Men's Group Study Guide
Introduction
This book holds an important place amongst the historical books of the O.T. Genesis was prophetic of and the other books were preparatory to, the grand events it is relating: The narrative gives the sudden transition from a nomadic people to a settled nation. In a land of their own. While in the study we will cover those aspects of how Israel settled in the land. We also have an important type in that the book of Joshua gives an understanding of how to enter into and take advantage of the spirit-filled life. For every N.T. principle there is an O.T. picture. And just as God took Israel out of Egypt and brought them across the wilderness. God has taken you out of bondage and is bringing you across the wilderness. We as Christians can have life, we can be saved but the question is do we have life abundantly? Paul in 1Cor 10:1-13 speaks of how the O.T. stories were examples for us to learn from. My hope and prayer is that as we study the book of Joshua that we would all learn what it means to be living the spirit filled life so that we may have victory in our every day lives.
STUDY NOTES: verses 1-18
v.1After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, Moses was a representation of the Law. But as we can see the Law can never lead us into the promise land. It was only after these things that God directed the Israelites to prepare for the promise land. Paul states it in (Gal 3:24) what the purpose of the law was for.
it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying. Joshua was Moses assistant and was not very young anymore. If you remember the story the Jews came to the Jordan 40 years earlier and sent in 12 spies to spy out the land. 10 of them came back with a bad report and frightened the people with the stories of the high walled cities and giants in the land. There were 2 spies however that were for taking the land. They believed in the promises of God and were ready to fight. Caleb was one and Joshua was the other. This Joshua had been waiting for 40 years to go back and take what was given to them. It is interesting that Joshua’s name in the Hebrew means Jehovah salvation. Which if translated in to the gk. Would be called Jesus.
v.2-3 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them; the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. Just as the Red Sea is a symbol of water baptism the Jordan river is the symbol for the baptism of the Holy spirit. The 1st baptism was done with very little faith required by the people. But as you will see God is going to require them to take a step of faith to enter into the promise land. This no different from you and I when by the Holy spirit we are convicted and drawn to the Lord into a place where there is no escape. We have a choice to choose him. As we start our walk we are amazed at everything that the Lord is doing for us. But we may notice that there is dryness to our Christianity. Yes we are saved but it seems that there should be more. It is during this time that we are presented with our Jordan River. So we make that step asking for the Baptism of the Holy spirit in our life. It is interesting that the symbol for the Holy spirit in the Bible is a dove. We have a beautiful picture of what it takes for a man to have the Holy spirit light on him in Noah. The story goes that there was a Dove that was hovering looking for a place to land. Noah lifted up his hand and the dove lighted on him and he took him in. Noah had to make an active movement on his part by extending his hand. Just as we have to make an active movement by asking God to Fill us with his Holy spirit to empower us for ministry to be effective in ministry. God has given you the land everything that the sole of your foot treads on is already yours. Now its up to us to just walk by faith and to be filled to overflowing with the spirit.
v.4-5 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. It is interesting to note how much The Lord gave the Israelites. ~300,000 square acres. In the time of Solomon when Israel was at the largest it ever was the possessed 1/10 of what was given to them by the Lord. They never walked in the promises of the Lord. They grew complacent and settled down and lost the radicalness in their lives. And unfortunately they never knew the fullness of God. This paints a clear warning for us in our walks, are we guilty of settling down into a complacency in our walk? Can we look back and see a time when we were more radical for the Lord then now?
v.6-9 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 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. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua is exhorted by the Lord to be strong and courageous 3 times in this one section of scripture. The key is not being strong and courageous in myself or someone else but to seek my courage and support from the Lord. The Lord goes on to tell Joshua how to keep on this path by studying and meditating on the word of God. As we study and meditate on the word of God it will sink deep into my being and I will begin to put into practice what it is teaching. Just a like a Burger from Sonic Burger is chewed on and swallowed by me and then is absorbed by my body, the Word is food to my spiritual body. And as I digest and chew on the word I will find that my spiritual body will grow and get stronger. Peter speaks of this in (1 Pet 2:2-3)
v 10-11 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’” Times that we are waiting on the Lord are not wasteful but a time of preparation for what the Lord has planned for us.
Vs.12-15 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” This was the group that in Numbers 32:20 settled on the other side of the Jordan and chose not to enter into the promise land that the Lord had given to them. Consequently history will show us that this group was also the first Jews to be paganized. Jesus set a Demon possessed man free in the area of Decopolis. They seeing the a man that had terrorized them free instead of begging Jesus to come into their cities, begged him to leave. There is a warning here in that if we fail to enter into the promises of God we can become paganized to the point where we do not have time for Jesus in our lives anymore.
v. 16-18 So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage. Remembering the promise that they had previously made to Moses these 2.5 tribes honored their word to help the people.
TRUTH APPLIED:
Q. 1 Looking at your spiritual walk. Is there a dryness that has robbed you of the joy of walking in the Spirit. Can you look at your life and see a definite difference. Read Acts 2:2 A mighty wind stirs things up changing the outlook of the land if you will. Can you look at your life and see the effects of the Racha or the breath of God in your life? If there is a desire in your life to purge the dryness the in your life all we have to do is be like Noah and make a definite movement to the Lord and like Noah the Holy spirit will light on you and empower you in the way that you could never imagine.
Q. 2 For those of us who are baptized in the Spirit are you taking the steps in the Promise land that God has already promised you? Are we slowing down? Are we guilty of getting wrapped up in non war activities. Read 2 Tim 2:2- 6, what was Paul driving home to young Timothy?
Q. 3 As men of God we need to be careful of getting wrapped up in so many things that take our time. We can find our selves being pulled in 4 different directions not any of which or what the Lord has planned for us. What are some ways that we can make sure that we are staying in Gods plan for our lives and not getting ripped off by the enemy and making compromises in our walk that can end up costing us a lot of heartache in the end?
CONCLUSION:
Oh that we would be like Joshua and Caleb and hunger for the promise land of God for active in the battle and would learn to walk closely with the Lord ministering to the Lord and being used by him to be a vessel to help get people to the destination that God has for them. Incidentally that is what we are called when we are ministers or under rowers. In Paul’s time these were the guys that were not seen nor appreciated. But without them working quietly and faithfully behind the scenes the boat would go nowhere. I pray that our desire would be to be used by the Lord in a new and radical way. For that is what we have in the life of the Spirit. A radical lifetime of serving a radical God who loves imperfect people.