God Gave Israel the Promised Land
Joshua Led Them In
Joshua, Moses’ servant, was appointed by Moses and God Himself to lead Israel into the Promised Land (De 31:23). Yet, God also predicted that, in the future, Israel would break the covenant that they had with Him, and seek after other gods in the Promised Land (De 31:14-23). Now Moses saw the Promised Land from Mount Nebo, at the top of Pisgah, opposite of Jericho, then he died and God buried him in the valley (De 34:1-8). Now Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom since Moses laid his hands on him (De 34:9). God greatly encouraged Joshua and charged him to take the Promised Land. God commanded him to meditate on the Law of God day and night, and not to turn from it to the left or to the right so that he would prosper in all that he was about to do for Israel (Josh 1:2-9).
God Helped Joshua Take the Land
God parted the Jordan River for Joshua so
that the Israelites could walk through on dry
ground and begin to take the land (Josh 3,
4). Then God sent his angel to fight for Israel.
“Now it came about when Joshua was by
Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked,
and behold, a man was standing opposite him
with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua
went to him and said to him, ‘Are you for us
or for our adversaries?’ He said, ‘No, rather I
indeed come now as captain of the host of the
LORD.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth,
and bowed down, and said to him, ‘What has
my lord to say to his servant?’ The captain of
the Lord’s host said to Joshua, ‘Remove your
sandals from your feet, for the place where
you are standing is holy’ ” (Josh 5:13-15).
Joshua Destroyed Jericho, But Saved Rahab
Joshua sent two spies to view the land of Canaan,
especially the city Jericho. When Jericho found out
that spies were in the land they searched for them
diligently. But by faith (He 11:31), Rahab, a harlot,
welcomed the spies because she heard what God
did for Israel in leading them out of Egypt and began
to have a holy fear of the God of Israel (Josh 2).
Since she helped the spies escape, they promised
not to destroy her when they destroyed Jericho.
Now Israel approached Jericho and marched
around the walls of Jericho several times and blew
the trumpets. Then the walls fell down and they
destroyed that city and its people. But they did not
destroy Rahab and her relatives (Josh 6).
Note: God told Israel not to take anything from Jericho. But Achan disobeyed. He took some silver and gold. This man’s sin caused the Israelites to be defeated in their next battle at Ai. Then Joshua found out Achan’s sin and had the congregation of Israel stone him to death (Josh 7). Then God sent Joshua and the men of war to destroy Ai (Josh 8:1-29). Then Joshua did what Moses foretold him to do (De 11:29; Josh 8:30-35). He built an altar to the Lord in Mount Ebal and sacrificed peace offerings. He wrote a copy of Moses’ Law on stones. Half of the people stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal. Then he read all the words of the Law of Moses, the blessing and the curse, to the assembly, with the little ones, the women, and the strangers who were living among them.
After this Joshua took the whole land according to all that God spoke to Moses (Josh 11:23). In all, Joshua defeated 31 kings beyond the Jordan to the west (Josh 12:7-24).
The Kings Joshua Defeated 1. king of Jericho 17. king of Tappuah 2. king of Ai 18. king of Hepher 3. Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem 19. king of Aphek 4. Hoham, king of Hebron 20. king of Lasharon 5. Piram, king of Jarmuth 21. Jobab, king of Madon 6. Japhia, king of Lachish 22. Jabin, king of Hazor 7. Debir, king of Eglon 23. king of Shimron Meron 8. Horam, king of Gezer 24. king of Achshaph 9. king of Debir 25. king of Taanach 10. king of Geder 26. king of Megiddo 11. king of Hormah 27. king of Kedesh 12. king of Arad 28. king of Jokneam 13. king of Libnah 29. king of Dor 14. king of Adullam 30. king of Gilgal 15. king of Makkedah 31. king of Tirzah 16. king of BethelNote: Before Joshua died, he warned all of Israel against practicing false forms of worship, specifi cally idolatry (Josh 23, 24). He said, “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Josh 24:15). The people responded favorably to Joshua’s admonition and agreed to serve the Lord. But Joshua knew that they would be unfaithful so he warned them that if they were unfaithful that God would do them harm and consume them after He had done good to them. This would be an example of God’s wrath.