joshua study booklet · the book of joshua relates israel’s conquest of the land of canaan in...

Term 3 2019

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GOD’S PROMISES IN ACTION | JOSHUA

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Table of Contents

Series Overview……………………………………………………..3

Helpful Resources…………………………………………………..6

STUDY 1 | Trust and Obey: No Other Way?................................7

STUDY 2 | The Woman of Faith………………………………….10

STUDY 3 | Are You Ready?......................................................12

STUDY 4 | The Strangeness of God’s Methods………………...15

STUDY 5 | The Seriousness of Sin……………………………....18

STUDY 6 | The Danger of a D.I.Y. Life…………………………...21

STUDY 7 | The LORD Who Listens…………………………….…24

STUDY 8 | Finishing Strong……………………………………....27

STUDY 9 | To Altar or Not to Altar?……………………………....30

STUDY 10 | Goodbye, Farewell and Amen……………………..33

These studies are indebted to insights found in Joshua: No Falling Words by Dale Ralph Davies (Fearn, Ross-shire: Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 2000).


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Series Overview The book of Joshua relates Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan in accordance with the LORD’s promises. It is the ‘literary bridge’ between Israel’s wilderness experience (Exodus to Deuteronomy) and their struggles in the early years of occupying the land (Judges). In the Jewish tradition Joshua is known as one of the Former Prophets, along with Judges, Samuel, and Kings. Prophecy means to convict, not merely inform. This is a helpful designation as it reminds us that all Old Testament history is ‘a declaration from God about God’. And so as we read Joshua we ought to ask: what is the writer preaching about when telling me this story? Authorship and Audience There are many theories about how and when the final form of the book came together (if you’d like to read about these see the commentaries listed under Helpful Resources). If we assume that much of Joshua was composed by one or limited human authors, we then need to ask the question: what was the ‘life setting’ of the book, or the particular audience it was addressing. A compelling case can be made that Joshua was written primarily to the Judges generation, who were slack about driving out the remnants of the Canaanites, thereby creating a climate for apostasy to occur (see Davies, No Falling Words, 170). Thus, a faithful disciple of the LORD, seeing the ‘sophomore generation’ slowly losing its vision of God’s graciousness and sliding into unbelief, wanted Israel to know the work the LORD has done for them, and what that means for them in the present.


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Structure of the Book Joshua can be broken into 3 main sections. Chapters 1 – 12 concern Conquest (the taking of the land); chapters 13 – 22 are about Consolidation (the dividing up of the land); and chapters 23 – 24 focus on Covenant (the future of the land). Theological Message The book of Deuteronomy, with its emphasis on the Covenant Promises of God, is an important background to the book of Joshua. Joshua is first and foremost about the fulfilment of God’s promises. As such, its events need to be understood through this lens. A significant emphasis in Joshua is the hope of land and ‘rest’. Reading through the lens of Deuteronomy, we can see that this is not simply a ‘land grab’ by a nomadic people group – land and rest are key parts of God’s promise (and so chapters 13-22 are a climactic section as this promise is realised). This understanding also helps us to see that the ‘holy war’ undertaken by Israel is necessary for the fulfilment of God’s twofold promise of blessing for Abraham’s descendants and judgement on Amorite sin (Genesis 12 and 15). Other theological themes include the unity of Israel and the spiritual principle of ‘corporate solidarity’, the nature of leadership, and the relationship between trust and obedience. Approaching the New Testament The name Joshua means ‘the LORD saves”. The name Jesus is the Greek writing of Joshua. Jesus is therefore the ‘greater Joshua’ through whom ‘the LORD saves’ (cf. Matthew 1:21 – ‘He will save the people from their sins’). From the vantage point of the New Testament, Joshua’s successes were only partial at best, and therefore they point beyond themselves to a time


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– – – Central Campaign Southern Campaign ? Exact location questionable

when Jesus would bring God’s people into an inheritance that could not be taken away from them (1 Peter 1:3-5). Jesus also provides the rest Joshua is not able to attain (Hebrews 3:11, 18; 4:1-11). The book of Acts shows us what it looks like for God’s people to ‘conquer’ today: it means spreading the gospel and growing God’s church. And as we do that we too have God’s promise, given by Jesus, that He will be with us wherever we go, “to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Map of Canaan and Israelite campaigns


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Helpful Resources


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STUDY 1 1:1-18 | Trust and Obey: No Other Way? 1. When have you found it easy to trust someone’s promises? When have you found it hard? READ | 1:1-5 2. Moses’ death is mentioned in v.1, but there is very little reflection on its significance. Considering Moses was such a great leader of Israel, why do you think this might be so? 3. What are the specific promises the LORD makes to Joshua? How might each of these promises have been an encouragement to Joshua? (Note the significance of the Holman and ESV translations of v.3, which rightly express the promise as “I have given you”) 4. On what basis could Joshua trust these promises?

