“God’s Promises Fulfilled” CONTINUED
THE PROMISE OF A LAND—Joshua 1:1-6
1. What is the setting as Joshua assumes leadership after Moses’ death? How was Joshua prepared to succeed Moses? (Joshua 1:1)
Moses was dead. A new era was beginning in the history of Israel. The people were camped on the east side of the Jordan River, having been led there by Moses in their journey toward the land of Canaan. Moses had been told he would not be allowed to lead them into the land (Num. 20:12); so it was time for a new leader. Moses was known as "the servant of the Lord" (Josh. 1:1), a title that is repeatedly used for him throughout this book. Joshua 24:29 shows that the title was also used for Joshua by the time of his death.
Since Joshua had previously been appointed as Moses' successor (Num. 27:15-23; Deut. 31:14-23), he no doubt took the leadership role immediately after Moses' death. He had served as Moses' assistant for many years; so he had been well groomed for the position. Nevertheless, a change of leadership always carries certain uncertainties and adjustments. It was important for Joshua to have God reaffirm to him what he was to do. God, who always knows when we need that kind of encouragement, came to Joshua with an important message.
2. What did the death of the previous leader do to God's plan for His people? (1:2)
We cannot tell exactly how God gave Joshua this message, but when it came, it was clear. The death of the previous leader did not thwart God's plan for His people. Now it was time for the new leader to move ahead with it. Joshua was to lead the people across the Jordan River into the land God was going to give them. This was the land He had promised Abraham (Gen. 12:7). It had been a long time since the promise had first been given (almost 700 years). The time period seems unusually long for today’s “instant gratification” generation. The apostle Peter reminds us, however, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Peter 3:6–10). God is not in a hurry. Nevertheless, no matter how long He takes, God never goes back on His word to His people.
Perhaps Joshua had been waiting expectantly for this message from God and was listening for it. It is very important that as God's people we listen for God's leading. If we sincerely want to hear from Him, He will never disappoint us.
3. What promise did God give Joshua prior to his entering Canaan? (1:3,4)
God promised Joshua that everywhere he walked the land would be given to him. What an all-inclusive, powerful word this was! Wherever Joshua would lead God's people, God would give them that land. We know that much more than simply walking the territory was going to be involved. Times of war and struggle lay ahead for them, but God promised victory. If they would unhesitatingly engage in every conflict with faith in Him, they would gain control of the entire country. The land was already determined to be theirs; all they had to do was take it.
God had given Abraham detailed boundaries: "In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: the Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites" (Gen. 15:18-21).
To Moses He had said, "Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates" Deut. 1:7,8).
From the great wilderness in the south to the Lebanon mountains in the north and from the Euphrates River on the east to the Mediterranean Sea on the west, all was to be theirs.
Israel has never possessed all the land within these boundaries. David and Solomon had extensive kingdoms but fell short of these extremes. In the millennium, under the reign of Jesus Christ, Israel's promised territory will indeed be theirs, never to be lost again.
4. How did God reassure Joshua that the victories would occur? What was to be Joshua's attitude? (1:5,6)
What more could God say than this? Nobody would be able to successfully resist Joshua's advance and victories. The secret of Moses' success had been the constant presence of God, and now Joshua was being reassured that the Lord would be present with him just as He had been with Moses. God emphatically stated, "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." Since Joshua had already observed many times how God had sustained Moses, this reassurance would have given him the added incentive he needed to proceed.
Kenneth Gangel, in the Holman Old Testament Commentary: Joshua (Broadman and Holman), likened what Joshua faced at the river to difficulties we sometimes face. He made this observation and analogy: "When we stare at the Jordan River in our lives, what do we see? The swirling muddy water of spiritual failures, sins, fears, and habits? Some persistent physical problem? The steady flow of broken relationships? Like Joshua, we need to take our eyes off the river and fix them on the God of the river." No problem is insurmountable for God.
In this message, God told Joshua four times that he should be strong and courageous (Josh. 1:6-7,9,18). The result would be the successful conquering and dividing of the land among Israel's tribes. Joshua would have to exhibit these characteristics because the road ahead was going to be long and difficult. Before everything was done, seven years would pass. The only requirement for him was strength and courage, which he would find in placing his complete trust in the Lord. The battles were going to be God's, not his.
THE TAKING OF THE LAND—Joshua 11:16-19
5. In what phases of warfare did Israel conquer Canaan? (11:16,17)
The conquering of the land of Canaan was accomplished through three major campaigns. The initial one occurred in central Canaan and included the taking of Jericho and Ai, after which the inhabitants of Gibeon through deceit secured a covenant agreement with Israel. When word of this agreement got out, five kings from the southern part of the country banded together and made war against Gibeon. This obliged Joshua to come to Gibeon's rescue, which was followed by an extended campaign in the south (chap. 10).
When word of all this success reached the northern cities, they formed a huge alliance (Josh. 11:1-5). But God told Joshua not to be afraid. He was to take the initiative by attacking those allied forces and watch God deliver them all into his hands (v. 6). Thus, the northern campaign was accomplished quickly, and the city that led the alliance was burned to the ground (v. 13). This completed the fulfillment of everything God had commanded Moses, who in turn had passed the command on to Joshua (v. 15).
