Joshua’s the power of god. after the

Joshua’s life is an example to all Christians in how living a life of total faith, devotion, and humbleness in the Lord can prepare oneself to become a strong leader under God. Joshua, son of Nun, was born into the tribe of Ephraim, with the bible suggesting that it was most likely in the land of Egypt in the year 1355 B. C. He was born to father, Nun, and had two siblings, a brother, Eran and a sister, Rahmah; no accounts of his mother nor any descendants of Joshua have been recorded. Today in the current culture, Joshua is famously known by Christians mainly for one song of a singular defining moment in Joshua’s life, The Battle of Jericho.

This was indeed a very defining moment in Joshua’s life, but however was not Joshua’s life’s pinnacle. No accounts of Joshua’s early years are recorded in the Bible until Moses called Joshua up to select men and go to battle against the Amalekites, Exodus 17: 9 (NIV), “ Moses said to Joshua, “ Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites.” It was at this battle that Joshua became recognized more for Joshua’s leadership abilities, since the Israelite army was led into victory by Joshua, through the strength of Moses, and with the power of God. After the concluding of the battle, the Lord commanded that Moses write down all that had happened there, and tell it all to Joshua, since one day Joshua would completely wipe out the name of the Amalekites from the face of the earth, Exodus 17: 14 (NIV), Then the Lord said to Moses, “ Write this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven.” which suggested to the people that Joshua would one day play a larger part in the leadership over Israel and its military. Later in the journeys of the Israelite people, upon reaching Mount Sinai, Moses was called up by God to receive the two stone tablets which contained on them the Ten Commandments. Moses commanded that all the nation wait at the base of the mountain, besides Joshua, who Moses called as an accompaniment up the mountain, Exodus 24: 13 (NIV), ” Then Moses set out with Joshua his aide, and Moses went up on the mountain of God.” Again Joshua is seen upon Moses’s return journey down the mountain, when Joshua is the one to first hear the noise coming from the camp that ensued during the worship of the golden calf, Exodus 32: 17 (NIV), “ When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “ There is the sound of war in the camp.

” Joshua continued in aid and servitude under Moses, showing both a deep love and devotion for God and to Moses as well, Exodus 33: 11 (NIV), “ The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.” Joshua proves continuously to be a loyal and faithful servant to both God and Moses. Upon reaching the Promised Land, the land of which God had sworn to the people of Israel, Joshua was called by Moses once again to select a group of men, twelve in all, to scour out the land and to inform the people on what it beheld. Upon returning from their expedition, ten of the twelve spies reported that there were giants living in great walled cities that were too great for the Israelites to defeat; however, Joshua and Caleb were the only two spies who had not swayed from faith in God, which resulted in both men being spared from God’s punishment, on the people, of death to those above the age of twenty, by means of a forty-year trek through the wilderness.

Near the end of the people’s forty years of punishment, Moses directly disobeyed the Lord, and was punished with death before entering the Promised Land. But before Moses’ death, he called upon the Lord to provide a great man to lead the multitude of the Israelite nation, Numbers 27: 15 (NIV), “ Moses said to the Lord, “ May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community.” After hearing Moses’ request, God commanded Moses to bring Joshua before the priest Eleazar and all the people of Israel, and for Moses to give Joshua a portion of Moses’ leadership and to have Joshua appointed as leader over the nation of Israel, so that the people would adhere to the words of Joshua, Numbers 27: 18-19 (NIV), “ So the Lord said to Moses, “ Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership, and lay your hand on him.

Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence.” After installing Joshua into his position of leadership, God gave him instruction into what his task would be, but later proved that He was with Joshua through all his works. During his initial time as commander over the nation of Israel, God proved that He was with Joshua through all that he did, by way of three separate, seemingly impossible challenges.

First, God, through Joshua, split the waters of the Jordan River in two, allowing the Israelites to pass through unharmed. Second, the angel of the Lord appeared outside of Jericho, to Joshua, to instruct him on what he was to do. Lastly, the “ unbreakable” walls of Jericho fell before the Israelites, allowing the army of Israel to enter in and claim victory over the city. For a long period of time, speculation had surrounded the story of the fall of Jericho, but it was not until 1950 that this story was evidentially backed up by means of an excavation led by British archaeologist, Kathleen Kenyon. Kenyon found that the section of the wall that had been destroyed could most likely have only occurred by means of an earthquake; a simple earthquake, however, would have leveled or at least damaged all sides of the city walls, however since the northern wall, in which Rehab’s house was thought to be, was standing undamaged, it is thought to be seen that it aligns itself with the Biblical promise that Rehab, her family, and all that she owned would not be harmed as long as she listened to what the spies had commanded of her; along with this, the archaeologists discovered that the whole of the city had been burned down, which also aligned itself with what is said in the Bible referring to what was commanded of the Israelites concerning Jericho.

