D33 Moses proclaims blessings on the 12 tribes, much like Jacob had done in Genesis 49 before he died in Egypt.

D33:6 “...May Reuben live and not die, Nor his men be few...”

D33:7 “...regarding Judah ...bring him to his people ...And may You be a help against his adversaries...”

D33:8-11 “... Of Levi ...They shall teach Your ordinances ...And Your law ...O Lord, bless his substance, And accept the work of his hands. Shatter the loins of those who rise up against him, And those who hate him, so that they will not rise again...”

D33:12 “... Of Benjamin ...May the beloved of the Lord dwell in security by Him, Who shields him all the day...”

D33:13-16 “... Of Joseph ...Blessed of the Lord ...With the choice things of heaven ...the dew ...the sun ...produce ...with the best things ...And the favor of Him...”

D33:17 “...majesty is his ...he will push the peoples ..those are the ten thousands of Ephraim, And those are the thousands of Manasseh...”

D33:18,19 “... Of Zebulun ...And, Issachar ...they will offer righteous sacrifices; For they will draw out the abundance of the seas, And the hidden treasures of the sand...”

D33:20,21 “... Of Gad ...He lies down as a lion ...he provided ...He executed the justice of the Lord...”

D33:22 “... Of Dan ...a lion’s whelp, That leaps forth...”

D33:23 “... Of Naphtali ...satisfied with favor, And full of the blessing of the Lord, Take possession of the sea and the south...”

D33:24,25 “... Of Asher ...blessed ...May he be favored by his brothers ...And according to your days, so will your leisurely walk be...”

Why is someone missing from the blessing of the tribes? Who?

Likely because of the curse by Jacob recorded in G49:5-7 “...I will disperse them ...and scatter them...” Simeon’s tribe was by far the smallest in the second census (N26:14 - 22,200), and their inheritance would be “...in the midst of Judah’s inheritance...” Joshua 19:9

D34 Moses gets to see the promised land, but not enter it.

D34:4 “... the Lord said to him, “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there...”

D34:5-6 “...So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; but no man knows his burial place to this day...”

What was Moses like when he died?

D34:7 “...Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated...”

How long did Israel mourn? Who was his successor?

D34:8 “... the sons of Israel wept for Moses ...thirty days ...”

D34:9 “... Joshua ...was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and ...Israel listened to him ...”

Joshua:

Unlike the wilderness wanderings, these are more faithful times.

Joshua is moving the people into the promises of God.

Joshua parallels the second coming of Jesus

Military commander dispossessing the usurpers

2 messengers sent ahead (Rev.11 - 2 witnesses)

Adoni-Zedek, king of Jerusalem (Rev. Anti-Christ)

Trumpets, hailstones and fire, hiding in caves

Twelve relevant steps found in Joshua:

1. Be strong and courageous. (1:6)

2. Meditate on God’s truth day and night. (1:8)

3. God goes first. (3:15)

4. Remember His-Story. (4:7, Matt.3:5-9)

5. Remove Abominations. (7:12)

6. The Valley of Achor (trouble) IS the door of Hope. (7:26, Hos.2:15)

7. Remember the how AND why. (8:34,35)

8. Father May I? (9:14)

9. Leave nothing undone. (11:15)

10. The Lord gives rest. (21:44)

11. Be very careful. Hold fast. (22:5)

12. Choose this, and every, day. (24:15)

JO1

What was God going to give the Israelites?

JO1:3,4 “... Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, ...From the wilderness ...as far as the great river ...Euphrates ...and as far as the Great Sea ...will be your territory...”

What assurance and charge did God give Joshua?

JO1:5-7 “... No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life ...I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land ...be careful to do according to all the law ...do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go...”

Be strong and courageous - 10x, 7 in Deut/Josh.

Does walking with God require both strength and courage?

When is a good time for devotions?

JO1:8 “...This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success...”

Do morning/evening news get priority over morning/evening meditation?

Fasten Seatbelts and Prepare for Departure!

JO1:11 “... Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are to cross this Jordan, to go in to possess the land …”

JO2

How many spies were sent out this time?

JO2:1 “...Joshua ...sent two men as spies secretly ...Go, view the land, especially Jericho...”

What did Rahab reveal as she hid the spies?

JO2:10-11 “...For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. "When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath...”

Rahab, the harlot, was aware of the God of heaven and earth.

The Israelites were feared, just as God said they would be.

What agreement would later save Rahab’s family?

JO2:18 “... you tie this cord of scarlet thread in the window through which you let us down, and gather to yourself into the house your father and your mother and your brothers and all your father’s household...”

