All dressed up and nowhere to go

I was scheduled to teach the book of Joshua beginning sometime in May or June, but circumstances have changed and it appears that I will not be teaching after all. Here I am, all dressed up and nowhere to go! I thought I would take advantage of my preparation and share a couple of keys to understanding the book.

First, the importance of the book in the Bible and biblical history. 

This is actually very simple: the book of Joshua explains how the people of Israel came to live where they live. More importantly, it explains why they live where they live.

History is full of stories of nations and tribes and peoples moving from one area to another and, if necessary, subjugating or annihilating those who lived there. This is the story of humanity. Is this how Israel came to live in Canaan – they needed more space and simply moved into someone else’s territory? Not exactly. Well, not even close!

Way back in Genesis 12 we read, Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make of thee a great nation . . . 

Genesis 12 is a signal event in the Bible, this is when salvation history kicks into gear. God calls Abram and promises him a land and to make of him a nation. The Old Testament is the history of this nation, Israel. Several times God repeated the promise of a land for this nation. Abraham lived in this land; Isaac and his family lived here; Jacob and his family lived here, all as pilgrims. Before long the size of this “nation” was 70 souls (Exodus 1:5  And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls). At this point, they relocate to Egypt to escape a severe famine in the land. Life must’ve been good there because they remained in Egypt for some time. And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them. They were well on their way to being a nation, but they were still homeless.

And then that famous and poignant statement, Now there arose up a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph. And, as a result, the children of Israel were reduced to slavery. The Book of Exodus tells us how God rescued them from Egypt and Joshua tells us how God brought them into the land of Canaan. All this to fulfill His promise to Abraham. This is precisely why it is called the promised land.

And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass. Joshua 21:43-45

The land is a vital part of the existence of Israel. The normal life of Israel is in the land. It is the mark of God’s blessing on them: sin kept them out of it, sin got them removed from it, and when they were restored to God they were returned to the land. The book of Joshua explains how the people of Israel entered and occupied this land. More importantly, it explains this is the promised land.

Joshua is a most important book in the Bible and the history of the children of Israel.

Adam Clarke, in the introduction to his commentary on Joshua, expands on this:

“The Book of Joshua is one of the most important writings in the old covenant, and should never be separated from the Pentateuch, of which it is at once both the continuation and completion. Between this Book and the five Books of Moses, there is the same analogy as between the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The Pentateuch contains a history of the Acts of the great Jewish legislator, and the Laws on which the Jewish Church should be established. The Book of Joshua gives an account of the establishment of that Church in the Land of Canaan, according to the oft-repeated promises and declarations of God. The Gospels give an account of the transactions of Jesus Christ, the great Christian legislator, and of those Laws on which his Church should be established, and by which it should be governed. The Acts of the Apostles gives an account of the actual establishment of that Church, according to the predictions and promises of its great founder. Thus, then, the Pentateuch bears as pointed a relation to the Gospels as the Book of Joshua does to the Acts of the Apostles.”

The Book of Joshua is one of the most important writings in the old covenant.

Amen.