Joshua 22

Theme of chapter: Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh are praised for their help in defeating Israels enemies, but are warned to continue worshiping the one true God. As these tribes reside on the wrong side of Jordan.

Most important verse: Joshua 22:26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice:(a picture of modern day liberal churches)

Most prominent word: Ed (a witness)

Teaching about Christ: Christ's sacrifice on the cross is our redemption today.

Command to obey: Do not go after idols, worship the one true God, Jesus Christ.

Promise to claim: without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin.

New truth learned: the altar built on the wrong side of Jordan and not for any sacrifice, is a picture of the modern day liberal church. they think they don't need Jesus' work on the cross for their salvation.

Joshua 21

Theme of chapter: The Levites are given cities from all the various tribes inheritance.

Most important verse: Joshua 2145 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Most prominent word: gave (to be given; dedicated)

Teaching about Christ: The kingdom of heaven is our inheritance

Command to obey: trust in the Lord and all his promises

Promise to claim: God is good. All things God brings you is for your good. His promises are rock solid.

New truth learned: The Levites were not given an inheritance like the other tribes. They were the priestly tribe, and were given cities scattered about all the tribes, so they could minister unto the people of the regions.

Joshua 20

Theme of chapter: Appointing cities of refuge.

Most important verse: Joshua 20:2Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses:

3That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.

Most prominent word: slayer(to murder; to kill)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is our city of refuge from the holy judgement of God

Command to obey: Run to Christ for refuge from the coming judgement.

Promise to claim: We are all convicted sinners and all had a hand in the death of Christ. Christ is our salvation and city of refuge.

New truth learned: For accidental deaths that would cause another family member to avenge their blood, the person needed a place to go until such time he could be heard by the courts of that day. Cities were appointed as refuges for these people such that no harm could come to them until judgement was passed.

Joshua 19

Theme of chapter: More exhaustive detail on the dispersing of the land.

Most important verse: Joshua 19:1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.

Most prominent word: dividing(apportion; assign)

Teaching about Christ: Christ cares in detail about every great and small point in our lives.

Command to obey: Give unto your neighbor who is in need.

Promise to claim: love isn't selfish, it is giving.

New truth learned: This chapter like some before, shows God's great care in every detail of our lives, as he exhaustively lists the dividing of the promised land.

Joshua 18

Theme of chapter: The rest of the tribes receive their land.

Most important verse: Joshua 18:3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you?

Most prominent word: possess(to be an heir; to gain;)

Teaching about Christ: blessings are given, but you still have to possess them.

Command to obey: don't be lazy, work hard.

Promise to claim: Gods promises can be trusted.

New truth learned: the rest of the tribes were kind of just standing around. Joshua, told them to get off their butts and go mark out the land for dividing amongst the rest of the tribes that were left.

Joshua 17

Theme of chapter: The dividing of the land to Manasseh and Ephraim.

Most important verse: Joshua 17:14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto?

15And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.

Most prominent word: Manasseh (one that makes to forget) Ephraim (doubly fruitful)

Teaching about Christ: Christ, through the holy spirit, gives us spiritual blessings to lay hold of.

Command to obey: take hold of spiritual blessings.

Promise to claim: the believers inheritance is the kingdom of heaven

New truth learned: the children of Joseph were complaining to Joshua about how they didn't get as much as they would have liked. Joshua promptly tells them, God has given you all the land beyond the mountains you've been given, but you'll have to get off your butt and go possess it. their faith was little, as they were afraid of the people that dwelt there. Joshua having much faith, tells them don't worry about them God is with you and that makes you strong to defeat and drive them out.

Joshua 16

Theme of chapter: Dividing of the land for Manasseh and Ephraim

Most important verse: Joshua 16:4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance. (Joseph, a son of Jacob, had two sons Manasseh and Ephraim who were two of the tribes)

Most prominent word: Joseph (he will add)

Teaching about Christ: Christ gives abundantly to his children.