JO3, JO4

How would the army be led?

JO3:3,4 “... the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God with the Levitical priests carrying it, ...go after it ...a distance of about 2,000 cubits by measure. Do not come near it ...”

How would Joshua’s stature of authority be solidified?

JO3:7 “... the Lord said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know ...I will be with you...”

JO3:10 People will be assured "...that the living God is among you...”

How did they cross the flood stage Jordan on dry ground?

JO3:15 “...when ...the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water ...the waters ...rose up in one heap...”

First in? The Ark! Miracles always require God is first (Alpha)

JO3:17 “... the priests who carried the ark ...stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan ...all Israel crossed on dry ground ...”

JO4:13 “... about 40,000 equipped for war, crossed for battle before the Lord to the desert plains of Jericho...”.

JO4:18 “... when ...the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up to the dry ground ...the waters of the Jordan returned to their place, and went over all its banks as before...”

Last out? The Ark! And God finishes what He starts (Omega)

What were the Standing Stones?

JO4:3,20 “... twelve stones from ...the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm ...lay them down in the lodging place where you will lodge tonight ... set up at Gilgal...”

JO4:4-7 “... a sign among you ...these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever...”

JO4:9 “...Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan...”

JO4:24 “...that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, so that you may fear the LORD your God forever..."

What happened almost 1500yrs later?

Matt.3:5-9 “...Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? "Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham...”

What stones? Remember His-Story.

JO5

What happened to Israel’s enemies? Why?

JO5:1 “... all the kings of the Amorites ...and all the kings of the Canaanites ...heard how the Lord had dried up the ...Jordan before the sons of Israel until they had crossed ...their hearts melted, and there was no spirit in them any longer ...”

Now time for men to do “their part” of the covenant?

JO5:2,5,8 “... the Lord said to Joshua, “Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise ...the sons of Israel ... For all the people who came out were circumcised, but all ...who were born in the wilderness ...had not been circumcised ...they remained ...in the camp until they were healed...”

1. God did His part - exalted Joshua as their new leader.

2. Their part - commit to the Lord, deny flesh and all reliance on it.

A new chapter of His-Story is beginning

JO5:12 Manna ceases, after 40 years.

JO5:15 “...The captain of the Lord’s host said to Joshua, “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so...”.

Moses was given an assignment on Holy ground.

Joshua starts his assignment on Holy ground.

INTERACTION in the affairs of men.

God used Moses to get them OUT of captivity.

God will use Joshua to get them INTO the promise.

JO6

Who fought the battle of Jericho? [God, Joshua, Israel]

JO6:3-5m10 “... You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once... do so for six days. Also seven priests shall carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark; then on the seventh day ...march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets ...when they make a long blast ...all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and the people will go up every man straight ahead... You shall not shout nor let your voice be heard nor let a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I tell you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout...”

Clear instructions?

JO6:17 “... only Rahab the harlot and all who are with her in the house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent...”

JO6:18 “...But as for you, only keep yourselves from the things under the ban, so that you do not covet them and take some ...and make the camp of Israel accursed and bring trouble on it...”

Complete destruction!

JO6:24 “... They burned the city with fire, and all that was in it. Only the silver and gold, and articles of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord...”

JO6:26 “...Then Joshua made them take an oath at that time, saying, "Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and builds this city Jericho; with the loss of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation, and with the loss of his youngest son he shall set up its gates..."

More to the Story!

1 Kings 16:34 “...In his days Hiel the Bethelite built Jericho; he laid its foundations with the loss of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates with the loss of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which He spoke by Joshua the son of Nun...”

Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of more than 20 successive settlements in Jericho.

In 1994, Israeli solders lowered their country’s flag, and the Palestinians hoisted their flag - the PLO took possession of Jericho.

Jericho is located in the disputed West Bank region.

JO7

Clear disobedience?

JO7:1 “...But the sons of Israel acted unfaithfully in regard to the things under the ban, for Achan, ...from the tribe of Judah, took some of the things under the ban, therefore the anger of the Lord burned against the sons of Israel...”

Living life from “self desires” rather than from “God intentions”.

The world promotes Self Gratification. God promotes Self Denial.

The arrogant are defeated! Joshua is shaken!

JO7:4 “... three thousand men ...went up ...but ...the men of Ai. The men of Ai struck down about thirty-six of their men, and pursued them ...so the hearts of the people melted and became as water...”

JO7:7 “...Joshua said, "Alas, O Lord God, why did You ever bring this people over the Jordan, only to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? If only we had been willing to dwell beyond the Jordan!...”

