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Q3. (Joshua 15:15-17; Judges 3:9-11) What can we deduce about Othniel's character from Joshua 15:15-17? Why does Caleb offer his daughter in marriage? How does this narrow the selection of a son-in-law? What is the power behind Othniel's judgeship according to Judges 3:10? He must have been a brave man, very much like his future father-in-law – and in love with Caleb’s daughter, to accept the challenge. Caleb wanted to ensure that his future son-in-law would be of the same fighting caliber and faith as himself. This narrows down the selection, but Caleb can be sure of a son-in-law with the right credentials. The Holy Spirit empowered Othniel to lead his people to a victory over a tyrant oppressor. By now he had become Israel’s first judge. This God-given victory resulted in a 40-year period of peace. This came about because of the disobedience and idolatry of the Israelites. They had lived among the pagan peoples, intermarried with them, and even served their gods (Judges 3:5-6).

Q2. (Joshua 14:6-14) Why is Caleb boastful in verse 12? Is this a character flaw or a trait to be emulated? Why do you think he claimed the hill country of Hebron for his inheritance? How can a strong leader be truly humble? Why are strong leaders often tempted towards pride? I don’t think Caleb was boastful at all; rather he had complete faith in the fact that God would be with him. He followed and trusted God wholeheartedly having no confidence in his own ability. Yes, this is a character trait to be emulated by believers today. He showed the sincerity and integrity which is the result of undivided faith in our Lord and His promises. Caleb does not seek a rich or easy inheritance, but one full of danger. The Anakim, were not completely defeated, and some still lurked in parts of the country. It would not be an easy task to dislodge them. With God’s help he would defeat them at Hebron and take that city for his inheritance. As God had promised in Deut 1:36: “Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed the LORD.” And again in Numb 14:24: “But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it.” Strong leaders often do not give the Lord credit for what they have achieved; rather boasting about their own abilities. Often they are idolized by their followers – easily resulting in a bloated opinion of themselves, leading towards pride.

Q1. (Numbers 14:24; Joshua 14:8) What does it mean to follow the Lord "wholly" or "wholeheartedly"? How did Caleb and Joshua differ from the other spies? How does fear in leaders keep God's people from doing His will? Why was God angry with Israel for their unwillingness to enter the Promised Land? We are to follow Him fully. We must acknowledge Him as the only true God, and obey Him without reserve. Caleb and Joshua saw the Promised Land from God’s point of view. They would be able to conquer the land, whereas the other spies did not trust the Lord, and saw the giants as a massive problem. They thought it was impossible for them to be victorious in battle against these giants, and they all would die. Fear paralysis a person and can prevent us from thinking and acting rationally. Fear also brings unbelief, robbing us of the promises the Lord has made. God had promised the Israelites that He would drive out the inhabitants from before them. He had also brought them right to the border of the Promised Land. What made our Lord angry was the fact that they failed to enter because they allowed fear to dominate their hearts instead of faith. They did not put their trust in Him, despite what He had done in the past for them.

Q4. How does Bob Munger's "My Heart, Christ's Home" explain the process of surrender to Christ? When we surrender to Christ, what happens to the ugly things in our lives that displease God? What is the effect on us? By surrendering our will to His. Our Lord then becomes a permanent resident in our hearts. He feels at home there and enjoys unbroken fellowship with us. We no longer displease Jesus with our sinful thoughts, words, motives, and deeds. The heart is actually the center of our spiritual life, and it controls the way we behave. We find that we acknowledge Him more and more in all the things we do. The effect on us is that we have become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). We put away all known sin in our lives, and yield ourselves completely to His control. This involves the surrender of our will, our intellect, our body, our time, our talents, and our possessions. There will be an emptying of self, to be filled with Him.