Command to obey: put your faith in Christ for salvation

Promise to claim: Faith in Christ grants an everlasting inheritance.

New truth learned: Manasseh had some of their territory on the wrong side of Jordan. They had chosen to stay out of the promised land. The other half of Manasseh were given an inheritance on the right side of th Jordan.

Joshua 15

Theme of chapter: Details of the land given to Judah.

Most important verse: Judah 15:1 This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast.

Most prominent word: lot(device by which a decision was made; )

Teaching about Christ: a great inheritance lays in wait for the faithful in Christ.

Command to obey: stay in the will of God. repent of sins daily.

Promise to claim: Our inheritance is in heaven

New truth learned: the land was divided up by the families of the tribe of Judah. From great cities to way out in the boonies.

Joshua 14

Theme of chapter: The land is divided and Caleb is given Hebron.

Most important verse: Joshua 14:14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.

Most prominent word: Hebron (association)

Teaching about Christ: there is an inheritance for the faithful unto the end.

Command to obey: whether blessings or sorrow, stay faithful to God.

Promise to claim: Christ will not lose any one of his own.

New truth learned: Caleb made it through the 40 year wilderness march without a scratch. He had wholly followed God and was one of the spies that told Israel to seize the land back then. God blessed him with health and then blessed him with the possession of Hebron.

Joshua 13

Theme of chapter: Joshua is now very old. Israel's fighting is over, and Joshua is left to divide the land amongst the tribes.

Most important verse: Joshua 13:1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.(although all of 300,000 square miles was given to them by God, they only ever possess about 30,000 square miles of it)

Most prominent word: possessed (to be an heir; gain an inheritance)

Teaching about Christ: Christ uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things for the kingdom of God

Command to obey: Lay hold of the possessions God has given through Christ.

Promise to claim: God always gives in abundance.

New truth learned: Israel never possessed all the land that was given to them by God.

Joshua 12

Theme of chapter: An exhaustive list of the kings that Israel destroyed in taking of the land of Canaan.

Most important verse: Joshua 12:1 Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east:

Most prominent word: king(royal ruler)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is the king of all kings, and Lord of Lords

Command to obey: God doesn't make promises lightly, and neither should you

Promise to claim: God gives the victory, but we still have to get off our butt to possess it.

New truth learned: God cares about every detail of our lives, shown here as an entire chapter is given to listing the details of God's works thru Israel.

Joshua 11

Theme of chapter: More kings band together to try to defeat Israel. It doesn't work and they are completely destroyed.

Most important verse: Joshua 11:6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.(God gets the victories and the people of Israel get the possessions.)

Most prominent word: hough(to root up;)

Teaching about Christ: Total dependence on Christ is all you need.

Command to obey: In the will of God is a safe place to be.

Promise to claim: God makes good on promises

New truth learned: Prophecy was being fulfilled as Israel took the land of Canaan by way of God's power through the armies of Israel. No army could stand against Israel.

Joshua 10

Theme of chapter: 5 kings of the Amorites come up against Gibeon. Israel comes to the rescue and throroughly crushes these armies and continues on conquering the entire area.

Most important verse: Joshua 10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon.

13And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. (a miracle of God where the Earth or Sun stood still for about a day)

Most prominent word: amorites (hill dwellers; westerners)

Teaching about Christ: don't be surprised when you are a Christian that the world hates you, as it hated Christ first.

Command to obey: put on the full armor of God when fighting the devil

Promise to claim: The world hates the Christian and Christ.

New truth learned: With God leading the way, everything and everybody was being mowed down by the people of Israel. Gibeon was an example of a person coming to Christ. As soon as they did, bam, the world hated them and tried to destroy them, and they relied on God (through Israel) to save them.

Joshua 9

Theme of chapter: Jericho represented the world, Ai represented the flesh, and here Gibeon represents the devil. The people of Gibeon use trickery for Israel to spare them.

Most important verse: Joshua 9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; (the devil doesn't use the direct approach, he looks for a side or back door)

Most prominent word: beguiled (to deceive; betray)

Teaching about Christ: The blood of Christ defeats the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Command to obey: stay close to God, study the word and pray, and the devil will flee.

