THE BOOK
OF JOSHUA
PART 1
ASSIGNMENT # 1 - INSTRUCTIONS
Assignment # 1--Introduction and Joshua 1
Step 1 Read Joshua 1, study course slides and materials in your commentaries, exc.
Step 2 Complete the assigned study questions below for assignment one. – make sure your answers are typed and
numbered with your name and lesson number identified. Then email them to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
Step 3. At the end of your typed answers, type one paragraph on your application of truths learned from this lesson
for your life and ministry.
INTRODUCTION
We are living in an age where all those professing Christ do not accept the Bible as being the
inspired Word of God. This is true regarding the book of Joshua. Two commentaries, JOSHUA An
Introduction & Commentary from the Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series [which is your
primary commentary] and JOSHUA Inheriting the Land from the International Theological Commentary
series [which is a supplemental commentary] were used for this course. The Tyndale
commentary reflects the conservative interpretation of the book of Joshua while the International
Theological Commentary reflects a more liberal interpretation of the book. CBCS holds to a conservative
theological position but books reflecting other views are used to expose you to what others teach because
sooner or later you will be coming into contact with those who do not share your conservative
interpretation of the scriptures. It is hoped that through the use of these two textbooks you will become
grounded more firmly in your conservative interpretation of scripture and will have a better understanding
of liberal interpretation since we are living in a pluralistic society.
Articles from the NEW UNGER'S BIBLE DICTIONARY, NELSON'S ILLUSTRATED BIBLE
DICTIONARY and the HOLMAN BIBLE DICTIONARY are provided to give you a deeper insight into
the conservative interpretation of the book of Joshua. May you enjoy your study on the book of Joshua
and may you rightly divide the Word of Truth.
Study questions for this course are taken from the book of Joshua and are based on the King James
Version and the New King James Version of the Bible. A few answers may be found in Bible dictionaries
and commentary materials.
The New Ungers Talking Bible Dictionary
Unger, Merrill F.
Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois
TYPICAL MEANING
According to 1 Corinthians 10:11 events of the Exodus, the wilderness wandering, and the conquest of Canaan
are highly typical. “Now these things happened to them as an example,” literally, “as types.” Accordingly, Joshua is
a type of Christ as our conquering commander. The redemption out of Egypt and the passage of the Red Sea typify
our being baptized by the Holy Spirit into union with Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:2): “And all were baptized into
Moses in the cloud and in the sea.” This redemptive experience prefigures the position the Christian has by virtue of
being in Christ by the Spirit’s baptizing work (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:2-3; Colossians 2:9-12). The crossing
of Jordan is a type of our death with Christ experientially, as the crossing of the Red Sea is a type of our positional
death in Christ. Claiming by faith our experience based upon our position is set forth by the crossing of the Jordan
and the entering the land of conflict and victory (cf. Ephesians 6:10-20). Canaan is not a type of heaven but a type
of our meeting our spiritual enemies in victorious Christian living. It is considering ourselves “to be dead to sin, but
alive to God in Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:11). Every believer is positionally “dead to sin” and “alive to God.” The
difference is that when he reckons it true, it becomes experientially actual. The Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and
others like them may typify our spiritual enemies (Ephesians 6:12).
OUTLINE



I.Conquest of the land (1:1-12:24)

Commission of Joshua (1:1-9)

Preparation to cross the Jordan (1:10–2:24)

The Jordan crossed (3:1-4:24)

Israel circumcised and Passover observed at Gilgal (5:1-15)

Capture of Jericho and Ai (6:1-8:29)

Altar on Mt. Ebal erected (8:30-35)

Deception of Gibeonites (9:1-27)

Conquest of southern Canaan (10:1-43)

Conquest of northern Canaan (11:1-15)

Summary of the conquest (11:16–12:24)
II.Division of the land (13:1-22:34)

Instruction of Joshua (13:1-7)

Eastern tribes assigned (13:8-33)

Western tribes assigned (14:1-19:51)

Cities of refuge provided (20:1-9)

Levitical towns chosen (21:1-45)

