Joshua – God is my Salvation Chapters 5:13- 7

1. Joshua – God is my SalvationChapters 5:13- 7 Old Testament Bible Study True Love Church of Refuge Prophetess Delisa Lindsey Class 2/18/09

2. Chapter 5:13-15 • Joshua went over to a hill overlooking Jericho to contemplate the conquest of the great walled city. • As he pondered, he lifted up his eyes and beheld a man with a sword drawn in his hand. • Joshua asked the man whether he was for him or against him? • The angel responded that he was captain of the host of the Lord’s army. • Joshua fell down and worshipped and inquired of a Word for himself. • The Angel responded, “loose thy shoe from off thy foot, for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so. • This was the same illustration as when God commanded Moses to remove his shoes in Exodus 3:5

3. The Conquest of the LandJoshua 6-12

4. Joshua 6:1-3Conquest of Jericho • Jericho was the principal stronghold for the Canaanites. Before Israel could inhabit the land of Canaan, Jericho had to be captured. If Joshua could not defeat Jericho, his mission in Canaan would be fruitless. • The people were very afraid of the children of Israel and permitted no one to leave nor enter. • God strengthens Joshua by telling him that He has given Jericho into his hands, the king and the mighty men. • He instructs Joshua and the men of war to surround the city once each day for six days.

5. Joshua 6:4-5 The Strategy • God was at the center of the march by virtue of the ark of the covenant. Seven priests were to each hold a trumpet made of ram’s horns. The seventh day, they were to surround the city seven times while the priests blew their horns. When they made a long blast with their horns, the people were to shout with a loud voice. • After six days of silence, the victorious event would culminate with the seventh day of intense marching, blasting, and shouting. • The walls were to fall flat down on the city. Joshua was trained under Moses in military techniques. (Moses learned the ways of war in Egypt – all kings learned the military strategy, they were responsible for protecting their kingdom.) Joshua understood that God works in mysterious ways.

6. Joshua 6:6-8:35 Israel’s Central Campaign

7. Joshua tells the priest to prepare the ark of the covenant and let seven priests bear seven trumpets in front of the ark. Joshua further gives all the instructions the ‘Captain of the Guard’ conveyed to him. The march was organized as follows; the warriors, the priests with ram’s horns, with the ark of the covenant positioned in the center, following the priests was the ‘rearward’, the troops bringing up the rear. Joshua commanded the troops to not utter a sound until they were told to do so. Joshua 6:6-11Conquest of Jericho

8. Joshua 6:12-16 The Weapons • Early the next morning, gave the instructions as he received him. The Israelite forces marched around Jericho the first day and returned to Gilgal. • The seven priests marched on blowing the trumpets, they repeated this pattern for six days. • On the seventh day, they compassed the city seven times, the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua told the people to shout because the Lord has given you this city.

9. God cursed the city of Jericho, therefore all the inhabitants were to be destroyed and the riches were to be devoted unto the Lord. The only persons to remain alive were Rahab and those dwelling in her house because she saved the spies lives. Israel was strictly prohibited from taking anything from the city, lest they would partake of the curse. 18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.  19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD. Joshua 6:17-19 – Cursed Objects

10. The people shouted, the priests blew their horns, the wall fell flat, and Israel took the city. They killed all present; the men, women, children, and animals by virtue of God’s command. We won’t always understand God’s command, but we must obey them. When we do God’ work, God’s way, we will receive God’s blessings and coverings. The key to winning the battle against Jericho is the strategy God designed for Joshua to follow. Traditional methods of ancient warfare called for starving the villages by not allowing them to leave to search for food. Or they would use rams to dig under the mud slab walls to penetrate the wall and enter the city through a trench dug under the wall. God’s strategy was to call men of war, priests, horns, and His presence to surround the enemy once a day. They would march around the walled city stomping in victory thus wearing down the muddy foundation surrounding the base of the wall. On the seventh day, the intense marching and shouting wore the weary walls and they collapsed onto the armored men who were standing against the insides of the wall on defense. The Israelites were able to enter the city by walking over the collapsed walls and taking everything in sight as God commanded. Joshua 6:20-21 The Victory