Promise to claim: God gets the victories, little man doesn't.

New truth learned: these people of Gibeon were a sneaky bunch. they pretended to be ambassadors from a far off land, wearing old clothes, and having old bread and wine to make it look like they traveled far, and they lived just next door. They pretended they wanted to worship the God of Moses, and meant Israel no harm. They were able to trick Israel into a pact that guaranteed they wouldn't be slaughtered like the rest.

Joshua 8

Theme of chapter: Through the power of God, Israel defeats and destroys Ai.

Most important verse: Joshua 8:1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: (the flesh is desperately wicked and isn't easily defeated as Israel found out the hard way)

Most prominent word: Ai (ruin, the heap)

Teaching about Christ: When Jesus returns sin and rebellion will be put down once and for all.

Command to obey: Overcoming the flesh is a difficult thing. you can't shake it until you die. Pray and repent of sins daily.

Promise to claim: The Lord judges unrepentant sin.

New truth learned: The people of Israel used a military tactic in this instance. The drew the entire army of Ai away from the city with a ploy of coming up on Ai and then fleeing like before when they were defeated. When the Ai armies chased them, there were 30,000 men of Israel waiting to pounce on the city and burn it to the ground. Once that was completed, all of Israel turned and completely destroyed the Ai army.

Joshua 7

Theme of chapter: After their victory at Jericho, they are defeated miserably at Ai, due to Israel's sin. One of them took several accursed items that brought judgement over all of Israel.

Most important verse: Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. (steps for sins of the flesh. first you see something, then you want it, then you take it)

Most prominent word: valley of Achor (trouble;)

Teaching about Christ: Christ forgives the repentant sinner.

Command to obey: Do not covet

Promise to claim: God judges unrepentant sin, but is quick to forgive the sins of the repentant sinner.

New truth learned: Jericho represents the world, which is conquered by faith. Ai represents the flesh which is conquered by continual prayer and repentance of sin.

Joshua 6

Theme of chapter: God brings down the walls of Jericho and Israel destroys the city except for Rahab and her family as promised by Israel for hiding Israel's spies.

Most important verse: Joshua 6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city. (a mighty miracle of God to bring down the walls of the city)

Most prominent word: rereward (to be gathered; assembled; to be a rear guard)

Teaching about Christ: Christ saves those who trust in him, as shown in the harlot Rahab being saved from the destruction of Jericho because of her faith.

Command to obey: Don't meditate on your problems, but on Christ.

Promise to claim: What is impossible for man, is simple for God.

New truth learned: The people of Jericho probably thought they were pretty safe, especially when they saw the people of Israel just marching around the city day after day. I'm sure they were shocked and then terror filled when the walls fell in and the judgement of God was upon them, as everyone in that city was killed except for Rahab's family. Unrepentant sin is continually being punished throughout scripture.

Joshua 5

Theme of chapter: The people of Israel again are circumcised. Joshua encounters the pre-incarnate Christ.

Most important verse: Joshua 5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn in the selfsame day. (spiritually speaking, 'eating the old corn' refers to studying the word of God)

Most prominent word: captain(ruler of various spheres; commander)

Teaching about Christ: Christ here is the captain of the Host of the Lord. Ruler of all.

Command to obey: Study the word of God daily. Eat of that old corn. Be humble giving all praise and honor to the Lord.

Promise to claim: The terror of the Lord comes to the wicked. For the unsaved, there is nothing but judgement.

New truth learned: As the people of Israel were circumcised and the reproach of Egypt was taken away by God, it is a spiritual lesson for us and demonstrates being born again in Christ.

Joshua 4

Theme of chapter: 12 stones were gathered and placed where they camped as a rememberance of what God did in drying up the Jordan. 12 other stones were placed where the Ark was on the Jordan as well.

