JOSHUA

Chapter 1:  Encouragement of Joshua and Joshua Prepares the People

Summary

The Lord encourages Joshua with words of wisdom and important instruction.  Joshua then prepares the people to cross over the Jordan River and take possession of the Promised Land within three days time.  The Reubenites, the Gadites, ad half the tribe of Manasseh is to recceive the land on the east side of the Jordan River.  The women and children of these tribes are to remain in that land, but the fighting men from those tribes must help their fellow Israelites take possession of the Promised Land.  All the Israelites agree to follow all of Joshua's commands and they accept him as their leader.  Above all, they will be strong and courageous!

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 1:7-9 - “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.”
• Joshua 1:16-18 - Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.  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. 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!”

Thoughts on the Text

• The meaning of Joshua is 'the Lord will save', or 'the Lord is Salvation;'  Joshua is related to the name Jesus.  Similar to Jesus, Joshua is like a savior to the Israelites as they are about to go take possession of the Promised Land.
• The Book of Joshua completes the redemption of Israel that was begun in Exodus.  Exodus is the book of redemption out of Egypt; Joshua is the book of redemption into the Promised Land.
• In the first twelve chapters of Joshua the Promised Land is entered.  Then in chapters 13-21 we see the land divided.  The book concludes with the final message of Joshua to his people.  The great theme of Joshua is possession.
• In this chapter, the Lord personally gives Joshua his commission and his command to go and take possession of the Promised Land.  
• God has given them the land.  The land is theirs but their enjoyment of it depends upon their taking possession of it.  Ephesians 1:3 states that we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies.  Unfortunately, very few Christians lay hold of the spiritual blessings that belong to them.  Although God gave Israel the Promised Land, they never possessed all of it.  Actually, Israel got very little of the land.  Are we going to lay claim to the possessions which God has given us, or let them pass us by?
• In order to lay claim of God's possessions for us we have to endure conflict with the enemy.  We must put on the full armor of God, and engage in spiritual warfare everyday.  Jesus Christ gets the victory.  We will get what Israel got--deliverance and possessions.
• God gave Israel 300,000 square miles of land and the most they ever claimed was 30,000 square miles.  They did not do very well, did they?  They took possession of about one-tenth of what God had given them.  That is about the same amount of spiritual possessions claimed by believers today.
• God encourages us just as He encourages Joshua in this text.  God tells Joshua, "I won't desert you.  Just as I was with Moses. I'll be with you."  Don't you think that same God will be with us as well no matter the circumstance.  The Lord is our helper.  He will be with us through all the spiritual battles of this life.
• The Word of God is to be our authority.  It is not to depart out of our mouth.  We are to meditate in it daily.  We are to do what is written in the Word.  That is the formula of faith.
• Israel's ownership of the land is unconditional, but Israel's possession of it is conditional.  Israel had to take the land.
• If we are going to walk with the Lord and live for Him, we will need a daily filling of the Holy Spirit of God.
• Crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land is symbolic of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  The River Jordan speaks of sanctification, and the death of Christ was for our sanctification.
  

  Chapter 2:  Spies Sent to Jericho and the Promise to Rahab

Summary

Spies go to the land of Jericho and stay at the house of a young woman, a prostitute named Rahab.  The king of Jericho orders Rahab to turn the men over to him but she hides them instead.  Then, she helps the Israelite spies escape the city of Jericho.  The spies tell Rahab that her and her entire family will be spared if they do not tell anyone of the impending attack on Jericho.  The spies hide out for three days, then they return with a report to Joshua about how everyone is panicking in the land of Jericho because the Israelites are so close by.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 2:8-11 -  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.  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.  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.
• Joshua 2:24 -  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.”

Thoughts on the Text

• Even though Rahab is a prostitute, she is listed as a hero of the faith in Hebrews 11:31 - "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace."  Another startling fact is that Rahab is in the genealogy of Christ!  She got there by faith.
• Rahab turned against her own people, her own king, to aid the enemy, the Israelites.  She did not obey her own authority.  Why did she do this?  Scripture is very clear on the fact that we, as children of God, are to obey authority and those that have the rule over us.  However, when the laws of a state conflict with God's revealed will, then the Christian has no choice but to obey the command of God.  The believer is to obey the Word of God today rather than the word of man.  That should be our attitude as children of God.
• Rahab trusted the fact that God was going to give the Israelites that the Promised Land.  She turned to the living and true God.  "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace" (Hebrews 11:31).
• The spies' report to Joshua is entirely different from the spies who went into the land faorty years earlier.  It is not a question now whether or not they will go into the lad.  They are going inn.  "All the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us" is the information they got from Rahab the harlot.

Chapter 3:  Crossing the Jordan

Summary

Very similar to what happened at the Red Sea when God parted the waters for the Israelites to cross; God does the same thing over Joshua's command and God causes the Jordan River to stop flowing into the Dead Sea so that the Israelites can cross over into the Promised Land.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 3:5 - Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”
• Joshua 3:7 - 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. 
• Joshua 3:17 - 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.

Thoughts on the Text

• From Thru the Bible with J Vernon McGee, "Crossing the Jordan River into the land of Canaan was a major turning point as far as the faith of the Israelites was concerned.  Almost forty years earlier the children of Israel had faced a similar crisis, but they had failed.  To slip away into the wilderness of Sinai by crossing the Red Sea required some faith.  However, to invade the land of Canaan by crossing the Jordan River took a great deal more faith because, having once crossed the river, there would be no possibility of escape.  Once in the land, they would have to face the enemy with their armies, chariots, and walled cities.  The entire nation took this step together in complete commitment to God.
• When the priests carrying the ark of the covenant came to the edge of the Jordan River, the flow of water was restrained as if a dam had been put over it.  The waters that were this side of it passed on down, and before long there was a dry passage.  This is one of the greatest miracles recorded in Scripture.
• The Israelites crossed the river at Jericho, but the waters were dammed up way back tot he city of Adam.  Adam is the city we all came from in the sense that Adam is the father off the human family and by Adam came death.  What was taking place at the Jordan River represented the death and resurrection of Christ and His work on the cross.  It not only reached forward over 1,900 years to where you and I are, but it also reached back to Adam and the beginning of the human family.  Our sin is the cause of our death, and Jesus death on the cross is the cause of our forgiveness and life.
• Christ goes before us in death.  Of course He goes with us in life as we pass through this world.  He is with us.  But He went before us in death; and when our Lord entered death, He entered it for you and for me.

