SURVEY OF THE BOOK OF JOSHUA

The theme of the Book of Joshua is that of conquest with the setting in Canaan, the promised land. Chapters 1-5: Preparing to conquer the Lord – Joshua and the Israelites prepare to face a powerful enemy who live in heavily fortified cities but they must first cross the River Jordan. Yet God will give Israel the land by conquest to fulfill the promise made to Abraham and his descendants. Chapters 6-12: Conquering the land – Israel’s first test was to trust God to provide victory at the city of Jericho. They were successful but they were forced to defend the lying Gibeonites based on an oath to protect them. This made them to disobey God’s command to eliminate them. Chapter 13-22: Dividing of the land – Seven years later after the conquest is completed, God tells Joshua to divide the land among the 12 tribes, who then completed the final conquests in their assigned areas. Chapter 23-24: Joshua’s last words – Joshua entreats the leaders the keep the law and the people to serve God.

Typology: Jericho, a city fortified with high walls stands in the way of the Israelites inheritance just the city of sinful Babylon stands in the way of inheritance of God’s people (Rev. 18:5). Jericho must be destroyed just as Babylon city must be destroyed for Christ and his people to inherit paradise (Rev. 21:1–5). The two spies who were sent to Jericho were threatened by the king (Joshua 2:1, 14) but they were delivered by Rahab. In Revelations 11:3-12 we see two witnesses sent by God to testify to the coming judgment. The wicked city sought to kill them but they were delivered from death. In Joshua 5:14–15; 6:2, Joshua encounters a divine man, the commander of the Lord’s army, with a sword in his hand. Joshua typifies Christ, who is the commander in chief, described in priestly glory with a sword in his mouth (Rev. 1:16). Joshua’s call to circumcise the male Israelites is a kin to Jesus calling His church to purify themselves as they prepare for the holy war (Rev. 2:1–3:22). The seven circles of Joshua’s warfare (Joshua 6) strategy can be compared to that of Jesus’ cycle of seven, where He opened seven seals (Rev. 5:1) and the judgment commenced with seven trumpets and seven plagues. Jericho was defeated at the sound of seven trumpets just as victory was declared in the heavenly kingdom (Rev. 11:15). Just as the walls of Jericho fell at once, the remnant put to the sword, and the city burned with fire, so was the wicked city described in Rev. 18:2. The salvation of Rahab, a type of church, illustrates the salvation Church, a prostitute made Christ’s Bride by His blood represented by the scarlet cord that was hung on the window.