Lecture 8b: Deuteronomistic History - Selected Texts
Joshua
- Joshua was the disciple, servant, and successor of Moses. Under his leadership, the Israelites succeeded to conquest Canaan (the Promised Land). He is called in Sirach a "prophet according to the model of Moses"
Joshua 2 - Spies Sent to Jericho & Rahab
- Now on the Eastern side of the Jordan River
- From around Nebo, where Moses died, Joshua sent two spies to see if Jericho was well defended
- The spies arrived in Jericho and were welcomed by Rahab (a prostitute). She shelters them on the roof of her house. Rahab denies having them when the king of Jericho finds out there are two Israelites in the city.
- The spies escape using a scarlet robe out of the window. Rahab asks them to take mercy on her and her family when they come and conquer Jericho - the sign will be the scarlet robe. In Joshua 6, the siege of Jericho, Rahab and her family will be spared
- The scarlet robe is considered by the Fathers to be a foreshadow of the redeeming and saving power of the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross
- Rahab, a Gentile prostitute, is one of the ancestors of the Lord in His genealogy (besides Ruth, a Moabite woman)
- Jesus came for the entire fallen humanity, not just for the Jews
- God is merciful that even a prostitute would be in the genealogy
- They inform Joshua about Jericho
Joshua 5:13-15 - Joshua's Vision
- Joshua's Vision of the Angel of the Lord
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13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, “Are You for us or for our adversaries?”
14 So He said, “No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.”
And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, “What does my Lord say to His servant?”
15 Then the Commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy.” And Joshua did so.
- Two questions and two answers
- Are you for us or for our adversaries?
- Are you for Israel or for Jericho? Instead, the answer is "No" - I am with neither one. "But as Commander of the army of the Lord" - He identifies Himself. "I have now come."
- Joshua detects someone not of this world, so he worships Him. People don't worship regular angels in the Old Testament, but on this occasion, Joshua saw Someone different. He saw a Divine Character. So he worshipped Him
- What does my Lord say to His servant?
- Instead of a straight answer like a military command... but He tells him "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy"
- The place of His appearance is now holy
- Similar to Exodus 3 when Moses encounters God in a burning bush, hears the voice of God telling him to take off his shoes, for the ground on which he stands is holy
- Are you for us or for our adversaries?
- God's interventions in time and space turn time and space into a holy entity