LORD’SARMY68 LORD’SARMY1 AdditionalResources Craigie,PeterC.TheProblemofWarintheOldTestament. Wm.B.Erdmans PublishingCo.1978. Howard,DavidM.,TheNewAmericanCommentaryVolume5-Joshua . Broadman&HolmanPublishing.2008. Hess,RichardS.,Joshua:AnIntroductionandCommentary(TyndaleOld TestamentCommentaries) .Tyndale.2008 Schaeffer,FrancisA&UdoW.Middelmann,JoshuaandtheFlowofBiblical History.FrancisSchaefferFoundation.2 nd Ed.2004.(1 st ed.1975). Ralph,DavisDale,Joshua:NoFallingWords(FocusontheBible).BakerPublishing Co.1996. Woudstra,MartenH.,TheBookofJoshua(TheNewInternationalCommentary ontheOldTestament) .Wm.B.ErdmansPublishingCo.1981. LORD’SARMY2 LORD’SARMY67 Notes TheLORD’SARMY AStudyGuidefortheBookofJoshua LORD’SARMY66 LORD’SARMY3 TABLEOFCONTENTS Notes: Readthisfirst..................................................................................................................................................5 StudyingJoshua…..........................................................................................................................................6 IntroductiontotheBookofJoshua…......................................................................................................8 - TheHistorybeforeJoshua - TheBattlefield(theLand) - TheEnemy(Canaanites) - TheTheologyofJoshua - WarfareinJoshua TheWarriorandtheWar ………………………………………………………………………………………….16-23 Week1-IntroductiontoJoshua Week2-Joshua1.1-9–Theman Week3-Joshua1.10-18–Thepeople Week4-Joshua2.1-24–TheReconnaissance FromWanderersToWarriors………………………………………………………………………………….24-29 Week5-Joshua3.1-17–TheCrossing Week6-Joshua4.1-24.–TheMemorial Week7-Joshua5.1-12–TheArmy PersonalStudy/QUESTIONSFORUNDERSTANDING 1. ReadGenesis12.6-7.WhatisthesignificanceofShechem? TheFirstVictory,TheFirstDefeat ……………………………………………………………………….....30-37 Week8-Joshua5.13-6.27–FirstConquest Week9-Joshua7.1-26–FirstDefeat Week10-Joshua8.1-29–FirstVictory 2. WhatchoicedoesJoshuaputforwardtoIsrael?Whatchoicedoeshemake, Week11-Joshua8.30-35–Covenant andwhodoeshemakeitfor? TheSouthernWar ………………………………………………………………………………………………….….38-43 Week12-Joshua9.1-27–TheBadTreaty 3. HowhasyourviewofJoshuachangedsincethebeginningofthisstudy? Week13-Joshua10.1-15–Battles,pt1 HowdoyouthinkIsraelfeltabouthisdeath? Week14-Joshua10.16-43–Battles,pt2 TheNorthernWar ………………………………………………………………………………………………………44-47 RoadGroupStudy/QUESTIONSFORLIFEAPPPLICATION Week15-Joshua11.1-23–FinalCombat 1. WhatScripture,idea,orcommentmostimpresseduponyoupersonally Week16-Joshua12.1-24–TheConquered duringthissermon? TheSpoilsofWar ………………………………………………………………………………………………….....48-61 Week17-Joshua13.1-33–TheInheritance 2. Followingtheirverbalconfession(v.19)JoshuatellsIsraeloftheirrebellious Week18-Joshua14.1-15–TheLoneSoldier heartssaying,“YouarenotabletoservetheLORD,forheisaholyGod.” Week19-Joshua15–TheBorders HowdoestheGospelaffirmthisstatementandgiveushope? Week20-Joshua16-17–TheAppeal Week21-Joshua18-19–TheAllotment 3. ReadHebrews11.32-38.Howdoesthispassagechallengeyourviewofthe Week22-Joshua20-21–TheCities “victorious”Christianlife?IsitallconquestlikeJoshua?Howdoesthelife Week23-Joshua22.1-34–TheBreach ofJesusprovethis? TheNextWar …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….62-65 4. Whatisthemostempowering,convicting,comforting,orotherwise Week24-Joshua23.1-16–TheCharge impactfultruththatyouhavegainedfromthisstudy? Week25-Joshua24.1-33–TheChoice LORD’SARMY4 LORD’SARMY65 THENEXTWAR Week25 Readthisfirst TheChoice Scripture:Joshua24.1-33 The66booksofScriptureareallpartoftheonestoryofRedemption.Fromthe veryfirstbookoftheOldTestament,eventhefirstfewchapters,Scripture KeyVerse: pointstotheherooftheBible,JesusChrist.TheentirepurposeoftheOld NowthereforefeartheLORDandservehiminsincerityandinfaithfulness.Put TestamentistopointtowardsafutureredemptionofGod’speoplewhenhewill awaythegodsthatyourfathersservedbeyondtheRiverandinEgypt,and savehispeoplefromsinanddeath.God’scovenantpeople,thepeopleofhis servetheLORD.AndifitisevilinyoureyestoservetheLORD,choosethisday promise,hopeinthecomingofGod’ssalvation.Aseachbookandeachchapter whomyouwillserve,whetherthegodsyourfathersservedintheregionbeyond unfolds,Godrevealsmoreandmoreabouthisperfections. theRiver,orthegodsoftheAmoritesinwhoselandyoudwell..Butasforme andmyhouse,wewillservetheLORD.”Joshua24.14-15 ThebookofJoshuaisnoexception,thoughitremainsoneofthemost controversialbooksoftheBible.Throughanincrediblyviolentnarrative,God Summary: revealshimselfasaholyandjustwarriorfightingforthepurityofworship.Not ThebookofDeuteronomyendswiththereaffirmationofGod’scovenant(Deut onlyaremanyhardpressedtounderstandtherelevanceofbookfullofland 32.46)andthedeathofMoses.Similarly,therecordofJoshuaendsby surveyswrittenthousandsofyearsago,othersareequallydisturbedbythe reaffirmingthecovenantandthereportingofhisowndeathbyanunnamed apparentparadoxofhowalovingGodcangivecommandsforsuchbrutal editor.JoshuagathersallofIsraeltoShechem,theveryplacewhereGodhad warfare. firstpromisedthelandtoAbraham(Gen.12.6-7).Hethenreviewsthehistoryof thecovenantfromAbrahamtothepresentdaywhentheyaredwellingincities Joshuapresentssomedifficultquestions,causingmanychurchestoavoidsuch theydidnotbuild,eatingfruittheydidnotplant—giftsfromtheLORD. studies.TheleadershipofDamascusRoad,however,iscommittedtoaverseby versepreachingofALLScripturebecausewebelievethatALLScriptureis Followingthereview,Joshuacallsforaresponse.Hechargesthem—forIsraelto breathedoutbyGod(2Tim.3.16).TheApostlePeterwrotethat:“noprophecy makeachoicebetweenservingthegodsorservingtheLORD.Thecommitment waseverproducedbythewillofman,butmenspokefromGodastheywere isanexclusiveone;theymustmakeadecisionthatwillliterallykill(‘cide)the carriedalongbytheHolySpirit.”(2Peter1.21).Inotherwords,Godintendedus alternatives.Choosingtoservepaganfalsegodswhicharen’tanythingmore tohaveandtolearnfromeverysinglewordofScripture—includingJoshua. thanwoodorstone,asopposedtothelivingGodwhoactsisfoolish.Having Moreover,theApostlePaulwrotethatALLScripture,“waswrittenforour laidoutanargumentwithonlyonerealchoice,Joshuadrawsaproverbialline. instruction,thatthroughenduranceandthroughtheencouragementofthe Hecareslittleforpopularopinionandconfesseshiscommitmenttoservethe Scriptureswemighthavehope .”