• God’s promises to His people today are no longer tied to land. What specific promises concerning His blessing has God made to us?


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• On what basis can we trust these promises?

READ | 1:6-9 5. After giving Joshua instructions to enter Canaan, what does the LORD command Joshua (and the people) concerning “the book of instruction”? Why might this be so important? 6. What phrase appears three times in four verses (vv.6-9)? What’s the basis for this exhortation?

• In what ways has God reassured us of his presence, of His “never leaving nor forsaking” us (see, for example, Matthew 28:19-20; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

• How does the centrality of God’s word make a difference in your life?

READ | 1:10-18


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7. Joshua does as the LORD commands and, via his officers, prepares Israel to cross the Jordan (vv.10-11). To the Reubenites, The Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (known as the Transjordan tribes) Joshua has a slightly different message. What is it? To what is Joshua referring (see Numbers 32:1-24)?

8. How might the positive response of these Transjordan tribes (vv.16-18) have encouraged Joshua and all of Israel? What might have happened if they had not agreed to Joshua’s request? FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATIONS 9. In light of the cross, what does trust in God and obedience to God look like in your life? 10. What particular promises of God have caused you to hang on in the midst of the impossible?


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STUDY 2 2:1-24 | The Woman of Faith 1. Finish the statement: “Faith is ________________” Discuss people’s answers/thoughts. READ | 2:1-7 2. Summarise the key events of vv.1-7. 3. As we can see, quite a bit happens in vv.1-7, and yet the narrative races through the events. This is in contrast to the middle section, vv.8-21, which is taken up almost entirely by just one conversation. As a reader, what does this contrast suggest to you? Why might this be significant? READ | 2:8-21 4. What do the spies learn from Rahab’s confession? 5. What is Rahab’s understanding of the LORD?


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6. Rahab moves from knowledge of the LORD to trust in the LORD. How does she express this? 7. Do you think Rahab acts in true faith in the LORD, or out of fear for her life?

• How do you move from knowledge of the LORD to trust in the LORD? How did you/do you express this?

READ | 2:22-24 8. What is the result of the spies’ expedition into Canaan/Jericho? FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATIONS 9. God is faithful. What ways has God specifically shown Himself to be faithful to you? What were the circumstances? 10. How does the story of Rahab encourage you in your relationship with Christ?


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STUDY 3 3:1 – 4:24 | Are You Ready? 1. What are you most afraid of in life? What tends to hinder you from ‘stepping forward’ on God’s promises? READ | 3:1-13 2. Before they’re to cross the Jordan river, Joshua tells the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow.” What do you think this “consecration” (or preparation) may have entailed (see Exodus 19, Mark 1:1-15)? 3. What was at the heart of such physical and ceremonial activity (see Joshua 1:5)? 4. How does the position of the Ark in this story add to the significance of this preparation?

• Where have you missed out on something amazing, because you weren’t prepared? How might we prepare ourselves today for what God might do for us tomorrow?


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5. What is the logic of what God is saying to Joshua and through Joshua in this passage (vv.7-13)?

• How is this logic similar for us today as followers of the better Joshua, Jesus? (cf. Romans 8:32).

READ | 3:14-17 6. Why does Joshua include in a perfectly good story a detailed report on river conditions? READ | 4:1-24 7. What does God instruct Joshua to do once they all cross the river? Why? 8. What does this reveal might be Israel’s greatest enemy/problem as they head into the Promised Land?


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FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATIONS 9. If Jesus is with and for us, how can this shape our activity today and tomorrow? 10. What helps us remember God’s great act of redemption for us in Jesus?


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STUDY 4 5:13 – 6:27 | The Strangeness of God’s Methods 1. Can you think of when someone asked you to do something that, at the time, made no sense at all? What did you do? How did you respond? READ | 5:13-15 2. When scouting out Jericho, Joshua encounters “a man” who turns out to be “the commander of the armies of the LORD”. What do you think the man means when he says that he is “neither” for the Israelites nor their enemies? 3. Joshua asks what message “my Lord” has for him. What reply does the commander of the LORD’s army give, and what might it remind you of? READ | 6:1-14 4. The writer tells us in v.1 that Jericho was “strongly fortified” against the Israelites, then immediately relates the LORD’s declaration in v.2, “Look, I have handed Jericho over to you.” Why do you think the writer does this?


