Week 14 — Jan 5-11: (Josh 1-23)
At Gilgal the men are circumcised and Passover is kept. For six days the army circles Jericho once each dawn behind the ark, trumpets blaring yet voices silent. On the seventh day they march seven times, shout, and the walls crash; only Rahab’s family survives.
Achan steals devoted goods, so Israel loses at Ai until his sin is judged; an ambush then captures the town. The Gibeonites trick Joshua into a treaty and soon need help when five Amorite kings attack. Israel marches all night, hailstones smash the enemy, and Joshua cries out to the Lord, and God causes the sun and moon to stand still so Israel can finish the battle. Northern kings gather at Merom but are routed, and the land rests.
Joshua divides territory by lot: Caleb claims Hebron, tribes settle borders, Levites receive towns, and cities of refuge guard justice. Eastern tribes build a large altar; misunderstanding almost sparks civil war before peace prevails.
Near death Joshua warns that idols steal life, the people renew the covenant at Shechem, and Joseph’s bones are buried, proof every divine promise came true.
Key Verses:
● Joshua 1:9 – “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” – A call to trust in God’s presence and strength.
● Joshua 6:20 – “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” – Demonstrates God’s power when
Israel obeys Him.
● Joshua 24:15 – “but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua’s declaration of commitment to God.
● Joshua 10:13 – “And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies.” – A miraculous sign of God’s intervention in battle.
● Joshua 21:45 – “There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.” – A testimony of God’s faithfulness.
1 | the Promised Land (Joshua 1–5)
God commands Joshua to be strong as he leads Israel. They cross the Jordan on dry ground, like the Red Sea. To remember God’s power, they set up memorial stones, circumcise the new generation, and celebrate Passover before the conquest. Rahab shelters the spies and is spared, foreshadowing Gentile inclusion. Joshua encounters the Commander of the LORD’s army outside Jericho, affirming that the battle is the Lord’s.
2 | Achan’s Sin (Joshua 6–8)
God grants Israel victory over Jericho as its walls collapse by His power. However, Achan’s hidden sin brings defeat at Ai. After purging the sin, Joshua follows God’s strategy and conquers Ai, revealing that obedience maintains communion with God and invites His presence. Joshua then leads Israel in a covenant ceremony on Mounts Ebal and Gerizim, publicly reading the Law and renewing their commitment.
3 | Gibeonite Deception (Joshua 9–10)
The Gibeonites deceive Israel into a treaty, avoiding destruction. When five Amorite kings attack Gibeon, Joshua leads Israel into battle, and God grants miraculous victory to fulfill His covenant, as even creation obeys His will in service of His people. At Joshua’s prayer, the sun stands still over Gibeon, extending daylight for complete triumph. The southern Canaanite kings fall, securing the land.
4 | Land Division (Joshua 11–19)
Joshua defeats the northern kings, completing Israel’s conquest of the land. The territory is divided among the tribes, with Caleb receiving Hebron for his faithfulness. The Levites are given cities to dwell in but no land inheritance, as their portion is the Lord.
5 | The Eastern Tribes (Joshua 20–22)
Cities of refuge are established for justice and protection. The eastern tribes build an altar, causing a near civil war, but conflict is resolved when they explain it as a witness to their unity with Israel.
6 | Joshua’s Farewell (Joshua 23–24)
Joshua warns Israel to stay faithful, recounting God’s blessings and fulfilled promises. He renews the covenant, urging them to choose whom they will serve. Joshua dies, and Israel commits to obeying the Lord, and calls them to continual repentance, trusting God’s steadfast mercy to restore them whenever they return to Him.
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