After the victory over Jericho, the people of Israel continued their journey in the conquering of the Promised Land. Their travels soon after brought them to the city of Ai, a seemingly poorly defended land. Spies were sent out into the city to observe and report back on it’s defenses and army. The spies reported back that the city could be easily taken with only a few thousand men, and without gaining the counsel of the Lord in this matter, Joshua sent a few thousand men to attack the city.

This band of Israelites were quickly and easily routed which led to the entire nation becoming fearful and falling before God in repentence for mis-placing their trust in men. Understanding what he was to do, Joshua spoke with the Lord and gained insight into what God’s plan was for dealing with this enemy nation. God explained to Joshua that the reason that the Israelite army could not stand against this foe was that someone in the camp had taken what had belonged to the Lord. So the next day, all the tribes were called forth, and Achan, son of Zerah, was found guilty of this matter and as a result was stoned to death for his disobedience. The army then, through the word of the Lord, set an ambush for the men and city of Ai, and within the day they had killed the men and burned the city which was the command of the Lord to Joshua.

Once more the Lord showed His miraculous and guiding hand over Joshua’s life through Israel’s defense of the nation of Gibeon against the invading Amorite kingdoms. The Lord not only gave the five pagan nations into the hands of the Israelites, but also sent large hailstones onto the retreating armies, inflicting more casualties then those that were slain by the sword. In order to proclaim His hand over this victory and to do so again over Joshua, God performed His last large miracle, during Joshua’s lifetime, which is seen as one of the most unique miracles that is recorded in the Bible, but also one of the most controversial. Following the defeat of the five armies and the capture of their kings, Joshua, through the anointing of the Lord, commanded the Sun and Moon to stand still in the sky until the people had been avenged on their enemies, Joshua 10: 12b-13 (NIV), “ Sun, stand still over Gibeon,  and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies.” All this signified that the nations had been given into the hands of the Israelite nation, by God, to further progress upon the covenant the Lord made with the people to give them all the land that he had promised.

Joshua continued to show his devotion to the Lord and his strong leadership ability over the people of Israel. Joshua continued the Israelites’ campaign to claim the whole of the Promised Land, and in all he defeated thirty two pagan nations to completely claim the land promised to the Israelites’ forefathers, Joshua 11: 23 (NIV), “ So Joshua took the entire land, just as the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then the land had rest from war.” During the final years of Joshua’s life, he called together the whole assembly of the nation of Israel in order to renew the people’s covenant with God.

The nation accepted this renewal half-heartedly, and it was not until the Lord rebuked them that they committed fully through Joshua. Joshua, son of Nun died in the year 1245 A. D. at the age of one-hundred ten years old in his homeland in the hill country of Ephraim.

Joshua showed his great devotion and faith in God through all that Joshua did, and by these things the Lord blessed all that he accomplished to fulfill the promise of God. What Joshua had done during his time on earth not only impacted the nation of Israel, but also the history of the world as it is known. The people of Israel were promised by God that if they went to conquer the land of Canaan, or the Promised Land, they would receive it as their inheritance from the Lord. So finally after not trusting in God, becoming fearful because of the people of Canaan, and forty years of wilderness travel, with only those under twenty, or specifically chosen by God, surviving, the land of Canaan was finally attacked and eventually conquered over time by the nation of Israel under the command of Joshua. The conquering of Canaan was all in the past however, so how could one man’s command over a miniscule nation’s conquering of a small section of land have an impact on the history of the world and the world today? The answers to this question are quite simple: First, the nation of Israel is God’s chosen people, therefore the nations opposed to the idea and doctrine of God will see Israel’s claim over Canaan to be not as rightful as it would seem to them. Since Israel’s only backing behind their claim to this land is a promise from their God, then there is no legitimate or factual proof that they indeed do hold the right to own and occupy it. Therefore this topic has been the basis of much grief and enmity between the surrounding country of Palestine and Israel, and has been a continuous disagreement by the United Nations over Israel’s position since it’s recognition as an independent nation in 1948.

Secondly, the nation of Israel is situated in such a way that it forms the land bridge spanning three continents, Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is a strategic location for political, as well as spiritual, control of the earth.-ProphecyInTheNews. com.

By having claim to this land, Israel has been able to more easily spread their culture and beliefs than the surrounding Arab nations, due to the impassable desert to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the east which hinders land travel for the neighboring nations. Joshua, at the time, could have never known that by his following of the Lord’s command to capture the small land of Canaan, the people of Israel would have one of the most strategic land points in the Eastern continents which would give them not only great importance but also great responsibility to spread the Word of God throughout the world. At least seven major themes can be seen in the book of Joshua: the land, God’s promises, the covenant, obedience, purity of worship, godly leadership, and rest. These combine to form a rich theology that consistently points to God as the major character in the book.

He was the giver of the land in fulfillment of his promises, the one to whom allegiance and obedience were owed, who was a holy and jealous God, who appointed Joshua as Moses’ designated successor, and who fought for his people and gave them rest. The book, then, for all its battles, glory, and land distributions, points to God above all else.-People. bethel. edu The character of Joshua