Chapter 4:  The Memorial Stones

Summary

The Lord exalts Joshua in the sight of all Israel just as He did with Moses.  One person from each of the 12 tribes of Israel picks up a stone from the middle of the dry ground of the Jordan River to serve as a memorial for what the Lord has done there.  After crossing the Jordan, the people camped at Gilgal on the eastern limit of Jericho.  They set up the 12 memorial stones there.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 4:21-24 -  and he said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ you should tell your children, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’  For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as the Lord your God did to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed over.  This is so that all the people of the earth may know that the Lord’s hand is mighty, and so that you may always fear the Lord your God.”

Thoughts on the Text

• 12 men are appointed to take twelve stones out of the Jordan River, and 12 ther stones are set up in the midst of the Jordan River as a memorial.  The priests carrying the ark ppass over the river, and the water of the river returns to its normal flow.  God magnifies Joshua.  These memorial stones were a reminder of God's tremendous power on Israel's behalf.

Chapter 5:  Circumcision of the Israelites, Food from the Land, and the Commander of the Lord's Army

Summary

The Amorite and Canaanite kings lose heart and their courage failed because of the Israelites.  Joshua has all the Israelite men circumcised because they had not been circumcised in the wilderness.  All the Israelite men that were circumcised prior had died in the wilderness and were never allowed to enter into the Promised Land.  God tells Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you."  The place where the circumcision took place is known as Gilgal or "to roll."  The Israelites observed the Passover at Gilgal and after this, the Lord ceased sending down manna from heaven.  Henceforth, they would be required to eat crops of the land of Canaan that year.  When Joshua nears Jericho, an angel of the Lord meets him.  This angel is the commander of the Lord's army.  The angel tells Joshua to remove his sandals for the place where he is standing is holy.  Joshua listens and does so.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 5:1 - When all the Amorite kings across the Jordan to the west and all the Canaanite kings near the sea heard how the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan before the Israelites until they had crossed over, they lost heart and their courage failed because of the Israelites.
• Joshua 5:9 - The Lord then said to Joshua, "Today I have rolled away the disgrace of Egypt from you."  Therefore, that place has been called Gilgal to this day.
• Joshua 5:10 - While the Israelites camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, they kept the Passover on the evening of the fourteenth day of the month.
• Joshua 5:12 - And the day after they ate from the produce of the land, the manna ceased.  Since there was no more manna for the Israelites, they ate from the crops of the land of Canaan that year.
• Joshua 5:15 - The commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy."  And Joshua did so.  

Thoughts on the Text

• According to J. Vernon McGee's commentary, "the new generation had neglected the rite of circumcision, which was the badge of the Abrahamic covenant.  The Abrahamic covenant, you remember, gave Israel the land of Canaan.  They had neglected to observe this rite during those years of wandering through the wilderness."  "The "reproach of Egypt" means that during the latter years of the Egyptian bondage this rite had been neglected, and the neglect had continued during the wilderness wanderings."
• J Vernon McGee's takeaway from this passage of Scripture:  "The old nature is no good.  The old nature cannot inherit spiritual blessing.  The old nature cannot even enjoy spiritual blessing.  The old nature will not like Canaan, nor anything in the heavenlies.  In Galatians 5:17 Paul says, "For the flesh lusteth [which is literally wars] against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh:  and these are contrary the one to the other:  so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."  
• God is in charge.  Joshua is not in charge.  We are not in charge.  We do whatever it is we are commanded to do by the Lord.  If we do otherwise, we are acting out of God's will.  I need to remember this in my work life, my relationship life, and most importantly, in my spiritual walk with the Lord.  Therefore, it is imperative for us to obey the commandments because God has commanded us to do so.  I have a similar struggle with the old nature as Paul does.  How will I overcome such a struggle?  The only way that has been revealed to me is to get on my hands and knees and pray.  And if it seems as though I am at a loss for words, then I should at least bow before my Creator in silence until He humbles me and shows me the way.  I also, need to learn to speak less and listen more.  And once again, it is time to study the Scriptures on a daily basis.  If I don't, I will undoubtedly drift away from the Lord.  Always ask for help, so here goes the first step.  "Dear God, help me."

Chapter 6:  The Conquest of Jericho and Rahab and Her Family Spared

Summary

God tells Joshua to have all the Israelites march around the city walls of Jericho.  They are to march around the perimeter of the city wall once a day for six days.  On the seventh day, they are to march around the city seven times while seven priests blow ram's horns.  Then, all the army is to give a mighty shout.  They do as the Lord commands, and the walls of Jericho come tumbling down.  Then, they captured the city, killed the people, destroyed the spoils, and took all the precious metals into the Lord's treasury.  They completely destroyed everything in the city of Jericho.  Rahab and her family are spared from the total destruction of Jericho.  Joshua curses the city of Jericho, and his fame spread throughout the land.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 6:2 - Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 
• Joshua 6:20-21 - 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.  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.
• Joshua 6:26-27 - 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.”  So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

