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JOSHUA
LESSON #7

JOSHUA 6
LESSON #7


OVERCOME BY DOING THINGS GOD'S WAY

MEMORY VERSE: HEBREWS 11:30

READ JOSHUA 6:1-16

BACKGROUND:

JERICHO MEANS "FRAGRANT WITH SPICES". IT SIGNIFIES THE ALLUREMENT OF THE WORLD. THERE WAS A FRESH WATER SPRING THERE. IT WAS NOT A BIG CITY, ONLY 7 ACRES, BUT IT WAS A MIGHTY FORTRESS WITH DOUBLE WALLS

GEOGRAPHY:

THE CITY WAS IMPORTANT IN WARFARE. ON THE WEST WERE STEEP HILLS. GILGAL WAS IN THE JORDAN VALLEY, AND JERICHO CONTROLLED THE ASCENT TO THE MOUNTAINS. THE CITY OF AI WAS AT THE HEAD OF THE ASCENT.

INHABITANTS:

THE PEOPLE WERE CANAANITES, FIRST MENTIONED IN GEN 10:18. THEY WERE THE INHABITANTS OF SODOM & GOMORRAH. (GEN 13:13

GEN 19:1-28). GOD HAD BEEN PATIENT WITH THESE PEOPLE AND GIVEN THEM WARNING SIGNS OF IMPENDING DOOM THROUGH RUMOR: REMEMBER RAHAB WHO HEARD THE RUMORS. THE FALL OF JERICHO IS A RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT FOR A DETERIORATED MORAL CONDITION.

THE PLAN OF STRATEGY:

WHAT WAS THE MARCHING PLAN?

    1. FOR 6 DAYS TO MARK 1 TIME AROUND THE CITY IN SILENCE EXCEPT FOR THE TRUMPETS BLOWING

  1. THE 7TH DAY TO MARCH 7 TIMES AROUND AND THEN SHOUT
  2. TO MARCH STRAIGHT AHEAD TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE CITY.

BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A BIG CITY, BY THE TIME THE LEADING PEOPLE WOULD GET ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CITY, THE LAST GROUP WOULD JUST BE STARTING. THERE WERE ABOUT 40,000 ISRAELITES.

GOD'S INTENTIONS:

WHAT WAS GOD TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH THROUGH THIS PLAN?

GOD COULD HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE RITUAL, SO WHY THE RITUAL?

1. IT WAS DEMORALIZING AND CONFUSING TO THE CANAANITES

2. IT WAS A TEST OF FAITH AND OBEDIENCE FOR THE ISRAELITES

3. IT CREATES A BOND OF UNITY AMONG THE ISRAELITES

THE BLAST OF THE RAM'S HORN:

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BLAST OF THE RAMS HORN (VERSE 5)?

IT WAS USED ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE YEAR OF JUBILEE (EVERY 50 YEARS) AND ON THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. IT SIGNIFIES FREEDOM AND REJOICING.

THE NUMBERS 6 AND 7 IN THIS CHAPTER:

WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NUMBERS 6 AND 7 THROUGHOUT THE CHAPTER?

6 DAYS = MAN'S EFFORTS

7TH DAY = A DAY OF REST: ENTERING INTO GOD'S REST

7 TRUMPETS = GOD GETS THE COMPLETE GLORY FOR VICTORY

7 TIMES AROUND = GOD'S NUMBER OF COMPLETION

WHAT LESSONS CAN WE LEARN FROM THIS PASSAGE?

1. IN THE BATTLE OF LIFE, THERE'S A TIME TO BE STILL AND WAIT ON GOD EXO 14:13. STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF THE LORD

  1. THERE IS A SPIRITUAL WARFARE AGAINST THE STRONGHOLD OF OUR ENEMY, SATAN EPH 6:12-18

3. FAITH AND OBEDIENCE ARE IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS TO VICTORY

  1. WE DO OUR PART, GOD GETS THE GLORY
  2. GOD'S STRATEGY IS PERFECT

SPIRITUAL WARFARE:

WHY DO CHRISTIANS NEED TO DO SPIRITUAL WARFARE?

