The Book of Joshua demonstrates that God is perpetually at war with sin. He hates it and will judge it not only because it is an offense to His character but because it destroys the people He created for fellowship with Himself.
Joshua is a very positive book. It is a book of victory, success, and progress, and it teaches the reasons for these blessings. God had chosen the Israelites by His grace to receive blessing from His hand and to be a blessing to all other people. As they anticipated entering into what God had for them, they possessed promises from God. God had promised them His presence (1:5; cf. Matt. 28:20) and His power (1:5; cf. 2 Cor. 12:9). To the extent that they accepted His standard of holiness, abandoned themselves to His will, and acknowledged His might they succeeded. To the extent that they committed themselves to the person and covenant of Yahweh they prospered.
The principles of victory revealed and illustrated in Joshua still apply to all who are God's people.
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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable
