journey of joshua

Joshua - Faithful Follower of God

Discover the secret to Joshua's successful leadership

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• B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University

Joshua in the Bible began life in Egypt as a slave, under cruel Egyptian taskmasters, but he rose to become what of the greatest leaders of Israel through faithful obedience to God . As successor to Moses, Joshua led the people of Israel into the Promised Land of Canaan.

Joshua in the Bible

• Known for: After the death of Moses, Joshua became the leader of Israel, successfully directing the Israelite army in its conquest of the Promised Land. He also served as an Old Testament type of Christ.
• Bible References : Joshua is mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 17, 24, 32, 33; Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges 1:1-2:23; 1 Samuel 6:14-18; 1 Chronicles 7:27; Nehemiah 8:17; Acts 7:45; Hebrews 4:7-9.
• Hometown : Joshua was born in Egypt, probably in the area named Goshen, in the northeast Nile delta. He was born a slave, like his fellow Hebrews.
• Occupation : Egyptian slave, personal assistant of Moses, military commander, leader of Israel.
• Father : Joshua’s father was Nun from the tribe of Ephraim.
• Spouse: The Bible makes no mention of Joshua having a wife or children, another indication that Joshua represents a type of Christ.

Moses gave Hosea son of Nun his new name: Joshua ( Yeshua in Hebrew), which means "the Lord is Salvation" or "Yahweh saves." This name selection was the first indicator that Joshua was a "type," or picture, of Jesus Christ , the Messiah. Moses also gave the name as an acknowledgment that all Joshua's future victories would depend on God fighting the battle for him.

When Moses sent 12 spies to scout the land of Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb, son of Jephunneh , believed the Israelites could conquer the land with God's help. Angry, God sent the Jews to wander in the wilderness for 40 years until that unfaithful generation died. Of those spies, only Joshua and Caleb survived.

Before the Jews entered Canaan, Moses died and Joshua became his successor. Spies were sent into Jericho. Rahab , a prostitute, sheltered them and then helped them escape. They swore to protect Rahab and her family when their army invaded. To enter the land, the Jews had to cross the flooded Jordan River. When the priests and Levites carried the Ark of the Covenant into the river, the water stopped flowing. This miracle mirrored the one God had performed at the Red Sea .

Joshua followed God's strange instructions for the battle of Jericho . For six days the army marched around the city. On the seventh day, they marched seven times, shouted, and the walls fell down flat. The Israelites swarmed in, killing every living thing except Rahab and her family.

Because Joshua was obedient, God performed another miracle at the battle of Gibeon. He made the sun stand still in the sky for an entire day so the Israelites could wipe out their enemies completely.

Under Joshua's godly leadership, the Israelites conquered the land of Canaan. Joshua assigned a portion to each of the 12 tribes . Joshua died at the age of 110 and was buried at Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim.

Accomplishments of Joshua in the Bible

During the 40 years the Jewish people wandered in the wilderness, Joshua served as a faithful aide to Moses. Of 12 spies sent to scout out Canaan, only Joshua and Caleb had confidence in God, and only those two survived the desert ordeal to enter the Promised Land. Against overwhelming odds, Joshua led the Israelite army in its conquest of the Promised Land. He apportioned the land to the tribes and governed them for a time. Without a doubt, Joshua's greatest accomplishment in life was his unwavering loyalty and faith in God.

Some Bible scholars view Joshua as an Old Testament representation, or foreshadowing, of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah. What Moses (who represented the law) was unable to do, Joshua (Yeshua) achieved when he successfully led the people of God out of the desert to conquer their enemies and enter the Promised Land. His accomplishments point to the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross—the defeat of God's enemy, Satan, the setting free of all believers from captivity to sin, and the opening of the way into the "Promised Land" of eternity.

While serving Moses, Joshua was also an attentive student, learning much from the great leader. Joshua showed tremendous courage , despite the huge responsibility assigned to him. He was a brilliant military commander. Joshua prospered because he trusted God with every aspect of his life.

Before battle, Joshua always consulted God. Unfortunately, he did not do so when the people of Gibeon entered into a deceptive peace treaty with Israel. God had forbidden Israel to make treaties with any people in Canaan. If Joshua had sought God's guidance first, he would not have made this mistake.

Life Lessons

Obedience, faith, and dependence on God made Joshua one of Israel's strongest leaders. He provided a bold example for us to follow. Like us, Joshua was often besieged by other voices, but he chose to follow God, and he did it faithfully. Joshua took seriously the Ten Commandments and ordered the people of Israel to live by them as well.

Even though Joshua was not perfect, he proved that a life of obedience to God bears great rewards. Sin always has consequences. If we live according to God's Word, like Joshua, we will receive God's blessings.

Key Bible Verses

Joshua 1:7 "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go." ( NIV )

Joshua 4:14 That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses. (NIV)

Joshua 10:13-14 The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a man. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel! (NIV)

Joshua 24:23-24 "Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel." And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the Lord our God and obey him." (NIV)

• Battle of Jericho Bible Story Study Guide
• Rahab the Prostitute
• Introduction to the Book of Joshua
• Crossing of the Jordan River Bible Study Guide
• Meet Caleb: A Man Who Followed God Wholeheartedly
• Who Was Achan in the Bible?
• Introduction to the Book of Numbers
• Who Were the Nephilim Giants of the Bible?
• The Promised Land in the Bible Was God's Gift to Israel
• Introduction to the Book of Deuteronomy
• The Book of Judges
• Aaron - First High Priest of Israel
• History of Samaria
• David and Goliath Bible Story Study Guide
• What Were the 12 Tribes of Israel?
• Deborah: Israel's Only Female Judge

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Listen to Chuck Swindoll’s overview of Joshua in his audio message from the Classic series God’s Masterwork .

Who wrote the book?

The book’s primary figure gives it its title. Joshua means “Yahweh saves,” 1 an appropriate name for the man who led Israel, under God’s command, to victorious conquest of the Promised Land. Scholars believe that Joshua himself or a scribe under his direction penned most of the book. Early chapters include firsthand experiences (the NIV uses the pronouns “we” and “us” in Joshua 5:1, 6, for example) and military details worthy of being known and recorded by a general. Joshua 24:26 refers to Joshua writing a portion of the book himself. After Joshua’s death, the high priests Eleazar or Phinehas may have supplemented some material in this book that alludes to events after the conquest (15:13–19; 19:47; 24:29–33). 2

Where are we?

The events of the book of Joshua span about twenty-five years, starting soon after the death of Moses (Joshua 1:1) around 1406 BC, before the conquest commenced. The conquest of Canaan took about seven years, and Joshua’s final address and subsequent death came almost twenty years later. The book begins with the nation of Israel poised at the banks of the Jordan River, across from Jericho. It records the details of numerous military campaigns that defeated the inhabitants of the land. The book ends with Joshua’s regathering of the nation for his final exhortation.

This history was written to the victorious Israelites who had settled the land. Though they were newly established as conquerors, Joshua reminded them that the conquest was incomplete: “very much of the land remains to be possessed” (13:1).

Why is Joshua so important?

The book of Joshua records the culmination of Israel’s journey to the Promised Land. Here we see God fulfill His promise to give the land of Canaan to Jacob’s descendants. Joshua portrays the Lord as their general, the One who would lead His people in victorious battle if they would trust and obey.

Joshua recounted a story of contradictions. On the one hand, God gave the land that He had promised to the nation. On the other hand, the people failed to possess the land completely, allowing some inhabitants to remain. God fulfilled His side of the bargain, but the Israelites did not finish the job. The Canaanite peoples became a damaging influence on Israel as years went by.

In this book we find accounts of faithfulness: Rahab the harlot (Joshua 2:1–21), the battle of Jericho (6:1–27), and Caleb the warrior (14:6–14). We also witness disobedience and its consequences: Achan’s sin (7:1) and the resulting loss at Ai (7:5), failure of some tribes to annihilate the enemy as God commanded, and even Joshua making a treaty with the Gibeonites without first seeking the Lord (9:1–27).

What's the big idea?

The book of Joshua was written to the descendants of those who conquered the land, as a historical account of how they had come to settle there. It celebrates God as general, defender, and king. It shows the geographical boundaries given to each tribe of Israel. Even more significantly, the book of Joshua serves as the connecting narrative between the days of Moses and the days of the judges, during which the book was first circulated. That which Moses began and endured in the wilderness, Joshua was able to claim victoriously in the land. God’s promises through the ages were being fulfilled before the people’s eyes. “Not one of the good promises which the Lord had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass” (Joshua 21:45). 

How do I apply this?

The last few verses of Joshua narrate three burials: Joshua (Joshua 24:29–30), the bones of Joseph (24:32), and Eleazar the high priest (24:33). Strange as it may seem, these burials proclaim God’s character. All three men were associated with Israel’s days in captivity (Joseph long ago when Jacob’s family first settled in Egypt, and Joshua and Eleazar as young men on the long journey through the wilderness). And now all three lay at rest in the land of promise, witnesses to God’s faithfulness.

God is the ultimate promise-keeper. As faithful and present as He was with Israel, so He is with us. “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (1:9).

• Donald K. Campbell, "Joshua," in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament , ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1985), 325.
• Norman L. Geisler, A Popular Survey of the Old Testament (Peabody, Mass.: Prince Press, 2007) 93-94.

Copyright ©️ 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

Bible Study Chart

Joshua overview chart.

View Chuck Swindoll's chart of Joshua , which divides the book into major sections and highlights themes and key verses.

View a list of Bible maps , excerpted from The Swindoll Study Bible.

24 “The LORD has surely delivered the entire land into our hands,” they said to Joshua. “Indeed, all who dwell in the land are melting in fear of us.”

15 Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the flowing water stood still. It backed up as far upstream as Adam, a city in the area of Zarethan, while the water flowing toward the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea c ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed over the dry ground, until the entire nation had crossed the Jordan.

21 Then Joshua said to the Israelites, “In the future, when your children ask their fathers, ‘What is the meaning of these stones?’ 22 you are to tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ 23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed over, just as He did to the Red Sea, c which He dried up before us until we had crossed over. 24 He did this so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may always fear the LORD your God.”

And Joshua did so.

27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.

25 “Why have you brought this trouble upon us?” said Joshua. “Today the LORD will bring trouble upon you!” And all Israel stoned him to death. Then they stoned the others and burned their bodies. 26 And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor h to this day.

34 Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings and the curses—according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua failed to read before the whole assembly of Israel, including the women, the little ones, and the foreigners who lived among them.

26 So Joshua did this and delivered them from the hands of the Israelites, and they did not kill the Gibeonites. 27 On that day he made them woodcutters and water carriers, as they are to this day for the congregation of the LORD and for the altar at the place He would choose.

42 And because the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel, Joshua captured all these kings and their land in one campaign. 43 Then Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.

23 So Joshua took the entire land, in keeping with all that the LORD had spoken to Moses. And Joshua gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to the allotments to their tribes. Then the land had rest from war.

So there were thirty-one kings in all.

33 To the tribe of Levi, however, Moses had given no inheritance. The LORD, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, just as He had promised them.

63 But the descendants of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. So to this day the Jebusites live there among the descendants of Judah.

This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Ephraim, 9 along with all the cities and villages set apart for the descendants of Ephraim within the inheritance of Manasseh. 10 But they did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer. So the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites to this day, but they are forced laborers.

This was the inheritance of the clans of the tribe of Benjamin.

51 These are the inheritances that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families distributed by lot to the tribes of Israel at Shiloh before the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. So they finished dividing up the land.

32 Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead. 33 The Israelites were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived. 34 So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said, d “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

33 Eleazar son of Aaron also died, and they buried him at Gibeah, which had been given to his son Phinehas in the hill country of Ephraim.

The Faith Space

The character of Joshua in the Bible (life and leadership lessons)

Bible Character Studies

The character of Joshua in the Bible is often described as courageous, faithful, loyal and influential. All these things are true about Joshua but he also had some weaknesses too.

In this post we will look at how the Bible describes Joshua. We will discuss Joshua’s character strengths and weaknesses as well as explore Joshua’s leadership qualities.

Let’s study!

Who is Joshua in the Bible?

Joshua is known in the Bible as one of the bravest most successful warriors in Israel. He was the second person to lead the Israelites after the death of Moses. 

Prior to becoming the leader of the Israelites, he was the second in command, leading beside Moses. 

Joshua was born in Egypt and was quite young, maybe about 20 years old, at the time God allowed the Israelites to be released from Egyptian bondage.

The story of Joshua in the Bible summary

Most of Joshua’s story is told in the Old Testament in the book named after him. However, we first meet Joshua in Exodus 17:8. 

While in the wilderness, the Israelites came under attack. Moses called Joshua to quickly put an army together to fight off the Amelikites. The occasion of war is our first introduction to Joshua.

After this, it seems Joshua became Moses’ assistant, playing an important role in leading the Israelites. Joshua was pretty much with Moses everywhere he went. 

He was on Mount Sinai when Moses received the 10 commandments from God. Whenever Moses went into the Tent of Meeting to talk with God, Joshua always stood outside the tent and waited.

Joshua did whatever Moses told him to do.

When it was time to enter the promised land, Joshua was among the 12 spies whom Moses sent to spy out the land. Joshua was also one of the two spies who came back with a good report.

Throughout the wilderness journey, Joshua led right alongside Moses, especially through the 40 years of wilderness life.

After Moses died, Joshua was confirmed by God as the new leader in Israel. After his confirmation, Joshua fought many battles to secure land for the Israelites to settle. 

He led the Israelites to victory over Jericho, Ai, the Amorites and a number of other people groups.

He was responsible for helping Israel to claim the lands that God had promised. Joshua also made sure the land was divided properly among the tribes so that everyone could settle down and live a good life.

Joshua led Israel with Moses for 40 years in the wilderness and for 30 years on his own after Moses died. Joshua died at the age of 110 years old.

Characteristics of Joshua

Studying the life of Joshua, reveals many qualities about him. Here is a list of the character traits of Joshua in the Bible.

Strength and weaknesses of Joshua in the Bible

• Joshua trusted God absolutely.
• Joshua had a keen ear for the voice of God.
• Joshua was obedient.
• Joshua was an excellent military strategist.
•  Joshua was faithful to God.
• Joshua was fiercely loyal to the point of jealousy.
• Joshua struggles with fear, doubt, and inadequacy. 

Character strengths of Joshua in the Bible

Now let’s dive deeper into Joshua’s character strengths. Of course, this post only briefly covers the qualities of this Bible character.

Joshua trusted God absolutely

There were many instances in Joshua’s story where his trust in God was demonstrated. 

One of the most popular is his attitude after going to spy out the land of Canaan with 11 other men.

Although 10 of the men were too afraid to approve attacking the inhabitants of the land, Joshua and Caleb were all for moving forward.

Why were they not afraid?

Because they believed that God was with them and that counted for something. 

As impossible as it looked to gain victory over people who looked bigger and stronger, Joshua trusted that the God who delivered Israel from the mighty Egyptian army would also deliver them from this situation.

Joshua was confident in God’s promise and power:

If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey…And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.” Numbers 14:8-9 ESV

Because he trusted God so much, he was a positive thinker, even in the midst of what looked like an impossible situation. 

Joshua had a keen ear for the voice of God. 

The Israelites lost the second battle that Joshua led in trying to claim their promised land. 

This was the war against Ai. Joshua was quite surprised. Shocked even.

Afterall, this loss does not in any way line up with God’s promise of victory. But there was a reason for the terrible defeat…

Sin. There was sin in the Israelite camp. 

And how was Joshua going to figure this out among over 2 million people?

God had told the Israalites not to touch the devoted things in Jericho. This was their first battle.

But Achan could not resist it. He brought back items from the Jericho war and hid them in his tent. 

When Israel lost against Ai, God revealed to Joshua that sin was in the camp. In a remarkable process, Joshua was led to the tribe then the clan then the family then the exact man who had committed sin.

Imagine Joshua walking through the camp. There is no visible person talking to him but his movements are steady and sure. 

No human being told Joshua which clan to visit and which family to zoom in on but he heard God’s voice.

What a relationship he had with God that made him hear God so clearly!

Joshua was obedient

When Moses was leading Israel, Joshua recognized that Moses was being led by God. He followed Moses closely, being obedient to his instructions.

For example, in the first attack against the Israelites as they made their way through the wilderness, Moses told Joshua to get an army together and fight. Joshua did so. (Exodus 17:8 – 16)

When Joshua became the leader, it was time to hear God for himself. Joshua obeyed whatever God told him to do.

After crossing the Jordan, God told Joshua to destroy Jericho. Joshua received very specific instructions about how to execute the battle. 

Joshua carried out God’s instructions just as they were given to him.

In the battle against Ai, in the midst of warfare, God spoke to Joshua about exactly what to do and when. Again, Joshua followed God’s lead and they won the battle.

It was because of Joshua’s faith and obedience why he survived the wilderness. Nearly all of those in his age group died and did not make it to the promised land. (Numbers 32:10 – 12)

Joshua was an excellent military strategist  

After defeating Jericho, the next conquest that Joshua took up was the battle against Ai.

In the battle against Ai he came up with a master plan to attack the city. Because the Ai army had beaten the Israelites in a previous war, Joshua used this previous defeat to his advantage. 

With a stroke of genius, he divided the Israelite army. Some he put up front to fight and others were left in hiding. 

When those in the front were being chased, the city of Ai was left without its army. The Israelite soldiers who were in hiding attacked the unprotected Ai city, burned it to the ground, and plundered it. 

Joshua was no ordinary army general! You can read this story in Joshua 7 – 8. This is just one of many battles that Joshua won.

