約書亞 Joshua - 聽教聽話

聽教聽話
- 約書亞記


分享／熱身

（真實個案改編）
1) 為何有些基督徒會覺得「聽神話／吩咐」是一件很難的事？

2) 你相信「聽神話／吩咐」會為你帶來平穩順利的生活，還是充滿不平凡經歷的生活呢？


討論

1) 摩西和約書亞有甚麼相似的經歷？
a) 出3:1-10 & 書5:13-6:5
b) 出14:15-31 & 書3:1-17
c) 出17:8-12 & 書8:18-26

出埃及記3:1
1摩西牧養他岳父米甸祭司葉忒羅的羊群；一日領羊群往野外去，到了　神的山，就是何烈山。2耶和華的使者從荊棘裡火燄中向摩西顯現。摩西觀看，不料，荊棘被火燒著，卻沒有燒燬。3摩西說：我要過去看這大異象，這荊棘為何沒有燒壞呢？4耶和華　神見他過去要看，就從荊棘裡呼叫說：摩西！摩西！他說：我在這裡。
5神說：不要近前來。當把你腳上的鞋脫下來，因為你所站之地是聖地；6又說：我是你父親的　神，是亞伯拉罕的　神，以撒的　神，雅各的　神。摩西蒙上臉，因為怕看　神。
7耶和華說：我的百姓在埃及所受的困苦，我實在看見了；他們因受督工的轄制所發的哀聲，我也聽見了。我原知道他們的痛苦，8我下來是要救他們脫離埃及人的手，領他們出了那地，到美好、寬闊、流奶與蜜之地，就是到迦南人、赫人、亞摩利人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人之地。9現在以色列人的哀聲達到我耳中，我也看見埃及人怎樣欺壓他們。10故此，我要打發你去見法老，使你可以將我的百姓以色列人從埃及領出來。

約書亞記5:13
13約書亞靠近耶利哥的時候，舉目觀看，不料，有一個人手裡有拔出來的刀，對面站立。約書亞到他那裡，問他說：你是幫助我們呢，是幫助我們敵人呢？
14他回答說：不是的，我來是要作耶和華軍隊的元帥。約書亞就俯伏在地下拜，說：我主有甚麼話吩咐僕人。
15耶和華軍隊的元帥對約書亞說：把你腳上的鞋脫下來，因為你所站的地方是聖的。約書亞就照著行了。
6:1耶利哥的城門因以色列人就關得嚴緊，無人出入。
2耶和華曉諭約書亞說：看哪，我已經把耶利哥和耶利哥的王，並大能的勇士，都交在你手中。3你們的一切兵丁要圍繞這城，一日圍繞一次，六日都要這樣行。4七個祭司要拿七個羊角走在約櫃前。到第七日，你們要繞城七次，祭司也要吹角。5他們吹的角聲拖長，你們聽見角聲，眾百姓要大聲呼喊，城牆就必塌陷，各人都要往前直上。

出埃及記14:15
15耶和華對摩西說：你為甚麼向我哀求呢？你吩咐以色列人往前走。16你舉手向海伸杖，把水分開。以色列人要下海中走乾地。17我要使埃及人的心剛硬，他們就跟著下去。我要在法老和他的全軍、車輛、馬兵上得榮耀。18我在法老和他的車輛、馬兵上得榮耀的時候，埃及人就知道我是耶和華了。
19在以色列營前行走　神的使者，轉到他們後邊去；雲柱也從他們前邊轉到他們後邊立住。20在埃及營和以色列營中間有雲柱，一邊黑暗，一邊發光，終夜兩下不得相近。
21摩西向海伸杖，耶和華便用大東風，使海水一夜退去，水便分開，海就成了乾地。22以色列人下海中走乾地，水在他們的左右作了牆垣。
23埃及人追趕他們，法老一切的馬匹、車輛，和馬兵都跟著下到海中。24到了晨更的時候，耶和華從雲火柱中向埃及的軍兵觀看，使埃及的軍兵混亂了；25又使他們的車輪脫落難以行走，以致埃及人說：我們從以色列人面前逃跑罷！因耶和華為他們攻擊我們了
26耶和華對摩西說：你向海伸杖，叫水仍合在埃及人並他們的車輛、馬兵身上。27摩西就向海伸杖，到了天一亮，海水仍舊復原。埃及人避水逃跑的時候，耶和華把他們推翻在海中，28水就回流，淹沒了車輛和馬兵。那些跟著以色列人下海法老的全軍，連一個也沒有剩下。
29以色列人卻在海中走乾地；水在他們的左右作了牆垣。30當日，耶和華這樣拯救以色列人脫離埃及人的手，以色列人看見埃及人的死屍都在海邊了。31以色列人看見耶和華向埃及人所行的大事，就敬畏耶和華，又信服他和他的僕人摩西。

