Joshua and the promised land

Moses brought Israel out of Egypt; Joshua brought them into the promised land. After forty years in the wilderness, the time had come to cross the river Jordan and receive the inheritance God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Joshua, a former slave who had served for years as Moses’ assistant, was the leader chosen for this mission. His life is an example of courage, obedience and faithfulness, and his name has a very special meaning for Christians.

Who was Joshua?

Joshua was the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. He was born in Egypt in the days of slavery. His original name was Oshea (Hoshea), “salvation”, but Moses called him Joshua (Yehoshua), meaning “the Lord saves” (Numbers 13:16). That same name, in its short form Yeshua, is the name of Jesus. In Greek, Joshua and Jesus are spelled the same: Iesous.

Joshua first appears as commander in the battle against Amalek at Rephidim. Then he was Moses’ servant: he went with him up Mount Sinai and did not depart from the tabernacle of the congregation (Exodus 33:11). For years he learned at his master’s feet.

The faithful spy

When Israel reached the border of Canaan, Moses sent twelve spies to search out the land. They returned after forty days with a cluster of grapes so large it had to be carried between two men on a staff. The land was good, “it floweth with milk and honey”. But ten spies spread fear: the cities were fortified and there were giants; “we were in our own sight as grasshoppers”.

Only Joshua and Caleb stood firm: “If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land… neither fear ye the people of the land… the Lord is with us” (Numbers 14:8-9). The people wanted to stone them. Because of their unbelief, that generation died in the wilderness, and only Joshua and Caleb, of the adults who left Egypt, entered Canaan forty years later.

“Be strong and of a good courage”

Before dying, Moses laid his hands on Joshua before all the people. After Moses’ death, God spoke to Joshua with words that have encouraged believers in every age:

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

Joshua 1:8-9

The key to Joshua’s success would not be military strategy, but God’s presence and obedience to his Word. Three times in the first chapter God tells him: “Be strong and of a good courage.”

Rahab and the spies

Joshua sent two spies to Jericho. There they were hidden by Rahab, a woman who had heard of God’s works and believed that Israel’s God was God in heaven and on earth. She asked them to save her family, and the spies told her to bind a scarlet cord in her window. As we saw in another article, Rahab would become part of Jesus’ genealogy.

Crossing the Jordan

The river Jordan was in flood, for it was harvest time. God commanded that the priests carrying the ark of the covenant go into the water first. As soon as their feet touched the river, the waters coming down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far away, and the people passed over on dry ground opposite Jericho. It was like a repeat of the Red Sea miracle for the new generation. Joshua had twelve stones taken from the riverbed and set up as a memorial at Gilgal, so that when children asked, “What mean ye by these stones?”, their parents would tell them what God had done.

At Gilgal the people were circumcised and kept the Passover. The day after they ate of the produce of the land, the manna ceased. One era ended and another began.

The captain of the Lord’s host

Near Jericho, Joshua saw a man with a drawn sword. He asked him: “Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?” He answered: “Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come.” Joshua fell on his face and worshipped, and was told: “Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy” (Joshua 5:13-15), the same words Moses heard at the bush. Many Christians have seen in this figure an appearance of the Son of God before his incarnation. The question was not whether God was on Joshua’s side, but whether Joshua was on God’s.

The walls of Jericho

Jericho was a walled city. God gave Joshua a strange plan: the people would march around the city once a day for six days, in silence, with seven priests blowing trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day they would march around seven times, and at the long blast of the trumpets all the people would shout. So they did, and the wall of the city fell down flat. Hebrews says: “By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days” (Hebrews 11:30). Rahab and her family were saved.

Defeat at Ai and the sin of Achan

After the victory, Israel suffered an unexpected defeat before the small city of Ai. The cause was that Achan had secretly taken items from the spoil devoted to God. One man’s sin affected the whole people. After the sin was uncovered and judged, Israel prevailed at Ai. The lesson is clear: hidden disobedience brings defeat.

The sun stood still

The Gibeonites tricked Israel into a peace treaty. When five Amorite kings attacked them, Joshua came to their defence. During the battle Joshua prayed, and God made the sun stand still over Gibeon and the moon over the valley of Ajalon: “And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man” (Joshua 10:14). The text, poetic and quoted from the book of Jasher, has been interpreted in various ways, but its message is that God fought for Israel.

Dividing the land, and farewell

After years of conquest, Joshua divided the land among the tribes. Caleb, at eighty-five, asked for the mountain of Hebron. Cities of refuge were established to protect those who killed someone unintentionally. At the end of his life, Joshua gathered the people at Shechem and reminded them of the whole history of God’s faithfulness. Then he put a decision before them:

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Joshua 24:15

The people answered that they would serve the Lord. Joshua died at a hundred and ten and was buried at Timnath-serah in Mount Ephraim. “And Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua” (Joshua 24:31). Joseph’s bones, brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem.

Places in the story

Interesting facts

Lessons for our lives

Preparation takes time: Joshua served for years before leading. Faith sees the promise, not the giants. God’s Word is the secret of success. Memorials pass faith on to children. Hidden sin brings defeat. Every generation must choose whom to serve.

On the road to Jesus

Joshua is one of the clearest figures of Jesus, beginning with his name. Moses, who represents the law, could not bring the people into the promised land; it was Joshua who did. In the same way, the law cannot give us the eternal inheritance; it is Jesus who brings us into it. Hebrews 4:8-9 says that if Joshua had given them final rest, God would not have spoken of another day, and concludes: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.” Jesus, the true Joshua, crossed the Jordan of death, tore down the walls of sin and invites us: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

In the next episode we will meet three of Israel’s judges: Deborah, Gideon and Samson.

Prayer

Lord, as you said to Joshua, tell me today: be strong and of a good courage. Help me meditate on your Word day and night and obey it. Tear down the walls that keep me from moving forward. Thank you for Jesus, the true Joshua, who brings me into your rest. And today I declare it: as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Amen.