Joshua 8: Ai

Observation:

• Read Joshua 8
• Read Joshua 8 and mark the following words: Joshua, Ai, God, ambush, commanded, references to time
• In your journal make a list about everything you learn about the word commanded in this chapter.
• What strategy did God give Joshua about the city of Ai? How did the events unfold? Write down your answers in your journal.

Interpretation: 

• Using Blue Letter Bible look up the words spoil, plunder, & ambush and write down what you learn in your journal.
• This isn't the first fight against Ai. What is different about this battle compared to the previous one? 
• Read Deuteronomy 27 and compare it to the events in this chapter. What does this tell you about Joshua and his leadership? Does it give you any further insight into what happens in Joshua 8:30-35? Write down what you learn in your journal.

Application:
Did you learn anything new about God this week? What did you learn about leadership? Spend a little bit of time writing out what you are learning in Joshua and how it is shaping your view of God.

Joshua 7

Last week we saw the walls fall down at Jericho, this week we will talk more about things under the ban.

Observation:

• Read Joshua 7
• Read Joshua 7 and mark the following key words: Joshua, the ban, sin, The Lord, Israel, Achan
• Answer the following questions regarding the text in your journal:
• Where did Israel go after Jericho?
• How did Ai compare to Jericho?
• What happened at Ai?
• What did God tell Joshua about what had happened?
• How did they determine who stole something?
• Why did Achan steal?
• What had Joshua told the people right before they went into Jericho?
• What happened to Achan?

Interpretation:

• What does the phrase under the ban mean? Look it up using Blue Letter Bible and write down the definition in your journal.
• Looking up the following cross references and write down what you learn regarding things under the ban:
• Deuteronomy 7:22-26
• Deuteronomy 13:12-18
• Joshua 22:20
• Read Genesis 3:1-7 and 2 Samuel 11:1-6; 12:9-12 and compare this with what you learned about Achan.
• Do you see any similarities 
• Do you think there is a lesson here for us? What?
• According to Ephesians 4:22-32 what are some things forbidden to us today?
• How are we to consecrate ourselves when we have done something forbidden? What does 1 John 1:9 say we need to do?

Application:
Spend some time with the Lord processing and praying through any sin that is in your life. Be honest and take it seriously and allow God to deal with you.

Joshua 6: Jericho

This week we will look at our first battle. We have often talked about how God promised to go before His people in battle, now we will see it in action.

Observation:

• Read Joshua 6
• Read Joshua 6 and mark the following words: Joshua, Jericho, God/Lord, Rahab, ark of covenant, ban, references to time.
• In your journal list the progression of events in this chapter.
• Read the following questions and write the answers in your journal:
• What were the conditions at Jericho?
• What does God tell Joshua about the city?
• What instructions does the Lord give regarding getting into the city?
• Who was to be involved in the events of the wall coming down?
• What happens to the wall? According to the text is there any significance in the way it falls?
• What happens to Rahab? Do you remember where Rahab lived?

Interpretation:
Read the following questions and write the answers in your journal:

• Using Blue Letter Bible look up the phrases fall down flat and write down what you learn in your journal.
• What have we seen previously about the role of the ark of the covenant? Why do you think God instructed the Israelites to carry it around the city of Jericho? Why are the priests involved?
• Why is there the interruption of events in Joshua 6:17-19? What instruction or warning does Joshua give the people?

Application:
What do you learn about the might and the power of God? Do you look at God that way? Write down in your journal what the Lord is teaching you this week.

This is an interesting article regarding what archeologists have studied at Jericho: http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2008/06/The-Walls-of-Jericho.aspx 

Joshua 5

This week we will study Joshua chapter 5. 

Observation:
Read through Joshua 5
Read through again and mark references to Joshua, Lord/God, circumcised/circumcision, manna
Ask yourself the following questions and write your answers in your journal:

• What does God call Joshua to do?
• Why?
• When and where are the people when this happens?
• What else do you see happening in this chapter? 
• What happens with the manna? Why?

Interpretation:

Why was it so important for the men to be circumcised? Look up the following verses and write down what you learn about circumcision:

• Genesis 17:10-14,22-27
• Exodus 4:24-26 

Taking in what you have learned from these verses, why is it important that the men are circumcised?

Look up Exodus 16 and write down what you learn about the manna the children of Israel were eating. 