Q3. In what way does failing to drive out the Canaanites correspond to compromising with sin in our lives? What is the consequence of this compromise? What must we do to end the compromise? In the same way, the failure of the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites, is our failure to drive out sin in our lives. Like the Israelites when they initially destroyed the pagan cities; we initially, on becoming Christians, made a definite break from the ruling power and love of sin. We are no longer ruled or dominated sin. However, we cannot remain complacent. The enemy sin must be completely uprooted and eliminate from our lives. If not, it can become like a cancer which continues to grow. We cannot allow any sin to reign in our lives – if we do it is the same as admitting defeat. This is a lifelong process, and can only be done with the help of the power of the Holy Spirit and the resurrection life of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ working within us.

Q2. (Joshua 16-19) Why did God tell the Israelites to drive out the Canaanites completely? What was the short-term result of failing to do this? (Joshua 17:12-13). What was the long-term result? (Judges 2:1-3). The Lord had promised to help drive out all the pagan nations. This help was dependent upon their obedience, and not taking part in idolatry, as well as a deep love for Him. He knew what would happen if they did not drive out the Canaanites completely. The short-term result was that they started making alliances with the pagan tribes, worshiping their false gods, and intermarrying with their people. The long-term result was God forfeiting His blessing and the eventual destruction of Israel.

Q1. (Joshua 10:1-28) In the Battle of the Five Kings, what fighting did God do? What fighting did the Israelites do? How did God fulfill His promise to Joshua that "no one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life" (Joshua 1:5)? Does God expect us to be prepared to fight in the battle with our enemy the devil? How? The Lord had told Joshua not to fear the Five Kings – this guaranteed triumph despite the size of the opposition. Assured of this victory by the Lord, Joshua could with full confidence engage the enemy at Gibeon. We read of two miracles that happened in destroying the Canaanites. The tremendous hailstorm which only killed the enemy. And then, at the request of Joshua, the sun and moon standing still; giving the Israelites more daylight to destroy the foe before they could escape. God fulfilled His promise of never leaving or forsaking Joshua by giving him victory after victory. This He did as long as Joshua was obedient. God was always present offering advice and help. Yes, we must be prepared to fight the evil ones – to fight our own battles. This is done only after we have come humbly before Him in prayer seeking His guidance. Our weapons are faith in our Heavenly Father, prayer, obedience to the Word and Holy Spirit. We can never be sure of being victorious on our own – we need the support and wisdom of the Lord. We lean not on our own understanding, but we put our trust in the Lord, at the same time acknowledging Him in all that we do.

Q4. (Joshua 9:14; 7:1-5) How did Joshua's failure to consult God before making decisions hurt Israel? How did Jesus model close communication with God before making major decisions? What does it take for us to hear God's voice or to get confirmation from God for a course of action? Yes, not first seeking direction from God was one of the reasons for Israel’s failure. Jesus was sent by God and did everything here on earth in loving obedience to the Father. Also, our Lord Jesus and our Heavenly Father are one and the same, so their works are the same. God should be consulted in all our plans, and they should be made in His will. We should live and speak in the realization that our destinies are in His control. It is important for us to recognize and understand who God is, and how much we need Him day by day. Indeed, life is a gift of God which comes by His love and mercy. This brings me to my favourite verses: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Q3. (Joshua 9:16-27; Exodus 20:7; Matthew 5:34, 37; James 5:12) What does it mean to "take the Lord's name in vain"? How are we tempted to do that? Why do we tend to take our promises so lightly? How does this reflect on God's character? What does it mean? It means the unjustified use of God's Name. It is also the empty, groundless, without basis, flippant, or insincere us of His Name. It is also to blaspheme and bad mouth our Lord, to curse Him; the careless or irreverent use of His Name. If we know someone personally, then we will also know the identity and true nature of that person. So it is with our Lord. Those who know the Lord, and are close to Him will never use His Name in vain – they will only speak with reverence of Him. They will speak about His wisdom, His might, and the truth of our great God who rules history and shows His sovereignty in acts of judgment and mercy towards individuals and nations. No room for any profanity here! Those without Jesus Christ in their lives may be tempted in the company of unbelievers to use His Name in vain, so as not to stand out among the others. They may even be ashamed to known as a Christian. Lies, slander, gossip and such are not part of being a believer – only speaking the truth in love identifies a true Christian. Jesus called Himself the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), and He expects those who follow Him to be people of truth. The truth is to be expressed in love (Ephesians 4:15), offering hope to those seeking redemption from the lies of the world.

