Themes By Chapter
Book Summary:
The name Joshua in the Hebrew is ‘Johoshua’ meaning ‘the Lords Salvation,’ or in other words Jesus. Joshua therefore is a type of Jesus. Joshua was the man God used to lead the Children of Israel into the promised land just as Jesus is the “captain of our salvation” and leads us into new life through the cross. Moses represents the law but Joshua represents Christ and He alone can lead us into the inheritance that is ours in Him – “not by words, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:9)
In Joshua 1 God tells the Israelites several things concerning the promised land, the land that He has given them. He tells them to set there foot down , take it all, be on the move, take the sword, go in for a full life.
The harlot Rahab who had helped the spies, hung a scarlet thread out of her window so her house would be spared – this prostitute is mentioned in the linage of Jesus in Matthew 1. The Israelites marched with the ark of God – the symbol of the divine presence – Christ himself is the reality of the divine presence and He says, “surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20)
We see Achan’s sin effecting the whole camp of Israel – “no one can sin in total Isolation none of us live exclusively for ourselves” – just as one stricken with chicken pox can effect an entire school room – our sin will always find us out.
The conquest of the promised land presented many difficulties for the Israelites – Jesus tells us “in this world you will have trouble” (John 16:33) The promise isn’t for ease but for victory and the victory is in Christ – “I have overcome the world.”