Joshua was faithful to God to the very end of his life

In his last speech to the Israelites, Joshua recounted the entire history of the birth of the nation of Israel, from the time God called Abraham. 

He reminded them of their journey from Egypt to Canaan. And he encouraged them to stay faithful. 

You might be familiar with the popular Bible quotation “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”.

It was on this occasion of him bringing the curtains down on his leadership that Joshua said these words.

Character weaknesses of Joshua in the Bible

Joshua was a stellar warrior and a faithful man but he was not perfect. There were character qualities that show us he was just an ordinary man like us.

Joshua was fiercely loyal to the point of jealousy

When Moses became overwhelmed with the leadership of Israel, he cried out to God. In an effort to provide relief, God instructed Moses to gather 70 elders from Israel.

God was going to share the power that he had given to Moses. When that power was manifested in these men, Joshua had a problem with it.

Joshua became jealous on behalf of Moses.

And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” (Number 11:28-29)

Joshua was a young man then. Because he spent so much time with Moses he became very protective of and loyal towards Moses.

But Moses was able to correct his thinking and point him in the right direction.

Joshua had his fair share of fear, doubt, and inadequacy 

Although we know Joshua to be a fearless warrior and stellar leader, we often miss his struggle. Remember how God told him constantly “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid”

God says this a number of times as recorded in the book of Joshua.

Why do you suppose God needed to say this to Joshua repeatedly?

You see, Moses had died. Joshua was now in charge. In terms of leadership, the one person he could really talk about these things with was gone. 

For 40 years, Moses had been there. He was accessible and Joshua could get guidance. He no longer had this luxury. Now, it was just him and God and the very stubborn Israelites.

And while he is grieving the loss of Moses, he’s also having to undertake the mammoth task of leading Israel to the next stage of their lives.

Joshua was rightly struggling with fear. The task of leading Israel into the new age was big. There were so many unknowns.

But God assured him that he did not need to fear the unknown because He would be with Joshua.

Joshua as a leader in the Bible

This discussion would be incomplete if we did not talk about the characteristics of Joshua as a leader. There are so many we could explore but here five leadership qualities of Joshua to think on:

Joshua was a good follower and had a teachable spirit

Joshua obeyed the directions of his mentor, joshua was an encouraging and inspiring leader, joshua was decisive in his leadership.

Aristotle said, “He who cannot be a good follower cannot be a good leader.” This means good leaders are first good followers. This was one of Joshua’s finest leadership qualities. 

When Joshua was quite young, Moses took Joshua under his wings in order to train him.  Joshua basically became Moses’ shadow. When Moses went up into the mountain for 40 days to get the 10 Commandments. Joshua was with him. 

When Moses went to the Tent of Meeting to talk with God, Joshua was there. Following Moses around was the way Joshua observed what leadership should look like. 

By doing this Joshua was building his own skills in leadership. Moses was able to train Joshua on how to think as a leader and what to do when the time came for him to lead Israel himself. 

Joshua submitted himself to the mentorship of Moses.

Before Moses died, he gave Joshua specific instructions on what to do when he started the conquest of conquering nations and occupying their land. Joshua did just what he was told to do.

As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses. Joshua 11:15

Moses was a wise leader. He did a stellar job of succession planning. Long before he died, he prepared the next leader of Israel, Joshua. 

Now, Joshua needed to be humble enough to understand the big vision that God had for Israel and be willing to execute the steps to make that plan a reality.

Joshua could have chosen to do his own thing after Moses died, but he remained faithful to what he was taught by Moses. In doing so, Joshua honored the investment that Moses had made in him.

When the Israelites entered the land promised to them by God, they needed to undertake the process of occupying the land. This means they were to divide the land among the tribes.

When the tribe of Joseph received their portion, they complained. One reason for this complaint was that their land allotment was close to the Canaanites. 

This meant they would have to fight to claim their land and they doubted their ability to engage in warfare and win against the Canaanites.

You see, the Canaanites had better military resources (like iron) and they were known to be a very strong army.

Joshua encouraged them. He told them they were well able to fight and claim their land.

Joshua said:

“You are a numerous people and have great power. You shall not have one allotment only, but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders. For you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.” (Joshua 17:17-18, ESV)

Joshua expressed full confidence in their strength and ability. And with this encouragement, the tribe was able to do what they needed to do to claim their blessing.

After the first five tribes were set with their land allotment in the promised land, Joshua noticed that the other seven tribes were not actively trying to claim their land. 

Yes, they had entered the land but they had not occupied the land. They were still moving around like they had been for 40 years through the wilderness. 

They had become so comfortable with moving around like nomads that they were quite complacent with the idea of being unsettled. So, for many years they moved from place to place within the land.

Joshua would not have it any longer. 

So Joshua said to the people of Israel, “How long will you put off going in to take possession of the land, which the Lord, the God of your fathers, has given you? Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may set out and go up and down the land. They shall write a description of it with a view to their inheritances, and then come to me….And you shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me. And I will cast lots for you here before the Lord our God. Joshua 18:3-4, 7

Joshua firmly called them out of complacency. He evaluated the situation and provided direct, specific leadership. 

And it worked!

What can we learn from Joshua?

So we have seen that Joshua was a faithful man, courageous warrior, excellent leader and certainly imperfect. How can we allow his life to inspire us to live in the 21st century?

Consider these lessons from the life of Joshua.

Sometimes your blessing will be delayed because of others

At the time when God was ready for the Israelites to take the land he promised, they failed miserably in their faith.

In the story of the 12 spies, Joshua and Caleb were the only ones ready to go up, fight, and claim the land. They believed in God’s promise and power. They were not relying on their own strength.

But the other 10 spies did not feel the same way and they sowed the seed of fear and faithlessness in the Israelite camp.

God turned the whole community back into the wilderness and sentenced them to 40 years of wandering.

Joshua’s life (and Caleb’s too) took 40 years to move forward because this. Four decades of their lives was wasted because of other people’s doubt and fear.

Sometimes, our blessings are delayed because of others. And sometimes we delay the blessings of others because of our faithlessness.

This is a heartbreaking reality. A bitter pill to swallow.

But know that just like God was with Joshua, He will be with you as well. 

Which takes me to my next point.

God-allowed delays serve a bigger purpose

Joshua’s life was delayed for decades. That’s what it looked like on the surface.

But you know what? Alot happened in those 40 years.

For starters, Joshua became Moses’ right hand. Those decades in the wilderness was a season of training for Joshua that set him up for 30 years of successful leadership of Israel.

Just like God took 40 years to train Moses through shepherd life, Joshua also received 40 years of training under Moses.

If you are worried that your life is not moving fast enough, submit to the season you are in now. It might feel like a delay but know that God has a purpose for where you are now.

Settle into it and find out from God what you need to be learning throughout this season. 

Like Joshua, something bigger might be coming and you are going to need every bit of the lessons you are to be learning right now, right where you are.

There’s a blessing in obedience  

One of Joshua’s outstanding characteristics was that he was obedient. He was obedient to Moses. And, most importantly, he was obedient to God.

Especially when it came to fighting various battles, Joshua followed what God told him to do. Above his courage and bravery to run into battle, this is what made him a successful warrior.

You see, Joshua did what he was told to do. Victory was secured in his battles because he was obedient to God. 

His prosperity was tied to his obedience:

Above all, be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe all the law that My servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may prosper wherever you go . Joshua 1:7 (emphasis is mine)

When there was sin in the camp that caused them to lose a battle, he followed God’s voice to find the guilty party.

Do you struggle with doing what God tells you to do? If so, you will always find yourself in a losing battle.

You see, God has the big picture of your life in the palm of his hands. He knows what is happening in the camp of the enemy.

If he tells you to do something, it’s because he knows things you do not know. It makes sense to go with the person who has more information than you do. Doesn’t it?

There is hardly anything to lose by being obedient to God.

Take God at His words

When Joshua took over from Moses, it was during a pivotal time in Israel’s history. A 400 year old promise was about to be fulfilled.

This was big!

Since the time of Abraham, God had promised that Abraham’s descendants would occupy a certain area of land. This was a promise all of Israel knew. Now, their faith was becoming visible.

And Joshua was the one with the responsibility of leading Israel into making it happen. 

The problem was, Moses had died and Joshua felt like a fish out of water without his leadership mentor.

This is where Joshua was going to need to trust God and take Him at His word. Over and over God said “Do not be afraid” (​​Joshua 1:7, 9, ; 8:1; 10:8).

God’s command to Joshua to let go of fear was linked to His assurance that God would be with him in everything he did.

And God did just that!

Struggling to move forward in your purpose because of fear? Hear God’s command to Joshua: Don’t be afraid. God called you to it so He will lead you through it.

Take God at His word. He is good for it. Take a step forward. God is not only with you but He has also gone before you to prepare and clear the way.

Trust His words to you!

Leadership lessons from Joshua in the Bible

If you find yourself in need of some practical, Bible-based leadership nuggets, the life of Joshua is a good place to look. Here are some lessons about leadership to take away from Joshua’s 30-year stint.

Find a mentor and coach

If you desire to be an excellent leader, you will not get there on your own. Every successful leader has a mentor or coach or both. 

Joshua had Moses. The reason Joshua did so well as a leader was because he had been thoroughly trained for nearly four decades.

He observed Moses. He followed Moses’ instructions. He got opportunities to make errors and get correction from Moses. He had someone to talk to about challenges and work out a path for a solution.

If you truly want to be a cut above the rest in your leadership, find a coach and a community. You will need it to sharpen your skills.

Be decisive in your leadership and clear in your communication

Joshua had to lead a set of people who were wayward, stubborn, and lazy. Earlier I mentioned how the last seven tribes wandered throughout the land. 

They were just refusing to claim their land in battle so they could settle down. They had gotten comfortable with the idea of moving around.

Joshua called them out. He saw exactly what the problem was and came up with a solution that had clear and direct steps.

He gave them an assignment to do and then they were to return to him. The elders of the tribes were to get together, work out the land allotments and then tell Joshua what they decided on.

Joshua would then oversee the division of the lands.

And with this, the problem of the seven tribes refusing to settle was solved.

The people you lead need to know the decisions that have been made and next steps need to be communicated so clearly that they know exactly what to do.

Be deliberate about mentoring and training someone else

If there was an area of leadership in which Joshua failed miserably it would be succession planning.

Although Joshua was a stellar leader, he did not do for anyone else what Moses did for him. Moses worked with him for nearly 40 years. In doing this, the future leadership of Israel was secured.

But when Joshua died, there was a period of anarchy in Israel.

There was no leadership and people did whatever they wanted to do (Judges 21:25). 

Earlier in his life, Joshua had been so loyal to Moses that he became jealous when Moses’ power was shared with others.

It seems Joshua might not have gotten rid of this weakness. (But this is just my considered opinion). Joshua did not reproduce his leadership skills in anyone else.

If you are a leader, take the time to pour into someone else. You will not always be around. Who will take over after you move to a new job or city, go into retirement, or die? 

Whether in your career or at church, seek out a young person who has great leadership potential and pour into them.

Many of our churches are suffering from a lack of good leaders because the current leaders hog the positions and will not let anyone in. This is ungodly.

Help to secure the future leadership of your congregation by teaching someone else the ropes of godly leadership.

Facts about Joshua in the Bible

Here are a few fun facts about Joshua to add to this delicious study.

Joshua meaning in the Bible

Joshua in the Bible means Jehovah is salvation. The name Joshua is the Hebrew form of the name Jesus.

Joshua wife and sons in the Bible

Scripture does not reveal any details about Joshua’s marital status. In Joshua 24:25, he does mention that he has a household but we do not know for sure from the Bible who were the members of this household.

Joshua father in the Bible

The name of Joshua’s father was Nun. (Joshua 1:1)

Joshua first mentioned in the Bible

Joshua is first mentioned in Exodus 17:8 when Moses calls him to wage war against the Amelekites.

Final words on character of Joshua in the Bible

In many ways, Joshua is quite similar to the character of Joseph in the Bible . Brave. Faithful. Bright. Decisive. Influential.

Joshua’s qualities allow us to see how God shapes a man for the work he calls him to. I pray that you will see God’s movement in your life in the same way.

Keep in your heart God’s words to Joshua: Do not be afraid. I am with you.

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Reader Interactions

December 7, 2023 at 11:14 pm

Wow, exploring the character of Joshua in the Bible for life and leadership lessons was a truly enlightening read! The depth of Joshua’s journey and the insights drawn from his experiences offer valuable perspectives on resilience, faith, and effective leadership. The narrative is engaging, and the analysis of Joshua’s actions and decisions provides practical takeaways that can be applied in various aspects of life. It’s fascinating to see how biblical stories continue to hold relevance and offer timeless wisdom. This content not only delves into the biblical narrative but also bridges it with contemporary lessons, making it a thought-provoking and inspirational piece. Great job!

December 8, 2023 at 7:04 pm

Thank you so much for your very thoughtful review of the post. It is indeed very fascinating (and exciting) that the Bible continues to refresh and inform our lives even though we are hundreds and thousands of years removed from the stories. I am grateful to God that you found it inspiring. God bless and thanks again for sharing.

November 26, 2023 at 9:26 pm

Boa noite, de que fonte tiraste que Josué governou 30 anos? Ellen G. White falou algo a respeito? Por que os próprios israelenses se contradizem quanto a isso, com Eupólemo atribuindo 30 anos, Josefo 25, o Seder Olam Rabbah 28 e outros, assim como autores cristãos em geral 27. Há uma fonte ou prova conclusiva da duração do governo de Josué? Grato por me responderes..

December 8, 2023 at 7:16 pm

Hello Ed. My reference to Joshua’s 30 year reign is an approximate number. Since the Bible did not explicitly give a time, scholars can only pull from the story and its context to piece together a number. As I said in the most, Joshua was a very young man when leaving Egpyt. When you consider the timeline and his age at death, we can only make an educated guess. Please consider though that the number of years that Joshua led Israel is less important than his character, his relationship with God, his legacy and what we can learn from his life. I usually prefer to focus on the things that will help me grow my relationship with Christ. I hope this helps.

Thanks for joining the discussion. Blessings to you.

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Sermon Series: Encouragement for the Journey of Faith

• Michael Rochelle

January 1, 2014

Take a glimpse at the last chapter of Deuteronomy. That final scene showsMoses standing on Mount Pisgah, gazing down at the land long promised, the land he will never enter. We can imagine him weary and worn from years of leadership. Moses died there in Moab, and the Israelites wept over his death for 30 days. What an honorable tribute it was to hear of his relationship with God:

“Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deut. 34:10). Gladly, the story does not end there. God's relationship with His people did not end with Moses' death. Joshua 1:1 picks up the drama of the people of God and their move to the Promised Land.

Joshua is a book about possession of the land of plenty and blessing. The people of Israel were moving to possess the land promised in the Book of Exodus.This would fulfill the promise made to Abraham by God, who never goes back on a promise.

However, the people of God soon found out that the land could be possessed only when they walked in obedience to God's direction and when they depended on His strength, not their own. It was a lesson they would see again and again.

This book becomes a clear picture of our walk with God today. Just as Israel moved from the bondage of Egypt, the believer moves from slavery to sin through faith in Christ. God faithfully provided for the Israelites and worked on their behalf, just as He does for us in our lives. Let's walk through this book to find encouragement for a life of faith.

Sermons in this series

How to Get From Here to There (Joshua 1)

How to Overcome Obstacles (Joshua 6)

What Happens When We Fail? (Joshua 7)

Regaining Lost Ground (Joshua 8)

Be On Your Guard (Joshua 9)

Moving Forward in Faith (Joshua 10)

How to Claim a Mountain (Joshua 14)

Strength for Service (Joshua 24)

Michael Rochelle is pastor of Shadow Hills Baptist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Joshua: seizing the promised land

by Jeffrey Kranz | Jul 7, 2013 | Bible Books

Overview of Joshua

The nation of Israel has followed Moses for 40 years. God has delivered them from slavery in Egypt, disciplined them in the wilderness, and brought them to the land He promised their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But now Moses is dead, and his aide Joshua is commissioned to lead the people into the promised land of Canaan.

The book of Joshua kicks off the section of Old Testament history in the modern Christian Bible. It’s also the first book of the Former Prophets in the Tanakh , the Bible of Jesus’ time.

The book of Joshua marks God fulfilling His promise to Abraham: that the land of Canaan would belong to his descendants. More than 500 years later, the children of Israel finally settle the land and make it theirs.

This book also marks the end of an age for Israel. After Moses and Joshua die, there is no commissioned leader of the whole nation, save God Himself. Israel moves into the age of judges , when God periodically raises leaders to deliver Israel from her enemies.

Theme verse of Joshua

“Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.” (Jos 1:6)

See more verse illustrations .

Main characters in the book of Joshua

There are a handful of important characters to note in the book of Joshua. The most important two are, of course, Joshua and Israel’s God.

He’s from the tribe of Ephraim , and he served as Moses’s aide since his youth (Nu 11:28; 13:8). There were multiple points in the Torah (the five preceding books of the Bible) when Israel turned away from their God and/or Moses, but Joshua was completely loyal to both. Joshua was not involved when Israel turned away to worship a golden calf (Ex 32:17–19). Furthermore, when Moses sent Joshua and eleven other spies into the promised land ahead of the people, Joshua was one of the only spies who believed that Israel’s God could help them seize the land (Nu 14:6–9). At the end of Moses’ life, God chooses Joshua to lead the nation into the promised land.

The first half of Joshua is filled with battles of conquest as Joshua and Israel invade the land of Canaan. However, the primary warrior isn’t Joshua. The ancient Israelites viewed this as a spiritual war, and the true commander was the Lord himself. Thanks to Israel’s God, Jericho’s walls tumble, the sun and the moon stand still, and thirty-one kings are routed by a single nation.