Thoughts on the Text

• The first step of conquest of the Promised Land is to defeat Jericho.  According to J. Vernon McGee, "we see that the tactic is to divide the land.  By taking the cities of Jericho and Ai, the center of the land will be theirs; then they will move into the south.  This method of dividing the land is a method that was followed, it seems, by great generals from that day to this.
• The key here is to follow the instructions of the Lord exactly, even if they don't make any sense at all.  This is exactly what Joshua did.  Who in their right mind would believe that a mighty shout would cause the walls of Jericho to tumble down?  Joshua did; he followed the Lord's commands exactly.  We should do the same thing in the modern day.  Joshua takes his orders from the Captain of the hosts of the Lord.  Jesus has told us what we are to do, so we should strive our best to follow the his commands (the Great Commission and to love others) exactly.
• From "Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, "...the Word of God says the walls fell down flat--and the evidence is there today.  The faith of the believer does not rest upon the shovel of the archaeologist.  "By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days"(Hebrews 11:30)...Jericho represents the world to the believer.  It is strong and formidable and foreboding--the conquest depends upon faith."  We overcome the world by faith, even if that faith doesn't seem rational or logical.  We need to learn to let God do our fighting for us.  God gets the victory!

Tomorrow's Study will be on...

Chapter 7:  Defeat at Ai and Achan Judged

Summary

The Israelites in the tribe of Judah plunder the city and take some things for themselves instead of giving it to the Lord's treasury.  So, the Lord's anger burns against the Israelites.  Israelite spies are sent to scout Ai.  The spies underestimate the strength of the men of Ai.  So, they return with a report to Joshua saying that only 2,000 to 3,000 men need to attack Ai.  Joshua listens, sends 3,000 men, but the Israelites are defeated.  God tells Joshua that he will no longer be with the Israelites unless they remove what has been set apart.  The man, Achan of the tribe of Judah, and his family are the ones responsible for violating the Lord's covenant.  They are stoned and burned with all they own as judgment.  Then, the Lord turns His burning anger away from Israel.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 7:1 - 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.
• Joshua 7:10-12 - The Lord said to Joshua, “Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?  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.  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.
• Joshua 7:25-26 - 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.  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.

Thoughts on the Text

• From Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, "The worst enemy that you have is yourself.  He occupies the same skin that you occupy.  He uses the same brain that you use in thinking his destructive thoughts.  He uses the same hands that you use to perform his own deeds.  This enemy can do you more harm than anyone else.  He is the greatest handicap that you have in you daily Christian life."  Things within our own lives and our own minds bring about our own destruction.  The devil can only hurt us from the inside, not from the outside.
• There will be no deliverance until sin is dealt with in the life of a believer.
• J. Vernon McGee states, "You cannot live the Christian life, and God never asks you to.  God wants to live the Christian life through you."  God graces us with repentance and a stronger will power to follow His will for our life.  "It is only when we are filled with the Holy Spirit of God that we can live the Christian life."
• Sin must be dealt with individually by the person living in sin.  Sin also must be dealt with in the church (group of people, body of believers, the nation).  God told Joshua that sin was in the cam and he would have to deal with it.  Likewise, sin in the church or sin in our nation has to be dealt with or we will all suffer, and God may very well turn His back on us.
• Important verses:  1 John 1:5-9 - "This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.  But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
• When we confess our sins we need to tell God everything that is in our heart--open up to Him completely.  We might as well tell Him because He already knows all about it.  Tell God exactly what our sin is.  God knows, and deep down we know as well.  That is confession.  There can be no joy in your life; there can be no power in your life; there can be no victory in your life until there is confession of sin.
• Romans 8: 13 states, "For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live."
• There are miserable saints because they do not deal with the sin in their own lives!

Chapter 8:  Conquest of Ai and Renewed Commitment to the Law

Summary

This chapter summarizes the conquest of Ai.  With the Lord's full support, Joshua along with 30, 000 fighting men go and defeat Ai.  The king of Ai is brought to Joshua.  Everyone else in the entire city of Ai is killed; a total of 12, 000 people.  The city of Ai was burned and left in permanent ruin.  The king of Ai was impaled and later buried under a pile of rocks at the gate to the city.  Joshua and the Israelites then renew their commitment to the Law and they set up an altar to the Lord setup on Mount Ebal.  The follow everything from the old Law just as Moses had commanded from God's instruction.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 8:1 - 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.
• Joshua 8:24-25 - 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.  Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai.
• Joshua 8:29 - 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.
• Joshua 8:30 - Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel,
• Joshua 8:32 - There, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshua wrote on stones a copy of the law of Moses
• Joshua 8:34-35 - 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.  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.

Thoughts on the Text

• According to J. Vernon McGee, "As we have seen in chapter 7, Israel suffered an ignoble defeat at the little city of Ai, and the reason for the defeat was sin in the camp.  Now the sin has been dealt with, and God is prepared to give Israel the victory.
• Ai represents the flesh.  The flesh is the greatest enemy you have, and you need all the resources you have to get the victory.  In Joshua's circumstance, he took ALL the fighting men of Israel to go to battle with Ai.  We should take all the spiritual resources we have to battle the flesh on a daily basis.
• Great spiritual lessons to be learned from this historical battle in Israel:
• First of all there must be a recognition of the enemy and his potential.  We must realize that the greatest enemy you and I have is ourselves.
• Second, we must examine very carefully the reasons for our defeats.  Primarily the reason for defeat is our dependence upon our own ability.  We need God's help and other Christian's help to overcome our fleshly desires.  The flesh, like Ai, will defeat us unless we are depending upon the power of the Holy Spirit to win the victory.
• Note that the entire Law of Moses was read atop Mount Ebal.  They did not read just a part of it; they read all of it.  This was to be the law of the land, and it was time for Israel to be reminded of the conditions of God's covenant with her.
• We need to constantly remind ourselves of the Gospel and our purpose in life.  We need to constantly remind ourselves of the Law.  We need to constantly meditate and read scriptures from the Bible.  We must pray, and in many of these areas I fall way short.  But, I am learning that I need to do these things in order to stand a chance against my fleshly sin nature.

