Sermon and Worship Resources

Showing 1 to 25 of 35 results

Joshua 7:1-26

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Spies, Achan, and Failure at Ai: Victory is often a prelude to disaster in the Bible. The joy of the song of Moses after the exodus has hardly died down before the people complain (Exod. 15:24). Moses faces a golden calf upon coming down the mountain after receiving the commandments of the covenant (Exod. 32). Likewise sin rears its ugly side at Jericho. Power gives birth to selfishness and miscal...

2. Ai Destroyed

Joshua 8:1-29

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Ambush and Victory at Ai: 8:1–2 Now that the people were consecrated and Israel’s primary sin eliminated, God gave Joshua marching orders to take Ai (lit. ruin). The Lord said to Joshua, Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged [lit. dismayed]. Take the whole army [lit. people of war] with you, and go up and attack Ai. For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and hi...

3. Allotment for Asher

Joshua 19:24-31

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Territory of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulon, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan: 19:1–9 The tribe of Simeon received an allotment within the territory of Judah. Of the seventeen cities assigned to Simeon, fifteen are also mentioned as cities in Judah. Simeon is located primarily in southwest Judah, the western Negev, between Beersheba and the Mediterranean Sea. Simeon remained a district or tribal enti...

4. Allotment for Benjamin

Joshua 18:11-28

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Territory of Benjamin, Simeon, Zebulon, Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan: 18:11–28 The territory of Benjamin is described as a boundary list and a list of cities. (For more information see map 31, Beitzel, The Moody Bible Atlas of Bible Lands, p. 100.) Its northern boundary coincides with that of Ephraim and its southern one with that of Judah. On the east is the Jordan River, and on the west it...

5. Allotment for Dan

Joshua 19:40-48

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

6. Allotment for Ephriam and Manasseh

Joshua 16:1--17:18

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Inheritance of Ephraim and Manasseh: 16:1–17:18 After Judah receives its inheritance, the tribes of Joseph receive theirs. Now that the territory of the north has been separated from Judah, the allotment describes the boundaries of Ephraim and the half-tribe of Manasseh. Ephraim receives its territory first in compliance with the wishes of Jacob, who blessed Ephraim over Manasseh (Gen. 48:14, 19)....

7. Allotment for Issachar

Joshua 19:17-23

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

8. Allotment for Joshua

Joshua 19:49-51

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Territory for the House of Joshua: 19:49–51 After Joshua and Eleazer the priest finish dividing the land among the people, the tribes grant Joshua an inheritance in the hill country of Ephraim, the center of the country. The divine designation of this land for Joshua also comes by casting lots, the Urim and Thummim. Joshua claims the land and builds up the city of Timnath Serah, the place of his b...

9. Allotment for Judah

Joshua 15:1-63

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Inheritance of Judah: 15:1–12 Allotment of the land of Judah includes a detailed description of its boundaries. The boundary list begins in the south and then moves to the east, north, and west. On the east the boundary is the Salt, or Dead Sea to the mouth of the Jordan, and on the west it is the coastline of the Great Sea, or Mediterranean. Descriptions of the southern and northern boundaries in...

10. Allotment for Naphtali

Joshua 19:32-39

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

11. Allotment for Simeon

Joshua 19:1-9

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

12. Allotment for Zebulun

Joshua 19:10-16

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

13. Buried in the Promised Land

Joshua 24:28-33

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Burial in the Promised Land: 24:28–33 The book of Joshua ends with three grave traditions that set the context for the book of Judges. Joshua and Eleazer die. The religious leaders of the tribes will govern no more. A new generation must arise to challenge the people to commitment. The bones of Joseph are buried in Shechem in the burial cave of Jacob, as Joseph had requested (Gen. 50:24). Truly th...

14. Circumcision at Gilgal

Joshua 5:1-12

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Religious Preparation for War: 5:1 The wonders of crossing the Jordan demoralize the enemy for the tribal attacks. Enemy kings find their hearts melted and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites (lit. there was no spirit in them). Rahab’s analysis proves true as residents of Canaan experience the “melting of hearts” and “loss of spirit” when they hear of God’s victories east of the ...

15. Cities of Refuge

Joshua 20:1-9

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Cities of Refuge 20:1–9 God reminds Joshua of some unfinished business in the division of the land. God commands in Numbers that cities be set aside to protect those who face the threat of blood revenge (Num. 35:8–34), and Moses repeats that command in Deuteronomy (Deut. 19:1–13). Joshua 20 states that cities need to be set aside as places of “refuge,” “admittance,” or “inclusion” (the term does n...