(Roman15.4).ThewordsofJoshua,asdifficult LORD.Thepeoplerespondwiththeirowncommitment,whichJoshua astheyare,werewrittentoinstructandencourageusinourfaith. challenges.IftheyaregoingtoactuallyservetheLORD,theycannotsimply confesswiththeirmouths.IfacommitmenttotheLORDisapproachedcasually ThestoryofJoshuaandthepeopleofIsraelobtainingthepromiserestisour ortakenlightly,itwon’tbelivedoutabsolutely.Thisisanallornothing story.Theultimatehopeofobtainingthepromiseisnotoneofobtainingabig relationshipwithacovenant-makingGodthatrequiresmorethanreligion. chunkofland—itisJesushimself.Joshuaisageneralwhoisled,awarrior whomJesusfightsfor.Jesusisthetrueheroofthisstory,conqueringsinand IsraelservedGodfaithfullyallthedaysofJoshuaandtheelders.Theentryinto deaththatwemightworshipHim.Withouthim,wewillnotconquernomatter thePromisedLandprovedthatafaithlessgenerationcouldgivebirthtoa howhardwefight.Withhim,hefightsforusandgivesusrest(Matt.11.29) faithfulone.Tragically,thebookofJudgesprovesthatafaithfulgenerationcan alsogiverisetoafaithlessone.Thequestionwemustallaskiswhichoneare LedbytheKing, we,trustingthatevenifweareinthemidstofafaithlessone,Godremains faithful. SamFord,LeadPastor OnbehalfoftheEldersofDamascusRoadChurch LORD’SARMY64 LORD’SARMY5 StudyingtheBookofJoshua Notes: WewillstudytheBookofJoshuaVERSEbyVERSE.Eachchapterbeginswith thepassagebeingstudiedwithakeyversehighlighted.Theparticularsermon willmakeuseofadditionaltextsthathelpfleshoutthetruthinthemain passage.Followingthegiventext,thereisabasicsummaryreferencingvarious passagesthatyoucanuseforreviewor,ifyoumissaSunday,willhelpyou followalongwithuswhereverweare.Thesermonmaynotfollowthe summaryperfectly .Therearealsosomequestionsforpersonalreflection,for RoadGroupdiscussion,andanentiresectionforFamilyStudy. suggestionsforindividual soldiers PRAY :Beforeyoubegin,praythatGodwouldopenyourmindtounderstand andyourhearttoacceptHisWord.Praythat,asyouseethetruth,theHoly Spiritwillgiveyoustrengthtoactinaccordancewithwhatyouhave learned. STUDY :Workthroughthestudyandwriteoutanswerstothequestions. Resistanytemptationtoskipoverquestionsinthesection.Itisimportant toponderhowthetruthsapplytoyourlife.Thoughthesequestionsare sometimespenetratinganddifficult,theyaredesignedtohelpyouthink seriouslyaboutyourunderstandingofGod,yourself,andothers. PersonalStudy/QUESTIONSFORUNDERSTANDING 1. Hasallthelandbeenpossessedyet?Howdoyouknow? SHARE :Takewhatopportunitiesyoucantosharewithothersaboutwhat you’velearnedandhowyou’dlikeyourlifetochangeasaresult. 2. InwhatwaydoesJoshuachargetheleaderstobestrong? suggestionsfor Platoons (RoadGroups)whofighttogether REVIEW: Itisrecommendedthatyoutakesometimetomeditateonsome 3. WhatdoesJoshua promise IsraelwillhappeniftheyremainfaithfultoGod’s orallofthepassagespreached.Reviewthesermonbut,moreimportantly, Word?Whatdoeshe warn Israelwillhappeniftheydon’t? theversesandtheirsurroundingcontexts.Trytospendmoretime dialoguingaboutGod’sWordandthetruththerein,ratherthanfocusingon thestrengthsorweaknessesofthesermonitself. RoadGroupStudy/QUESTIONSFORLIFEAPPPLICATION 1. WhatScripture,idea,orcommentmostimpresseduponyoupersonally DISCUSS :Inyourtimetogetherasacommunity,discusswhatyouhave duringthissermon? learned.Presentnewquestionsorversesthathavecometomindasyou havestudied.Focusontheimplicationsforyourlivesindividuallyandasa