Joshua 1
From my Chuck Smith Bible, there are a few things I discuss with my kids before we jump into this book:
~This is the first book of the Bible that is named after a person
~Joshua in Hebrew is Yehoshua, which means "Yahweh is Salvation"
~Jesus in Hebrew is Yeshua, which means "Yahweh Saves"
~As we'll see, Joshua is a type of Christ
(v.4) There is so much hate and fighting about the land that Israel now possesses, yet in reality, God gave Israel a much bigger area. From Turkey in the north, down through most of Syria, through Lebanon and out to the Euphrates (Iraq) is what God calls Israel. Today, Israel is only a fraction of what it should be in size.
I remind my kids that Moses represents the Law, and they didn't enter the Promised Land by the Law (Moses). They entered by the faith of Joshua (Jesus). Living by the Law doesn't save us and allow us to enter heaven, it's our faith in God and Jesus!
Joshua 2
Here we meet an incredible woman named Rahab. She is a Gentile and a pagan, yet she believes the LORD is the only God, and she helps these two spies (witnesses). Later, we learn that one of David's ancestors, Salmon, married Rahab (Matt 1:5). She went from being a pagan Gentile harlot, to an esteemed mother of Boaz, who is in the kingly line of David!!!
Joshua 3
Israel crosses the Jordan, and says goodbye to the old ways of Egypt. Of course, they still will have their moments, but through Joshua, they cross over and have a new beginning. This is like when we gave our lives to Christ, we crossed over and left behind our worldly dependence, and trusted in another Joshua...Jesus!
Joshua 4
Numbers represent things in the Bible. Here is a list of ones that we come across a lot:
3 ~ Sanctification, redemption (Jesus, Jonah, etc in the grave for 3 days)
6 ~ Incompletion (Six days of creation needed a 7th for completion, rest)
7 ~ Completion (Seven days of creation, seven cities of refuge, all the sevens in Revelation)
12 ~ Represents Israel (the twelve tribes)
40 ~ Testing and Judgement (Flood of Noah, the Jews, and Jesus in the Wilderness)
Here we have the 12 tribes being represented by the monument of 12 stones. This is the very spot, where centuries later, John the Baptist did his ministry!
Joshua 5
All the men who left Egypt with Moses were circumcised, but the children were not. These children were circumcised now, since their fathers abandoned the Word of God. This was a painful lesson for them to learn!
(vv.13-15) Here we see another theophany...Jesus in the OT! We know it's Jesus, since an angel would've reprimanded Joshua for worshipping anything other than God. Also, this Commander has Joshua take off his sandals, since he's on holy ground (Exodus 3:5).
Joshua is a type of Christ...he will lead the conquest of Jericho, which mirrors Jesus' conquering of Babylon and the world in Revelation.
Joshua 6
God has Joshua tell his army a very peculiar plan to conquer Jericho...my kids laugh when I act out this plan and show their faces when they hear it! But if we compare this event in the book of Joshua to Jesus in the book of Revelation, we see many similarities:
Yehoshua (Joshua) ~ Yeshua (Jesus)
Commander of Israel ~ Commander of the army of the LORD
Seven days ~ Seven years
Priests sent out in front ~ High Priest (Jesus) leads
First send in two spies ~ Two witnesses sent in first
Seven trumpet blasts ~ Seven trumpet judgements
Judgment by fire ~ Fire and brimstone judgment
Kings hide in caves ~ Leaders hide in caves
Joshua 7
Here we see Israel getting overconfident and not reliant upon God. Not only are they thinking they conquered Jericho instead of God, but they disobey Him by taking things from there. I point out to my kids that we do this ourselves all the time!
Joshua 8
After the culprit, Achan, is stoned, they then win easily. This is God's Word speaking to us that we need to include Him in all parts of our lives, at all times. When we do, we will see His glory manifested in our lives!
They won because they had faith in God, and let Him have the glory!
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