Bible Character Studies: Joshua

Character Studies: Joshua

-Joshua first comes on the scene in the book of Exodus (17:8-14) during Israel’s first battle as a nation, against Amalek.

-he is tasked with mustering a task force. This will help to prepare him as a military leader. At this point the children of Israel could hardly be called an army.

-his name was still Hoshea at this point, until Numbers 13:16 when he went into Canaan as a spy.

-the victory over Amalek is attributed to Joshua (Ex. 17:13)

-God tells Moses to “write this for a memorial in the book, and recount it in the hearing of Joshua.” This is because Joshua will be one of those going into the Promised Land, although we don’t know that yet. By learning why God was angry with the Amalekites, he’d act accordingly. Deut. 25:17-19 tells us what they did. “They attacked the stragglers at their rear ranks, when they were tired and weary, and did not fear God.”

-in Exodus 24:12,13 God called Moses back up on the mountain to receive the law on tablets of stone. So he “arose with his assistant Joshua.” Moses left the elders at the foot of the mountain and took Joshua up at least part way. “Wait here for us until we come back to you.”

-Ex. 32:17 As Moses descended from the mountain with the ten commandments, Joshua was waiting, and said, “There is a noise of war in the camp,” but Moses corrected him saying it wasn’t the noise of a shout of victory, or a cry of defeat, but the sound of singing. This tells us that Joshua wasn’t in the camp with the people when they made and worshipped the golden calf.

-Num. 11-28-30 He is referred to as Moses’ assistant and one of his choice men.

-Joshua was zealous for Moses’ sake and wanted him to forbid people from prophesying. Num. 11:25-30

-Num. 13:1-16 Moses dispatches twelve spies, one from each tribe, to spy out Canaan. Joshua (Hoshea) son of Nun, from the tribe of Benjamin is a representative.

-his name is changed by Moses from Hoshea (desire for salvation) to Joshua (the LORD is salvation).

-Num. 14:6-9 After a discouraging report from ten of the spies, Joshua and Caleb spoke up, after they had torn their clothes in distress, saying; the land was an exceedingly good land, if God delights in us then He will bring us in and give it to us, the land flows with milk and honey (bountiful), don’t rebel against the LORD or fear the people, their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. The congregation wanted to stone them (shoot the messenger).

-Num. 14:26-38 God swears that none of this congregation who have complained against Him will enter the Promised Land, but will instead wander in the wilderness for forty years and die there. The exceptions are Joshua and Caleb. The other ten spies died by plague, but Joshua and Caleb were spared.

-Num. 27:18-23 God tells Moses to take Joshua and publicly inaugurate him, for spiritual service, to assist Moses. “Lay your hands on him, set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation."

-Num. 31:23 Moses inaugurated Joshua a second time, as his replacement, saying, “Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.”

-Num. 32:11,12 Joshua and Caleb “wholly followed the LORD.” –this was the reason they were spared to see the Promised Land. Their faith led to their good report of Canaan.

-Deut. 32:44 Moses and Joshua, at the end of the 40 years of wilderness wandering, taught the people the song of Moses.

-Deut. 34:1-12 He was probably the one who recorded the details of Moses’ death.

-Num. 27:18 He was indwelt by the Holy Spirit

-“Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel headed him and did as the LORD commanded Moses.” Deut. 34:9

-Josh. 1:1, Num. 27:18-21 After the death of Moses, God speaks directly to Joshua, telling him to cross over the Jordan. After that, God communicates to him through Eleazar the priest, using the Urim and Thummim. Moses’ relationship with God was unique.

-Joshua sets up memorial stones, to help the people remember God’s faithfulness (Josh. 4) and he writes their history so it will outlive him, and be a witness to future generations (Josh 8:32, 24:26)

-he faithfully circumcises the conquest generation before they cross over the Jordan, (because they didn’t do it during their time in the wilderness) and then celebrates the Passover for the first time in the Promised Land (Josh. 5)

-Josh. 3:23,24 When Joshua hears the report of the two spies who went to Jericho, he doesn’t get angry with them for making such a deal with a prostitute, when everything is under the ban; but sees the sovereign hand of God behind it.

-he met with the Commander of the Army (hosts) of the LORD (Josh. 5:13-15) This was his commissioning by God, as Moses had been at the burning bush. See Scarlet Thread.

-crossing the Jordan. He followed the instructions of the LORD and faithfully passed on the instructions to the people, “…for you have not passed this way before.” Josh. 3:4b The Exodus ends as it began, with the crossing of great waters.

-he fought alongside the people until Jericho was defeated (Josh. 6)

-he tells everyone to avoid the accursed things of Jericho, but reminds them to spare Rahab and family because she hid the spies. Then he speaks to the two spies directly and tells them to go back and rescue her as they swore to do. Josh. 6:25 says “Joshua spared Rahab.”

-he places a curse on anyone who rebuilds Jericho, and prophetically announces the personal cost on the one who does it. Josh. 6:26 fulfilled exactly in 1 Kings 16:34

-he is a great military leader and he follows God’s instructions fully, by completely destroying the people, yet not leaving them hanging past sunset, as the law required, and keeping his word to spare Rahab’s family, and to not kill the Gibeonites after his covenant with them (Josh. 8:26,29,6:25,9:26).

-as promised in Josh. 1:9 “The LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout all the country.” Josh. 6:27

-he was privileged to witness a large swath of the new country’s history, having grown up in Egypt, surviving the wilderness, and settling in the Promised Land

-he received his inheritance in the mountains of Ephraim (Josh. 19:49-50) He gave Caleb Hebron as his inheritance (Josh. 14:14) A fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to Abraham.

-as a leader, he reminds the people of their history, God’s faithfulness and their unfaithfulness, and challenges them to choose whom they will serve (Josh. 24)

-he gave a farewell address which included warnings (Josh. 23).

-he was almost 90 years old when he became Israel’s leader, and died at the age of 110 (Josh. 24:29).