Contents,+Main+Themes+and+Key+Messages

=SUMMARY OF THE CONTENTS IN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA: = The book of Joshua tells the story of the Israel people moving from the desert to the land promised by god or the “place of rest” (Joshua 1:12). After the death of Moses, who had lead the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, another leader was chosen by God – Joshua the son of Nun. God speaks to Joshua telling him that he is to lead the people of Israel to the promised land and to follow his instructions and the Israelites will be given what was promised to them through Moses. Joshua was then to lead the people to the Jordan river to cross into the land of Canaan. God promises that “every place the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you” (Joshua 1:3). Joshua then prepares his people, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manaseh to cross the Jordan into the lands of Canaan. Before they cross, Joshua sends to spies through the Jordan River and into the town of Jericho which they will attempt to conquer. The two spies are noticed by the Jericho guards but are saved by female prositute named Rahab who helps them escape. The spies then return to Joshu and the Israelites cross the Jordan River miraculously. The water of the Jordan separated, as the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant walked through the river on dry land. God then commanded Joshua to walk the Israelites around the walls of the town of Jericho for six days and on the seventh day they were to shout and the priests to blow their trumpets. Miraculously the walls surrounding Jericho crumpled allowing the Israelites destroy everything within Jericho except Rahap and her family, who was spared for saving the two spies. Also Jericho’s treasure was kept as a gift to god. As god had promised the Israelites, the land would become theirs.

After taking Jericho, Joshua sent two to three thousand men to attack the town of Ai and their Amorites inhabitants without the assistance of god. The Israelites were expecting an easy victory of the Amorites but instead, were defeated. Joshua in shock didn’t know why god had done this to the people of Israel. God then spoke to Joshua saying “Israel has sinned”, one of the people has stolen from his devoted things. God saying I will not be with the people of Israel, unless the person comes forward and is “burned with fire” as he has disobeyed the covenant of the LORD. SO Joshua brought all the families forward and their positions. Achan was brought forward who had stolen the devoted things and was asked to confess to the LORD. Achan confessed that he had stolen the silver mantle, bar of gold with his sons and daughters. Joshua then sentenced Achan to death and the people of Israel stoned him to death over a heap of hot stones. “The LORD then turned from his burning anger” (Joshua 3:26). The LORD then promised Joshua the land of Ai. So Joshua and his fighting men destroyed the city of Ai and all of its inhabitants. The king of Ai was hanged by Joshua and his body was covered with stones at the entrance of Ai, and “those stones remain to this day.” (Joshua 8:29).

After taking over Ai, Joshua built an altar on Mt.Ebal to the LORD as Moses had commanded the Israelites before. The altar built from stones and wrote a copy of the law Moses.

The Israelites next campaign was taking the town of Gibeon. After hearing what the Israelites had done to Jericho and Ai, the Gibeonites collaborated with the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites to fight Joshua and the Israelites. Gibeonites had heard of the Israelites plan, so they disguised themselves as servants of the LORD but Joshua realises who they are and keeps them among the Israelites. Meanwhile, the King of Jerusalem had thought that the Gibeonites and the Israelites had made peace and was worried, as he had heard of what the Israelites had accomplished and the Gibeon was a large city. So he called the King of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish and the king of Eglon to join forces and war against Joshua and the Gibeonites. The Gibeonites came to Joshua asking for him to save them in the battle. The LORD spoke to Joshua and saying “do not fear them for I have handed them over to you.” So the Israelites and the Gibeonites joined and battled the 5 kings people. During battle, the 5 kings people fled Israel and as fled the LORD threw huge stones from heaven on them. The LORD spoke to Joshua and said “Sun, stand still at Gibeon and Moon, in the vally of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still as the the people of Israel defeated the opposition of the 5 kings.

The book continues with various conquests of other lands. These are not as significant as the taking of Jericho, Ai and Gibeon.

In the last chapters of the book, Joshua is old, warn the people that people who do not abide by the LORD’s wishes will be excluded from his people. He reminds the people that everything that the LORD has spoken and promised has been fulfilled. “If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he enjoined on you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land that he has given to you.” (Joshua 23:16)

The final chapter finishes with Joshua’s death. Summarising his life as the “servant of the LORD” (Joshua 24:29).

=KEY THEMES AND MESSAGES WITHIN THE BOOK OF JOSHUA: =

Throughout the book of Joshua, the power of god is shown in many instances. God assures Joshua victory at Jericho (Joshua 6:2) which was achieved after the walls miraculously crumble after god has instructed the people on the seventh day of walking around the walls of Jericho, to shout and the priests to blow their trumpets (Joshua 6:16). God also shows his power to include and exlude people into the Israelite community shown with the Rahab and Achan. Rahab is included into the Israelite people for assisting the Israelite spies escaping Jericho and showing that she believed in the Israelites god (Joshua 2:1-21). Achan is excluded from the community for disobeying god resulting in being sentenced to death.
 * **The power of god and the punishment of evil**

In Israel's first attempt in taking Ai, it shows what happens when the power of god is taken away from the Israelites. God doesn’t assist Joshua in the takeover of Ai and as a result, they lose the battle.God wanted to punish the people of Israel due to Achan's dishonesty. Joshua then obeys god wishes in punishing Achan for his actions. God then assures victory at Ai. He then assures victory at Gibeon and assists throwing large stones down on the opposition and made the sun stand still until all were defeated (Joshua 10:8). The Ark of the Covenant represents god’s powerful presence within the story and appear through the book throughout the Israelites journey (Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry: Joshua, pg. 59).

Another theme in the Book of Joshua, is the Israelites obedience to god commands. It is shown that when the people of Israel obey god they will be rewarded and when they disobey they are punished. Clear examples is when the people cross the Jordan and walk around the walls of Jericho for six days and shout on the seventh day. The people where then rewarded in taking possession of Jericho. The example of when god punishes is shown when Achan steals some of the devoted objects and is therefore excluded from the Israel community and killed (Joshua 7:25).
 * **Integrity/obedience to god**

The people of Israel do not “know the way” (Joshua 3:4) and they must obey his commands get what is promised. The first act of obedience is for the people of Israel is to follow the Ark of the Covenant to the Jordan which representing the “Israel taking possession of the promised land and forming an identity of the Israel community. By crossing the Jordan, Israel not only enters a new land but takes on a new identity, as a settled people joined to the land given by YHWH.” (Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry: Joshua, pg.59)

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Examples in the text: <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">“All that you command us we will do and wherever you send us we quickly from the go.” (Joshua 1:16) <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">“Whoever rebels against your orders and disobeys your words, whatever you command, shall put to death” (Joshua 1:18). <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">"If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your god, which he enjoined on you and serve other gods and bow down to them, the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land that he has given you." (Joshua 23:16)

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The book of Joshua holds a strong message of faith in god. The Israelites are faithful in god’s commandments through Moses and Joshua. They complete the conquest of the last and do not lose faith (Studies in Hebrew Narrative and Poetry: Joshua, pg.2). It teaches us as readers a lesson in faith, that god would take the Israelites to the land as long as they obeyed the Commandments and to have in the LORD (Catholic Youth Bible, pg. 212).
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">**Faith**

<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In the previous books of the Old Testament, before the Book of Joshua, god promised Moses that the people of Israel will be taken to a land of their own. The Book of Joshua main focus is the Israelites taking the land promised by god under the leadship of Joshua.
 * **<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The Israelites takeover of the promised land **

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