Tag: Book of Joshua
When was Joshua written?
Jacob’s blessing
Did the geographic positioning of the tribes fulfill Jacob’s blessing?
Beginning in Joshua 13, Joshua is commanded to divide the Promised Land among the nine and a half tribes west of the Jordan River. When we look at Jacob’s blessings given in Genesis 49, we see that the division of the land under Joshua was a fulfilled prophecy.
Reuben: This firstborn son of Jacob gave up his birthright through his evil actions. Joseph, the firstborn of Jacob’s wife Rachel, received a double portion instead. Reuben’s inheritance was east of the Jordan, outside of the Promised Land (Joshua 13:8).
Simeon and Levi: These two brothers were mentioned together in Genesis 49:3–4 as violent individuals whose land would be divided. Simeon’s inheritance was a small area of cities in Israel. Levi became the priestly tribe that had no land inheritance. Instead, they lived in cities scattered throughout the other tribes of Israel.
Judah: Genesis 49:8–12 predicted Judah as a lion who would lead the other tribes. Judah was the tribe that remained loyal to God the longest in the divided kingdom, and Jesus Christ was a descendant of Judah.
Zebulun: According to Genesis 49:13 this son would receive land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. In Joshua 19:10–16 Zebulun received the third lot of the inheritance. It was located in the northern part of the Promised Land that included Nazareth, the future hometown of Jesus. Ezekiel 48 also speaks of an area promised to Zebulun—a land that has not yet been received.
Issachar: Issachar’s allotment included the important farming region of the Valley of Jezreel in Galilee. This closely matches the prediction of Genesis 49:14–15 of Issachar’s receiving agricultural land.
Dan: Dan’s blessing in Genesis 49:16–18 dealt with his becoming a judge in Israel rather than referring to his land. Judges records that Samson came from this tribe, yet so did leaders who worshiped idols (Judges 18), prompting God’s judgment upon the people of Israel.
Gad: Gad’s blessing in Genesis 49:19 only referred to his skill in military conflict. Some have made a connection with the large number of troops from Gad who served in King David’s army, though Jacob’s blessing is too vague to make a very direct connection.
Asher: In Genesis 49:20 Jacob said Asher would have good soil. In Joshua, Asher’s tribe inherited ideal land in Carmel in the coastal region.
Naphtali: The only reference to Naphtali in Genesis 49:21 is that other tribes would admire him. In Joshua 19:32–39 Naphtali received land from the Sea of Galilee up to Phoenicia in the north and included 19 fortified cities.
Joseph: He received a double portion as both his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received a separate inheritance. Ephraim’s land was west of the Jordan River. Manasseh’s territory was split, with half of it to the east of the Jordan and half of it to the west.
Benjamin: Jacob predicted that his youngest son would become a warrior. From his tribe came the judge Ehud, King Saul, and Saul’s son Jonathan. This tribe was often noted for its warlike personality (Judges 5:14; 20:16).
As can be seen, the sons of Jacob who were given a land blessing in Genesis 49 received it in ways that matched in Joshua’s allotment of land or, in Zebulun’s case, match another prophet’s prediction. The fact that numerous details predicted by Jacob came true generations later serves as a powerful testimony to God’s power.
Walls of Jericho
What should we learn from the walls of Jericho falling down?
The story of the walls of Jericho falling down, recorded in Joshua 6:1–27, is one that vividly demonstrates the miraculous power of God. But more than that, the utter destruction of Jericho teaches us several grand truths regarding God’s grace and our salvation.
The people of Israel had just crossed over the Jordan River into the land of Canaan (Joshua 3:14–17). This was the land of milk and honey God had promised to Abraham over 500 years earlier (Deuteronomy 6:3, 32:49). After spending forty difficult years wandering in the desert of Sinai, the people of Israel were now on the eastern banks of the Jordan. Their challenge: take the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. However, their first obstacle was the city of Jericho (Joshua 6:1), an unconquerable, walled city. Excavations there reveal that its fortifications featured a stone wall 11 feet high and 14 feet wide. At its top was a smooth stone slope, angling upward at 35 degrees for 35 feet, where it joined massive stone walls that towered even higher. It was virtually impregnable.
