Joshua and Judges

Joshua

Joshua and Caleb were the two spies who pleaded with the Children of Israel to go into Canaan, stating that no nation is so strong that God cannot conquer.

With the death of Moses God appointed Joshua to lead His Children into Canaan. Joshua would later tell them to choose the god they would serve but for him and his household they would serve Jehovah God.

Studies during Joshua’s leadership: 1 Crossing Jordan 2 Circumcision 3 Conquering The Land 4 Land divided among the Tribes 5 Towns for Levites and Cities of Refuse 6 Tribes East of Jordan Return Home 7 Joshua’s Last Days

Crossing Jordan

Setting: Moses and Aaron have died; Joshua is now the leader. It is flood season and Israel is camped on the east side of the Jordan River waiting for word from God to cross over and take possession on the other side of the river.

Text: Joshua 1 - 4

Key Point: Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night. Christians are to abide in the Word day and night never to let it depart from them..

Word Study:

3:5 Consecrate - to sanctify, to prepare, to dedicate, to be hallowed, to be holy, to be sanctified, to be separate.

Circumcision

Setting: Israel was now on the west side of Jordan in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Text: Joshua 5:1-12

Key Point: God had required circumcision of all males who were to be in covenant relations with him which was not done while wandering in the desert. Colossians 2:11 states that God’s people of the New Covenant are to put away their sinful nature – circumcision of the heart.

Conquering The Land

Setting: The battle to clear idolatrous people from the Promise Land was about to begin with the total destruction of Jericho.

Text: Joshua 5:13 - 12

Key Point: Doing just as God commanded.

Word Study:

9:4 - Ruse - shrewdness, craftiness, prudence

Land Divided Among Tribes

Setting: Not all the land had been conquered but Joshua was getting very old so at God's direction he divided the Promised Land among the Children of Israel

Text: Joshua 13 – 19

Key Point: God was faithful to his promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob by giving the Promised Land to their descendants, the tribes of Israel.

Towns of Levites and Cities of Refuge

Setting: The Levites were God's priest to the people; therefore, they were given cities among the various tribes rather than one section of land by itself like the other tribes.

Text: Joshua 20 - 21

Key Point: So, the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to their fathers, they took possession and settled there.

Tribes East of Jordan Return Home

Setting: Fulfilling their promise the tribes east of Jordan River helped the other tribes conquer land west of Jordan. They then returned home on the other side or East of Jordan.

Text: Joshua 22

Key Point: The tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh were faithful to their word. They built a monument as a witness to their children and the other tribes that they were part of the Children of Israel.

Word Study:

22:17 Sin of Peor - Men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate and bowed down before these gods. (Numbers 25:1-2)

Joshua's Last Days

Setting: Shortly before his death, Joshua called the all the tribes together and issued a firm warning about faithfulness to God.

Text: Joshua 23 - Judges 29

Key Point: Every good promise of the LORD your God has come true, but if you violate the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the LORD's anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you. Therefore, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.

Judges

Joshua led the Children of Israel in conquering most of Canaan, but not all of it was conquered. For periods of time each tribe governed itself. As the occasions occurred God would raise up judges to govern. Most were men but there were some women.

Studied during the period of the Judges: 1 Disobedience and Consequences

2 Deborah 3 Gideon 4 Abimelech 5 Jepthah 6 Samson 7 Wickedness in the Tribe of Dan 8 Naomi and Ruth

Disobedience and Consequences

Setting: Years had past and those who had conquered Canaan had died and a new generation grew up.

Text: Judges 2:10 - 3

Key Point: Because the Israelites violated God's covenant, He used the remnant of the Canaanites to test Israelite’s faithfulness. God allows Satan to test His New Covenant faithfulness.

Deborah

Setting: The Israelites were now servants (slaves) to Jabin, a king of Canaan.

Text: Judges 4 - 5

Key Point: Once again the Israelites did evil and sinned against God.

Gideon

Setting: God had delivered the Children of Israel out of bondage to Jabin, but now they again have fallen away by sinning against God.

Text: Judges 6 - 8

Key Point: Gideon asked how can I do what you want because I am insignificant. God told him "I will be with you."

Abimelech

Setting: Shortly after Gideon died Israel fell away and sinned.

Text: Judges 9

Key Point: God is faithful by punishing the wickedness of Abimelech and the citizens of Shechem.

Jephthah

Setting: Over and over again the Israelites fell away and did evil against God. They worshipped Baals and Ashtroethes. God allowed the Philistines to conquer them.

Text: Judges 10 - 12

Key Point: Rash vows and actions bring dire consequence that may be most difficult to keep. But a vow to God cannot be broken without grave consequences.

Samson

Setting: After about 25 years or more the Children of Israel fell away again and sinned against God.

Text: Judges 13 - 16

Key Point: Samson's fleshly desires led him astray and God left him. But following his return to God, God returned to Samson. When Christians leave God and return to their former way of life, God ceased to be present. However, whin they repent (change their sinful life) and return to God, He will return to him

Wickedness in the Tribe of Dan

Setting: Some in the tribe of Dan sinned and the leaders and people of Dan refused confront sin and take appropriate action against them.

Text: Judges 17 - 21

Key Point: Wickedness does not go unpunished

Naomi and Ruth

Setting: Because of a drought in Canaan, Ruth and her husband moved to Moab. Following his death, she returned to Bethlehem of the Israelites. Ruth is in the lineage of Christ.

Text: Ruth

Key Point: Love of a widowed foreigner for her mother-in-law provides opportunity for God's blessing.