Tag: joshua

The Farewell Speech of Joshua (Joshua 23:1-16)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
The tomb of Joshua in the West Bank

After a long time had passed and the Lord had given Israel rest from all their enemies around them, Joshua, by then a very old man, summoned all Israel—their elders, leaders, judges and officials—and said to them:

“I am very old. You yourselves have seen everything the Lord your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the Lord your God who fought for you. Remember how I have allotted as an inheritance for your tribes all the land of the nations that remain—the nations I conquered—between the Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea in the west. The Lord your God himself will push them out for your sake. He will drive them out before you, and you will take possession of their land, as the Lord your God promised you.

“Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down to them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now.

“The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as he promised. So be very careful to love the Lord your God.

“But if you turn away and ally yourselves with the survivors of these nations that remain among you and if you intermarry with them and associate with them, then you may be sure that the Lord your God will no longer drive out these nations before you. Instead, they will become snares and traps for you, whips on your backs and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land, which the Lord your God has given you.

“Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. 

“But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you, have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.” (New International Version)

Orthodox icon of Joshua

The Person

Joshua, the son of Nun, was the protégé of Moses, as the Israelites wandered the wilderness. After the death of Moses, Joshua became their military commander, leading the people into the Promised Land.

The biblical book of Joshua involves the Israelite conquest and settlement of Canaan. After securing decisive victories in the middle, north, and south of Canaan, the land was allotted to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Close to his death at 110 years old, Joshua gave a farewell speech to the people in which he called them to remember God’s actions, and be faithful to the Lord. He also warned them that if they failed in their memory and in their faith, they would lose the very land which was promised to them.

The Conquest

Throughout the Book of Joshua, there is a very positive view of conquering the land of Canaan. There are several notable stories of stepping out in faith despite the fear of engaging a much larger foe.

God is pictured as the real force behind all of the Israelite success, bringing the people into the land by through a miraculous parting of the Jordan River, and securing victory over great cities like Jericho by means of supernatural help.

After entering the land, the covenant with God was reaffirmed. The Israelites had moved around the Sinai desert for 40 years, and the new generation of people needed both circumcision and law in order to become faithful inhabitants of the land.

By the end of chapter 12 of Joshua, each of the native nations in Canaan had fallen. The conquest was complete, albeit with some of the Canaanites still living in the land. This would eventually prove to be a problem after Joshua’s death.

Allocation of the Land

A detailed account of the land’s division for all of the Israelite tribes covers chapters 13 to 22 in Joshua. Nearly all of the tribes settled between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, with a few exceptions settling along the eastern bank of the Jordan.

The reason for this traces back to a story in the Book of Numbers in which the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh ask to settle there. At the time, Moses agreed to their request on the condition that they help complete the conquest of the land before being allowed to return and settle in their own, which they did.

Moses and Joshua

The book of Joshua and the story of Moses have a lot of similarities, such as:

  • Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt; and Joshua led them into Canaan.
  • Moses led the Israelites miraculously through the Red Sea; and Joshua led them miraculously across the Jordan River.
  • Moses sent out spies into Canaan; and Joshua sent spies to Jericho.
  • Moses allocated land on the east side of the Jordan River; and Joshua allocated land on the west side of the Jordan.
  • Moses gave a prolonged address before dying; and Joshua also gave a parting address to the people.

The Farewell Speech

Joshua’s farewell speech was both an exhortation and an encouragement to the Israelites. Joshua gave them a charge to remain faithful to God, just as God had faithfully fulfilled the promise of giving the people the land of Canaan. We get the sense that Joshua knew what was coming down the pike, and that unfaithfulness was in their future.

We also get the spiritual sense from Joshua that unless one’s heart is filled to the full of God’s law and love, something or someone else will come along and fill the void, no matter how big or small. Our happiness, fulfillment, and satisfaction is to be found in the Lord.

Joshua was insistent that to remain true to God is to remember what God has done. The Israelites were to always keep in their memory how the Lord brought them victory and fought their battles for them. By being continually reminded, the people would always trust and obey their God.

Indeed, even for believers today, if we can keep in mind God’s past faithfulness, it will help us have faith in God for the present time.