In ancient warfare such cities were either taken by assault or surrounded and the people starved into submission. Its invaders might try to weaken the stone walls with fire or by tunneling, or they might simply heap up a mountain of earth to serve as a ramp. Each of these methods of assault took weeks or months, and the attacking force usually suffered heavy losses. However, the strategy to conquer the city of Jericho was unique in two ways. First, the strategy was laid out by God Himself, and, second, the strategy was a seemingly foolish plan. God simply told Joshua to have the people to march silently around Jericho for six days, and then, after seven circuits on the seventh day, to shout.
Though it seemed foolish, Joshua followed God’s instructions to the letter. When the people did finally shout, the massive walls collapsed instantly, and Israel won an easy victory. In fact, God had given the city of Jericho to them before they even began to march around its walls (Joshua 6:2, 16). It was when the people of God, by faith, followed the commands of God that the walls of Jericho fell down (Joshua 6:20).
The apostle Paul assures us, “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). The description of the complete obliteration of Jericho was recorded in Scripture in order to teach us several lessons. Most important is that obedience, even when God’s commands seem foolish, brings victory. When we are faced with seemingly insurmountable odds, we must learn that our Jericho victories are won only when our faithful obedience to God is complete (Hebrews 5:9; 1 John 2:3; 5:3).
There are other key lessons we should learn from this story. First, there is a vast difference between God’s way and the way of man (Isaiah 55:8–9). Though militarily it was irrational to assault Jericho in the manner it was done, we must never question God’s purpose or instructions. We must have faith that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do (Hebrews 10:23; 11:1).
Second, the power of God is supernatural, beyond our comprehension (Psalm 18:13–15; Daniel 4:35; Job 38:4–6). The walls of Jericho fell, and they fell instantly. The walls collapsed by the sheer power of God.
Third, there is an uncompromising relationship between the grace of God and our faith and obedience to Him. Scripture says, “By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the people had marched around them for seven days” (Hebrews 11:30). Although their faith had frequently failed in the past, in this instance the children of Israel believed and trusted God and His promises. As they were saved by faith, so we are today saved by faith (Romans 5:1; John 3:16–18). Yet faith must be evidenced by obedience. The children of Israel had faith, they obeyed, and the walls of Jericho fell “by faith” after they were circled for seven straight days. Saving faith impels us to obey God (Matthew 7:24–29; Hebrews 5:8–9; 1 John 2:3–5).
In addition, the story tells us that God keeps His promises (Joshua 6:2, 20). The walls of Jericho fell because God said they would. God’s promises to us today are just as certain. They are just as unswerving. They are exceedingly great and wonderfully precious (Hebrews 6:11–18; 10:36; Colossians 3:24).
Finally, we should learn that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). It is not enough to say, “I believe God,” and then live in an ungodly manner. If we truly believe God, our desire is to obey God. Our faith is put to work. We make every effort to do exactly what God says and keep His commandments. Joshua and the Israelites carried out the commands of God and conquered Jericho. God gave them victory over an enemy that was trying to keep them out of the Promised Land. So it is with us today: if we have true faith, we are compelled to obey God, and God gives us victory over the enemies that we face throughout life. Obedience is the clear evidence of faith. Our faith is the evidence to others that we truly believe in Him. We can conquer and be victorious through life by faith, a faith that obeys the God who gives us that faith as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Stones of remembrance
What is the significance of the stones of remembrance in Joshua 4:9?
After the people of Israel supernaturally crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land, God commanded Joshua to “choose twelve men, one from each tribe. Tell them, ‘Take twelve stones from the very place where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan. Carry them out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight’” (Joshua 4:2–3, NLT). These stones of remembrance would serve as a permanent national reminder and a memorial to future generations of the miraculous river crossing.
Joshua’s stones of remembrance are just one monument in a series of memorials commemorating the mighty acts of God on behalf of the people of Israel (Exodus 13:3–6; 24:4; Deuteronomy 27:1–8; Joshua 22:9–12; 24:24–28; 1 Samuel 7:12). To everyone else, the stones were just a heap of rubble, but to the people of God, they were a constant reminder that Yahweh was a personal and powerful God, working wonders on behalf of His people.
When the people following Joshua arrived at the Jordan, the river was at flood stage, transforming it from its typical 100-foot width to a daunting mile-wide, raging river. Israel’s entrance into Canaan was completely blocked. But as soon as the priests dipped their feet in the river’s edge, God stopped the flow of water, and the people crossed on dry ground. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant stood in the middle of the riverbed until the whole nation had passed over (Joshua 3:14–17).