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5. What is the point of the LORD’s instructions to Joshua/Israel? And why do you think the Ark is referred to so many times (10 times in the chapter, 9 of which are in vv.1-14)? READ | 6:15-21 6. It’s likely that Joshua’s words in vv.17-19 were originally spoken at an earlier time, but have been included here by the writer, thus delaying the climactic moment of the Jericho walls coming down (v.20). Why might the writer have done this? 7. The Hebrew term translated “set apart for destruction” (v.17, v.18; translated “devoted” in NIV and ESV) refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the LORD, often by totalling destroying them (hence “completely destroyed” in v.21). Why does God include this instruction? READ | 6:22-27 8. What does Joshua’s sparing of Rahab and her family communicate to us?


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9. How does the conquest of Jericho – the strangeness of God’s method and the necessity of His judgement – better help us to understand the cross? FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATION 10. In your life, how have you seen God at work in uncommon ways?


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STUDY 5 7:1-26 | The Seriousness of Sin 1. How is ‘sin’ talked about and thought about in our culture? READ | 7:1-9 2. Why do you think the writer mentions Achan’s sin and God’s subsequent anger in v.1, before spending the next 4 verses recounting Israel’s defeat against Ai? 3. What do you think of Joshua’s response to the defeat? Is it right? Is it reasonable?

• Have you ever prayed to God this sort of prayer (as one writer puts it, ‘pleading your danger and His honour’)? What drove you to that kind of prayer?

READ | 7:10-15 4. God sets Joshua straight as to the reason for Israel’s defeat: his anger is against Israel. Who, according to God, is responsible, and what exactly have they done?


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5. What action must be taken? And, if such action is not taken, what terrible promise/threat does God make? READ | 7:16-26 6. Being God, the LORD already knew who had sinned. Why do you think God made Israel go through the process of elimination (vv.16-18)? 7. After the stolen items are uncovered, the terrible judgement is enacted: Achan and all his family and possessions are themselves destroyed along with the set apart items he stole. Why do you think this judgement is so severe? 8. Tragic as it is to consider, how does the judgement on Achan and his family help us to understand God’s anger toward sin – and his solution for judging it once and for all (see Romans 5:12-21)?


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FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATION 9. In what ways might the church tolerate sin rather than expect the honour of God? 10. While we need to take sin seriously, when we sin we need not fear the judgement that came upon Achan. Why not?


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STUDY 6 9:1-27 | The Danger of a D.I.Y. Life 1. Have you ever had a D.I.Y. disaster? What contributed to it? READ | 9:1-2 2. Chapter 9 follows Israel’s defeat of the city of Ai. The first thing the writer tells us is that the remaining Canaanite kings gathered as one to fight against Israel. What might the writer be trying to communicate to us? READ | 9:3-15 3. The Gibeonites don’t join the ‘coalition of the willing’ against Israel. Instead, they take matters into their own hands. What do they decide to do, and how? 4. Why do you think they go to these lengths?


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5. What hints does the writer give as to why the Israelites are taken in by the deception (cf. v.14)?

• When are you tempted to handle things yourself rather than seeking wisdom or prayer?

READ | 9:16-27 6. Even though their treaty with Gibeon was established under deception, why are the leaders of Israel reluctant to break it? 7. What decision is made concerning the Gibeonites? How might God be at work through it? 8. What do we learn from the Gibeonites’ response to Joshua in vv.24-25?


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FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATIONS 9. In what ways does the Gibeonite situation point us to Jesus, and to God’s work through Him on the cross? 10. Do we need the wisdom of God only when we’re in doubt?


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STUDY 7 10:1-15 | The LORD Who Listens 1. Think of a time when someone you relied upon didn’t come through for you. How did that make you feel? Or think of a time when you asked for help – perhaps not expecting to get it – and help came. How did that make you feel? READ | 10:1-5 2. What causes Adoni-Zedek to enlist the other Amorite kings to join him in battle against Gibeon? READ | 10:6-11 3. Should Joshua and the Israelites come to the aid of Gibeon? Why/why not?

4. What do the events of vv.7-11 show us about the relationship between divine sovereignty and human responsibility?


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• In what way are you encouraged to know that God works His purposes though our human decision making?

• How does the image of God as the warrior who fights for His people make you feel? Is it reassuring? Discomforting? Why/why not?

READ | 10:12-15 5. What features of Joshua’s prayer do you find particularly striking? 6. There are several theories about what vv.12-14 actually record. What are your thoughts? 7. What then, according to the writer, seems to be the most amazing element of this day “like no other”?


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8. How might this view of prayer both challenge and encourage us?

