Reflecting on Joshua

Reflecting on Joshua

​This coming week marks the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the 24th February. Thinking back to a year ago, it is hard not to admire the courage of the people of Ukraine  as their cities and homes and infrastructure have been bombed.  I was particularly struck by the courage of Zelensky, who, when the US offered to evacuate him to safety, under great threat to his own life he chose rather to stay in Ukraine and lead his people in resistance. We will come back to the theme of courage a little later. 

Over the last few weeks we have been doing short overviews of the first 5 books of the Bible. Last week, as we came to the end of the Book of Deuteronomy,  in which the people of Israel stand poised to enter the Promised Land. Moses gives his final lengthy speech. He passes the mantle of leadership onto Joshua, he climbs a mountain to see the promised land from a distance and then he dies. 

Today we turn to the book of Joshua which picks up the story from there as Joshua leads the people of Israel across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. 

As one reads the contents of the book of Joshua, one can’t help being struck by the brutality and ruthlessness of it as the Israelites begin their invasion at the city of Jericho by utterly destroying all that was in the city, slaughtering all the inhabitants, men, women, children, the elderly, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.  There is some pretty brutal stuff in the book, not all of which would make for good bed-time reading for children, and a reminder that not everything in the Bible is worthy of being emulated in the literal sense and that many of the stories fall far below the values, the vision and the teachings of Jesus. 

But thankfully, for most of Christian history, the story of the Book of Joshua has not primarily been read literally. Ratherfor much of Christian history it has been read allegorically, symbolically and metaphorically.  And when one does so we begin to discover underlying themes that can speak to us today as followers of Jesus who comes to us not with the sword of violence but rather with the sword of love and truth as the prince of peace. 

Firstly, the theme or metaphor of the Promised Land is a very powerful one in scripture. The phrase ‘Promised Land’ is able to capture and inspire the human heart as it expresses the deep desire and dream of every human heart for a fuller, more meaningful life, a life of greater joy, harmony and abundance.  We all long for a better fuller, more meaningful life… and in this sense, every human heart has a longing for a Promised Land of some description. 

But the real Promised Land is not always primarily a change in our outward circumstances, although sometimes a change in our outer circumstances may sometimes be necessary. If you are in a situation that is oppressive or abusive, then, like the Israelites who escape from Egypt, we may need to consider a change in our outer circumstances.  But the real Promised Land is first and foremost an inner spiritual reality. It is firstly the Promised Land of the heart, a land flowing with the milk and honey from within where we discover the love and joy of God welling up from within.  It is a love and a joy that is not dependent on having lots and lots of stuff or even los and lots of money.   The message of Jesus has always been that the deepest happiness is ultimately an inner spiritual happiness, the Promised Land of the heart and the spirit and not in the abundance of our possessions.

Secondly in the story, we encounter the repeated theme of needing to take courage.  The Israelites soon discover that entering the Promised Land is not just plain sailing. It doesn’t just come on a platter. The Israelites are met with opposition and they have to do battle with Canaanite Kings who make alliances and try to oppose the Israelites. 

The story of Joshua is a reminder that entering and claiming the Promised Land of God’s Love requires courage.  It takes courage to confront our inner demons, our unhealed trauma’s, and our unexamined beliefs and the inner voices that undermine our deeper joy.  It takes courage to be willing to grow, to be willing to face life’s challenges, to be willing to conquer our fears. 

It got me thinking, where does courage actually come from? When we find ourselves at our lowest points in life, we find that courage  is not always something we can drum up from within ourselves.  Often in life, a little child can only take the risk that courage requires because he or she has the presence, the patience and the encouragement of a loving parent ready to stand beside them or help catch them, or perhaps pick them up when they fall.  And so it is in the story of Joshua, the Israelites can only ultimately take courage because of the assurance that God it with them to ‘en-courage’ in other words, to put courage into them.  And so, a large part of courage is about grace, having a cheer-leader on the side encouraging us.  From a spiritual perspective our courage comes from knowing that there is a greater power, wisdom and presence with us and within us from which we can draw strength beyond ourselves.  As Paul says in Philipians (4:13): “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. The Christ he is referring to is the Christ that dwells within each of us (Col 1:27). 

Lastly, at the end of the book, after the land has been divided up and portioned out to each of the 12 tribes of Israel, Joshua gives his closing speech to the people of Israel, he encourages them not to follow the religious practices of the Canaanite in the land (which included child sacrifice), but to follow the One who had led them out of bondage in Egypt.  In the midst of this speech he delivers these powerful words: “Choose this day whom you will serve!”

It is a challenge for each of us to consider.  Who or what are we serving in life?  Are we serving the wants and desire of our lower selves or the deeper desires our higher selves, the image of God within?  Are we serving the promotion of life and love that brings benefit and value not just to ourselves, but to others as well? Or are we choosing a lesser or a more limited good that is not ultimately life giving to ourselves and others. 

It reminds me of the 1979 song by Bob Dylan: Gotta Serve Somebody

You may be an ambassador to England or France
You may like to gamble, you might like to dance
You may be the heavyweight champion of the world
You may be a socialite with a long string of pearls

[Chorus]
But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re going to have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re going to have to serve somebody

[Verse 2]
You might be a rock ’n’ roll addict prancing on the stage
You might have drugs at your command, women in a cage
You may be a business man or some high-degree thief
They may call you Doctor or they may call you Chief.

[Chorus]
But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed
You’re going to have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re going to have to serve somebody

[Verse 5]
You may be a preacher with your spiritual pride
You may be a city councilman taking bribes on the side
You may be working in a barbershop, You may know how to cut hair
You may be somebody’s mistress, may be somebody’s heir