Then God gave Joshua instructions to appoint twelve men, one from each tribe. The men were each to retrieve one stone from where the priests had stood in the riverbed bearing the ark of the covenant. The stones of remembrance were not to come from the shores of the Jordan but the center, spotlighting the fact that Israel had crossed over on dry land.
Each of the stones of remembrance represented one of the tribes of Israel. The number twelve is repeated five times in Joshua 4:1–8, emphasizing the unity of the tribes as one nation under Joshua’s leadership.
The twelve stones of remembrance would now serve as a perpetual sign and memorial. Joshua piled them up in Gilgal, where the Israelites set up camp. “Then Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘In the future your children will ask, “What do these stones mean?” Then you can tell them, “This is where the Israelites crossed the Jordan on dry ground.” For the LORD your God dried up the river right before your eyes, and he kept it dry until you were all across, just as he did at the Red Sea when he dried it up until we had all crossed over. He did this so all the nations of the earth might know that the LORD’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the LORD your God forever’” (Joshua 4:21–24, NLT)
Remembering the past plays a vital role in the identity of any nation. Sociologists claim that a society aspiring to endure must become “a community of memory and hope” (Waltke, B. K., “Joshua,” New Bible Commentary: 21st-century Edition, ed. by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, Inter-Varsity Press, 1994, p. 241). God repeatedly directed ancient Israel to set up monuments and enact rituals such as the Passover (Exodus 13—14). Each tribute marked a significant historical memory that would offer future hope for the nation that God had claimed as His own.
Crossing the Jordan represented a major change for the nation of Israel. Their wilderness wanderings were over. No longer would Israel be fed with manna provided by the hand of God (Joshua 5:12). From now on, the people would need to walk by faith in God’s promise to give them a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8).
God sent the ark ahead of the people into the overflowing waters to encourage their faith. The ark represented God’s presence, His very self, going before them and opening the way for them in their new walk of faith. Just as God had parted the Red Sea to deliver Israel from bondage in Egypt, so also would He spread open the Jordan to lead them into the Promised Land. Remembering God’s miraculous provision and presence gave the children of Israel the courage to follow Him into this new territory fraught with conflict and enemies to conquer.
With stones of remembrance, the Israelites built a monument to commemorate their crossing over from the old way of life into the new in the Promised Land. The pile of twelve stones reminded Israel of what God had done for them—that He cared for His people, kept His promises, and went before them in victory to conquer the land of their inheritance. This is the message the stones declared to Israel, and this is what they say to us today.
God is faithful. His promises never fail (1 Kings 8:56). With the assurance of His presence and the reminder of His mighty power, the Lord bolsters our faith whenever He asks us to follow Him into new areas of battle and conquest. We can let these stones remind us, too, that unless we step out in faith and get our feet wet as the priests did, we’ll never fully experience the new life of faith and freedom that Christ has opened up for us as our inheritance in Him (Galatians 5:1; 1 Peter 2:16).
Jordan crossing
What was the significance of the Jordan crossing?
The Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan River on dry land was of tremendous significance to the Israelites. Joshua explained the significance of this event before it took place, stating, “This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap” (Joshua 3:10–13). Their miraculous crossing affirmed God’s presence with them and His promise to remove their enemies from the land.
Why did the Israelites build a memorial? Joshua said, “When your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever” (Joshua 4:6–7). The memorial was to serve as a lasting sign of God’s work among the Israelites.
The conclusion of this event offers an additional insight into its significance and the reason for the memorial. Joshua 4:23–24 says, “The Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.” First, a comparison is made with the crossing that took place at the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses. This emphasis on God’s miraculous provision was an ongoing sign to the people of Israel.
Second, there was an emphasis on the power of God. The miracle was done “so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful.” No other god could compare in power. The gods of Israel’s enemies were created things that had no ability to move water and provide dry passage across a river.
Third, the result of the miracle was that the Israelites would fear the Lord forever. The idea was that this miracle would leave the people in such awe that they and their descendants would talk about it and live in the fear of God and worship Him as a result.
God showed His power and presence in the crossing of the Jordan, and the memorial set up by His people served as a reminder of His might and why the Israelites should fear the Lord. Both the act and its memorial worked to point to God’s glory, presence, and strength, which would empower the Israelites as they took possession of their land in the days ahead. Still today, a look at this powerful miracle reveals the greatness of God, and our only appropriate response—to worship and serve Him.
