Graphics of Joshua




Joshua's Time

 Exodus from EgyptIsraelites enter Canaan Judges begin to rule The Days of The Judges United kingdom under Saul
David becomes king 
1446 B.C. 
(1280 B.C.)		1406
(1240)		1375
(1220) 		 1050
(1045) 		 1010



Vital statistics


 Purpose: To give the history of Israel's conquest of the Promised Land  
 Author: Joshua, except for the ending which may have been written by the high priest, Phinehas, an aye witness to the events recounted there.  
 Original audience: The people of Israel
 Setting:  Canaan. also called the Promised Land, which occupied the same general geographical territory of the modern-day- Israel  
 Key verse: "Go through the camp and tell the people to get their provisions ready. In three days you will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you" (1:11) 
 Key people: Joshua, Rahab, Achan, Phinehas, Eleazar.  
 Key places:  Jericho, Ai, Mount Ebal, Mount Gerizim, Gibeon, Gilgal, Shiloh, Shechem. 
 Special feature: Out of over a million people, Joshua and Caleb were the only two who left Egypt and entered the Promised Land. 



Comparison of Joshua 23 and 24
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Time Focus
Future
Past, Present
Theme
Gift of the Land
Relationship with God
Danger to Avoid
Marital entanglement
Apostasy
New Geneva study Bible. 1997, c1995 (electronic ed.) (Jos 22.25). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.




Achan and Adam and Eve



The Sin of Achan
The Sin of Adam and Eve
Similar biblical language
Similar biblical language
“When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them” (Josh. 7:21, emphasis added).
“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate” (Gen. 3:6, emphasis added).
Individual sin with social consequences
Individual sin with social consequences
Achan’s sin destroyed him and his family (Josh. 7:24–25) and took a heavy toll on the nation of Israel as a whole (7:11–12).
Adam’s sin passed from father to son (Cain killed Abel, and so on), thus polluting the whole human race (Gen. 3:14–19; 4:5–8; Rom. 5:12).
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Jos 8.30). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.




Joshua and Paul


Parallels
Joshua
Paul
Early indications of leadership potential
•     Was selected by Moses to lead a battle (Ex. 17:9).
•     Became Moses’ personal assistant (24:13).
•     Served as one of the twelve spies (Num. 13:2, 8, “Hoshea”).
•     Studied under the renowned rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), which prepared him to become a Pharisee (Phil. 3:5),
•     Was present at the Jewish Council meeting when Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:57–8:1).
•     Aggressively tried to stamp out Christianity (8:1–3; 9:1–2).
Similar call to leadership
•     Called to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land of Canaan (Josh. 1:2).
•     Called to lead the Gentiles into the promise of eternal life in Christ’s family (Acts 9:15; Gal. 2:7–8).
Extended preparation for leadership
•     Served a long internship under Moses—at least 40 years.
•     Lived under the care of the disciples at Damascus for some three years (Acts 9:19; Gal. 1:15–18).
•     Spent 14 years in study before his first tour of preaching (Gal. 1:18–2:2).
Significant initial conflicts
•     Was unable to convince the other spies and the people to trust God and take the Promised Land (Num. 14:6–10).
•     Experienced a resounding victory at Jericho (Josh. 6:20–21), but a crushing defeat at Ai (7:2–5).
•     Nearly killed at Damascus (Acts 9:23–25).
•     Initially rejected by the disciples at Jerusalem (9:26).
•     Experienced significant disputes with Barnabas and Peter (15:36–41; Gal. 2:11–14).
Growth through increasing faith and dependence on God
•     Recalled how God had led His people (Josh. 22:1–23:16).
•     Challenged new leaders to fear the Lord (24:1–28).
•     Reviewed his life and faith (2 Tim. 3:10–11).
•     Challenged Timothy to faithfully follow the path that God had laid out for him (4:6–8).
Lasting legacy
•     “Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua” (Josh. 24:31).
•     “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Jos 24.13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.