Eastern tribes sent away (22:1-34)
III.Joshua’s farewell address and death (23:1-24:33)
AUTHORSHIP & DATE
The book is anonymous. That the book, however, was composed in substance by Joshua himself or by an inspired
writer soon after his death is supported by the following facts: (1) The account has the vividness of an eye-witness
(Joshua 5:1, 6). Such events as the sending out of the spies (Joshua 2), the crossing of Jordan (Joshua 3), the capture
of Jericho and Ai (Joshua 6-8), and so forth, are described with great vividness of detail. (2) Parts of the book, at
least, are written by Joshua (cf. Joshua18:9; 24:26). (3) The narrative was written very early. Rahab, the harlot, was
still alive (Joshua 6:25). That the Jebusites were living “with the sons of Judah at Jerusalem until this day” (Joshua
15:63) points to a pre-Davidic date (cf. 2 Samuel 5:5-9). References such as those mentioning the Canaanites’
dwelling at Gezer (Joshua 16:10) are pre-Solomonic, because the pharaoh of Egypt killed the Canaanite inhabitants
and gave the cities as a present to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. Jerusalem was not yet an Israelite capital
(Joshua18:16, 28). Archaic names of cities appear, such as Baalah, later Kiriath-jearim (Joshua 15:9). The Gibeonites
were still “hewers of wood and drawers of water” (Joshua 9:27), whereas in Saul’s day they suffered massacre and
their status had been changed (2 Samuel 21:1-9). (4) Although the book is early and doubtless written by Joshua
himself, minor details in the present form of the work cannot be assigned to Joshua’s original work, for example the
account of his death (Joshua 24:29-31) and the strange use of the term “from all the hill country of Judah and from
all the hill country of Israel” (Joshua 11:21). The reference in Joshua to the book of Jashar (Joshua 10:13) is similar
to a reference to Jashar that occurs in 2 Samuel 1:18, and as a consequence some have argued that the book of Joshua
was written during David’s reign or later, but that is not a legitimate argument. Almost nothing is known of the book
of Jashar, which may have been an anthology of national heroes, expanded from century to century to include
contemporary celebrities.
RELATION TO THE PENTATEUCH
Denying that the book of Joshua is a literary unit, the critics weave it into their theory of the Pentateuch and have
coined the unsound critical term “Hexateuch” to fit their hypothesis. The sources J (Jehovistic) and E (Elohistic) are
claimed to be the two primary sources of Joshua 1-12, revised later by Deuteronomic writers. Chapters 13-22 are said
to be from a priestly source (P) and were added to JED around 400 B.C. That the “Hexateuch” is purely a critical
invention is proved from the following reasons: (1) It is of a piece with the documentary hypothesis of the Pentateuch
and is founded upon the same false literary, historical, and religious philosophical presuppositions. (2) Certain
pronounced linguistic peculiarities that appear in the Pentateuch are absent from the book of Joshua. (3) There is no
historical evidence that Joshua was ever thought of as forming a unit with the Pentateuch. The Samaritans took only
the Pentateuch, which would have been inconceivable had Joshua at that time formed a “Hexateuch,” and especially
so when the book apparently favors the Samaritans by its references to Shechem (Joshua 24:1, 32).
AUTHENTICITY AND CREDIBILITY OF THE BOOK
To the believing student the book of Joshua by its own internal evidence, the implicit and explicit references to
it in the NT (Hebrews 11:30-31), and the intimate fashion in which its typology is interwoven in the NT revelation
of God’s redemption in Christ (Hebrews 3:7-4:11; cf. 4:8) stamp it as genuine. Moreover, a detailed geographical
and archaeological study of references and events recorded in the book lends credence to its historicity. M.F.U.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: Y. Kaufmann, The Biblical Account of the Conquest of the Land (1953); G. E. Mendenhall, Law
and Covenant in Israel and the Ancient Near East (1955); J. Gray, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, New Century Bible
(1967); J. A. Soggin, Joshua, a Commentary (1972); G. Bush, Notes on Joshua (1976); W. G. Blaikie, The Book
of Joshua (1978); J. Garstang, Joshua-Judges: The Foundations of Biblical History (1978); W. G. Scroggie,
Joshua in the Light of the New Testament (1981); M. Woudstra, The Book of Joshua, New International
Commentary on the Old Testament (1981).
Holman Bible Dictionary
Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, TN
THE PERSON OF JOSHUA
JOSHUA (Jahsh ew uh) Personal name meaning, “Yahweh delivered.” 1. Leader of Israelites who first took
control of Promised Land of Canaan. Joshua is one of the unsung heroes of the Old Testament. He, not Moses, led
the people into the Promised Land. He was a person of such stature that he could succeed the incomparable Moses
and compile a record of notable success (Josh. 24:31). The Hebrew variations of Joshua are Oshea (Num. 13:16);
Hosea (Hos. 1:1). English versions differ in their transliteration of the Hebrew names. Its New Testament equivalent is Jesus.
Joshua was born in Egypt during the period of slavery. He was a member of Ephraim, the important tribe that
later formed the heart of the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He first appeared during the battle with the Amalekites
during the desert travels. He was Moses’ general, who led the troops in the actual fighting while Aaron and Hur held
up Moses’ hands (Ex. 17:8-13).
