Tag Archive | The Book of Joshua

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 88

Mar28

    Day 88 —  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So, CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the third month so far! Praise God!  TODAY, we finish the 7th book in our Bible reading!

   Day 88 – Joshua 22 – 24 (Eastern tribes, an alter, Joshua’s charge & challenge, Joshua’s death)

In Chapter 22, with the land settled and divided, it’s time for the armies of the Eastern two-and-a-half tribes to return to their lands and settle down.  Joshua charges them with the basis of the Covenant, to “love the LORD their God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all their heart and soul.”

These tribes received Joshua’s challenge and blessing and headed East, stopping at the border to erect a massive altar.  WHAT??  Rightly, the other ten tribes, plus the High Priest, come and confront them. They fear that God will judge them ALL if these eastern tribes are already worshiping at a place other than where God signifies.  But the eastern tribe allay their fears, saying the alter is NOT a place to worship, but only a memorial to reinforce that the eastern tribes are a part of the whole of Israel.  All outcry is calmed with this explanation.

In Chapter 23, Joshua—well advanced in years at 110—tells how faithful God has been to ALL his promises, even though Israel repeatedly fails Him. He says, “You know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you.”

  • Therefore, be very strong to keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses.
  • Don’t turn aside from it to the right or left.
  • Don’t mix with the nations remaining among you or even mention the names of their gods.
  • Don’t swear to their gods, serve them, or bow down to them.
  • Cling to the LORD your God just as you have done to this day.
  • Be careful to love the LORD your God.

In Chapter 24, Joshua reviews Israel’s history from Abraham’s first call to this day in detail, and concludes with these thoughts.

  • Now therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and faithfulness
  • Choose this day whom you will serve.
  • As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

And the people answered, “we also will serve the LORD, for He is our God. Joshua contradicts them, saying they are NOT able to serve the Lord, but they double-vow that they will.

Then Joshua, the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being 110 yeas old.  They buried him in his own inheritance.  And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua and of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD had done. Finally Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the High Priest dies too, and his son, the righteous Phinehas becomes High Priest.

Then the chapter and the book close with a rightful conclusion to Genesis 50.  The bones that Joseph made his brothers promise they would carry out of Egypt and bury in the promised land are finally buried at Shechem, in the piece of land that Jacob bought from the sons of Hamor. (Near the very place Joseph’s brothers kidnapped him and sold him to slavery in Egypt.)

God is faithful always and honors those who serve him.

END of Joshua. And a new, spiraling down period of Israel’s history – JUDGES.

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 87

Mar27

    Day 87 —  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So, CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the third month so far! Praise God!

   Day 87 – Joshua 19 – 21 (Land allotments, Refuge cities, Levite cities)

Chapter 19 continues assigning land allotments to the tribes of Israel. Small-sized Simeon is placed within Judah’s allotment. Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan are settled, with Dan’s area changing from the seaside to the northern mountains when they lost to them.

Joshua finished distributing the portions of land and then chose his own place. He asked for a city in Ephraim, rebuilt it, and settled there—almost dead-center in the Promised Land.

Next, actual cities were designated by name for “Refuge Cities.” Three cities on the west side and three on the east side of the Jordan River, equally spaced out in the land. (Chapter 20)

In Chapter 21, forty-eight named cities with their surrounding pasturelands throughout the land were designated for the Levite tribe.  And so the LORD gave Israel all the land he swore to give to their fathers. Then He gave them rest on every side.”

“Not one word of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.”

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 86

Mar26

    Day 86 —  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So, CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the third month so far! Praise God!

   Day 86 – Joshua 16 – 18 (Ephraim & Manasseh, Complaints, Benjamin)

In Chapters 16 & 17, Joshua and the men continue to divide up the land of Canaan for each tribe, small or super large. Joseph’s tribe is split into Ephraim and Manasseh. Half of the Manasseh tribe had already inherited land on the EAST side of the Jordan, but on the WEST, the other half was lumped together with Ephraim. They did not like that.  Joshua let these tribes figure it out between themselves. And so the WEST half-tribe seems to have gotten a very large area, running from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea.

Sadly, all the Canaanite people were NOT driven out for both Ephraim and the two halves of Manasseh. (These Canaanites were very strong and had iron chariots.)  They remained a source of pagan influence, even though the tribes forced them to do forced labor.

