Historical and theological themes in the book of Joshua

¶ … memoirs and writings of early Israel are confined in the Pentateuch, meaning Genesis through Deuteronomy. Within these pages lies the lineage of the children of Israel or the nation of Israel as it discloses in the patriarchal accounts, the story of Abraham and his sons, Isaac, and Jacob. Chronicled there, the histrionic deliverance of the progenies of Israel from Egypt as well as the founding of the nation's commandments and spiritual traditions throughout their desert voyages. That portion of the accounts concludes with Israel camped on the brink of the land of Canaan, prepared to go into the land taking her position as a nation. From that point, the books of Joshua, Ruth, and the others take up the narrative and deliver a vibrant picture of the primary centuries of this land's reality.

The Pentateuch partly comes from Deuteronomic work. "The Pentateuch's contents are partly taken from the Deuteronomic work (JED), and partly from the Priestly Code" (Bennet, 1898, p. 47). The antiquity chronicled in the Pentateuch as well as the ancient writings belong to a bigger narrative. The people and events found in biblical ancient books can be recognized and understood more simply against the historic background of the area in which the country Israel traded merchandises, carried on life, battled wars, and created literature. The ancient Near East was indispensably unified during the periods of Israel's development and earliest account. Super powers of the time like Babylon and Egypt, continually expanded their terrain or lost it to one another. Great shifts in control and power such as these directly influenced conditions for Israel as well as the writings.

The narrative found in Joshua-Esther belongs to the greater culture and history of the early Near East of the first and second millennium BC. The thematic connections among the major concepts existing in the historical themes and writings of the Pentateuch as well as of those established in other segments of the Hebrew Bible, the mythical writings like psalms, including works of the traditional prophets, ("latter prophets"). These notions express the devotion of Israel and understanding of herself within a relationship to the adjacent nations and to God. These religious themes thus carry over to writing and thinking of the Church as well as Israel's belief.

Some of the themes shared within the Book of Joshua consist of patriarchal themes. "The patriarchal theme affirms that God promised Abraham, and after him Isaac and Jacob, a great posterity and a great land" (Coats, 1985, p. 47). Another theme is faithfulness. Some examples incluse Rahab the harlot which is found in Joshua 2:1-21, Caleb the warrior in Joshua 14:6-14, and the battle of Jericho Joshua 6:1-27: "Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 2 Then the Lord said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king" Holy Bible: New international version, containing the Old Testament and the New Testament, 1978).

Another theme that also carries over to the Pentateuch is the theme of disobedience and the consequences of disobedience. All these themes resonate with the pentateuchal and deuteronomistic themes. This is because it shares the idea of faith, disobedience and the consequences there in as well as existing within a patriarchal society. People of the time needed guidance in order to establish and maintain a nation.

These stories acted as that guide the people needed to continue their efforts towards a markedly better tomorrow. People like the Israelites often suffered through the multiple encroachments made by the powers of the day. These themes helped cement their identity and their mission. The Book of Joshua was in a way, reinforcing earlier themes.

Within the narrative enclosed in the Old Testament texts, the subject of the Israelites owning, holding onto, and ultimately losing the property known as Canaan and then Israel, is a linking thread. The Book of Joshua chronicles the subjugation and conquest of the land, while the other books like Judges describe the land's fights to institute itself among those neighboring it, concluding in the founding of the kingdom of Solomon and David. Chronicled in 1 & 2 Kings lies the account of decline of the kingdom; the culmination of the Assyrian on the side of Israel and Babylonian on the side of Judah, exiles and conquest.

Esther and Ezra-Nehemiah record the destiny of the Jews amongst the countries where they exited in a scattered state as written in Esther as well as their transformation of the general life within the land of Judah after the exiles as written in Ezra-Nehemiah. Possession of the land of Canaan became a significant theme of the Pentateuch. Philosophy of history delivered by Moses in Deuteronomy guides the theme of the land of Canaan in the historical works. The "doctrine of the land" articulated in Deuteronomy is resultant, not from future consideration on Israel's involvements in the land, nonetheless from the ideas of the land and the progenies of Israel's place within it, as chronicled in the patriarchal stories.

In conclusion, the narratives expressed in the Pentateuch and the Book of Joshua show several similarities in themes such as land possession, faithfulness, and disobedience. It does this and delivers how the Israelites held onto and lost the land of Canaan. The narratives provide a brief look into the world of the Israelites, what they experienced when they were scattered. The Book of Joshua highlights this well.

Outline

1. Chapters 1-5: Preparation, Conquest

The first five chapters of the Book of Joshua feature the groundwork for the conquering of the Acreage. Joshua 1: 5- 9 provides the basis Joshua's success.

Chapter 2 consists of Rahab and the action of hiding the spies getting instructions to mark her dwelling with a brilliant red cord. This shows the blood of Jesus as well as the huge part it plays in protection and salvation. The Israelites marked as well, their doorpost with a red marking or blood during their time in Egypt.