The Book of Joshua : Introduction


〰️ Introduction 〰️

The name Joshua means The Lord saves. The theme of the book is, the establishment of Israel in the Promised Land. After 40 years of wandering in the desert the Israelites were finally allowed to enter the land promised to their fathers. Joshua was destined to turn the promise into reality. In the Book of Joshua it is the Lord who won the victories and gave Israel all the land he had sworn to give their forefathers.

©️ The Command ©️
The Lord commanded Joshua to get the people ready to cross the River Jordan into the Promised Land. The Lord told Joshua to be strong and courageous and obey all the Law and not to turn away from it. Then he would be prosperous and successful. So the people were made ready.

®️ Rahab & the Spies ®️
Joshua sent two spies secretly to look over the land, specially Jericho. They went into the house of Rahab. The king knew about this and ordered Rahab to bring out the two spies. Rahab hid them under stalks of flax in the roof. She told them that the two spies left her house at dusk.

At night she let them go down the wall by fixing a scarlet cord in the window. They promised that she and her family would be saved if they remain within the house. The two spies escaped and hid in the hills for three days until the persuers had returned without finding them.

🌊 Crossing Jordan 🌊
The Levites carried the ark of the covenant and moved. The Israelites had to follow them at a distance. When the feet of the Levites touched the edge of the waters of Jordan, the waters from the upstream stopped flowing and piled up in a heap a great distance away. The priests stood on dry ground in the middle and Israel crossed over safely.

Twelve stones had to be taken from the place the priests stood and placed on the other side of the river as a memorial of this great miracle. As soon as the priests left the river the waters of Jordan ran at flood stage as before.

©️ The Circumcision ©️
The multitude of people who left Egypt were circumcised. But the people born in the desert were not circumcised. They were all circumcised at Gilgal. Manna was stopped the day they ate the produce of the land.

Miracle working God
The Lord God Almighty dried up the Jordan before them just as He had done to the Red Sea enabling all the people to cross over. The people had to know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and they all had to fear the Lord their God always.

Mrs Caroline Chellappa 📝
Chennai