Joshua Overview, Part 1

Joshua: Possession

Book Overview: Historical Books

Author: Joshua (with later editorial additions)

Date: c. 1406-1385 B.C.

Location: The Promised Land (Canaan)

Audience: Israel entering and settling the land

Why Joshua Matters

• Joshua shows that even when God faithfully gives His people the promised inheritance, abundance itself cannot produce obedient hearts.
• Only God can transform His people to trust and follow Him (Deut. 30:6).

Promise Fulfilled?

• In Joshua, God truly fulfilled His promise by giving Israel possession of the land (Joshua 21:44).
• Israel’s incomplete obedience prevented full and lasting enjoyment of the inheritance (Joshua 13:1), leaving the ultimate and unconditional fulfillment still future.

Storyline Movement

• Joshua 1:2-3 – “Arise, go over the Jordan…every place you tread I have given you.”
• Possession – Joshua (initial fulfillment)
• Failure – Judges (loss of enjoyment)

The Big Question

• Will you trust and obey God in all He has given you?
• Joshua 1:7-9 – “Be strong and obey”
• Joshua 21:45 – “Not one promise failed”
• Joshua 24:15 – “Choose whom you will serve”

Title Meaning

• Joshua = ‘Yahweh is salvation’
• Greek form: Jesus
• Joshua gives earthly rest
• Christ gives ultimate rest

Geographical Insight

• Pentateuch – Israel prepared for the land
• Joshua – Israel enters and possesses the land
• Moving from Wilderness wandering into Promised Land

Structure and Lessons

• Enter (chapters 1-5)
• Conquer (ch. 6-12)
• Divide the Inheritance (ch. 13-22)
• Choose (ch. 23-24)

Enter (chapters 1-5)

• Joshua commissioned (1)
• Rahab and the spies (2)
• Crossing the Jordan (3-4)
• Covenant renewal (5)

Deuteronomy 2:25 (ESV)

This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you on the peoples who are under the whole heaven, who shall hear the report of you and shall tremble and be in anguish because of you.

Joshua 2:9-11 (ESV)

I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you.  For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.

Joshua 5:1 (ESV)

As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.

God’s Provision

• Circumcision (Joshua 5:2-9)
• 1st Passover in the land (Joshua 5:10-11)
• End of provision of Manna (Joshua 5:12)
• The real Captain doing the fighting (Joshua 5:13-15)
• He is worshipped, as in Exodus 3 where Moses was told, “take off your sandals for this is holy ground”!

Conquer (chapters 6-12)

• Victory by Faithful Obedience: Jericho falls (ch. 6)
• Defeat through Hidden Sin: Sin of Achan (ch. 7)
• Restored Victory through Repentance: Victory at Ai (ch. 8)
• Victory through Dependence on God: (ch. 9-12)