Joshua
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Almost twenty-five years had passed since the people of Israel had conquered the land, and they were now settled in the promise that God had given them. The battles had been fought, the territories secured, and the tribes east of the Jordan had returned to their homes. With their enemies subdued and their borders secure, they were experiencing rest from war and peace on every side. But what does it truly mean when the LORD gives His people rest? It is more than Him granting victory over enemies—it is a moment of surrender to His will. It is coming into…
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After the division of the land—both conquered and yet to be conquered—among the tribes of Israel, there were two special groups of cities set apart. A total of forty-eight cities were assigned to the Levites, the tribe that received no physical inheritance of land, for the LORD Himself was their portion. Out of these, six cities were designated as cities of refuge. These cities—Kedesh, Shechem, Hebron, Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan—were spread across Israel for accessibility. This system was meant to upheld justice, protected the innocent, and reflected God’s mercy. Then the Lord said to Joshua: “Tell the Israelites to designate…
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Centuries earlier, during Abraham’s time, a mysterious king named Melchizedek—king of Salem (later known as Jerusalem) and priest of God Most High—had blessed Abraham after his victory over a coalition of kings. Melchizedek’s name meant “king of righteousness,” and he appeared as a symbol of peace from Jerusalem. Years passed, and now, under Joshua’s leadership, Israel stood on the threshold of claiming that very region. Joshua had been chosen by God to execute His justice and lead the people into the land promised to their forefathers. The fall of Jericho and Ai had already shaken the land. Word spread swiftly…
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After Israel’s failed attempt to conquer Ai—having acted on their own without seeking the Lord’s guidance—the Lord reassures Joshua, urging him not to be afraid and promising victory over Ai, including its king, people, city, and land. This time, what was once forbidden—the plunder and livestock—was now permitted. And unlike Jericho, where victory came in daylight with marching and noise, here it would come in stillness and darkness, not by circling walls but by lying in wait. You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king, except that you may carry off their…
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Immediately after the miraculous fall of Jericho, Israel was met with an unexpected and crushing defeat. But rather than pausing to examine themselves as a people, to search their own hearts or to question their collective disobedience, they sought out a single person to blame. The loss was not processed as a moment for national repentance, but as an offence to be investigated and pinned on an individual. The Israelites were unfaithful in regard to the devoted things; Achan son of Karmi, the son of Zimri, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of them. So…
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The city of Jericho stood in silent terror as the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in since the discovery of Joshua’s spies within their walls, which only confirmed their worst fears. The people had heard enough—tales of the Red Sea parting, of kings defeated, of a people led by a God who fought for them. However, the people of Jericho did not prepare for battle—they simply locked themselves in. The city’s gates, normally open for trade and movement, were now shut tight. This was not strength, but…
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Leading up to the monumental encounter at Jericho, God told Joshua to prepare His people for victory, not by military strength, but by spiritual obedience. Before a single sword was raised or a trumpet blown, the Lord prepared Israel not with weapons, but with an old forgotten covenant. At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” – Joshua 5:2 The covenant of circumcision began with Abraham and his son Ishmael as a sign of the everlasting covenant between God and his chosen people (Genesis 17). It was a physical mark of belonging,…
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The Israelites’ Exodus journey is bookended by two miraculous and unimaginable crossings. They began their journey towards the promised land with the Sea of Reeds before them and the chasing Egyptian army behind them. On that day, God showed His marvellous and gracious hand to the Israelites, as He parted the waters, allowed the Hebrews to pass through, and drowned the pursuing army, filling the people with awe at His power. Forty years later, as Israel was about to enter the land promised to them, they once again faced a body of water. During the peak season, the Jordan River…
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The Book of Joshua marks a pivotal transition in the Exodus narrative, moving from the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites to their conquest and settlement in the Promised Land. As the successor to Moses, Joshua leads the twelve tribes of Israel across the Jordan River and into Canaan, fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham regarding the land. The book chronicles military campaigns, the distribution of the land among the tribes, and Joshua’s final exhortations to remain faithful to the covenant with the Lord. It highlights themes of obedience, divine faithfulness, leadership, and the importance of covenant loyalty. Joshua, the son of…
The Jordan Valley 