Joshua: Mighty Warrior

The conquest and division of the land of Canaan.

Setting

Numbers 20.12 Waters of Meribah or Water from the Rock

"And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe in me, to sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

Major Divisions: Invasion and Conquest in the South

(1) The invasion of the land, chaps. 1-5.
(2) The fall of Jericho, chap. 6.
(3) The battle at Ai, and Israel at Ebal and Gerizim, chaps. 7-8.
(4) The conquest of the south, chap. 10.

Major Divisions: Conquest in the North

(5) The conquest of the north, and the list of kings slain, chaps. 11-12: complete destruction of Canaanite powers
(6) The division of the land, appointment of cities of refuge, etc., chaps. 13-22.
(7) The farewell address and death of Joshua, chaps. 23-24: Israel enters into covenant to serve Yahweh forever

"Arise: Go Over this Jordan." 1.2

Moses has died. Dt. 34.5, Joshua 1.2 "Moses, my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all the people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the people of Israel."
Joshua will cause the people to inherit the land sworn to their fathers. 1.6
Theme: The certainty of the fulfillment of the divine purposes.

Promise Fulfilled and Seen

(1) In the judgments coming upon the Canaanites because of their terrible sins.
(2) In the descendants of Abraham being given possession of the land according to God's promise, Ge.12:7.

Typology

Canaan: higher Christian life won by spiritual warfare, Ro.7:23.
The Canaanites: spiritual enemies, Ep.6:12.
Warfare: the fight of faith, 1Ti.6:12.
Israel's rest after the conquest (Jos.11:23): rest of the soul, Heb.4:9.
The Canaanites partly subdued: persistent sins unconquered, Heb.12:1.

Admonitions

Bound by the law of Moses 1.7
Meditation on the law 1.8
Prosperity and success: outcome of right action 1.8

Joshua’s Address 1.10-18

Tribes already allotted Numbers 32--Reuben, Gad, Manasseh--east of Jordan
Condition: help the other tribes in the battle for Canaan32.20-23

Invasion of the Land

Rahab’s faith: "for the Lord your God is he who is God in heaven above and the earth beneath." 2.11
Matthew 1--Rahab,
Genealogy: Lot--Moabites and Ruth
Abraham-Judah-Tamar (Gen. 38)-Perez-Obed (Boaz and Ruth) Jesse-David
Mt.1 Salmon, father of Boaz by Rahab

Crossing the Jordan

Waters stopped from flowing 3.13
Ark of Covenant borne by priests 3.17

Israel at Gilgal

New generation circumcised 5.2: token of covenant relationship
Saul, first king, is later crowned I Sam. 11.15
People keep passover 5.10
Joshua’s theophany 5. 13-15 Joshua meets the commander of the army of God, instructed to remove his shoes, for he stands on holy ground.

Fall of Jericho 6

Jericho rebuilt I Kings 16.34 at cost of first born son Joshua 6.26
6.24 reference to temple, although temple is not yet built (redaction?)

Israel breaks faith

Achan of Judah takes forbidden objects 7.1
Israel defeated at Ai 7.5: entire group blamed for sin of one.
Achan confesses, is stoned to death 7.25
Ai defeated 8. 1-29--all inhabitants slaughtered; king hanged.

Gibeonites and Sun Standing Still 9-10

Lord heeds human voice 10.14
Five kings defeated 10.16-27 and hanged
Victories in the south 10. 28-43

Conquest of the North 11-12

Part of Canaan Unconquered 13; allotment to tribes 13-22

Cities of Refuge 20 Dt. 19.1-13

Reubenites, Gadites, and Manasseh return west of Jordan 22

Joshua’s Farewell Address and Death 23-22

23.14 "I am about to go the way of all the earth… not one thing has failed …which the Lord your God promised."
24.13 Given a land on which they had not labored, cities which they had not build

Covenant Renewal

24.15 Choose whom you will serve.
24.21 People answer we will serve the Lord; Joshua reminds them they will become witnesses against themselves.
24.29 Joshua, servant of the Lord, dies--110 years old.