship. Joshua has to take ownership of his own faith and find courage from God, not another human leader. Multiple times the Lord instructs Joshua to be strong and courageous. Why? That’s what His people needed in their new leader.

    There are moments in our lives in which we feel like God is giving us the same command that he gave Joshua in this chapter: it’s time for you to stop relying on someone else’s faithfulness. Don’t wait for your pastor to teach you the Bible. Don’t wait for someone else to share the gospel with your friend. Don’t wait for your spouse to disciple your kids. Today you have the chance to take ownership of your faith. God has called you to courageously follow Him. Stop waiting on someone else to do the job that God has given you. Today, be strong and courageous and follow God!

    Questions

    1. How do you think Joshua felt in this moment?
    2. What are the differences between a follower and a leader?
    3. Why do Christian leaders tend to fall? How can you keep that from happening in your own faith?

    Watch This

    Check out this video overview of Joshua from The Bible Project!

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  • Joshua In Review

    Joshua In Review

    Joshua In Review

    As we reach the end of Joshua, it’s helpful to look back at the command God gave Joshua multiple times at the beginning of the book: “Be strong and courageous”. Joshua was stepping into some gigantic shoes. Following up Moses was no small task. There would be opportunities to doubt (or ignore God’s instructions altogether). But God really wanted Joshua to remember what was true: He was going to be with the Israelites no matter what. Over the remaining chapters, we saw what happened when Joshua did (and did not) heed those instructions. 

    What we learned through this book is faithfulness matters. There were times that Joshua and the Israelites listened to God, followed His instructions, and kept up their end of their covenant with Him. There were other times when they went rogue, doing their own thing and only trying to fulfill their own desires. 

    We have no shortage of opportunities to make the same mistakes the Israelites made. It’s easy for us to live fearfully or to try and take matters into our own hands. But we also have the opportunity to take small steps of obedience every single day. We can prayerfully talk through every big decision with God. We can pay attention to the instructions given to us in Scripture and apply those to our lives. We can live strong and courageous lives in a world that feels chaotic. Which one will we choose?

    Questions

    What did you learn about God throughout the book of Joshua?

    What did you learn about humanity throughout the book of Joshua?

    Why is it important for us to understand the story of Joshua?

    What did you learn about leadership from Joshua?

    What connections to Jesus were you able to make throughout the book of Joshua?

    What story from Joshua stuck out to you the most? Why did that one speak to you?

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  • Joshua 24

    Joshua 24

    Read Joshua 24

    The Covenant Renewed at Shechem

    1 Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.

    Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your ancestors, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the Euphrates and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac, and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his family went down to Egypt.

    “‘Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.When I brought your people out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea. But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.

    “‘I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land. When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you. 10 But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.

    11 “‘Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands. 12 I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. 13 So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.’

    14 “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

    16 Then the people answered, “Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods! 17 It was the Lord our God himself who brought us and our parents up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled. 18 And the Lord drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the Lord, because he is our God.”

    19 Joshua said to the people, “You are not able to serve the Lord. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins. 20 If you forsake the Lord and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you.”

    21 But the people said to Joshua, “No! We will serve the Lord.”

    22 Then Joshua said, “You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord.”

    “Yes, we are witnesses,” they replied.

    23 “Now then,” said Joshua, “throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

    24 And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.”

    25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. 26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.

    27 “See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

    28 Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.

    Buried in the Promised Land

    29 After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. 30 And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

    31 Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

    32 And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

    33 And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

    Go Deeper

    Here we are shown two necessary characteristics of the Christian life: remembrance and decisiveness. Joshua begins this chapter by describing the faithfulness of God to the Israelites.  He reminds them that God has led them out of Egypt, defeated their enemies, and now given them a new land to live in. God has been good to His people. Now with this remembrance comes the need for action. Joshua is nervous that the Israelites have taken God for granted.  They just assume that God is their magical genie who will work wonders for them regardless of what they do. But God will not be mocked. He will not continue to be their God if they have chosen to serve other gods. Therefore, Joshua demands decisive action from the people. Will they choose God or not?

    This same pattern should be used in our own life. One of the most effective ways to renew our passion for Jesus today is remembering what He did for us yesterday. When we recall the faithfulness of Jesus during his life and His goodness throughout our own, we are encouraged to trust Him today. This practice that Joshua leads the Israelites through is one we should do frequently. How often do you take time to write down all of the things that God has carried you through? Instead of worrying about what He’ll do next, maybe you need to remember what He’s already done. And when you see His past faithfulness, you’ll have a greater trust in His future faithfulness. So take some time today and bring to mind what God has done for you.  He’s been active in your life, even from before you were born. But His activity requires an active response. He deeply desires for you to respond to His love. Choose this day to let His faithfulness to you prompt you to live faithfully to Him.

    Questions

    1. What are the “Egypts” in your own life? What has God saved you from?
    2. What keeps you from remembering God’s faithfulness to you?
    3. Just like the Israeltes, what are “gods” in your life you need to forsake so that you can more fully serve the true Lord?

    Did You Know?

    Shechem (where Joshua gathers the tribes together) is modern day Tell Balata, a city in the Palestinian West Bank. It was the site where Abraham built an altar to God in Genesis 12:6-7, as did Jacob in Genesis 33:16-20.

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