Learning God

Joshua

Taking the Promised Land

Summary  |  About  |  Why You Should Read it  |  Author  |  When Written |  Context  |  Timeline  |  Location  |  Outline  |  Observations  |  Resources


Summary

It narrates the Israelites’ entry into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, Moses’ successor, and their conquest and settlement of Canaan. It reflects the story of overcoming the worldly enemy by trusting in God to deliver the people to victory in all of their battles. Joshua focuses on these key topics:

  • Joshua’s leadership
  • The conquest of Canaan
  • God’s faithfulness
  • Divine commands for conquest
  • Division of the land
  • Covenant renewal
  • Obedience and faith

The Book of Joshua is a testament to God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, the importance of obedience to God’s commands, and the establishment of Israel in the Promised Land, setting the stage for the nation’s future.

The following table provides a summary of the structure and contents of the book of Joshua.


About

Joshua is the 6th book of the Bible and the first of the Historical books. It covers the timeframe between Moses and the Toreah and the time of the Judges.


Why You Should Read It

Joshua holds significant importance, offering spiritual insights, lessons on faith, and understanding of God’s character and promises. Here are several key reasons why you should read Joshua:

  1. God’s Faithfulness to His Promises: The central theme of Joshua is God fulfilling His promise to give the land of Canaan to the Israelites, a direct continuation of the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For Christians, this reinforces the reliability of God’s promises, both in the past and in their own lives.
  2. Lessons in Leadership: Joshua’s life exemplifies godly leadership—courage, faith, and reliance on God. His example encourages Christians to trust in God’s guidance and lead with integrity, particularly in facing challenges.
  3. Trusting in God’s Power: The miraculous victories in Joshua, such as the fall of Jericho, show that success comes not through human strength but through trusting in God. This teaches Christians to rely on God’s power in overcoming life’s obstacles and spiritual battles.
  4. Importance of Obedience: Throughout Joshua, the Israelites are reminded that obedience to God’s commands is essential for blessing and success. Christians can learn from both the obedience and disobedience in the book, recognizing that following God’s will leads to spiritual fulfillment.
  5. Inheritance as God’s People: Just as the Israelites received their inheritance in the Promised Land, Christians see a parallel in their spiritual inheritance through Christ. The Book of Joshua serves as a reminder of the eternal inheritance promised to believers and the faith required to claim it.
  6. Spiritual Warfare: The battles in Joshua symbolize the spiritual warfare that Christians face, as echoed in the New Testament. Joshua teaches believers the necessity of standing firm in faith, resisting sin, and relying on God’s help to live victoriously.
  7. Covenant Faithfulness: Joshua emphasizes the importance of covenant faithfulness to God, a theme echoed throughout Scripture. For Christians, it underscores the importance of living faithfully in their relationship with God through Christ, staying away from spiritual compromise and idolatry.

By reading Joshua, Christians are reminded of God’s faithfulness, are encouraged in their own journeys of faith, and gain insights into living a life of obedience, courage, and reliance on God.


Author

Joshua documented the time relating to and shortly after the 7-year campaign to conquer Canaan, the “Promised Land”.  The death of Joshua was also documented and appended at a later date to complete the story.


When Written

Joshua was most likely written in the later years of Joshua’s life and after the conquest was completed in the years 1399 and 1375 B.C. The story of Joshua’s death was likely appended just prior to or shortly after the exilic period in the 500s to 400s B.C.


Context

The Book of Joshua was likely written in the context of Israel’s early settlement in the Promised Land (Canaan).  The book recounts Israel’s military campaigns to conquer Canaan and their subsequent settlement in the land, which was promised to Abraham and his descendants. Historically, this would have occurred sometime between 1400–1200 BCE, depending on the exact dating of the Exodus and the entry into Canaan.

Joshua oversees the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel, fulfilling God’s promise to give them a homeland. The book reflects the challenges of conquering Canaanite cities and securing Israel’s place among hostile neighboring peoples.

