Joshua
Delayed Obedience is Disobedience
The tabernacle was moved from Gilgal to Shiloh in this chapter (vv. 1-2). Some commentators say this move was probably a mistake as Gilgal was the original place of God’s choosing and there is nothing in Scripture to indicate that the move was pleasing to Him. There were some obvious …
Joshua Captures Towns in the North
Joshua was a man who exemplified this character. He followed every detail of God’s commands to Moses. It is usually difficult to complete someone else’s project, but Joshua stepped into Moses’ job building upon what Moses had started. With the southern campaign over he was ready to …
Serve God from the Heart not the Head
Joshua comes back with a reply that is perhaps one of the most shocking statements of the Old Testament (v. 19). After spending an entire lifetime of trying to get the Israelites to commit to serving God, and after getting the affirmative answer he was seeking, Joshua says: “You cannot …
An Altar by The Jordan River
Leaving Shiloh, the armies of the eastern tribes headed excitedly for home. On the way a bright idea occurred to them. Why not construct a large monument or altar by the Jordan River, on its western side, to symbolize the unity between the people on both sides of the river. So, an altar was …
The Lord Gives The Victory
In a series of quick raids Joshua attacked and conquered the key cities of southern Canaan. These included Makkedah, Libnah, Lachish, Eglon, Hebron, and Debir (vv. 29-39). Joshua and his army went from city to city, destroying each one and slaying its king and inhabitants “as the Lord God …
A witness to All Generations
The Israelite delegation was soon to learn that their suspicions were wrong. Instead of responding in anger the eastern tribes hastened to explain their reason for building the altar. It was not for the purpose of sacrifice (v. 23). The eastern tribes realized the validity of the altar in Shiloh. They …
Two Memorials of Stone are built
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance of lost loved ones. Memorial Day can be a day when we reflect upon any individual who has had an impact upon our lives, and with this in mind I want to reflect upon and remember how both the Lord and his Son, Jesus Christ, touched our lives. Let us …
Work as if All Depends on You But Trust God
God provided for the needs of each tribe, though in some cases parts of their inheritances were still in the hands of the enemy. The boundaries for each tribe are given and the Israelites were to possess the land by faith, trusting God to enable them to defeat their foes. Some think that if God is to be …
Divide And Conquer Was Joshua’s Strategy
Taking advantage of the long day (when the sun and the moon stood still) Joshua continued in hot pursuit of the five kings and their armies. They out in the open and Joshua was determined to prevent them from retreating to their walled cities. Then Joshua was told that all five kings had …
Six Cities of Refuge
The Lord had instructed Moses to set aside six cities as sanctuaries in the land of Canaan (Numbers 35:6). They were situated in such a way as to be readily accessib¬le. Highways leading to them were kept in good repair and the crossroads were well marked with signposts reading "Refuge! …