JOSHUA

The Passing of the Torch

The book opens with God commissioning Joshua, giving him one of the most famous charges in all of Scripture: "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" (Joshua 1:7). God promises Joshua His unwavering presence, just as He was with Moses. This divine promise is the foundation for the entire conquest. The victory will not depend on Joshua's military genius, but on his faithful obedience to God's Word and his confidence in God's presence.

Rahab and the Spies

Joshua sends two spies into the heavily fortified city of Jericho. There, they are hidden by a prostitute named Rahab. She is a Canaanite, an outsider, but she has heard of the God of Israel and His mighty acts. In a remarkable act of faith, she risks her life to protect the spies, declaring her belief in their God. In return, they promise to spare her and her family when the city is destroyed. This story, right at the outset, is a beautiful reminder that God's grace is not limited by ethnicity or past sin, but is extended to all who turn to Him in faith.

Crossing the Jordan

In a powerful echo of the Red Sea crossing that this new generation had only heard about, God performs a miracle. As the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant step into the flood-stage waters of the Jordan River, the water upstream piles up in a heap, and the nation of Israel crosses on dry ground. To commemorate this event, Joshua commands them to take twelve stones from the middle of the river and set up a memorial. It would serve as a permanent, tangible reminder for all future generations that God had miraculously brought them into the land He had promised.

The Battle of Jericho

Israel's first target is Jericho, an impenetrable fortress. But God's battle plan is bizarre. He doesn't command a siege or a frontal assault. Instead, He instructs the army to march silently around the city once a day for six days. On the seventh day, they are to march around it seven times, and then the priests are to blow their trumpets and all the people are to shout. As they obey this strange command, the mighty walls of Jericho collapse. The city is taken, and only Rahab and her family are saved. The victory at Jericho sets the tone for the entire conquest: the battles will be won not by human strength or strategy, but by God's power in response to the obedient faith of His people.

Defeat and Victory at Ai

Riding high on their victory, the Israelites suffer a humiliating defeat at the small town of Ai. Joshua is devastated, but God reveals the reason: there is sin in the camp. A man named Achan has disobeyed God's clear command by taking some of the "devoted things" (plunder) from Jericho for himself. This single act of disobedience by one man brought judgment upon the whole nation. Only after the sin is exposed and dealt with is Israel able to conquer Ai. This story serves as a sober warning: God's blessing is contingent on the holiness and obedience of His people. Secret sin can have corporate consequences.

The Southern and Northern Campaigns

After these initial battles, the rest of the conquest unfolds in two major campaigns. First, a coalition of five southern kings attacks the Gibeonites, who have made a deceptive treaty with Israel. Joshua and his army march through the night to defend them. In the ensuing battle, God fights for Israel, throwing the enemy into confusion, sending a great hailstorm that kills more than the sword, and, in response to Joshua's prayer, causing the sun to stand still in the sky to give them enough daylight to complete the victory (Joshua 10). Following this, Joshua leads his forces on a lightning campaign against a similar coalition of kings in the north, again routing them with God's help. Through these campaigns, the back of Canaanite resistance is broken.

Allotting the Inheritance

With the major military campaigns complete, the second half of the book of Joshua is dedicated to the crucial task of dividing the conquered land among the twelve tribes of Israel. This section, which can seem like a dry collection of names and boundaries, is actually the theological heart of the book. It is the detailed record of God's faithfulness. The promise of land, first made to Abraham centuries earlier, is now being fulfilled in glorious detail. Each tribe receives its allotted inheritance. The Levites, as the priestly tribe, do not receive a large territory but are given specific cities scattered throughout the other tribes, reminding the people that their true inheritance is the Lord Himself.

Caleb's Faith

A highlight of this section is the story of Caleb. He was one of the two faithful spies (along with Joshua) who, 45 years earlier, had believed God could give them the land. Now, at 85 years old, he comes to Joshua and asks for his inheritance: the hill country of Hebron, the very place where the fearsome Anakim (giants) lived. Filled with the same faith he had as a young man, he declares, "the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said" (Joshua 14:12). Caleb's story is a powerful testimony to a lifetime of persistent faith and the rewards that come from taking God at His word.

A Final Challenge

The book concludes with two farewell addresses from an aging Joshua. He gathers the leaders and all the people of Israel and reminds them of God's faithfulness. He recounts their history, from Abraham to the Exodus to the conquest, showing how God has kept every single one of His promises. Not one has failed. He then lays before them a choice, a call to renew their covenant commitment to the Lord.

This is Joshua's final, passionate appeal. The people respond with a promise to be faithful, and the covenant is renewed. After this, Joshua dies, and the book ends on a hopeful note: "And Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel" (Joshua 24:31). This sentence, however, contains a hint of foreboding. What will happen when that generation passes away? This question sets the stage perfectly for the tragic cycles of disobedience that will be detailed in the book of Judges. The book of Joshua is a testament to the victory that is possible through faith and obedience, but it also highlights the constant need for each new generation to make its own conscious choice to follow the Lord.