As you read through these passages of the Bible, reflect upon these questions individually, through journaling, in pairs, or in small groups...
1. Joshua 3:3-4 says, "giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.” Given all of the rapid cultural change around us, many in the church also feel that "we have never been this way before." How do we look for and experience God's leading in the midst of our current landscape?
2. The priests went first with the Ark of the Covenant into the Jordan River and the water that was at flood stage stopped flowing allowing the Israelites to cross on dry land. Once again God acted in a mighty way. The Israelites memorialized this with 12 stones that they took from the middle of the Jordan. How have you experienced God's mighty work in your life? How have you then memorialized this as a way to remember the event and to share it with others?
3. The crossing of the Jordan River on dry ground not only served to demonstrate God's power to the Israelites, but also to those nations who were about to be invaded. What testimonies of God's power in our lives do we have? What impact for the kingdom might sharing those have on others?
4. When the commander of the Lord's army came to Joshua, Joshua asked him, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" The commander of the Lord's army replied, "neither." In a world full of violence and religious rhetoric in which we claim that God is on our side, what might this story suggest to us about who God is really "for?"
5. The first battle of conquest in the Promised Land was at Jericho. The Israelites used an unusual battle strategy of marching around the walls once a day for six days and then seven times on the seventh day. The seventh day ended with the people shouting and the walls falling down. Clearly God gave the city to the Israelites. Has God ever asked you to do something out of the ordinary? What was it and what was the result of it?
6. Achan disobeyed the Lord's instructions and all of Israel got in trouble for this until Achan confessed and was stoned. What do stories like this say to us today?
7. When Israel overtook Jericho, they were not allowed to take any of the plunder. In fact Achan died because of his sin. Yet when they took Ai, they were allowed to take back the plunder. Why were things different with Ai than with Jericho?
8. The Gibeonites outwitted the Israelites by pretending to be from a distant land and requesting a treaty. When the Israelites discovered the ruse, they kept their promise but made the people of Gibeon into their servants with hard labor. The people who had spent years in slavery in Egypt were now enslaving others. How are we to understand these realities?
9. In Joshua 10:13-14, Joshua asked God to make the Sun stand still and God answered his prayer. The sun stood still for about a full day. This was interpreted to mean that God was fighting for Israel that day. What might we learn from this passage today? What lesson might it offer us?
10. According to Joshua 10:26-27, upon defeating kings Joshua had them placed on poles for the day and then buried under stones at the end of the day. What was the purpose of this? Is this a positive model for us? Is this consistent with our understanding of what Jesus teaches us?
11. Joshua subdued the whole region and in 10:40 we read that "He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded." How are we to reconcile this type of Old Testament campaign with the New Testament teachings that God loved the whole world and that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us?
12. Joshua chapter 12 tells of all of the kings that Joshua conquered. We read of all of the destruction and death and Joshua led the people of Israel in and the great fear that he caused in the land. If this story were told in our modern context, what labels might we use to describe Joshua? How would our global community respond to hearing of Joshua's campaign?
13. Because of Caleb's faithfulness in scouting the land and reporting what he found when the Israelites first came to the Promised Land (Caleb was 40 then), he was promised a special portion of land. Now at 85, Caleb requested his portion and he was given Hebron which is the place that Sarah and other patriarchs were buried hundreds of years earlier. As we read through the Bible Chronologically, we begin to see things come full circle. What are other examples of this that you have noticed?
14. In the book of Joshua, we read extensive descriptions of the boundaries of the land given to each tribe. What is the significance of this to those who first read it? What is the significance for us today?
15. Along with allotting land to each of the tribes, cities of refuge were established and towns were given to the Levites. In Joshua 21:11 we read that the Levites received "Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron)." In Joshua 15:13 we read that Hebron was given to Caleb. And in Joshua 20:7 we read the Hebron was a city of refuge. Why was Hebron so significant to so many?
16. Memorize Joshua 21:45 and incorporate it into your prayer life.
8. The Gibeonites outwitted the Israelites by pretending to be from a distant land and requesting a treaty. When the Israelites discovered the ruse, they kept their promise but made the people of Gibeon into their servants with hard labor. The people who had spent years in slavery in Egypt were now enslaving others. How are we to understand these realities?
9. In Joshua 10:13-14, Joshua asked God to make the Sun stand still and God answered his prayer. The sun stood still for about a full day. This was interpreted to mean that God was fighting for Israel that day. What might we learn from this passage today? What lesson might it offer us?
10. According to Joshua 10:26-27, upon defeating kings Joshua had them placed on poles for the day and then buried under stones at the end of the day. What was the purpose of this? Is this a positive model for us? Is this consistent with our understanding of what Jesus teaches us?
11. Joshua subdued the whole region and in 10:40 we read that "He left no survivors. He totally destroyed all who breathed, just as the LORD, the God of Israel, had commanded." How are we to reconcile this type of Old Testament campaign with the New Testament teachings that God loved the whole world and that we should love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us?
12. Joshua chapter 12 tells of all of the kings that Joshua conquered. We read of all of the destruction and death and Joshua led the people of Israel in and the great fear that he caused in the land. If this story were told in our modern context, what labels might we use to describe Joshua? How would our global community respond to hearing of Joshua's campaign?
13. Because of Caleb's faithfulness in scouting the land and reporting what he found when the Israelites first came to the Promised Land (Caleb was 40 then), he was promised a special portion of land. Now at 85, Caleb requested his portion and he was given Hebron which is the place that Sarah and other patriarchs were buried hundreds of years earlier. As we read through the Bible Chronologically, we begin to see things come full circle. What are other examples of this that you have noticed?
14. In the book of Joshua, we read extensive descriptions of the boundaries of the land given to each tribe. What is the significance of this to those who first read it? What is the significance for us today?
15. Along with allotting land to each of the tribes, cities of refuge were established and towns were given to the Levites. In Joshua 21:11 we read that the Levites received "Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron)." In Joshua 15:13 we read that Hebron was given to Caleb. And in Joshua 20:7 we read the Hebron was a city of refuge. Why was Hebron so significant to so many?
16. Memorize Joshua 21:45 and incorporate it into your prayer life.
May the Lord bless and shape us through our individual reading and corporate study of His word this year.
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