Q2. (Joshua 7:20-21; Malachi 3:8-9; Luke 12:15) How is it possible for both rich and poor to suffer from greed? How can our greed affect our giving to the church? To what degree do you believe Americans are captives of greed? How do we repent and free ourselves from greed? I feel that the really poor are suffering from need rather than greed. However, they can, like the rich become infatuated with what they do not own, instead of seeing how gracious our Lord is in supplying what is legitimately theirs. Although riches in themselves are not a bad thing, they often take over our minds and lead us away from our Lord into an idolatry of things. We do seem to forget that great wealth brings with it great responsibilities; as a Christian it has to be managed as a steward for the Lord. After all, it all belongs to Him, and what we accumulate here on earth has no value in gaining eternal life. I don’t know about Americans, but here in South Africa we are driven by greed and corruption. It has reached such proportions as to even threaten the stability of our country. Here we seem to measure greatness by one’s bank-account, instead of measuring by what we are, and not by what we have. We have Christ, and this is more than enough. But greed destroys any joy we might have as a Christian. We need to evaluate our lifestyle from an eternal perspective; it is only then that we will find our values changing. And we can truly say like Paul: “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Philippians 4:11).

Q1. (Joshua 7) How can the sin of one person affect a country? A congregation? How does your congregation deal with sin that affects the body? How can we take sin seriously without developing a judgmental, legalistic spirit in our churches? What is the importance of confessing sins on behalf a congregation, a denomination, or a nation? We only have to think of how Gavrilo Princip, a Serbian nationalist, with his assassination of Franz Ferdinand, the archduke of Austria-Hungary, started WW1. His sinful act caused over 17 million deaths and changed the world forever. Sin is like a cancer, if allowed to grow, can have a profound effect upon an individual, on a family, on a church, and as we have seen, even on a nation. Israel was a holy nation, set apart from others, and God therefore was dealing with them as a collective whole. Therefore, Achan’s sin was looked upon by God as “My people have sinned”. God hates sin. Here He was teaching the Israelites that sin defiles the whole nation and therefore must be totally eradicated. I think God also looks upon each congregation, and each denomination, and even each nation as a unit. It is therefore vital for each unit to repent and confess their sin. Any sin in an integrated unit can have significant effects on the blessings God may provide.

Q4. (Joshua 6:27) The slaughter of all the people in Jericho is difficult for us to understand. Why do you think God ordered it? In what sense are you "devoted to the Lord" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Metaphorically, how does this relate to Jesus' teaching to deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him, and Paul's teaching on the crucified life? (Luke 9:23; Romans 6:6; Galatians 2:20). It is only when we realize the moral perversity of the inhabitants of Jericho that we can begin to understand why God ordered the complete destruction of life within the city. Jericho joined other wicked cities such as Sodom (Genesis 19:4-29), Nineveh (Nahum 3:1), Tyre (Ezekiel 26:17-19), Babylon (Jeremiah 50:23), and even Rome (Revelation 18:10), that have been destroyed. God hates sin, and because of His righteousness judges sin, but He does it consistently. It is not that He only judges the pagan nations, for the Israelites were also harshly judged as they disobeyed God and practiced idolatry. God has chosen to involve Himself in our lives, sinful and rebellious as we are. He has every right to wipe out the entire human race and start over, or He could even have left us to destroy ourselves. However, through His love, His grace, and His mercy, He has decided to save some of us. From the very beginning we see Him entering into communication with the part of His creation that bears His very image. He walked in the garden with Adam and Eve, promising that One would come who would crush the head of the serpent. He entered into a covenant with Abraham – keeping His side of that covenant all through history to this present moment. By entering our lives, He participates in every aspect of human existence, even offering us salvation. As a believer I’m indwelt by the Holy Spirit and ultimately my body is not mine but belongs to the Lord. At the Cross I was bought at a price - the price of His own precious blood. I think of how great His love must have been to bear all our sins in His body on the cross! Therefore, I can no longer think of my body as my own, and it is not for me to use it in any way I desire. Rather I must use my body to glorify my Lord and Saviour.

