The Heart of God: Exodus to Joshua (7)

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Luke 24.27

Read and meditate on Joshua 1, 5, 8, 21.43-45, and chapters 22, 23, and 24.
The book of Joshua covers a period of many years (cf. Acts 13.16-20). Here we see Joshua leading the people of Israel into the promises of God. Here is another down payment or guarantee of God’s covenant, yet one that still leaves work undone, and promises of more blessing to come.

For reflection
1.  As you read through these chapters, make note of the various ways the book of Joshua connects with Moses and previous epochs of God’s covenant.

2.  What aspects of continuity with the previous stage of God’s covenant can you identify in these readings? That is, how is it clear that God is still relating to Israel on the basis of existing promises and protocols? Why does it matter that we insist on holding this covenant narrative together?

3.  Besides the conquest of the land, what steps did the people of Israel take in order to ensure covenant continuity with the generations that would follow them? Is renewing covenant like this a good idea? What might that look like in our day?

4.  On what basis did Joshua exhort the people in chapters 23 and 24? We might say that Joshua is leading the people of God to look back, look up, and look ahead in order to ensure the continuity of God’s blessings with them. Explain.

5.  Let’s see if we can summarize these first two periods of the unfolding of God’s Word and the story of the divine economy? How would you describe the continuity of God’s covenant from Adam to Joshua? What things remain constant? What discontinuities can you identify? That is, in what ways has the covenant changed or developed, and why?

Summary
At the end of Joshua we feel like we’ve reached a kind of milestone. The people are back in the land God promised to Abraham. They have vanquished the nations, as opposed to having been enslaved by them. They are the people of God, rather than merely a man and his wife, or a man and his family. What would you describe as the most important lesson you’ve gained from this first part of God’s covenant, Genesis through Joshua? How can you see the unifying threads of Scripture – God’s glory, His people, and His redemptive work – weaving together through this period?

Closing Prayer
For He remembered His holy promise,
And Abraham His servant.
He brought out His people with joy,
His chosen ones with gladness.
He gave them the lands of the Gentiles,
And they inherited the labor of the nations,
That they might observe His statutes
And keep His laws.
Praise the LORD!

Psalm 105.42-45

T. M. Moore

Two books can help you gain a fuller understanding of the terrain we will be covering in this series. Kingdom Documentsprovides a concise overview of the primary teaching of the Old and New Testaments, and shows, through early Church creeds, how our forebears understand the primary teachings of God’s Word. (click here to order). I Will Be Your God develops more fully the idea of God’s covenant and leads us to consider the practical implications of our covenant relationship with God (click here).

Visit The Ailbe Seminary, where our course, Introduction to Biblical Theology, offers a parallel study of our theme in this series, using brief video presentations and the workbook God’s Covenant: An Introduction. All courses at The Ailbe Seminary are available without charge.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.