And just as the Israelites needed to hold onto and keep the Book of the Law in their minds and hearts, so we are to be ever mindful of God’s Holy Word. Christians are especially to realize the connection we have with Jesus and the Spirit.

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

Joshua 1:7-8, NIV

We are to avoid compromising our faith and marrying into foreign concepts that would take us away from our fidelity to the Lord. As Christians, our lives are to maintain the center of Christ. It is therefore imperative that we continually have the words and ways of Jesus ever before us. Otherwise, false gods can easily take over our lives.

The consequences of disobedience are much like those of trying to defy the law of gravity. It won’t go well with you to believe you can walk off the roof of your house in faith and be just fine.

Whereas many people may believe that God is punishing them when there are devastating consequences, typically we create our own problems by refusing to pay attention and listen to God’s warnings to avoid stupidity.

But if we remember our history with God, and God’s history with others, perhaps we will not take our spiritual lives for granted, nor let our spirits fall into disuse.

Not one good promise from God failed to be realized for the ancient Israelites. And all the good promises fulfilled in the person of Jesus are connected to his Church. Ultimately, our blessings come through the person and work of Christ – and not our own abilities, or lack thereof.

God almighty, Lord of heaven and earth, renew us with your divine love, energize our souls, nourish our spirits, empower us to show our faith, help us to walk with you, abide in us always, and teach us to continually remember you and follow you at all times and in every way. Amen.

Be Renewed (Joshua 24:25-33)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year A1 Comment
Joshua renews the covenant with the people of Israel, by David Martin (1639-1721)

On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he reaffirmed for them decrees and laws. And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the Lord.

“See!” he said to all the people. “This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the Lord has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God.”

Then Joshua dismissed the people, each to their own inheritance.

After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of a hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance, at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

Israel served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had experienced everything the Lord had done for Israel.

And Joseph’s bones, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem in the tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants.

And Eleazar son of Aaron died and was buried at Gibeah, which had been allotted to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim. (New International Version)

All things, if they exist for any length of time, require renewal. This is especially true of relationships, and in particular, our relationship with God.

The book of Joshua is closely connected to the book of Exodus. God’s special relationship with Israel was confirmed with a covenant. God’s gave the Law to Moses as the leader of the people. And God brought a mighty deliverance to the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. These are all themes that linger with importance into the leadership and life of Joshua and the Israelites as they entered and inhabited the Promised Land.

Joshua was a faithful attendant to Moses, a model soldier, and an effective spy. After the death of Moses, Joshua was the appointed successor to bring Israel into Canaan and capture it. He was just as faithful to God and the people as Moses had been. In taking the land, Joshua made sure to do the following with the people:

  • Reminded all the Israelite tribes of their covenantal relationship and obligations to God
  • Allocated the land to each of the tribes, as specified by God’s command
  • Circumcised all the males that had been born during the forty years in the desert
  • Established cities of refuge, and cities for the Levites (because they had no land inheritance)
  • Admonished the people to be steadfast in observing the laws given to Moses by God 
  • Made it clear what the consequences are for any break or breach in the covenant agreement

Joshua did all of this by facilitating a covenant renewal ceremony. There were still some Canaanites in the land, and so, the Israelites were at risk of worshipping foreign deities and engaging in intermarriage. The people needed to have a collective memory of God’s deliverance, covenant, and law.

The covenant renewal emphasized obedience to the law and fealty to God because the Israelites are a holy nation, set apart for the Lord’s purposes. They were to serve the Lord with faithfulness and sincerity. There were to be no foreign gods whatsoever. Obedience would bring blessings, whereas disobedience would lead to the land being cursed.

As the mediator between God and Israel, Joshua commanded Israel to make a firm choice about what they were going to do. He was holding them accountable and ensuring they actively participate in the covenantal agreement.

The people declared that they would not forsake the Lord to serve other gods. And Joshua pledged to hold them accountable to their words and commitments.

Just as Israel was to be renewed in loyalty to their God, so we, too, in each generation of believers, must experience a renewal of our relationship to the Lord. We do so through reaffirmation, recording our response, and setting up a remembrance of the renewal.

