The Promise Land

Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan (chapter 4)

Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan (chapter 4)

• When all the nation crossed over the Jordan, Joshua issued the following command (v.1)

• Select ONE man from each TRIBE • Take 12 STONES from the river and place them

here where we lay (v. 3)• The 12 STONES were to serve as SIGN of

God’s faithfulness • What are other signs of God’s faithfulness?

Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan (chapter 4)

• Memorials in stone were common in OT Israel

• Jacob on FOUR occasions set up stones after a significant event in his life (Genesis 28:18; 31:45; 35:14; 20)

• In Joshua, there are many different stone memorials (4:1-9, 20-24; 8:28 – 32; 10:27; 22:1- - 34; 24:26 – 27)

• What was the purpose of a stone memorial?

Twelve Memorial Stones from the Jordan (chapter 4)

• Children would ask the question “What Does This Mean”? (v. 6)

• Then parents would retell the story of what God has done (v. 7)

• What are the things we can set up in our lives to encourage our children to ask the question, “What Does This Mean?”

Plains of Jericho is the area north of the Salt Sea that spreads out into a large flat plain of both sides of the Jordan river.

And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the

waters of the Jordan returned to their place (4:16 – 17)

The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped

at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho (4.19)

What Does This Mean?

• Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground • YAWHEH dried up the waters of the Jordan

for you until you passed over, just like he did at the Red Sea.

• So that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is might, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.

The New Generation Circumcised (chapter 5:1 – 9)

• When the Israelites crossed over the Jordan the Kings of the Ammorites and Canaanites lost their courage and spirit (5.1)

• Before the battle of Jericho Joshua CIRCUMCISED all the men of Israel.

• Why? • For 38 years circumcision had ceased and now

as the covenant had been renewed so did the sign of the covenant.

5:6 For the people of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the men of war who came out of Egypt, perished, because

they did not obey the voice of the LORD; the LORD swore to them that he would not let them see the land that the LORD had sworn to their fathers to give to us, a land flowing with

milk and honey. 5:7 So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua

circumcised. For they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the

way.

FIRST PASSOVER IN CANAAN

• Israel arrived in the Passover Land on the 10th of Nissan (our March/April)

• This is the day which the Passover Lamb would be selected (Exodus 12:13)

• The males of Israel were circumcised so that the Passover could be performed properly (Exodus 12:48)

• Why do you think God times everything this way?

And the manna ceased the day after they ate of the produce of the land. And there was no longer manna fro the people of

Israel, but they ate of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year. (5.11 – 12)

The Commander of the LORD’S army

Who Is This Man?

• He is the commander of the army of the Lord• He has a sword drawn indicating he is read for

battle • Joshua worships him and calls him “my lord” • Joshua also removes his sandals just as Moses

did in the presence of the burning bush. • The presence of this man makes the ground

HOLY.

The Battle of Jericho (chapter 6)

Now Jericho was shut up inside and outside because of the people of Israel. None went out, and none came in (6.1)

You shall march around the city, all the men of war going around the city once, for six days. Seven priests shall bear

seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. (6.3-4)

And just as Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets preceding the ark of

the covenant marched around the city walls of Jericho (6.8)

The March of Jericho• The size of Jericho is estimated to have been 9 – 12 acres. • Its circumference may have been ½ mile to a mile. • A large processional could circle Jericho in less than an

hour. • The Israelites were commended not shot or make your

voice heard, until the seventh day. • Each night they would come back to camp and spend the

night. • On the Seventh Day they would march around SEVEN

times• Why the march?

The Blowing of the Ram’s Horns

On the Seventh Day after the Seventh March, Joshua said to his people, “Shout, for the LORD

has given you the city” (6.16)

Battle Instructions

• All that is within the walls of Jericho is DEVOTED to destruction (6.17)

• Except Rahab and her family (6:17)• Keep yourselves from the things devoted

to destruction (6.18) Why? • Except: Silver, Gold, and every vessel of

Bronze and Iron. They will go into the LORD’S TREASURY (6.19)

Devoted To Destruction

• Verse 21 indicates what was to be destroyed – men, women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword.

• Destruction of Jericho is total. • Israel is an agent of God’s JUSTICE • Residents of Jericho are destroyed for not

repenting of their unbelief, child sacrifice, ritual prostitution, and abominable practices even though they were given time to.

The two men who had spied went into Rahab’s house and brought her and all who belonged to

her to live with them in Israel (6.22 – 25)