Q3. (Joshua 6:1-23) What is the meaning of the seven days of marching with the ark? What does the ark represent? What mechanism do you think God used to make the walls fall down? I the past “seven days” signals a special event for God (Genesis 7:4,10; Exodus 7:25; 29:37; 1 Samuel 13:8). Here, this is emphasized by the seven priests, seven trumpets, and seven marches. This march, besides the warning of Israel’s hostile intent, is also done to intimidate, and terrify the inhabitants of Jericho. The ark symbolizes the presence of the Almighty God. On what mechanism God used to make the walls fall down I have another idea. This could all be a lot of nonsense. I am reminded of Colossians 1:17 which reads: “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together”. Jesus is the One who controls the laws by which our universe functions in an orderly manner. If unsupported by Him all things, or specific things, would fall into disorder. So we have Jesus preserving, for example, water in such a way that it continues to act like water. The same with rocks, or any other substance, He causes it to continue act like rock and hold the walls of Jericho. However, Jesus could allow the walls to spontaneously dissolve into another substance, like water for instance. Or perhaps, only the foundations to morph into something else. Causing the walls to fall down. It is still a miracle, but only in another way.

Q2. (Joshua 5:14) What is the significance of the Commander of God's Armies being with you? If He will fight your battles for you, what does your job consist of? We cannot lose. We will have complete faith that our Lord will give us victory “the battle is the Lord’s”. We put our complete trust in Him and do not lean on our own understanding. At the same time, we acknowledge Him in all our doings (Proverbs 3:5-6). It is only when we submit to His throne that we are able to rule ourselves. This is in stark contrast to those who do not feel responsible to anyone. History has shown they become despots – cruel and oppressive dictators.

Q1. (Joshua 5:13-15) What is Joshua's challenge question to the Unknown Warrior with drawn sword? Who is He? Whose side is He on? Whose side are you on? Why does an encounter with Him require us to humble ourselves? Why is it so hard to submit ourselves to God? “Are you for us or for our enemies?” God Himself. Neither. He calls us to be on His side. He always sides with the righteousness and is against the unrighteousness. God intervenes in our lives to bring justice. It is difficult to submit to our Lord mainly because of our pride. History is full of failed leaders who refused to humble themselves before our Lord.

Q5. (Joshua 5:12) Why did the manna cease at this time? In our lives, why does God let us experience times of manna? Why does He sometimes let the manna cease? In your own life, are you in a stage of receiving manna or planting seeds for a future crop? The manna ceased on the very day that Israel was able to eat from the produce of the land of Canaan. The manna that the Lord had provided was thus no longer needed. They had reached the Promised Land and it was now up to them to supply their own needs. Our loving Heavenly Father is a loving, caring, and gracious Father who looks after His children, and so we experience times of manna. However, He sometimes let the manna cease because of need to be disciplined. This is always done for our own good, so that we can draw closer to Him and to enable our faith to be strengthened. By the grace of God, I am in the fortunate position of presently receiving manna and of being in the position of planting seeds for future crops.

Q4. (Joshua 4) Why did Joshua have men from each tribe stack river boulders for a monument? What was the effect of this on future generations? What is the value of faith monuments in our day? What is the danger? Does your church building have more monuments to the past than indications of God's present working? Why? It was important that the Israelites never forget this great miracle, and at the same time, to show that each of the twelve tribes participated in this memorial. Both the crossing of the Jordan as well as the Red Sea, would act as tokens of God’s mercy to future generations of Israel. They are to remember that, in His grace, the Lord has helped them and is therefore to be remembered in praise. In Psalm 111:4 we read: “He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.” In our day faith monuments can act as an encouragement to our faith. The Lord’s Supper is such a memorial, and a reminder of our salvation as a result of His sacrifice. The danger is idolatry. No. No monuments to the past at all.

