Jensens survey of the old testament adam 89

appeal and exhortation to the people, to
ful ll the conditions for anticipated heights
of continued blessing in God’s rest land.
9. Study the survey Chart 32. Note the
similarities to Chart 29. How does the
survey chart divide the book of Joshua into
two main parts? Find a phrase in 11:16-23
which
summarizes
the
successful
engagements of Joshua and his army. Note
the two anticipatory sections.
10. To conclude your survey, read the last
three chapters of Joshua, keeping the survey
chart in mind as you read.
IV. PROMINENT SUBJECTS
A. THE MAN JOSHUA

The prominent person of this book is the
man Joshua. A few of the many things
revealed about him are cited below. Read all
the Bible passages involved.


1. His name. Joshua’s original name was
Hoshea (Num 13:8; Deut 32:44), which
literally means “salvation.” During the
wilderness journey, Moses changed the
name to Jehoshua (Num 13:16, KJV),
meaning, “Jehovah is salvation.” (Joshua is

a contracted form of Jehoshua.) What is the
significance of this change of name?
2. His association with Moses. Joshua was a
young man when Moses appointed him as
one of his ministers, or attendants, during
the wilderness journey. Read the following
passages which tell of some of his services
during those years: Exodus 17:8-16; 24:1213; Numbers 13:1-16; 14:26-35. At the close
of Moses’ career, God chose Joshua to be his
successor (Num 27:18), and Moses
transferred the mantle of leadership to his
faithful attendant and friend (Deut 34:9).
3. His character. Read what God said of


Joshua in Numbers 27:18 (cf. Deut 34:9).
Joshua feared God, believed God, obeyed
God, and glori ed God. He was a great
ruler, commanding the respect of all his
subjects (Deut 34:9), maintaining order and
discipline, putting the worship of God
central in the nation’s government,
encouraging his people to press on to claim
God’s best. He was also a great military
leader, using his God-given traits of wisdom,
con dence, courage, and a spirit of
challenge to manipulate his army in
strategies that consistently led to triumph.
And Joshua was a humble man who thought
highly of others and most gloriously of God.

B. THE LORD GOD

One writer has commented that “the
criterion of the religious value of any book
is, What does it tell us about God?”9 The
book of Joshua reveals much about the


person and work of God. Look up the names
“Lord” and “God” in an exhaustive
concordance and observe that the Lord was
actively and incessantly involved in the
battles and business of the leaders and
people. Three attributes of God especially
prominent in the book are His holiness,
faithfulness, and saving grace.
C. THE MAJOR TASKS

The book of Joshua reports the essential
details of four major tasks or experiences of
Israel in occupying the promised rest land:
preparation, conquest, allocating the land
parcels, and consecration.
1. Preparation (1:1—5:15). The rst ve
chapters of Joshua concern the preliminary
stages of the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan,
as they prepared and positioned themselves
for the battles against their enemies. Read
the passage, referring to this condensed