Take a glimpse at the last chapter of Deuteronomy. That final scene showsMoses standing on Mount Pisgah, gazing down at the land long promised, the land he will never enter. We can imagine him weary and worn from years of leadership. Moses died there in Moab, and the Israelites wept over his death for 30 days. What an honorable tribute it was to hear of his relationship with God:

“Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deut. 34:10). Gladly, the story does not end there. God's relationship with His people did not end with Moses' death. Joshua 1:1 picks up the drama of the people of God and their move to the Promised Land.

Joshua is a book about possession of the land of plenty and blessing. The people of Israel were moving to possess the land promised in the Book of Exodus.This would fulfill the promise made to Abraham by God, who never goes back on a promise.

However, the people of God soon found out that the land could be possessed only when they walked in obedience to God's direction and when they depended on His strength, not their own. It was a lesson they would see again and again.

This book becomes a clear picture of our walk with God today. Just as Israel moved from the bondage of Egypt, the believer moves from slavery to sin through faith in Christ. God faithfully provided for the Israelites and worked on their behalf, just as He does for us in our lives. Let's walk through this book to find encouragement for a life of faith.

Sermons in this series

  1. How to Get From Here to There (Joshua 1)

  2. How to Overcome Obstacles (Joshua 6)

  3. What Happens When We Fail? (Joshua 7)

  4. Regaining Lost Ground (Joshua 8)

  5. Be On Your Guard (Joshua 9)

  6. Moving Forward in Faith (Joshua 10)

  7. How to Claim a Mountain (Joshua 14)

  8. Strength for Service (Joshua 24)

Michael Rochelle is pastor of Shadow Hills Baptist Church in Las Vegas, Nevada.