Joshua

Joshua 11: God keeps His word and judges

Begin in prayer

Before we read about God's judgment and His gift of the land to Israel, let us come before Him together. Please ask Him to help our family hear His Word with care and see the mercy found in Christ.

Moses built an altar, and called its name Yahweh our Banner.

Exodus 17:15

Father in heaven, please help us understand Your Word and Your righteous judgment. Show us Jesus, who saves His people from sin. Teach us to trust all that You have spoken. Make us more like Christ, and bless our family as we read and pray together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Kings gather at the waters of Merom with many troops, horses and chariots to fight Israel. The LORD tells Joshua not to fear and gives the armies into Israel's hand. Joshua captures their cities and destroys their kings as Moses commanded. The LORD hardens their hearts to come against Israel in battle, that He might utterly destroy them without favor. Joshua takes the whole land according to all the LORD spoke to Moses and gives it to Israel. The land has rest from war.

As you read Joshua 11, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

God judges justly and gives Israel the land as He promised.

Jabin king of Hazor called the kings of the north, and they gathered at Merom with horses and chariots (verses 1 to 5). The LORD told Joshua not to be afraid, for He would deliver them up before Israel (verse 6). Joshua attacked suddenly, and the LORD delivered them into Israel's hand (verses 7 and 8). Israel burned Hazor, which had been the head of all those kingdoms (verses 10 and 11). Joshua did all that Moses had commanded, and left nothing undone (verse 15). Only the Gibeonites made peace with Israel, and it was of the LORD to harden the hearts of the others (verses 19 and 20). God had said that the sin of the Amorites was not yet full (Genesis 15 verse 16). Joshua took the whole land as the LORD spoke to Moses (verse 23). The land had rest from war (verse 23).

How does Joshua 11 show us that God judges justly and gives Israel the land as He promised?

God gives Israel victory over the kings.

The kings of the north gathered at the waters of Merom with many horses and chariots (verses 4 and 5). The LORD told Joshua not to be afraid, because He would deliver them up before Israel (verse 6). Joshua attacked suddenly, and the LORD delivered them into Israel's hand (verses 7 and 8). Joshua burned their chariots, as the LORD told him (verse 9).

God judges rightly when He hardens hearts.

Only the Gibeonites made peace with Israel (verse 19). It was of the LORD to harden the hearts of the others, so that they came against Israel in battle (verse 20). God had said that the sin of the Amorites was not yet full (Genesis 15 verse 16). Moses told Israel they received the land for the wickedness of these nations, not for their own righteousness (Deuteronomy 9 verse 5).

God gives the land He promised.

Joshua left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses (verse 15). He took the whole land as the LORD spoke to Moses, and gave it to Israel by tribes (verse 23). Hebrews 4 verse 8 shows that Joshua's rest was not the last, for God spoke afterward of another day. Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11 verse 28).

Memorise

So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh spoke to Moses

Joshua 11:23

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, where am I refusing to listen to God and needing Jesus to forgive me?

The land had rest from war, as the LORD had spoken to Moses. Yet Hebrews 4 verse 8 shows that Joshua's rest was not the last, for God spoke afterward of another day. Jesus invites the weary and burdened to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11 verse 28).

The rest Jesus gives is peace with God, and He won it at the cross. There He died for His people and suffered the judgment their sins deserved, and everything needed for their peace with God was done. God raised Him up from the dead.

So please come to Jesus with your tired heart and your sin. Turn from your sin and trust Him. Rest and forgiveness are promised to all who trust Him.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the LORD kept His promise and gave Israel the land. Parents, please explain verses 11 and 20, where cities fall and hearts are hardened, as judgment then and no pattern for war. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for keeping His word to Israel, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so invite each one to pray if they want to.

For your loving kindness is great above the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Psalm 108:4

Lord God, You kept Your word and gave Israel rest from war. Your judgment is right. Please help each of us turn from sin and trust Jesus, who bore judgment for His people. This week, teach us to listen when You speak and obey what You command. Amen.