• Are you amazed when God answers your prayer? Why/why not? FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATIONS 9. What does ‘deliverance’ look like for us today? How is the Gibeonite experience instructive for us?


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STUDY 8 13 – 17 | Finishing Strong 1. Can you recall a time in your life where you started something well, but it didn’t end so well? What happened and why did it go that way? READ | 13:1-7 2. What problem do these verses describe? 3. What promise is given by the LORD to assure the Israelites? READ | 15:63, 16:10, 17:12-13 4. What sad refrain is repeated as Israel seeks to occupy the lands? Why do you think this is a problem (see Exodus 23:20-33, Deuteronomy 7)? 5. Why do you think the Israelites allowed these nations people to live with them? Why didn’t they finish strong? (see Joshua 17:12-13).


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• How would you describe your relationship with the Lord at the

moment? On a scale of "going strong” to “really struggling”, where would you be?

READ | 17:14-16 6. What other reason is given here for the Israelites failing to finish strong? 7. What do you think lies at the heart of both complacency and fear? What then might be the solution? READ | 14:6-16 8. How does Caleb model a right response to complacency and fear? FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATION 9. Where have you seen the danger of complacency and fear in your spiritual life or ministry (see Romans 8:12-14)?


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10. How does the gospel of Jesus, and the rest he offers, enable us not to be paralysed by fear or overwhelmed by guilt, but give us confidence to finish strong in the Christian life?


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STUDY 9 21:45 – 22:34 | To Altar or Not to Altar? 1. In your experience, does style of worship seem to be more important than content of worship? Does it really matter? READ | 21:43-45 2. What appears to be the purpose of these verses? 3. How do you square these verses with earlier passages such as 13:1-7, 15:63, 16:10, and 17:12-13, and later verses like 23:4-5, which make clear that all the land is not yet Israel’s? READ | 22:1-9 4. Why are the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh being commended (for reference see Numbers 32:1-24 and Joshua 1:10-18)?


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5. Compare Joshua’s words in v.5 with his words back in 1:6-8. What’s similar and what’s different about them? What does this help us see?

• How do you view ‘obedience’ in your Christian walk? What in your experience makes it easier/harder to obey God and live His way?

READ | 22:10-20 6. What do the Transjordan tribes do that so provokes the western tribes? 7. Why do you think the western tribes respond as they do? What’s the significance of them gathering at Shiloh (v.12; see 18:1)?

• Have you ever had a godly anxiety for things that you have seen happening in the church?


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8. What is the explanation given by the Transjordan tribes? How does it help create greater unity rather than disunity? FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATION 9. When we see Christ being dishonoured, or sense that faithful worship of God is being disregarded, what are some good ways we as individuals and a church can respond, and what are some less-good ways?


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STUDY 10 23:1 – 24:33 | Goodbye, Farewell and Amen 1. Are you a forgetful person, or have experience with forgetful people? Why do you think you are/they are that way? What helps you/them to be a better ‘rememberer’? READ | 23:1-16 2. What would you say is the theme of Joshua’s farewell to Israel’s leaders? If you had to sum it up in 3 or 4 words, what might they be? READ | 24:1-13 3. Why do you think Joshua recounts for all the Israelites the entirety of their history? 4. What specific detail does Joshua include regarding Israel’s forefathers, Terah and Abraham? Why might this be important/helpful to Israel (and us)?


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• How important is it that we pass on to the next generation ‘the praiseworthy deeds of our God’?

READ | 24:14-28 5. Why do you think Joshua puts following the LORD as he does, as a matter of preference (v.15: “But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship”)? 6. How does Joshua bring the people to a point of renewing their covenant with the LORD (v.25)? Why do you think Joshua goes about it this way? 7. As Joshua himself suggests, because of our sinfulness there’s something unrealistic about God’s people swearing complete faithfulness to Him. How has Jesus fulfilled the promise of Joshua 24:14-28? READ | 24:29-33


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8. The final verses of Joshua record Joshua’s death at the age of 110. What might be the purpose of v.31? What do you think the writer is implying?

• Why are believers so prone to forget in the present what God has done in the past? To what extent has this been your experience?

FINAL THOUGHTS AND APPLICATION 9. God has given us means by which to remember His saving work on our behalf, namely baptism and the Lord’s Supper (known as sacraments – ‘outward, visible signs of inward, invisible grace’). How do these sacraments encourage and strengthen your faith? READ | Hebrews 4:1-11 10. This passage from Hebrews refers back to Joshua, the conquest generation, and the generation that came before. How does it fill in your understanding of the events of Joshua and God’s promise of ‘rest’?


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