Joshua Part 1

Worshipping God through the dispensation of the law.

Worshipping God through the promise ended for the generation that were 20 and older when they came out of Egypt. The Generation that were 19 and under when they came out of Egypt and those born in the wilderness still had the opportunity to worship God though the promise made to Abraham if they kept the commandments of the law

In Jos 1:1 LORD began speaking directly to Joshua

·       V5 The LORD’s promise to Joshua: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

·       Jos 3:7 The LORD began to magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel

Ø    Moses: the Red Sea * Joshua: the Jordon River

Ø    Deu 34:9; Jos 1:16 The people followed Joshua as they did Moses

Chs 2 The God of Israel is not their God alone.

·       Joshua sent two spies to Jericho who just happen to end up in the house of Rahab the harlot whose house just happened to be in the wall of Jericho. She protected them from the men of Jericho. She let them down through a window to safety. Why did a harlot help them?

·       V8-11 She knew of the LORD (Jehovah) [How? [Rom 12:3; Rom 1:19-20] Rahab obeyed the measure of faith given to every person and when she heard of the Rea Sea crossing yielded to the knowledge of God given to every person.

Ø    Heb 11:32 Her faith saved her and her family. Every person in Jericho had the same measure of faith and knowledge of God that was given to Rehab they chose not to believe.

·       When the wall of Jericho fell down all that was left was the home of Rahab.

·       V9 Rahab worshipped God through the promise given to Abraham. (The ability to worship God through the dispensation of the promise had not ended for everyone.)

***Just as God had prepared the red heifer months before it’s was killed for it’s ashes, God began preparing the heart of a sinful harlot years before she had the opportunity to serve Him. Isa 45:11, 22-25

Ch 3 The crossing through the Jordon River. The generation that died in the wilderness had their Red Sea moment; the LORD showed himself to this generation in the same manner.

·       Compare Ex 14:13 with Jos 3:17. The first generation saw the salvation of the LORD, this generation had the salvation of the LORD among them and passed by it. Both generations had the opportunity to embrace the salvation of the LORD.

Ch 4 Twelve stones were a memorial for to teach the generations to follow all that the LORD had done [V6].

·       The LORD had them gather stones from the river bed; the LORD left a stone in the Red Sea. [Ex 15:5-6]

Ch 5 The journey in the wilderness had come to an end

·       V2-8 The generation that crossed through the Jordon started to keep the covenant of circumcision again so they could enter the covenant made with Abraham.

·       5:9 And the LORD said  . .  . This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you.

·       Reproach of Egypt: their desire for Egypt over their desire for the LORD’s covenant He made with Abraham and his seed. It is also the contempt Egypt had for the LORD God [Ex 5:2]. The generation that died in the wilderness chose not to keep the covenant of circumcision, they never desired the covenant God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

·       The desire to return to Egypt was lifted off the generation that crossed the Jordon.

·       They kept the passover and Manna ceased the wondering had ended.

Ch 5:13-15 As Joshua looked at the great walls of Jericho and the captain of hosts of the LORD showed himself to Joshua. Question was this captain of the LORD’s host the LORD God or was it an angel?

·       Notice Joshua bowed in worship and was not stopped. [Acts 10:25-26]

·       The captain declared the place to be holy See Ex 3:4-5 the LORD{Jehovah} declared

·       But Joshua said, “What saith my lord unto his servant?”. The small l lord is used for a person not deity. It seems Joshua did not recognize Him as the LORD, Jehovah, at first. 

·       It appears the captain was the LORD (LORD of hosts is in 235 verses, first in 1Sam 1:3). Here the LORD of hosts is ready to lead in battle.

·       The LORD revealed himself to Joshua in a way that no man saw before or after. In Rev 19 He is see with sword of his mouth and vesture dipped in blood.