Chapter 9:  Deception by Gideon and Gibeon's Deception Discovered

Summary

After hearing how Israel defeated Jericho and Ai, the rest of Canaan--the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites--formed a unified alliance to fight against Joshua and Israel.  The inhabitants of Gibeon (The Hivites) deceive Joshua into believing they are travelers from a far away land and ask to be servants for the Israelite campaign.  They ask to stay with them at Gilgal and Joshua obliges without seeking the Lord's counsel.  Three days after making this treaty, they reach the Gibeonite cities and realize that they were deceived by the Gibeonites.  Since they made an oath to them by the Lord they could not kill them.  So, instead they let the Gibeonites be their slaves.  Joshua made them into woodcutters and water carriers.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 9:14-15 - Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions, but did not seek the Lord’s counsel.  So Joshua established peace with them and made a treaty to let them live, and the leaders of the community swore an oath to them.
• Joshua 9:19-21 - All the leaders answered them, “We have sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel, and now we cannot touch them.  This is how we will treat them: we will let them live, so that no wrath will fall on us because of the oath we swore to them.”  They also said, “Let them live.” So the Gibeonites became woodcutters and water carriers for the whole community, as the leaders had promised them.
• Joshua 9:26-27 - This is what Joshua did to them: he delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill them.  On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers—as they are today—for the community and for the Lord’s altar at the place He would choose.

Thoughts on the Text

• From "Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee," "As Joshua began the conquest of the Promised Land, he faced three formidable enemies:  Jericho, Ai, and the Gibeonites.  These three enemies of Joshua represent the enemies of the Christian today.  Jericho represents the world; Ai represents the flesh; and the Gibeonites represent the devil."
• The Gibeonites (also known as the Hivites) did not want to fight the Israelites.  Instead, they were clever.  They were a bunch of liars.  They pretended to be envoys from a far country when, in fact, they lived only a few miles from Jerusalem.  They told Joshua that they really wanted to worship the living and true God.
• J. Vernon McGee writes in his book, "God had ordered the Israelites to completely wipe out the people of the land and to make no treaties with them.  Although it was Joshua's intent to obey God, he was deceived into making peace with the Gibeonites and actually making a league with them.  Notice that neither Joshua nor the men of Israel asked the mind of God before entering into this alliance."
• We fight our weakness by confessing to God, and letting the Spirit of God get the victory.
• We should always be on guard, for Satan always tries to find ways to trick us into following him instead of the Lord.  The devil can pull the wool over our eyes.  As Christians we are sometimes ignorant of his devices of trickery.
• A man's word is very important.  That is the way God wants it today.  This is why Joshua followed through with the treaty with the Gibeonites even though they deceived him.

Chapter 10:  The Day the Sun Stood Still, Execution of the Five Kings, and Conquest of Southern Cities

Summary

Hearing about all that had happened, the five Amorite kings--the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon--joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it.  Joshua and the Israelite forces meet the Amorite kings for battle at Gibeon.  Israel defeats the Amorite kings and their armies at Gibeon in a great slaughter.  Most if not all the rest of the fleeing Amorites are killed by large hailstones.  Joshua asks God to make the sun stand still in the sky until vengeance is Israel's.  God listens to the voice of man and stops the sun for one day from setting.  After defeating the Amorites, Joshua and the Israeli army return to camp at Gilgal.  Execution of the five Amorite kings; they are executed and impaled on five large tree stakes.  Afterward their bodies are thrown into a cave at Makkedah where they had been hiding.  Joshua continues the conquest of the southern cities.  Israel defeats the city of Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish along with Horam king of Gezer, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir.  So, Joshua conquered the whole southern region of Canaan in one campaign--the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the Slopes--with all their kings, leaving no survivors.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 10:5 - So the five Amorite kings—the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon—joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it.
• Joshua 10:8 - The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, for I have handed them over to you. Not one of them will be able to stand against you.”
• Joshua 10:12-13 - On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the Lord in the presence of Israel:  “Sun, stand still over Gibeon, and moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still and the moon stopped until the nation took vengeance on its enemies.
• Joshua 10:14 - There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man, because the Lord fought for Israel. 
• Joshua 10:25 - Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid or discouraged. Be strong and courageous, for the Lord will do this to all the enemies you fight.”
• Joshua 10:40 - So Joshua conquered the whole region—the hill country, the Negev, the Judean foothills, and the slopes—with all their kings, leaving no survivors. He completely destroyed every living being, as the Lord, the God of Israel, had commanded.
• Joshua 10:42 - Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.

Thoughts on the Text

• From J. Vernon McGee's writings, "In this chapter Joshua conquers five kings of the Amorites, as he continues the campaign in the south.  He completes the campaign in the south by the destruction of Makkedah, Lachish, Libnah, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir."  "These kings hear of the treaty Gibeon made with Israel, and they come against these Hivites--for that is what these Gibeonites were--to destroy them."  
• "When God stopped the sun, He demonstrated His wisdom and power.  When He sent His Son into the world to become a man and die on the cross, He displayed His love.  If you were the only person that had ever been born, Christ would have died for you."
• "Remember that these kings and their people were given 420 years to make up their minds as to whether or not they would turn to God.  Also, God had made it known that He was giving the land to Israel and that He would save anyone who would turn to Him.  Israel had to stay out of the land 420 years until the iniquity of the Amorites was full.  That time had now come...They had rejected God's mercy, and judgment is coming upon them."
• "It is important to see that it is God who gave Israel victory and possession.  Today our victory is in Christ.  The victorious life is His life lived in us.  Then we are blessed with all spiritual blessings, which are the possessions He has promised to us.

