Joshua 10

Joshua 10:1-15 – Five kings align against Gibeon

• Joshua 10:1-2 – Adoni-zedek feared greatly because of how Israel had conquered Ai.
• Joshua 10:9 – The Israelites marched all night – a distance of 15-20 miles and then they had to fight in a supernaturally long day.
• Joshua 10:12-15 – The sun and moon stand still at Joshua’s request so the Israelites have time to finish the fight.
  • A story has circulated on the Internet for a while claiming that NASA had “found” Joshua’s last day. This is a hoax. See https://apologeticspress.org/the-sun-stood-stillreally-5529/.
• Joshua 10:13 – The Book of Jasher (also mentioned in II Samuel 1:18) was evidently known to the people of the day, although we do not have copies of it today.

Joshua 10:16-27 – Five kings killed

• Joshua 10:24 – Placing the foot on the neck was possibly a customary way to show dominance over an enemy in those days.

Joshua 10:28-48 – Quick listing of more battles

Joshua 11

Joshua 11:1-23 – Israel fights another coalition

• There are many similarities between this fight and the one in Joshua 10.

• Joshua 11:9 – God did not allow the Israelites to add the military resources to their arsenal.
• Joshua 11:20 – Compare Exodus 9:34-10:1.
• Joshua 11:21-23 – The Anakim that the spies were originally so scared of were defeated and nearly eradicated.

Introduction

• Luke 23:33, 39-46

Answering the baptism question

• Acts 2:38 – People sometimes try to use the case of the thief on the cross to prove that baptism is not necessary for salvation.
• The simple answer is: the thief was living under the Old Covenant, and baptism into Jesus was not yet in force.
  • Luke 3:3
  • John 3:5
  • Matthew 28:19
  • Mark 16:15-16 – These are Jesus’ words after His resurrection.
  • Acts 2:37-41 – This is the first time baptism into Jesus was commanded.
  • What about David, Moses, and Abraham? They weren’t baptized either.
  • Hebrews 9:15-17 – Jesus’ sacrifice covered those under the Old Covenant.
  • Galatians 4:5 – Jesus redeemed those that were under the law.
  • The transition to the New Covenant took place in Acts 2.
• Romans 6:3-6 – Baptism is “into His death.” No one could have experienced that baptism BEFORE He died.
• Romans 10:9 – If the thief proves that baptism is not required, he also proves that belief in Jesus’ resurrection is not required.

The other thief

• If he had humbled himself in his last moments, he could have been saved. What regret must he have now!

The penitent thief

• Matthew 27:38-44 – At first, both criminals mocked Jesus.
• Luke 23:40-42 – One thief evidently had a change of heart.

Jesus

• Luke 23:43 – In some of Jesus’ last breaths, He made time for one more soul.
• Jesus loves you too!

Faith dispels fear (continued)

• Let go of fear.
• Be introspective. What are you so afraid?
• Pray for help and healing, Philippians 4:6-7.
  • James 4:13, 15 – “pray for your plan”
• Evaluate past storms.
• Look beyond storms to the ultimate ends.
  • I Peter 1:6-9; Matthew 10:28
• Choose faith
  • II Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:6
  • God loves us and always wants our good.
• II Peter 1:5
• I John 4:17-19
• I John 4:20

Introduction

• I Peter 1:10-12
• I Corinthians 2:13

Be content with the Holy Spirit’s revealed word.

• Joshua 2:15-18 – Some ancient writers looked at the scarlet cord as being a symbol of Jesus’ blood. Both saved. However, the Holy Spirit never made that connection.
• Exodus 27:19 – All the pegs of the tabernacle were to be bronze. M. R. DeHaam in The Tabernacle tries to connect the pegs to the resurrection in that they were in the group and also rose above the ground. Against, the Holy Spirit never makes this connection.
• Absurd example: The “David Church”
• Ezekiel 37:15-23 – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints interprets the two sticks as foretelling the Bible and Book of Mormon being joined.
• Hebrews 8:1-5 – The Holy Spirit makes the connection between the tabernacle and heaven.
• Hebrews 9:23; 10:1 – The Holy Spirit makes more connections for us.
• Be careful about making connections beyond what has been revealed.
• Romans 5:14-19 – The Holy Spirit connects Adam and Christ.
• II Peter 1:20

Study the context!

