85 years old …

In the book of Joshua , there’s plenty of geography - lots of place names. There is also the spiritual emphasis on the direct connection between obedience and blessing. We see this in the life of Caleb (Joshua 14:6-9,13-14). There’s something remarkable about Caleb - “I am 85 years old” and “still as fit to …

God has given us so much … How much are we giving ourselves to Him?

Joshua 18:1-19:51 'How long will you be slack to go in and take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you?' (18:3). God has given us so much: 'His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness'. How much are we giving ourselves to …

How long will we be in this wilderness? …

Sometimes, we feel like we're in a wilderness - and we can't get out of it! The first half of the book of Exodus tells of the deliverance of the people of Israel from their time of bondage in the land of Egypt. Things were looking up! Surely, there were better days ahead for them. …

God has done, is doing and will do great things for us.

Joshua 23:1-6 God has done, is doing and will do great things for us (3-5, 8-10). He calls us to 'obey' Him, to 'hold fast' to Him, to 'love' Him (6,8,11). The pattern of Joshua's teaching - 'This is what the Lord has done' (3-5) 'Therefore' 'This is what you must do' (6-8) - is …

Let us serve the Lord all the days of our life.

Joshua 24:1-33 Close to the end of his life, Joshua commits himself and his family to the Lord (15,29). Moved by his example, the people commit themselves to the Lord (16-18,21, 24). For Israel, this was a momentous decision - a definite, public commitment to the Lord (24-27). Note the pattern of Joshua's preaching. What …

Let’s stand on the Word of the Lord – His promise of victory.

“Don’t be afraid of them because I am going to give them to Israel” (Joshua 11:6). This is the Word of the Lord that lies at the heart of Joshua’s account of Israel’s victories. The victory comes from the Lord. He gives His people the victory. This is still God’s Word to us. As we …

In the presence of the Lord

The division of the land among the tribes (Joshua 15-19) seems to be so mundane, yet it’s part of the Word of God. This reminds us that even the mundane aspects of our life are lived out “in the presence of the Lord” (Joshua 18:10; 19:51).

When we feel like giving up … (Joshua 22:1-34).

Joshua had heard God's Word (1:8). Now, he speaks God's Word to the people (5). To those who 'have obeyed' Him, God says, 'Keep on obeying Me'. This is the way of blessing (1-6). Together with God's promise of blessing, we need His warning against rebellion: 'Do not rebel against the Lord' (19). Why does …

The crossing of the River Jordan

The crossing of the River Jordan was a significant event. It was an event to be remembered. It wasn’t just a geographical event. It was more than a movement from one place to another. It was a spiritual event, a work of God. The meaning of this event would bring blessing to God’s people down …

How can we be strong and courageous? …

"Be strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:6). What are we to do when we don't feel strong, when we don't feel courageous? Are we to search, within ourselves, to see if we can, somehow, find, within ourselves, strength and courage? This is the time for another word from the Lord - "Be still and know that …

God’s Word is preached publicly. It must also be applied personally – by you!

Joshua 11:16-12:24 What is the spiritual value of this list of victories? Don’t be sidetracked by the military aspect. This is not about Israel blowing its own trumpet. It is about giving glory to God. In Genesis 12:1-3, we have God’s promise to bring blessing to all nations. Before Christ came as ‘the Saviour of …

Memory, Experience, Expectation …

Memory brings back the past to us. We remember the things that have already happened. Some of our memories are good memories. Some of our memories are bad memories. Expectation is our way of looking forward to what may happen in the future. We have hopes - and we have. We hope that our future …

A new beginning …

Joshua 1:1-18 For Israel, it was a new beginning. They were leaving the wilderness. That was their past. They were entering the promised land. This was God's future. For God's future there is God's command - 'Be strong' - and God's promise - 'the Lord your God is with you'. We wonder what the future …

When a great servant of the Lord reaches the end of their earthly journey …

"I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses" (Joshua 1:3).  When a great servant of the Lord reaches the end of their earthly journey, the Lord's people need to receive encouragement from the Lord. They need to be reminded of this: the Lord's servant may be gone, but the …

Learning From The Book Of Joshua

This is the story of what God was doing with His people. He was giving them the land He had promised to them. Joshua was to be the leader of God's people. Joshua’s strength came from the Lord: “Be strong and courageous! ...The Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). The …

A New Beginning (some thoughts from the Scriptures)

Genesis 1:1-3 'Genesis' means 'beginning'. Its opening verses challenge us to get our priorities right. (a) the priority of God(1)  God comes first. Before anyone else is mentioned, He is there. (b) the priority of God's Word (3) God is the first to speak. Before any human word is spoken, there is the Word of …

Glory To God – Not Man!