Chapter 11:  Conquest of Northern Cities, Summary of Conquests

Summary

All the kings of the northern cities of Canaan banded together to fight against Israel.  The battle takes place at Merom, and the Lord hands over all the northern cities to Israel in this epic battle.  All the kings and kings' armies are defeated and slaughtered.  The Israelites also kill Jabin, king of Hazor, along with the city and its inhabitants.  Joshua then burns down Hazor.  Josuha does everything that the Lord commanded and he leaves nothing undone.  After this, the land of Canaan had rest from war.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 11:5 - All these kings joined forces; they came together and camped at the waters of Merom to attack Israel.
• Joshua 11:12 - Joshua captured all these kings and their cities and struck them down with the sword. He completely destroyed them, as Moses the Lord’s servant had commanded.
• Joshua 11:15 - Just as the Lord had commanded His servant Moses, Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses.
• Joshua 11:23 - So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the Lord had told Moses. Joshua then gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. After this, the land had rest from war.

Thoughts on the Text

• Chapter 11 contains the campaign in the north and the conclusion of Joshua's leadership in war.
• Jabin of Hazor in the north seems to have been the organizer of the war effort.  He sends out word to all the other kings in the north to come against Joshua.  It is now obvious that Joshua has overcome the south and he is going to move to the north.  If he moves to the north, he will invade their land, and this is exactly what he did.
• Joshua's strategy, after dividing the land in two, was to come upon the enemy suddenly.  You will see that Alexander the Great and also Napoleon used these same tactics.
• This warfare was a long and bitter campaign.  This speaks to me of our sin nature.  The Holy Spirit within us wages war with our sin nature constantly.  This battle between good and evil happens within us everyday for the duration of our lives.  It is a long and bitter campaign, and it is the root cause of warfare between nations across the earth.  The only way to have victory in this war is to submit ourselves to the will of the Father and have His son Jesus fight our battles for us.  Every time we are tempted to sin, we should immediately go to the Lord in prayer.  This is our victory, this is our hope, and this is the way to end this bitter campaign of warfare within and without.

Chapter 12:Territory East of the Jordan and Territory West of the Jordan

Summary

Joshua and the Israelites defeat two kings east of the Jordan River:  Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan.  Moses gave this land to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.  31 kings were defeated in the land west of the Jordan River.  This land was later distributed to the remaining Israelite tribes.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 12:1 - The Israelites struck down the following kings of the land and took possession of their land beyond the Jordan to the east and from the Arnon Valley to Mount Hermon, including all the Arabah eastward
• Joshua 12:6 - Moses the Lord’s servant and the Israelites struck them down. And Moses the Lord’s servant gave their land as an inheritance to the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh.
• Joshua 12:7-8 - Joshua and the Israelites struck down the following kings of the land beyond the Jordan to the west, from Baal-gad in the Valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, which ascends toward Seir (Joshua gave their land as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel according to their allotments:  the hill country, the Judean foothills,[d] the Arabah, the slopes, the desert, and the Negev of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites)

Thoughts on the Text

• God has two books:  the Book of Works and the Lamb's Book of Life.  Your name is written in one of them, my friend.  It is written in the Book of Life when you trust Jesus Christ as your Savior.  Your name will never be written there by your own effort.  If your name is in this book, you have eternal life in Christ.  The Book of Works, on the other hand, records the details of everything you have ever done, good and bad. 
• Each little detail concerning God's children is important to Him.  That is why the Bible has such a detailed extended list of all the kings and people groups that the Israelites defeated during their campaign to take possession of the Promised Land.

Chapter 13:  Unconquered Lands, the Inheritance East of the Jordan, Reuben's Inheritance, Gad's Inheritance, and East Manasseh's Inheritance.

Summary

This chapter goes over in great detail the lands that Joshua and the Israelites had yet to conquer.  This chapter also goes into specific detail as to the inheritance of land in the Promised Land and east of the Jordan River to each of the twelve tribes of Israel.  Each tribe got a section of the conquered land, and the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh received land that lay on the east side of the Jordan River.  This was done as instructed by Moses.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 13:1 - Joshua was now old, getting on in years, and the Lord said to him, “You have become old, getting on in years, but a great deal of the land remains to be possessed.
• Joshua 13:7 - Therefore, divide this land as an inheritance to the nine tribes and half the tribe of Manasseh.”
• Joshua 13:8 - With the other half of the tribe, the Reubenites and Gadites had received the inheritance Moses gave them beyond the Jordan to the east, just as Moses the Lord’s servant had given them
• Joshua 13:14 - He did not give any inheritance to the tribe of Levi. This was its inheritance, just as He had promised: the offerings made by fire to the Lord, the God of Israel.
• Joshua 13:32-33 - These were the portions Moses gave them on the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan east of Jericho.  But Moses did not give a portion to the tribe of Levi. The Lord, the God of Israel, was their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

Thoughts on the Text

• From Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, "We have passed only the halfway point in this book and we find that Joshua is already an old man and stricken in years.  He is not going to be able to lead the children of Israel much longer.  He is the leader God used to take the land, but the wars are over.  He was eighty years old when God called him, and now he is about one hundred twenty years old.  He had led Israel for forty years.  Time seems to have assed more quickly since Israel is in the land.  The wilderness journey. by comparison, seemed long and drawn out.  Now that Israel is in the land of milk and honey, they are laying hold of their possessions, and time passes quickly."
• From J. Vernon Mcgee, "From all outward appearances Israel seemed to be doing very well...They conquered the south and went on to conquer the north, but the Lord reminded Joshua that there remained much land to be possessed.  After doing a tremendous job, my friend, that will be true of you and me.  It has been true of every servant of God; he will never accomplish all that he wished.  While in this life, we will never be able to possess all of our spiritual possessions."
• "Joshua's commission (Joshua 1:6) not only included the subjugation of the land, but also the apportioning of it.  He allocated not only those portions of Canaan that had already been conquered, but also those parts that were yet to be taken."