A few other noteworthy characters appear in Joshua—and their noteworthiness is directly tied to their faith in God. Rahab , the Canaanite harlot, is an unlikely ally to Israel’s God—but she’s loyal to him anyway.  Achan betrays God and his Israelite countrymen for riches, which has grave consequences for him and the nation.  Caleb , who also kept faith in God when he spied out Canaan with Joshua, finally receives his share of the promised land (Jos 14:6–15).

Summary of the book of Joshua

Joshua falls into a two large parts, both of which are made up of two smaller parts—allowing the book to fall roughly into quarters.

I. Joshua conquers the land (Jos 1–12)

A. entering the land (1–5).

The book opens with God commissioning Joshua to be strong, courageous, and loyal to him, because it’s on Joshua to lead the people into the land that God promised to their ancestors. God demonstrates his support for Joshua (and the rest of the nation) by miraculously stopping the Jordan river and allowing the nation to enter Canaan on dry ground. It’s a callback to how God famously parted the Red Sea for Moses: just like God saved the former generation from the gods of Egypt, had God’s protection.

This section culminates with Joshua meeting a mysterious warrior. Joshua asks the swordsman whose side he’s on: Israel’s or her enemies. The stranger says he’s on neither side, and reveals himself as the commander of God’s army. This is a key theme for not only Joshua, but the rest of the books of the Prophets : God isn’t the one who takes sides. Humans must choose where their loyalties lie.

B. Possessing the land (6–12)

Beginning with the famous “battle” of Jericho, the Lord wins victory after victory on Israel’s behalf. As the Israelites move through the land of Canaan, we see people reacting different ways to Israel’s God. Some natives of the land, like Rahab and the Gibeonites, choose to side with God, and they integrate into the nation of Israel. The thirty-one kings who oppose Israel are defeated. And even the rogue Israelite who chose wealth over loyalty to God faced horrible consequences.

II. Joshua distributes the land (13–24)

A. tribal territories (13–22).

Hundreds of years earlier in the Bible’s storyline, God promised that Abraham’s descendants would have the land of Canaan as their possession. Abraham’s descendants have grown into a nation of twelve tribes, each of which finally inherits a portion of land. This section of the book lays out the cities and regions that fell to each tribe.

B. Joshua’s commission (23–24)

Before he died, Moses gave Joshua’s generation a choice. They could obey the Torah and enjoy God’s blessing and protection in the land, or abandon their God and forfeit both his protection and the land itself. (This is all in the book of Deuteronomy .) As Joshua nears the end of his life, he does the same thing. Joshua gathers the next generation and tells them that they will be tempted to serve the gods of Mesopotamia (Abraham’s homeland), the gods of their new land, or the God that gave them everything they enjoy. The people swear to follow God, and they do … at least until Joshua and his contemporaries die.

What happens after that? That’s what the book of Judges is all about.

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“Joshua 1–24: The Entry into the Promised Land,” Old Testament Student Manual Genesis-2 Samuel (1980), 234–243

“Joshua 1–24,” Old Testament Student Manual , 234–243

Joshua 1–24

The Entry into the Promised Land

(21-1) Introduction

How do you feel when you stand on the verge of reaching a long-awaited goal? Are you happy, sad, or relieved that the journey is nearly over? Are you frightened of the tests and trials that still lie ahead, or do you view your future with courage and faith in God?

Forty years of wandering in the wilderness had brought Israel to stand upon a mountaintop overlooking the land of promise. Every Israelite over twenty years of age when they left Egypt under Moses’ leadership was now dead, except for three people: Moses, Joshua, and Caleb (see Numbers 14:38 ). All the others had died without realizing their cherished blessing. Why? What caused those Israelites who left Egypt by God’s power to lose their privilege of setting foot upon the promised land?

In formulating an answer, remember that God never breaks a promise. Forty years before this time God had told the children of Israel, “I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to you. … for an heritage: I am the Lord.” ( Exodus 6:7–8 .)

God always keeps His promises. He has power to make them, and He has power to fulfill them. Some doubt this fact. The initial company of Israelites who departed from Egypt did so with reluctance. Bad as things were in Egypt, the known seemed better than the unknown to those who lacked faith. During their forty years of desert wandering, the children of Israel alternately blessed and cursed the name of God. When He showed them miracles, they humbled themselves. When the tests and rigors of desert life became difficult, they hardened their hearts in anger and resentment. They forgot His power and trembled in fear at the thought of facing the Canaanites. In so doing, they lost their privilege to enter the land of promise.

As their children stood on the mountain and saw in the distance the promised land, the realization of their expectations, were they ready? Did they appreciate the great blessing of receiving that which was denied their fathers? Could they move into the land under the leadership of a living prophet and possess the country on the Lord’s terms? Or would they pollute their inheritance, as their fathers had done before?

Notes and Commentary on Joshua 1–24

(21-2) joshua 1:1 . the book of joshua and the man joshua.

“The Book of Joshua is one of the most important writings in the old covenant, and should never be separated from the Pentateuch, of which it is at once both the continuation and completion. Between this Book and the five Books of Moses, there is the same analogy as between the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. The Pentateuch contains a history of the Acts of the great Jewish legislator, and the Laws on which the Jewish Church should be established. The Book of Joshua gives an account of the establishment of that Church in the Land of Canaan, according to the oft-repeated promises and declarations of God. The Gospels give an account of the transactions of Jesus Christ, the great Christian legislator, and of those Laws on which his Church should be established, and by which it should be governed. The Acts of the Apostles gives an account of the actual establishment of that Church, according to the predictions and promises of its great founder. Thus, then, the Pentateuch bears as pointed a relation to the Gospels as the Book of Joshua does to the Acts of the Apostles.” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:4.)

Clarke called the Old Testament the Jewish Church, meaning the organization founded by Jehovah among the early Israelites. But Latter-day Saints know that Jehovah was the premortal Christ. This fact explains the remarkable parallels. Both Churches were the Church of Jesus Christ, given in different circumstances and with different priesthood emphasis. But in both cases baptisms were performed, and the principles of righteous living and faith in God were clearly taught.

These parallels suggest that the book of Joshua may continue the typology, or symbolism, of Christ, just as did the law of Moses. Indeed, Latter-day Saints are taught that Moses was “in the similitude of [the] Only Begotten” ( Moses 1:6 ; see also McConkie, The Promised Messiah, pp. 442–48). Just as Moses, in his role as prophet, lawgiver, mediator, and deliverer, was a type of Jesus Christ, so Joshua, who led Israel into the promised land, was also a type of Jesus, who leads all the faithful into the ultimate land of promise, the celestial kingdom. (See Alma’s comparison of the promised land to eternal life in Alma 37:45 .)

“Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, was first called Oshea or Hoshea, … [ Numbers 13:16 ], which signifies saved, a saviour, or salvation; but afterwards Moses, guided no doubt by a prophetic spirit, changed his name into … Yehoshua or Joshua, which signifies he shall save, or the salvation of Jehovah; referring, no doubt, to his being God’s instrument in saving the people from the hands of their enemies, and leading them from victory to victory over the different Canaanitish nations, till he put them in possession of the promised land. … By the Septuagint he is called … , Jesus Naue, or Jesus son of Nave: and in the New Testament he is expressly called … Jesus; [see Acts 7:45 ; Hebrews 4:8 ].” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:3.) In other words, in the original Hebrew both Joshua and Jesus were the same name.

There are further analogies between organizations of the old and new covenants: “On this very ground of analogy Christ obviously founded the Christian Church; hence he had his twelve disciples, from whom the Christian Church was to spring, as the Jewish Church or twelve tribes sprang from the twelve sons of Jacob. He had his seventy or seventy-two disciples, in reference to the seventy-two elders, six chosen out of each of the twelve tribes, who were united with Moses and Aaron in the administration of justice, &c., among the people. Christ united in his person the characters both of Moses and Aaron, or legislator and high priest; hence he ever considers himself, and is considered by his apostles and followers, the same in the Christian Church that Moses and Aaron were in the Jewish. As a rite of initiation into his Church, he instituted baptism in the place of circumcision, both being types of the purification of the heart and holiness of life; and as a rite of establishment and confirmation, the holy eucharist [the Lord’s Supper] in place of the paschal lamb, both being intended to commemorate the atonement made to God for the sins of the people. The analogies are so abundant, and indeed universal, that time would fail to enumerate them. On this very principle it would be a matter of high utility to read these Old Testament and the New Testament books together, as they reflect a strong and mutual light on each other, bear the most decided testimony to the words and truth of prophecy, and show the ample fulfilment of all the ancient and gracious designs of God.” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:5.)

(21-3) Joshua 1:4 . The Promised Land

Biblical Israel is generally thought of as that region south and southwest of the Lebanon mountains, north and east of Egypt, east of the Mediterranean coastal plain, and west of the Arabian desert. In dimension, Israel was roughly 150 miles from Dan to Beersheba, and at its greatest width it was about 75 miles across. The Lord promised Joshua that the original extent of the land promised to Abraham was to be given to Israel (see Genesis 15:18 ; Joshua 1:4 ). Although the Israelites who went into the promised land with Joshua were generally faithful and obedient, as a nation Israel soon returned to their old ways and lost the blessings promised to them of winning the whole land. Not until the time of David and Solomon (about two hundred years later) did Israel control the land given in the original covenant and then only for a short while, for they soon lost the outermost parts of it again.

(21-4) Joshua 1:5–18

After affirming that Joshua had the power and authority of Moses (see v. 5 ), the Lord charged him to make the law the basis of all he did. He was not to vary from it (see v. 7 ), and it was not to depart out of his mouth, that is, all that he spoke was to conform to it, and he was to meditate upon it constantly (see v. 8 ). The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, who were to inherit lands already conquered on the east side of the Jordan, were charged to join the other tribes in conquering the rest of the land. These tribes showed their loyalty by accepting that charge and covenanting to put to death any who refused to do so.

(21-5) Joshua 2:1–7 . Was Rahab a Harlot?

“In the narrative of these transactions Rahab is called zonah, which our own, after the ancient versions, renders ‘harlot.’ The Jewish writers, however, being unwilling to entertain the idea of their ancestors being involved in a disreputable association at the commencement of their great undertaking, chose to interpret the word ‘hostess,’ one who keeps a public house, as if from the Hebrew word meaning ‘to nourish’ (Joseph. Antiq. v:I; ii and vii; comp. the Targum and Kimchi and Jarchi on the text). Christian interpreters also are inclined to adopt this interpretation for the sake of the character of the woman of whom the Apostle speaks well, and who would appear from Matt. 1:4 to have become by a subsequent marriage with Salmon, prince of Judah, an ancestress of Jesus. But we must be content to take facts as they stand, and not strain them to meet difficulties; and it is now universally admitted by every sound Hebrew scholar that zonah means ‘harlot,’ and not ‘hostess.’ It signifies harlot in every other text where it occurs, the idea of ‘hostess’ not being represented by this or any other word in Hebrew, as the function represented by it did not exist. There were no inns; and when certain substitutes for inns subsequently came into use, they were never, in any Eastern country, kept by women. On the other hand, strangers from beyond the river might have repaired to the house of a harlot without suspicion or remark. The Bedouins from the desert constantly do so at this day in their visits to Cairo and Bagdad. The house of such a woman was also the only one to which they, as perfect strangers, could have had access, and certainly the only one in which they could calculate on obtaining the information they required without danger from male inmates. This concurrence of analogies in the word, in the thing, and in the probability of circumstances, ought to settle the question. If we are concerned for the morality of Rahab, the best proof of her reformation is found in the fact of her subsequent marriage to Salmon; this implies her previous conversion to Judaism, for which indeed her discourse with the spies evinces that she was prepared.” (Fallows, Bible Encyclopedia, s.v. “Rahab,” 3:1424.)

That Rahab’s faith in Jehovah was sincere is supported by the fact that both Paul and James cited her as an example of faith (see Hebrews 11:31 ; James 2:25 ).

(21-6) Joshua 2:8–24

These verses illustrate the value placed upon an oath or promise by men of ancient times. Unfortunately, men of that day were more faithful to their covenants with other men than they were to those made with God. A token was agreed upon as proof of their intention to protect Rahab and her family from destruction in return for her assistance. Rahab was to place a “line of scarlet thread” in the window of her house ( v. 18 ). This thread would serve as a reminder to attacking Israel that Rahab and all within her house were to be spared from destruction.

(21-7) Joshua 3

As Moses was magnified by the Lord in the eyes of Israel when God parted the Red Sea, so Joshua was magnified in the same way through the parting of the Jordan River. In both instances Israel passed through the water into a newness of life. This passage may have been what Paul had in mind when he spoke of Israel’s baptism “in the cloud and in the sea” ( 1 Corinthians 10:2 ; see also vv. 1, 3–4 ). In each instance the passage represented a new covenant agreement. Israel passed over the River Jordan on the first day of the Passover (see Joshua 3:17 ; 4:19 ; compare Exodus 12:3 ).

(21-8) Joshua 4 . Why Did Israel Set Up Memorial Stones?

Biblical peoples were very fond of symbolic acts to commemorate great events. In order to memorialize God’s blessing in parting the waters of the Jordan River, Joshua commanded that twelve stones be taken from the riverbed and placed where all the people could see them: “These stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever” ( v. 7 ). In later years, when their children would ask the meaning of the stones, Israel could rehearse the story of God’s miracle; thus, the stones would serve as a visible reminder of God’s power.

(21-9) Joshua 5:1

It is important to remember that the Israelites did not move into a land where no one lived. On the contrary, the area known as Canaan had been inhabited for centuries. The mention of the Amorite and Canaanite kings and their response to the miraculous crossing of the Jordan further indicates that all of the land of Canaan was laid at the feet of Israel by the Lord. They had only to physically conquer those who were already defeated mentally, but they lost the advantage the Lord gave them when they began to forsake their covenants with Him.

Mt. Gerizim

(21-10) Joshua 5:2–8 . Why Were the Israelites Circumcised Now?

Israel had wandered forty years in the wilderness because they were not faithful in their covenant with God. It is not surprising, then, that during that period they had failed to continue the practice of circumcision, which was the symbol of their covenant. Therefore, after Joshua had led his people through the waters of the Jordan—a type of baptism (see Reading 21-7)—onto the sacred ground that had been denied their fathers, the Lord required them to reinstitute the physical token of the covenant.

(21-11) Joshua 5:10–12 . The Manna Is No Longer

This event marks a major turning point for Israel. For the first time in forty years the children of Israel were on their own. The Israelites had been tenderly nursed with manna during that time, but now they were to stand forth in maturity and, from their own labor, eat the bread of the land. Considering that the manna had appeared every day but the Sabbath for forty years, or more than twelve thousand times, it truly was the end of a remarkable era.

(21-12) Joshua 5:13–14 . Who Was the Captain of the Lord’s Host That Joshua Saw?

Although there is a noticeable lack of detail in this account, what is recorded suggests a miraculous vision shown to Joshua. Most commentators assume either a mortal servant of God or an angel came to strengthen Joshua and Israel as they prepared for their first battle.

Two things, however, suggest that Joshua may actually have seen Jehovah, the premortal Jesus Christ. First, when Joshua fell down to worship him, no attempt was made to stop him. Yet the mortal servants of God are quick to prevent others from worshiping them, even when they have demonstrated great power (see Acts 10:25–26 ; 14:8–18 ; Alma 18:15–17 ). The same thing is true of angels, for twice, when he was awed at the presence of angels and fell at their feet to worship them, John the Revelator was told the same thing, “See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets” ( Revelation 22:9 ; see also 19:10 ). The angel who appeared to Samson’s parents clearly taught them that any offerings were to be to the Lord (see Judges 13:16 ). But no attempt was made to prevent Joshua from falling down to worship this being.

Second, the personage commanded Joshua to remove his shoes because he was standing on holy ground—the same instructions Jehovah gave to Moses on Mount Sinai (see Exodus 3:5 ). But, since this account in Deuteronomy is very scant on details, it can only be surmised that the being may have been the Lord.

(21-13) Joshua 6 . The Fall of Jericho

The inhabitants of Jericho knew full well of the powerful destruction that Israel had directed against the kingdom of the Amorites east of Jordan. Therefore, it is no surprise that they shut up their walled city against Israel.

The prevalence of the number seven in the Lord’s dealing with Jericho’s defense is significant. Throughout the law of Moses, seven was used numerous times to signify the covenant. Its association with the covenant probably stems from the idea that “ seven … is associated with completion, fulfilment, and perfection” (Douglas, New Bible Dictionary, s.v. “number,” p. 898). By patterning the conquest of Jericho in sevens, the Lord taught Israel that their success lay in the covenant with Jehovah; His perfect power brought conquest, not their own.

The horn blown was the Hebrew shofar, or ram’s horn (see vv. 4–6 ). Scholars are generally agreed that the shofar was the oldest musical instrument in Israel. After being flattened by heat, the horn of a ram was forced to turn up at the ends. This shape thus created a most unusual and easily recognizable sound. In early times the horn was used to warn of approaching armies, to give the signal for attack, or to dismiss troops from the field.

As the ark of the covenant symbolized the presence of God in the tabernacle’s Holy of Holies, so it symbolized His leadership of the armies of Israel as they carried it before them while they marched around the city (see vv. 4, 6–8 ). This was not a mere mortal conflict: Canaan was to be destroyed by the very God of Israel. This truth was impressively taught to Israel by the presence of the ark.

Great care was given to honoring every detail of the oath that had been given to Rahab.

(21-14) Joshua 6:20 . What Caused the Walls of Jericho to Fall?

