Synthetic Bible Studies by James Gray

• Title Page
• Pentateuch
• History
  • Lesson 10: Joshua
    • I: The Command to Joshua, Joshua 1
    • II: The Spying of the Land, Joshua 2
    • III: The Crossing of Jordan, Joshua 3–4
    • IV: The Conquest of Jericho, Joshua 5–7
    • V: The Defeat at Ai, Joshua 7–8
    • VI: The Rescue of Gibeon, Joshua 9–10
      • Did the Sun and Moon Stand Still?
    • VII: The Close of the War, Joshua 11
    • VIII: The Division of the Land, Joshua 12–21
    • IX: The Altar of Witness, Joshua 22
    • X: The Renewal of the Covenant, Joshua 23–24
  • Lesson 11: Judges and Ruth
  • Lesson 12: I Samuel
  • Lesson 13: II Samuel
  • Lesson 14: I Kings
  • Lesson 15: II Kings
  • Lesson 16: I and II Chronicles and Esther
• Poetry
• Prophets
• Post Captivity Prophets
• Gospels, Acts
• Pauline Epistles
• General Epistles

The Conquest of Jericho, Joshua 5-7

As usual, locate the facts, beginning with those immediately preceding the event itself, the circumcision, the passover, the appearance of the captain of the Lord’s host. Observe that the act of circumcision indicated a gracious renewal on the part of God of His covenant with the children whose fathers had sinned against Him, and perished in the wilderness. In this sense Joshua 5:9 may be explained. What indicates the captain of the Lord’s host to be a divine person? How do His name and equipment indicate His interest in and approval of the invasion taking place? With what other Christophanies have we met previously?

There must have been a strategic reason for first attacking Jericho, and the plan seems to have been by its destruction to effectually separate the northern foes in Canaan from those in the south, and thus prevent a military coalition. Observe the particular directions to Israel. No battlements, but a promenade! How foolish it must have seemed not only to their enemies, but even to some of themselves! Compare such a passage as I Corinthians 1:17-31. To what is this victory ascribed (Hebrews 11:30)? Dwell on the marked illustration it affords of saving faith. The Israelites did nothing, and yet they did everything. They did the most they could do in the fact that they absolutely surrendered themselves to God, obeying Him to the last degree. Does not the man who truly accepts Jesus Christ do this? Dwell on the illustration it affords of conquering faith. Hearts are shut up like Jericho (Joshua 6:1), but God gives them to His servants who obey Him.

The utter destruction referred to in Joshua 6:21, seems horrible in our eyes, but two or three things are to be kept in mind in judging of it. In the first place, it is the teaching of the Bible itself that has made such an act horrible to us. In the second place, it was in perfect accord with the usual methods of warfare in those times. In the third place, and this is the all important thought, it was God’s judgment on sin. Sin is unspeakably awful, and we must not minimize it. All through the Old Testament these object lessons are given us, which in the goodness of God, are intended to be deterrent both for nations and individuals, and which in the opposite event, only become types of the universal judgments or judgment to come. The death of the Son of God to put away the consequences of sin must have been vitally necessary to men. Let these Old Testament facts be used to impress this truth on those we teach, and lead them to the Savior.