Chapter 14:  Israel's Inheritance in Canaan and Caleb's Inheritance

Summary

The next few chapters deal with Israel's inheritance in the land of Canaan (the Promised Land).  Two and a half tribes received an inheritance of land on the east side of the Jordan River.  The Levites did not receive an inheritance of Land.  Instead, they were to allowed to live in various cities with pasturelands for their cattle and livestock.  The Israelites followed the command of God given to Moses, and the land of Canaan was divided up.  Caleb reminds Joshua of Moses' promise to him:  since Caleb remained faithful to God, he would receive his choice of land in the Promised Land.  Joshua gives Caleb the hill country of Hebron as his inheritance.  After this, the land had rest from war.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 14:2-3 - Their inheritance was by lot as the Lord commanded through Moses for the nine and a half tribes, because Moses had given the inheritance to the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan.  But he gave no inheritance among them to the Levites. 
• Joshua 14:5 - So the Israelites did as the Lord commanded Moses, and they divided the land.
• Joshua 14:9 - On that day Moses promised me: ‘The land where you have set foot will be an inheritance for you and your descendants forever, because you have remained loyal to the Lord my God.’
• Joshua 14:10-11 - As you see, the Lord has kept me alive these 45 years as He promised, since the Lord spoke this word to Moses while Israel was journeying in the wilderness.  Here I am today, 85 years old.  I am still as strong today as I was the day Moses sent me out. My strength for battle and for daily tasks is now as it was then. 
• Joshua 14:13-14 - Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as an inheritance.  Therefore, Hebron belongs to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite as an inheritance to this day, because he remained loyal to the Lord, the God of Israel. 

Thoughts on the Text

• According to J. Vernon McGee, "The nine tribes and the half tribe are to have their inheritance by lot.  Caleb, by privilege, obtains Hebron.  Caleb, who was born a slave, was a spy with Joshua and brought back a favorable report the first time Israel came to Kadesh-Barnea.
• Caleb is an inspiration.  He fully trusted in the Lord, and he never gave up even as he got older.  In this passage he was 85 years old, and it is written about him that he had the same strength in his 80s as he did in his 40s.  That reveals his perseverance, his blessing of health from God, and his mental state.  Caleb never gave up.  I believe he lived his life victoriously because he knew that God was in control the whole time, and he carried out the work that God called him to throughout his life.
• From J. Vernon McGee, "Caleb, even in the wilderness, could think of the future.  He had a great hope.  It kept him young.  Those forty years in the wilderness killed off the rest of the crowd, but they didn't do a thing to him but make him healthy.  They grew old, and he grew young.  (When others feared) Caleb thought of God.  There was freedom from fear in the heart of this man.  As Martin Luther said, "One with God is a majority."  God was bigger than the giants.
• What God promises us, it will come to pass.  Know that when we face hard times and times of long suffering that our troubles will come to pass as well.  The Israelites wandered for forty years in the wilderness before receiving the promise, but indeed, the promise came to pass.  Our troubles pale in comparison to the Israelites.  What are we afraid of?  What is holding us back from our calling and our promise?  Are we giving an unfavorable report like the Israelite spies did initially, or are we standing by faith and giving a favorable report saying what God says will be done will be done.
• I'm trying to figure out how this passage applies to us today.  I can only speak for myself.  I have already gained entry into the Promised Land.  I have already received my inheritance.  Are there more of God's people still wandering in the wilderness?  Is there still work to be done?  Can we help other people on earth that are still in need?  What can I do personally?  What can we do as a nation of God?  Are we still one nation under God, or have we given up?  How can we finish the race strong like Caleb?  I pray that God helps us all reach our full potential and completely fulfill His purpose for our life, for the nation, and for the world.  
• I also think that I have had no major trials or tribulations.  I pray to God that I will be ready for them, like Caleb was, when they come my way.  I pray that I will be ready to take on the responsibility of being a man, a husband, and a father, if that comes my way as well.  I still have so far to go, Lord willing.  This is not going to be easy for me, but I know that God will give me the strength.  I pray that others find their strength from the Lord as well.

Chapter 15-19 - Judah's Inheritance, Caleb and Othniel, Judah's Cities, Joseph's Inheritance, Ephraim's Inheritance, West Manasseh's Inheritance, Joseph's Additional Inheritance, Land Distribution at Shiloh, Benjamin's Inheritance, Benjamin's Cities, Simeon's Inheritance, Zebulun's Inheritance, Issachar's Inheritance, Asher's Inheritance, Naphtali's Inheritance, Dan's Inheritance, and Joshua's Inheritance

Summary

These chapters go into detail concerning land distribution, city distribution, and inheritances given to the 12 tribes of Israel.  The borders of Israel are determined by the land distribution to the 12 tribes of Israel.  After all the tribes of Israel receive an inheritance, Joshua receives an inheritance last.  After this, they finish dividing up the land.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 19:51 - These were the portions that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families distributed to the Israelite tribes by lot at Shiloh in the Lord's presence at the entrance to the tent of meeting.  So they finished dividing up the land.

Thoughts on the Text

• From "Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, "This section includes the apportionment of the Promised Land given to the tribes that settled on the west side of the Jordan River.  Chapter 15 deals with Judah's portion; chapter 16 with Ephraim's portion; chapter 17 with Manasseh's portion; chapters 18 and 19 with the portions of Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan.
• Joseph was on of the twelve sons of Jacob, and his two sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, were each counted as a tribe.  Because the tribe of Levi was the priestly tribe and was given no land, the total number of tribes inheriting the land was still only twelve tribes, rather than thirteen.
• In order to lay hold of spiritual blessings, you are going to have to work hard.  But remember that there is an enemy.  Satan will trip you up if he can.
• The children of Israel pitched the tabernacle at Shiloh, a town in Ephraim.  It was not, however to be the permanent place for the tabernacle because it was not the center of the land.  God would choose a permanent site through David, which would one day be Jerusalem.  But until the site changed, the children of Israel were to worship the Lord at Shiloh.  The tabernacle remained in Shiloh during the whole period of the Judges.
• God has made available to us all spiritual blessings, but we are slack when it comes to claiming them.  God has been so good to us.  Oh how we can thank Him for His grace, His love, His goodness, and His mercy.  How wonderful He is.  Why don't we move in and possess the land He has given to us?
• The tribe of Judah was given a special preference because it was the kingly tribe.  It will be in that tribe that the capital of the nation, both religious and political, will be established.  The capital city will become Jerusalem, and we will see that David is the one who made that choice.
• Joshua, the leader of the nation of Israel, received an inheritance in the land of Israel.  However, he did not receive the choicest land.  In fact, the land he got was similar to a desert region.  The Israelites let him have this land.  If business corporations take care of their employees when they retire, then God's people should do the same for their pastors and leaders as well.