Conquest of Canaan
What happened during the conquest of Canaan?
God called Abraham to go to an unknown land that would be revealed to him (Genesis 12:1). The Lord led Abraham to that land, Canaan, but Abraham lived there as a “stranger,” and God promised that his descendants would own it (Genesis 17:8). God also told Abraham that his descendants would be captive in a foreign nation for about 400 years but that God would bring them back to the land He had promised. They would conquer the land, and this conquering would be a judgment upon the inhabitants of the land at that time (Genesis 15:13–16).
Abraham’s grandson Jacob (Israel) went down to Egypt with all his family, about 70 in all (Genesis 46). They lived and thrived in Egypt for many years until they became so strong and numerous that the Pharaoh felt threatened by them, so he enslaved them (Exodus 1:1–14). God delivered them from Egypt (Exodus 2—12), and they journeyed back to the Promised Land.
As the Israelites were preparing to go in and take possession of Canaan through conquest, twelve spies were sent on ahead to scout out the land. They all agreed that the land was good and that the people there were strong. Ten of the spies said they were incapable of taking the land, while only two, Joshua and Caleb, trusted that the Lord would give them the land (Numbers 13). The people listened to the ten spies and revolted. As a result, God said that none of those adults alive at the time would enter the Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb (Numbers 14).
When that generation including Moses died off in the intervening years, Joshua was finally ready to lead a new generation of Israelites in to conquer the Promised Land. The Old Testament book of Joshua tells the story of the conquest, and what follows is a brief summary:
The first major target was the city of Jericho in the middle part of Canaan (Joshua 2). God dried up the Jordan River, the boundary of Canaan, so that the whole nation could pass over on dry ground (Joshua 3). However, the attack on Jericho was unconventional. It was to be done in such a way that all would know that it was God who was giving Israel the victory. Instead of laying siege to the city, the people would simply march around it for seven days. On the seventh day, the walls fell down and Israel stormed the city, putting to death all the inhabitants (except Rahab and her family. See Joshua 2). The Israelites were to take no spoils, as everything was to be dedicated to God (Joshua 6).
The next target was the city of Ai. The Israelite army felt this would be an easy victory, but, unexpectedly, the men of the city defeated Israel. It turns out that God was not with them because one of the men of Israel had taken some forbidden items from Jericho. Once that was dealt with, then Israel defeated Ai (Joshua 7—8). After the victory at Ai, Joshua renewed the covenant with the people at Mount Ebal (Joshua 8:30–35).
It is important to remember that, at this time, Canaan was not a nation but a land area where kings ruled over cities and territories. A group of five Amorite kings decided that they should align themselves and preemptively attack Israel, but they were all defeated (Joshua 10). Later, another group of kings in the northern half of Canaan also formed a confederacy to attack the Israelites; they, too, were defeated (Joshua 11). Joshua and the people of Israel continued the conquest until all of Canaan was subdued (Joshua 11:23). Israel’s strategy seems to have been to defeat the strongest cities first (Joshua 12) and then to divide the territory among the individual tribes and allow each tribe to finish conquering their own territory (Joshua 13—22).
During the conquest of Canaan, God intervened miraculously on several occasions, including the day the sun stood still (Joshua 10). Israel was largely successful in defeating or driving out the Canaanites; however, they were not completely successful. Sometimes they left pockets of Canaanites to continue to rule themselves, and sometimes they enslaved the Canaanites (Judges 1). Both of these things had been forbidden by God, who told Israel to drive them out completely (Deuteronomy 7:2). As a result, the Canaanites remaining in the land became a temptation and a snare to the people of Israel. At times Israel would worship the Canaanites’ gods, and at times God would allow those remaining pagans to rule over them. The book of Judges tells the story.
Today, there are many who find fault with a God who would order “genocide.” However, the Bible makes it clear that God was sending Israel into the Promised Land to punish the people who were living there for their wickedness. Certainly God has the right to administer judgment in this way.
Israel territory
Has Israel’s territory ever encompassed the promise in Joshua 1:4?
In Joshua 1:4 God promised Joshua that the land of Israel would include territory extending “from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.” This territory would include the land from the southern tip of Israel along the Red Sea to the Euphrates River on the east, the border of Syria on the north (land of the Hittites), and the Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea) to the west. As of yet, Israel has not controlled this entire land area.
