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The book of Joshua tells the story of the Israelites' conquest

of the land promised to their ancestors by God. For 40 years,

the descendants of Jacob had stayed in the wilderness

because of their failure to trust God’s sovereignty, even over

the might of their enemies. But now, the people are ready!

They have been commissioned by the LORD for purpose

and have faithfully crossed the boundary of the Jordan River.

They were now officially in enemy territory. Now the time

comes for the third "C" of Joshua: Contending with the

opposition. The land that the people were inheriting was

not unoccupied, and God’s command to them required

them to take possession of the land from people who

already lived there. The genocidal brutality called for by

God is hard for us to reconcile, and in many ways, it is

offensive to our modern sensibilities. Yet, there is a

lesson for us in this text that can be impactful for you

personally and for us corporately as the church.

Faithfully pursuing God’s righteousness requires that

we contend with the forces that keep us bound in sin.

The good news is: God has a plan! 

 

     In preparation for this Sunday, read Joshua 5:13-6:27

     (if you’re feeling ambitious, read through chapter 13).​​