Day 163: Joshua, Moses’ replacement
In Deuteronomy 31:14 states, Then the Lord said to Moses, “The time has come for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tabernacle, so that I may commission him there.”
Moses dies at the ripe old age of 120, never making it to the Promised land, but he does see it from the top of Mount Nebo. His work is done, and he is going to be with our Lord. Deuteronomy 34:10 claims, “There has never been another prophet in Israel, like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” They mourn him for 30 days. A one-of-a-kind prophet.
Joshua has some big shoes to fill. God makes His promise to stand with Joshua as long as he is alive, and not to worry about the powerful group, called the Philistines. They are building cities and towns on the west coast. Joshua 1:5 “I will not fail you or abandon you.” The wars begin, and Joshua sweeps through with nothing but success, wherever he goes. He divides the land into 12 areas, one for each Tribe, and has them go clean up the territories that they each own.
But, Joshua was worried as the towns he has to invade are walled cities with experienced soldiers. It is easier to stay alive behind a wall than it is out in the open. God assures him that he will lead this people to the land God promised their ancestors.
When they get to the town of Jericho, they go to a prostitute’s house named Rahab. In their arrogance, they talk too much. A client over hears them and reports them to the king, who is concerned about them because they are scouting to attack the city. Rahab hides them until the king’s men have left. She asks for her family to be shown mercy and spared death. The Israelites agree.
A famous story about Jericho’s walls tumbling down, goes like this. It is the first Canaanite city that’s in the path of Joshua’s army. It’s a settlement of about 7,000 years before Joshua. Archeologists tell of three walls that surround it, making it virtually hard to break into.
The Israelites march around the city for six days, while the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant holding the Ten Commandments. On the seventh day, marching seven times around the city, in silence, the priests blow the ram’s horns. This was a signal for the Israelites to scream at the top of their lungs. This causes the walls of Jericho to collapse. Some wonder if this was caused by an earthquake, or even the after shocks of the one that had blocked the Jordan River, prior.
One of God’s hard and fast rules, that whenever his chosen people attacked and won over a city, they were to NEVER steal anything from the city. When that happens, they are usually punished. A man named Achan stole some goods, and when Joshua found out, he executed him and his entire family. Many times whole families were executed so that there would be no revenge, later.
Each tribe was supposed to take care of ‘mopping’ up their own territories, but the Israelites didn’t do that. Instead, they befriended some of the people and the religion of the Canaanites remained, and that will prove to be a mistake. Because of their intermingling, and intermarrying, God will no longer drive them/the Canaanites, away.
Some say that Joshua married Rahab (other’s say she married Salmon). She was to become the great-grandmother of King David, the line that Jesus descended from. Joshua died at age 110. For the first time, the Israelites were left without a great leader.P