Reaffirm

To reaffirm is to make a renewed commitment to something, usually verbally. In affirming God as the Lord, we are saying, “I believe!” So reaffirming repeats the belief, and makes it clear that you still feel that way. We make promises and make plans to keep them. We vow to be faithful and restate our love for God and God’s Word.

Joshua repeated, restated, and reaffirmed God’s Law for the people, so that they would know exactly what their responsibilities are, and pledge to keep them always.

Record

To record something is to establish a written record of what was said. Joshua made sure that everything was written down so that nobody in the future could say something contrary, or forget what was said.

One of the most powerful ways we can engage in personal renewal is by actually recording our promises and commitments to the Lord in a journal. The act of writing, in-and-of itself, is a transforming practice. And when we couple the practice with important and impactful words of intention and desire, then we are doubling our chances of actually following through and doing what we say we will do.

Remember

Memory is more than the mind. Remembering is activated with tangible things that we can see, touch, or smell. With the Israelites, Joshua set up a huge stone as a remembrance of what was said and promised. And he engaged the imagination by stating that the stone heard it all – and would hold them all accountable.

Physical objects, such as the cup and the bread in Christian communion, press the remembrance much better and deeper into both our minds and our hearts. Anything in life that is vital to remember ought to have a tangible item which symbolizes the importance of the memory.

Experiencing renewal in life doesn’t simply happen, but is an intentional process of reaffirming, recording, and remembering. Concerning God’s Word, Holy Scripture is something worth putting the effort into in order to realize new life and a renewed relationship with the Lord.

O God, King eternal, your light divides the day from the night and turns the shadow of death into the morning: Drive from us all wrong desires; incline our hearts to keep your law; and guide our feet into the way of peace; so that, having done your will with cheerfulness during the day, we may, when night comes, rejoice to give you thanks, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Consider Rahab (Joshua 2:15-24)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Rahab the harlot helps the Israelite spies escape from Jericho

So she [Rahab] let them [the Israelite spies] down by a rope through the window, for the house she lived in was part of the city wall [of Jericho]. She said to them, “Go to the hills so the pursuers will not find you. Hide yourselves there three days until they return, and then go on your way.”

Now the men had said to her, “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you have brought your father and mother, your brothers and all your family into your house. If any of them go outside your house into the street, their blood will be on their own heads; we will not be responsible. As for those who are in the house with you, their blood will be on our head if a hand is laid on them. But if you tell what we are doing, we will be released from the oath you made us swear.”

“Agreed,” she replied. “Let it be as you say.”

So she sent them away, and they departed. And she tied the scarlet cord in the window.

When they left, they went into the hills and stayed there three days, until the pursuers had searched all along the road and returned without finding them. Then the two men started back. They went down out of the hills, forded the river and came to Joshua son of Nun and told him everything that had happened to them. They said to Joshua, “The Lord has surely given the whole land into our hands; all the people are melting in fear because of us.” (New International Version)

A drama unfolded as the Israelites began entering and taking the Promised Land. Joshua, their leader, secretly sent two men as spies to look over the land and check out the prominent city of Jericho. The spies left and ended up in the house of a harlot named Rahab. They hid there because it had been found out they were in the city.

Rahab was able to divert and send away the pursuers who were looking for the spies, telling them that the men left, and that they should leave and go catch them. But she had actually hid them on the roof of her house.

Rahab took the spies into her home because she realized and affirmed that God was giving the land to the Israelites. Everyone in the city had heard the stories of how the Lord brought them out of Egyptian slavery and into the land of Canaan. In an insightful and beautiful confession of faith, Rahab told them:

“I know that God has given you the land. We’re all afraid. Everyone in the country feels hopeless. We heard how God dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt, and what he did to the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you put under a holy curse and destroyed. We heard it and our hearts sank. We all had the wind knocked out of us. And all because of you, you and God, your God, God of the heavens above and God of the earth below.” (Joshua 2:8-11, MSG)

The men promised to show Rahab and her family mercy when they came to take the city, just as she had shown them grace in the face of trouble. So, today’s Old Testament lesson picks up the story from that point, as she sends the spies safely on their way.

That Rahab, a prostitute, is the heroine of the story is no accident or anomaly. Her profession of faith is central to the drama. She was living in the city wall, which is reflective of her status as being on the margins of society. And having strange men in her home would not have been weird in her neighborhood. It also made it rather easy to get the spies out of the city when trouble was brewing.

