Joshua 1:1-9:29
AUTHOR & DATE:
The author is unknown. It was possibly Joshua and an unknown writer who finished the book after Joshua's death. Date of the book corresponds with the events in the book around 1400 BC.
PURPOSE:
It is the official record of the fulfillment of God's promise to the Patriarchs to give them a land of their own.
Joshua 1: "The Lord said to Joshua"
Ø Moses is called "servant of the Lord" three times in Joshua. At the end of his life Joshua will also be given that label. What a testimony to these two men!
Ø Did the promise God made to Joshua have any conditions? (Vs. 6-9)
Ø Why did the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh take possession of land outside of the land promised by God? Were there any ramifications to this?
Ø Notice the response of the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh to Joshua in verses 16-18. Thoughts?
Joshua 2: Spies Check out the Land
Ø Why was Joshua especially interested in Jericho?
Ø Why did the spies go to the house of Rahab?
Ø Rahab lied to protect the spies. Is it ever acceptable to lie?
Ø What caused the "great fear" in Jericho (vs. 8-13)?
Ø What is the significance of the "scarlet cord" in verses 17-18?
Ø Do we ever hear of Rahab again?
Joshua 3&4: Entering the Land
Ø What is the significance of the people being lead by the Ark?
Ø Was the Jordan River a barrier? What did God do again? Application?
Ø Where did God position Himself while the Israelites crossed the Jordan? Significance for us?
Ø Why did God instruct Joshua to erect a monument of 12 stones? For what purpose is a memorial to God? Do we, as the church, today have any such "memorials"?
Ø What happened as a result of God drying up the Jordan (see vs. 4:24)?
Joshua 5: Re-instituting Circumcision
Ø Why did Joshua have to circumcise the Jews?
Ø After the Israelites were safely in the Promised Land the manna from Heaven stopped. Why?
Ø If a blessing from God stops does that mean He abandoned us? What else could it mean?
Ø In verse 5:13, to whom did Joshua ask: "Are you for us or against us?"
Ø How was Joshua's question answered? Application?
Ø What was Joshua's response to being in the presence of the Lord? Application?
Joshua 6: Fall of Jericho
Ø At what point in the Jericho narrative did God give the city to the Israelites? Application?
Ø Why did God require Israel to march around the city seven times?
Ø Do you see any application to the church today that can be gleaned from the Jericho account?
Ø In vs. 18 the Jews are instructed to keep away from "devoted things". To what does this refer?
Ø Why was "every living thing" in Jericho destroyed? Application?
Ø What happened to Rahab.
Joshua 7& 8: Secret Sin
Ø Why did God get angry with Israel?
Ø How was His anger demonstrated?
Ø Is there such a thing as a "private sin"? Does our sin affect others around us?
Ø Is it possible to stand against the enemy without God on our side?
Ø In verses 14-21 the nation is examined to find who sinned. Is it possible to hide from God?
Ø Are there consequences to our sin?
Ø What is God's reaction when one confesses and deals with sin?
Joshua 9: Worldly Deception
Ø What can we learn from the deception of the Gibeonites?
Ø What did Joshua and the Israelites forget to do before believing the Gibeonites? Application?
Ø See Proverbs 3:5-7.
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