 The Peoples of the Old Testament

Joshua mentioned seven tribes that the Israelites found living in Canaan at the time of the conquest (Josh. 24:11). The table below summarizes who these groups were, as well as some of the other peoples mentioned in the Old Testament.
Name
Description
Amalekites
(1 Sam. 15:2–3*)
A nomadic people descended from Esau, they conducted frequent raids on the Israelites from their hideouts in the Negev and Sinai regions.
Ammonites
(1 Chr. 19:1–9*)
Descendants of Lot who lived east of the Jordan near the Jabbok River and often joined Moabites and Edomites in attacking Israel.
Amorites
(Gen. 15:16*)
A nomadic, barbarous people living in Canaan at the time of Abraham.
Anakim
(Deut. 9:2*)
Among the earliest inhabitants of Palestine, known for their large size.
Arabs
A name rarely used in the Bible, but including many tribes living throughout the Arabian Peninsula, notably the Ishmaelites and Midianites (see below).
Arkites
Descendants of Canaan (Gen. 10:17), they lived in a city of Phoenicia.
Assyrians
(2 Kin. 17:5–6*)
A nation of Mesopotamia that dominated the Middle East between the ninth and seventh centuries b. c. and carried off the northern kingdom of Israel into captivity in 722 b. c.
Babylonians
(2 Chr. 36:6*)
Successors to the Assyrians who dominated the Middle East in the seventh and sixth centuries b. c. and carried off the southern kingdom of Judah into captivity in 587 b. c.
Canaanites
(Josh. 3:10*)
The dominant civilization of Canaan between the twenty-first and sixteenth centuries b. c. , expelled by the Israelites.
Edomites
(Gen. 36:9*)
Descendants of Esau who lived between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba and constantly feuded with the Israelites.
Egyptians
(Ex. 11:7*)
The great civilization of Egypt ruled during the early biblical period by pharaohs, and under whom the Israelites lived for 430 years in slavery.
Girgashites
Descendants of Canaan frequently listed among Canaanite tribes.
Hittites
Descendants of Heth, the son of Canaan, they lived in the Judean hills near Hebron (probably not related to the Hittite empire of Syria).
Hivites
Descendants of Canaan, they lived in Lebanon into the time of Solomon, who conscripted them into his labor force (1 Kin. 9:20).
Horites
Inhabitants of Edom driven out of by Esau’s descendants (Deut. 2:12, 22).
Ishmaelites
Descendants of Abraham by Hagar and thus relatives of the Israelites; believed to be ancestors of the Arabs.
Jebusites
Descendants of Canaan and inhabitants of Jebus (Jerusalem), which was captured by David (2 Sam. 5:6–7).
Kadomites
An obscure tribe whose land God promised to give to Abraham’s descendants (Gen. 15:19).
Kenezzites
(Kenizzites)
A group of Edomites to whom the family of Caleb was related (Num. 32:12).
Kenites
A group of Midianites who may have operated metalworks southeast of the Gulf of Aqaba and many of whom lived on friendly terms with the Israelites.
Midianites
(Num. 25:17*)
Five families descended from Abraham through the son of his concubine, Keturah, they lived between the Arabian Desert and the Red Sea coast and frequently attacked the Israelites.
Perizzites
An obscure tribe frequently mentioned with the Canaanite tribes, their name may mean “villagers”; seem to have preferred to live among the hills of Canaan.
Persians
Successors to the Assyrians and Babylonians, they ruled a massive empire stretching from India in the east to Egypt and Macedonia in the west.
Philistines
(Judg. 13:1*)
Israel’s perennial enemies to the southwest along the Mediterranean coast, from whose name the word Palestine is derived.
Phoenicians
(2 Chr. 9:21*)
Israel’s seafaring allies during the days of David and Solomon.
Rephaim
A group of people living throughout Canaan at the time of Abraham who, like the Anakim, were said to be giants (Deut. 2:20–21).
Syrians
The peoples living north of Canaan; area composed of a number of city-states.
Word in life study Bible . 1997, c1996 (electronic ed.) (Jos 24.13). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.



The Blueprint


   A. ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND (1:1-5:12) 
  1. Joshua leads the nation
  2. Crossing the Jordan
   Joshua demonstrated his faith in God as he took up the challenge to lead the nation. The Israelites reaffirmed their commitment to Gob by obediently setting out across the Jordan River to possess the land. Ass we live the Christian life, we need to cross over from the old life to the new, put off our selfish desires, and press on to possess all God has planned for us. Like Joshua and Israel, we need courageous faith to live the new life.   
   B. CONQUERING THE PROMISED LAND (5:13-12:24) 
  1. Joshua attacks the center of the land
  2. Joshua attacks the southern kings
  3. Joshua attacks the northern kings 
  4. Summary of conquests  
   Joshua and his army moved from city to city, cleansing the land of its wickedness by destroying every trace of idol worship. Conflict with evils is inevitable, and we should be as merciless as Israel in destroying sin our lives.  
   C. DIVIDING THE PROMISED LAND (13:1-24:33)
  1. The tribes receive their land 
  2. Special cities are set aside
  3. Eastern tribes return home
  4. Joshua's farewell to Israel 
   Joshua urged the Israelites to continue to follow the Lord and worship him alone. The people had seen God deliver them from many enemies and miraculously provide for all their needs, but they were prone to wander from the Lord. Even though we may have experienced God at work in our lives, we, too, must continually renew our commitment obey him above all other authority and to worship him alone.