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3 Joshua-Ruth: Taking the LandOverview of time period, key events, key figures: Joshua, Ruth Conquering the land Cycles of the Judges Game Explore the reason why the Israelites were to completely destroy all of the inhabitants of the land Take a look at the focus scriptures Exodus 34:6-7 Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Joshua 1:6-9 Judges 5:2 Take a closer look at the problem of the Book of Judges

4 Israel’s Journey from Egypt to Canaan

5 Israel Poised to Conquer Canaan

6 Israel Poised to Conquer CanaanMoses is dead 2 ½ tribes settle east of the Jordan New generation ready to take the land

7 Why the Law? “Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith” (Gal 3:24) God gave the Law his standard of absolute righteousness The two great commandments The 10 commandments The Sermon on the Mount God’s Law convicts us of our true moral guilt before him (Rom 3:19-20) Our utter failure to keep God’s Law should drive us to the gospel for salvation (Rom 3:20-21) See Romans 3 (Romans 1-8) See Galatians 3-4

8 Joshua a type of Christ Moses – associated with the LawJoshua – Hebrew for the Greek name Jesus The Law could never save, could never bring us into the promised land The Law points us to Jesus In the same way, Moses couldn’t take the Israelites into the promised land, but Joshua did

9 Joshua Sends Spies (Josh 2)The spies accomplish a couple of things: They learn that the inhabitants of the land are terrified of the Israelites They rescue an ancestor of Jesus

10 Crossing the Jordan

11 Crossing the Jordan (Josh 3-4)The water is high this time of the year God provides a dry path once again for his people

12 In the Land

13 In the Land (Josh 5) Circumcision of the men (Josh 5:1-9)Vulnerability of the people during this time after they cross into enemy territory Celebration of the first Passover (Josh 5:10) Manna stops (Josh 5:11-12) Joshua meets the captain of the host of the Lord (Josh 5:13-15) “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” “No, rather I indeed come now as captain of the host of the Lord.” “What has my lord to say to his servant?” “Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.”

14 Taking Jericho

15 Taking Jericho (Josh 6) The ark and the warriors march around the city once for 6 days They march around the city 7 times on the 7th day No looting – everything in the city belongs to the Lord

16 Jericho – Rahab’s House

17 Jericho – Rahab’s HouseThere is interesting evidence to support the historicity of the biblical record. See for example, www.christiananswers.net/q-abr/jericho.html. The archaeological evidence matches the biblical record exactly in that: it was heavily fortified (Joshua 2:5, 15); the walls fell in an unusual way, with the bricks at the bottom of the city's mound (Joshua 6:20); a defensive embankment required the Jewish invaders to go "up" into the city (Joshua 6:20), houses were built abutting the city wall and a short section did not fall (exactly as described in the Bible, where Rahab's house was spared, cf, Joshua 2:14-21, 16:22-23), the city was burned (Joshua 6:24), it was destroyed in about the 15 century BC (matching the biblical chronology); large amounts of grain were found, showing it was in the time of harvest (Joshua 2:6; 3:15), the siege was very short (Joshua 6:15); and the city was not plundered (Joshua 6:18), which was very unusual. https://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmorley/

18 Taking Ai Not “eye” Not “A-I” ah’ee

19 Taking Ai Initial defeat Sin in the campAchan stole from Jericho Destruction of him, his family, and their possessions Others suffer as a result of our sin Similarity between Achan in Joshua and Ananias & Sapphira in Acts Victory over Ai once the sin was dealt with

20 Conquering Canaan Military campaign – 5-7 yearsVictory in the south (Josh 9-10) Victory in the north (Josh 11-12)

21 The Gibeonites

22 Conquering the Southern Kings

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25 Closing the Book of JoshuaThe eastern tribes return home (Josh 22) Joshua’s speeches (Josh 23-24) Joshua’s and Eleazar’s deaths (Josh 24) Burial of Joseph’s bones (Josh 24)