• “He made it!” – This means completely different things depending on the context.
• Examples:
  • Psalms 14:1
  • Ecclesiastes 2:10
  • Matthew 10:8
  • Acts 27:31
  • Hebrews 9:24
• Ephesians 3:1-6 – We can read and understand!
  • Examples from Dr. Mark Strauss:
    • Philippians 1:14
    • Luke 4:43
• Matthew 5:7, 20; 6:1; 7:13-14
  • Matthew 7:28
• Exegesis – to draw out the meaning of the text.
• Eisegesis – to read your own meaning into the text.
• Luke 10:29-37 – Augustine tried to read this story as an allegory, but that is going beyond the simple meaning of the story.

Introduction

• If asked by someone for help in their reading of the Old Testament, giving them just the basic storyline, could you do it?
  • Hebrews 5:11-14
• Of the 39 Old Testament books, only twelve need to be read in order to get the chronological story. The other 27 are valuable for the details.

Genesis

• Three men: patriarchs (Acts 7:8)
  • Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
• Three promises: Genesis 12:3; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10
  • Land – the land which I will show you
    • Fulfilled, Joshua 21:43-45; 23:14
  • Nation – I will make you a great nation
    • Fulfilled, Exodus 1:7
  • Special descendant – in you all the families of the earth will be blessed
    • Fulfilled, Galatians 3:14-16
• The balance of the Old Testament is all about the fulfilling of these three promises.

Exodus

• 215 years of bondage
• Reason for Jews being in Egypt in servitude; had become a great nation, a thread to Pharaoh, Exodus 1:14
• Exodus 12:37 – 600,000 men
• Exodus 3-7 – Moses raised up as deliverer
• Exodus 8-11 – Plagues intended to soften Pharaoh’s heart and release the Jews.
• Exodus 12-13 – Passover instituted
• Exodus 14-40 – Jews escape Egypt, come to Sinai, events at Sinai
• Exodus 19 – Ten Commandments
• Exodus 24 – Golden calf
• Jesus our Passover lamb – I Corinthians 5:7

Numbers

• 40 years of wandering
• Numbers 1-10 – Preparations for leaving Sinai
• Numbers 10-12 – Events before Kadesh
  • Murmuring against Moses and Aaron
• Numbers 12-20 – Events at Kadesh
  • Numbers 12 – Murmuring of Miriam and Aaron
  • Numbers 13 – Spies sent to Canaan, evil report
  • Numbers 14 – Rebellion of people and punishment
• Numbers 20-36 – Events prior to entering Canaan

Deuteronomy

• “Remember” – 24 times
• Deuteronomy 1-31 – Retelling of the law
• Deuteronomy 32-34 – 120 years of Moses’ life ends

Joshua

• Seven years to conquer the land
• Joshua 1-5 – Entering the land
• Joshua 6-12 – Conquest of the land
• Joshua 13-21 – Distribution of land
• Joshua 22-24 – Settling in land
• Joshua 21:45 – None of God’s promises failed

Judges – I Samuel 8

• 14 judges, 300 years
• Judges 2:11-23 – 300 year cycle of apostasy: sin, oppression, repentance, deliverance, relapse

I Samuel 8 – I Kings 11

• “Give us a king”
  • 120 years, united kingdom: Judah and Israel
    • Saul, David, and Solomon
• II Samuel 7:12-17 - David’s desire to build temple; God assures him a descendant of His (Jesus) will fulfill prophecy.

I Kings, II Kings – Divided kingdom

• Israel – 931-722 B.C.
  • 19 kings, all of them evil
  • Lasts for 200 years before being taken into Assyrian captivity, from which they never returned.
• Judah – 931-586 B.C.
  • 20 kings, some good, some evil
  • Lasts for 130 years after Israel goes into captivity before being taken captive by Babylon for seventy years, then return.

II Kings 23-25

• Three groups taken into Babylonian captivity

Ezra and Nehemiah

• Three groups return from Babylonian