SIEGE OF THE

PROMISED LAND

SIEGE OF THE PROMISED LAND

Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground. For the Lord, your God, dried up the waters of the Jordan in

front of you until you crossed over, just as the Lord, your God, had done at the Red Sea, which he dried up in front of us until we crossed over; in order that all the peoples

of the earth may learn that the hand of the Lord is mighty, and that you may fear the Lord, your God,

forever.

Jos 4.22-24

The siege of the Promised Land describes how God kept his promise to his people when he led them to the land flowing with milk and honey, the land of Canaan.

I. DIVINE COMMISSION OF JOSHUA

Before Moses died, God commissioned Joshua, son of Nun, as Moses’ aide. Joshua was to be God’s instrument in leading the Chosen People to the Promised Land.

“Then, the Lord commissioned Joshua, son of Nun, and said to him, ‘Be brave and steadfast, for it is you who must bring the Israelites into the land which I promised them on oath. I myself will be with you’”.

Dt 31.23

The Divine Commission of Joshua:

1. The assurance of divine help

“I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not leave you nor forsake you”.

Jos 1.5

The Divine Commission of Joshua:

2. The exhortation to trust the Lord completely:

“Be firm and steadfast, so that you may give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers I would give them”.

Jos 1.6

The Divine Commission of Joshua:

3. The demand for the people’s faithful observance of God’s laws

“Above all, be firm and steadfast, taking care to observe the entire law which my servant Moses enjoined on you. Do not swerve from it either to the right or to the left, that you may succeed wherever you go. Keep this book of law on your lips. Recite it by day and by night, that you may observe carefully all that is written in it; then you will successfully attain your goal”.

Jos 1.7-8

After Moses’ death Joshua assumed Moses’ title “servant of the Lord”.

Joshua continued the unfinished task of Moses in leading the people to Canaan.

The Promised Land, however, was already inhabited by other nations who were unhappy that a group of tribes intended to migrate to their land. But Joshua was full of confidence that the Lord would give this land to them.

-a “land flowing with milk and honey”

It was a land of rolling hills and fertile valleys that would pasture the herds and support their crops for a brighter future for Israel.

In the eyes of the Israelites, this land of milk and honey was the land of hope.

II. PREPARATION FOR CROSSING THE JORDAN

RIVER

When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord which the Levitical priests will carry, you must also break camp and follow it, that you may know the way to take, for you have not gone over this road before.

Jos 3.3-4

Purify yourselves, because tomorrow

the Lord will perform

miracles among you.

Jos 3.5

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that I am with you, as I was with Moses. Now command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant that when they reach the river, they must wade in and stand near the bank”.

Jos 3.7-8

III. CROSSING THE JORDAN

The priests carried the Ark of the Covenant, and when the soles of their feet touched the river, the water ceased to flow and all the people of Israel crossed the Jordan River.

“No sooner had these priestly bearers of the ark waded into the waters at the edge of the Jordan, which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest, than the waters flowing from upstream halted, backing up in a solid mass for a very great distance indeed”.

…While all Israel crossed over on dry ground, the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord remained motionless on dry ground in the bed of the Jordan until the whole nation had completed the passage.

The crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River also demonstrated the presence of God in the lives of the Israelites.

For the Israelites, these events indicated that God was active and present in the memorable moments

in their history.

The parting of the Jordan River and the Red Sea are two related incidents in the lives of the Israelites.

The crossing of the Red Sea marked the deliverance of Israel from slavery, while the Jordan crossing marked the conquest of the Promised Land.

IV. CONQUEST OF THE PROMISED LAND

At last Israel entered the Promised Land!!!

When the Israelites were safe on the other side, they pitched a camp at a site called Gilgal.

With God’s help, Joshua and the people

prepared for the siege of Jericho.

The people and the priests marched around the city for six days and carried the Ark of the Covenant that contained the tablets of the commandments and was the symbol of God’s presence among the people.

On the seventh day they marched around the city seven times.

After the seventh time the people shouted. The shouts were accompanied by the blowing of horns.

…The wall of the city collapsed

and the Israelites stormed into the city

and took it.

The victory was not Israel’s alone but it was God who gave the help and strength for the small band of tribes to overcome much more powerful tribes.

The hand of the Lord was with the people in their conquest. He guided His people to victory and gave them Canaan, the land He had promised to their fathers.

The land was divided among the twelve tribes of Israel, namely:

Reuben Manasseh

Simeon Benjamin

Judah DanIsaachar AsherZebulun GadEphraim Napthali

God fulfilled His promise to Abraham that He would give this land to Abraham’s descendants.

“For the land

that you see I will give

to you

and to your offspring forever”.

Gn 13.15

V. RENEWAL OF THE COVENANT

Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He addressed the people, by recalling the deeds God had performed for the people.

God had called Abraham

and his family

from the pagan world.

He delivered the Israelites

from their oppressors in Egypt,

and He gave them the land of Canaan.

Joshua renewed the covenant God made with his people. He urged the people to remain faithful to God.

“Take great care , however,

to love the Lord, your God.

If you transgress

the covenant of the Lord,

your God, which He enjoined on you,

serve other gods and worship them, the anger of the Lord will flare up against you

and you will quickly perish from the good land

which He has given you”.

Jos 23.11, 16

The people in turn promised to serve and obey their God.

“We will serve the Lord, our God, and obey His voice”.

Jos 24.24

The book of Joshua glorifies God who fulfilled His promise to His people and gave Israel the victory…

THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF THE PROMISED LAND IS A PROPHECY OF THE SPIRITUAL CONQUEST OF THE WORLD THROUGH THE CHURCH UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JESUS THE MESSIAH.