Daily reading

Today’s reading is: Josh. 1-6

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Joshua Chapter One

  1. The Lord directs Joshua to be strong and courageous, and lead Israel to the victories the Lord has promised (Josh. 1:1-9).
    1. The extent of the promised land is from the Mediterranean (Great Sea) to the Euphrates river (Josh. 1:4).
    2. This was the land grant promised to Abraham (Gen. 15:18-21).  Israel has never yet occupied this entire land grant, but will do so in the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ.
    3. Three times Joshua is commanded to be strong and courageous, as the Lord will be with Joshua wherever he goes (Josh. 1:6,7,9).
  2. Joshua accepts his command, and takes action with the officers under his command (Josh. 1:10-18).
    1. He prepares Israel for immediate deployment (Josh. 1:10,11).
    2. He warns Reuben, Gad, and ½ Manasseh to fulfill their oath to Moses (Josh. 1:12-18; Num. 32:20-22).

Joshua Chapter Two

  1. Joshua (one of the two faithful spies in the previous generation) sends forth two faithful spies into the city of Jericho (Josh. 2:1a).
  2. These two spies stayed the night in Rahab’s brothel (Josh. 2:1b).
    1. בֵּית־אִשָּׁה זוֹנָה beyth-’ishshah zownāh.  זָנָה zānāh #2181: to commit fornication, be a harlot.
      1. Rahab was not a sacred prostitute.  קְדֵשָׁה qedēshāh #6948.
      2. She was a secular prostitute.  πόρνη pornē #4204 (Jas. 2:25; Heb. 11:31).
    2. The house’s position on the city wall, may have motivated the spies’ tactical decision to spend the night there (Josh. 2:15).
    3. Rahab’s divine destiny as a believer, and ancestress of the Lord Jesus Christ certainly dictated the Lord’s Sovereign direction for the spies to spend the night there (Matt. 1:5).
  3. Rahab hid the two spies on her roof as an expression of faith (Josh. 2:4,6,8-13; Heb. 11:31).
    1. Rahab understood YHWH’s intention to destroy the Canaanites (Josh. 2:9a).
    2. Rahab understood that the Lord had removed the Canaanites’ demonic empowerment (Josh. 2:11; Num. 14:9).
    3. The Lord’s example of Egypt in the previous generation, and Sihon & Og in this generation, accomplished what He intended—the demonic and human fear of the Lord’s wrath (Josh. 2:10; Jas. 2:19).
    4. Rahab places herself in the Lord’s care according to His grace (Josh. 2:12,13).
  4. The King of Jericho demanded Rahab turn over the spies, but her stratagem (lie), sent the king’s guards looking elsewhere (Josh. 2:2-7).
    1. Stratagem: an artifice or trick in war for deceiving and outwitting the enemy.
    2. The Commandments must be placed in proper setting, and not related to God’s laws for warfare and espionage.
      1. Taking human life in the prosecution of righteous warfare does not violate the 6th Commandment.
      2. Taking plunder in the aftermath of righteous warfare does not violate the 7th Commandment.
      3. Marrying the captive women in the aftermath of righteous warfare does not violate the 8th Commandment.
      4. Strategic lying in the course of warfare and espionage does not violate the 9th Commandment.
  5. The spies coordinate the signal for Rahab’s deliverance, and return to Joshua with their good report (Josh. 2:14-24).
    1. God had promised to put fear in the heart of the people (Deut. 2:25; 11:25).
    2. The spies testified to the Lord’s faithfulness in this prophecy (Josh. 2:24).
    3. The people can then have confidence in the Lord’s other promises regarding the Conquest.

Joshua Chapter Three

  1. Although Judah typically lead the march of Israel (Num. 2:9; 10:14), in this case, the Ark of the Covenant will lead the way (Josh. 3:1-6).
  2. God will give Israel a visual testimony to Joshua’s rightful succession of Moses (Josh. 3:7; 4:14).
  3. The crossing of the Jordan reminds us of the crossing of the Red Sea (Josh. 3:8-17; 4:23,24; Ex. 14:21,22).

