JOSHUA Lesson 1 – Introduction Today begins a new chapter in the ministry of Torah Class as we begin the study of the Book of Joshua. Joshua is a natural continuation of the Torah from a historical aspect as the final words of Deuteronomy record the death of Moses and…

JOSHUA Lesson 2 – Introduction Continued We begin our second week of preparation for studying the book of Joshua by discussing a subject that is key to our understanding just who God is, and that is His name and various titles that we encounter in the Bible. Allow me to…

JOSHUA Lesson 3 – Introduction Conclusion I hope you’re enjoying our walk through the history of Israel as we prepare to transition from studying the Torah to studying what is known as the books of the Former Prophets. And the Former Prophets begin with the books of Joshua and then…

JOSHUA Lesson 4 – Chapters 1 and 2 This week we open the book of Joshua. Our first three weeks have been spent on binding together the history of Israel to help us understand what God had done to lead Israel to this momentous happening: the possession of the Promised…

JOSHUA Lesson 5 – Chapters 2 and 3 Let’s continue in Joshua chapter 2 and the story of the Rahab, the prostitute/innkeeper of Jericho. Joshua has sent two spies to scout the way and check out the defenses of Israel’s crossing point over the Jordan River, and the first city…

JOSHUA Lesson 6 – Chapters 3 and 4 Last week, in between the end of Joshua 2 and as a preface to chapter 3, we discussed the matter of how to best read the Bible and especially the Tanakh, the Old Testament (although it applies to the New Testament as…

JOSHUA Lesson 7 – Chapter 5 We concluded our study of the 4th chapter of Joshua last week by reading the 1st verse of the 5th chapter that explained that as a result of Israel being obedient to the Lord, the land of Canaan was already handed over to them.…

JOSHUA Lesson 8 – Chapter 5 Continued We ended last week in Joshua chapter 5 discussing the mass circumcision event at Gilgal that was instructed in verse 2. It is obvious that this circumcision ceremony was a pre-requisite for celebration of the Passover in Canaan. Let’s talk about this a…

JOSHUA Lesson 9 – Chapter 6 We ended our last lesson with Joshua 5; and the last paragraph dealt with this mysterious Commander of the Lord’s Hosts who suddenly appeared before Joshua. No doubt this was a manifestation of God and not a regular angel nor an archangel because not…

JOSHUA Lesson 10 – Chapters 6 and 7 Last week we ended in Joshua chapter 6, whereby Israel conquered Jericho and killed all of its inhabitants except for Rahab and her father’s family. Two principles were at the center of that lesson: first the principle of “the ban” also called…

JOSHUA Lesson 11 – Chapters 7 and 8 As we continue this week in Joshua 7, the subject is still Achan, the battle for the city of Ai, and the Law of Herem. This principle of Herem, in English usually called the ban (b-a-n), is so pervasive in the Bible…

JOSHUA Lesson 12 – Chapter 8 As we continue our lesson in Joshua chapter 8, I’d like to begin by borrowing and paraphrasing the words of Trent C. Butler, one of the foremost Christian scholars and writers in our era on the subject of the Old Testament. Trent Butler is…

JOSHUA Lesson 13 – Chapter 9 The Law of Moses is, of itself, but theory and an expansive statement of God’s divine ideals. The real rub for the faithful is in finding ways to put it into practice in our lives as we operate in our diverse cultures, using the…

JOSHUA Lesson 14 – Chapter 10 Nobody but nobody knows how to make lemonade from being handed a lemon more than the Lord God of Israel. You’ll see what I mean by that shortly. In Joshua chapter 10 we’ll find that the unholy treaty that Israel had been tricked into…

JOSHUA Lesson 15 – Chapters 10 and 11 Joshua 10 is a story told on many levels. It is, on the surface level, the story of the conquest by Joshua of the southerly part of the Land of Canaan. On another level it is the story of God’s faithfulness to…

JOSHUA Lesson 16 – Chapter 11 I gave you a little preview of Joshua 11 last week, and we’ll begin today by re-reading the chapter in sections. We’ll take a few short detours today and see some foundational theological principles emerge within these historical accounts that form the basis for…

JOSHUA Lesson 17 – Chapters 12 and 13 Today we enter a decidedly different section of the book of Joshua than what we have studied to this point. The land has (to a sufficient degree) been conquered and now it is time to settle it. Its time to turn the…

JOSHUA Lesson 18 – Chapters 13 and 14 As we continue in Joshua 13 today the central feature to keep in mind is that the Lord has ordered Joshua to divide and distribute the Land of Canaan among the tribes of Israel. This dividing comes at a somewhat unexpected time…

JOSHUA Lesson 19 – Chapters 15, 16, and 17 Today we’re going to cover three full chapters of Joshua: chapters 15, 16, and 17 because they cover the giving of land on the west side of the Jordan to the most important of the 12 tribes: Judah and then Ephraim…

JOSHUA Lesson 20 – Chapters 17 and 18 We got a short ways into Joshua chapter 17 last week and we’ll start close to the beginning of it this week. But first I want to step back and look at things from a broader view. Last week in chapters 15,…

JOSHUA Lesson 21 – Chapters 18, 19, and 20 We’re going to move rather rapidly for a couple of chapters in Joshua, as what we get is another long list of towns, cities, and boundaries that describe the territories of each of the tribes of Israel. This must be done…

JOSHUA Lesson 22 – Chapters 20 and 21 We just began to talk about Joshua chapter 20 last week; the subject being the Cities of Refuge, also called the Sanctuary Cities. And I framed it by showing you the parallels between the God-principle and pattern of the sanctuary city as…

JOSHUA Lesson 23 – Chapter 22 Today we begin Joshua chapter 22. This chapter could easily and legitimately become a multiple week sermon in addition to a teaching lesson if I wanted it to be; it is that rich in information and theology and practical instruction for the Believer. But…

JOSHUA Lesson 24 – Chapters 22 and 23 We’ll continue today in Joshua Chapter 22, a chapter that has some quite dramatic theological and practical implications contained in it. And I outlined for you that we’d identify 4 (although there are more) important questions that are addressed in this narrative:…

JOSHUA Lesson 25 – Chapter 24 Last time we read and studied Joshua chapter 23, Joshua’s farewell address to Israel. He was nearing 110 years of age, knew his time was near, and in the motif of all great leaders realized that his legacy must be told and the people…

JOSHUA Lesson 26 – Chapter 24 Continued As we continue in this final chapter of the book of Joshua, we’ll need yet another lesson beyond this one to explore more of the great God-principles present in it. We ended last week with a rather long discussion about the ancient mindset…

JOSHUA Lesson 27 – Chapter 24 Conclusion (End of Book) We’ll finish up the book of Joshua today. But before we get there we’ll look at a few more of the inspiring, foundational and rather heavy-duty God-principles that comprise the last chapter of this book. I suspect we could spend…