Joshua & The Flow of Biblical History
A study adapted from Joshua
& The Flow of Biblical History by Francis Schaeffer
Pastor
Jeff Summers
Week 1
THE BRIDGE
JOSHUA’S PREPARATION (Chapter 1)
Exodus 17:8-16
LESSON #1: God will not tolerate any rebellion against Himself.
LESSON #2: Power is not in position or might, but power is found in submission to God.
ON MOUNT SINAI
Exodus 24: 1-18
LESSON #3: God is not far off.
AT THE GOLDEN CALF
Exodus 3:21-40
LESSON #4: Sin is terrible…especially among the people of God.
IN THE TABERNACLE
Exodus 33:1-23
LESSON #5: Fellowship with God is sweet.
PROPHESYING IN THE CAMP
Numbers 11:24-29
LESSON #6: God’s glory & honor come first, not our man-made rules.
Week 2
SPYING OUT THE LAND
Numbers 13:1-33
LESSON #7: When the majority is against you, stand with God.
JOSHUA’S ORDINATION
Numbers 26:65
Numbers 27:18-23
LESSON #8: Even in the midst of God’s judgment, He keeps His promises and remembers the individual.
MOSES’ FINAL ADDRESS
Deuteronomy 31:2-8
LESSON #9: No man is indispensable! Everyone is valuable, but not vital.
JOSHUA IS READY
Deuteronomy 34:9
LESSON #10: There is preparation before leadership.
Lessons for us:
Week
3
THE THREE CHANGELESS
FACTORS (Chapter 2)
THE FIRST
CHANGELESS FACTOR: THE WRITTEN BOOK
Exodus 17:14
Numbers 33:2
Deuteronomy 31:9
Joshua 1:1-8
God commanded Joshua
three things:
1. The
Law would not depart from his mouth
2. He
would meditate on it day and night
3. He
was to do them
THE SECOND
CHANGELESS FACTOR: THE POWER OF GOD
Joshua 3:7-17; 4:18.
THE THIRD
CHANGELESS FACTOR: THE SUPERNATURAL LEADER
Joshua 5:13-15
THE THREE
CHANGELESS FACTORS TODAY
· The Written Word is the standard by
which to live and evaluate everything else.
· The Power of God is constant and always
moving.
· The Supernatural Leader is the one that
God specifically chooses and prepares.
Week 4
THE CONTINUITY OF THE COVENANT (Chapter 3)
THE ABRAHAMIC COVENANT
Genesis 12:1-3
THE SPIRITUAL PORTION
Acts 3:22-26
Romans 4:16-17
Galatians 3:6-8, 14, 29
Genesis 22:14
Romans 4:3, 11, 12, 16
THE NATIONAL PORTION
This promise is referred constantly throughout the Scriptures
1 Chronicles 16:15-18
Psalm 105:8-11
Genesis 15:5-18
Genesis 17:2-8
THE PROMISES REPEATED
To Isaac: Genesis 26:3-4
To Jacob: Genesis 28:13-14 & 35:9-12
Genesis 50:24-25
Exodus 12:25
Exodus 19:5-6
Deuteronomy 34:4
To Joshua: Joshua 1:1-4, 6, 10, 11
THE GIFTS OF GOD ARE [WITHOUT REPENTANCE]
IRREVOCABLE
Genesis 17:7-8
Jeremiah 31:35-37; 33:24-26
Romans 11:29
WAS GOD UNJUST?
Revelation 19:11-16
RAHAB (Chapter 4)
THE SPIES’ PERSPECTIVE
Joshua 2:1
Rahab gave these spies two things:
1. Shelter
2. Insight (2:9-11)
RAHAB’S PERSPECTIVE
Joshua 2:12-21
Hebrews 11:31
THE SCARLET CORD
Joshua 2:21
FAITH IN ACTION
James 2:21, 25
RAHAB: ANCESTOR OF CHRIST
Joshua 6:5
Ruth 4:18-22; Matthew 1:4-6; Numbers 7:12
Week 5
TWO KINDS OF MEMORIALS (Chapter 5)
Joshua 3:5
Joshua 3:7
THE FIRST KIND OF MEMORIAL: TWO PILES OF
STONES
Joshua 4:1-11
In the Jordan
From the Jordan
Joshua
4:21-24
1. Instruct future generations
2. Tell the other nations that this God is different
THE ARK: THE CHARACTER AND PROMISES OF GOD
What was the ark?