Men have argued this question for ages. Did the marching feet, the blaring trumpets, and the final shout weaken the walls in some way so that they tumbled in accordance with natural law? Or was some other principle in operation? Did the Lord simply, at a convenient point in time, level the walls by His power? Elder James E. Talmage discussed this question in these words:

“May we not believe that when Israel encompassed Jericho, the captain of the Lord’s host and his heavenly train were there, and that before their super-mortal agency, sustained by the faith and obedience of the human army, the walls were leveled?

“Some of the latest and highest achievements of man in the utilization of natural forces approach the conditions of spiritual operations. To count the ticking of a watch thousands of miles away; to speak in but an ordinary tone and be heard across the continent; to signal from one hemisphere and be understood on the other though oceans roll and roar between; to bring the lightning into our homes and make it serve as fire and torch; to navigate the air and to travel beneath the ocean surface; to make chemical and atomic energies obey our will—are not these miracles? The possibility of such would not have been received with credence before their actual accomplishment. Nevertheless, these and all other miracles are accomplished through the operation of the laws of nature, which are the laws of God.” (Talmage, Articles of Faith, pp. 222–23.)

(21-15) Joshua 7:1–13 . Why Did the Israelites Lose the Battle of Ai?

“Consider the defeat of Israel by the men of Ai; a law of righteousness had been violated, and things that were accursed had been introduced into the camp of the covenant people; this transgression interposed resistance to the current of divine help, and until the people had sanctified themselves the power was not renewed unto them” (Talmage, Articles of Faith, p. 105; see also Joshua 7:10–13 .)

For further discussion of the significance of this loss, see Points to Ponder in this chapter.

(21-16) Joshua 7:6

The act of placing dust upon one’s head had the same symbolic meaning as dressing in sackcloth and sitting in ashes. It was a token of great remorse, true humility, and deep repentance. It also symbolized the unworthy station of man compared to deity (see Genesis 37:34 ; compare Job 2:12 ; Lamentations 2:10 ). This sense of unworthiness seems to be the meaning of King Benjamin’s comment that the people considered themselves as less than the dust of the earth (see Mosiah 4:2 ).

(21-17) Joshua 7:7–26 . Why Was Achan Worthy of Death?

It may appear that the action taken against Achan for taking the booty of Jericho was too severe, but the death of the mortal body may often be a merciful act both to other people and to the offender (see 1 Nephi 4:13 ; Leviticus 24:17 ). Some offenses of men are of such consequence that the payment of the life of the offender is required for the expiation of the sin. Achan’s disobedience cost the lives of thirty-six men (see Joshua 7:5 ). But even more important, Israel’s spiritual death would be more serious than the physical death of individuals. For Israel to fail to obey the Lord in all things would be tantamount to depriving her of the land of Canaan (see 1 Nephi 17:31–35 ). It is apparent from his voluntary confession that Achan understood this truth (see Joshua 7:20–21 ).

See the tables of weights and measures in Maps and Charts to better understand the value of a shekel of silver.

(21-18) Joshua 8

More than Jericho, Ai, the second city conquered after Israel crossed the Jordan, became a model for the conquests of other cities. Once Ai was taken, Joshua moved Israel to Mount Ebal and fulfilled the instructions of Moses to build an altar there and pronounce the blessings and cursings of the Lord from Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim (see vv. 30–35 ; Deuteronomy 27 ).

(21-19) Joshua 9:3–27

Although the subtle alliance manufactured through deceitful means saved their lives, the people of Gibeon became the perpetual slaves of Israel. Moses had warned Israel not to make any covenants with the Canaanites (see Deuteronomy 7:2 ), and this warning may explain why Joshua was so upset when he discovered the deception. Since the oath had been made, however, he honored it, placing the people of Gibeon in slavery instead of having them killed.

(21-20) Joshua 10:1–11

Adonizedek (a Hebrew word meaning “lord of justice”) is an example of many other civil leaders who chose titles for themselves or had titles bestowed upon them by greater rulers whose vassals they were (Fallows, Bible Encyclopedia, s.v. “Adonizedek,” 1:56). Perhaps he, like other Canaanite kings, assumed this name in imitation of the ancient patriarchal king of Salem, Melchizedek, “king of righteousness” (Fallows, Bible Encyclopedia, s.v. “Melchizedek” 2:1136). He was the chief of the confederacy of five kings that made war against Gibeon.

(21-21) Joshua 10:12–14 . Did the Sun Really Stand Still in the Heavens?

The Book of Mormon makes it clear that it was the earth, not the sun, that was involved in Joshua’s miracle. Mormon, discoursing on the might and power of God, wrote:

“Yea, and if he say unto the earth—Move—it is moved. Yea, if he say unto the earth—Thou shalt go back, that it lengthen out the day for many hours—it is done; And thus, according to his word the earth goeth back, and it appeareth unto man that the sun standeth still; yea, and behold, this is so; for surely it is the earth that moveth and not the sun. And behold, also, if he say unto the waters of the great deep—Be thou dried up—it is done. Behold, if he say unto this mountain—Be thou raised up, and come over and fall upon that city, that it be buried up—behold it is done.” ( Helaman 12:13–17 .)

“So here we have the words of a Book of Mormon prophet confirming the fact that God can—and would, when necessary—cause that the earth should stop in its rotation to lengthen a day. And since on the occasion in question he was fighting to bring victory to Israel, this was one of his means of doing so.

“If we have doubts about the Lord’s willingness or ability to interrupt the usual movements of heavenly bodies, how shall we explain such phenomena as the following:

“‘But, behold, I say unto you that before this great day shall come the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall be turned into blood, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and there shall be greater signs in heaven above and in the earth beneath.’ ( D&C 29:14 .)

“Or: ‘And they shall see signs and wonders, for they shall be shown forth in the heavens above and in the earth beneath. And they shall behold blood, and fire, and vapors of smoke. And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven.’ ( D&C 45:40–42 .)

“‘For not many days hence and the earth shall tremble and reel to and fro as a drunken man; and the sun shall hide his face, and shall refuse to give light; and the moon shall be bathed in blood; and the stars shall become exceedingly angry, and shall cast themselves down as a fig that falleth from off a fig-tree.’ ( D&C 88:87 .)

“Or: ‘And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withhold its light, and the stars shall be hurled from their places.’ ( D&C 133:49 .)

“The episode of Joshua commanding the sun and moon to stand still was insignificant compared to the stellar upsets that will accompany the second advent of the Savior, when stars will be hurled from their places. Some power will darken the sun and make the moon refuse to give its light. (Of course the moon will be darkened as soon as the sun gives no further light, since the moon’s light is merely reflected from the sun.)

“It is appropriate here to quote Sir Charles Marston, a most intelligent ‘critic of the critics,’ who said that it is time we begin ‘to recognize the extravagance of its [criticism by the intellectuals] underlying assumption, that what the critic did not know could not have been! ’ (The Bible Comes Alive, New York: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1947, p. 182.)” (Petersen, Joshua, pp. 58–59.)

(21-22) Joshua 10:13 . What Is the Book of Jasher and Where Can It Be Found?

Like numerous other books mentioned in the Old and New Testament but not contained within their pages, the book of Jasher appears to have been a source that contained accounts of heroic deeds in ancient Israel. It is thought by many to have been written in verse, but it likely contained some prose as well. A book with this title is currently available, but it is of doubtful origin, according to most scholars, and probably is not the one mentioned in the Old Testament.

(21-23) Joshua 10:24

To place one’s foot upon the neck of a fallen enemy was a symbolic act that demonstrated complete subjugation. One had then been literally trodden underfoot. This fact is often represented in Egyptian and Assyrian sculptures and wall paintings (see 1 Kings 5:3 ; Isaiah 51:23 ).

(21-24) Joshua 10:28–43

The destruction of the five nations of the Canaanites was accomplished over a period of days rather than on the same day as the battle at Gibeon.

(21-25) Joshua 11

This chapter summarizes the conquest of northern Canaan. The destruction of these northern kingdoms, however, required a long time (see v. 18 ). The note in verse 22 is of interest because the Anakim were a race of giants (see Numbers 13:32–33 ) and because Goliath came from Gath (see 1 Samuel 17:4 ).

(21-26) Joshua 11:6, 9 . What Does Hough Mean?

To hough a horse is to cut the leg tendons above and behind the tarsal joint or ankle, thus rendering the horse useless. The Israelites were foot soldiers rather than charioteers. The fear seems to have been that should the horses and chariots be used as vehicles of war, Israel would turn from faith in God and trust in the arm of flesh (see 2 Samuel 8:4 ; Isaiah 31:1 ).

(21-27) Joshua 13–21

These chapters contain accounts of the division of the land of Canaan among the twelve tribes of Israel. The map of Canaan in Maps and Charts gives a clear picture of how the land was divided between the tribes. Chapter 18 discusses the Levite cities commanded by Moses to be given to members of the tribe of Levi (see Reading 18-24 ; Numbers 35:9–27 ), and chapter 20 lists the cities of refuge and their purpose.

(21-28) Joshua 22

This chapter demonstrates the critical balance between true worship and apostate idolatry. Without a knowledge of why the 2½ tribes had built the altar on the other side of Jordan, one would judge the action to be an adulteration of the holy worship in the tabernacle. Satan’s counterfeits can appear very convincing. Fortunately, the tribes showed that it was an act of legitimate worship and not idolatry. The tragedy is that in a short time Israel would no longer react strongly against idolatry.

(21-29) Joshua 23

The thirty-one Canaanite city-states destroyed by Joshua in his day were not all that the Lord intended to purge from Israel (see Numbers 23:4–5 ). Since men tend to adopt the values or habits of those with whom they associate, it was imperative that all idolatrous nations in Canaan be destroyed. Joshua warned Israel of three things in the event that some heathen nations, including those that surrounded them, were allowed to remain: (1) beware of social intercourse with them (see Joshua 23:7 ), (2) refrain from worshiping their false gods (see vv. 7–11 ), and (3) avoid intermarriages with them (see v. 12 ). Otherwise, “snares and traps,” “scourges,” and “thorns” awaited Israel ( v. 13 ).

(21-30) Joshua 24:1–28 . “Choose You This Day Whom Ye Will Serve”

Near the end of his life Joshua called his people together for a final blessing and warning, very much as Moses had done. Such messages should be considered very significant, for what a prophet says as he approaches death seems to be an effort on his part to rid his garments of the blood of the people by placing the full responsibility for their conduct squarely upon their shoulders (see Jacob 1:19 ). Joshua showed Israel exactly what God had miraculously done for them in the past and challenged them to choose whom they would serve.

Elder Erastus Snow, commenting on the feeling some have that being obedient to God somehow limits their agency, gave an interesting insight on choosing to follow God:

“If good and evil is placed before us, does not the person who chooses the good and refuses the evil exhibit his agency and manhood as much as the man who chooses the evil and refuses the good? or is the independence of manhood all on the side of the evil-doer? I leave you to answer this question in your own mind. To me, I think the angels and saints and all good people have exercised their agency by choosing the good and refusing the evil; and in doing so they not only exhibit their independence and manhood as much, but show a much higher and greater nobility of character and disposition; and I leave the future to determine who are wise in the choice of their freedom and independence.

“Joshua said to ancient Israel: ‘Choose ye this day whom ye will serve; if the Lord be God, serve him; if Baal, serve him. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ I think what we need to learn are the true principles that shall lead us to peace, to wealth and happiness in this world, and glory and exaltation in the world to come. And that if we can learn these principles, and receive them in good and honest hearts, and teach them as our faith, and practice them in our lives, we shall show our manhood, our independence and our agency as creditably before the angels and the Gods, as any wicked man can, in refusing the good and cleaving to the evil, exhibit his before the devil and his angels.” (In Journal of Discourses, 19:180–81.)

(21-31) Joshua 24:32

Reference is made here to “the bones of Joseph” ( v. 32 ). When Joseph, Jacob’s son, was dying, he extracted a promise from the children of Israel that they would take his body with them when they left Egypt (see Genesis 50:25 ). Most likely his body had been embalmed in the Egyptian manner. Upon Israel’s departure from Egypt, Moses honored the promise and “took the bones of Joseph with him” ( Exodus 13:19 ). Following Israel’s arrival and settlement in the promised land, Joseph’s remains were interred, as recorded in Joshua 24:32 .

Points to Ponder

(21-32) The inhabitants of Canaan were ferocious and warlike. They resisted bitterly any attempt by others to settle on land they regarded as their own. But the Lord had given Canaan to the Israelites. It was theirs to hold if only they had the courage and strength to wrest it from the Canaanites and keep it safe from their enemies.

In the strength of God, Joshua and Israel became fearless. Nations trembled at the mention of their name. Courageously they swept over the land of Canaan, east and west of Jordan, and none could stop their conquering spirit—except themselves. They had earned, for the present, at least, the name Jeshurun (“righteous Israel”) because they had chosen to serve the Lord.

The Saints today also face a world intent on their spiritual destruction. Canaan has long passed from the earth, but Satan, who incited Canaan’s wickedness and opposition to Israel, is still determined to destroy those who follow the Lamb of God (see 1 Nephi 14:12–14 ). Sometimes modern Israel may feel apprehensive as they see the impending judgments drawing closer and closer. Modern Canaan will be destroyed in preparation for the establishment of a worldwide Zion, and this destruction is not pleasant to contemplate. Elder Ezra Taft Benson used two passages from the book of Joshua to counsel those who feel anxiety as they contemplate the future.

“Now during this critical period, and it is a critical period that we are passing through, I hope that we will keep ever burning in our hearts the spirit of this great work which we represent. If we do so, we’ll have no anxiety; we’ll have no fear; we’ll not worry about the future because the Lord has given us the assurance that if we live righteously, if we keep his commandments, if we humble ourselves before him, all will be well. I turn to two passages of scripture today which I’d like to read:

“‘… Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.’ ( Joshua 1:9 .)

“This was the Lord’s admonition to his son, Joshua, encouraging him to trust in God. Joshua answered that admonition in counsel to his people in these words:

“‘… choose you this day whom ye will serve; … but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.’ (Ibid., 24:15.)

“Embodied in these two passages of scripture are the two principal essentials for security and peace: first, trust in God; and second, a determination to keep the commandments, to serve the Lord, to do that which is right. Latter-day Saints who live according to these two admonitions—trust in God and keep the commandments—have nothing to fear.

“The Lord has made it very clear in the revelations that even though times become perilous, even though we be surrounded by temptation and sin, even though there be a feeling of insecurity, even though men’s hearts may fail them and anxiety fill their souls, if we only trust in God and keep his commandments we need have no fear.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1950, pp. 145–46.)

(21-33) There are powerful spiritual lessons for modern Saints in the account of Achan and Israel’s defeat at Ai. First, the story shows the effect of individual sin on the whole community. No one sins in isolation. We cannot say that our actions influence only ourselves for even if we do something sinful that is completely personal, our individual loss of spiritual power means a lessening of power for all mankind and contributes to the withdrawal of the Lord’s Spirit, and that is damaging to all mankind.

There is a second valuable lesson in the Lord’s answer to Joshua when Joshua asked why Israel had been defeated (see Joshua 7:10–15 ). If we have lost power with God, we can know, as surely as we know the sun will rise on the morrow, that the problem lies within us and not within God. As He said in our day, “I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise” ( D&C 82:10 ). And the key for restoring the relationship with God was also given when the Lord told Joshua, “Up, sanctify the people” ( Joshua 7:13 ).

Joseph Smith was taught a similar lesson when the Church was deeply in debt.

Read D&C 104:78–80 .

Note how the Lord introduces a third element into the problem-solving process. Most of us look at problems in this way:

We think that the problem is something external, that is, if we can summon enough power, it can be solved through our own effort. But the Lord told Israel through both Joseph and Joshua that while there was an external problem, there was also an internal one that blocked the channels of true power. Here is how the problem-solving process should work:

How did Abraham and Sarah apply this principle in relationship to Sarah’s barrenness? (see Hebrews 11:11 ).

How did Joseph use this principle when presented with the problem of interpreting the pharaoh’s dream? (see Genesis 41:14–16 ).

How could this lesson be applied in such modern situations as a wife with an inactive husband, a parent with wayward children, a child with unbelieving parents, a person struggling to overcome a bad habit?

How is this principle of power related to the principle taught in Ether 12:27 ?

Isn’t this the whole principle behind the doctrine that ultimately we are saved by the grace of Christ “after all we can do”? ( 2 Nephi 25:23 ).

Read carefully Moroni 10:32–33 . Isn’t this the very way that we eventually come to salvation?

Before he died, Moses commissioned Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land (Deuteronomy 31:7–8). Now, the Lord himself commissions Joshua with a series of remarkable promises (Joshua 1:1–9).

Strengthened by these promises, Joshua leads the Israelites across the Jordan (chapters 2–4), renews their covenant with the Lord (chapter 5), and overthrows more than 30 evil kingdoms that had occupied the promised land (chapters 6–12).

Having assigned land east of the Jordan River, Joshua begins the task of dividing the land west of the Jordan (chapters 13–21), but these efforts go awry when some tribes refuse to trust the Lord and obey Him. A civil war even nearly breaks out, but is narrowly averted (chapter 22).

One of Joshua’s last tasks is to deliver farewell addresses to the Israelite leaders and people together (chapters 23–24). He exhorts them to remain true to the Lord, just as the Lord had remained true to them.

In the end, does Joshua fulfil God’s purposes in his generation? Without a doubt, yes. Does God keep all His promises to Joshua? Again, yes. We can thank the Lord for His promise-keeping mercy, grace, and love for us!

The Structure of Joshua

Key Verse But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. -Joshua 24:15

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The Journey Through Joshua

The Wisdom Journey through Joshua.

