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:
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