16. Crossing the Jordan

Joshua 3:1-4:24

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Crossing Over the Jordan: The action of the story slows down in the crossing narrative (Josh. 3–4). Commands are repeated and events are described in laborious detail to indicate the importance of crossing the Jordan for the faith of Israel. The narrator also describes a liturgical drama that would be used for instruction of the young. The fords of the Jordan River and then Gilgal, the camp after ...

17. Division of the Land East of the Jordan

Joshua 13:8-33

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Division of Land East of the Jordan: 13:7–33 The narrative shifts from describing land not yet conquered to dividing land among the tribes. Verse 7 begins with a summary statement about land west and east of the Jordan. The Greek version (LXX) of the passage includes a section of the verse left out of the Hebrew (MT) and not in the NIV. Verse 7 begins (NIV) with the following: and divide it (the w...

18. Division of the Land West of the Jordan

Joshua 14:1-5

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Inheritance of Tribes West of the Jordan: 14:1–5 Joshua 14 introduces the dividing of land west of the Jordan with a summary statement on areas inherited in the land of Canaan (14:1). The phrase “land of Canaan” refers to land west of the Jordan, where the Canaanites live. The narrator repeats the instructions in a concluding summary (19:51). Eleazar, the priest, Joshua, son of Nun, and clan heads...

19. Division of the Rest of the Land

Joshua 18:1-10

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Allotments at Shiloh: 18:1–10 A narrative summary shifts the scene from Gilgal (Josh. 14:6) to a tribal assembly at Shiloh (Josh. 18:1), ten miles northeast of Bethel. The narrative mentions that the assembly set up the Tent of Meeting at that place. The Tent of Meeting at this time is more important than a permanent structure, for it is the symbol of the presence of God. Only later did the tribes...

20. Eastern Tribes Return Home

Joshua 22:1-34

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

An Altar Crisis on the Eastern Side of the Jordan River: Joshua closes with three chapters that form an addendum pointing out challenges for the next generation. These chapters include speeches that address concerns of Deuteronomy and use Deuteronomic language. Crises in these passages point toward the book of Judges and the rest of the so-called Deuteronomic History (Samuel and Kings). The closin...

21. Five Amorite Kings Killed

Joshua 10:16-28

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Five Kings Attack Gibeon and Joshua Counterattacks: 10:1–5 Adoni-Zedek, king of Jebusite Jerusalem, gathers other kings to make war on Joshua and Israel (9:1–2). The king of Jerusalem is upset over Joshua’s treaty with Gibeon and the treatment of kings in Ai and Jericho. He perceives Gibeon to be more of a threat than Ai because it is a more significant town (lit. great), a city with a king (lit. ...

22. Hebron Given to Caleb

Joshua 14:6-15

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Inheritance for the Calebites: 14:6–15 Surprisingly, allotment of land in Canaan begins with confirming the inheritance of an outsider. Caleb, son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, represents a number of peoples who intermingle with the descendants of Jacob to form the nation of Israel. Caleb, like Rahab, becomes a model of faith for those who inherit the land as legitimate heirs of Jacob. To emphasize ...

23. Joshua's Farewell to the Leaders

Joshua 23:1-16

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Farewell Speech of Joshua: 23:1–5 Saying goodbye is difficult for everyone, leaders and followers. In Joshua 22 the time arrives for final farewells. The narrator does not tell readers when Joshua gave his farewell, but a long time had passed. Readers can know only that Israel had rest from their enemies and Joshua was well advanced in years (lit. days). Joshua summons the local leadership of the ...

24. Land Still to Be Taken

Joshua 13:1-7

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

Instructions about Land Remaining to Be Conquered: 13:1 Joshua’s age, estimated as ninety to one hundred, provides the chronological setting for two sections of the book (13:1; 23:1–2). The issues of age and of unconquered land are introduced when the LORD said to him, “You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over” (lit. very much land remains to be possessed). G...

25. List of Defeated Kings

Joshua 12:1-24

Understanding Series

J. Gordon Harris

A List of Defeated Kings: 12:1 An introduction to the list of kings connects this chapter with reports of conquests in the land. The list names kings from east to west of the Jordan and ends with a total of thirty-one (twenty-nine in LXX) defeated kings ruling west of the Jordan (12:24). The different forms and content of the list indicate that the narrative combines two independent lists in the r...

Showing results