Most importantly, however, Rahab – the ultimate outsider in society – becomes the consummate insider. It is astonishing that a Gentile woman of disrepute has a story about her, and even told from her perspective – and not from the point of view of an Israelite man.

Rahab’s bold assertion of faith is both sincere and linked to God’s promise that the Israelites would take the land. Rahab is Exhibit A of the kind of person that inherits the kingdom of God. Rahab’s faith, not her works or reputation, is what spared her life and spared her from judgment.

Please ponder and consider that truth for a bit. Sit with it if you must – the reality that Rahab was judged neither by the spies nor God.

In far too many quarters of the Christian (and broadly religious world) judgment instead of mercy is levied to persons like Rahab. If there is anyone who should have a non-judgmental presence toward “sinners” it is Christians. And, if there is any institution which ought to consistently, both personally and through policy, display unflagging grace and forsake judgment, it is the Church.

Yet, unfortunately, as many have experienced, the Church has often fallen short of the glory of God’s grace in Christ by condemning people of ill repute. Perhaps we all need to rethink what faith truly is: not a checklist of doctrinal beliefs to sign-off on but a confident and bold action based solidly in the promises of God.

Knowing what those promises are, and living our lives appropriately in consideration of them, is the kind of faith that pleases God. Those who attempt to be judge, jury, and executioner need not apply as followers of God.

Genuine righteousness is never earned; it is given by the compassionate grace of God. So, lay hold of God’s promise of grace and mercy with gusto! Let the gracious God, who is full of steadfast love, affect the way we live our lives. Believe with a bold biblical belief that God always does what God has decreed and proclaimed to do.

Lord God, the gracious, almighty, and Holy One of all: I may have not always lived my life well, yet I trust you today that you can and will deliver me from all my troubles because you are with me. May your Holy Spirit give me the gift of faith to believe in such a way that forever impacts how I live my life in service to you and for the common good of all persons – no matter who they are. Amen.

Trust the Promises (Joshua 3:1-17)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Crossing the Jordan River, by Yoram Raanan

Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.

And the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’”

Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”

So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. (New International Version)

400 years of Egyptian slavery. Then deliverance from bondage. Another 40 years of wandering around the desert. It might have seemed to the ancient Israelites that getting to the Promised Land would never happen.

How can we know God is with us? Will divine promises really hold up? Can I keep trusting in the Lord, even though it is taking so darned long to get where I need to be?

Through yet another miracle of the parting of the waters and walking on dry land to get to the other side, Joshua and people of Israel (and us) are given a visual, tactile, experiential way of trusting God. By this indelible encounter, the people will know that the living God is among them, and without fail, the Lord will drive out all obstacles and opposition to entering and taking the land.

All the dramatic events that occurred were for the sake of the people, so that they would know that God is with them and will give them victory. To heighten the experience, the Jordan River was at flood stage at the time of the crossing. If you have ever been on the bank of a raging river, you know how significant a miracle this really was to behold. 

Today, we may not have the experience of seeing a rushing river stop and crossing over on dry ground; yet we have these stories that bear witness to the truth that God is among us, that God will do what was promised, and that God will give us victory.

Know that the victory came after a long liminal period of moving from one reality to another. A “liminal space” (an intermediate position characterized by transition, a place where things are either coming or going) is where the Israelites had to hang out for a very long time. Now, the promises were about to be realized.

Miracles and wonders and victories are neither easy nor cheap. They come as a result of significantly hard movements from the past into the future. In other words, our present experiences can be quite adverse and difficult. If we lose where we’ve come from, and where we’re going, we may too easily lose heart or become afraid and simply give up all hope.

That’s why God gives divine promises, so that we will be sustained with God’s words until the promised time is realized. It’s our job to encourage one another and remind each other of those promises; they are meant to buoy up our flagging spirits when things get rough.

So, keep looking and praying for that miracle. Just understand that you may need to persevere in faith, patience, and holiness for a while before it happens.

Blessed and holy God, continue the good work begun in me, so that I may increase daily in wholeness, integrity, and strength. I rejoice in your goodness and think and do that which pleases you, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer. Amen.