Joshua was God’s chosen man to lead Israel in the conquest of the land of promise. It was an intimidating task, but God Himself set forth the path to success. Joshua and all the people of Israel were to step out in faith, with courage and strength and the assurance of God’s presence, as they consistently obeyed His word. The battles we face as believers are not against flesh and blood but are spiritual battles. Yet, they too require strength, courage, faith, and obedience to God’s Word. As we trust and follow the Lord, He will give us success and even reward us, but we must remember that we leave the battlefield as we entered it: as humble servants of our Master.  

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Defining Success

A Surprising Conversion

Crossing the Jordan

The Battle of Jericho

Secret Sins

Manipulation and Miracles

The Conquest of Canaan

Handing out the Inheritance

The Cities of Refuge

An Altar of Misunderstanding

An Old Soldier's Farewell

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A Journey Through the Book of Joshua

When God’s people entered the promised land, they faced mighty foes from which only the Lord could protect them. This 25-day study walks through the book of Joshua, which teaches about God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises, even amid strong opposition. This book points us ultimately to God’s unfailing promise of delivering His people into the greater promised land: the new heavens and new earth.

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Joshua 3 – Crossing the Jordan

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Joshua 3 – Israel Crosses the Jordan

Miracle at the Jordan – Joshua 3

A. Instructions for crossing the Jordan River.

1. (1) israel at the jordan river..

Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over.

a. They set out from Acacia Grove and came to the Jordan : This was the last step in Israel’s journey from Egypt to Canaan. They now camped on the banks of the Jordan, the last obstacle between Israel and the Promised Land.

i. Israel had been waiting for the moment to enter the Promised Land and take possession of it for some 500 years, since God promised the land to Abraham and his covenant descendants (Genesis 15:18-21). Joshua and Caleb were more than 80 years old and waited for this moment. All Israel had been waiting for the generation of unbelief to die in the wilderness and a new generation of faith to take the land as they trusted God.

b. Lodged there before they crossed over : God told Israel to prepare themselves for three days at the shore of the Jordan River (Joshua 1:11). All that time, the people of Israel lodged in view of a rushing river, swollen with the spring rains. They were faced with the impossibility of the crossing.

i. The two spies had made their way across the Jordan River and back when they spied out Jericho (Joshua 2:1, 2:23). One could swim across the Jordan during flood season, but it was a heroic act (1 Chronicles 12:14-15). The whole nation with its women, children, and elderly, with all their livestock and possessions, could never be expected to cross the river that way. God gave Israel three days to consider the problem.

ii. “These events in Israel’s history describe a time of preparation for this new generation who would be called upon to occupy the land. Although Christians are not called to carry out the same physical acts, preparation is necessary for any life of ministry and service. As with Israel’s preparation, it involves hearing and believing God’s Word and the discipline of obedience to that word.” (Hess)

2. (2-5) The ark of God will lead the way.

So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp; a nd they commanded the people, saying, “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.” And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

a. When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God…set out from your place and go after it : Joshua didn’t first send the engineers and builders of Israel’s army. Instead, he sent the priests who carried the ark of the covenant, which was the visible representation of God’s presence with Israel. Joshua knew this was primarily a spiritual challenge, more than a test of man’s ability to plan and build.

i. The ark of the covenant had not yet been built when Israel crossed the Red Sea; there, God used other ways to manifest His presence to them. Here, God’s presence was mainly evident through the presence and the prominence of the ark of the covenant.

ii. On this occasion, God wanted the priests to carry the ark, when usually it was the responsibility of another family of the tribe of Levi, the sons of Kohath (Numbers 4:15, 7:9). The priests were of the family of Aaron, who descended from Kohath (1 Chronicles 6:1-3), yet there was normally a distinction between the duties of the priests and the sons of Kohath. Priests carried the ark on other special occasions (Joshua 6:3, 2 Samuel 15:25).

b. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure : God required that His people keep some 1,000 yards (1km) behind the ark. This was for at least two reasons. First, to respect the holy nature of the ark of the covenant. Second, to make it possible for all Israel to see the ark. The ark of the covenant would show the way they must go , leading the way. Israel would accomplish this impossible task as they set their eyes upon God’s presence and followed the representation of His presence.

c. Sanctify yourselves : Because this would be a spiritual battle, Joshua required Israel to make spiritual preparations. Sanctify yourselves means they were to separate themselves from common things to focus on the LORD , and to see that the LORD would do wonders among them.

i. “What was implied in this command we are not informed; but it is likely that it was the same as that given by Moses, Exodus 19:10–14. They were to wash themselves and their garments, and abstain from every thing that might indispose their minds from a profitable attention to the miracle about to be wrought in their behalf.” (Clarke)

ii. “While the act was wholly God’s, it was performed on the fulfilment of certain conditions by the people. Charged so to do by Joshua, they sanctified themselves and thus made possible the action of God. Moreover, they moved in obedience to His command, setting themselves in array, with the priests leading before the parting of the waters.” (Morgan)

3. (6) Joshua’s step of faith: he sends the priests to walk across a swollen Jordan River.

Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

a. Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people : God told Joshua to command this radical step of faith (Joshua 3:7-8). Joshua didn’t do this because of foolish presumption. Joshua acted as a man led by the LORD , and who remembered the similar work in the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 14).

i. Joshua’s success depended on and grew out of the promise of God to him: This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8). Joshua had the word of God on his lips, on his mind, and it guided his actions.

ii. “You may very properly join the dividing of the Red Sea to that of the Jordan, for so the Holy Spirit has done in the one hundred and fourteenth Psalm: ‘The sea saw it, and fled: Jordan was driven back.’” (Spurgeon)

b. So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people : Even considering God’s guidance, this was still an impressive step of faith for Joshua and the priests . This was the bold faith that would ideally mark the people of Israel in the Promised Land.

4. (7-8) God’s encouragement to Joshua.

And the LORD said to Joshua, “This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan.’”

a. This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel : The step of faith commanded by God and observed by Joshua was encouraged by the LORD Himself. This is the graciousness of God toward His people, giving them constant encouragement in the things which He commands them to do.

b. That they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you : God promised to make Joshua a leader like Moses in the eyes of the people. The LORD would do this by using Joshua to miraculously lead the people across an impassable body of water, as He did with Moses at the Red Sea (Exodus 14).

c. When you have come to the edge of the water…you shall stand in the Jordan : Once in the water at the bank of the Jordan River, the priests of Israel were commanded to stop and stand , holding the ark of the covenant.

5. (9-13) Joshua encourages and instructs Israel.

So Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God.” And Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore, take for yourselves twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man from every tribe. And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD , the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap.”

a. Come here, and hear the words of the LORD your God : Joshua rightly put the emphasis on God’s word. He was only the messenger of the words of the LORD .

i. It was necessary for them to hear the words of the LORD , not to only see the things God would do. “For miracles do but excite men; they do but as the bells that call us to the sermon, they cannot work faith in us: but faith cometh by hearing.” (Trapp)

b. By this you shall know that the living God is among you : Joshua understood that God’s work here at Jordan would give Israel confirmation that God was with them and among them in the future conquest of Canaan.

i. “Seven peoples are listed in Joshua 3:10. Twenty-three times in the Old Testament we find such lists, including five times in Joshua (Joshua 3:10; 9:1; 11:3; 12:8; 24:11). The number and order of the names vary in each list, but seven is used often, probably as a number symbolic of completeness. Twelve peoples occur in all, but a core of seven—the seven mentioned here—comprises the ‘standard’ list.” (Howard)

c. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan : God commanded that the visible emblem of God’s presence – the ark of the covenant – would lead the way. By leading with priests carrying the ark instead of soldiers, God declared the key to Israel’s victory in the Promised Land would be fundamentally spiritual, not military.

i. “What was the ark? It was a representation of the character of God. The people had no image to worship; in fact, they were commanded not to make an image. One cannot make an image of God, for God is spirit. But God has a character, and the ark was a statement of that character.” (Schaeffer)

d. T he waters of the Jordan shall be cut off, the waters that come down from upstream, and they shall stand as a heap : God had apparently revealed to Joshua how the Jordan would become a dry bed and passable by Israel. The waters would not be divided, as they were at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22). Instead, the waters of the Jordan would be cut off upstream, leaving a dry riverbed before Israel.

i. God’s work at the Jordan of dividing the waters so Israel could pass was similar to what God did at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21-22), but not the same . From generation to generation, God’s work is in some ways the same and in other ways brand new.

ii. “From a geological perspective, the Jordan River Valley lies at the juncture of tectonic plates that create an unstable region. Earthquakes can occur and have been known to block the flow of the river. No mention of an earthquake appears in the account in Joshua. Whatever secondary causes there were, the primary purpose was the exaltation of Israel’s God and his people.” (Hess)

B. Crossing the Jordan River.

1. (14-15) the faith of the priests and of joshua..

So it was, when the people set out from their camp to cross over the Jordan, with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as those who bore the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest),

a. The feet of the priests who bore the ark dipped in the edge of the water : The priests began the procession, with the ark of the covenant some 1,000 yards or meters (Joshua 3:4) in front of the people. When the priests stepped into the river and stood there, the waters were still flowing as at flood season.

i. The text doesn’t tell how long the priests stood in the river. It might have been a moment, but it also may have been a long time. In a situation like that, even a moment seems like a long time.

b. Dipped in the edge of the water : It is human nature to want the riverbed to be dry before making a step. God called the priests of Israel to step out in faith.

i. “When the priest’s foot touches them, they shrink away. Jesus has stepped down into these floods as our High Priest. In Gethsemane their overflowing tide washed around Him. At Calvary the water-spouts went over his head. In the grave He seemed momentarily to have succumbed. But since then they have been cut off. Through the ages He has stood, bearing the ark of propitiation, and arresting the tumultuous floods. ‘Thus far, and no further.’” (Schaeffer)

c. For the Jordan overflows all its banks during the whole time of harvest : This was not the time of year when the Jordan was reduced to a trickle. Because of the spring rains, the time of early harvest, the river was swollen and overflowing its banks.

i. “The Jordan, as we have already seen, has its origin at the foot of Mount Lebanon, which mountain is always covered with snow during the winter months; in those months therefore the river is low: but when the summer’s sun has melted these snows, there is consequently a prodigious increase of waters, so that the old channel is not capable of containing them.” (Clarke)

2. (16-17) The Jordan is stopped, and the people cross over on dry ground.

That the waters which came down from upstream stood still , and rose in a heap very far away at Adam, the city that is beside Zaretan. So the waters that went down into the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, failed, and were cut off; and the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Then the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the people had crossed completely over the Jordan.

a. The waters which came down from upstream stood still : In some miraculous manner, God stopped the flow of the Jordan River. He may have used a natural occurrence such as an earthquake or a landslide. Even if the stoppage had an outwardly natural cause, the timing of it was a miracle of God.

i. “Adam is a site in the Jordan Valley, identified with Tell ed-Damiye, 18 miles north of Jericho.” (Hess)

ii. “It is possible that a landslide caused by an earthquake stopped the flow of the Jordan River. Landslides are common in the soft clay banks of the Jordan. At least two such landslides, each of which resulted in a damming of the river, are recorded in history: in A.D. 1267 and again in 1927. In the latter instance the slide occurred near the town of Adam (cf. 3:16), and the flow of the river was interrupted for about twenty-one hours.” (Madvig)

iii. “In some respects the passage of the Jordan was more strikingly miraculous than that even of the Red Sea. In the latter God was pleased to employ an agent; the sea went back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea dry land, Exodus 14:21. Nothing of this kind appeared in the passage of the Jordan; a very rapid river (for so all travellers allow it to be) went back to its source without any kind of agency but the invisible hand of the invisible God.” (Clarke)

iv. Later Jewish teachers couldn’t resist embellishing this remarkable miracle, claiming that “the waters of the river were piled up to a height of three hundred miles” and “all the peoples of the earth were witnesses of the wonder.” Some rabbis made the fanciful claim that “when the people arrived on the further shore, the holy Ark, which had all the while been standing in the bed of the river, set forward of itself, and, dragging the priests after it, overtook the people.” (Ginzberg)

b. On dry ground in the midst of the Jordan : As well, even with the flow of the river stopped, it was miraculous that the people could cross over on dry ground . God miraculously dried the riverbed so that they didn’t slog through marshy mud.

i. “The Hebrew term for ‘dry ground’ ( harabah ) does not require that the riverbed be powdery dry but simply means that it was no longer covered with water. This indicates terra firma as contrasted to the flooding river.” (Madvig)

ii. This miracle obviously connects with the miracle the nation experienced some 40 years earlier: the passing through the Red Sea (Exodus 14). God brought Israel out of Egypt’s bondage with a miracle, and He brought them into the Promised Land with a miracle.

iii. In some sense, it took greater faith for Israel to cross the Jordan River than it took for them to cross the Red Sea. At the Red Sea, Israel was pursued by the Egyptian army (Exodus 14:8-28). Crossing the Red Sea was to travel away from danger, and to put a barrier between Israel and the danger pursuing them. In crossing the Jordan River, Israel travelled towards potential danger, the many Canaanites who would war against them. When Israel crossed the Jordan River, they cut off their path of retreat and could be “trapped” and slaughtered in Canaan. Crossing the Jordan River mean that Israel was completely committed to the task of conquering the land of Canaan; they were left with no other option. This was a demonstration of great faith.

iv. Clarke suggests why the Canaanites did not fight Israel as they crossed the Jordan: “It was not merely because they were panic-struck that they did not dispute this passage, but because they must have supposed it impossible; and when they found the attempt was made, the passage was effected before they could prepare to prevent it.”

c. The priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan : In the record of this remarkable miracle, the ark of the covenant was central. The ark is referred to 14 times in these 17 verses. This was all about the trust Joshua, the priests, and Israel had in the God they knew was present with them. That representation of God’s presence remained in the middle of the riverbed until all Israel crossed over.

i. Present-day believers understand that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the ark of the covenant. He is Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus Christ was Himself greater evidence of the presence of God than the ark of the covenant.

ii. Even as the ark led Israel across the Jordan, so Jesus has cleared the way for the victory of His people: Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [the cross] (Colossians 2:15).

iii. “It was easier to believe that the torrent would not rush down on them when they could look at the priests standing there motionless, with the visible symbol of God’s presence on their shoulders. The ark was no more the cause of the miracle than were its carriers; but, just as Jesus helped one blind man by laying moistened earth on his eyes, and another by sending him to Siloam to wash, so God did here. Children learn best when they have something to look at. Sight is sometimes the servant of faith.” (Maclaren)

iv. As believers observe the word of God, obey the commands of God, follow after Jesus, and keep Jesus and His victory central, God will open miraculous paths for the progress of His kingdom.

© 2024 The  Enduring Word  Bible Commentary by David Guzik –  ewm@enduringword.com

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3. Entering the Promised Land (Joshua 3:1-5:12)

For many months, the people of Israel have been encamped at Shittim. From there they have conquered the Ammonite kings Og and Sihon on the east side of the Jordan (where the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and part of Manasseh have settled). At Shittim, they have heard Moses recite the Law to them (contained in Deuteronomy, which means "second law"). But now it is time to go. They move only the six or seven miles from Shittim to a new encampment right on the banks of the Jordan River. Here they stay for three days.

Breaking Camp (3:1)

"Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over." (3:1)

I've wondered why they should break camp to move such a short distance and stay such a short time. But the reason is pretty obvious. In Shittim, they had settled in. They had been there for months, perhaps years, and were too accustomed to sedentary camp life. To take possession of the Promised Land, they need to regain their pilgrim stance once more. They need to be ready to move!

When we're too comfortable with things in our lives -- or perhaps have accepted the compromises for too long -- it is difficult to make the changes necessary to re-align ourselves with God's will. We need change and the uncertainty that goes with it to become re-dependent upon God. And that is certainly what the people need at this point.

So they finally break camp. It may have taken several days to get ready; we don't know. But finally, the two silver trumpets sound (Numbers 10:1), and the call is heard:

"Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you." (Numbers 10:35)

It is a short trip, just a few miles, and that night they encamp on the very banks of the Jordan and peer across the flooded river in the gathering dusk to the city of Jericho beyond it.

Q1. (Joshua 3:1) Why do the Israelites have to break camp at Shittim before the day they cross Jordan? In what ways is your life settled into a routine that keeps you from fully following God's leading? What do you need to do to make yourself ready? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1651-q1-making-ready/

Consecrate yourselves (3:5)

Instead of making an immediate crossing, however, there is a three-day wait, and then a call for consecration. Joshua commands the people,

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." (3:5)

This consecration is probably similar to that which took place at the foot of Mt. Sinai prior to entering into Covenant with God.

"And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people...." After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations." (Exodus 19:10-11, 14-15)

What significance did washing have? Spiritual cleansing. If you've ever camped in a tent, you know how dirty you can get and how glad you are for a shower. A pile of dirty clothes goes into the washer. However, the people of Israel may have had only a single set of clothes to wear. So when they wash their clothes, it is a major undertaking. Perhaps it included bathing, too, though that isn't specifically mentioned.

Abstaining from sexual relations was so that the people would be ceremonially clean. Not that there was anything wrong with married sex. But the Law indicated, "When a man lies with a woman and there is an emission of semen, both must bathe with water, and they will be unclean till evening" (Leviticus 15:18). This was necessary, for example, to partake of holy things. Those going into battle in David's day abstained from sex because they were on a holy mission (1 Samuel 21:4-5), which fits the situation at Jericho exactly.