In Joshua’s time, much of the land of Canaan was brought under Israelite control. In the time of David and his son Solomon (approximately 1000 BC, or 400 years after Joshua), a wide area of land was under Israel’s control or influence. Yet the entire territory promised to Israel in Scripture, both in Joshua 1:4 and elsewhere, has yet to be fulfilled.
Some point to a passage later in the book of Joshua as contradicting the promise of Joshua 1:4. After the conquest of Canaan, the historical account says, “So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:43–45). There is really no contradiction. At the time referred to in Joshua 21, all of Israel’s enemies were subdued. No one posed a threat to God’s people. God had given them a right to everything He had promised in Joshua 1:4, and they were authorized to take possession of the entire land—all the way to the Euphrates—as soon as they needed it and as soon as they called on the Lord for aid. The fact that they never did so does not negate the fact that God had kept His promise.
After Joshua’s death, the book of Judges teaches, the Israelites turned away from God. As punishment, God allowed their enemies to increase in power, and Israel lost territory that God had given earlier. Judges 2:14 says, “In his anger against Israel the LORD gave them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist.”
Various judges arose during this period, and there was an ongoing battle for the control of Israel’s territory. Later, during the reigns of David and Solomon, Israel controlled the largest part of the Promised Land to date. After Solomon’s reign, the kingdom was divided into the Kingdom of Israel to the north and the Kingdom of Judah to the south. Both kingdoms eventually sinned to such a degree that God allowed outside nations to defeat them, and most of the Jews were exiled.
Yet God was not done with His people, and He restored Israel’s territory. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah document the return of the Jewish people from Babylon seventy years after their exile. The temple was rebuilt, and worship in Jerusalem was re-established. Israel continued in their land until AD 70 when the Romans destroyed the temple and overtook Jerusalem.
It would not be until 1948 that the modern nation of Israel was established following World War II. Now, more than sixty years later, Israel has become a thriving nation and the longest-established democracy in the Middle East. Yet many of its neighbors remain hostile, and a Palestinian movement seeks to develop its own nation within the borders of modern Israel’s territory.
The Bible teaches that God will eventually fulfill the promise to give Israel full control over the Promised Land. Israel’s full territory will ultimately be ruled by the Messiah during the Millennium (Revelation 20:1–6). God’s promises, partly fulfilled throughout history, will have complete, literal, fulfillment prior to God’s creation of new heavens and a new earth (Revelation 21—22; cf. Psalm 72:8).
God Promise Joshua
Does God’s promise to Joshua and Israel in Joshua 1:9 apply to us?
In Joshua 1:9, God commanded Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Does this promise apply to Christians today?
In one sense, the promise in this passage was specific to Joshua’s role as leader of the Israelites as he took them into the Promised Land. Joshua had a tremendous task to fulfill after the death of Moses—the responsibility of leading an entire nation into a new land. God’s words of boldness and encouragement served as an important message to strengthen Joshua as the leader of God’s people.
While the promise that God would be with Joshua was specific to Joshua, the principle extends to us today. First, God expects His followers to live strong and courageous lives. In the New Testament, we find the apostle Paul telling Timothy, “The Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). In Acts 1:8 Jesus told His followers, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
In addition to living bold and courageous lives as Christians, we are called to live without fear. Jesus taught, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28). When Paul was imprisoned, he wrote, “Because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear” (Philippians 1:14). While there is a sense in which we are called to fear God, meaning to live in respect and reverence of Him, Scripture is clear that we are to live with confidence in God’s promises and power.
Third, the reason we can live courageously and without fear is that God is with us wherever we go. What God commanded Joshua is also seen in the Great Commission: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Also, we have the promise of Hebrews 13:5: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
In summary, while the promise of Joshua 1:9 was specific to Joshua, the principle is affirmed elsewhere in Scripture as applicable to all believers today. God calls us to live courageously, without fear, knowing that God is with us at all times.
Commander of the army of the Lord
Who was the commander of the army of the LORD in Joshua 5:14?
In Joshua 5:13–15 we read of Joshua’s conversation with the “commander of the army of the LORD.” This commander appeared to Joshua near Jericho, before that fateful battle. The personage held a sword and told Joshua that the place where he stood was holy ground.
The person who appeared to Joshua was clearly a powerful being. We are told Joshua fell on his face and gave him reverence.