Joshua was Moses’s servant (Ex. 24:13). He was on the mountain when Moses received the Law (Ex. 32:17).
He was also one of the twelve spies Moses sent to investigate Canaan (Num. 13:8). He and Caleb returned with a
positive, minority report. Of all the adults alive at that time, only the two of them were allowed to live to enter the land
of Canaan (Num. 14:28-30, 38).
The Lord selected Joshua to be Moses’ successor long before Moses’ death (Num. 27:15-23; Deut. 31:14-15, 23;
34:9). Joshua was a military leader, a political leader, and a spiritual leader. He was quiet and unassuming, but he
was not buffaloed by his responsibilities or the task that lay before him. He was a battlefield genius, particularly in
the areas of careful planning, strategy, and execution. He was a capable administrator for the nation, effective in
maintaining harmony among people and groups. He was a spokesman to the people for the Lord. Though he did not
receive the Law as Moses had, he communicated the Lord’s will and the Lord’s message much like Moses.
Joshua was at the helm of the nation during the conquest and the distribution and settlement of Canaan. He led
in the covenant renewal at mount Ebal and Shechem (Josh. 8:30-35; 24:1-28). He was able to challenge his people
by both word and example. His pattern is a hard one to better.
See Joshua, The Book of; Moses.
Dan Gentry Kent
BOOK OF JOSHUA
Nature of the Covenant in the Book of Joshua
The Lord’s covenant with His people was always more
universalistic and inclusive than we usually realize. We see this clearly in the Book of Joshua. Rahab, the Canaanite
prostitute, was accepted, along with her family, as a part of the covenant community (2:9-13; 6:22-23, 25). It may
well be that people related to the Hebrews who lived in the Shechem area voluntarily joined in their fellowship of faith
(8:30-35). The people of Gibeon and its four-city league of cities were accepted, and even became associated with
Temple service (9:3-27). The covenant was not limited by race or nation; it was open to anyone of faith.
Holy War in the Book of Joshua
The Hebrews did not divide life up into sacred and secular spheres as we do.
To them all of life was holy, in the sense that it was lived under the direction of the Lord. They saw the Lord at work
on behalf of His people in every area of life. Thus the soldiers were holy. They were under strict religious regulations.
Religious ceremonies prepared them for battle (5:2-11).
The Lord received the credit for all victories. All of the spoils of battle belonged to Him (6:18-19). None was to
be taken for personal use. This is related to the idea of cherem or ban. It might seem ruthless or even immoral by our
modern Western standards, but it was a part of the world of that day. A certain city, for instance Jericho in chapter
6, was placed under the ban. It was devoted to destruction in the name of the Lord. Everything in it was to either be
destroyed or else placed in the Lord’s service in the tabernacle.
The ban was a common practice in the Semitic world and was also known among the Greeks. Some suggest that
it served to control looting and that it offered an enemy encouragement to surrender without a struggle.
BOOK OF JOSHUA
Moral Problems of the Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is filled with war, conquest, and destruction. Its
teaching is that the Lord allowed his people to conquer the land of Canaan, to take possession of the area He had
promised to the patriarchs.
But why would the Lord allow one nation to attack and defeat another? Several factors need to be taken into
consideration in studying a book that has so little of loving your enemy or turning the other cheek.
One must begin by admitting that Joshua lived centuries before Christ appeared to reveal the Father’s will fully
and completely. God is Holy and Pure and will and hates sin. Before forgiveness was offered through the shed blood of
His son Jesus Christ, God judged sin harshly because of the harm it brings to His creation.
When Christ came and took the sins of the world on himself, God judged him harshly.
We should not expect to find completed Christian truth in a book written so long before Christ came.
The Hebrew people saw paganism as a poison. Pagan religious views were a spiritual infection that was both
highly contagious and deadly. It could be controlled only by strict quarantine and eradication. Holy war became God’s
method in that setting to achieve this purpose. Holy war was not set up as an eternal example (compare Deut. 20:16).
One element in the explanation for the holy wars of Joshua is judgment on sin. The iniquity of the Amorites
(Canaanites) was at last full (Gen. 15:16). The catch to this arrangement is that if the other nations could be judged
for their sins, the Hebrew people could, too, and later were.
See Conquest; Joshua.
THE HISTORICAL SETTING
The Israelite conquest came at a time when Egyptian control of Canaan was weakened.
Historians have not been able to pinpoint the time when the conquest of Canaan occurred. The difficulty lies in the
fact that the date of the Exodus is uncertain. Scholars have proposed quite a number of dates
for this important event.
The most commonly accepted period for the Exodus is around 1280 B.C. Such a date would place the conquest at
about 1240-1190 B.C. Other scholars prefer to date the Exodus around 1445 B.C., which would suggest that the
conquest occurred about 1400-1350 B.C.
While it is not possible to be definitive about the date of the conquest, it is possible to draw some general
conclusions regarding the situation of Canaan in the approximate time frame of the conquest.
