The Book of Joshua
Focus Verse: Joshua 1:9 Lesson Verse:2 Cor 10:4,5
A. Even though a person may be a Christian, he or she still may have territory in their life that is controlled by the flesh, the world, and the Devil. It is these areas that God wants us to capture and destroy the "inhabitants" through the principles found in the Book of Joshua.
B. Review of Previous Lessons and Truths:
1. Chapter 1 - Preparing to Serve - begins with three things:
a God's promises - His word
b God's presence - Been with them from day one
c God's pressure - God was nudging them into battle
2. Chapter 2 - Taking-Up the Challenge
a Rahab the Harlot saved
b Joshua spying out Jericho - first step to conquering your enemy is to know your enemy!
3. Chapter 3 - The Crossing of the Jordan River
a Stepping by faith - doors only open AS you take steps of faith
b This river represents the deep troubles, and valleys we face
c EVERYBODY is to cross - not get left behind
4. Chapter 4 - Memorials - Reckoning Yourself to be Dead
a Jordan closes back up - way back is closed, so go forward!
b Establish two memorials:
1) One IN the valley you go through - never forget Jesus (the Ark) was there through it all!
2) One on THIS side of the trial - never forget that you have a new life to live, resurrected, and fresh
5. Chapter 5 - Preparing for the Battles
a Feed yourself - the manna stops at some point - battle with priorities (don't be a baby all your life, and lazy)!
b Make sure YOU are saved (circumcision) - don't count on your parents to get you right with God, or to keep you right with God
c Settle the battle in your heart - realise you are already a winner!
II.
The
First Stronghold - Jericho (6:1-27)
A. The Condition of the Enemy - Scared! (6:1,2) This world lives in fear: of everything. The Christian fears only God!
PRINCIPLE: Quit running scared and turn and FIGHT - act like God is on the throne (2 Sam 10:6-12)!
B. The Problem with Jericho - Them walls!
1. Sin in your life has fortified itself with WALLS.
2. For you to have victory over sin, you've got to get behind those walls.
3. Once those walls are down, you will see sin as it really is in the light of God's word! See Isaiah 14:15-17
C. The Battle Plan (6:3-5)
1. Note the "sevens" (6:4) - 2nd Advent & Tribulation
2. Note the type of horns (6:4,5) (Cf 1 Cor 2:1)
3. Note the "battle" - Where's the fight? (6:5)
4. Note that armed men go first! (6:6,7 Cf Eph 6) - we need armed men
5. Note that total destruction is to take place (Gen 15:13-16; Dt 7:2)
D. The "special" instructions (6:10,17-9)
1. No TALKING! (6:10) Learn to be QUIET! (1 Thes 4:11)
2. No TOUCHING! (6:17-19) the "accursed thing" Against popular opinion, there ARE things that you should NOT touch (1 Cor 7:1,2; 2 Cor 6:17)!
a Like people of the opposite sex
b Like God's money - the tithe - the FIRST fruits
c Like the redeemed life of yours that is God's (1Cor 6:19,20)
E. Six days, and no victory (6:11-14) - this is life right now
1. The first day - nothing happened
2. The second day - nothing happened
3. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th day - nothing happened
PRINCIPLE: Even if God never does anything for you, you still just keep marching! (See Naaman in 2 Kgs 5; Eccl 3:11)
F. The seventh day (6:15,16)
1. That is the time to SHOUT!
PICTURE: Heaven and the Millennium - that's is where the rewards are, and where full joy will be!
2. Truly walking by faith. The walls did not fall down until AFTER they shouted!
PRINCIPLE: Quit being babies and waiting for God to always make the first move in your life! If God gave clear instructions concerning something in your life, don't wait on God to give you the victory, go ahead and start iving it and SHOUT. Nine time out of ten, God is not going to do anything in your life until you step out by faith. Example of crossing the Jordan. Thank God for what He is about to do!!!
3. Down came those impassable walls! (6:20)
G. The "utter destruction" of Jericho (6:21,24)
1. Reason? (Dt 7:7-10; II Thes 1:6-9)
2. Result? Complete victory over the enemy!
3. Consequences? (Dt 7:3,4)
4. Except for two things:
a Rahab and family "saved".
b Gold and silver - to be dedicated to God.
A. God's ways are NOT our ways!
B. God's timing may drag on and on, but the victory is just as sure as if it occurred already!
C. God calls for the complete defeat of sin in your life, nothing is to be salvaged.
D. Questions
1. What number keeps re-occurring in Chapter 6 concerning the defeat of Jericho? _______________________
2. How many day were the Israelites to march around the walls? ____
3. Who many times on the final day were the Israelites to march around the walls of Jericho? ___________
4. What were the Israelites not to touch in Jericho? ________________
5. What did God call the things that Israel was not to take possession of? _____________________________________________________
6. What was Jericho in relation to God - i.e., what did God consider Jericho to be? ____________________________________________
7. On the seventh day, what were the Israelites to do to bring the walls down? 1) ______________________, 2) _______________________ 3) ______________________________________________________
8. Was Jericho utterly destroyed by God? Yes/No (circle one)
9. Why were there a lot of people saved from destruction? __________ _______________________________________________________