THE SECOND KIND OF MEMORIAL: TWO LIVING
SIGNS
1. Circumcision—Joshua 5:1-9
2. Passover –Joshua 5:10
Week 6
JERICHO, ACHAN AND AI (Chapter 6)
GOD’S STRATEGY AGAINST JERICHO
Joshua 6:1-7
Joshua 6:8-16
Joshua 6:17
ACHAN’S SIN
Joshua 7:6-9
Joshua 7:10-12
Joshua 7:20-21
LESSONS:
1. God
knows
2. Sin begins in the mind
3. Sin affects others
Joshua 7:25
THE PRINCIPLE OF JUDGMENT
1. When we sin God knows
2. When we sin, the blessing slows or stops
3. There
will be judgment
4. If we return, blessing will return
MOUNT EBAL AND MOUNT GERIZIM (Chapter 7)
The Setting
The Altar on Mount Ebal
Joshua 8:33, 35
Deuteronomy 27:4-7
Joshua 8:30. 31
The Law on the Mountains
Joshua 8:32
Joshua 8:34, 35
The Blessings and Curses
Joshua 1:8
The blessings and curses were read on the two mountains:
Deuteronomy 27:15-28:14
Deuteronomy 11:26-28
Keeping God’s Commands
Matt 6:1-21
Notice this parallel: Joshua 1:8 & Matt 7:24-27
Week 7
THE GIBEONITES (Chapter 8)
Joshua 9:1-2
THE DEFEAT OF THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERATION
Joshua 10:3-4
Joshua 10:12-13
Joshua 10:40-43
THE GIBEONITE DECEPTION
Joshua 9
Joshua 9:14-15
Joshua 9:24; 2 Samuel 21:1
Ps 15: 1, 4; Mt 5:33-37
RAHAB AND THE GIBEONITES
RAHAB, THE GIBEONITES, AND US
The difference:
1. Rahab & the Gibeonites believed…and they were accepted.
2. Rahab & the Gibeonites kept their promises…and were honored.
Hebrews 6:13-20
CALEB’S FAITHFULNESS (Chapter 9)
Joshua 11:15, 23
POSSESSING THE POSSESSIONS
Joshua 13:1-6
Joshua 18:3
Joshua 17:13
CALEB REMAINS FAITHFUL
Josh 14:6-14
Joshua 15:13-19.
PROMISES TO CHRISTIANS
Galatians 5:22-23
2 Peter 1:3-11
Romans 8:1-39
God has not left us as orphans—but dwells within us—implying some important things:
1. God empowers us to be His witnesses to a world in need of hope, help, and healing (Acts 1:8)
2. God grows us into the image of His Son, Jesus (Galatians 5:22-23)
3. God will help us endure difficulty (1 Peter 4:12-19)
Week 8
EAST AND WEST OF JORDAN (Chapter 10)
THE DIVISION TO JUDAH
Judah received the first share of the land, although Judah was not the firstborn.
1. Reuben—Gen 49:3-4 (Gen 35:22)
2. Simeon & Levi were next—Gen 49:5-7 (Gen 34).
3. Thus the first of the inheritance falls to Judah—Gen 49:8-10
THE DIVISION TO JOSEPH
Gen 48:11-20
Joshua 17:3-4
THE FINAL DIVISIONS AT SHILOH
Joshua 18:1
1. Benjamin—next to Judah (18:11); (Deut 33:12).
2. Simeon—remember Gen 49:5-7
3. Zebulun was next—Gen 49:13; (19:11)
4. Then for Issachar 19:17, Asher 19:24. Naphtali 19:32, & Dan 19:40
5. Finally, for Joshua—the city of Timnathserah.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE ERA OF CONQUEST
Joshua 22:1-6
Joshua 22:10-12
Joshua 22:15-20
Joshua 22:21-29
Joshua 22:30-34
These events demonstrate two things:
1. The continuity of prophecy in the flow of history
2. The
importance of right action among the people of God
THE CITIES OF REFUGE (Chapter 11)
Joahua 21:1-3, Numbers 35:1-3
DISTRIBUTION OF THE LEVITES’
CITIES
Levi (the son of Jacob) had three sons: Gershon, Kohath, & Merari (Gen 46:11).
The family of Gershon (Num 3:23, Num 3:25-26).
The family of Kohath (Num 3:29, Num 3:31).
The family of Merari (Num 3:35, Num3:36-37).
CITIES OF REFUGE
Joshua 20:1-6, 9
Deuteronomy 19:1-13
Numbers 35:4-5, 15-30
LAW IN A POST-CHRISTIAN CULTURE
1. The foundation of the law
2. The seriousness of murder
CHRIST AND THE CITIES OF REFUGE
This is the impact of the concept of the cities of refuge—that if we begin to tamper with the moral aspect of taking a life (true moral guilt), we will miss the depth of the importance of the death of Christ.
Cities of refuge:
1. Accessible
2. Open to all
3. Doors were never locked
4. Stocked with food
5. Safety
Christ:
1. Jesus is easy to reach
2. Jesus is open to all
3. Jesus never locks the gate
4. Jesus is sufficient
5. If we do not flee to Jesus…no hope
Differences between the cities of refuge and Jesus:
1. Cities of refuge only protected the innocent
2. Christ is nearer than any city of refuge
When do we enter this “city of refuge”:
1. When we give Him our lives
2. When we sin
3.
When
we die or Jesus returns
Week 9
JOSHUA’S FAREWELL: CHOOSE! (Chapter 12)
Joshua 23:3-5 (promise), 14; 24:7, 17 (past)
Joshua was telling them, “Remember the past. Remember these things are rooted in history and are reasonable, worth trusting and believing.”
REMEMBER THE STANDARD
Joshua 23:6
FOR US: God’s Word is solid, immovable.
AN UNGODLY HERITAGE
Joshua 24:2
FOR US: We are reminded that our heritage is one that turned from God.
THREE SETS OF GODS
Joshua 24:14-15
FOR US: Everyone is going to serve somebody—who are you choosing?
THE EXTENSION OF THE COVENANT
Joshua 24:25-27
FOR US: the covenant comes to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus
CHOICES
A key theme throughout the book of Joshua is: CHOICE