Shortly after 1500 B.C.,
Egypt subdued Canaan. Canaanite society operated according to a feudal system
whereby the kings of city states paid
tribute to their Egyptian overlords. The city states were numerous in the heavily-populated Palestinian coastal plain;
the mountainous regions were lightly populated. From about 1400 B.C. onward, Egyptian control of Canaan
weakened, opening the land up for possible invasion by an outside force.
JOSHUA’S STRATEGY
Joshua led a three-campaign invasion of Canaan. At the close of the wilderness wanderings
the Israelites arrived on the plains of Moab in the Transjordan (?beyond the Jordan”). There they subdued two local
kings, Sihon and Og (Num. 21:21-35). Some of the Israelite tribes—Reuben, Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh
chose to settle in this newly conquered territory (Num. 32).
After Moses died, Joshua became the new leader of the Israelites. As God instructed him, Joshua led the people across the Jordan
River into Canaan. The crossing was made possible by a supernatural separation of the water of the Jordan (Josh. 3-4). After
crossing the river the Israelites camped at Gilgal. From there Joshua led the first military campaign against the Canaanites in the
sparsely-populated central highlands, northwest of the Dead Sea. The initial object of the attack was the ancient stronghold of
Jericho. The Israelite force marched around the city once a day for six days. On the seventh day they marched around it seven
times, then blasted trumpets and shouted. In response the walls of Jericho collapsed, allowing the invaders to destroy the city
(Josh. 6). The Israelites then attempted to conquer the nearby city of Ai, where they met with their first defeat. The reason
for the failure was that Achan, one of the Israelite soldiers, had kept some booty from the invasion of Jericho—an
action which violated God’s orders to destroy everything in the city. After Achan was executed, the Israelites were
able to destroy Ai (Josh. 7-8). Not all of the Canaanites tried to resist Israel’s invasion. One group, the Gibeonites, avoided destruction
by deceiving the Israelites into making a covenant of peace with them (Josh. 9). Alarmed by the defection of the
Gibeonites to Israel, a group of southern Canaanite kings, led by Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem, formed a coalition against
the invading force. The kings threatened to attack the Gibeonites, causing Joshua to come to the defense of his new
allies. Because of supernatural intervention, the Israelites were able to defeat the coalition. Joshua then launched a
southern campaign which resulted in the capture of numerous Canaanite cities (Josh. 10).
Joshua’s third and last military campaign was in northern Canaan. In that region King Jabin of Hazor formed a
coalition of neighboring kings to battle with the Israelites. Joshua made a surprise attack upon them at the waters of
Merom, utterly defeating his foe (Josh. 11:1-15).
The invasion of Canaan met with phenomenal success; large portions of the land fell to the Israelites (Josh. 11:1612:24). However, some areas still remained outside their control, such as the heavily-populated land along the coast
and several major Canaanite cities like Jerusalem (Josh. 13:1-5; 15:63; Judg. 1). The Israelites struggled for centuries
to control these areas.
DIGGING DEEPER
Israelite Settlement
The Israelite tribes slowly settled Canaan without completely removing the native population.
Even though some sections of the land remained to be conquered, God instructed Joshua to apportion Canaan to the
tribes which had not yet received territory (Josh. 13:7). Following the land allotments, Israel began to occupy its
territory. Judges 1 describes the settlement as a slow process whereby individual tribes struggled to remove the
Canaanites. In the final analysis the tribes had limited success in driving out the native population (Judg. 1). As a
result, Israel was plagued for centuries by the infiltration of Canaanite elements into its religion (Judg. 2:1-5).
Conquest Reconstructions
Scholars have proposed varying models for understanding the conquest of Canaan.
The previous description of the nature of the conquest and settlement presents a traditional, harmonizing approach
to the interpretation of the biblical material. Some scholars have proposed other interpretive models. One is the
immigration model, which assumes that there was no real conquest of Canaan but that peoples of diverse origins
gradually immigrated into the area after 1300 B.C. They eventually took control of the city states and became the
nation of Israel. The difficulty with this model is that it ignores the general biblical picture of God constituting the
nation of Israel in the desert and leading them to invade the Promised Land.
Other scholars have put forth a revolt model for understanding the nature of the conquest. This approach suggests
that there was no major invasion of Canaan from an outside force but simply the immigration of a small group of
people who inspired a revolt of the Canaanite peasants. The result was the overthrow of the feudal city-state kings
and the emergence of what became the Israelite nation. This interpretation of the conquest diverges from the biblical
record in its claim that the bulk of the population of Israel was made up of former Canaanite peasants. It also reveals
a tendency to read back into Israelite history modern Marxist theory about the struggle between classes. The best
approach to understanding the conquest of Canaan is one which is rooted in the biblical materials.
