The Writings of Joshua

Have you ever thought about what it would feel like to be placed in a leadership role where you are replacing the most honored and greatest leader before you? Would you be nervous or calm, confident or insecure? Maybe you would feel a mixture of all of these. 

Joshua was faced with this exact situation.  He served under Moses as Moses led the Israelites out of captivity and into freedom through the wilderness for 40 years.  After Moses’ death, God appoints Joshua as the new leader who will bring the Israelites into the Promised Land.  We don’t know exactly how Joshua felt when it came time for him to take over for Moses, but we can guess that he may have felt a little intimidated and overwhelmed, based on what God told Joshua in the opening chapter of the book. God speaks to Joshua and tells him to be strong and brave, because just as He was with Moses, He will also be with Joshua.  In the book of Joshua we finally see the Israelites step into the land that God had promised to them. This book can be divided into three sections: entering the land, conquering the land, and distributing the land.

Even though the land was promised to the Israelites, it didn’t mean things were easy for them after they entered the land. After they entered the land, they still had to conquer it. The Israelites faced dangerous situations and many battles took place.  This meant that the Israelites had to fight for what was promised to them, but even in the middle of the battles, God made sure to show them that He was faithful to His promise and that He was still working for them. 

God did this in many different ways. One time He used a prostitute named Rahab to help them.  She hid spies on her rooftop, and eventually Jesus Christ will become a part of her family tree.  She had such great faith that God made sure to record her in Hebrews 11 as a great hero of faith.  Another time God helped the Israelites by making the walls of Jericho come crashing down just after the Israelites walked around them and blew their trumpets. God also helped the Israelites by making the sun stand still during a battle.  The Israelites had to fight hard and persevere, but through all of the battles, God made one thing clear: when the Israelites were strong and courageous, and obeyed what God was calling them to do, instead of running back to what was safe, He made sure to show up and lead them to victory. 

The book of Joshua really is like a bridge between a promise from God and seeing that promise fulfilled. It took a lot of hard work for the Israelites to conquer the Promised Land but eventually they did.  Once the land was conquered, Joshua distributed the land between the tribes of Israel.  At this point in the story, it seems that life should finally settle for the Israelites. Life should now go well with the Israelites.  Joshua was an old man at this point, and he knew that he wouldn’t live much longer.  As he reflected, perhaps he had a feeling that history may try and repeat itself. He gathered the Israelites together, and told them to make a choice as to whom they would serve. Sometimes you hear a reference to someone’s “famous last words.” If we had to determine what Joshua’s famous last words were, we could say they were these, “Choose this day who you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”   The Book of Joshua tells many stories but it really tells one main story.  God is at work in His plan of redemption.  Israel is free from slavery.  They have entered the Promised Land.  Now they can establish themselves as a nation, from whom the Messiah, Jesus Christ will come.  In each story of the book of Joshua you learn God’s faithfulness and purpose.  And in the main story of Joshua you learn God’s ultimate faithfulness to saving the world.