Introduction to Joshua:

Joshua

• Joshua represents a type of Christ, as he is a savior figure and his name means "Jehovah is salvation" (Heb. 4:8).
• Joshua is born in Egyptian slavery, his father is Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim (1 Chron. 7:20-27).
• Originally named Oshea or Hoshea, Moses renamed him Jehoshua or Joshua, meaning "Jehovah is salvation" (Num. 13:16).
• Joshua was a slave in Egypt and served as Moses' minister during the nation's journeys (Ex. 24:13).
• He led the army in the battle against Amalek (Ex. 17) and was one of the two spies who had faith to enter Canaan when the nation rebelled in unbelief (Num. 14:6ff).
• Joshua died at 110 years old (Josh. 24:29).

Conquering the Land

• Joshua 1-12 covers the conquest of the land, which took roughly seven years.
• The remaining years of Joshua's life were spent dividing up the inheritance and ruling the nation.
• Joshua assigned the tribes their inheritance, just as Christ has given us our inheritance (Eph. 1:3ff).

Defeated Nations

• The nations defeated by Joshua had been given hundreds of years to repent, but they refused to turn from their wicked ways.
• Any sinner in the nation could be saved by faith, and there was adequate warning sent ahead (Josh. 2:8-13).
• God used war to chasten and even destroy nations that forgot Him.

Intro to Judges

• The Book of Judges picks up the story of Israel after the death of Joshua (Judges 1:1).
• The key verse is "Every man did what was right in his own eyes" (Judges 17:6).
• The book of Judges is a book of defeat and disgrace, where Israel failed to trust God's Word and claim His power.
• Judges records a divided nation, mixing with heathen nations, and settling for a compromise with sin.

Spiritual Lesson

• The book of Joshua represents crossing the river, conquering the enemy, and claiming the inheritance.
• However, the book of Judges shows Israel's failure to possess their entire inheritance, and settling for a compromised life.

The Land

• The Promised Land was filled with many nations and petty kings, which Joshua had led the nation to conquer.
• The book of Judges records the divided nation, where each tribe had to claim their inheritance by faith.

The Judges

• Twelve judges were raised up by God to deliver Israel from oppression.
• These judges were local leaders, not national leaders, and were used by God to give the people rest.
• The book of Judges prepares Israel for their request for a king (1 Sam. 8).

The Nations That Remained

• God permitted the heathen nations to remain in the land for several reasons:
  • To punish Israel (Judges 2:3, 20-21).
  • To prove Israel (Judges 2:22, 3:4).
  • To provide Israel with experience in warfare (Judges 3:2).
  • To prevent the land from becoming a wilderness (Deut. 7:20-24).

Ruth

Background

• The book of Ruth takes place during the time of the Judges, a time of division and defeat for Israel.
• The story of Ruth is a harvest story, where God gathers His sheaves (John 4:31-38).
• The events of Ruth occurred during a time of peace between Judah and Moab.

Theology

• Ruth, a Moabite, was excluded from the nation of Israel (Deut. 23:3), but by faith, she was accepted.
• Boaz, the kinsman-redeemer, is a picture of Christ, who paid the price to redeem us.
• Ruth became an ancestress of David and the Messiah (Matt. 1:5).

Practical Lessons

• Even in difficult situations, if we surrender to the Lord and obey Him, He will see us through.
• No one is outside the reach of God's grace.
• God providentially guides those who want to obey Him and serve others.
• It is wise to wait on the Lord and let Him work out His loving purposes.

1 Samuel

Hannah - A Godly Mother

• Hannah was a woman of prayer, who left her burden with the Lord.
• She made a vow to dedicate her son to the Lord if He answered her prayer.
• Hannah named her son Samuel, "asked of the Lord".
• She surrendered her son to the Lord and he became a great man of prayer.

Eli - A Careless Father

• Eli's sons were selfish, overbearing, and lustful.
• Eli refused to discipline his sons, and they eventually died for their sin.
• God sent a severe message to Eli, warning him that his family would suffer because of the sins of his sons and his own carelessness.

Samuel - A Devoted Son

• Samuel was a devoted son, who served the Lord even as a young boy.
• He was called by the Lord and had a personal experience with Him.
• Samuel listened to the Lord and obeyed His voice.
• He became a great man of prayer and went on to become a prophet and judge in Israel.### Abner and Ishbosheth
• Abner, the commander of Saul's army, made Ishbosheth, Saul's son, king over the other tribes.
• Abner relocated the capital to Mahanaim, across the Jordan River, to protect himself and Ishbosheth from David's men.
• Abner was Saul's cousin and had personal interests in the household of Saul.
• Abner's actions were in rebellion against God's will, as God had chosen David to rule Israel.

The Murder of Abner

• Abner's murder of Asahel led to a long war between the two kings.
• Abner took one of Saul's concubines, incurring the displeasure of Ishbosheth, leading to a disruption between them.
• Abner tried to make a peaceful agreement with David, but Joab and his brother plotted against him and killed him.

The Murder of Ishbosheth

• The murder of Ishbosheth was the turning point, allowing David to rule over the entire nation.
• David did not approve of the method used by the sons of Rimmon and had them slain.
• David knew that God was able to elevate him to the throne; he would not do evil to achieve it.

David Succeeds to Saul's Throne

• David reigned for 40 years, with 7 years in Hebron over the tribe of Judah and 33 years over the entire nation.
• This was David's third anointing, after Samuel's anointing at home and the men of Judah's anointing at Hebron.
• David chose Jerusalem as his capital city, capturing it from the Jebusites.
• Joab was the man God used to open the city, and David used the water tunnel as his means of entry.