Session 9: Conquest and Judges, Part 1
The Book of Joshua (Green color on the timeline)
We have a new period, which is the Conquest and Judges.
They will cross over to the land of Canaan (which is the fulfillment made to Abraham back in Chapter 12 that his descendants would possess this land).
At the end of the 400 year period, on the eastern side of the Jordan looking westward into Canaan, where the mighty, fortified city of Jericho (the oldest city on the earth).
These people have listened to Moses, they have received the Book of Deuteronomy and have been told they must worship only one God. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) the key to success given by Moses was to teach your children.
Before they cross over; the land of Canaan, a beautiful place; important to the story; 95% of the biblical story takes place on this small location (like the size of New Jersey).
It serves as a land bridge from the north and south; this is important because whomever controls this strip has a lot of power; military, trade, etc.
They will constantly have to possess this land, which they do not do most of the time, because they have to trust and be obedient to the Lord (which they do not).
Four ecological zones converse in this land. The key is to trust God. It is land filled with richness; both predictable and unpredictable at the same time. (Saint Paul seems to allude to this by saying “I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me”
The people they will be facing are the Canaanites (Genesis 15; mentions the iniquities of the Amorites and shows how God has His eye on them; giving them the opportunity to repent); made up of city-states with its own government and king; which means many battles against many people and armies.
The Canaanite gods; male (El) and female (Astroa) and have a baby god (Baal) and this Baal worship (which is over fertility); but this religion was very pagan and immoral; they had cult prostitution (which we saw in Numbers).
Molch was one of the gods where they sacrificed their children; this was brutal, ungodly worship. Do we do not still “beat the drum” so we do not hear the cry of the innocent?
They go into the land and see the land with its success; the history of Israel is about getting entwined with these false gods.
Chapter 2: They sent spies out (like in the Book of Numbers) over into Jericho to scout out the city; they run into Rahab (4 mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy) who tells these spies that she had heard about the works of Yahweh (receiving or rejecting the works of God); which gives us an insight into reality; things are nearly as bad as we thought it would be. The people of Jericho were so frightened of Israel, that they were melting of fear; (Numbers 13-14; spies came back with fear and a lack of courage; they melted with fear); Jericho is also frightened of Israel.
Remember that in Exodus 23:28-30 “God will drive the people before you likes bees.” You only had to be faithful. But since they rejected God’s way, the work is to be more arduous.
Verse 18: Rahab ties a scarlet cord to her house; and you will “passover” her home (we heard it in the Passover); the Church Fathers say this is a sign of the blood of Christ. She becomes the mother of Boaz; Great great Grandmother of David;
Chapter 3-4; crossing over the Jordan; Joshua (the new leader; read Joshua 1: meditating on God’s Word); (vv. 5-6) “sanctify yourself;” separate and cleanse yourself; from the perspective of being in Jericho, the multitude of people getting ready to cross, where the Ark of the Covenant is brought into the Jordan River (a major movement) but Baal the god of the waters and now the waters separate (not a good day for worshipers of these false gods). God brings His people across on dry land (the general vicinity where John the Baptist baptized Jesus). The New Testament Joshua will begin his ministry here.
They camp Gilgal (“rubble” or stone heap); the manna stops and regular food begins; circumcision takes places and (Ch. 5) they celebrate the Passover.
They begin to conquer Jericho; the plan (50x150 miles large) God gives them the instruction “take nothing for yourselves” for everything belongs to Him; Herem warfare (burnt offering to God); they march around Jericho 7 times; blow the trumpet and the walls come down; they ceased work and rested in God’s work; they take the major fortified city and then move to Ai (where they are defeated) because one man (Achkan) took some of the gold and hid them in his own tent. As a result, the whole nation was defeated.
Herem warfare; the idea is that God comes in with His Word; either accepting it or not; everything captured in the city must be burned by fire because the common habit was to steal and plunder; but that is NOT what Israel about. This is not about gaining an advantage, it is about giving to God was is due to Him. Achkan not only keeps the gold but the priestly garment also; (1 Corinthians 3: “The works that we do will be tested by fire on that day…. wood, hay and stubble will burned up [the works of the flesh] but precious jewels, gold and silver belongs to God) maybe a picture of Purgatory?
The process of being tested and what is pure, noble and good survives!
Achkan took some of the gold and his mother might have had a sense of this; this happened in the Valley of Achor (Hosea later says that this valley will be turned into a door of hope). God can do this for you as well. That is why “Ha Tikva” (“the hope”) is the national anthem of Israel.
Genesis 15:14-16 (and Leviticus 18); predicted the destruction.
It sometimes bothers people that a whole city is destroyed by God; will He do this to me? Is He unpredictable? Does He change? NO! We know of His mercy, patience and justice. God did not throw a curve to the Canaanites (Saint Thomas talks about God being arbitrary); Nominalism is a heresy (that came from Islam) which stated that God was arbitrary. Saint Thomas Aquinas corrected this falsehood (also see Catechism No. 27).
If you are not faithful to God then you are on the outside (like Rahab once did; the Gibeonites also heard and responded which brought them inside becoming the water carriers); others tried to blot out Israel.
Jericho is always a sign to accept God or fight (Ezekiel 18 and 33: God has not pleasure in the death of the wicked); (see also Catechism Nos. 142-143) by our response “in word and deed.” (Also No. 27:38: “Trust rests on God’s action in history”).
Chapter 8: Mounts Gerazim and Ebal; renew the covenant and go through the blessings and curses.
Chapters 9-10; southern campaign; the Gibeonites; the sun standing still God watching over them;
Chapter 11; northern campaign; they did not utterly take the land; they only partially took the land; these small pockets needed to learn to trust the Lord. There are still problems in life that give us opportunities to trust in the Lord. The land experiences some rest (v. 23).
Chapters 13-21; Israelites are in the high lands; the Canaanites had the chariots and had the power; the tribal allotments (no property for the Levites or Joseph); however, Joseph’s two sons land up with property (Ephraim and Manasseh; the half tribes); remember that Joseph married an Egyptian; these two tribes are half Egyptians as well and go back to the false gods again.
There are also types of cities; for the Levites (priests would live and teach); then serve in the temple; there are 6 cities of refuge (3 on the east and 3 on the west); they are setup because they were places to go to in order to escape from death.
Chapter 22-24; there is now a time of rest; end of Joshua with no more war; a new creation (like the 7th Day of Creation); then in Ch. 23 Joshua gives his final address; (vv. 12-13) dealing with marriage “For if you turn back and join the remnant of these nations and make marriages with them…. Know assured that the Lord your God will not draw these nations… until you perish from this land that the Lord has given you.” (Do not marry Canaanites was Joshua’s lessons; for Moses is it was teach your children). We see this in Solomon (700 wives and 300 concubines); alliances made to build the temple (in Kings, these foreign wives turned his heart away from God); the wisest man in the world heart was turned away from God.
Chapter 24: the Book ends with Joshua makes the point that God has been faithful and that He also is faithful in giving curses; “Choose this day whom you will serve, as for me and my household we will serve the Lord” (v. 15) which means we will be on the inside. The reality is that we all will be judged and have to pass through the fire.
The major theme coming up out of Egypt from the Book of Exodus; “That Pharaoh will serve Me.”
“For me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15
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