  1. THERE IS A PERSONAL REASON. WE HAVE AN INNER CONFLICT WITH THE OLD FLESH NATURE. (ROM 7:15-8:2)
  2. THERE IS A POSITIONAL REASON. BECAUSE WE ARE THE SHEEP OF CHRIST, SATAN SEEKS TO ATTACK AND DEVOUR US. (1PE 5:8-9)
  3. THERE IS A PREPARATIONAL REASON. WE ARE BEING PREPARED TO RULE AND REIGN WITH CHRIST (2TI 2:12).

WHO DO WE FIGHT AGAINST?

  1. WE FIGHT THE PRINCE OF THIS WORLD…JOH 12:31…BECAUSE HE CLAIMS A THRONE.
  2. WE FIGHT THE GOD OF THIS AGE…2CO 4:4…BECAUSE HE CLAIMS WORSHIP.
  3. WE FIGHT THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR…

EPH 2:2…BECAUSE HE CLAIMS ALL AUTHORITY.

WHAT ARE SATAN’S METHODS AND ACTIVITIES?

  1. HE SEEKS TO BLIND MEN’S SPIRITUAL EYES…2COR 4:4
  2. HE CHANGES INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT…2COR 11:14-15
  3. HE MAKES MEN DISOBEDIENT…EPH 2:2
  4. HE ACCUSES BELIEVERS…REV 12:10
  5. HE DECEIVES MEN…REV 12:9

READ JOS 6:17-27

ACCURSED = MEANS TO SECLUDE OR DEVOTE TO GOD. CONSECRATED

MEANS APPOINTED TO DESTRUCTION.

THERE WAS TO BE A DESTRUCTION OF EVERYTHING IN THE CITY EXCEPT

RAHAB AND HER FAMILY AND ALL METAL OBJECTS (VERSE 21). (METAL OBJECTS COULD BE USED LATER FOR MAKING WEAPONS).

THE BURNING OF THE CITY (VERSE 24)

WHY DID THEY BURN THE CITY? IT WAS TO BE A BURNT OFFERING TO GOD. THE CITY WAS A TITHE TO GOD AS FIRST FRUITS.

VERSE 26 PROPHECY

THIS PROPHECY WAS FULFILLED IN 1KI 16:34

 

HOMEWORK FOR JOSHUA 7

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF JOSHUA 6:

WHAT IS THE MAJOR BATTLE THAT YOU ARE FIGHTING TODAY?

IS THERE SOME OBEDIENCE INVOLVED THAT YOU HAVE NOT DONE?

IS THERE A STEP OF FAITH INVOLVED THAT YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN?

IS THERE SOME COOPERATING ACTION INVOLVED THAT YOU NEED TO DO?

PREPARATION FOR JOSHUA 7

READ JOSHUA 7:1-26

READ MALACHI 3:7-12

WHY DID THE ISRAELITES FAIL TO CONQUER THE CITY OF AI?

REVIEW JOSHUA 6:17-27 AND JOSHUA 7. WHAT IMPORTANT LESSONS (PRINCIPLES) DID YOU LEARN ABOUT GOD'S WAYS OF ACCOMPLISHING THINGS?

CAN YOU THINK OF ANY NEW TESTAMENT STORY THAT PARALLELS THE STORY OF ACHAN?

REVIEW THE MEMORIALS JOSHUA ESTABLISHED IN JOSHUA 4:3 AND JOSHUA 4:9. WHAT SIGNIFICANCE IS THE NEW MEMORIAL IN JOSHUA 7:26?

THINK ABOUT IT: IS THE BATTLE EVER THE SAME AFTER SIN AND

DISOBEDIENCE HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH?

MEMORY VERSE: LUKE 6:38