Session #3: Encountering the Historical Books

“Living out the covenant”

Joshua, Judges & Ruth

Joshua the brave warriorwarrior (Ex. 17:9-14)

Joshua the devoted companioncompanion (disciple) of Moses

(Ex. 24:13; 32:17; 33:11)

Joshua the faithful servant servant (Num. 14:6,30; Deut. 1:38;

3:28)

Joshua the strong & courageous leaderleader (Deut. 31:7,23)

Hoshea = he saves Joshua = Yahweh saves (Num. 13:16)

1. Selected by God2. Trusting in the promise of God3. Strength & courage from God4. Knowledge of the word (Torah) of God5. Filled with the Spirit of God

So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.” (Num. 27:18)

Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the Spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses. (Deut. 34:9)

“Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you?

Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:6-9)

JOSHUA

Covers c. 20 yearsStrong, focused

leadershipDivide & conquerFaith & courageMorally groundedObedienceLine of victory

JUDGES

Covers c. 200 yearsWeak, divided

leadershipDivided & conqueredFear & unbeliefMorally flounderedDisobedienceCycles of defeat

Blessings vs. curses of the covenant. (cf. Deut. 27-30)Blessings vs. curses of the covenant. (cf. Deut. 27-30)

Salvation of God’s people

“The Lord will put his name there for his dwelling”

Conquest of the land (1-12)

Judgment of the peoples

“The Lord will drive out these nations before you”

Settlement of the land (13-24)

On that day the LORD made a covenantwith Abram and said, “To yourdescendants I give this land, from theRiver of Egypt to the great river, theEuphrates— the land of the Kenites,Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites,Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites,Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites.”

(Gen. 15:18-21)

When the LORD your God brings youinto the land you are entering to

possessand drives out before you many nationsthe Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites,Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites andJebusites, seven nations larger andstronger than you... (Deut. 7:1)

Part One:(Salvation of God’s

people)

Conquest

Remember the Amalekites (Ex. 17) and Sihon & Og (Num. 21)!

For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” Deut. 20:4

1. Commissioning & instruction from the Lord – Ex. 3-42. Understanding what lies ahead (spy out the land) – Num. 133. Saving those who are seeking God (Rahab) – Ex. 11-12; Is. 30:74. “Crossing the Jordan” (Enter, and don’t forget it!) – Ex. 14-155. Consecrating themselves (as God’s people) – Gen. 17; Ex. 136. Recognizing their true leader – Ex. 3:2; 14:19 (cf. Gen. 18)

The central campaign (6-8)

Retaliation #1: the southern campaign (9-10)Retaliation #2: the northern campaign (11:1-

15) (See maps, pp.171-174)

Summary (11:16-23)

List of 33 defeated kings (12)

Jericho victory (though obedience)…save only Rahab

Ai defeat (through disobedience)…get rid of the idols

Ai & Bethel ambush (through learning to listen)

…keep the plunder

Key = divide & conquer (cf. Lk. 11:17-23; Mk. 3:23-27; Matt.12:25-30)

“Curses & blessings” (Josh. 8:30-35; cf. Deut. 27-29)

Gibeon “make a peace treaty”…spare them as your servants

Amorite alliance “take them by surprise”…Joshua’s long day! (ch. 10)

Makkedah “pursue your enemies”…put your feet on their necks

Southern region “no surrender/ no survivors”…kingdom forcefully advancing

The great coalition – “attack them” (despite the odds)

…destroy their weapons…single out the leader…totally destroy the rest…don’t forget the Anakites

(giants)

““Then the land had rest from war!” Then the land had rest from war!” 11:23 11:23 (all this required 6-7 years, cf.

p. 176)

Part Two(Judgment of the idolatrous

peoples)

Settlement

“Though they are strong you can drive them out” (17:18)

“How long will you wait before you take possession of the land that the Lord…has given you?” (18:3)

“They had difficulty taking possession…” (19:47) “They could not drive them out”(13:13; 15:63; 16:10;

17:12)

“Now give me this hill country!” (Caleb 14:6ff.; 15:13ff.– cf. Numb. 13-14)

6 Cities of refuge (ch. 20) 48 owns reserved for the Levites (ch. 21) Eastern tribes: “Thanks for your help” (ch. 22)

Joshua’s farewell speech:

Always remember who did it!His promises can always be trusted!Stay focused, don’t give up & always finish the

job!

