Questions about Joshua
Answered from the commentary of Arend Remmers, H. Forbes Witherby, Numerical Bible Notes and 9 others
Joshua tells of God bringing Israel into the promised land, defeating its enemies, and allotting the inheritance, while showing that Israel’s victories depended on God’s power and the people’s obedience and faith. The land and its battles are also read as pictures of the believer’s heavenly inheritance and conflict, which must be entered into by faith and the power of the Spirit.
Joshua was prepared to lead Israel, and God promised to be with him; courage and obedience to God’s word were necessary for the work entrusted to him. As Israel followed God’s direction, He gave them victory, and Joshua left nothing undone of what God had commanded. Yet the people’s failures brought defeat and complications: hidden sin brought defeat at Ai, and failure to seek God’s counsel led to the snare of Gibeon. When the evil was judged, God restored the people and gave them victory, though their recovery required more effort than it would have taken to avoid the failure.
The conquest brought rest from war and demonstrated that God had fulfilled His promises. But the land was not fully possessed: much remained to be taken, and the tribes were slack or failed to drive out their enemies. The warnings at the close of Joshua show that continued blessing in the land depended on obedience, and that God’s warnings would be fulfilled as surely as His promises. The people pledged to serve the Lord, but Joshua warned, “Ye cannot serve the Lord”; several passages understand their covenant as a renewed covenant of law that would testify against them when they failed. Others emphasize the people’s service to the Lord during Joshua’s lifetime and the elders’ lifetime, while agreeing that Israel later departed from Him.
Verses: Joshua 1:1, Joshua 1:2, Joshua 1:3, Joshua 1:4, Joshua 1:5, Joshua 1:6, Joshua 1:7, Joshua 1:8, Joshua 1:9, Joshua 24:14, Joshua 24:15, Joshua 24:16, Joshua 24:17, Joshua 24:18, Joshua 24:19, Joshua 24:20, Joshua 24:21, Joshua 24:22, Joshua 24:23, Joshua 24:24, Joshua 24:25, Joshua 24:26, Joshua 24:27, Joshua 24:28
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What the commentators say
The passages the answer is drawn from, the most direct first, with the words that bear on the question marked.
The book of Joshua describes the passing through Jordan, the conquest of the Canaanites and the distribution of the country among the twelve tribes. Israel received the promised land according to God's promise given to Abraham (Gen. 13:14-17; 15:7.16). But the people needed obedience and energy of faith for it.
This book gives the history of Israel in crossing the Jordan, their conquests over the nations, and the division of the land among the twelve tribes. It is typical of the believer's entering, in the power of the Spirit, into the purpose of God, as quickened together with Christ; of his conflict with the spiritual powers of wickedness in the heavenlies; and of his enjoyment of the promises of God. Joshua was commissioned by God Himself. Courage and obedience, under God, would ensure success. He is exhorted to be strong and God would not fail him. Israel had a title to all that was promised to Abraham, but they would possess that whereon the soles of their feet trod, and thus it would become theirs. So the Christian must make his calling and election sure, entering into the possession of his heavenly privileges.
Joshua 2. The spies learned that the fear of Israel had fallen upon the people of the land, and the faith of Rahab saved her and her family. A Gentile gets a place in the promised possession by faith. See RAHAB.
Joshua 3, Joshua 4. For the passage into the land see JORDAN.
Son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim. His name was originally OSHEA, or HOSHEA, but it was changed by Moses into Jehoshua, and this was contracted into Joshua, which is the same as JESUS in the Greek, and signifies 'Jehovah the saviour.' Joshua was one of the twelve spies, and he with Caleb brought up a true report of the land, and was one of the two survivors of the men who came out of Egypt that entered the land. The first notice of Joshua is when he led the army against the Amalekites and overcame them while Moses' hands were held up. Ex. 17:9. He is afterwards called the 'minister' of Moses, and as such he went up with him into the mount of God. Ex. 24:13; Ex. 32:17. Joshua was appointed the successor of Moses, not as law-giver, but as leader. He had 'the spirit,' and some of the honour of Moses was put upon him. Num. 27:18-23; Deut. 1:38; Deut. 3:28.