Joshua Chapter Four

  1. The Lord directs Joshua to erect a memorial pillar to the Jordan crossing (Josh. 4:1-7,20-24).
  2. Joshua follows the Lord’s instructions, and also erects a pillar of his own in the midst of the Jordan river (Josh. 4:8,9).
  3. The crossing of the Jordan river occurred on the 10th day of the first month (Josh. 4:19). 
    1. This is the day that the Passover lamb is to be set aside (Ex. 12:3).
    2. Israel will observe this Passover here at Gilgal (Josh. 5:10).

Joshua Chapter Five

  1. The demoniac Canaanites were powerless through fear because of the word they received of Israel’s entrance into Canaan (Josh. 5:1).
  2. Israel cannot proceed with the Conquest until they obey the Lord’s instructions regarding circumcision (Josh. 5:2-8).
  3. The Lord taught Joshua the significance of the name Gilgal (Josh. 5:9).
  4. Israel observed the Passover for the 42nd time overall (Josh. 5:10).
  5. The provision of manna ended at this time (Josh. 5:11,12).
  6. The chapter closes with Joshua meeting the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Captain of the Host of the Lord (Josh. 5:13-15).

Joshua Chapter Six

  1. Jericho prepared themselves for a siege by the nation of Israel (Josh. 6:1).
    1. They had high walls (Josh. 2:15; 6:5,20).
    2. They had valiant warriors (Josh. 6:2).  גִּבּוֹרֵי הֶחָיִל gibbowrey hechāyil (Josh. 1:14; 6:2; 8:3; 10:7; Jdg. 6:12; 11:1; Ruth 2:1; 1st Sam. 9:1; 16:18; 1st Kgs. 11:28; 2nd Kgs. 5:1; 15:20; 24:14; 1st Chr. 5:24; 7:2,5,7,9,11,40; 8:40; 9:13; 11:26). (Logos Verse list)
  2. Israel’s conquest of Jericho was not a military victory, but a spiritual victory, achieved through their humble obedience to the instructions of the Lord (Josh. 6:2-21).
    1. The priests and the Ark of the Covenant were in the center of the procession (Josh. 6:4,5,6,8,13,16).
    2. The priests blew the trumpets, but the people remained silent until it was time for the shout (Josh. 6:10).
  3. The priestly ritual involved repetitions of the number of completion—seven. Seven priests, blowing seven trumpets for seven days with seven laps on the seventh day.
  4. The plunder of Jericho was governed by “the ban” (Josh. 6:17, NASB) “devoted” (LEB, NIV, YLT) “doomed to destruction” (NKJV) accursed (KJV) designated for destruction (NASB20) anathema (LXX, Vulg., D-R).
    1. חֵרֶם cherem #2764: a thing devoted, dedicated, utterly destroyed.
    2. חָרַם charam #2763: to ban, devote, completely destroy.
    3. The first appearance of this concept was revealed at Hormah (Num. 21:2,3).
    4. The necessity for this total destruction was for the preservation of Israel’s purity (Deut. 7:2-6).
  5. The Lord was entitled to the first-fruits of their labor, and Jericho represents the first-fruits of the Conquest (Josh. 6:19,24).
  6. Rahab and her family were graciously spared by the Lord (Josh. 6:17,22-25).
  7. Joshua utters a curse for any man who rebuilds Jericho (Josh. 6:26).
    1. Moses, in the Law, established a prohibition against rebuilding an apostate Hebrew city (Deut. 13:16,17).
    2. Hiel the Bethelite will experience Joshua’s curse, by rebuilding what had been destroyed for the glory of the Lord (1st Kgs. 16:34).
    3. The second city of the Conquest will be destroyed for good (Josh. 8:28).
  8. The passage concludes with a reference to the fame of Joshua spreading throughout the land he would soon conquer (Josh. 6:27).