Most important verse: Josh 4:23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over: (God repeats his miracle performed on the Red Sea)

Most prominent word: Gilgal (circle of stones; the place where the 12 stones were erected as a memorial)

Teaching about Christ: the 12 stones in the water represent Christs death and burial, and the 12 stones on the other side of the Jordan represent his resurrection.

Command to obey: trust in Christ and accept the gift of salvation his has given to you.

Promise to claim: Jesus is the resurrection.

New truth learned: Again, the old testament points to Christ in the marking of the stones. Joshua is now the leader of the people of Israel, as Moses was before.

Joshua 3

Theme of chapter: The Ark goes before the people of Israel. Once the priests arrive with the Ark of the Covenant at the Jordan River, miraculously it dries up and the rain doesn't hit it anymore. The people of Israel can pass over Jordan to Jericho on dry land.

Most important verse: Joshua 3: 7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee. (God now uses Joshua as he did Moses)

Most prominent word: heap (wall; barrier; dam)

Teaching about Christ: Christ is the word of God that we should follow as Israel followed the Ark.

Command to obey: sanctify yourself daily with prayer and repentance. don't be lazy and lover of sleep.

Promise to claim: Gods power and promises are everlasting.

New truth learned: God dammed up the Jordan river so the people of Israel could cross. This was the rainy season and the Jordan had overflowed its banks. I would imagine most of the people of Jericho assumed that they wouldn't have to worry about Israel right now because they couldn't cross. But I bet there were people, like Rahab, who had heard of stories from 40 years ago about God parting the Red Sea and were frightened.

Joshua 2

Theme of chapter: Spies are sent into the promised land again. but this time it is for finding the best way to take the land, not a decision on whether to go in.

Most important verse: Joshua 1:10-13 10For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

12Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token:

13And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.

(the gospel is presented here. the word of the Lord is heard, it is accepted as true, and then acted upon for salvation through faith)

Most prominent word: spy (explore; search out)

Teaching about Christ: Christ saves those who trust in him.

Command to obey: trust in Christ for salvation

Promise to claim: steps for salvation are hearing the Gospel, believing it is true, and accepting Christ as savior.

New truth learned: It's amazing to see the gospel throughout the old testament as shown in the above verses. They say you can find Christ in every chapter in the bible, it is glaring in this one.

Joshua 1

Theme of chapter: The baton of leadership is passed from Moses to Joshua. Joshua is now to lead the people of Israel across Jordan into the promised land.

Most important verse: Joshua 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (the land was given to Israel, but they had to go and possess it)

Most prominent word: victuals (food; provisions; supplies)

Teaching about Christ: The Lord will never fail or forsake you.

Command to obey: be of great courage when performing the Lords work.

Promise to claim: The Lord is with you always.

New truth learned: Reubenites, Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh who chose to stay on the other side of the Jordan, had to provide military help to the rest of the tribes who were to go over into the Promised Land.

Deuteronomy 34

Theme of chapter: God takes Moses up into a mountain and shows him the promised land. Moses dies and is buried.

Most important verse: Deuteronomy 34:10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,(God spoke to Moses directly)

Most prominent word: sepulchre(tomb; grave)

Teaching about Christ: the rock represented Christ that Moses struck, that caused him to not be able to enter the promised land, as God told him to speak to the rock, no strike it. His disobedience disallowed his entry into Canaan.

Command to obey: Be a servant.

Promise to claim: The promised land is a huge amount of land, that Israel will reclaim in the latter days.

New truth learned: Moses died at age 120 and the whereabouts of his tomb are unknown.

Deuteronomy 33

Theme of chapter: Moses gives his blessings to the tribes of Israel.

Most important verse: Deuteronomy 33:29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places. (The people of Israel belong to God)

Most prominent word: Jeshurun (upright)

Teaching about Christ: Jesus blesses his own.

Command to obey: Be mindful of the law, as it reveals that you are a sinner.

Promise to claim: God hasn't forgotten about Israel, and will restore them.

New truth learned: Moses, not being permitted into the promised land, gives a blessing to his people before he dies.