In all the social details of the division of the land, we must not lose sight of its spiritual basis (Joshua 21:43-45). The important thing is that God, and not man, receives the glory: "Do not rebel against the Lord or against us by building an altar for yourselves, other than the altar of the …

A Word Of Encouragement – From The Lord

Joshua 1:1-9 The Word of God is spoken to Joshua for his encouragement. Before we can speak the Word of God to others, the Word of God must be spoken to us. "Do not turn from it to the right or to the left" (Joshua 1:5). We are pulled this way and that way. We …

Jesus Christ – the sinless Son of God

Joshua 15:1-16:10; John 1:1-28; Psalm 53:1-6 Each tribe had its limited allotment of land. Jesus Christ, “the Word” who “was God”, “became flesh” (John 1:1,14). He accepted the limitations of being human. He was human, yet without sin. “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Psalm 53:1,3).  This is true of every human …

God has done great things for us.

Joshua 19:1-21:19; John 2:1-25; Psalm 54:1-7 What God did for His people, Israel, was very great. There is a striking contrast between their slavery in Egypt and their abundance in the promised land. God had multiplied His blessing upon them, just as Jesus did when He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). If the blessing is to be …

Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you.

Joshua 23:1-24:33; John 3:22-36; Psalm 55:12-23 The concluding message, preached by Joshua, is a call for the people to exalt the Lord. They make a definite and public commitment to the Lord. The Christ-centredness of real commitment to the Lord is summed up in the words of John the Baptist: “He must become greater; I must become less” …

We have our anxieties, we have our fears …

Joshua “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). We have our anxieties, we have our fears. Sometimes, our worries drive us to tears. What are we to do when it all seems too …

God gives us “the wings of a dove” – to rise to higher things.

Joshua 21:20-22:34; John 3:1-21; Psalm 55:1-11 In all the social details of the division of the land, we must not lose sight of its spiritual basis (Joshua 21:43-45). The important thing is that God, and not man, receives the glory: “Do not rebel against the Lord or against us by building an altar for yourselves, other than …

Notes on Joshua

JOSHUA1:1-18  -  For Israel, it was a new beginning. They were leaving the wilderness. That was their past. They were entering the promised land. This was God’s future. For God’s future, there is God’s command - ‘Be strong’ - and God’s promise - ‘the Lord your God is with you’. We wonder what the future …

We will serve the Lord our God and obey him.

"The people said to Joshua, "We will serve the Lord our God and obey him."" (Joshua 24:24). Where does the desire to serve the Lord and obey him come from? It comes from the Lord. He puts it into our hearts. When our desire to serve the Lord and obey him grows weak, he comes to us, …

Our strength comes from the Lord.

This is the story of what God was doing with His people. He was giving them the land he had promised to them. Joshua was to be the leader of God's people. Joshua’s strength came from the Lord: “Be strong and courageous! ...The Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).The report …

We sing to You, Lord – our song of praise, the song of Your salvation.

These prayers are also being posted, day-by-day, at A Prayer For Every Day and Praying Through God's Word. Deuteronomy 31:14-32:18 We sing to You, Lord. We sing our song of praise. It's the song of Your salvation. It's the song that gives glory to You. May our song of praise be more than words. May …

Overview Of The Old Testament: Joshua

Joshua 1-3 For Israel, it was a new beginning. They were leaving the wilderness. That was their past. They were entering the promised land. This was God’s future. For God’s future, there is God’s command - ‘Be strong’ - and God’s promise - ‘the Lord your God is with you’. We wonder what the future …

The Return of our Lord Jesus Christ

Joshua 1:1-2:24; Luke 2:5-38; Proverbs 10:11-20 Israel’s entry into the promised land was a highly significant event in the history of God’s redemption. ‘The momentous event’ is the Return of our Lord Jesus Christ: “The Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” (Luke 21:27). We must be ready for His …

The Lord will do amazing things among you.

