Joshua Chapter 1

Joshua Chapter 1

Distributed by: KJV Bible Studies

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Email: mail@kjvbiblestudies2.net

We begin a new study on the Book of Joshua this week.

Introduction: If you look at the Book of Genesis, the nation of Israel was born. In the Book of Exodus, Israel was chosen. In the Book of Numbers, the Nation was proven. In the Book of Leviticus, it was brought nigh by the blood. In Deuteronomy, it was instructed. Now, in the Book of Joshua, it faces conflict and conquest. The book of Joshua completes the redemption of Israel that was began in Exodus. Exodus showed the redemption out of Egypt; Joshua shows the redemption into the Promised Land.

God gave the children of Israel the land in an unconditional covenant. Gen 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. Joshua was the successor to Moses. He was born a slave in Egypt. He was 40 years old at the time of Exodus out of Egypt and 80 years old when he received the commission from Moses to lead the people out. He lived to be 120 years old.

Joshua was a great warrior, and only he and Caleb were men that started out in the wandering and ultimately entered into the Promised Land. Only the two of them came back with a positive report of the land when the 12 spies were sent in to spy out Canaan. In the first 12 chapters of Joshua, we will see the people entering the Promised Land. In chapters 13-21, we will see the land divided.

Israel was camped near the upper part of the Dead Sea just opposite the side of river where Jericho lay. It had been 40 years since the Israelites had left Egypt, and it was now spring of the year, called the month of Abib (our April).

I. The Commandment of God to Joshua

Josh 1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying,

We see that the book opens right after the death of Moses. His death was a heavy loss unto Israel because he had been a great leader. Through him the people had been delivered from the cruel bondage of slavery over in Egypt.

Moses was a great leader and his death was viewed as a great loss.

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Rom 5:13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 7:1 Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Human leaders eventually die, but Praise God, our God and Father lives forever.

Deu 34:8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

We see that the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for many days. His loss was great, and God now needed a strong leader to step forward to lead the people.

Moses was a great man. While he made some mistakes as all men before him (and after except for Christ), he was still viewed as a great man by God. God called him "the servant of the Lord". There is no greater title that God could give us. Joshua was the Minister unto Moses. We see the work of God does not stop by the death of Moses. No matter how great a man may become, God can continue His work after that servant's death.

Moses could not bring the children into the land because God would not allow it. Moses represented the Law, and the Law can not save us. The Law is a revealer of our true condition, not a redeemer. The Law was never a Savior. The problem wasn't the Law with Moses, but just like us, the problem is us. The Law is a revealer of our fallen nature before a Holy and Righteous God.

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