As the Israelites began to settle, Joshua emphasized the renewal of the covenant with God, reminding the people of their need for faithfulness to God’s laws amidst the temptation of surrounding pagan cultures and religions.


Timeline

The timeline below shows from the time of Moses to the Temple.  Joshua’s conquest takes place from 1406 to 1399 B.C.


Location

The Book of Joshua focuses entirely on the land of Canaan, which when conquered, became known as Israel.


Outline

I.      The Entrance into the Land (1:1;5:12)

A.       The Exhortations to Conquer (ch. 1)

B.      The Reconnaissance of Jericho (ch. 2)

C.      The Crossing of the Jordan (chs. 3-4)

D.      The Consecration at Gilgal (5:1- 12)

II.      The Conquest of the Land (5:13;12:24)

A.       The Initial Battles (5:13;8:35)

1.     The victory at Jericho (5:13;6:27)

2.     The failure at Ai because of Achan’s sin (ch. 7)

3.     The victory at Ai (8:1-29)

4.     The covenant renewed at Shechem (8:30-35)

B.      The Campaign in the South (chs. 9-10)

1.     The treaty with the Gibeonites (ch. 9)

2.     The long day of Joshua (10:1-15)

3.     The southern cities conquered (10:16-43)

C.      The Campaign in the North (ch. 11)

D.      The Defeated Kings of Canaan (ch. 12)

III.      The Distribution of the Land (chs. 13- 21)

A.       The Areas Yet to Be Conquered (13:1-7)

B.      The Land Assigned by Moses to the Tribes in Transjordan (13:8- 33)

C.      The Division of the Land of Canaan (chs. 14-19)

1.     Introduction (14:1-5)

2.     The town given to Caleb (14:6-15)

3.     The lands given to Judah and “Joseph” at Gilgal (chs. 15-17)

4.     The allotments for Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulun, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali and Dan at Shiloh (18:1;19:48)

5.     The town given to Joshua (19:49-51)

D.      The Cities Assigned to the Levites (chs. 20-21)

1.     The 6 cities of refuge (ch. 20)

2.     The 48 cities of the priests (ch. 21)

IV.      Epilogue: Tribal Unity and Loyalty to the Lord (chs. 22-24)

A.       The Altar of Witness by the Jordan (ch. 22)

B.      Joshua’s Farewell Exhortation (ch. 23)

C.      The Renewal of the Covenant at Shechem (24:1-28)

D.   The Death and Burial of Joshua and Eleazar (24:29-33)


Observations

  • Joshua was born a slave in Egypt but became a conqueror in Canaan.
  • Joshua:
    • Became Israel’s leader at age 85, after the 7-year conquest.
    • Led Israel for 25 years,
    • Died at age 110.
  • Joshua had been one of the 12 spies Moses sent out from Kadesh Barnea. Joshua was 38 years old at the time.
    • He and Caleb brought back a favorable report.
    • He and Caleb were permitted to live in Canaan.
  • Joshua exhibits three great qualities:
    • His obedient faith in God.
    • His great courage.
    • His dedication to God and His Word.
  • The entire Book of Joshua has to do with the entering, conquering, and occupying the Land of Canaan.
    • It begins with a statement of the promise of the conquest. 1:2-3
    • It ends with the completion of the conquest. 23:14
  • The conquest was accomplished with three military campaigns wherein Israel engaged more than 30 armies over a 7-year period.
    • 1st Military Campaign: Central Canaan.  Joshua 6-8
    • 2nd Military Campaign: Southern Canaan.  Joshua 9-10
    • 3rd Military Campaign: Northern Campaign.  Joshua 11-12
  • Joshua used the “divide and conquer” method of dividing the Southern part of Canaan from the Northern part.
  • Joshua’s great challenge: Joshua 24:15 – “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
  • Thus, Joshua begins where Deuteronomy leaves off, and takes Israel from the Wilderness to the Promised Land.
  • In the Book of Joshua, the fulfillment of the land promise made to Abraham in Genesis 12:6 was fulfilled. “Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.”

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