Joshua 3:1-5:12; Luke 22:1-38; Psalm 50:1-15 “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you” (Joshua 3:5). Jesus shared the Passover with His disciples, while teaching them that something greater than the Passover was about to take place - redemption through the shedding of His precious blood. God says, “Gather to Me My …

Jesus suffered death for our salvation.

Joshua 5:13-7:26; Luke 22:39-62; Psalm 50:16-23 Achan suffered death because of his own sinful disobedience. Achan died, and the judgment of God did not come on the whole people of God. Jesus suffered death as the sinless Son of God, who bore the sins of many that we might be saved through faith in Him. Achan died …

Cleanse me from my sin, Lord.

Joshua 8:1-9:15; Luke 22:63-23:25; Psalm 51:1-9 In their opposition to Christ, “Herod and Pilate became friends - before they had been enemies” (Luke 23:12). The people of Israel had to battle against many nations - different from each other, yet having one thing in common: their opposition to the Lord. Everything which is displeasing to …

More than a righteous man – Jesus, the Son of God

Joshua 9:16-10:43; Luke 23:26-56; Proverbs 10:21-30 The Lord gave victory to His people, and the defeated enemies were hung upon trees (Joshua 10:25-26). When Jesus was hung upon a tree, this was not defeat. It was victory. Concerning Jesus, it was said, “Surely, this was a righteous man” (Luke 23:47). Proverbs 10:25 tells us that …

God has so much to teach us from His Word.

Joshua 11:1-12:24; Luke 24:1-35; Psalm 51:10-19 Israel’s victory over the heathen nations was given to them by the Lord. The spiritual dimension in this military situation must not be overlooked, if we are to learn the lessons God is teaching us from His Word. God has much to teach us from His Word. Those who …

I will praise You for ever for what You have done.

Joshua 13:1-14:15; Luke 24:36-53; Psalm 52:1-9 Although many victories had been won, there was still “the land that remains” (Joshua 13:2). The land which had been taken was shared among God’s people. There is strength in sharing. Some are called to leadership, e.g. Caleb (Joshua 14), but their leadership is not for their own satisfaction …

Paralyzed By Fear? or Set Free By The Fear Of The Lord?

“Now fear the Lord and serve Him with all faithfulness” (Joshua 24:14).What a difference there is between being paralyzed by fear and being set free by the fear of the Lord – to live our lives as His faithful servants!We speak about being paralyzed by fear. This is the exact opposite. This is the fear …

God Gives His Blessing To Those Who Are Walking With Him In Obedience.

“You have … obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you. But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve …

The victory over Jericho

The victory over Jericho came immediately after the appearance of “the Commander of the Lord’s army.” It was God who told His people how they were to approach the city of Jericho. Everything about this victory marked it out as the work of God: “So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout …

The victory over Ai

The victory over Ai (Joshua 7 & 8) could not take place until the sin of Achan had been dealt with. There needs to be the tearing down of sin before there can be the building up with salvation. This is a spiritual principle of the greatest importance. God withholds His blessing from us when …

There’s one thing that matters more than anything else – the glory of God.

“The Lord is the only true God” (Joshua 22:22,34).In this new land, the Israelites faced conflict. This was more than a conflict between nations. It was a conflict between the one God and the many gods. It was a conflict  between the true God and the false gods. God’s Word to His people was clear …

The Lord fights for us.

“The Lord fought for Israel” (Joshua 10:14). This is what we must see in all the conflicts between Israel and the other nations. God is working out His purpose. He is fulfilling His promises. Without this spiritual dimension, the events recorded in the book of Joshua are of no real significance for us today. Keeping …

Don’t lose sight of the spiritual dimension.

The cities of refuge (Joshua 20) and the cities that were given to the tribes (Joshua 21) - This isn’t particularly interesting. We should never lose sight of the spiritual dimension, with which Joshua 21 ends: “The Lord gave Israel the whole land ... The Lord allowed them to have peace on every side ... …

We thank You, Lord, for Your gift of the Holy Spirit. In Him, You give to us "rivers of living water."

