Scripture: One Book at a Time
The whole of Sacred Scripture is a single narrative that promises and points to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of the World. It is an epic story, the greatest ever told, and told "one book at a time." Each book makes it contribution to the narrative as God reveals God's self to us and his desire that all be saved.
Lesson 10: The Book of Joshua
Conquest and Controversy
There are few stories in the Old Testament as challenging and troubling to modern readers as God’s command that the Israelites should do away with the Canaanites and take over their land (see Deuteronomy 7, or Joshua 6-12). Is this the same God that revealed himself in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? Does Joshua reveal something new about the character of God or does the book continue to meta-narrative of man choosing death over life, independence over covenant?
Take a few minutes to read some thoughts about the ongoing tension between the Divine Intent, the promise of Covenant, and the human propensity to choose evil in the face of God’s grace.
When the Israelites enter the promised land they find not only Canaanites, but also cities! After viewing the Joshua introductory video, watch the second video to see the biblical significance of “the city.”
For those who would like to explore details of this book, please consider videos from Fr. Mike Schmitz’s “Bible in a Year” program. You can find the entire playlist here.