Joshua 11:16 summarizes by simply stating, "So Joshua took all that land," and follows this with details. Most of the areas mentioned were in the central and southern regions, but Baal-gad (v. 17a) is specified as being in the valley of Lebanon under Mount Hermon. This was in the far north. The intention of this detailed listing of conquered cities is to confirm that the entire land was taken by Joshua and his army. As God had promised, every place he set his foot he was able to conquer (1:3).
6. How many kings did Joshua defeat? Why were there so many for him to conquer? (11:17)
To further emphasize the completeness of Joshua's victory, it is stated that every king was captured, struck down, and slain. Every city was considered to be a separate entity, each with its own king. This explains why there were so many kings in one land.
One method of describing the success of the Israelites is to refer to the kings that are defeated. A complete list of the places where such kings reign is found in Joshua 12. The last verse of that chapter says that Joshua defeated 31 kings in all.
7. How long did it take for Israel to capture Canaan, and how do we know that? (11:18)
We are told that this war took a “long time” (v. 18). Joshua was one of the two “good” spies sent into Canaan years before; the other was Caleb (Numbers 14:6–9). It is Caleb who provides the information that defines the long time of this conquest period: it is six years, according to his statement in Joshua 14:7–12.
That passage notes that Caleb was 40 years old when he went to spy out the land, and that he is 85 when he makes his request to receive the area of Hebron as his inheritance. The sending of the original 12 spies occurred slightly over a year after Israel had left Egypt, so Caleb was 39 at the time of the exodus. The 40 years in the wilderness puts him at 79 at the end of that period. He is 85, so it is 6 years later. To read the account in the book of Joshua can leave the impression that the battles take place in one summer, but that is not the case.
8. What one city was not conquered, and why was it left alone? (11:19)
There was one exception to the conquering of all the cities, namely, Gibeon. In Joshua 9 we read how men from Gibeon came to Joshua pretending to be from a city far away. They carried out an elaborate deception in order to save their lives from destruction. The leaders of Israel, who neglected to seek God's advice about the matter (v. 14), fell for the ploy and made a treaty with them.
Because of this treaty, the Israelites could not destroy the Gibeonites: "And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them" (Josh. 9:18,19). When God's people fail to consult and follow Him, they must live with the consequences.
THE COMPLETION OF THE TASK—Joshua 11:21-23
9. Why was it so important to know that Joshua conquered the Anakim? (11:21,22)
The Anakims deserve special attention, for it is they who gave the “grasshopper complex” to the Israelites when the 12 spies investigated the land (Numbers 13:33). When Moses sent the twelve spies into Canaan from Kadesh-barnea, they came back with a mixed review. He had told them to check out the people, the land, and the cities (Num. 13:18,19). They found the land productive, the cities large and fortified, and the people strong (vs. 27-29). But what concerned them the most was the presence of the descendants of Anak (vs. 28,33) because they were giants and made the spies feel as small as grasshoppers.
The faith of Joshua and Caleb at that time is now fully justified, for Israel destroys them. The only exceptions are the few who escape to the Philistine towns noted here. Gaza is still in the news today. Ashdod is one of the largest cities in modern Israel.
10. Why did the Israelites see God's promises to them fulfilled? (11:23)
"The last sentence ... reads almost like a sigh of relief. Finally there was some peace. This had been God's goal for Israel all along" (Gangel).
There was still much to do. Joshua 13 begins by stating that there was still much land to take. All over the land, however, were established points of control from which the Israelites could work and secure their inheritance. God was indeed fulfilling His promises to them.
The military operation against Canaan is successful. The Lord keeps His promises, and Joshua takes the whole land of Canaan with His help. The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses came to fruition. This new nation under God has its own land, the land of Israel.
PRACTICAL POINTS
1. The ultimate fulfillment of God's plan is never dependent on man (Joshua 1:1,2).
2. When God makes a promise for your future, you can consider it already done (vs. 3, 4).
3. We can take courage in God's promised presence, provision, and protection (vs. 5,6).
4. God's promises often include our hard work (11:16,17).
5. God fulfills His promises in His time and way (vs. 18,19).
6. Under the authority and with the power of God, no assigned task is too big (vs. 21,22).
7. God always keeps His promises (v. 23).
CONCLUSION
Keeping Promises
It is important for people to keep their word, but some promises seem to have a higher priority. One such is the oath of induction into the military. To break this oath is to invite scorn and a dishonorable discharge.
The vows of marriage also should invite resoluteness, but they have often become like piecrust - made to be broken. Clearly, secular society is viewing marriage vows with less seriousness than in days gone by.
Do we treat our new covenant with Jesus with all the seriousness it deserves? Becoming a Christian should be considered a lifelong commitment of the highest priority. Jesus is to be the center of a person’s life in all the decisions that are made. Each first day of the week serves as a reminder of God’s love, and there are tugs of the heart to go to the assembly with fellow believers. To be a disciple of Jesus is to seek first His kingdom in every aspect of life. God keeps His promises. Do we?
PRAYER
Almighty God, thank You for this time of study that reminds me of promises I have made to You and to others. Today I vow to do my best to honor You by fulfilling my commitments in such a way that others know I belong to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
Claiming Jesus as Lord is not to be a piecrust promise.
