“The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas And established it upon the rivers.” (Psalm 24:1-2 ESV, continued next week)
Kingdom Harvest Apostolic Church, Rome NY
Intro to Joshua
Joshua is the sixth book of the Bible and the first book that we’ve encountered that’s not a part of the Torah.
Just to recap the Torah went as follows: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Joshua belongs to a new set of books called History books. More specifically Joshua is about pre-Kingdom Israel. Joshua, Judges, and Ruth make up the pre-Kingdom History books.
Joshua is about taking the Promised Land and crossing over the Jordan River and it centers around a character whom we already have met; Joshua the son of Nun.
Remember that Joshua was one of the 2 spies (with Caleb) who advised the nation that they should take the Promised Land immediately and put it in Yahweh’s hands.
Just to recap the Torah went as follows: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.
Joshua belongs to a new set of books called History books. More specifically Joshua is about pre-Kingdom Israel. Joshua, Judges, and Ruth make up the pre-Kingdom History books.
Joshua is about taking the Promised Land and crossing over the Jordan River and it centers around a character whom we already have met; Joshua the son of Nun.
Remember that Joshua was one of the 2 spies (with Caleb) who advised the nation that they should take the Promised Land immediately and put it in Yahweh’s hands.
Joshua 1
Be Strong and Courageous
In the original Hebrew the book of Joshua was supposed to be a continuation of the narrative of Deuteronomy. Moses has now died and Joshua has taken command.
When Yahweh calls it “this Jordan” it is meant in the sense that the Jordan is very close to their location. Next we read “this Lebanon”. Lebanon was north of Israel and not close but calling it “this” made it seem more attainable.
The Euphrates is in modern day Iraq and the Great Sea is the Mediterranean Sea. Yahweh is drawing them boundary lines of their land.
Yahweh reminds Joshua to “be strong and courageous” twice and also reminds Joshua that the Lord will never leave him and is always with him.
In the original Hebrew the book of Joshua was supposed to be a continuation of the narrative of Deuteronomy. Moses has now died and Joshua has taken command.
When Yahweh calls it “this Jordan” it is meant in the sense that the Jordan is very close to their location. Next we read “this Lebanon”. Lebanon was north of Israel and not close but calling it “this” made it seem more attainable.
The Euphrates is in modern day Iraq and the Great Sea is the Mediterranean Sea. Yahweh is drawing them boundary lines of their land.
Yahweh reminds Joshua to “be strong and courageous” twice and also reminds Joshua that the Lord will never leave him and is always with him.
Be Strong and Courageous Continued
Joshua then prepares the people to cross over the Jordan and into the Promised Land. They were camping on the east bank of the Jordan at a place called Shittim (possibly means Acacias for the many Acacia trees).
Joshua then talks to the tribes that never wanted to cross over the Jordan in the first place and only wanted to live outside of the rest of Israel. Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh are reminded that they pledged to join in the fighting to take the Promised Land and it was only after the Land was conquered that they were supposed to return to their families.
These 2 ½ tribes say they remember the promise and that they will obey Joshua just like they obeyed Moses.
Joshua then prepares the people to cross over the Jordan and into the Promised Land. They were camping on the east bank of the Jordan at a place called Shittim (possibly means Acacias for the many Acacia trees).
Joshua then talks to the tribes that never wanted to cross over the Jordan in the first place and only wanted to live outside of the rest of Israel. Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh are reminded that they pledged to join in the fighting to take the Promised Land and it was only after the Land was conquered that they were supposed to return to their families.
These 2 ½ tribes say they remember the promise and that they will obey Joshua just like they obeyed Moses.
Joshua 2
Faithful Prostitute
It is quite possible that the 2 spies are sent at the same exact time as Joshua is getting the camp all fired up and ready to leave, “in 3 days”.
The spies have a great idea- “If we hide in a prostitute’s house no one will find us. There are always strange men in a prostitute’s house.” The problem is, the spies were found out.
Rahab’s house had a great location; it was not interior in the city, one of the walls of the house was the outer wall of the city. Rahab lived in the defensive wall of Jericho.
She brought them to the roof of her house and hid them up there while the king’s men came to look for them. Then she lied to save them. The question is, why did a prostitute do such a thing?
It is quite possible that the 2 spies are sent at the same exact time as Joshua is getting the camp all fired up and ready to leave, “in 3 days”.
The spies have a great idea- “If we hide in a prostitute’s house no one will find us. There are always strange men in a prostitute’s house.” The problem is, the spies were found out.
Rahab’s house had a great location; it was not interior in the city, one of the walls of the house was the outer wall of the city. Rahab lived in the defensive wall of Jericho.
She brought them to the roof of her house and hid them up there while the king’s men came to look for them. Then she lied to save them. The question is, why did a prostitute do such a thing?
Faithful Prostitute Continued
Simple: she heard Yahweh’s message and believed it. She told them, “I know that the Lord has given you the land.” She goes on to further say that the people of Jericho are scared of the Israelites, that she heard of them crossing the Red Sea, and she heard how they destroyed the 2 kings of the Ammonites.
In her mind she knew through faith that Yahweh was Sovereign God over all the earth. She had never seen any of the wonders that he had done, she was only going on what she had heard.
She believed in Yahweh so much that she decided to enter into a pact with the two Israeli spies because she wanted to be on the winning end of Yahweh’s battle.
She asks the men to spare her family when they come back to destroy the city.
The spies now have a golden opportunity- get out of Jericho alive and have an ally in the city. They promise to let Rahab and her family live if she’ll tie a scarlet rope from her window.
The spies are lowered down from the window in the wall and they flee back to the Israeli camp.
They tell everyone of how the people of Jericho are scared of the Israelites and how they will melt away because of the Israelites.
What about Rahab and her house set in the wall, and that window she let the spies down from?
She didn’t hesitate to show her faith in Yahweh because she hung the scarlet rope in the window the moment the spies got down to the ground and were gone.
Simple: she heard Yahweh’s message and believed it. She told them, “I know that the Lord has given you the land.” She goes on to further say that the people of Jericho are scared of the Israelites, that she heard of them crossing the Red Sea, and she heard how they destroyed the 2 kings of the Ammonites.
In her mind she knew through faith that Yahweh was Sovereign God over all the earth. She had never seen any of the wonders that he had done, she was only going on what she had heard.
She believed in Yahweh so much that she decided to enter into a pact with the two Israeli spies because she wanted to be on the winning end of Yahweh’s battle.
She asks the men to spare her family when they come back to destroy the city.
The spies now have a golden opportunity- get out of Jericho alive and have an ally in the city. They promise to let Rahab and her family live if she’ll tie a scarlet rope from her window.
The spies are lowered down from the window in the wall and they flee back to the Israeli camp.
They tell everyone of how the people of Jericho are scared of the Israelites and how they will melt away because of the Israelites.
What about Rahab and her house set in the wall, and that window she let the spies down from?
She didn’t hesitate to show her faith in Yahweh because she hung the scarlet rope in the window the moment the spies got down to the ground and were gone.