Joshua 12
Today's Passage: Joshua 12
I am guilty (probably just like you) of skimming some passages of scripture because it isn’t the most readable, understandable, or helpful. I’m currently doing The Bible Recap (a one-year chronological Bible plan) and remember working through Joshua 12 recently, navigating through all the names and locations that can be hard to pronounce and honestly, don’t seem like they matter.
What can we glean from a chapter like Joshua 12? Here’s what I would pitch to you:
When you run up against some of the more difficult (or should we call it seemingly boring at time) parts of the scriptures, look for repetition and the character of God. Ask yourself these questions:
Who is God revealing Himself to be? What does God want me to see about Him in this passage?
Where do I see God’s power?
Is there common language that the author included that I should recognize?
It may not make Joshua 12 the most interesting or impactful chapter in the Bible, but it does indeed point us to the God who was there when all 31 kings were conquered. It also reminds us the same God who did all that back then is still faithful to His covenants now!
Written By: Drew Dukes
I am guilty (probably just like you) of skimming some passages of scripture because it isn’t the most readable, understandable, or helpful. I’m currently doing The Bible Recap (a one-year chronological Bible plan) and remember working through Joshua 12 recently, navigating through all the names and locations that can be hard to pronounce and honestly, don’t seem like they matter.
What can we glean from a chapter like Joshua 12? Here’s what I would pitch to you:
1. HISTORY. One of the neatest parts of the Bible is that it’s a picture of actual world history and events that literally took place. It not only fits into the meta-narrative of what God was doing for/through Israel, but how these events are consistent with other historical documents with proof that they did occur. It strengthens the case of the reliability of the scriptures.
2. COVENANT. Although it can get dry fumbling through pronunciation and we likely have no idea where these cities even were, the undergirding of the story is that God is doing all of this in order to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham and Moses a long time ago. It’s not just war, it’s strategy. It’s not just fighting, it’s completion. God is doing what He said, no matter what obstacle stands in the way of His people. God is not hindered by kings or armies because He is faithful to the covenants He makes. It all has purpose.
3. POWER. I tend to look for repetition in the scriptures because it shows me themes and the author’s intentions as we read. One repeating phrase in this chapter is “the people of Israel defeated them” (v. 1, 6, 7). God’s power was made manifest in people! Israel itself translates as “God fights”, so no wonder everywhere they went God gave them victory. Because God is faithful to do what He said He would, His power was constantly displayed on the pages so everyone would know who did it.
When you run up against some of the more difficult (or should we call it seemingly boring at time) parts of the scriptures, look for repetition and the character of God. Ask yourself these questions:
Who is God revealing Himself to be? What does God want me to see about Him in this passage?
Where do I see God’s power?
Is there common language that the author included that I should recognize?
It may not make Joshua 12 the most interesting or impactful chapter in the Bible, but it does indeed point us to the God who was there when all 31 kings were conquered. It also reminds us the same God who did all that back then is still faithful to His covenants now!
Written By: Drew Dukes
1 Comment
Thank you, Drew! That is helpful. Wish there was a veggietales video for all of it sometimes. But asking “Who does God reveal Hinself to be (in this passage) is such a great question to ask all the time! Thanks again