15. The Promised Land

What the Story Says

1. Why did the two spies promise to protect Rahab the prostitute and her family?

   Rahab believed in God and helped they escape from Jericho (#15-01).

2. How did God enable the Israelites to cross the Jordan River?

   He caused the water upstream to stop flowing so the Israelites could walk across the river on dry ground (#15-02).

3. How did God make it possible for the Israelites able to defeat the city of Jericho?

   They marched around Jericho, blew their trumpets, and shouted. When they did that, God caused the walls of the city to fall down so they could attach the people (#15-03), (#15-04).

4. What happened to Rahab and her family when the Israelites destroyed Jericho?

   Joshua spared Rahab and her family, and they became part of the Israelites (#15-05).

5. What did the Gibeonites do so that the Israelites would not destroy them?

   They pretended to be from a country far away so the Israelites would make a peace treaty with them (#15-06).

6. How did the Amorites respond when the Gibeonites made peace with the Israelites?

   They joined their armies together to attack the Gibeonites (#15-07).

7. What were the two miracles that God did to help the Israelites defeat the Amorites?

   God sent large hailstones to kill the Gibeonites, and made the sun stay in one place so the Israelites would have enough time to completely defeat them (#15-09), (#15-10).

8. What did God give to each tribe after they finished fighting against the Canaanites?

   He gave each tribe of Israel its own section of the Promised Land (#15-12).

9. When Joshua called the Israelites together, what did they promise to do?

   They promised to be faithful to God and to obey his laws (#15-13).

What the Story Means to Us

1. Rahab was a prostitute. But God accepted her and her entire family as part of Israel because she believed in God. What does that tell you about who God is?

   God is willing to accept any person who believes in him. It does not matter how much they have sinned. He will accept them even if other people do not think they deserve honor.

2. God made a dry path through the Jordan River for Joshua and the Israelites. What had God done for Moses that was similar?

   God made a path through the Red Sea so Moses and the Israelites could escape the Egyptians. In a similar way, God made a path through the Jordan River for Joshua. Perhaps God wanted the Israelites to know that he would work through Joshua in the same powerful way as he worked through Moses.

3. Would you expect the walls of a great city to fall down because a group of people marched around it and shouted?

   This is not a normal way to attack a city with high walls. However, Joshua and all the Israelites obeyed God and did what he told them to do. As a result, God caused all the walls to fall down so they could destroy the city.

4. Why do you think the Israelites did not ask God about the Gibeonites?

   People often neglect to ask God for help unless they know they need him. Perhaps Joshua and the Israelites thought they could decide how to answer the Gibeonites without God’s help. Because they did not ask God, they made a terrible mistake. The Gibeonites deceived them, and the Israelites could not break their peace treaty with them.

5. In what way did God show his power over creation when he helped the Israelites defeat the Amorites?

   God controlled the weather so that hailstones fell from the sky to kill the Amorites. He also caused the sun in the sky to stand still in order to make the day longer. Only Yahweh who created all things is able to do this.

Summary

God led the Israelites into the Promised Land and helped them defeat all their enemies. He did this in a way that showed how powerful he is. He stopped the waters of the Jordan River. He knocked down the walls of Jericho. He caused hail to fall that was big enough to kill the Amorites. And he made the sun stand still to help Israel. When he accepted Rahab and her family, he also showed that he will receive anyone who believes in him. And he worked powerfully through Joshua to give Canaan to Israel. This showed that he kept his covenant with Abraham.