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February 10, 2025

Bible Survey: Joshua

by Jason Neill

Scripture reading: Joshua 1-3; 6; 23-24

This week we continue with our Bible survey by looking at Joshua. If you enjoy reading stories about military intelligence, battle strategies, fighting the enemy, and victory over what appears to be impossible odds, then this book is for you!

Authorship and date. The title of the book derives its name from the primary character in the book. Since Genesis – Deuteronomy is considered the Law of Moses, the book of Joshua is the first in a series of what is called the historical books (Joshua – Esther). It is traditionally thought Joshua is the author and parts of the book itself attest that at least portions of the book were written by him (see Joshua 8:32; 18:8-10; 24:25-26). If you recall from reading the book of Numbers, Joshua was Moses’ assistant and assumed the role of leader of the nation prior to Moses’ death (see Numbers 27:12-23).

Of course, it is thought that someone else recorded the death of Joshua in chapter 24. One Bible scholar commented, “The mention of Eleazar and his son Phinehas at the conclusion (24:33) may suggest they served as custodians and final editors of the book.” The Exodus from Egypt is thought to have taken place in 1446 B.C. and the conquest of the land of Canaan is dated 1399 B.C. Taking these two dates into consideration, the book was probably written between 1405 B.C and 1373 B.C.

Joshua. The contents of the book can be delineated as follows: Chapters 1-5 covers the invasion of the land, 6-12 covers the conquest of the land, 13-22 covers the distribution of the land, and 23-24 covers the covenant renewal ceremony.

Conquering the land. One of the aspects of this book has raised concerns about the character of God. Specifically, the Israelites were told to “completely destroy the Canaanites,” the people group living in the land God promised to give them (see Deuteronomy 7:1-26; 20:16-20). How can these passages be reconciled with what Scripture says elsewhere that God is loving? A few remarks are needed to appreciate the context of these passages. While God is loving, He is also holy, just, wise, merciful, and patient. Indeed, God patiently gave the Canaanites 400 years to change their ways (see Genesis 15:13-16).

They had a laundry list of sins. The Canaanites worshipped a god named Molek. It was a statue with a hollow belly where firewood would burn and once sufficiently hot, babies would be placed on the outstretched arms of the image. These infants would be burned alive in worship to their god. A gruesome act. It is also said concerning the Canaanites that they practiced incest and bestiality (see Leviticus 18 & 20). The severity of their sins, and the fact they did not repent after 400 years, needed to be addressed.

Space does not permit me to go into detail; however, there are two views when it comes to how we are to understand the destruction of the Canaanites. One view is called the displacement view. This perspective states that God’s command was for the Israelite army to expel the Canaanites from the land. The goal was to destroy their religion, not the people. The second view is called the judgment view. This perspective states that God’s command to destroy the Canaanites was a moral act of punishment. Everyone within the land, including women and children, according to this view, were to be killed. If you want a resource to help you understand these views, weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each, and decide for yourself then I recommend the book Christianity Cross-Examined: Is It Rational, Relevant, and Good? by Ken Samples.

Jesus in Joshua. Joshua, the main character of the book, is a type of Christ in the sense that he led the nation to victory. Christ leads us, those who have believed in Him for everlasting life, to victory (see 2 Corinthians 2:14-17; 1 John 5:1-4).

Application. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8, NKJV). While the promise God made Joshua in 1:8 relates to “success” in his military campaign against the Canaanites, depending upon whether he followed the requirements in the Mosaic Law or not, there is a modern application for believers.

Success, from God’s perspective, is meditating on the Scriptures and allowing His thoughts to transform our character. Consequently, we start to look more and more like Christ because our patience looks like His patience, our love looks like His love, our endurance looks like His endurance, our faithfulness looks like His faithfulness, our gentleness looks like His gentleness, and our joy looks like His joy (see Galatians 5:22-23). After reading your Bible, don’t forget the essential component of meditation (see Psalm 1; 119). Mull it over in your mind so God’s Word begins to transform you from the inside out.