In Chapter 18, Joshua and Israel set up the Tabernacle at Shiloh before the remaining land was allotted.  Joshua was annoyed with the remaining tribes. “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the Land, which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?”  He told them to take three men from each tribe and spy out the remaining land. Joshua would then allot those places to the remaining seven tribes.

So the men went “up and down in the land” and wrote descriptions.  Then they returned, and Joshua used the “lot” to determine who should go where. Benjamin was between Judah (in the South) and Ephraim/Manasseh in the North, bordering on the North side of Jerusalem. (Judah had the South side.)

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(We will see tomorrow that Simeon—a very small tribe—was also allotted their portion within Judah, whose allotment was too large for them, at that time.)

Much later in Israel’s history, we will see these tribes facing off against each other in a kind of Civil War when Solomon’s son tore the kingdom in two. (The 9 in the North were called Ephraim or Israel, and the 3 in the South were called Judah.)

#2024GOAL – Reading Through The Bible Chronologically, day 83

Mar23

    Day 83—  Now that we’ve passed Day 66, we have established a “habit.” So CELEBRATE our habit of daily Bible reading! We are in the THIRD month so far! Praise God!

   Day 83 – Joshua 5 – 8  (Circumcision & Passover, Jericho, Achan, Ai, Sin)

Joshua 5 tells of the beginnings of the conquest of Canaan. But first first things, first. There were a few steps of preparation.  Not sharpening of swords, but of HEARTS.

God first puts fear into the hearts of the kings of Canaan because of Israel. Then He commands all of Israel to renew their Covenant with Him by circumcising all the males. (It seems that during the wilderness wanderings, that had not been done. Why?  Maybe the “old guard” who knew they would not be entering the Promised Land rebelled and didn’t circumcise their baby boys.  Who knows?)

Next, Israel celebrated the Passover, the first in the new Land.  And they ate of the produce of the land… so the Manna stopped. Lots of changes, lots of preparation.  Even Joshua’s heart had to be prepared, so God met him in much the same way as Moses before he began his work in Egypt. God, claiming to be the “Commander of the army of the LORD,” accepted Joshua’s worship, and reminded him to take off his sandals for he was on “holy ground.”

Thus prepared, Chapter 6 tells of the unusual conquest of Jericho.  Around the city, the Ark, the priests, and the army would walk once, silent except for the blowing of ram’s horns for six days, then seven times around on the seventh day. Then at their SHOUT as the LORD commanded, the walls all fell down. The army went in and completely destroyed the city and all in it – EXCEPT for Rahab and her household, whom the two spies took to safety outside their camp. ALL was destroyed accept for the silver, gold, bronze and iron vessels. Those would go into Israel’s treasury.

And Joshua curses the rebuilding of Jericho forever. (see later in 1 Kings 16:34, when the curse happened.)

Chapter 7 tells of the victorious Israel going on to the next city, Ai. (NOT Artificial Intelligence! haha). A small town, easily won, and yet Israel is soundly defeated and runs with their tails between their legs!  What’s up???  What has happened to the mighty Israeli army led by their mighty Commander?

Sin.  That’s what happened. When Joshua falls before the LORD, virtually blaming HIM for not helping them, God tells him to stand up, for there is SIN IN THE CAMP.  By process of elimination, the finger of God points to Achan of the tribe of Judah.  He coveted some of the wealth he saw in Jericho, stole it (from God’s destruction), hid it in his tent (with his family’s knowledge) and told no one.  But God saw and knew.

Achan and his family (after his confession of sin) were stoned to death, and all he had and stole were burned with fire.  And so Israel was cleansed… and learned an important lesson.

In Chapter 8, in their second attempt, the now cleansed Israel soundly defeated Ai, killed the inhabitants and took much loot (if only Achan would have waited!). Had they learned their lesson. One hopes.

And afterwards, Joshua built an alter to the LORD of uncut stones and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings to the LORD. And all the people stood on opposite sides of the Ark carried by the Levitical Priests, half on Mt. Ebal and half on Mt Gerizim while Joshua read the blessings and curses of obedience to the Law of the LORD. In fact, he read ALL the law to them, men, women, and little ones.