Apr 2 2012

Joshua 4 – Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan

After all the nation had passed over the Jordan, the Lord told Joshua to appoint 12 men – one from each tribe – to take twelve stones from the earth where the Jordan flows, in the same spot where the priests stood. the stones would be set up as a memorial where they camped at Gilgal. This memorial would serve as a reminder to their children and their heirs (verses 6-7) of the Lord and His power, and His faithfulness to His promise to them. But it would also serve as a reminder to the rest of the people, and a warning as well (verses 23-24) of the might of God.

The word of the river being held back for thousands and thousands of them to cross would soon make their presence feared. In verse thirteen, the troops passed over the “plains of Jericho” which is said to make it only about 5 miles east of Jericho.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog. All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility. When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com. For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Apr 1 2012

Preview of April Week 1 \ March Week 3 Summary Posted

Moses Blesses Joshua Before the High Priest, as in Numbers 27:22, by James Tissot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With God’s help, Joshua has assumed full leadership and command. Now that the people have crossed over in chapter 3, and have seen that God is with them and their new leader, it is time for them to start taking the Promised Land. The Lord told Joshua in Joshua 1:3 that “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.” Now we will read of the fulfilling of those words and the settling of God’s people before the time of the judges.

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a small PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week. I have posted the summary for Week 12 (March Week 3) of the schedule I am following. This short PDF document contains condensed comments about Exodus chapters 32, 33, 40, and Numbers 13 and 14, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

/Robert

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image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Mar 30 2012

Joshua 3 – Israel Crosses the Jordan

The historical crossing of the Jordan is the place where God intends to show the people not only that He is with them in this long-awaited event, but that He is with Joshua, as He was with Moses (verse 7). This is important because giving them a firm confidence in Joshua as a capable leader matters a great deal now that they no longer have Moses to turn to. The waters of the Jordan at this time of the year are over-flowing the banks, we are told in verse 16, making it both deeper and wider than at other times during the year. So rather than having the people build boats or try to find some safe place and manner to cross, God’s plan is to have them cross as they did the Red Sea in Exodus 14, having the water held back by the Lord while they cross on dry ground.

The Children of Israel Crossing the Jordan (illustration by Gustave Doré) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This symbolic gesture of God will further be aided in boosting their spirits by the sight of the Levitical priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant (verse 3). The Lord is leading His people into the Promised Land. With the significance of this event highlighted by both of these spectacles, it is easy to see how the people would be given confidence, and how they would be filled with both hope and awe.

Easy also for us to miss the significance of the wording of the last verse of the chapter:

“Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, sand all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.”

Although God had promised to make a great nation of Abraham, and had said in Exodus 19:6 that they will be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”, this is the first time the Bible has actually referred to them as a nation – and it occurs as they cross into the Promised Land.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Mar 29 2012

Joshua 2 – Rahab Hides the Spies

Joshua send out spies before they get started, but unlike the catastrophe at Kadesh-barnea forty years ago, he only sends two The lodge at Rahab’s house, and she relates in verses 8-11 that the genuine fear at their approach that has spread through the land. the lord’s work in their behalf at the Red Sea and with their victories over the Amorites has been more than simply noticed. Indeed the spies themselves have been noticed, and have been reported to the king of Jericho.

The Flight of the Spies, as in Joshua 2:15, by James Tissot (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Rahab negotiates an agreement with the spies to spare her and her whole father’s house in exchange for her silence about their business. So when the king’s men come for them, she has hidden them away and sends their pursuers off in the wrong direction. After letting them down from the window of her home with a rope, she has them hide in the hills until it is safe to go on their way.

Instructions for her and her family in verses 18-19 for when the Israelites come into the land are distinctly reminiscent of the night before the 10th plague and the passover of Exodus as Moses gives instructions in Exodus 12:22 – she is warned to keep the whole family in the “marked” house after the people of Israel arrive.

Rahab is mentioned in Matthew 1:5 in the ancestry of Jesus Christ.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Mar 28 2012

Joshua 1 – God Commissions Joshua

Joshua prepares to lead

We move past the end of Deuteronomy and the death of Moses and into Joshua. God speaks to Joshua and gives him the same charge that Moses did in Deuteronomy 31:6-8. Many of God’s words here are identical to the text in Deuteronomy (Moses was speaking for the Lord, after all), and God repeats that He will be with him, will not leave or forsake him. Three times Joshua is told to be strong and courageous – but he is also told to meditate on, and not to turn aside from, all of the law that the Lord commanded Moses. One can surmise from this that there are going to be times during the taking of the land that it would be easy for Joshua as a leader to become frightened, dismayed, or both.

Indeed, the people he is charged with performing this task will face large numbers of opposing forces and there will be blood shed. But the Lord said in verse 5 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life.” With that, Joshua takes charge, and has his officers prepare to pass over the Jordan river in three days (verse 11). he then reminds the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh of their responsibility. They acknowledge and pledge their allegiance (verses 16-18).

God repeats Himself as He does in the opening verses of Joshua in other places in the Bible, which is a good clue that what He is saying to us has great importance. He reinforces His covenant now with Joshua, and promises that as long as he keeps God’s commandments, he will be successful in achieving the goal. Our charge to keep the Lord’s commandments come from the lips of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and from His apostles repeatedly (John 14:23-24, 1 John 5:3-5,). His promise to us is that if we do so, we will make our home with Him in the end.

As we will see again soon in this very book, God always keeps His promises.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Robert

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some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Mar 4 2012

Preview – Schedule Accelerating! / Feb Week 3 Summary Posted

This blog will be in the book of Joshua by the end of March!

How did that happen, you ask?

In our quest to get the whole Bible story this year by reading 5 chapters a week, we will be jumping over some sections of Exodus, skipping Leviticus entirely, blazing through parts of Numbers and will have finished 3 chapters of Joshua by March 30th!!!

It is going to be a another great month in the Lord’s word! If you are behind, don’t worry. Just jump in now where we are! Reading just five chapters a week this whole month is easy, and will enrich your life, for sure! Never a better time to just get started. Get the schedule from the “Bible Reading Schedules” page.

The “Summaries” page can help you if you are interested in some parts of the schedule you have missed. If you have questions, submit through the contact page and I will try to help.

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a page-length PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week. I have posted the summary for Week 8 (February Week 3) of the schedule I am following. This short PDF document contains condensed comments about Genesis chapters 44, 45, 46, and Exodus 1 and 2, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.