Lord’s Day, Vol. 12 No. 18
Opening the Book of Joshua
Moses gave these parting words in the transition from the Book of Deuteronomy to the Book of Joshua in Deuteronomy 33:29 (KJV) Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.
Moses was alluding to the tremendous privilege of God’s people so blessed with the wisdom of His laws and His presence to protect and guide them. Truly, knowing and following the LORD is our greatest blessing.
This new generation of Israelites led by Joshua shall inherit the Promised Land. Israel shall fulfil the plan of God to be established as a full-fledged nation. Israel is encouraged to be strong and very courageous to do according to all the law, turning not from it to the right hand or to the left, that they may prosper as a nation.
Obedience to God’s law will be their strength. And taking time to read and meditate upon God’s Word will keep them strong in the LORD giving them success in doing the will of God – Joshua 1:8 (KJV) This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
The crossing of the overflowing Jordan River was the first major obstacle which the LORD took charge to overcome. He dried up the river at the place of crossing. It was a notable miracle! God was with Israel to lead them into Canaan to begin the conquest.
Joshua 4:19 (KJV) And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
At Gilgal, a memorial of twelve stones was raised, the new generation was circumcised and the Passover was observed. The manna ceased on the next day after they ate the old corn of the land. This was the military headquarters of Israel. It was here that the Lord appeared to Joshua to provide him the strategy to conquer Jericho, the first fruit of their conquest.
The victory of Jericho is contrasted with the defeat at Ai when Israel transgressed to keep the accursed thing incurring the wrath of God in their defeat. Sin was dealt with before victory was granted at Ai.
An altar of whole stones was built unto the LORD by Joshua in Mount Ebal according to the commandment of Moses. There a copy of the law of Moses was written and read in the presence of the children of Israel.
The enemy was subtle, they deceived Israel into making a treaty of protection with them. These were the Gibeonites (Joshua 9). It stirred the enmity of the Amorites, the sun stood still and the moon stood still to enable Israel to defeat the coalition of kings of the Amorites who came against the Gibeonites. Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale and of the springs and all their kings: he left none remaining (Joshua 10:40).
Joshua’s campaign in central Canaan (Joshua 6:1-8:35) places a strategic wedge between the northern and southern cities preventing a massive Canaanite alliance against Israel.
The southern (Joshua 10) and northern campaigns (Joshua 11) were also successful, after the enemies were divided in the central campaign. The kings subdued under Moses’ (Joshua 12:1-6) and the kings subdued under Joshua’s leadership (Joshua 12:7-23) were listed.
With the subduing of the Canaanites, and Joshua growing old (Joshua 13:1), much land remains to be possessed, and the tribes will continue the conquest by faith after Joshua’s death (Joshua 13:2-6). God tells him to divide the land among the twelve tribes (Joshua 13:7).
The geographical boundaries of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh on the east of Jordan was rehearsed (Joshua 13:8-33). The boundaries of Caleb (Joshua 14:6-15) and the remainder of Judah (Joshua 15:1-63) was ascribed. The boundaries of Joseph, Ephraim (Joshua 16:5-10) and the half tribe of Manasseh was ascribed (Joshua 17:1-18).
The remaining tribes had their boundaries ascribed in Shiloh – Joshua 18:1-2 (KJV) And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them. And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance.
A new method of setting tribal boundaries was ascribed – Joshua 18:3-5 (KJV) And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you? Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me. And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north… Joshua 18:8-9 (KJV) And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh. And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh.
The boundaries of Benjamin (Joshua 18:11-28), Simeon (Joshua 19:1-9), Zebulun (Joshua 19:10-16), Issachar (Joshua 19:17-23), Asher (Joshua 19:24-31), Naphtali (Joshua 19:32-39), Dan (Joshua 19:40-48) was ascribed. Finally, the boundary of Joshua’s inheritance was ascribed (Joshua 19:49-51).
To protect the innocent manslayer from the avenger of blood, six cities of refuge were delineated. These were part of the 48 Levitical cities that the tribes allocated for the Levities who had no inheritance among the brethren. Cites for the Kohathites (Joshua 21:8-26), Gershonites (Joshua 21:27-33) and Merarites (Joshua 21:34-45).
The 40,000 army from the Reuben, Gad, and half tribe Manasseh were decommissioned to return to their land on the East of Jordan (Joshua 22:1-8). An altar that was built by the eastern tribes was misconstrued by the western tribes as an altar for alternative worship. It was amicably clarified and the land had rest.
Finally, in his old age, Joshua gathered the leaders of the tribes together to exhort them to steadfastness in possessing the remaining land yet unpossessed and not to be unequally yoked in marriage with the nations of the land – Joshua 23:3-5 (KJV) And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you. Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
The warning that came true which we shall see in the Book of Judges was in Joshua 23:13 (KJV) Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you. Amen.
lovingly,
Pastor Lek Aik Wee