Chapter 20:  Cities of Refuge

Summary

In this chapter, cities of refuge are designated in the Promised Land and east of the Jordan River.  Anyone who kills someone unintentionally may flee there and not die at the hand of the avenger of blood until he stands before the assembly trial.  The cities of refuge chosen are Kedesh, Shechem, Kiriath-arba, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan.  There are three cities of refuge on either side of the Jordan River for a total of six cities of refuge.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 20:1-3 - Then the Lord spoke to Joshua, “Tell the Israelites: Select your cities of refuge, as I instructed you through Moses, so that a person who kills someone unintentionally or accidentally may flee there. These will be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

Thoughts on the Text

• God's commandant for the establishment of cities of refuge was first given in Exodus 21:13.  Then explicit directions for the cities of refuge are given in Numbers 35--the entire chapter.
• When one man kills another man, it can either be manslaughter--the killing of another accidentally--or it can be premeditated murder.  In Israel a murderer would be stoned to death.  The person who kills another person unintentionally should be given protection.
• From "Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee," "The city of refuge has a great spiritual lesson for you and me.  The Lord Jesus Christ was slain.  And the Scripture makes it clear that not only was the Lord Jesus Christ slain, but He is our city of refuge today.  Speaking of Christ as our refuge, the writer of Hebrews says, "who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.  The reference, of course, is to those who, though conscious of their own sinfulness, have availed themselves of the salvation that was secured for them by our Lord upon the cross.  All who find a refuge in Him are saved forever from the judgment of a holy God.  Now who is guilty of slaying the Christ?  The whole world is guilty.  Both Jew and Gentile stand guilty before God as having participated in that which brought about the death of His Son.  But Christ came to give Himself a ransom for all.  And His sacrifice on the cross has opened up, as it were, a city of refuge for all who put their trust in Him."

Chapter 21:  Cities of the Levites, Cities of Aaron's Descendants, Cities of Merari's Descendants, and the Lord's Promises Fulfilled

Summary

The Levites did not receive an inheritance in the Promised Land.  Instead, the Israelites, by the Lord's command, gave the Levites these cities with their pasturelands from their own inheritance in the Promised Land.  The cities given to the Levites were located in the various inherited lands of the 12 tribes of Israel.  So, the Levites served as the priests for the 12 tribes of Israel.  Within the Israelite possession there were 48 cities in all with their pasturelands for the Levites.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 21:1-3 - The heads of the Levite families approached Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the Israelite tribes.  At Shiloh, in the land of Canaan, they told them, “The Lord commanded through Moses that we be given cities to live in, with their pasturelands for our livestock.”  So the Israelites, by the Lord’s command, gave the Levites these cities with their pasturelands from their inheritance.
• Joshua 21:43-45 - So the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled there.  The Lord gave them rest on every side according to all He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies were able to stand against them, for the Lord handed over all their enemies to them.  None of the good promises the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed. Everything was fulfilled.

Thoughts on the Text

• According to J. Vernon McGee, "The Levites were not given any land as were the other tribes.  Instead they were given cities in the other tribes.  They were scattered out so that they could minister to the people.  Levi was the priestly tribe...here in Joshua 21 the people have entered into the rest--at least temporarily--which God had provided for them.  My, how wonderful it must have been after the long, weary journey through the wilderness and the warfare to take their possessions, to settle down on their own parcel of ground.  What a thrill it must have been to cultivate it and eat the fruits of it."
• The rest we have today is the rest of redemption that we have in Christ Jesus.  Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  If we have not found rest in this life it is because of our unbelief in Jesus and God.

Chapter 22:  Eastern Tribes Return Home, Eastern Tribes Build an Altar, Explanation of the Altar, and Conflict Resolved

Summary

The Israelite tribes that inherited the land east of the Jordan River (the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh) return to their lands and go home to their families.  They helped their fellow Israelite brothers take possession of the Promised Land, and now they are to receive their inheritance east of the Jordan River.  The eastern tribes of Israel build an altar before crossing the Jordan.  The other Israelites think they have built an altar to another god and prepare to go to war with them.  The eastern tribes explain themselves and the reasoning behind the altar to the western tribes of Israel.  The conflict is resolved.  The altar was then named:  'It is a witness between us that the Lord is God.'

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 22:1-5 - Joshua summoned the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh and told them, “You have done everything Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you and have obeyed me in everything I commanded you.  You have not deserted your brothers even once this whole time but have carried out the requirement of the command of the Lord your God.  Now that He has given your brothers rest, just as He promised them, return to your homes in your own land that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you across the Jordan.  Only carefully obey the command and instruction that Moses the Lord’s servant gave you: to love the Lord your God, walk in all His ways, keep His commands, remain faithful to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and all your soul.”
• Joshua 22:22 - “Yahweh is the God of gods! Yahweh is the God of gods![e] He knows, and may Israel also know. Do not spare us today, if it was in rebellion or treachery against the Lord
• Joshua 22:34 - So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar: It is a witness between us that the Lord is God.

