The subject of the book is conquest of Canaan. After their years of wandering in the desert, the Israelites finally made it across the Jordan and into the land which God had given them.

Following on from their first victories, Israel goes on to take much of Canaan. Conquering all cities, but the cities that can be defended and used are kept, with the lesser cities being destroyed. The only exception is Hazor, the most powerful city in the land, which was destroyed.

Joshua 11 verse 23 Peace restored. Canaan was described as the land flowing with milk and honey, Promised Land, Holy land. The land Joshua, Moses’s successor as leader was given to take.

The book opens with the people camped at the Jordan after nearly half a millennium of slavery behind them. They were a dispossessed, ragtag bunch, and only very recently set free. The transition from being landless salves to landholding free men and women was Huge.

Joshua chapter 1 to chapter 12; Taking the land.

Joshua chapter 13 to chapter 22; Distributing the land amongst the 12 Tribes.

Joshua chapter 23 to chapter 24; concluding with a solemn covenant witness, that bound the people to the gift of land and worshiping God from whom they received it.

This might seem a horrible and brutal story of taking the land and wiping out all the people. We look back from our time in history and think “How terrible’. But if we were able to put ourselves back in time to the 13th century BC, we might see differently. The Canaanite culture was a snake pit of child sacrifice  and sacred prostitution, practices ruthlessly  devoted to using the most innocent and vulnerable members of society {babies and virgin}  to manipulate their gods for gain. Seem like wasted energy and killing because the God’s they worshiped were false and useless.

The significant stories of Joshua:
The conquer: Chapter 1 verse 1 to chapter 12 verse 24.

Rahab and the spies:  Chapter 2 verses 1 to 21.

Crossing the Jordan: Chapter 3 verse 1 to chapter 4 verse 24.

The fall of Jericho: Chapter 5 verse 13 to chapter 6 verse 27.

Ai and Gideon; Chapter 8 verse 1 to chapter 9 verse 27.

The Standing sun: Chapter 10 verses 1 to 27.

In conclusion the people responded with a renew commitment to serve the Lord and to remain faithful. Yet seed of doubt remained. There are still those who have idols {24 v23}, although they promised to throw them away. After all the Lord had done for them, there is still people who turn to other gods.

The book ends on a knife edge, will the people complete the task begun by Joshua? or will they fall at the final hurdle?

Joshua is a story of God’s people being lead into the promised land out of bondage, which real is the Story of Salvation.

Key Verse: Joshua 1 verse 8 {King James Version}.

“This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall mediate therein day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success.”

Read The Bible daily, it is the manufactures handbook for real life.

Read Joshua and enjoy, the salvation story that is threaded through the Book of Joshua.

God Bless.

O F J.