26 Intro to the Book of Judges“The people served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the elders who outlived him and who had seen all the great things the Lord had done for Israel” (Judges 2:7) After the death of Joshua, the tribes initially continue to conquer the people of Canaan (Judges 1) However, they fail to completely conquer the people of Canaan and settle for living with them (Judges 1) Thus, the recurring cycle of the Judges (Judges 2:11-19)

27 Cycles of the Judges

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30 Shamgar

31 Deborah & Barak

32 Gideon

33 Jephthah

34 Samson

35 The Migration of the Danites (Judges 17-18)Dan couldn’t take their allotted territory The travel north and conquer “a peaceful and unsuspecting people” Rename Laish to Dan Idolatry, priests of their own (descendants of Moses)

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37 War against Benjamin (Judges 19-21)Atrocities at Gibeah Judges 19:20-30 War against Benjamin Wives for remaining Benjamites Destruction of the people of Jabesh Gilead Festival in Shiloh Saul tells Samuel, “But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel…” (1 Sam 9:21)

38 Other notes on the Book of JudgesLoose confederation of tribes, no central government “In those days there was no king…” (Judges 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25) Loyalty to tribes more than all Israel Tribes fighting tribes Gideon averts crisis with Ephraim (Judges 8:1-2) Jephthah and Gileadites kill 42,000 men of Ephraim (Judges 12:1-4) Near annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin (Judges 19-21) Gideon’s legacy Rescues Israel from Midianites and refuses to be king Creates an “ephod” that becomes a snare to Israel and his family (Judges 8:27) His son Abimelech becomes a tyrant - king in Shechem (Judges 9)

39 The Book of Ruth

40 The Book of Ruth Occurred during the period of the JudgesSweet story of God’s redemption “May the Lord reward your work, and your wages be full from the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge” (Ruth 2:12) Boaz & Ruth, great-grandparents of King David Shepherd’s in the story of Jesus may very well have been shepherding their flocks in what was formerly Boaz’s fields

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42 Why was Joshua to completely destroy the people of Canaan?“In the cities of the nations the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them — the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites — as the LORD your God has commanded you. Otherwise, they will teach you to follow all the detestable things they do in worshiping their gods, and you will sin against the LORD your God” (Deut 20:16-18).

43 Why was Joshua to completely destroy the people of Canaan?Canaan was cursed by Noah (Gen 9:25-27) The sins of the people of Canaan had reached “completion” (Gen 15:16) These nations would cause the Israelites to sin Deut 20:18 The book of Judges Type of the spiritual war we fight today 2 Cor 10:3-6 Eph 6:10-20 Our struggle is not against flesh and blood!

44 Focus Scriptures Exodus 34:6-7 Deuteronomy 6:4-9God’s revelation of himself to Moses Similar revelation in the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:5-6) Psalm 103:8 Deuteronomy 6:4-9 Shema – the core Hebrew prayer Psalm 139:2-3 Revelation 13:16 The ultimate rebellion To put the name or number of the name of the beast where God’s word is supposed to be

45 Focus Scriptures “Be strong and courageous” Judges 5:2Deut 31:7 (Moses to Joshua) Joshua 1:6-9 (the Lord to Joshua) Joshua 1:18 (the people to Joshua) Joshua 10:25 (Joshua to the men of his army) Joshua 23:6 (“Be strong” - Joshua in his farewell speech to Israel’s leaders) Judges 5:2

46 The Problem of Judges Lack of leadership“In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6) “In those days there was no king in Israel…” (Judges 18:1) “… in those days, where there was no king in Israel…” (Judges 19:1) “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25) The state of the people reflects the state of the leader While the judge is alive, the people follow the Lord We’ll also see this with the kings later in Israel’s history

47 The Problem of Judges Lack of discipleship:“After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel” (Judges 2:10) How could this happen? The importance of discipleship! See Deut 6:4-9. Moses discipled Joshua No one passed on their faith to the next generation