The principal work of Joshua was to lead the Israelites into the land of promise, not on the ground of their righteousness, but of the promises made to the fathers; the subjugation of the former inhabitants, and dividing the land as a possession for the twelve tribes, and these things are recorded in the BOOK OF JOSHUA. In these points Joshua was a type of Christ as leader or Captain of His saints. He is once called JESHUA. Neh. 8:17.
The book of Joshua records the entrance of the people Israel into the promised land, how this entrance was effected by the power of God, the conflicts which arose when they came into the land, the partial conquest and the division of the land among the tribes. All this is fully given in our analysis and followed in the annotations of the different chapters.
Joshua means "JehovahâSavior," the same name asJesus in the Greek language. This is a book of militant conquest and victory. Israel is seen calmly dependent upon God, not rushing eagerly to battle, but with quiet deliberation taking each step as led by the Word of God. They enter the Promised Land by the divine stepping of the river Jordan, a type of the death and resurrection of Christ as linked with His people. Each enemy in turn must give way to God's power among His armies. Though there were painful setbakcs for Israel because of their lack of faith, yet the general theme is that of taking possession of the land God had given them, and this by disposessing their enemies.
Joshua begins here with all the vigor and energy of faith. The two great themes of the book are, first, the conquest, and secondly, the enjoyment of the inheritance God had given them. Mingled with this is the lesson of "no confidence in the flesh," and of the need of divine energy to take full possession of what is ours. The book closes, in a way which prepares us for the book of Judges, with warnings and exhortations.
The establishment of the people in the land by divine leading and power, according to promise, but through conflict, in which the faithfulness of the people's walk with God is tested.
The book of Joshua naturally follows the five books of Moses, and indeed is connected more manifestly with those that go before it than might appear to an ordinary reader. It opens not with a mere particle of time nor of transition but of connection. This is not expressed in the English version, but it is the fact in the Hebrew text. Undoubtedly it was the Holy Spirit writing by another servant of the Lord; but He was carrying on the same testimony, and a testimony too for which the book of Deuteronomy more particularly prepares us; for all that book was uttered by Moses when the children of Israel were upon the eve, as it were, of entering the promised land. Here, as elsewhere, it is of great importance that we should clearly apprehend the special object of the Spirit of God in the book. I shall make a few remarks therefore of a general nature in order to present it as clearly as the Lord enables me.
I am going to look through the decline and ruin of Israel under every form of its government, from the time of the entry into the land of Canaan. It was Joshua who led them. The book of this name is the history of the victories of Israel over the Canaanites - the history of the faithfulness of God in the accomplishment of all that He had promised to His people. The Judges and Samuel are the history of the failure of Israel in the land of Canaan until David; but, at the same time, of the patience of God. First, then, how does Joshua describe the Israelites - their condition and character?
In Joshua 24 he recites all that God had done on their behalf - all His favours, and all His goodness; upon which (v. 16) the people answer, "God forbid that we should forsake the Lord." In verse 19, Joshua says to the people, "Ye cannot serve the Lord"; and the people say, "Nay, but we will serve the Lord"; "The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey." "So [v. 25] Joshua made a covenant with the people that day." This captain of their salvation led them into the land of promise; they enjoy the fruits of grace, and they anew undertake to obey the Lord.
Now that we are come to the description of the decisive battle by which the whole of Palestine is laid open to Israel, it is well to be reminded that the taking possession of Canaan is the main subject of the book of Joshua, and that the land of promise answers for us to the heavenly places.
Verses
- Joshua 1:1–91And it came to pass after the death of Moses the servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' attendant, saying, 2Moses my servant is dead; and now, rise up, go over this Jordan, thou and all this people, into the land which I give unto them, to the children of Israel. 3Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread have I given to you, as I said unto Moses. 4From the wilderness and this Lebanon to the great river, the river Euphrates, the whole land of the Hittites, to the great sea, toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. 5None shall be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee; I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee. 6Be strong and courageous, for thou shalt cause this people to inherit the land which I have sworn unto their fathers to give them. 7Only be strong and very courageous, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded thee. Turn not from it to the right or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8This book of the law shall not depart from thy mouth; and thou shalt meditate upon it day and night, that thou mayest take heed to do according to all that is written therein; for then shalt thou have good success in thy ways, and then shalt thou prosper. 9Have I not commanded thee Be strong and courageous? Be not afraid, neither be dismayed; for Jehovah thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.