So often, we attempt to undertake holy ministry without adequate preparation and consecration. The result is powerlessness and sometimes disgrace. Our consecration is not primarily outward, as it was for the Old Testament people, it is inward and spiritual. Having been involved in "professional" ministry all my adult life, I know how easy it is to take ministry for granted, and do it with little thought of the holy things we are touching. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" (Luke 9:23). That daily consecration and renewal of death to self is essential for ministry with power.

Q2. (Joshua 3:5) Why did the Israelites need to consecrate themselves? What might this entail? In what ways do you personally need to reconsecrate yourself? What would this require of you? What would your congregation need to do to reconsecrate itself? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1652-q2-consecration/

The Ark Goes Before Them (3:3-4, 6-8)

Joshua instructs the people to watch the ark, to see where it goes, and to follow it. "Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before" (3:3-4a). The ark probably only moved a few hundred feet from where it had been located during the brief encampment, but the people were to follow it.

Ever since the people had been given the ark and tabernacle in the wilderness, when the cloud lifted and moved forward, that was the signal for the people to pack up and follow, to go where God was leading. Today the ark -- the symbol of the throne of God -- indicates where they were to go. Notice the sense of awe and holiness about the ark:

"Keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it." (3:4b)

The obvious lesson for us is that we are to see what God is doing and then follow him in it. This was Jesus' practice, too.

"I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does." (John 5:19)

Too often, like little children on a walk, we run on ahead. Instead of being followers of our Father, we want to be leaders. Not so, Jesus. Before taking important steps, such as appointing the apostles, he spends the night in prayer. He often retreats from the crowds to spend time with his Father, to pray, and get his bearings.

Dear friend, right now in your life, are you following him or off on your own? The lesson of the ark going ahead of us is a reminder to come back from our wanderings and to take our appointed place -- following God.

The Water Stopped Flowing (3:14-17)

If you'd been one of the Israelite children, you would have asked your mother, "How are we going to get across the flooding river?" And your mother would probably look at you and say, "God will make a way."

But there is no way. The Jordan River is at full flood stage in the spring, carrying the runoff of more than 7,000 square miles (18,300 square kilometers) of territory, including the west side of Mt. Hermon in the north, the mountains around Galilee, and the east side of Canaan's hill country. Rainfall in Palestine is primarily in the winter months, similar to the "Mediterranean climate" found in California. The "early rains" ("former rains") fall in October, with most precipitation occurring from December through February. The "latter rain" occurs in April. The Scripture says, "Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during the harvest" (3:15a), speaking of the barley harvest which took place in April following the spring rains. April was also the month of Passover (5:10).

If the fords were flooded, the spies would have had enough trouble swimming across to carry out their intelligence mission. Getting the whole army across would be difficult, dangerous, and make them vulnerable to attack. But how do you get the women and children across? The only answer the mother could give was, "God will make a way." And that's often the only way we know how to answer our own doubts and fears. "God will make a way."

This was a crucial test of Joshua's leadership. He told the people,

"As soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD -- the Lord of all the earth -- set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap." (3:13)

It was a faith statement for Joshua, and he delivered it to the people as he had received it from God. Then he announced the crossing, based on God's word that he would perform a miracle. And God did, just as he had for Moses at the Red Sea, a generation before.

Just how did God stop the waters? We're not told specifically, except that

"As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho" (3:15-16).

A miracle! You exclaim. Yes, but perhaps not the kind of miracle you think.

An Arab historian reports that in AD 1267 landslides dammed the river for several hours. A similar occurrence took place in 1927. How? The geography of the Jordan Valley is unique. At the crossing point just a few miles north of the Dead Sea, the elevation is nearly 600 feet below sea level. The Jordan lies along what is known as a "rift valley," where two of the earth's major tectonic plates meet in a primary fault line. When these plates slip against each other, earthquakes occur.

The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 took place along the San Andreas Fault. Within less than a minute, the land on either side of the fault slipped a full 20 feet during the quake. When large earthquakes happen along river valleys, landslides occur, like the ones that blocked the Jordan in 1267 and 1927. [11] The scripture doesn't explicitly tell us an earthquake occurred, but I consider it pretty likely.

If you can explain a miracle by natural means, is it still a miracle? Oh, yes! The miracle is in the timing. God tells Joshua what he is going to do. Joshua tells the people what will happen. The priests come to the edge of the river, and just as they get there, the river stops flowing. That, friends, is a genuine miracle.

And so, the people of Israel cross the Jordan River on dry ground, just as their parents crossed the Red Sea, wondering at and celebrating the awesome power of their God.

Standing in the Water (3:8, 15-17)

"As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.... The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground." (3:15, 16, 17)

I've always been impressed by the fact that the water didn't stop until the priests' feet touched it. Sometimes, God's miracles take place ahead of us. The Red Sea was parted, and then the people of Israel went through. But sometimes, God waits for us to take steps of faith before the miracle begins.

Jesus encountered some lepers along the border between Galilee and Samaria. "Jesus, Master," they call in a loud voice, "have pity on us!" Jesus' reply is interesting: "Go, show yourselves to the priests," he tells them. "And as they went," the scripture records, "they were cleansed" (Luke 17:11-14). If they had waited to be cleansed before starting their journey, if the priests had waited for the waters to stop before taking the next step, they would all be waiting still.

Sometimes, we have to do all we know to do, and then God does what only he can do. Perhaps you're in that kind of place right now. You feel God is leading you to take a step that will make you look foolish, vulnerable, and you are afraid to take it. Now you know what Joshua felt like. But he did what God told him to do, and announced what God had promised to do, and God came through for him.

I don't like living like that, you say. I understand. We like to see it before we believe it. But faith believes before it sees. "We walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7), not because this is our way, but because it is his way.

Q3. (Joshua 3:13-17) How was Joshua able to announce the miracle of Jordan stopping its flow ahead of the event? What kind of faith did it require to do so? What did this do for his credibility as a leader? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1653-q3-jordan-stops-flowing/

Twelve River Boulders (chapter 4)

Chapter 4 details the collection of river boulders -- one for each tribe -- that are stacked in an impressive pile at Gilgal [12] "to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever" (4:7). When their descendants ask, "What do these stones mean," they are to answer,

"Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground. For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over" (4:22-23).

We see several stone memorials placed in Old Testament days. Jacob sets up a stone at Bethel after God revealed to him in a dream that he had not deserted him. "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:16-17). After the massing Philistine armies had been destroyed by a thunderstorm, Samuel sets up a stone and names it Ebenezer ("stone of help"), saying "Thus far has the Lord helped us" (1 Samuel 7:12).

Memorials give us -- and future generations -- points of reference, so we don't forget the significance of God's past dealings with us. Nor are these memorials always set in stone. After the Exodus, God instructs the people to remember their deliverance out of Egypt through the Passover feast. To this very day, on Passover night, Jewish families prompt the youngest child to ask the ancient question, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" And the father replies by telling the story of God's great redemption, of the sacrificial blood of a lamb on each Israelite doorpost and lintel, of bread dough freshly made "before the yeast was added" (12:34), and of the awesome crossing through the Red Sea.

Unleavened bread reminded them of God's deliverance, much as the Lord's Supper reminds us of Jesus' suffering on our behalf. The bread reminds us of his body broken for us; "Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19). The red wine reminds us of his blood "poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28).

Memorials are part of our faith for they produce the thankfulness so necessary to true faith.

"Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God hath done. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God hath done." [13]

Remembrance and Thanksgiving are what separate whining prayer from the prayer of faith that God answers (Philippians 4:6-7).

Sometimes, however, memorials move beyond the role of prompting remembrance into veneration, in and of themselves. That was the case with the bronze snake Moses had made. Within a few hundred years, Israelites were burning incense to it (Numbers 21:4-9; 2 Kings 18:4).

When I visited the magnificent cathedral in Cologne, Germany, I saw a gilded reliquary box, purported to contain the bones the Three Magi. In the Middle Ages, it attracted crowds of pilgrims who came to pray near these relics and expect a miracle. Their bones no longer served as memorials to faithful believers in the newborn Messiah, rather, their bones had become objects of veneration -- along with the very real danger of idolatry.

God used Gideon to defeat the huge Midianite army with just 300 men. Afterwards, however, he fashioned a gold ephod with the plunder that became much more than a memorial of victory. "All Israel prostituted themselves by worshipping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family" (Judges 8:27).

God-ordained memorials point to him, not to themselves.

Q4. (Joshua 4) Why did Joshua have men from each tribe stack river boulders for a monument? What was the effect of this on future generations? What is the value of faith monuments in our day? What is the danger? Does your church building have more monuments to the past than indications of God's present working? Why? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1654-q4-monuments/

The LORD exalted Joshua (4:14)

Before the Jordan crossing, God has told Joshua,

"Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses." (3:7)

After the crossing we read,

"That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses." (4:14)

This passage troubles us because we Christians are sometimes cynical about prominent leaders. We have seen too many topple from very visible public roles due to moral failure.

God himself exalts some people so that he might use them as leaders of his people. For forty years the people had followed Moses in their wilderness journeys. They grumbled, perhaps, but still followed, because of the way God had exalted him. Joshua is about to lead the Israelites into battle. Unless the people are prepared to follow him unquestioningly, they will fail in their mission. God calls some people to be strong leaders to accomplish his purposes.

But these same leaders are not perfect. Pastors are chief among those who have failings. People place pastors and their families on a pedestal, view them scrupulously and seem surprised to find imperfections. (It is exceedingly painful for pastors and their families, who seem to live in fishbowls.) We must learn that God exalts some so he may lead his people by means of them. It is not for us to cut them down to size. That is for God to do. God's has had experience with Moses and Saul and David, and he will deal with your pastor too when he needs it. Leaders are called to a higher standard, and will be accountable for their actions (1 Timothy 5:17-22).

Sometimes I've wondered about leaders who have more prominence than I. Why are they so special? sneers my leader-envy. Are they better than the rest? No, I don't think so. Sometimes they have glaring flaws. But God chooses to exalt them and use them to lead his people to accomplish his purposes. Instead of envying or grumbling, I need to accept that, pray for them and follow them.

Billy Graham conducted a revival in Sacramento in 1996. As he talked with the people night after night, I was amazed at his candor. When it came time to talk about sin, he always included himself. "I've done things I'm ashamed of," he would say, and point our eyes -- along with his own gaze -- to the awesome grace of God. Billy Graham was truly a leader God exalted in his day.

However, I couldn't help thinking as I saw thousands flow down the aisles to the center of the arena, that in heaven the rewards will not be given on the basis of who has been most exalted on earth, but to those who have faithfully done their part with what God has given them. To some is given more, to some less. It may be that the intercessors who pray for the meetings unseen in a back room will receive the greatest reward. Exaltation to leadership is a perk not based on merit, but it is a gift from God to the body, that leaders might lead God's people to do his will.

Circumcision and Passover (5:1-11)

On the east bank of the Jordan, the people consecrated themselves. On the west bank, they do so again. This is not yet the time to attack Jericho -- there is still spiritual preparation to take place.

I'm often more eager to achieve the goal than to do the careful work of heart preparation necessary to achieve it. This passage reminds me to do first things first. To do things I may have put off for years.

An entire generation of Israelite boys had grown up uncircumcised. Circumcision was the mark that a man was a part of the Covenant People. God had first given this command to Abraham, 450 years prior to crossing the Jordan.

"This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between you and me." (Genesis 17:10-11)

While the Israelites had apparently practiced circumcision of boys on the eighth day while in Egypt, for some reason during their wilderness journeys they had not maintained the practice (5:5). A whole generation of men and boys were uncircumcised. To partake of Passover required the circumcision of all male participants (Exodus 12:48), and the time for Passover had come.

We find a curious reference in 5:9: "The LORD said to Joshua, 'Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.'" The word "roll" (Hebrew galal ) sounds something like Gilgal, the name they gave the place after this event.

What was the "reproach of Egypt"? It wouldn't have been the disapproval of their Egyptian captors toward circumcision; the Egyptians practiced circumcision themselves. Perhaps it was the shame of the true People of God being uncircumcised for forty years while Egyptians themselves did not neglect the practice. [14] Perhaps it refers not so much to circumcision as to their finally being across Jordan in the Promised Land, forty years after they had left Egypt for this destination (Numbers 14:13-16; Deuteronomy 9:28). [15] However, we interpret the verse, it doesn't have much bearing on our understanding of the whole passage.

The point here is that we may some catching up to do. We have a way of putting off prerequisites -- we can do them later. But there comes a time when we must do the will of God so that we might experience his blessings for us. In this case, the boys and men were all circumcised so they might partake in the blessing of Passover, and the Unleavened Bread prepared with flour from the harvest of the Promised Land.

The Manna Ceased (5:12)

Our lesson ends with just a single verse to mark the termination of a forty-year miracle:

"The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan" (5:12).

When it had first been given, the manna had been a lifesaver. The Israelites had no food and no way to coax enough nutrition from the desert to feed a million and a half people. So God sent them manna. It appeared each morning except on the Sabbath as flakes of frost on the desert floor, and they would collect it in baskets to feed their families.

"It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey." (Exodus 16:31)

For forty years God provided manna as the Israelites' staple food, even after they got tired of eating it and complained about it (Numbers 11:4-6).

We see some other examples of a special provision in the Bible. God sent a raven to feed Elijah during a severe famine (1 Kings 17:4-6), and later brought him to the home of a widow who only had enough flour and oil for one last meal to feed herself and her son. But because God touched it, "the jar of flour was not used up, and the jug of oil did not run dry" until the famine was over (1 Kings 17:16).

I expect that after a while, the Israelites began to take manna for granted. They take it as the natural course of events, whereas it is a very special provision for a special time in the formation of God's people. Then there is the day when the manna stops (5:12). The people are frightened. Maybe it's the Sabbath, they speculate. But the next day there isn't any manna either. And it never ever comes again. It is God's provision for a special time, and now it is no longer needed. Now the Israelites can eat the produce of the tilled field, and the need for special provision ceases.

We often take God's supernatural provisions for granted. What about the Holy Spirit's presence with us? Too often we are unappreciative and unthankful. We act as if we have no clue about the price paid so that the Holy God could live within our mortal bodies and allow us to commune readily at his very throne. We must not take God's miracles for granted.

Have you ever observed how marvelously God sometimes reveals himself to brand new Christians? They'll see miracles and perform exploits that have the older saints scratching their heads in wonder. But later, comes a time when they, too, must learn some of the difficult lessons of faith and patient endurance, and the miracles they took for granted are now withheld from them.

In his wonderful booklet Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Homee (1992), Richard J. Foster examines a subject that few evangelicals have written about, what St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) termed "The Dark Night of the Soul." It is an experience of forsakenness, where you don't feel God's presence or experience him like you once did. The joy of the Lord you once knew has dried up, and you learn to go on faith alone, unpropped by supports of outward emotion and inner assurance. This is real, and much more common that many are willing to admit. It is also designed by God to draw us closer to him and to strengthen our faith. When we do come out of this wilderness time, we are the stronger for it and have learned to walk with God in a new dimension. Too often we take God's blessings for granted.

There's a second lesson here, too, that God's supernatural provision may only be for a time. There is a season to gather the bread from heaven, and there is also a season to undertake the hard labor of tilling and sowing, of tending and reaping. "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food" (Genesis 3:19).

The Christian life includes times of abundance as well as hunger, of nakedness as well as being fully clothed. Lest we look down on our brothers and sisters who are undergoing difficulty, we need to remember that "it is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:18). Even though some "name it and claim it" teachers declare poverty as a curse, poverty is not necessarily a sign of lack of faith (though it can be). Poverty is sometimes our lot. The Apostle Paul, certainly no slouch when it came to faith, recounts his sufferings (2 Corinthians 11:22-28). Then he affirms:

"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

So where are you, my friend? Are you in a time of manna in your life? Or do you have to work very hard for your daily bread? Are you going through a time of consecration? Are you still healing from circumcision that you had put off for years? Don't despair. Even though we go through times of change, God is still with us to provide for us. By natural means and spiritual, our God is leading us as we walk along with him. Whether in the Wilderness or the middle of the Jordan or in the Promised Land, he has given us this unshakable word:

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go ... I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:9, 5)

Q5. (Joshua 5:12) Why did the manna cease at this time? In our lives, why does God let us experience times of manna? Why does he sometimes let the manna cease? In your own life, are you in a stage of receiving manna or planting seeds for a future crop? https://www.joyfulheart.com/forums/topic/1655-q5-manna-ceases/

Lessons for Disciples

Disciples can glean a number of lessons from this passage.

• God often has to break our established routines so that we're alert and ready to listen to him and obey (3:1).
• Sometimes God calls us to consecrate ourselves afresh, to receive his cleansing so that we're ready to serve him in holiness (3:5).
• The ark going before the people is symbolic of us needing to learn to follow the Lord, rather than run ahead. Discipleship is learning and following.
• Sometimes God doesn't send his miracles until we, in faith, are fully committed and obedient (3:8, 15-17).
• Godly leadership sometimes requires us to state in advance what God shows us he will do, and then lead our people personally into that future (3:13-17)
• Having monuments to God's faithfulness that we can look back on can encourage our faith for the future (chapter 4).
• God sometimes exalts his leaders so that they can effectively lead. So this won't turn into personal pride, we must be careful to continue in humility before him (4:14)
• God is able to provide for his people (such as with manna for food). But his special provisions sometimes end when we move into new phases of discipleship and responsibility (5:12).

Father, forgive us for our fear when change is upon us. Help us to trust you, to follow you where you lead, even if it is to a place we have never been before. Lord, we consecrate ourselves afresh to you. Cleanse our hearts. Cleanse our habits. Cleanse us of our unbelief. Let us eat bread and drink wine with you in the Kingdom you are bringing. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

"Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you." (Joshua 3:5, NIV)

"As soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing." (Joshua 3:15b-16a, NIV)

"Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses." (Joshua 3:7, NIV)

"The manna stopped the day after they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan" (Joshua 5:12, NIV).

