"God's chosen and beloved people are about to enter the promised land.  Each step of their way illustrates a comparative step of  our own lives with God. We have seen how the selection, the covenant relationship, the blood of the sacrifices and the deliverance from Egypt all picture for us our lives as redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and lived in His grace.

 

The crossing of the Jordan illustrates our identification with Jesus Christ--we have died with Him to the old life and entered into the new life, the resurrection life of our Lord.  (Rom. 6:3-5 and Heb. 4:10-11)

 Father, by Your grace, make that wonderful resurrection life a living reality in our lives day by day, so that we might continually demonstrate Your goodness and love.  Thank You, precious Lord and King!

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I. Read Deut. 9:1-6. Listen, as God prepares and instructs His people through Moses.
 
A.     1. Describe the inhabitants of the land who must be driven out.

2. (Personal) What are the "enemies" in you which must be driven out in order for you to possess the land in peace? (See I Pet. 2:9-11 and Gal. 5:16-21)
 
 
3. What is God's part and what is our responsibility in driving out the enemies in you? (See Rom. 8:13, 37; Eph. 4:22-25 and I Thess. 5:24)
 

 
B. In v.3, which two words describe one aspect of God's character? Relate these two words to what He promises to do both for Israel and for you.
 
 
C. Why will God drive out the inhabitants of the land?
 
 
II. Read Deut. 34
 
A. List all the ways you see God's loving care for Moses.
 
 
B.     1. What does God call Moses in v. 5? (Compare with Paul in Romans 1:1)

2. (Personal) To what extent does this word state your relationship with God?
 

C. Describe Joshua.
 
 
III. Read Joshua 1:1-9
 
A. Paraphrase and personalize the beautiful promise in v. 3.
 
 
B. 1. Entrance into the land will produce conflict, but what does God promise Joshua?
 

2. (Personal) What is God saying to you about Himself and His loving care for you in your battles to possess what He has given you? (Keep in mind His covenant-relationship with you and all that is yours in Him.)

C. 1. What does God ask of Joshua? (Note the recurring phrase.)
 

2. (Personal) What guidelines and directions is He giving you here, which will help you to live victoriously in and with Him? (See also Col. 3:16 and Eph. 6:10)
 

D. Read Joshua 1:10-18. What does Joshua emphasize in his instructions to the people? (Notice again their confident response.)
 
 
IV. Read Joshua 2
 
A. Describe Rahab as you see her in this chapter.
 
 
B. What do you learn about Rahab in Matt. 1:1-5?
 
 
V. Read Joshua 3
 
 
A. List the instructions given in vs. 3-6 and state why they are important.
 
 
B. What did God intend to make very clear to Joshua and to the people, according to v. 7?
 
 
C. 1. When would the water of the Jordan begin to recede and make way for God's people?

 

2. What God has given us (eternal life, His Spirit, victory in Him, etc.), we personally receive by faith. From the action in vs. 13-17, explain what faith is.
 
 
3. Describe the actual experience of crossing the Jordan. (Consider the "impossibility" of over 1 million people with animals approaching a flooding river with the assurance that at the last moment -- God's appointed time -- He would make a way.)

VI. Read Joshua 4
 
A. Why did God command that stones be taken from the middle of the Jordan?
 
 
B. (Personal) What kind of memorials do you have, which help you remember God's loving actions in your own life? How have these enabled you to show others how great our God is?
 
 

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SUGGESTED HYMN:  Jesus, I Am Resting, Resting

 Next: Lesson 20