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Hey Reading Community,
Congratulations, you have landed safely in the Promised Land and are closing the last chapter of the Torah! This is a big accomplishment, and it’s worth looking back on the beautiful literary foundation that has been laid, as well as how God has been working in human history to this point. It is also important to pause and remember all of the times God has been faithful to his covenant promises, despite human resistance. We need to take seriously the accounts of God executing his justice upon those who redefine good and evil in ways that hurt others (Pharaoh and most of the Exodus generation).
This week, you will read through the book of Joshua (Moses’ protege and new leader of Israel), which recounts how the Israelites inherit the land God promised to Abraham. A word of warning: all the violence in this book might bother you; and when you open the Book of Judges later this week, it won't get any lighter! We really encourage you to read this week’s blog in order to gain a better perspective on Israel’s ancient holy war.
Onwards!
Jon, Tim, & The Bible Project Crew
P.S. Want to dive deeper? Start with our blog on Biblical Theology. This week, we dive into the topic of Divinely Sanctioned Violence. |
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Chapter 6
THE PROMISED LAND |
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Week 10
Summary |
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This week, you’ll read through Joshua, which has three major movements followed by a short conclusion. The first five chapters of the book recount how Israel crossed the Jordan River; this should remind you (as it certainly reminded the Israelites) of how God parted the sea during the Exodus. Prepare yourself (read the blog and watch the Read Scripture video on Joshua) as you dive into chapters 6-12, which condense decades of battles between the Israelites and the Canaanites into a few short accounts.
For the most part, Israel is totally passive, watching God win their battles. In the next movement, we watch an aged Joshua divide up the land and apportion it to the twelve tribes of Israel (chs. 13-22). The book concludes with Joshua warning the people against breaking their covenant with God. His words deliberately echo the final words of Moses himself to the next generation that Joshua now leads. Finally, you will open the book of Judges, but we will cover more of this disturbing book next week. |
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| Thank you! |
| Whether you gave us a one-time gift, are a monthly supporter, a full-time prayer warrior, a Bible Project advocate, or just an eager participant in the Read Scripture community, we are so grateful for you because this project wouldn't be possible without you. |
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