Bob R. Ellis
JOSHUA EXPOSITION ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
Assignment # 1--Introduction and Joshua 1
Step 1 Read the scripture and materials in your commentaries.
Step 2 Complete the assigned study questions for assignment one.
Step 3. Apply truths learned from this lesson to your life and ministry.
Assignment # 2--Joshua 2
Step 1 Read the scripture and the related commentary materials.
Step 2 Answer the assigned study questions.
Step 3. Apply truths learned from this lesson to your life and ministry.
Assignment # 3--Joshua 3 & 4
Step 1 Read the scriptures and the related commentary materials.
Step 2 Answer the assigned study questions.
Step 3. Apply truths learned from this lesson to your life and ministry.
•
•
•
The book is named after the main character
and traditional author
Joshua’s original name was Hoshea (Num.
13:8; Deut. 32:44) which means “salvation.”
But during the wilderness wanderings Moses
changed his name to Yehoshua, meaning
“Yahweh is salvation” or “Save, Yahweh” (Num.
13:16).
PURPOSE
•
•
•
The time had come for the people of Israel to enter
into the land of promise. All those who left Egypt
some 40 years before had perished in the
wilderness, except for Caleb and Joshua.
A new generation had grown up in the wilderness
journey. Moses had fully instructed them in the
laws and the sacrifices before he died, and Joshua
had assumed the task of leading the people into
the land.
Thus, the book of Joshua deals with the
Conquering, possessing, and dividing/allotment of
the promised land.
THEME
•
•
The book of Joshua is designed to show God’s
faithfulness to His promises, doing for Israel
exactly as He had promised (cf. Gen. 15:18
with Josh. 1:2-6 and 21:43-45).
However, while ownership of the land
depended on God's faithfulness, occupation of
the land depended on Israel‘s faithfulness (cf.
Deut. 30:20).
CHRIST AS SEEN IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA
Though there are no overt Messianic prophecies of Christ,
there are a number of types which point to the Savior. Joshua
is a type of Christ in two very important ways.
• First, his name, Yeshua, a contracted form of Yehoshua,
meaning, “Yahweh is salvation,” is the Greek equivalent of the
name Jesus. Joshua is actually called by the name Jesus
(Iēsous) in Acts 7:45 and Heb 4:8.
• Second, Joshua is seen as a type of Christ in his work of
leading Israel triumphantly into the rest of their promised
possession, the land of Canaan (cf. Josh 11:23 & Heb. 4:8).
This is but a foretaste of the rest we enter by faith in Christ
(Mat 11:28).
•
Further, Joshua was met by the Commander of
the Lord’s army in 5:13-15. This is undoubtedly a
Christophany, a preincarnate appearance of Christ
who was there to teach Joshua that He had come
not to take sides, but to take over as commander.
• Finally, Rahab’s scarlet cord (2:21) portrays
salvation through the blood and death of Christ (cf.
Heb. 9:19-22). This Gentile prostitute heard of the
mighty works of God, believed, hid the spies, was
delivered when Jericho was destroyed, and is found
in the genealogy of Christ (Matt. 1:5).
•
KEY WORD
•
•
INHERIT
"The word 'inherit' ["possession" in the NASB]
used to describe the future possession of the
land has subsequently become a NT term for
the enjoyment of the spiritual blessings of
salvation (e.g., 1 Pet. 1:4).” Martin H. Woudstra, The Book of
Joshua, p. 61
OUTLINE
•
•
•
•
•
Joshua is divided into three primary sections:
Entering, conquering and allocating the promised
land. Following the allocation, Joshua's farewell
address and challenge finish the book, along with
the description of his death.
I. ENTERING THE LAND (CH 1-5)
II. CONQUERING THE LAND (CH 6-12)
III. ALLOCATING THE LAND (CH 13-22)
IV. EPILOGUE (CH 23-24)
ENTERING THE LAND (CHAPTERS 1-5)
•
•
•
“Now after the death of Moses the servant of the
LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto
Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,
Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go
over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the
land which I do give to them, even to the children of
Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall
tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto
Moses.” (1:1-3)
Moses (who exemplified the law of God) could not
lead Israel into the land of promise and rest.
This is surely an anticipation of the New Testament
truth that the law cannot fulfill the promises of God,
but they are all available to us through our heavenly
Commander, Jesus.
•
•
•
“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou
mayest observe to do according to all the law, which
Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it
to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest
prosper whithersoever thou goest.” (1:7)
The task before Joshua was going to be difficult. He
was leading this people into battle. The people
affirmed their willingness to follow Joshua (1:1618). But this was the same fickle people who
grumbled against Moses in the wilderness. How well
will they follow when faced with war?
But God assures Joshua that he has nothing to worry
about, for He would be there wherever he goes, and
that God would fulfill his promise to give the land to
His people.
ASSIGNMENT 1# - STUDY QUESTIONS
Assignment # 1--Introduction & Joshua 1
All work must be typed &
emailed to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
1. What was Joshua's previous name?
2. Who changed his name?
3. What does the name Joshua mean in the Hebrew language?
4. What did God promise Israel in Deuteronomy 6:10 and 11?
