Take Possession

The book of Joshua has encouragement and wisdom for the soldiers of the Cross more than any other book. This is the book of conquest or the battlefield of Canaan. In this book, Israel not only overcomes the enemy, but also occupies the land God promised them. Joshua completes what Moses began. The nation that was led out by Moses was led in by Joshua. This book focuses on overcoming the enemy and occupying the land.

The beginning of the book we see the children of Israel right on the border of the land of promise, near the banks of Jordan. Canaanites, the people of the land, were the descendants of Canaan, the son of Ham (Noah’s son). They were wicked and idolatrous. God tells Joshua, the leader to get ready to cross the Jordan River (Joshua 1:2). God said to him to be strong and courageous and not be discouraged as God will be with him wherever he go (Joshua 1:5,9). Joshua sent men through the camp to tell them that in three days they would cross the Jordan, and to be prepared for the journey (Joshua 1:10-11).  Joshua sends two scouts to bring a report of the land. Read the story of Rahab. the prostitute in Joshua 2. Rahab helped the spies and hid them and let them escape through the window of her house which was part of the city wall. Rahab hung a scarlet cord out of her window so that her house might be marked and spared when the city was destroyed by Israel. This same woman’s name is found in the genealogy of Jesus (Mathew 1:5).

Joshua instructed the people to sanctify themselves, for on the morrow the Lord would do wonders among them (Joshua 3:5). The children of Israel had followed the cloud in the wilderness. Now they would follow the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of Jehovah. Joshua told the priests to take up the Ark and step into the Jordan. When the soles of their feet touched the waters of the Jordan, they stood on dry ground (Joshua 3:9-17). After they crossed the Jordan River, from the river bed where the priests stood, stones were taken and piled up on the other shore as a lasting memorial of the wonders God did for them (Joshua 4:3).

Children of Israel needed to break the walls of Jericho to proceed to conquer the Promised Land, for Jericho was the key to southern Canaan. For bringing the wall down, God’s directions seemed strange, but they obeyed him. They marched around the city with the priests, Ark and trumpets for six days. (Joshua 6). On the seventh day they shouted glory to God with trumpets and the wall fell down for them to conquer the city. God knew that a certain vibration would destroy the wall. It was struck in the sound of the trumpet and shout. God accomplished the destruction with or without scientific means. God gives us victories through ways that seem utterly foolish to the world.

The capture of Jericho gave the Israelites a chance to enter central Canaan. The next place was Ai, which is the entrance into the valley leading into western Canaan. As he had done in the case of Jericho, Joshua sent spies to Ai to learn the situation. Made overconfident by their recent success, they gave poor counsel on their return that they can capture Ai with less people (Joshua 7:3). A small force was sent and they were attacked and saw the withdrawal of God’s guiding hand. They understood that one man (Achan) was the cause of the defeat as he hid a wedge of Gold (Joshua 7). It states us clear that every sin you commit will hunt you down, find you out and make you pay. You cannot escape the law of God.

Israelites went out a second time to Ai and they were victors. The fame of Israel began to spread far and wide. The kings of Canaan formed a league against them. But Joshua routed the allied army (Joshua 10: 10-13), where even the sun stood still over Gibeon for their victory.

Finally we see the land rested from war (Joshua 11:23). We see the name Jerusalem mentioned this time. It is a city with great past history and a bright future history. Here Christ will reign when he comes again in power and great glory (Luke 21:27).

Joshua 13 to 24, we see the division of the land. Although all this land was allotted to the various tribes, all of it was not conquered until the time of David. In Joshua 14, we see Caleb asking his friend Joshua for the high walled cities as his portion. Joshua gave his as his will as he valued Caleb’s part and hard work in capturing the Promised Land.

In Joshua 24 we see him old. He called first the leaders and then all the people together and urged them to remember the power and faithfulness of God and asked them to be faithful to him (Joshua 24:14). The book closes with his death at the age of 110 years.

This book gives us an account of how God will lead and guide his children to overcome all the odds, if they are truthful to him. Even though this book is about children of Israel, through Jesus Christ whoever believes in the sacrifice of Christ is New Israel and God is going to guide them to victory over all enemies. The enemies may be an addiction, or a sickness, or an abuse, through Christ Jesus, the victory will come to you when you believe in him and his salvation.

May the Spirit of God lead you to understand the sacrifice of Christ Jesus and help you to born again in Christ Jesus and possess the victory as New Israel.