Then, Joshua addresses the man using a Hebrew word that means “master” or “lord.” Joshua clearly had much respect for this being. Finally, the man tells Joshua to remove his sandals, “for the place where you are standing is holy.”
Based on this information, there are only two possible identities for this person. First, this commander could be an example of a theophany, a visible appearance of God Himself. Supporting this view is the fact that Joshua was to take off his sandals similar to how Moses did at the burning bush when he met God (Exodus 3:5).
The other possible identity of this commander is that he was an angel. This theory notes that the being identifies himself as the “commander” of the Lord’s army, not as the Lord Himself. In this view, Joshua’s bowing is seen as an act of reverence rather than worship. Joshua’s address of the commander as “lord” could be a general term of respect.
Those who favor the view that Joshua met an angel appeal to the fact that no one can see God and live (Exodus 33:20). Those who favor the view that Joshua met God suggest that this was God the Son, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ.
Whether the commander of the Lord’s army was angelic or divine, it was God who communicated an important message to Joshua to prepare him for the upcoming battle.
As for me and my house
What does “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” mean in Joshua 24:15?
The statement “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” is often printed on plaques that adorn homes of Christians today. It is an affirmation of the family’s commitment to serve the Lord. Such a family’s allegiance is not an incorrect application of the text, although it had slightly different connotations in Joshua’s day.
God first made a covenant with Israel at Sinai. He explained what He required, and the people said they would do it. This type of covenant was common among vassals and suzerains at the time. The suzerain promised to protect and provide for the vassals, and the vassals would conduct themselves in such a way that they would reflect well on the suzerain. If the vassals rebelled, the suzerain would turn against them and punish them. At Sinai, the suzerain is not a human king but God himself. God told Israel what He expected of them (Exodus 20—23), and then the people committed to do it (Exodus 24).
Of course, Moses’ generation failed miserably. Not only did they make the golden calf just a short time later (Exodus 32), but they ultimately refused to enter the Promised Land, not trusting God to protect them and honor His part of the covenant (Numbers 14). As a result, that generation died in the wilderness.
After forty years of wandering, a new generation had grown up and was ready to enter the Promised Land. The book of Deuteronomy is Moses’ retelling of Israel’s history and a summary of the Law for a new generation, most of whom had not been present for the exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Law at Sinai, or the refusal to enter the Promised Land. Moses calls on Israel to follow the Lord. He says that they can choose between life and prosperity or death and destruction (Deuteronomy 30:15).
After Moses dies, Joshua leads the people in conquest and gets them established in the land. Then, as his death approaches, Joshua calls Israel together once again to challenge them to renew the covenant and confirm their willingness to serve the Lord. Like Moses, he offers them a choice. They must serve the Lord or serve the gods of the surrounding nations. (It would never have occurred to them that they could serve no gods. Everyone served a god of some sort; it was just a matter of which one.) Either way, Joshua said, they will reap the consequences of their choice. Joshua expresses his personal commitment to the Lord in Joshua 24:14–15:
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
The people expressed their good intentions in Joshua 24:16: “Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us to forsake the Lord to serve other gods!’”
Joshua, as head of his house, which probably meant the whole extended family of which he was the patriarch, proclaimed that he and his family would serve the Lord. In this context, he could guarantee that, while he was alive, he would not allow the worship of any other deity by anyone in his extended family. As an ancient patriarch, he could dictate what actions his family took. Obviously, he could not dictate their innermost feelings, desires, and beliefs. Keeping the covenant was largely about external actions, and probably more externally focused than most Christian families would be happy with today.
When a Christian father posts a wall hanging saying “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” in his home today, he is proclaiming very much the same thing that Joshua did, although he is probably thinking more of his immediate family who live “under his roof.” Christian parents have a responsibility to make sure that what goes on in the home is honoring to God and to exclude activities that are not. Christian parents would do well to remember, however, that they can only control, at most, the external actions and activities that take place in the home, and with much less authority than would have been allowed to Joshua as an ancient patriarch. They are like Joshua in that they are powerless to control what their children feel, believe, and desire. That will require loving communication of their faith to their children and, ultimately, a work of the Spirit of God to change their hearts.
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” is a promise to do the best we can to make sure that everything that takes place inside the home honors God. It is also a prayer that the children raised there will follow in the faith of their parents.
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