5. What are two prominent themes in the book?
6. Give one scripture each where God promised the land of Canaan to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their
succeeding generations. [You should have no less than four different scriptures.]
7. Define "Holy War" as used in Joshua.
8. How many times is Joshua mentioned in the Pentateuch?
9. Whose son was Joshua?
10. Define "minister" as it applies to Joshua.
11. What did God promise Joshua in 1:5? Where is this promise first mentioned in scripture?
12. List the boundaries of the land God promised Israel.
13. On what did Joshua's success depend?
14. Define "mediate" as used in 1:8.
15. List the three tribes which were permitted by Moses to settle east of the Jordan River. Where is this found
in the Bible?
16. Write a paragraph on your application of truths learned in this lesson for your life & ministry.
ASSIGNMENT # 2 - INSTRUCTIONS
Assignment # 2 - Joshua 2
Step 1 Read Joshua 2, study course slides and materials in your commentaries, exc.
Step 2 Complete the assigned study questions below for assignment #2. – make sure your answers are typed and
numbered with your name and lesson number identified. Then email them to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
Step 3. At the end of your typed answers, type one paragraph on your application of truths learned from this lesson
for your life and ministry.
•
•
•
After reminding the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the
half tribe of Manasseh of their promise to assist
their brethren in the conquest of the land, Joshua
sent out his spies to view the situation.
The spies entered into the city of Jericho and were
hidden in the house of Rahab, the harlot, who
informed them that the people had for 40 years
been afraid of the Israelites, having heard of their
miraculous deliverance at the Red Sea and their
conquest of the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og.
The giants which Israel feared at Kadesh-Barnea
had themselves been afraid of the people of Israel
for the whole 40 years' wandering!
•
•
•
“There came men unto me, but I knew not whence
they were: And it came to pass about the time of
shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men
went out: whither the men went I know not: pursue
after them quickly for ye shall overtake them.” (2:45)
Many Bible students struggle to understand why
God seemingly “winks” at the lie told by Rahab to
the king’s men.
However, Rahab's lie is not justified. The Bible
simply reports Rahab's lie; it does not praise it or
excuse it.
• “And she said unto the men, I know that the
LORD hath given you the land,” (2.8)
•
We may be appalled at the fact that Rahab
was a prostitute, or that she was a liar. But
the fact is that she was not saved by her
works, but by her faith (Heb 11:31).
•
•
•
“Thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window
which thou didst let us down by:” (2:18)
This was the signal to the army of Israel that
the people in this home were to be spared.
Despite Rahab's desire, despite her faith,
despite the promises of these spies, she would
have perished unless she put her trust in a
blood red cord cast down from her window.
Without the scarlet cord, she could not have
been saved.
Most scholars see this scarlet cord as a symbol
of the blood of Jesus.
ASSIGNMENT 2# - STUDY QUESTIONS
Assignment # 2--Introduction & Joshua 2
1. Who was Rahab?
All work must be typed &
emailed to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
2. Define "harlot."
3. Which New Testament scripture refers to the incident recorded in this chapter?
4. State one rason why the spies stayed at the house of Rahab.
5. Why did Rahab hide the spies?
6. Where did she hide the spies?
7. What lie did Rahab tell the king's officials?
8. What promise did the spies make to Rahab?
9. How did the spies escape from Jericho?
10. Why was the scarlet line [rope] bound in the window?
11. How long did the spies stay in the mountain after leaving the house of Rahab?
12. What report did the spies give Joshua?
13. Write a paragraph on your application of truths learned in this lesson for your life & ministry.
ASSIGNMENT # 3 - INSTRUCTIONS
Assignment # 3 - Joshua 3 & 4
Step 1 Read Joshua 3 & 4, study course slides and materials in your commentaries, exc.
Step 2 Complete the assigned study questions below for assignment #3. – make sure your answers are typed and
numbered with your name and lesson number identified. Then email them to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
Step 3. At the end of your typed answers, type one paragraph on your application of truths learned from this lesson
for your life and ministry.
•
•
“they commanded the people, saying, When ye
see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your
God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then
ye shall remove from your place, and go after
it.” (3:3)
Joshua divided the waters of the Jordan with
the ark that had become the divinely
appointed symbol of God's presence since God
gave the Mosaic Covenant (3:8-10).
•
•
“Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about
two thousand cubits by measure: come not near
unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must
go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore” (3:4)
God required that the children of Israel keep some
1,000 yards behind the ark. This was for two
reasons. First, to respect the holy nature of the ark
of the covenant. But also, it was to make sure that
everyone a clear view of the ark.
•
•
•
The Israelites crossed the Jordan when the river