Q3. (Joshua 3:13-17) How was Joshua able to announce the miracle of Jordan stopping its flow ahead of the event? What kind of faith did it require to do so? What did this do for his credibility as a leader? God had told Joshua what was to happen, how they were to cross the Jordan, and now it was up to him to lead the people into that future. Having been given specific instructions it was now up to Joshua and the Israelites to put their trust in Him. This reminds me of one of my favourite verses, Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” The words of the hymn “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”, also come to mind: When I tread the verge of Jordan, Bid my anxious fears subside; Death of death, and hell's destruction, Land me safe on Canaan's side; Songs of praises, songs of praises I will ever give to Thee, I will ever give to Thee. As to Joshua’s credibility as a leader, we read in 3:7 the Lord explaining that this miracle would exalt him as the leader of the people. This is exactly what happened. After the crossing the people did in fact revere Joshua, knowing that God was with him. This is confirmed later in 4:14: “That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses.”

Q2. (Joshua 3:5) Why did the Israelites need to consecrate themselves? What might this entail? In what ways do you personally need to re-consecrate yourself? What would this require of you? What would your congregation need to do to re-consecrate itself? It was necessary for the Israelites to purify themselves before appearing in the presence of God. What was required was an inward purity symbolized by their outward washing. We cannot approach God casually, we come as creatures before the Holy One. We read in Psalm 24: 3-4: “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.” Our actions are to be righteous and blameless (clean hands), at the same time our motives are to be sincere and our minds uncorrupted (pure heart). In other words, spiritually clean. In the same way, we need to be spiritually clean. Once we have received Jesus Christ as our Saviour we have access to our Heavenly Father. This we achieve through faith in the blood of Jesus. Our sins are covered by His blood and our lives are transformed by the Word. Our congregations must also submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He must be at the head of the church.

Q1. (Joshua 3:1) Why do the Israelites have to break camp at Shittim before the day they cross Jordan? In what ways is your life settled into a routine that keeps you from fully following God's leading? What do you need to do to make yourself ready? The Israelites had a lot of preparations to do before entering enemy territory. Besides the army that had to be prepared, there was their families and their possessions that had to be moved. I feel that for my age, nearly 80, I have settled into a certain comfort zone, but yet I feel positive about it. I have been blessed in having this close relationship with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; acknowledging Him in everything I do. At the same time, being retired, I’m so grateful to have the time available for Bible studies. The Lord is truly gracious and good.

Q4. (Joshua 2:4-6) Does God honor Rahab for lying to the king's men? Is her lying justified in this case? Is there ever a time it might be permissible to lie? No God does not honour Rahab for lying. However, under the circumstances, once she put her trust in our Lord, I don’t think she had any other alternative. So, I think her lying was justified in this case. We know that lying is a sin and is displeasing to God. Perhaps the only time that lying might be permissible is in times of war, or if a lie will prevent a terrible deed of evil.

Q3. (Hebrews 11:31; James 2:5; Matthew 1:5) Why is a prostitute honored by being mentioned three times in the New Testament? How does God look on prostitution? On prostitutes? How did Jesus treat prostitutes? What does this teach us about God's attitude toward sinners and sin? It is all part of God letting us know about His plan of dealing with individual believers in grace and mercy. Using Rahab as an example, God shows us that no sin is beyond His forgiveness. And because of her obedience and trust in Him, she and her family are rewarded and blessed. Her story is one of God’s amazing grace that can save the worst of sinners. God abhors all sin, and therefore looks upon prostitution and any involvement with prostitutes is immoral. We read in Proverbs 5:3-5: “The words of an immoral woman may be as sweet as honey and as smooth as olive oil. But all that you really get from being with her is bitter poison and pain. If you follow her, she will lead you down to the world of the dead.” In Romans 6:23 we read: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our Lord Jesus treated prostitutes like all sinners with grace and dignity; wanting them to put their trust in Him, and repent - turning from their ways. He rebukes their sin but He could forgive their sin because He has that authority (Mark 2:8-12), and because He is the Lamb of God who bore “the sin of the world” (John 1:29). This teaches us that God gives us the opportunity to receive salvation and eternal life, to be cleansed of all our unrighteousness. All we have to do is turn away from our sinful lifestyle and turn to the living God, whose grace and mercy are boundless.