Not a very “be strong and courageous” response, caused by seeing current events without knowing God’s posture.

What prevents God’s intended outcomes?

JO7:12 “...the sons of Israel cannot stand before their enemies ...for they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore unless you destroy the things under the ban from your midst...”

Not the world’s resistance. It’s His people’s sin.

Must Remove Abominations.

Identifying the problem.

JO7:19-21 “... Then Joshua said to Achan ...give glory to the Lord ...give praise to Him; and tell me now what you have done ...So Achan answered ...Truly, I have sinned against the Lord ...I saw ...a beautiful mantle ...and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold ...I coveted them and took them ...they are concealed ...inside my tent...”

What was Achan’s sin?

1. Keeping something God wanted destroyed - mantle.

2. Keeping something that belonged to God - silver/gold.

Can one man thwart God’s purposes for a whole nation?

Josh.7:24-26 They “... took Achan ...the silver, the mantle, the bar of gold, his sons, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent and all that belonged to him; ...to the valley of Achor ...And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire ...They raised over him a great heap of stones that stands to this day, and the Lord turned from the fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the valley of Achor to this day...”

Hosea 2:15 "...Then I will give her her vineyards from there, And the valley of Achor as a door of hope...”

The Valley of Achor (trouble) is “a door of hope”

Walk through it with God. It’s a doorway of Hope.

Hymn 210: Jesus paid it all.

All to Him I owe.

Sin had left a crimson stain.

He washed it white as snow.

JO8

How do you hide 35,000 people?

JO8:3,4 “...Joshua chose 30,000 ...valiant warriors, and sent them out ...to ambush the city from behind it...”

JO8:10,12 “...Joshua rose early ...took about 5,000 men and set them in ambush ...”

JO8:15 “... Joshua and all Israel pretended to be beaten before them, and fled ... All the people ...in the city ...pursued ...and were drawn away from the city...”

JO8:19 “...The men in ambush rose ...entered the city ...and ...set the city on fire...”

What took place at the conclusion of the victory?

JO8:”...built an altar ...of uncut stones ...wrote there on the stones a copy of the law of Moses...”

JO8:34-35 “...Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them...”

Why? Remember the who and how of victorious living.

JO9

How did the Gibeonites deceive the Israelites?

JO9:3 “...the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, they also acted craftily ...worn-out sacks ...wineskins ...sandals ...bread ...dry and ...crumbles...”

JO9:8,9 “... Joshua said ...where do you come from?” They said ...from a very far country ...we have heard the report of Him ...our elders ...spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions ...and go to meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; now then, make a covenant with us...”

... trick Joshua into a treaty (old clothes, moldy food).

Why did the deception work?

Inhabitants - to be destroyed. Aliens - to be shown compassion.

JO9:14 “...So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the Lord...”

When do we get deceived?

When we rely on our perception without seeking God’s clarity.

JO10

5 Kings attack Gibeon.

JO10,11 “...Joshua came ...by marching all night from Gilgal ...pursued them ...the Lord threw large stones from heaven ...and they died ...more ...died from the hailstones than ...Israel killed with the sword ...”

How special was the battle?

JO10:12 “... Joshua spoke to the Lord ...and he said in the sight of Israel, “O sun, stand still at Gibeon ...So the sun stood still ...Until the nation avenged themselves of their enemies ...the sun stopped in the middle of the sky and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day...”

JO10:14 “... There was no day like that before it or after it, when the Lord listened to the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel...”

Interesting astronomy lesson about the orbit of Mars, which at one time passed close to earth There a calendar shift in 701 BC, when the Romans added 5 ¼ days to a year. Did the orbit of Mars change? Is this an explanation for why the ancients had such a fear of Mars, which passed close to earth every 108 years, rising over the horizon at 50x the size of the moon?

God used Joshua to complete the southern campaign.

JO10:17,24,26 “...The five kings ...found hidden ...put to death...”

JO10:29-37 “...Libnah ...left no survivor ...Lachish ...every person who was in it ...Eglon ...utterly destroyed ...Hebron ...left no survivor ...Debir ...utterly destroyed ...”

JO10:42 “... Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel...”

JO11

God used Joshua to complete the northern campaign.

JO11:1-5 Northern kings unite against Joshua - Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Hivites.

JO11:6 “... the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow at this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel...”

JO11:15 “...Just as the Lord had commanded Moses his servant, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord had commanded Moses....”

JO11:20 “... For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, to meet Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy, but that he might destroy them, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Compare Joshua to Jesus, who said “It is finished” when He completed what He was sent to do. Was everything done?

Joshua: Sinful men died at the hand of God.

