The Book of Joshua

In short

The people of Israel FINALLY get their own land.

Why it is important

This is like studying the American Revolution (you know, 1776, George Washington, etc.). It is THE moment when a bunch of like-minded people actually formed a country. Before this, Israel was merely a nation of people on someone else’s land.

Main characters

• Joshua
• Rahab
• Achan
• Gibeonites

What is in this book

The 24 chapters split very neatly in two:

1. Israel conquers the land (chapters 1-12)
2. Israel divides up the land, like states (chapters 13-24)

If you recall, Joshua and Caleb were the only two men* from the wilderness that were allowed to enter Canaan. Joshua had trained under Moses and becomes the leader of the invasion and the spiritual leader as well. We will talk more about him on Tuesday.

Other big stories in this book:

• Rahab and the spies (ch. 2)
• The battle of Jericho (ch. 6)
• Achan’s sin and Israel’s defeat at Ai (ch. 7)

Theology and doctrine

Aside from some final burial notes, the book of Joshua ends with this summary and foreshadow:

“Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel,” Joshua 24:31.

This was a great time for Israel, when they had an amazing leader and obeyed their God.

Footnotes

* Literally the only two MEN. Women and children (under age 20) were not under the curse.