Q2. (Joshua 2:2-11) What indicates that Rahab believes in Israel's God Yahweh? What does she believe about Yahweh? How deep is Rahab's faith? How deep a faith does someone need to have in order to be saved from the destruction of a city? From eternal punishment? The fact that Rahab hid the two spies, at great risk to her own life, proves her faith in our Lord. She had heard all the stories about how Israel’s God had performed miracles on behalf of His people, and she realizes that Yahweh is much more powerful than the gods of Jericho. She knew about the parting of the Red Sea, as well as the victories over Sihon and Og, the mighty kings of the Amorites. She also knew that they were not too far away on the other side of the Jordan about to enter Canaan. Her faith was deep, just like the faith of someone who needed to be saved from the destruction of the city. It was a faith based on what she had heard about the mighty working of God, so she put her trust in His power and mercy. It was such a deep faith that she bet her life on it. It is the same deep faith required to be saved from the destruction of a city. However, it is unlike our saving faith, were we put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God. We don’t only believe what the Bible says about who Jesus is and what He has accomplished, but we also fully trust Him for our salvation. Jesus told us in John 14:6: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me. This is the deepest faith, a faith that we bet our eternal life on! He is the way – the only way.

Q1. (Joshua 2:1) What were the spies sent to learn? Why do you think they sought to lodge in a prostitute's house? Do you think God sent them there? The two spies were sent secretly in preparation for the invasion of the Promised Land, and specifically the capture of Jericho. Before attacking Jericho, they needed to learn information about its gates, fortified towers, military force, the morale of the people, and the surrounding territory. By sending spies, I don’t think there was any lack of faith on Joshua’s part, but rather it was a matter of military strategy. They sought lodging and entering the house of a prostitute because it would not have raised much suspicion. Also, being on the wall did not require venturing too far into the city. At the same time the situation of the house against the town wall allowed for easier escape. God in His infinite wisdom must have sent them there. The Lord so guided the course of the two spies that they found in Rahab the very person who was most suitable for their purpose. It was through her trust in the power of the God of Israel that she hid them at great risk to herself. The end result was a successful mission and the safe return of the spies. All in God’s plan.

Q4. (Joshua 1:8) What does it mean to meditate on the Word? What is the difference between Christian meditation and Eastern meditation? How does God work through His Word to renew our minds? Meditation on the Word is a vital part of a healthy, growing relationship with God, and it involves devoting ourselves to the study of God’s Word. Remembering that this is not any ordinary book but the very message of God to His people. If we want to hear His message, then we must dig deep into Scripture; it is also a means of getting to know the Lord better. As faithful stewards of this wonderful gift, we must make it an integral part of our lives, and submit to His will. We must allow the Word of God to renew our minds and thereby change our lives as we grow in faith and courage. As we spend time actively listening to the Lord, He will share His plans for our life. As we apply what we have heard, meditation will become more and more instinctive for us. Then, we will find that we hear His voice regularly, and find out that God has a special message for us. It is only when we take the time to hear what our Heavenly Father is saying that we enjoy the richness of our relationship with Him. It is a reverent act of worship. We read: “I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds (Psalm 77:12).” “I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word (Psalm 119:15-16).” Christian meditation focuses on our Lord and His Word, whereas Eastern meditation focuses on a “higher form of consciousness” as a way to discover a secret inner divinity.