[11] For a study of these, see A. Shapira, R. Avni, and A. Nur, "Note: A new estimate for the epicenter of the Jericho earthquake of 11 July, 1927," Israel Journal of Earth Sciences , Vol. 42. #2, 1993, pp. 93-96.

[12] The exact location of Gilgal can't be determined, since no archeological remains from the period have been found. However, it is probably in the vicinity of Khirbet el-Mefjer, where pottery of the period ca. 1200 to 600 BC has been found (W.H. Brownlee, "Gilgal," ISBE 2:472;

[13] Words by Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1897.

[14] Thomas Lewis and Carl E. Armerding, "Circumcision," ISBE 1:701.

[15] Marten H. Woudstra, The Book of Joshua , NICOT, 1981, p. 102.

You can purchase one of Dr. Wilson's complete Bible studies in PDF, Kindle, or paperback format -- currently 48 books in the JesusWalk Bible Study Series.

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BelzGlobal Mumbo-Jambo: Equipping Africans to reach Africans by training in studying, obeying and teaching the Word of God

The epic journey of joshua.

During the course of his life, Joshua experienced an incredible amount of change, of struggle, and of the Lord’s provision. He grew up in Egypt during the years when Israel was enslaved. He witnessed God’s miraculous deliverance of the nation through Moses. He was right there each time God worked amazing deeds, and right there each time the Israelites rebelled against God. He was one of the 12 spies who visited Canaan, and he and Caleb were the only ones who had faith in God to grant them the land. He lived through the consequences of the lack of faith of Israel. He was with Moses as he met with God at various times, including receiving the Law. Being “second man” is a tough position, but Joshua did it well. He does not get the top billing of Moses, yet was always there, faithfully serving God. When the time came for Moses to pass the mantle of leadership on, Joshua was the clear choice. In Joshua chapter 1, God made it clear that He would bless Joshua as he walked with the Lord. God validated Joshua’s leadership as he led the Israelites across the Jordan River and began to conquer city after city in the Promised Land. Joshua was a man of war, a man of integrity and character, he was a man who led others sacrificially and loved the Lord wholeheartedly. He was a missionary in that he never really had a permanent home, but wandered from one place to the next, sent by God to do His will. His faith led him to do miraculous things against insurmountable odds, and God used Joshua to establish the nation of Israel, His people, in the Promised Land.

In my daily Bible reading, I just finished the book of Joshua and am starting Judges. At the end of Joshua’s life, with a lifetime of experiences in watching Israel and watching the Lord, Joshua gives a farewell address to Israel as he reviews the history of the nation. He ends with a final challenge, and call to follow the Lord. Life and death, blessing and punishment, are set before Israel, based upon their choices. It is the same final challenge Moses gave to Israel at the end of his life (Deuteronomy 28). The choice is set before Israel as to whom they will serve. But Joshua is clear, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” When the people affirm Joshua’s choice and commit to do the same, Joshua knows that their commitment is shallow. And sure enough, when we open the chapters of Judges, within a short time we see Israel forgetting all about their covenant to faithfully serve God as they are pulled into idolatry and compromise.

From the life of Joshua, I am challenged with these thoughts:

1. Serve the Lord wholeheartedly, with integrity and character, throughout your entire life.

2. Be willing to be overlooked, be “second man,” and trust in the Lord’s plan and His timing, to use you in ways God chooses.  

3. Regardless of the choices of those around you, choose to serve the Lord, no matter how unpopular, counter-cultural or difficult.

I pray that by God’s grace He will enable me to reflect these qualities we see in Joshua. Pressing on, Eric

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Joshua: The Journey of a Faith Walker

After wandering for 40 years in the desert, Joshua had reason to be apprehensive about entering the Promised Land. But God commanded him to be strong and courageous, and the Book of Joshua shares the powerful story of how God fulfilled his promises and led the Israelites into the long-awaited land of milk and honey. This eight-session course shares lessons from Joshua on how to live a life of extraordinary faith.

Session One

Move Forward in Faith God has power in your circumstances . 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 This study will challenge you to put your faith into action, to live in the present rather than the past, and to recognize God and his power in your circumstances.

Session Two

How Flawed Rahab Saved a Nation God delights in using the weak to accomplish his purposes . Joshua 2 God used Rahab, a prostitute, to help the Israelites conquer Canaan. This study demonstrates that God delights in using the weak to accomplish his purposes.

Session Three

Crossing Jordan God honors radical, risk-taking faith . Joshua 3 The Jordan River stood in the way of the Promised Land, but God had a plan to get the Israelites across it. This study encourages us to wait on God, consecrate ourselves to him, and step out in faith.

Session Four

The Mark of Distinctiveness God calls his people to holiness . Joshua 5:1–9 The Hebrews followed rituals that set them apart from other nations. This study teaches that a holy person is not an odd person, but a distinct person, who reflects God to others.

Session Five

When God Thwarts Your Plans Interruptions remind us that God is in control . Joshua 5:13–6:5 This study will help you learn what Joshua was learning, what all faith walkers eventually learn: that when we say yes to God, he has the right to interrupt our lives.

Session Six

Sin Will Find Us Out Covering up sin leads to severe consequences . Joshua 7 Because of one man's hidden sin, the Israelites were defeated in battle. In this session we will see that all humans are sinners, but our sin does not have to be fatal. Through Christ's work on the cross and our confession, we can find forgiveness.

Session Seven

Winning Life's Battles Battles are inevitable; therefore, believers must be ready for the fight . Joshua 8:1–28 This study examines how God delivered the city of Ai into the hands of the Israelites. When we prepare ourselves for life's battles, God turns our tragedy into triumph, defeat into victory, and calamity into conquest.

Session Eight

Finding God in Miraculous Events Understanding miraculous events in light of contemporary ideas on miracles Joshua 10:1–15 God literally made the sun stand still so the Israelites could defeat the Amorites. This study examines the role of miracles in history and today.

This Study Through the Bible Course is based on a sermon series by Rick Ezell.

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Here's how a team completed Michigan Central Station's 6-year restoration journey

A series of before and after images show Michigan Central Station's transformation during restoration. David Guralnick, The Detroit News

Detroit — When Michigan Central Station was constructed in the early 1900s, a dedicated team of workers crafted the iconic structure with intense attention to detail.

More than a century later, a similarly dedicated team, equipped with modern technology, came together to restore that work in the historic building and bring a neglected ruin back to its former glory.

It’s been nearly six years since Ford Motor Co. took on the ambitious restoration of the historic Beaux-Arts building, long a symbol of Detroit’s decline.

As Michigan Central Station prepares to open this week, those involved with the restoration reflected on the meticulous labor and craftsmanship, some calling it the project of a lifetime.

“It's been painstakingly and lovingly restored wherever possible to its original condition,” said Joshua Sirefman, Michigan Central’s CEO, during a recent media tour of the former rail depot. “And before we start activating it with lots of things, probably in its most pristine condition.”

It's been painstakingly and lovingly restored wherever possible to its original condition. And before we start activating it with lots of things, probably in its most pristine condition.”

The restoration effort was extensive, involving cleaning and replicating 29,000 Guastavino ceiling tiles for the waiting room's vaulted ceiling, sourcing original limestone from a closed Indiana quarry and hand-carving replicas of ornate exterior capitals and other limestone details. And before all that — removing six feet of water from the building’s basement after decades of exposure to the elements.

The restoration team included architects Quinn Evans, the joint venture construction contractor Christman Brinker, 3,100 construction workers, and other firms charged with various elements of the project.

Getting started

Michigan Central Station opened in 1913 as a train depot with an office tower. The first floor includes a grand waiting room, ticket area, concourse and an arcade that accesses the tower. The upper levels of the tower were never completed, even as the building served as a bustling hub for train travelers over several decades.

“Let's take a moment to celebrate where we are right now as a city, as a building, as Michigan Central, as Ford because this represents a lot to the millions of people who came through the station during its heyday,” said Melissa Dittmer, head of place for Michigan Central, during the recent tour of the refurbished structure.

After the last train rolled away from the station in early 1988, the building fell into disrepair and ultimately sat open to the elements for decades.

The first step in the restoration was to assess if the project was viable and how much it would cost to restore, said Ron Staley, who served as executive director of historic preservation for Detroit-based joint venture Christman-Brinker, construction manager for the project.

Michigan Central has not said how much the restoration work cost for the station alone but has estimated it will cost $950 million for its campus, which also includes the neighboring Newlab in the restored book depository building.

Staley said that he had previously been in the station in 1994 when a prior owner had considered doing something with the building. It was mostly dry at that time, he said. He did notice scrapping activity, however, including missing penthouse elevator motors that had been thrown down to the lower building below, leaving holes in the roof.

“A lot of the finishes were still there, and the building was relatively dry,” Staley said. “Fast forward to 2018, and you're going into the subbasement, and the lower part of the basement had probably about six feet of water in it. There were holes throughout the building. Prior owners or scrappers had taken pipe and steam radiators, stuff like that out to scrap them. It really was over a thousand holes through the floors in the tower. There were safety issues. Very little electricity in it.”

The Moroun family, which bought the station in 1995, installed windows, but Staley said the roof was never repaired.

“The top tower of the roof had holes in it and deteriorated to the point that if it rained, it was just coming into the building and working its way down through the floors,” he said. “The waiting room didn't have any glass in the windows and the concourse in the back that has a skylight on it was wide open to the sky. So it was just a very saturated building and the water is still coming in every time it rained.”

After installing a temporary roof, crews pumped the water from the basement. Debris was also removed. It’s a process that took about a year.

“You've got stone that is upwards of seven foot thick, concrete walls that are three or four foot thick,” Staley said. “All of that was saturated with water with not having roofs or being flooded for so many years. And because it's historic material, there's a way to dry that out that doesn’t damage it.”

That way was to let the building dry naturally, using fans to circulate air but not using heat to speed the process.

Once the building was secured and dried, it was time to stabilize the structure, addressing the steel that had rusted away from water damage or was removed by scrappers. It then took another year to integrate new mechanical electrical systems within the architectural spaces.

“Thinking back to 1913, they had steam heat, but they didn't have a lot of fresh air in the building,” he said. “And they certainly didn't have air conditioning.”

After the building was dry, cleared out and the mechanical systems were put in place, it was time to focus on restoring the various architectural finishes that people notice — the tile, the plaster, the brickwork. Staley calls it the icing on the cake.

A stone-cold success

When Ford purchased the building, decades of dirt from train soot and biological growth had darkened the station’s limestone and the brick tower. The exterior was power-washed and cleaned with a mild detergent, brightening its appearance.

“If you take all of the brick, all of the stone and all the terracotta, which is the masonry product at the very top of the tower, there's eight acres of surface area on the outside of Michigan Central Station,” Staley said. “And every square inch was touched in some way by masonry workers.”

In addition to cleaning, some of the limestone needed to be replaced both outside and inside the building.

Ford called on Bridgeport-based Capital Stoneworks to secure limestone original to Michigan Central Station. The company faced an immediate challenge: The source of that stone, Dark Hollow Quarry in Bedford, Indiana, had been closed since the 1980s, said Brandon Hornung, owner of Capital Stoneworks. They called the owner and asked if the quarry could be reopened to retrieve the needed limestone.

“We went in there, and there was a lot of blocks lying on the ground — enough to do the entire job,” Hornung said. “So then we had to get permission to purchase material from them. But it came with an investment of building the roads to get down into the quarry. And that's the really interesting part of the story. Things like that don't happen very often. But the great achievement was it was very important to Ford for the integrity of the project to be as exact as possible with all the materials that were being used there. Not to substitute it. That's what we were able to accomplish.”

Crews cut down trees, cleared overgrowth and laid down a gravel path to access the quarry. They retrieved 600 blocks of limestone for various parts of the project, including the exterior capitals, the ornamental décor at the top of the columns on the building. Each block weighed 15,000 to 20,000 pounds.

Hornung said the limestone from the quarry is unique in that it has a grain that runs diagonally across the stone. They initially retrieved one weathered piece of limestone and cut it to confirm they had the right stone. It was a match.

“It had this very unique characteristic that is not present in any — in many — other limestones from that region,” he said.

The crew wanted to 3D-scan the “good sides” of numerous capitals to replicate them with a computerized cutting machine. The technology couldn’t handle all the data.

Crews removed one of the capitals from the station, transported it to Capital Stonework’s workshop where longtime carver John Goodrow Sr. created a replica capital by hand.

Goodrow said it took 427 hours over six weeks to complete it. He said he felt confident he could do it, though some areas of the capital were more challenging to carve than others.

“The scrollwork that was back behind the flowers was most difficult just because it was so hard to get back in there,” he said. “And under the scrolls. Just certain areas because it was just tight quarters.”

Inside the building, Capital Stoneworks were charged with replicating the headers over the doors in the grand waiting room. They located one of the original headers on a home in Maine, Hornung said. The owner had purchased it in an auction. He wouldn’t allow the crew to remove the header, so they 3D-scanned it to replicate it.

Goodrow said he considers his work at Michigan Central Station the ultimate job of his 40-year career.

“As long as I've been doing this, this is the largest job I've ever worked on and largest pieces of stone,” he said. “It was very satisfying. I’m proud to have been involved in the job, that’s for sure.”

Replicating tile, plasterwork

Moving inside of the train station, one can’t help but look up to marvel at the tilework. Called Gustavino tile, it’s a self-supporting terracotta tile that makes up three vaults in the grand waiting room.

Detroit-based Grunwell-Cashero worked with Pittsburgh-based Graciano Corporation to complete the tile restoration.

Jelane Raycraft, president of Grunwell-Cashero, said the ceiling tile project was done in three phases, with each vault sectioned into quadrants. Christman Brinker built a raised-floor platform, and then rolling scaffolding towers of varying heights were placed on top so workers could access the ceiling, which, in some points, reaches 65 feet.

The extensive process involved cutting out mortar joints, removing salvageable tiles and resetting them, and washing the area with mild detergent.

“One kind of cool thing that we did was when a tile was deemed debonded, and it had to be removed, we noted the tile location and number on the backside of the tile,” Raycraft said. “And then also on the backup of the ceiling, so that when the salvaged tiles were reset, they were set in the exact location that they were originally laid.”

About 1,700 damaged or missing tiles had to be replaced, Raycraft said. Those tiles were pre-ordered and fabricated by Boston Valley Terra Cotta in White Plains, New York.

In all, the ceiling features 29,000 tiles and 8.7 miles of grout. Raycraft said they used the old-school method of mixing and tinting mortar to match the original color. She estimates a thousand buckets were transported to the job site. She said they also had to fabricate a tool to spread the mortar.

About 12 workers did the tile work from start to finish, including a Detroiter who trained on the job, Raycraft said.

"I'm very proud to be involved in a unique project, but also just the train station itself to be involved in that restoration, as a historic restoration contractor, that is a dream ..." she said. "This really was the project of a lifetime for a restoration contractor."

Jeff Greene, owner of EverGreene Architectural Arts Inc., conducted the preliminary assessment of the plaster work needed in the station and then was brought on to conduct the restoration. He said that during his assessment, he found that when the station was built, tradesmen used numerous methods.

"The whole project is kind of like an encyclopedia of every plaster technique ever used anywhere," he said. "All in one building. As we discovered, this was information that really helped determine the course of how to restore things. ... There must have been multiple crews. ... An army of workers, all who had the skills, which no longer exists."

The lower walls, which were destroyed, went back in as sheetrock, Greene said. To make the new walls look like stone, workers created a paint with ground-up tires.

"It's kind of interesting in an automotive building to use ground-up tires as part of the pigment to get the little black specks in the paint to make it look like stone," he said. "There's real stone in there, obviously, Mankato stone columns and all that. But we use it on the walls. So there's real stone, there's plaster with pigment that looks like stone. There's painted plaster, and it looks like stone. And then there's just plain paint that looks like stone. So those are just a few of the many kinds of finishes all meant to look the same.

"And I think our job was to first understand how things were done historically ... this plethora of techniques .... and then find some way to preserve and unify all those finishes and how they've aged and bring the whole thing back into this sort of harmonious whole. That's what we did."

The building’s arcade is one area that had the most intact plaster, said Dittmer, Michigan Central's head of place.

“This is one of the few parts of the station due to roof lines and other architectural engineering that the arcade is mostly existing materials because it received the least amount of water damage,” she said. “It was the most protected and so while there's, of course, a significant amount of restoration that went into the restoring of some of this plasterwork — trades folks up on scaffolding for days, if not weeks trying to make the plaster patching, etc. — this does represent sort of one of the best sort of existing states of the 1913 building."

Ford engineers Beverly Chudo, Theresa Pinkerton and Sheryl Rohrbacher Quan were among the teams involved in 3D-scanning and printing window elements and floral portions of the square 6.5-inch ceiling tiles in the former tea and reading rooms.

“Additive is so perfect for this because these things have disappeared,” said Pinkerton, an additive manufacturing engineer. “They could never go back and find all of those pieces that basically got stolen over the years, and they would have never been able to reproduce that original look of the building without doing something like additive.”

Initially, the teams sought to create replicas of the window fixtures based on images, but after some of the originals were donated to Ford, the engineers scanned the pieces with blue light scanners to create 3D models. The fixtures, two-and-a-half-feet long, were bigger and more ornate than most of the engine components the engineers typically print for quick-to-adjust prototypes, bridging parts when a supplier is behind on a delivery for production of a new vehicle, and other needs.

The pieces the engineers scanned for the window elements included 12-inch-wide rosettes and 20 variants of filigrees depicting flowers, laurel and oak leaves, and berries.

