The Book of Joshua
Focus Verse: Joshua 1:9 Lesson Verse: 2 Cor 10:4,5
1. Chapter 1 - Preparing to Serve
2. Chapter 2 - Taking-Up the Challenge
3. Chapter 3 - Dying to Self (Part 1) The Crossing of the Jordan River
4. Chapter 4 - Dying to Self (Part 2) Reckoning Yourself to be Dead
a. Setting up Spiritual Memorials
b. Walking in Victory - even before the main fighting begins
1. The world's reaction to Offensive Christians (5:1) - when Christians really walk by faith, and not by sight!
2. The Need for Circumcision (5:2-9)
a. Outside circumcision was only a sign of an internal change (Deut 10:16), because the flesh cannot fight God's battles (Rom 8:5-8)
b. Spiritual Circumcision occurs at salvation (Col 2:9-14), but must be reckoned (fully understood) to be of use to you
c. Compared to divorce (Rom 7:1-20) - showing you were DEAD (Eph 2:1) to God until you surrendered, and then you are NOW to be DEAD towards this world!
d. Circumcision is God's O.T. sign to show what He was doing on the inside
1. PRINCIPLE: Keep your salvation sweet and precious to you.
2. The Jews were to keep this "feast" every year to honour God's deliverance from their every enemy
3. We remember the Lord's death at His Last Supper (1 Cor 11), and we can do it as often as we see fit - about every other month!
1. Special provisions are done away with. Israel had been fed miraculously for almost 40 years - almost spoon fed because of their immaturity (like in 1 Cor 3:1-3)
2. Now they have to learn how to live by faith yes, but now by getting their OWN food - no more miracles, except in battle. From here on, plow, plant, pray, and reap your own labours
a. In your family - takers a lot of effort and time
b. In your study of this Bible - your own growth
c. In your finances - can't count on constant flow of miracles - just have to work, and pay your bills (Ac 20:34; 2Thes 3:10-12)
3. God is dealing with maturity - forcing us to grow up!
a. When a baby, you need someone to lead you.
b. When you grow up, you need to be leading someone else!!!
1. Use your Bravery (5:13) - Let it get sharper, and more mature, more confident that it can take on anything (Rom 8:37; Philp 4:13)
2. Try the Spirits (5:13) - test everything that comes your way - any anxiety, or oppression (things trying to mentally hinder you)
3. Submit to the authority of the LORD Jesus Christ in your life! Realise He is with you to defeat your enemies - don't end up fighting Him!
a. Submit through your search the Scriptures (5:14)
b. Submit through true worship of the holiness, and perfection that is found in Christ!
1) That as God, He is ALMIGHTY (Ex 15:3)
2) That all spiritual battles are serious business with God (Rev 1:12-17; 19:11-13) - He intends on winning!
A. Throughout chapters 1 through 5, God has been preparing Israel for the battles ahead
1. First by preparing their leader - Joshua - no one is a born leader
2. Then by preparing the enemy - instilled great fear, and surrender
3. Then by getting the people to bury their past, and walk as conquerors
4. Then by getting them to put some distance between their old life and new life - circumcision
5. Then by forcing them to labour to feed themselves
6. Then finally, to get them to follow God's leadership implicitly
B. What is up next is Jericho - the first fight
C. Questions
1. Once Israel was in the Promised Land, what was the first thing that God wanted Israel to do? ___________________________________
2. Why was it necessary that Israel do this thing? __________________ ________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________
3. God suspended feeding the Israelites Manna when they were in the Promised Land. What were they to do from then on? _____________ ________________________________________________________