Jesus: God died at the hands of sinful men.

JO12 List of the kings that were defeated.

What did they all have in common?

Thought they controlled their own destiny, but God had the final say.

Does every earthly kingdom make the same error?

JO13 - JO17

Inheritance given, even though not yet possessed.

JO13:1 “...very much of the land remains to be possessed...”

JO13:2-6 “...the regions of the Philistines and all those of the Geshurites...five lords of the Philistines ...Gazite ...Ashdodite ...Gittite ...Ekronite ...Avvite ...Sidonians ...Amorite ...Gebalite ...hill country ”

JO13:6 “...I will drive them out from before th sons of Israel, only allot it to Israel for an inheritance...”

Detailed land descriptions for each tribe except Levi.

Faithful Caleb requests the hill country.

JO14:10-13 “... I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today ...for war and for going out and coming in. Now then, give me this hill country ...Anakim ...with great fortified cities; perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out ... So Joshua blessed him and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for an inheritance...”

Territory Descriptions.

JO15 - Judah’s inheritance.

JO15:13 “...Caleb ...a portion among the sons of Judah...”

JO15:16-19 Caleb gives his daughter to Othniel, who captured Kiriath-sepher, and gives his daughter Negev and the upper springs.

JO15:21-61 Lots and lots of cities.

JO15:63 “...the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem ...the sons of Judah could not drive them out...”

JO16 - Ephraim’s inheritance.

JO16:10 “...they did not drive out the Canaanites ...in Gezer ...”

JO17 - Manasseh’s inheritance.

JO17 “...the sons of Manasseh could not take possession ...because the Canaanites persisted in living in the land...”

JO18, JO19

In position to survey the land and finish distributions.

JO18:1 “... Then the whole congregation of the sons of Israel assembled themselves at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there; and the land was subdued before them...”

JO18:3-6 “... So Joshua said ...How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land ...Provide ...three men from each tribe ...that they may arise and walk through the land and write a description of it accord- ing to their inheritance ...divide it into seven portions ...I will cast lots ...”

The last seven Territory Descriptions.

JO18 - 1st lot: Benjamin’s inheritance.

JO19 - 2nd lot: Simeon’s, 3rd lot Zebulun’s, 4th lot Issachar’s, 5th lot Asher’s, 6th lot Naphtali’s, 7th lot Dan’s.

JO19:51 “...Eleazar the priest ...Joshua ...the heads of the ...tribes ...finished dividing the land...”

JO20

Establishing the Cities of Refuge.

JO20:7 “...Kedesh (Naphtali) ...Shechem (Ephraim) ...Hebron (Judah)...”

JO20:8 “...Bezer (Reuben) ...Ramoth (Gad) ...Golan (Manasseh)...”

JO20:9 “...for sons of Israel ...stranger who sojourns ...whoever kills ...unintentionally ...”

JO21

48 Cities for the Levites given by lot.

JO21:4 “...thirteen ...from the tribe of Judah ...Simeon ...Benjamin...”

JO21:5 “...ten ...from ...Ephraim ...Dan ...”

JO21:6 “...thirteen ...from ...Issachar ...Asher ...Naphtali ...Manasseh ...”

JO21:7 “...twelve ...from ...Reuben ...Gad ...Zebulun ...”

Moses is gone, but people faithfully follow instructions.

JO21:8 “... the sons of Israel gave by lot to the Levites these cities with their pasture lands, as the Lord had commanded through Moses...”

JO21:44-45 “...And the Lord gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass...”

Who owns land and cities? Ownership or Stewardship?

JO22 Reuben, Gad and ½ tribe of Manasseh sent back over Jordan.

JO22:5 “...be very careful to observe the commandment and the law ...to love the Lord your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul..."

Does the whole congregation suffer if some are unfaithful?

JO22:10-12 “... the sons of Reuben ...Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an altar ...in the region of the Jordan ...the sons of Israel heard of it ...gathered ...to go up against them in war...”

JO22:18 “...If you rebel against the Lord today, He will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow...”

JO22:19 “.. If ...the land of your possession is unclean, ...cross into the land of the possession of the Lord, where the Lord’s tabernacle stands, and take possession among us. Only do not rebel against the Lord, or rebel against us by building an altar for yourselves...”

An explanation alleviates concern.

JO22:26-31 Not rebelling against God. Concerned that they might one day be treated as if they don’t belong with those across the Jordan.

JO22:28 “...the copy of the altar of the Lord ...not for burnt offering or for sacrifice, rather it is a witness between us and you…”

JO22:30 The explanation pleased Phinehas, the leaders, and family heads.