Joshua 15:1-63We thank You, Lord, for Your gift of the Holy Spirit. In Him, You give to us "rivers of living water" (John 7:37-39). How are these "rivers of living water" to flow in us and through us? - We need less of this world - "Do not be conformed to this world" - and more …

You call us, Lord, to "lead a life worthy of Your calling."

Joshua 13:1-14:25You call us, Lord, to "lead a life worthy of Your calling" (Ephesians 4:1). We say, 'I can't.' You say to us, "I have blessed you, in Christ, with every spiritual blessing" (Ephesians 1:3). Why we do allow our lives to be controlled by our own weakness when we can be transformed by Your …

We don’t earn God’s blessing as a reward for our obedience.

"You have ... obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you. But take careful heed to do the commandment and the law which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve …

Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7 or Amos 5:18-24; Psalm 70; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13

Let us serve the Lord all the days of our life.Close to the end of his life, Joshua commits himself and his family to the Lord (Joshua 24:15, 29). Moved by his example, the people commit themselves to the Lord (Joshua 24:16-18, 21, 24). For Israel, this was a momentous decision - a definite, public …

Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Pentecost: Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37 or Micah 3:5-12; Psalm 43; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12

Set apart for God, we rejoice in His great love.‘Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you’ (Joshua 3:5). ‘Sanctify them in the truth; Thy Word is truth’ (John 17:17). Together with the command, there is the prayer. We are called to set ourselves apart for God. We can only do this …

Search the Scriptures: Joshua

This is the story of what God was doing with His people. He was giving them the land He had promised to them. Joshua was to be the leader of God;s people. Joshua’s strength came from the Lord: “Be strong and courageous! ...The Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).The report …

Joshua 22-24

Joshua22:1-34  -  Joshua had heard God’s Word (1:8). Now, he speaks God’s Word to the people (5). To those who ‘have obeyed’ Him, God says, ‘Keep on obeying Me’. This is the way of blessing (1-6). Together with God’s promise of blessing, we need His warning against rebellion: ‘Do not rebel against the Lord’ (19). …

Joshua 20 – 21

Joshua20:1-21:45  -  We read of manslaughter, ‘the cities of refuge’ and the death of the high priest (20:1-6). What does all this have to do with us? We are sinners. Jesus Christ has died for us. He is our Refuge. He is our Great High Priest. In Him, there is ‘no condemnation’. In Him, we …

Joshua 15-19

Joshua15:1-63  -  ‘The land of  Negeb’ had little water. The request was made - ‘Give me also springs of water’. The request was granted. Trusting in the Lord’s promise - ‘the heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him’, we receive His blessing - ‘rivers of living water’ (19; Luke 11:13; …

Joshua 11:16-14:15

Joshua11:16-12:24  -  What is the spiritual value of this list of victories? Don’t be sidetracked by the military aspect. This is not about Israel blowing its own trumpet. It is about giving glory to God. In Genesis 12:1-3, we have God’s promise to bring blessing to all nations. Before Christ came as ‘the Saviour of …

Joshua 9:1-11:15

Joshua9:1-10:15  -  Some chose ‘to make war against Joshua and Israel’ (9:1-2). The Gibeonites came, looking for peace. They achieved their objective - ‘Joshua made peace with them’ (9:15). In this story we see the work of Satan, and we may catch a glimpse of the work of God. The ‘peace’ was based on deception. …

Joshua 7-8

Joshua7:1-26  -  This chapter begins with the word, ‘But’ - This is ominous! What comes next? - Sin: ‘the people of Israel broke faith with regard to the devoted things’. The sin was Achan’s, yet it affected the whole people of Israel: ‘the anger of the Lord burned against the people of Israel’ (1). Sin …

Joshua 1-3

Joshua1:1-18  -  For Israel, it was a new beginning. They were leaving the wilderness. That was their past. They were entering the promised land. This was God’s future. For God’s future, there is God’s command - ‘Be strong’ - and God’s promise - ‘the Lord your God is with you’. We wonder what the future …