This is part of the 66 in 52 Bible Journaling Challenge. Over the course of the 52 weeks in 2018, I plan to focus in on one verse from each book of the Bible with many others who have signed up to join me. Each week I will be posting a summary page with some thought about that week’s book(s) of the Bible along with some links that may help our reflection. Click here to sign up if you want to join us at any point along the journey!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Big Picture of Joshua:
As Moses dies and Joshua takes over leading God’s people, they prepare to enter the promised land. First God prepares Joshua and then Joshua prepares the people. The book outlines their journey into Canaan, the necessary battles to secure the land, how that land was divided, and all kinds of adventures along the way as God’s people follow Him some times, but also wander away from God’s call. This book takes place approximately between the years of 1406 B.C. and 1380 B.C. Although the author of Joshua is unknown, it is likely that at least part of the book was written by Joshua himself and/or some eyewitnesses to these events.
Some Important Themes Seen throughout Joshua:
- God is holy and acts on behalf of His people.
- God fulfills His promises.
- A life of faithfulness to God brings blessings to our lives.
- A call for Joshua and all people to be strong and courageous because God is with them.
A Few Key Verses and Possible Reflection Questions/Prayers:
Some of us are planning to read through the whole book each week, while others are just focusing in on one verse. This section of the weekly intro post might help you narrow down a verse to reflect on for the week, but you do not have to choose one of these verse, pick any section of the book you want! These are just some ideas.
- “Haven’t I commanded you; be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord Your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
REFLECTION: Jesus, where are you calling me to use the strength and courage you provide this week? Where are you asking me to put down fear and trust you?
- “We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.” Joshua 4:6-7
REFLECTION: What can you do or make this week that will serve as a prompt to be able to tell future generations about the goodness of God in your life so far?
- “But be very careful to obey all the commands and instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” Joshua 22:5
REFLECTION: What might it look like to ‘hold firmly’ to Christ this week?
- “After the death of Moses the Lord’s servant, the Lord spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant.” Joshua 1:1
“After this, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died at the age of 110.” Joshua 24:29
REFLECTION: What do you think it would have been like to be known for so long only as “Moses’ assistant”. What takes place in this book that transistions Joshua from being “Moses’ assistant” to “the servant of the Lord.” How do you hope people will remember you years after you have died?
God’s Grace in Joshua:
Joshua can be a challenging book to read at times with war and violence all over it. It can be easy to quickly lose sight of God’s grace and redemption in the middle of all that. However, we get little glimpses here and there. One that stands out clearly is the story of Rahab. This woman, a known prostitute in the town, hides these men and declares to them that she knows God will give them victory. She shares that everyone in the town is afraid of God’s people because they have seen and heard the ways God had acted on their behalf. Rahab asks the spies to save her and her family. They follow through on this and Rahab’s family remains safe despite the fall of Jericho. Later on we see Rahab is even included in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, a link in the chain that leads to Christ’s birth and God’s ultimate act of grace in sending a Savior for all people, not just the Israelites.
Some Other Resources:
- The Bible Project Summary Video of Joshua
- A Pinterest board with some artistic Bible journaling ideas and other resources about Joshua
- The 66 in 52 Schedule and Tracking Sheet
The Challenge:
So now it’s your turn! Pick a verse and settle in this week, or read through the whole book. If you post any picture or blogs on social media, tag them with #66in52challenge so we can all share in this journey together!
joyfullyblessedblog.com 