was at its widest, deepest, and swiftest, in late April
or early May. (3:15)
The waters which came down from upstream stood
still: In some miraculous manner, God stopped the
flow of the Jordan River.
This miracle obviously connects with the miracle
the nation knew some 40 years earlier: the passing
through the Red Sea. God brought them out of
Egypt's bondage with a miracle, and He brought
them in to the Promised Land with a miracle.
•
•
•
In Christian experience, the crossing of the Jordan does
not correspond to the believer's death and entrance
into heaven, which some popular Christian songs
suggest.
Rather it parallels the believer's entrance into the
enjoyment of his or her eternal life now through
dedication to Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:13; 12:1-2) and
through walking by means of the Spirit (Gal. 5:16).
“It signifies his willingness to 'cross the Jordan’ and
engage the enemy. In other words, it is a decision by a
regenerate saint to submit to the lordship of Christ and
trust God for victory in the spiritual battle.” Joseph C. Dillow,
The Reign of the Servant Kings
•
•
•
The wilderness wanderings resemble the experience of
the redeemed believer who has not yet fully committed
himself or herself to God and is walking in the flesh.
When the Israelites crossed the Jordan they
encountered enemies and had to contend with their
spiritual adversaries just as a believer does when he
dedicates himself to God and walks by the Spirit.
The Christian's rest is not the absence of hostility. It is
the beginning of the enjoyment of some blessings God
has promised us (i.e., eternal life, the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit, victory over our spiritual enemies, etc.).
•
•
•
The priests stood with the ark of the covenant for
the entire time it took the nation to cross over. The
visible token of the presence of God had to remain
in the river through the entire crossing.
After the nation crosses over, God commands
Joshua to set up a memorial of the crossing.
This memorial consists of 12 stones taken from the
middle of the Jordan where the priests had stood
with the Ark of the Covenant
•
•
The purposes of the memorial stones were the
same as the purpose of the miracle at the Red
Sea. They manifested the power of Yahweh to
all people (4:23-24; cf. Exod. 14:4, 18), and
they caused God's people to fear Him (4:24; cf.
Exod. 14:31).
"Fear the Lord" is the most common
expression calling for faith in God in the Old
Testament
•
•
•
“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.” (4:19)
The detail that the crossing took place on the tenth
day of the first month is significant because it was
exactly 40 years earlier to the day that God
instructed Israel to prepare to depart from Egypt by
setting apart the paschal lambs (Exod. 12:3).
Gilgal will become their base of operations for the
conquest of the entire Promised Land.
•
•
Apparently, all during the forty years of waiting
in the wilderness, none of the sons born during
that time had been circumcised. Now God
commanded that this be done. (5:2-5)
God guaranteed Joshua's success only as he
kept the Mosaic Law (1:7). It was necessary
therefore that all the males who had been born
in the wilderness and had not undergone
circumcision should do so. Circumcision
included the individual male in the blessings of
the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 17). It was a
prerequisite for partaking in the Passover that
God required of all Israelites yearly (Exod. 12).
•
•
•
Significantly, due to the act of circumcision, all the
men of fighting age were made completely
vulnerable and unable to fight for a period of several
days, till they were healed. (5:8… also ref Gen 34:2425)
So, not only did Israel cross over the Jordan at a
militarily undesirable place (right in front of Jericho
[3:16], the strongest military outpost of the
Canaanites), they also incapacitated their army for
several days. Obviously, this was suicidal from a
military standpoint.
They were put in the place where they could trust in
nothing but God alone, rather than in their own
wisdom.
ASSIGNMENT 3# - STUDY QUESTIONS
Assignment # 3 - Joshua 3 & 4
1. Where was Shittim?
All work must be typed &
emailed to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
2. What distance were the people to keep between them and the ark?
3. How many nations was God going to drive out of the land?
4. What miracle took place when the feet of the preist rested in the water?
5. How many miles north of Jericho was the city Adam?
6. What was erected in the Jordan River after the crossing of Israel and why?
7. How many memorials were erected? Where and why?
8. What did God do for Joshua as recorded in 4:14?
9. At what area did the children of Israel cross the Jordan River?
13. Write a paragraph on your application of truths learned in this lesson for your life & ministry.
ASSIGNMENT # 4 - INSTRUCTIONS
Assignment # 4 - Joshua 5 & 6
Step 1 Read Joshua 5 & 6, study course slides and materials in your commentaries, exc.
Step 2 Complete the assigned study questions below for assignment #4. – make sure your answers are typed and
numbered with your name and lesson number identified. Then email them to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
Step 3. At the end of your typed answers, type one paragraph on your application of truths learned from this lesson
for your life and ministry.
Next, the children of Israel celebrate their first
Passover in the Promise Land.
 Following Passover, they eat of the produce of
the land for the first time.
 The next day, the supply of manna ceases.

