Conquest Series

August 27, 2022

The book of Joshua begins where Deuteronomy left off – with the death of Moses:

“Moses my servant is dead. Get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, just as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. 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. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." {Joshua 1:2-8}

It was not long after Joshua gave the order to move that the Children of Israel finally stood at the edge of the Jordan River. But, before crossing, Joshua needed to know the true situation in Jericho, so he sent 2 men to investigate.

Arriving in Jericho the spies found themselves at the inn of Rahab.

Scripture identifies Rahab as a zônah - a prostitute - but in Hebrew, the consonants that comprise the word “prostitute” are znh. They are the same consonants that comprise the word for a woman who provides food and provisions and the 1st-century Jewish Historian, Josephus, states that she kept an inn. . . Interesting.

At any rate, what is important to this story is that Rahab, a Canaanite woman, welcomed 2 Hebrews spies, hid them, lied to her own people to spare their lives, and gave them instructions on how get back to their own camp safely.

And here’s why she did it:

Rahab to the Spies: I know your God has given you this land. We are all afraid. We have heard about the Red Sea and what you did to Sihon and Og - the kings of the Amorites. We have no courage left, because the Lord your God is the God of Heaven and Earth. --- I have dealt kindly with you, so swear to me that when you take the city, you will spare me and my family. {Joshua 2:9-13}

Spies: We promise – with a few conditions – tie a red cord in the window, gather your entire family into the house and don’t tell anyone. If you don’t abide by these conditions, we will be free of our promise. {Joshua 2:14, 20}

When the spies finally arrived back in camp they reported to Joshua: The Lord will surely give this land to us because all the inhabitants of the land are terrified of us. {a very different report from the one 40 years before – see Numbers 13-14}

Yahweh to Joshua: Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of Israel. They will know that I am with you just as I was with Moses. {Joshua 3:7}

Joshua to the Israelites: Come and listen to the words of Yahweh. This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you….

Israel broke camp and headed for the Jordan – the Ark leading the way. The Jordan was at flood stage, yet the priests, carrying the Ark, walked right in and stood on dry land in the middle of the river until the entire nation had crossed safely.

Finally! The Land of Promise.

When the Amorite kings and the Canaanite kings, west of the Jordan, heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan, “their hearts melted and there was no spirit in them any longer.”

Before Israel continued into the Land, a couple of things had to happen:

• All the men born in the wilderness had to be circumcised.

• Passover was celebrated – this included the eating of some of the fruit of the Land – the next day the Manna stopped.

Let the CONQUEST begin….

First up, Jericho.

Jericho was tightly shut – no one going in or out.

Yahweh to Joshua: For 6 days all the armed men are to march around the city as seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear the sound of the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout. The walls of the city will collapse and the people will go straight in. {Joshua 6:3-5}