“They were actually heavy iron pieces that were rusted quite a bit,” Quan said. “They actually kept the pieces that you see in the window kind of with that patina, that sort of roughness. It wasn’t what you would call perfect. It kind of ages it, and back then, that’s how it would have been made.”

The engineers had to fill in and re-create parts in the digital model, which took the most time — about a week to turn a scan into a functional model, said Chudo, a senior engineer.

They used some of the largest 3D printers, called selective laser sintering printers, at the Advanced Manufacturing Center in Redford Township to print the 550 pieces. It took a day to 36 hours to print each, placing one 0.1 millimeter layer of nylon down at a time. The parts were printed in six batches, each taking about three weeks. They are Ford’s first use of polymer additive manufacturing for architectural construction.

They cool for about two days, and then, like paleontologists digging for dinosaur bones, the engineers excavate the parts from powder, after which they are cleaned with a vacuum and shot blast machine. Color-matched to the original elements, they get a coat of Austere Gray.

“They're a lot lighter than the original,” Chudo said. “And then they painted them the exact same color that they were originally, and then they mount them up and you would never be able to tell the difference between the two, in my opinion.”

Fixing the flooring

The station features flooring including terrazzo and marble. Those walking through the grand waiting room will see much of that original flooring, Dittmer said. Some of it had to be patched for the restoration, including the spaces where benches used to sit.

“This room was filled with wooden benches,” said Dittmer, standing on a piece of terrazzo flooring integrated with the marble flooring. “And in fact, what I'm standing in — every square here represents a wooden bench that was not here when we purchased the station. So what we did is we filled this portion of flooring with new terrazzo, which is right here next to the existing marble. But what you’ll see is a sort of grove and wearing away of the actual marble stone here because this was one of the preferred places for travelers to sit, look back at the sort of visual beacon of the clock, swinging their legs impatiently or patiently, and wait for the train.”

To the south, the concourse needed a complete flooring replacement. Because this space receives a lot of sunlight through its glass ceiling, technology was installed to cool the floor, Staley said.

“There's literally miles and miles of 3/4-inch plastic pipe that will cool that floor to act as the air conditioner so that the floor doesn’t get cold, but it will be cooler and cool the air around that area to keep people cool back in that space,” he said.

Homage to history

The layout is much as it was when the train station was in operation.

The restoration pays homage to the site’s history in various spaces within the building, including remnants of colorful graffiti along a walkway on the east side of the building. On the west side, a white-tiled corridor has a patch of original tile with graffiti tucked in the corner of an unfinished staircase that once led to an employee dining room.

“People always ask me, what are your favorite parts of the station?” Dittmer said. “It really is when you have these moments like this where we have all of the chapters of the station's history come together.”

See it in 360 degrees

The building's history includes the 36 years it was vacant and served as a cultural center point with performances, raves and graffiti, Sirefman said.

"There are moments throughout the building in its original condition where we chose to keep it part of the building's future," Sirefman said.

Architects and preservationists are rejoicing about the restoration.

"Detroit has taken down so many abandoned buildings, and there often have been good reasons for that," said Jonathan Massey, dean and professor of architecture at the University of Michigan. "But for me as an architect and a historian, to have an incredible, very monumental, gorgeous building like Michigan Central (Station) on the chopping block, that always hurts. So I'm really thrilled that it's finally finding a new life."

Massey said Ford took a "public-spirited gamble" with the project that he hopes will pay off.

"If they put effort and investment into restoring that incredible building and the neighborhood around it, that there is enough interest in the mobility innovation and enough interest in Detroit having thriving neighborhoods, that other investment will surround them and make it a smart bid long term," he said.

What's still to be done

Michigan Central officials say their work is not done to restore the building and the campus.

Construction on an eight-acre public space just south of the concourse is expected to begin next year, Dittmer said.

There are rooms in the tower that will be white-boxed for future uses. And Michigan Central is seeking a zoning change that will allow a hotel on the upper floors.

"Whether it's from the ground floor to the tower, we need to do it right," Sirefman said. "This is not a building to rush with false urgency into decisions that we'll regret. While in some ways, it seems like a massive building, it's also actually not at once. We have these vast spaces on the ground spaces, but as a singular building, there's a finite amount of space."

A carriage house, a steel structure outside on the west side of the building, still needs restoration.

"We're still underway on that portion of the building, in some of the southwestern pieces of the building," Sirefman said. "We are working with the city to meet our zoning to allow for hospitality, and we anticipate that the carriage house will play a significant role, as will other pieces of the building, in that hospitality."

[email protected]

@CWilliams_DN

Staff Writer Breana Noble contributed.

Xander Schauffele says he cried in dark corners of motel rooms due to stress of golf

U .S. PGA champion Xander Schauffele has admitted he had cried in the corner of motel rooms due to the pressure he had placed on his shoulders prior to his win at Valhalla.

Schauffele finally ended his long wait to become a major champion, after the 30-year-old pipped Bryson DeChambeau to the Wanamaker Trophy last month. The San Diego-born star held his nerve to roll in a superb birdie putt at the 72nd hole in May's final round, to win the event by a single shot.

The victory was a long time coming for Schauffele, who had endured a number of near misses on the major stage during his career. He was also without a win on the PGA Tour for almost two years but was finally able to end his wait in Kentucky.

READ MORE: U.S. Open provide major LIV Golf update hours after 15 stars miss out in qualifying

READ MORE: Tiger Woods' PGA Tour return hopes dashed as fans left disappointed by 'teaser'

Despite being one of the world's best golfers, the journey to become a major champion had not been an easy one for Schauffele, as pressure mounted on his shoulders with every missed opportunity. “I’ve cried in frustration in dark corners of motel rooms to myself early on,” Schauffele told The Times.

“I had some serious feelings of performance anxiety. My caddie Austin [Kaiser, a friend from college] and my family dropped everything to try and help me. I felt the weight of that on me, plus I was performing poorly. I wasn’t sure if this would work out. That’s where my head was at.”

A week prior to his win, Schauffele had the perfect opportunity to add another PGA Tour title at the Wells Fargo Championship but squandered his lead over the final nine holes to Rory McIlroy. He was quick to bounce back, however, and secured a remarkable wire-to-wire win at Valhalla just seven days later.

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The 30-year-old saw his final birdie putt lip inside the cut, which proved to be the most important stroke in his professional career. Opening up on the winning moment, he said: "It was a career-defining putt, and those thoughts were flying through my head: how much I’ve wanted and dreamt about this since I was a kid.

"I can live with someone beating me if I played well, but when you start racking up those moments when you’re in the hunt and it gets away, it irritates you. People keep asking you about it and the chip on your shoulder grows, but nobody was putting more pressure on me to win than myself.

"To see that putt lip in on the last hole was as satisfying as I could ever imagine. You could see the relief on my face.” The victory also ensured Schauffele moved up to a career-best second in the world rankings, only bettered by the great Scottie Scheffler, who is the other major champion of 2024.

After a two-week break, Schauffele will return to competition this week, as he tees it up in the seventh signature event on the 2024 PGA Tour schedule at The Memorial. This will then be followed by the third major of the season a week later, with Schauffele and co-heading to Pinehurst for the U.S. Open.

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JOSHUA BROOME Revival Town Podcast

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EP 188: Join us this week on Revival Town as we sit down with Joshua Broome, whose life journey is nothing short of miraculous. Formerly one of the top adult film stars, Joshua experienced the heights of worldly success but was left grappling with a profound emptiness. His transition from the film industry to a life dedicated to faith and family is a compelling tale of redemption and transformation. In this episode, Joshua shares his powerful story of how a seemingly chance encounter led to a dramatic shift in his path, turning him from a porn star to a preacher. Hear how his experiences have shaped his understanding of truth and deception, as detailed in his new book, "7 Lies That Will Ruin Your Life -- What My Journey from Porn Star to Preacher Taught Me About the Truth That Sets Us Free."

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• MLS transfer news and rumors
• Daily Schmankerl: Manchester City, Chelsea want Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, but are leery of Real Madrid; Bayern, PSG battling for Everton’s Amadou Onana; PSG eyeing Joshua Kimmich?; Did Maxi Beier save his spot with Germany?; & MORE!

Will Alphonso Davies return to Bayern Munich?

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Share All sharing options for: Daily Schmankerl: Manchester City, Chelsea want Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies, but are leery of Real Madrid; Bayern, PSG battling for Everton’s Amadou Onana; PSG eyeing Joshua Kimmich?; Did Maxi Beier save his spot with Germany?; & MORE!

City, Chelsea wants Davies, but fear Madrid already has him convinced (HITC)

Manchester City and Chelsea FC both have interest in Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, but the English clubs fear that Real Madrid already sunk its hooks into the Canadian.

While there was some positive news on that front for Bayern Munich, Davies could still be exploring a move away from the club:

Chelsea and Manchester City are keen on Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies but the Canadian has a different priority this summer, HITC understands. Both Premier League giants are set to be in for an important summer with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City bidding to retain their league title, whilst Chelsea are set for their first transfer window under Enzo Maresca. One star defender who looks set to be on the market this summer is Canadian left-back Alphonso Davies, who has consistently performed and was superb during Bayern Munich’s Champions League victory in 2020. A move away from the Allianz Arena is a real possibility this summer, but despite interest from the Premier League, Davies has a different move in mind. HITC understands that despite interest from England, the Canadian remains determined on moving to Real Madrid this summer, if that opportunity presents itself. Chelsea and City are long-term admirers of Davies and retained some hope that they could jump on a deal but that possibility is dependent on whether Madrid could afford the deal this summer.

With Vincent Kompany making a strong push to keep Davies in Bavaria, the situation will likely come down to two things:

1 - Does Davies actually want to stay in Germany any longer?

2 - Can the two sides agree on a salary?

If Bayern Munich and Davies can figure those two things out, the situation will clear up pretty quickly.

Bayern among teams linked to Onana (PSG Talk)

Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are both being linked to Everton midfielder Amadou Onana:

Paris Saint-Germain could bolster its midfield this summer, and as the opening of the transfer window approaches, various rumors will surface. The latest come from the Premier League as the Ligue 1 champions are linked to an Everton standout. Manuel Ugarte’s future is uncertain, and PSG has reportedly dropped out of the race for Newcastle United star Bruno Guimarães. So, who else could the Ligue 1 side target to strengthen their midfield? A recent report from Football Insider linked Bayern Munich and PSG to Everton’s Amadou Onana. The information revealed that the Toffees could accept an offer for Onana before June 30th to help them comply with Profit and Sustainability (P&S) rules. The latest report comes from journalist Graeme Bailey, who reveals that Everton is on the hunt for a buyer for Amadou Onana this summer. They’re aiming to raise funds and want to avoid parting ways with Jordan Pickford or Jarrad Branthwaite if possible. Onana does have experience playing in Ligue 1 as he spent time at LOSC Lille before joining Everton in 2022. The Belgian international made 37 appearances this past season, scoring three goals and registering one assist.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Postgame Show — Germany 0-0 Ukraine (Bavarian Football Works)

Germany swung and swung relentlessly at Ukraine, but the Ukrainian defense decided to honour their fellow countryman and recently crowned undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk by maneuvering expertly around all the offense thrown at them with excellent blocks and weaves.

In this episode of the Postgame Show, Cyler (Rayyan) goes over the game, including:

• The starting XIs and general shape of both Germany and Ukraine.
• The tactical decisions made by head coach Julian Nagelsmann, namely those seemingly made to conserve the players.
• How Germany are beginning to break into the final third, but are failing to break through when in the final third.
• Some exciting individual performances from Maximilian Beier and Maximilian Mittelstädt.
• Some worrying individual performances from Kai Havertz and İlkay Gündoğan.
• The social dynamics of the team, and how Gündoğan’s captaincy is likely more important behind the scenes than on the pitch.

Did Beier save his spot vs. Ukraine? (@raecomm)

Hoffenheim’s Maximilian Beier did not score against Ukraine, but did well to create offense for the attack and might have done enough to stay on the German national team moving forward:

Maximilian Beier is a big theme in German media today after an impressive debut as a sub vs. Ukraine. Whereas Beier previously looked likely to be the 1 player cut from the Euros squad, that may no longer be the case. #DFBTeam — Derek Rae (@RaeComm) June 4, 2024

Simons wants Barca move (Mundo Deportivo via 90Min.com )

Xavi Simons starred for RB Leipzig while on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but might want a move back to FC Barcelona , where he spent his youth days:

PSG’s Xavi Simons would prefer to join Barcelona ahead of other interested clubs, such as Chelsea, Man Utd, Newcastle United, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich.

Simons is considered to be a high priority for Bayern Munich.

Bavarian Podcast Works — Flagship Show: Season 6, Episode 48 (Bavarian Football Works)

Bayern Munich , usually a very well run club, is going through a dreadful transition period currently. Vincent Kompany has taken over as manager and things are not exactly rosy. We look at how Kompany’s time at Bayern might pan out, recent transfer rumors and more including:

• A video of Kompany berating players is rumored to be circulating among Bayern players — will this help or hurt Kompany?
• Will many players leave Bayern Munich ahead of the next season?
• Does Bayern Munich really need to be rebuilt?
• Are the expectations for Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany too high?
• What will be considered a successful European championship tournament for Germany?
• Should Leroy Sané’s contract be extended?
• A few thoughts on Borussia Dortmund ’s defeat in the UEFA Champions League final.

ICYMI: Pavlović had a terrific first season (@FCBayernEN)

Did you need a reminder of how good Aleksandar Pavlović was in his rookie season with Bayern Munich? Well, here you go:

Aleks Pavlović had the highest pass accuracy of any midfielder in the Bundesliga in 2023/24! #MiaSanMia pic.twitter.com/uL9xU8DZsV — FC Bayern Munich (@FCBayernEN) May 29, 2024

Hakimi back to Madrid? (AS via 90Min.com )

Real Madrid is thinking of bringing Achraf Hakimi back to Spain:

Real Madrid have internally discussed the prospect of re-signing Achraf Hakimi from Paris Saint-Germain. The Moroccan is under contract until 2026 but talks have stalled over a new deal.

Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Show Season 3, Episode 46 (Bavarian Football Works)

Bayern Munich officially hired Vincent Kompany to lead the club into a new era.

Just how long that era lasts remains to be seen, but the new coach will have his work cut out for him as he will need to navigate a few different tasks aside of just establishing himself as a manager.

Kompany will not only have to figure out how to get the best out of his current roster, but also will have to help identify new players, which current players need to go, how to win trophies, and do it all without wilting under the spotlight of being a head coach in Bavaria.

There is a ton to discuss, so let’s get to it. This is what we have on tap for this edition of the Weekend Warm-up Podcast:

• Examining the insane story regarding Uli Hoeneß and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge wanting Hansi Flick for a year — and Flick agreeing to it — only to get overruled by Max Eberl and Christoph Freund.
• Kompany, Eberl, and Freund want a squad overhaul. Specifically, Bayern Munich wants to unload six players with big salaries, but who? Let’s take a look at the possibilities. Is it really necessary? We don’t think so! Let’s discuss it!
• Some thoughts on Germany’s camp (so far).
• Transfer comings and goings — and why Bayern Munich could be serving itself a recipe for disaster.

PSG a serious contender for Kimmich? (PSG Talk)

On the periphery of the transfer rumors surrounding Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich is Paris Saint-Germain, who is lurking, but rich. Is the French power a serious contender for Kimmich? Let’s take a look:

This summer, Bayern Munich standout Joshua Kimmich will be a hot commodity for clubs looking to bolster their midfield. With just one year remaining on his contract, the veteran player is catching the eye of FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and even Real Madrid. Nonetheless, there’s a new club entering the race for Kimmich. Recently,it was reported that the Bayern Munich board met with the player to discuss his future, considering his current contract expires in 2025. As a result, the German club must know whether they can extend the player to a new deal or need to sell him so he doesn’t leave as a free agent. The player has suitors, so Bayern Munich can secure a sum for him should they decide to sell. According to HITC, Manchester City are looking to capitalize on Kimmich’s growing ‘unsettled’ at Bayern following Thomas Tuchel’s reign at the Allianz Arena. City manager Pep Guardiola led Bayern Munich when they acquired Kimmich from RB Leipzig. Now, he’s excited about the prospect of reuniting with the versatile midfielder at the Etihad Stadium. Perhaps it will be the Premier League side that comes in late and secures the German player to begin the transfer window.

Kovač to Dubai? (@Plettigoal)

Former Bayern Munich boss Niko Kovač could be on his way to Dubai:

Exclusive | Niko #Kovac is a candidate to take over as the new coach of Shabab Al-Ahli Club in Dubai! Talks took place but more clubs are interested to sign former Wolfsburg coach! @Shabab_AlAhliFC @SkySportDE pic.twitter.com/zXUtekur1E — Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) June 4, 2024

In This Stream

Euro 2024: follow germany’s journey during this summer’s big tournament here.

• Manuel Neuer to remain Germany No. 1 despite Greece blunder
• Bavarian Podcast Works: Weekend Warm-up Show Season 3, Episode 47 — Bayern Munich’s Vincent Kompany has massive changes in mind; Is Joshua Kimmich leaving Bayern?; Is Julian Nagelsmann making the same mistakes as his predecessors with Germany?; and MORE!

More From Bavarian Football Works

• Toni Kroos satisfied with Germany’s halftime transformation against Greece
• Match Awards from Germany’s redeeming display vs. Greece
• Four observations from Germany’s unconvincing 2-1 win against Greece
• Germany 2-1 Greece: Initial reactions and observations
• Transfer shocker — Update! Report says Bayern Munich has list of six players “allowed to leave”; Vincent Kompany not planning with those players

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