11. Rahab, a harlot and owner of a whorehouse, received God’s grace by sparing the spies. She heard the report of the wondrous works of God and her mustard sized seed of faith caused her and her whole house to receive salvation. She is named in the genealogy of Christ indicating God’s grace and mercy. Joshua sent the spies whose lives Rahab protected to her house to secure her and all pertained to her. Rahab, her parents, siblings, and all her possessions were delivered from destruction through her faithfulness. The entire city was burned with fire (purged from sin). The silver, gold, brazen vessels, and vessels of iron were put into the treasury of the house of the Lord. Joshua 6:22-25 Rahab’s Deliverance

12. God cursed the man who would re-fortify Jericho. It was allowed to be re-inhabited, but not re-fortified. 1 Kings 16:34, a man named Hiel’s eldest son attempted to rebuild the wall and lost two of his sons in the fulfillment of this curse. The Lord was with Joshua. He tested Israel’s obedience and He struck greater fear in the hearts of their enemies. God demonstrated to Israel through the passing over Jordan and the captivity of Jericho that as He was with Moses, so was He with Joshua. Joshua 6:26-27 The Curse of Jericho

13. The Campaign Against Ai Joshua 7:1-5

14. God held the nation of Israel responsible for Achan’s sin. He took of the sacred things; treasure belonging to the house of the Lord. The act of trespass against Him would cause Israel to lose at Ai. Joshua 7:1 Disobedience

15. Ai means heap or ruin. Joshua sent spies to Ai to determine its strength. The city was small, so Joshua decided to send only a few thousand men to engage in battle. The small town of Ai defeated the Israelites and forced them back. The military forces of Ai killed 36 Israelites. They were in shock because they expected God’s hand in their battle. Joshua 7:2-5 The Defeat

16. The Sin and Punishment of Achan Joshua 7:6-26

17. Joshua falls to the ground in grief and despair and prostrates himself before the presence of God until the evening. He and the elders placed dust on their heads as a sign of humiliation. Joshua immediately turns to the Lord and argues the same argument Moses used before the Lord with regard to the way heathen nations would perceive them. Joshua 7:6-9 Humiliation

18. The Lord rebukes Joshua and tells him to “Get up. Why are you lying on your face?” He proceeds to tell them at Israel has sinned in transgressing His law and partaking of cursed objects. God holds the entire camp responsible for one man’s sin. This single act of disobedience cause God to turn His face from Israel and remove His covering from them in battle. They could no longer abide in His presence except they destroy the cursed object. The people must submit to the process of sanctification. God never moves in unclean vessels. Israel had to be cleansed from her sin. The people were informed that they would never win another battle until the cursed thing is removed and Israel has been sanctified. The next morning, the people were to present themselves in order of their tribes. The Lord will identify the tribe and the family He wants to appear man by man. The guilty person will be burned by fire along with his family and possessions because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord and brought trouble into Israel. Joshua 7:10-15 The Problem Revealed

19. Early the next morning, Joshua arose and the tribes appeared before the Lord. God chose the tribe of Judah. Of the family of Judah, the Zarhites were taken, and man by man, Zabdi was taken. Zabdi’s family appeared before the Lord, man by man, and Achan was taken. Joshua entreated Achan with meekness and asked him to make confession. Achan responded that he sinned against the Lord and told exactly what he had done. He saw a handsome Babylonian garment and silver and gold that he coveted, took, and hid. Joshua 7:16-21 The Confession

20. When Joshua heard Achan’s confession, he sent messengers to remove the cursed objects and lay them before the Lord. Achan’s family, who apparently conspired with him, were to be severely punished. Joshua said because you troubled Israel, God will trouble you. Achan’s family was stoned and burned in the fire. They raised over Achan’s family a heap of stones so the Lord could turn away from his fierce anger. They named that place Achor, meaning trouble, which was a play on Achan’s name, troubler. Joshua 7:22-26 The Punishment