Overview of the Bible: Joshua

 Book of Joshua 

Title: Joshua – “whose salvation is YHWH”, in Num. 13:16 he is called Hosea  

Date of writing: around 1400 BC, after the completion of the Conquest

Date of Narrative: 1406 – 1400 BC – period of the Conquest

Structure: David A. Dorsey, p. 93, 94

Conquest of Canaan, ch. 1 -12

Settlement in the Land, ch. 13-24

a. 1, Intro to first phase  b. 2, Believing Canaanite: Rahab     c. 3-4, stopping the Jordan    d. 5, ceremonies at Gilgal     e. 6, conquest of Jericho      f. 7:1-8:29, faithless Israelite       g. 8:30-35, conclus. of phase 1 a’. 9:1-2, Intro to phase 2  b’. 9:3-27, believe. Can.: Gibeonites   c’. 10:1-15, stopping the sun    d’. 10:16-31, ceremony Makkedah     e’. 11:1-15, conquest of Hazor      f’. 11:16-23, hardened Canaanite       g’. 12, conclusion of conquest

a. 13:1-7, Introduction  b. 13:8-33, Transjordanian tribes   c. 14:1-5, Levites    d. 14:6-15, personal lot – Caleb     e. 15, non-Rachel: Judah      f. 16 – 17, Rachel tribes: Joseph       g. 18:1-10, Allotment to 7 tribes      f’. 18:11-28, Rachel: Benjamin     e’. 19:1-48, non-Rachel: Simeon    d’. 19:49-50, personal lot – Joshua   c’. 20 – 21, Levites  b’. 22, Transjordanian tribes a’. 23-24, Conclusion

 

Main themes:

As the sixth book of the Bible the Book of Joshua picks up the theme of creation of man – we see the maturation of Joshua from the one who needs encouragement from the tribes (Ch. 1) to the one who has strength to challenge them (24:14-15).  

The theme of faithfulness in the service – both Achan (Ch. 7) and Joshua (Ch. 8 and 9) fall into the trap of “thinking for themselves”.

The desire of nations (gentiles) to join the covenant is depicted in the story of Rahab (Ch. 2) and Gibeonites (Ch. 9).   

Theme of unity of the tribes is reflected in the altar by the Jordan river accident (22).

Main Characters: Moses, Joshua, Rahab, Five Amorites kings.

Reflection in other parts of the Bible:

Joshua first time appears in Ex. 17 where he leads the Israel army against Amalekites. He is the one out two spies who stays faithful in the outburst against the conquest the first time (Num. 13-14).

Rahab became a part of the genealogy of Messiah (Mt. 1:5).

Although Assyria took over the Northern Kingdom and carried the Israelites away (2 Kings 17:6) we meet the representatives of all twelve tribes around the throne of God (Rev. 7:1-8).

Jesus entering the Jordan river recapitulates the story of Israel entering the Promised Land.

The initial layout of the Book of Acts resembles the sequence of the first part of the Book of Joshua.       

Lutheran teaching: The Book of Concord has no reference to the Book of Joshua.  

Lutheran hymnody:     

LSB 494 See, the LORD Ascends in Triumph (v. 4).

LSB 918 Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer (v. 3).

Relevancy of the Book:

Reading the Book of Joshua, we begin to comprehend the ginormous plan of God – just think of how the stories of Joshua and Rahab are intertwined with each other, but also how each of them influenced the future of Israel.  

Memory verses:

1:8 This Book of 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 good success.