•
•
“And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho,
that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold,
there stood a man over against him with his sword
drawn in his hand.” (5:13)
As Joshua was reconnoitering near Jericho and
planning his strategy, he met the Man who
identified Himself as the Captain (Prince) of the
Lord's host (angelic army; cf. 1 Kings 22:19; 2
Kings 6:8-17; Ps. 148:2; Matt. 26:53; Heb. 1:14).
•
•
The command to remove his sandals (v. 15)
probably convinced Joshua that this was the same
God who appeared to Moses at the burning bush
(Exod. 3:5).
We know that this Being, standing before Joshua,
was God. Though the title Commander of the army
of the LORD could perhaps apply to an angel (such
as Michael, based on a passage like Revelation
12:7), Joshua's falling down and worshipping is
inconsistent with angels, who never receive worship
(Revelation 22:8).
•
•
•
“And Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us,
or for our adversaries?” (5:13)
The Lord had told Joshua that He would be with him, and that
He would drive out the people. But as He is about to enter His
first battle, this encounter teaches Him that the battle truly
belongs to the Lord. The Lord was not on His side, but rather,
He needed to be on the Lord's side.
Abraham Lincoln, in the midst of the American Civil War, said,
"Let us pray not that God is on our side but that we are on
God's side.” Israel would soon discover the truth of this, for
whenever Israel battled on God's side, they found success. But
whenever they did not follow God's lead, they failed.
CONQUERING THE LAND (CH 6-12)
•
•
“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of
the children of Israel: none went out, and none
came in.” (6:1)
Jericho itself was on full alert; from a human
perspective, this would be a hard, if not
impossible, battle. Yet from God's perspective,
the battle was already over.
•
•
•
“And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round
about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven
priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams'
horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven
times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall
come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram‘s
horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the
people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city
shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man
straight before him.” (6:3-5)
In chapter 6, God instructs Joshua on how to take the city.
Unlike Moses, who at the burning bush argued at length with
the Lord about His plan (Exod. 3:11—4:17), Joshua obeyed
without question
•
•
•
On the seventh day, exactly as predicted, the
mighty walls tumbled down at the shout of faith.
Rahab and her family were spared according to the
prearranged provision, but the city was sacked and
the rest of the inhabitants were put to the sword
with not a single casualty!
A curse, involving the death of the firstborn and
youngest son of any who would rebuild the city, was
pronounced by Joshua. The fulfillment of this curse
some two hundred years later is recorded in I Kings
16:34.
•
•
Symbolically, the Canaanites represented sin.
Israel was at war with the Canaanites, but behind
these human soldiers God was waging war against
sin. Earlier in Israel's history God was compared to
a warrior (Ex. 14:14; 15:3; Deut. 1:30, 3:22; 20:4).
But now Israel experienced His leadership in war as
never before. God is constantly at war with sin
because it is an affront to His holiness and because
it destroys people whom He loves and desires to
bless (cf. Rom. 6:23).
ASSIGNMENT #4 - STUDY QUESTIONS
Assignment # 4 - Joshua 5 & 6
1. Why didn't the Canaanite kings fight Israel when they crossed the Jordan River?
All work must be typed &
emailed to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
2. From what were the knives made which were used to circumcise the males?
3. Why did a second circumcise have to take place?
4. What was rolled away at Gilgal?
5. What feast was kept four days after crossing the Jordan River?
6. When did the Israelites stop receiving manna?
7. Who did Joshua meet in 5:13-15?
8. What does the ark symbolize in the march around Jericho?
9. What does the phrase "the city shall be accursed" [herem] mean in 6:17-19, 21?
10. What happened when the priest blew the trumpet and the people shouted on the seventh day? Describe
the walls of the city [height, width, etc.].
11. Who was brought out of the house of Rahab?
12. Give one scripture which records the fulfillment of Joshua's curse given in 6:26.
13. Write a paragraph on your application of truths learned in this lesson for your life & ministry.
ASSIGNMENT # 5 - INSTRUCTIONS
Assignment # 5 - Joshua 7 & 8
Step 1 Read Joshua 7 & 8, study course slides and materials in your commentaries, exc.
Step 2 Complete the assigned study questions below for assignment #5. – make sure your answers are typed and
numbered with your name and lesson number identified. Then email them to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
Step 3. At the end of your typed answers, type one paragraph on your application of truths learned from this lesson
for your life and ministry.
•
•
•
•
•
“But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the
accursed thing: (7:1 …also ref Deut 18:9-14)
Chapter 6 is a record of supernatural victory, but chapter 7
describes a great carnal defeat.
In chapter 7, Israel sets out to take their next city, Ai. The
Lord's help “would not be needed” (they did not take the
Ark of the Covenant) with this battle, for Ai was a small
city, and there would be no need to take the entire Israelite
army. Only an army of about 3,000 would be needed to
take this city. But Israel is soundly defeated.
Interestingly, Joshua is utterly dismayed, for 36 Israelites
had died in this engagement. This was little over a 1%
casualty rate, which is amazingly low. But Joshua is
devastated. But, as some scholars point out, no where else
in the book of Joshua do we see any other battle casualties
at all! (this silence about casualties could imply no
significant losses rather that absolutely none killed)
The fact that the people's hearts melted (7:5; cf. 2:11)
expresses that Israel was trusting in her own strength
rather than in the Lord.
•
•
After seeking God’s guidance, Joshua went
through the entire nation until he discovered
the villian, Achan, apparently by the casting of
lots.
Israel resorted to the casting of lots when no
eyewitness could testify against a criminal (cf.
1 Sam. 14:41-42; Jonah 1:7; Prov. 18:18) or
the high priest could have used the Urim and
Thummim (cf. Num. 27:21).
•
•
•
Achan had not just taken some things that did not
belong to him. This would have been bad in itself.
He stole what was God's, and he robbed the whole
nation of its purity before God.
The Lord's blazing anger against Israel fell on
Achan and literally consumed him (7:25; cf. Heb.
12:29).
The burning of a criminal after his stoning was one
way of emphasizing the wickedness of his crime
(7:25…also ref Lev. 20:14; Deut. 13:15-16). It was
an “accursed thing" (7:15) to steal something under
the ban from God.
•
•
•
Even though Achan was the individual who sinned, and even
though his sin was private, God regarded what he did as the
action of the whole nation. This was so because he was a
member of the community of Israel.
Israel's defeat at Ai graphically illustrates the far-reaching
influence of sin. The private sin of one or a few individuals can
affect the welfare of many other people who do not personally
commit that sin.
Paul speaks in similar terms concerning sin in the church;
regarding sin among the Corinthian church, he says Do you not
know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (1
Corinthians 5:6) A small amount of sin accepted and tolerated
among believers can infect the whole group.
•
•
•
When the people had dealt with the sin of Achan as
God had commanded, Israel was ready to engage
the enemy again.
In chapter 8, the Lord promises that He would
deliver Ai into their hand. This time Joshua chooses
ten times the number of men. Further, God directs
the strategy and tells him to set up an ambush.
(8:4-5)
Thus, Ai is totally defeated and burnt to the ground
(8:28) .
ASSIGNMENT #5 - STUDY QUESTIONS
Assignment # 5 - Joshua 7 & 8
1. How did the children of Israel commit a trespass in the accursed thing?
All work must be typed &
emailed to Pastor Ed at:
cbcpastored@yahoo.com
2. Where was Ai located?
3. How many soldiers from Israel went to capture Ai? How many men from Ai smote the Israelites?
4. What had Achan taken from the spoils?
5. Who was punished with Achan?
6. What is the meaning of Achor?
7. What was different between the destruction of Ai and Jericho?
8. What is the meaning of Ai?
9. What did the Lord tell Joshua to stretch toward Ai?
10. What did Joshua do after building an altar and offering sacrifices to God?
13. Write a paragraph on your application of truths learned in this lesson for your life & ministry.