Read Exodus 3 and write down how what you see in Exodus 3 connects to what is happening at the end of Joshua 5.

Application:

What is the Lord showing you in His Word about Himself, how He works, how He takes care of His people? Write down your thoughts in your journal. 

Joshua 3-4: Crossing the Jordan

This week we will see one of God's promises in the making. The children of Israel are going to cross the Jordan River and begin to take the land the Lord has given them. This week we will focus on Joshua 3-4.

Observation:
Read Joshua 3-4.
Read Joshua 3-4 and mark every reference to: Joshua, Moses, ark of the covenant, Jordan/Jordan River, God, commanded, references to time
Ask yourself the following questions and write down the answers in your journal:

• When were the children of Israel to cross the Jordan? 
• What does God tell Joshua about what is going to happen? 
• What is Joshua's response? 
• How were the children of Israel going to cross the Jordan? 
• What is the role of the ark of the covenant in crossing?
• What happened when the priests got into the Jordan with the ark of the covenant? 
• What does Joshua command twelve men from the people to do after the nation had crossed the Jordan? 
• Why does Joshua tell the twelve men to do this? What is the point? 
• How many men equipped for war crossed the Jordan? 
• What was the people's response to Joshua after this event? 

Interpretation:

• Read Exodus 14. Write down in your journal how this event compares to Joshua 3-4.
• Remembering what God has promised the people about His part in gaining possession of the land (Exodus 6:8 & Deuteronomy 7:1-2), why do you think God had the ark leading the people?

Application:

Be ready to share what you learned this week. 

Joshua 2: Rahab and the Spies

This week we will walk through chapter 2 of Joshua. For some of you this may be a familiar story. I encourage you to look at the story with fresh eyes.

Observation:
Read Joshua chapter 2
Read back through Joshua chapter 2 and mark every reference to Joshua, the spies, Rahab, the land, and the inhabitants of the land.
In your journal ask yourself these questions and write down the answers:

• What do you learn about Rahab? 
• Who is she? 
• Where does she live? 
• What does she tell the men of the city who come looking for the spies? 
• What does she tell the spies about the inhabitants of the land? 
• What does she ask of the spies regarding herself and her family?
• How do the spies answer her? What instructions do they give her? 
• What do you learn about the spies?
• What are the spies sent to do? 
• How do they get out of the city?
• What report do the spies bring back to Joshua? 
• What do you learn about God? 
• What stories have the inhabitants of the land heard? 
• How do the inhabitants of the land feel about Joshua and the people of Israel and their God?

Interpretation:

Look up the following words in Hebrew using Blue Letter Bible:

• melted
• no courage

Look up the following verses and write down what you learn about Rahab:

• Hebrews 11:31
• James 2:25
• Joshua 6:22-25
• Matthew 1:5

Application:

Be ready to talk about what you learned about Rahab and her part in the story of the people of Israel. 

Joshua 1

Last week we looked at the background of Joshua and the land. As you work through this lesson, remember the things that you learned. Remember how long the children of Israel have been waiting for God to give them the land.

Observation:
Remember in observation we are asking what does the text say. We aren't looking to add our thoughts, but looking for what is obviously written in the text.

• Read Joshua 1 looking for key people and places
• Read Joshua 1 this time mark every reference to Joshua and the land (I'm going to mark Joshua with a blue circle and the land with a green double underline).
• Get out your journal and make a list of everything you learn about Joshua and everything you learn about the land. 
• Did you see any other key words that we should mark? (Remember key words are repeated words that help unlock the meaning of the text) Go back through and mark references to: strong and courageous, possess, the Lord commanded (or any phrases like it).

Interpretation:

Interpretation is when we ask ourselves what does the text mean. This step is when we dig a little deeper into the text. 

• using Blue Letter Bible look up the following words:
• strong
• courageous
• dismayed
• Look up the following verses and write down what you learn about being strong and courageous:
• Hebrews 13:5-6
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3
• John 16:33
• Ephesians 6:10-11
• 1 Corinthians 16:13

Application:

Joshua and the people were going to experience some scary things in the land. Some of the people they were being called to remove from the land were very big and scary. Are there things in your life that seem like they are bigger than you can handle? Are there things God is calling you to that feel giant? Spend some time talking to the Lord about these things and write down what you learned from Joshua 1 that would help you in this situation.