Thoughts on the Text

• The two and a half tribes that take possession of the land east side of the Jordan River ((Reubenites, Gadites, and half tribe of Manasseh) are warned that even though they have chosen to dwell on the wrong side of the Jordan, they are still to follow the Mosaic System.  After Joshua warns them about their duty, he dismisses them with a blessing.
• In this chapter, the children of Israel believed the two and one-half tribes were building an altar upon which to offer sacrifices.  They thought it was an attempt to divide the nation.  They thought the eastern tribes were building an altar to Baal.  The eastern tribes had not built an altar for the purpose o offering sacrifices.  The altar was simply a reminder that they still belonged to the nation Israel and that God of Israel was their God, too.  The other Israelites made a mistake in coming against their brethren with thoughts of war.
• Even though the eastern tribes of Israel erected a bloodless altar, later on in Biblical history, this altar divided the nation of Israel.  This also reveals how today their are divisions within the church which puts God's people in conflict with one another.  These divisions do not unite the Christian body of Christ.  Instead, they destroy the body and cause the Christian body to be fruitless or even counter productive.

Chapter 23-24:  Joshua's Farewell Address, Review of Israel's History, The Covenant Renewal, and Burial of Three Leaders

Summary

Now, Joshua is getting old.  He is nearing his final days.  So, he prepares and gives a farewell address to the nation of Israel.  He tells all Israel that God fulfilled His promises to them and gave them the Promised Land just like He said He would.  Joshua instructs them to continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses and do not turn away from it.  They are to worship the one true God and no other gods.  We are to love the Lord our God for our own well-being.  If the Israelites decide to turn away from the Lord and his Law, then they will be cursed and disappear from the Promised Land.  Then, Joshua assembles all the tribes of Egypt at Shechem and reviews with them the history of Israel starting with Terah, the father of Abraham.  Afterward, Joshua renews Israel's covenant with the Lord.  They are to fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth.  They are to worship no other false gods.  They Israelites agree to do so.  So, Joshua successfully makes a covenant renewal with them before dying.  Afterward, Joshua send the 10 other tribes of Israel away to their inherited lands.  Joshua son of Nun dies at the age of 110 and he is buried along with the bones of Joseph, and Eleazar son of Aaron.

Verses of Interest

• Joshua 23:3 - and you have seen for yourselves everything the Lord your God did to all these nations on your account, because it was the Lord your God who was fighting for you.
• Joshua 23:6-8 - Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left and so that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you. Do not call on the names of their gods or make an oath to them; do not worship them or bow down to them.  Instead, remain faithful to the Lord your God, as you have done to this day.
• Joshua 23:11 - So be very diligent to love the Lord your God for your own well-being.
• Joshua 23:14 - I am now going the way of all the earth,[b] and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.
• Joshua 24:13 -  I gave you a land you did not labor for, and cities you did not build, though you live in them; you are eating from vineyards and olive groves you did not plant.
• Joshua 24:14-15 - Therefore, fear the Lord and worship Him in sincerity and truth. Get rid of the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and worship Yahweh.  But if it doesn’t please you to worship Yahweh, choose for yourselves today the one you will worship: the gods your fathers worshiped beyond the Euphrates River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my family, we will worship Yahweh.
• Joshua 24:19-20 - But Joshua told the people, “You will not be able to worship Yahweh, because He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not remove your transgressions and sins.  If you abandon the Lord and worship foreign gods, He will turn against you, harm you, and completely destroy you, after He has been good to you.”

Thoughts on the Text

• From "Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee," "The grave danger of crossing the Jordan River, facing an enemy in a strange land, encountering the unknown on every hand, and meeting fear on every side, had kept Israel close to the Lord.  Joshua recognized that now since they had entered into rest and were enjoying prosperity and plenty, they would drift away from God.  That is the story of human nature.  It never changes."  "The most dangerous period any people can go through is not the time of grave danger and suffering, but the time of peace an plenty."
  
• God has done wonderful things for us.  If only we can stay close to Him and obey Him.  If we can do this, God will continue to bless us!  If we don't do this, God's judgment will be upon us.
• If God is going to use us for His glory he is going to take us through fire, trials, tribulations, and hardships to do it.  For example, Israel was formed in the brickyards of Egypt, wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, and fighting all the people living in the land of Canaan.  Israel went through very hard times before they inherited the Promised Land.  These hard times, this fire, transformed the people into a God-fearing people that did not turn to the left or to the right from the commandments of God.  They knew better because doing so has extreme consequences.  They experienced this already in their history, and unfortunately they will experience it again.  Likewise, in our day and age, the same thing is true, individually and as a nation.
• After reading this, I need to repent and turn wholeheartedly to the Lord.  I have let sin enter into my life, and I have let it have power over me.  In particular, I struggle with lust of the flesh and alcoholism.  I must stand firm, I must be courageous, I must say no when the temptation arises.  As it is, I am a mollycoddle.  When the slightest temptation arises I give in.  Lord, please help me to be bold.  Help me to stand up for You, block the temptation, and run to you each time a temptation arises.  Help me to grow closer to you each and every day of my life.  Please Lord, keep me from the sin the entangles my life.  I know that you are going to send me through the fire in order to transform me into the man of God that is pleasing and honoring to you.  I know it will be an arduous journey, but I trust You Father.  I believe in You and I have faith in You and Your plan.  Please help me and give me the strength dear Lord.  Please help me.  Amen.
• God is a God of mercy, love , and comfort, but He is also a God of judgment.
• At the time of Joshua's death he must have been held in high esteem because Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua.  This was the effect of his godly influence.
• We depart the living and true God in very small ways.  We think nothing of it at the time, but when we do this a great divide develops between us and the Lord.  These small sins that creep into our life cause us to lead a life that is unproductive, shameful, and leads others astray.  No sin is a small sin.  These small sins eventually have major consequences.  There is no doubt, God loves us and has mercy on us, but He will also judge us and possibly our children for our sins.