Revision as of 04:13, 8 December 2018

Objectives

• Students will recognize the importance of passing on the baton to the younger generation.
• Students will determine to make serving a lifetime priority.

Introduction

• What are the stages of life a person goes through?

Main Body

• What major events have occurred up to this point?
  • Crossing the Jordan
  • Jherico.
  • Ai
  • Gibeon
  • Southern campaign
  • Northern Campaign

A lot has happened up to this point but as we get into the next chapters we must be careful, it is easy to get lost in Joshua 13 and 14.

Someone has said, “Most of this long section reads like a real estate deed.” And that is precisely what is found in these lengthy narrations ^[1]

However, we must understand that Israel is coming off of 430 years in Egypt, 40 years wandering in the wilderness, and 7 years of war. Finally, God's promise to Abraham will be complete.

There is still work to do (13:1-7)

• According to Joshua 24:9, how old was Joshua when he died?
  • Joshua was 110 years old when he died which means that he was probably 100 years old at this point.

• According to the beginning of verse 2, what still needed to be completed?
  • There was still land to be conquered.

• What did God command Joshua to do in verse 7?
  • God commanded Joshua to divide the land. In particular, the individual tribes are now responsible for finishing the conquest. The major victories have been won and now the baton is being passed onto the next generation.

• Why do you suppose God wanted Joshua to pass on the baton?
  • Joshua was getting old and it was time for the next generation to learn.

• What did the passing of the baton look like in 2 Timothy 3:10-15?
  • Paul passed the baton to Timothy, he had invested in Timothy and now it was time for Timothy to carry on the work.

• How should a healthy church pass the baton?

East of the Jordan (13:8-32)

It may be useful to hand out copies of a map as you discuss the rest of chapter 13.

• What request had been made in Numbers 32?
  • The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh desired to settle in the grazing lands east of the Jordan river. A deal was made whereby the men of these tribes would fight with the rest of Israel but the tribes would be allowed to settle east of the Jordan.

• What mistake was made in Joshua 13:13?
  • Israel failed to destroy the Geshurites.

• Was the decision to settle east of the Jordan a wise decision?
  • It seems that God allowed the tribes to make this decision, but 1 Chronicles 5:26 tells us that the Assyrians came in and conquered. without the Jordan river for protection these tribes were exposed.

What about Levi (14:1-5)

• According to verse 14:3-4, what happened to the tribe of Levi?
  • They received no land inheritance rather they received the priesthood as their inheritance (13:14). Interestingly the double portion went to Joseph.

Confidence (14:6-15)

• What story does Caleb recount in Joshua 14:6-9?
  • Caleb recounts spying the land and the promise Moses made.

• What does Caleb reveal about himself in Joshua 14:6?
  • Caleb was Kennezite. We read of the Kennezites in Genesis 15:18-21, specifically, they were inhabitants of Canaan. In short Caleb was not originally part of the Abrahamic promise. However, in Deuteronomy 1:36 God brought Caleb into the promise.

• What occurs in Matthew 3:9?
  • The Israelites at the time of Christ certainly had a sense of hereditary spirituality. However, sometimes in the church we do the same. Why is this dangerous? What can we learn from Caleb?

• Why is an attitude of depending on heredity a dangerous thing in the church?

• How should we pass the baton in light of the dangers of depending on heredity in the church?

• What evidence of God's faithfulness does Caleb cite in Joshua 14:10,11?
  • He has retained his physical strength.

• According to Numbers 13:31-33, who did the Israelites fear the most in the land of Canaan?
  • The Israelites feared the Anakim.

• What request does Caleb make in Joshua 14:12?
  • Caleb could have asked for retirement, instead Caleb asked for yet another challenge.

• How does Joshua respond in verses 13-14?
  • Joshua blesses Caleb and gives him his request.

Conclusion

• What does it look like for a church to raise up the next generation of believers?

• Why is retirement such a dangerous word for the church?
  • Christians should never retire. God may change their method of service but the idea of retirement is a dangerous one because the Christian's work is not done.