(“I have fought, I have finished, I have been faithful”)

2 Timothy 4:7-8

Back to Shechem (Gen. 12:6; 33:18; 37:12)

Remembering what God has done (vv.1-13)Responding to what God has done (vv.14-24)Recording what God has done (vv.25-27)

“The uncrowned queen of

Palestine” (Albrecht Alt)

4 views:

Radical discontinuity (no more/ no war is holy) Temporal discontinuity (not now, but then) Moderate continuity (sometimes necessary) Spiritual continuity (real battle is invisible)

Spiritual warfare: Eph. 6:10-18; 2 Cor. 6:7; 10:3-5; 1 Cor. 9:26; 15:32; 1 Tim. 1:18; 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7; Rev. 12:7; 19:11ff.

“The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” (Gen. 15:16)

“The land will vomit you out…”(Lev. 18:24-28; 20:22-24)

“In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit (what was right in his own eyes)”

Judges 17:6; 21:25 (18:1; 19:1); Deut. 12:8

Sin (Idolatry)

Judgement (oppression)

Repentance

Deliverance (rest)

CYCLES of oppression:

1. First cycle (Othniel 3:7-11)2. Second cycle (Ehud & Shamgar 3:12-30)3. Third cycle (Deborah & Barak 4-5)4. Fourth cycle (Gideon 6-8)5. Fifth cycle (Abimelech 9) 6. Sixth cycle (Tola 10:1-2)7. Seventh cycle (Jair 10:3-5)8. Eighth cycle (Jephthah 10:6-12:7)9. Ninth cycle (Ibzan 12:8-10)10.Tenth cycle (Elon 12:11)11.Eleventh cycle (Abdon 12:13-15)12.Twelfth cycle (Samson 13-16)

Lack of leadership (death of Joshua 2:8-9)Incomplete obedience = disobedience & defeatSummary of the problem (read 2:10-3:6)

The key to success & failure (“the hornet”)

I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. Exodus 23:28

Moreover, the LORD your God will send the hornet among them until even the survivors who hide from you have perished. Deuteronomy 7:20

I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you—also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow. Joshua 24:12

1. Idolatry (spiritual… 17-18)2. Immorality (moral… 19)3. Civil war (social… 20-21)

Key = no anointed leadership (21:25)

Ruth deciding (...for the glory of God) Ch.1

Ruth serving (..with the people of God) Ch.2

Ruth resting (…in the will of God) Ch.3

Ruth rewarded (…by the grace of God) Ch.4

“A rose between two thorns” (epilogue to the Judges)

…though based on her genealogy, the story likely occurred during the times of Ehud or Gideon.

“Where you go …I will go”

“Where you stay …I will stay”

“Your people …Will be my people”

“Your God …Will be my God”

“Where you die …I will die”

1. He had to be free (Heb. 4:15)

2. He had to be able to pay the right price (Heb. 9:22)

3. He had to be personally related (Heb. 2:14-18)

4. He had to be absolutely willing (Heb. 10:7)

When things are going bad all around us, don’t take the easy way out!

Lasting love is found in a relationship with Godand he is still the best matchmaker!

Courageous commitment to God can lead to amazing consequences!

This, then, is the family line of Perez: (desc. of Judah… Jacob, Isaac & Abraham)

Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon (= Rahab - Heb. 11:31), Salmon the father of Boaz (= Ruth - 4:13), Boaz the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse,

and Jesse the father of David…(4:18-22; cf. Matt. 1:3-6)

…of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.