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8. Joshua

Boy Writing Hebrew Letters on Blackboard

ADULT EXPLANATION:

The Book of Joshua tells the story of Joshua leading the Israelites. They cross the Jordan River and defeat Jericho, where the walls famously fall.  "The walls came tumbling down!"


The book of Joshua  full of battles as the Israelites who came out of the wilderness claim the Promised Land, Canaan. They divide the land among the tribes. By the end, people start forgetting God's promises, and Joshua warns them. 


Unlike the first five books called the Torah, Joshua is a separate book in the Bible.


Quick Fact: The first 5 books of the Bible have several names: TORAH, PENTATEUCH, & THE BOOKS OF MOSES


KID EXPLANATION:

Hi! So, the Book of Joshua is like a big adventure story in the Bible. It's about this guy named Joshua who led the Israelites. He was a brave leader! They crossed a river and knocked down big walls in a city called Jericho. Then, they had lots of battles to take over a special land called Canaan, which God promised them. 


After winning, they divided the land among different groups of families called tribes. (They were named after the sons of Jacob.) 


But, here's the twist: Some people forgot about God's promises, so Joshua reminded them to stay faithful. What's interesting is that unlike the first five books, which are all about Moses, Joshua is its own special book!

Torah Scroll

It's important to acknowledge that the Book of Joshua contains some violent content and may raise challenging questions about faith and morality. It's good to be open about these aspects when discussing the book with others. 


TROUBLING SPOTS 

Deuteronomy 20:16: Why does everyone have to die? 

But as for the towns of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not let anything that breathes remain alive.


Joshua 10:13-14: 

"And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped
until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in midheaven and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. There has been no day like it before or since, when the Lord heeded a human voice, for the Lord fought for Israel."

  • Ummm... Science? 

  • Regarding science, consider the implications: if the sun and moon indeed halted, it could disrupt Earth's equilibrium. Archaeologically, discrepancies arise in biblical accounts of 31 cities being divinely conquered for Israelites. How does this influence your perspective?

RELATIONSHIPS in this Story

  • Moses never made it to the Promise Land/Canaan He handed over his leadership to Joshua. 

  • Joshua had a good friend, Caleb

  • The tribes of Israel were named of Jacob's 12 sons. 

  • Canaan is the area that was "promised" to Abraham.

Fun Fact

Did you know the the name JESUS is the Greek version of the name JOSHUA? Both mean: God saves.

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