約書亞記3:1
1約書亞清早起來，和以色列眾人都離開什亭，來到約但河，就住在那裡，等候過河。2過了三天，官長走遍營中，3吩咐百姓說：你們看見耶和華─你們　神的約櫃，又見祭司利未人抬著，就要離開所住的地方，跟著約櫃去。4只是你們和約櫃相離要量二千肘，不可與約櫃相近，使你們知道所當走的路，因為這條路你們向來沒有走過。
5約書亞吩咐百姓說：你們要自潔，因為明天耶和華必在你們中間行奇事。
6約書亞又吩咐祭司說：你們抬起約櫃，在百姓前頭過去。於是他們抬起約櫃，在百姓前頭走。
7耶和華對約書亞說：從今日起，我必使你在以色列眾人眼前尊大，使他們知道我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在。8你要吩咐抬約櫃的祭司說：你們到了約但河的水邊上，就要在約但河水裡站住。
9約書亞對以色列人說：你們近前來，聽耶和華─你們　神的話。10約書亞說：看哪，普天下主的約櫃必在你們前頭過去，到約但河裡，因此你們就知道在你們中間有永生　神；並且他必在你們面前趕出迦南人、赫人、希未人、比利洗人、革迦撒人、亞摩利人、耶布斯人。11a12你們現在要從以色列支派中揀選十二個人，每支派一人，13等到抬普天下主耶和華約櫃的祭司把腳站在約但河水裡，約但河的水，就是從上往下流的水，必然斷絕，立起成壘。
14百姓離開帳棚要過約但河的時候，抬約櫃的祭司乃在百姓的前頭。15他們到了約但河，腳一入水（原來約但河水在收割的日子漲過兩岸），16那從上往下流的水便在極遠之地、撒拉但旁的亞當城那裡停住，立起成壘；那往亞拉巴的海，就是鹽海，下流的水全然斷絕。於是百姓在耶利哥的對面過去了。17抬耶和華約櫃的祭司在約但河中的乾地上站定，以色列眾人都從乾地上過去，直到國民盡都過了約但河。

出埃及記17:8
8那時，亞瑪力人來在利非訂，和以色列人爭戰。9摩西對約書亞說：你為我們選出人來，出去和亞瑪力人爭戰。明天我手裡要拿著　神的杖，站在山頂上。
10於是約書亞照著摩西對他所說的話行，和亞瑪力人爭戰。摩西、亞倫，與戶珥都上了山頂。11摩西何時舉手，以色列人就得勝，何時垂手，亞瑪力人就得勝。12但摩西的手發沉，他們就搬石頭來，放在他以下，他就坐在上面。亞倫與戶珥扶著他的手，一個在這邊，一個在那邊，他的手就穩住，直到日落的時候。

約書亞記8:18
18耶和華吩咐約書亞說：你向艾城伸出手裡的短鎗，因為我要將城交在你手裡。約書亞就向城伸出手裡的短鎗。19他一伸手，伏兵就從埋伏的地方急忙起來，奪了城，跑進城去，放火焚燒。
20艾城的人回頭一看，不料，城中煙氣沖天，他們就無力向左向右逃跑。那往曠野逃跑的百姓便轉身攻擊追趕他們的人。21約書亞和以色列眾人見伏兵已經奪了城，城中煙氣飛騰，就轉身回去，擊殺艾城的人。22伏兵也出城迎擊艾城人，艾城人就困在以色列人中間，前後都是以色列人。於是以色列人擊殺他們，沒有留下一個，也沒有一個逃脫的，23生擒了艾城的王，將他解到約書亞那裡。
24以色列人在田間和曠野殺盡所追趕一切艾城的居民。艾城人倒在刀下，直到滅盡；以色列眾人就回到艾城，用刀殺了城中的人。25當日殺斃的人，連男帶女共有一萬二千，就是艾城所有的人。26約書亞沒有收回手裡所伸出來的短鎗，直到把艾城的一切居民盡行殺滅。

2) 書1:1怎樣介紹當時的約書亞？試想像約書亞當時的心情是怎樣（書1:2-9）？若你是當時的約書亞，你相信自己日後能夠有像摩西般的經歷嗎？你相信自己日後能夠像摩西般成為以色列民心目中的「大人物」嗎（書3:7;4:14;6:27）？

1:1耶和華的僕人摩西死了以後，耶和華曉諭摩西的幫手，嫩的兒子約書亞，說：2我的僕人摩西死了。現在你要起來，和眾百姓過這約但河，往我所要賜給以色列人的地去。3凡你們腳掌所踏之地，我都照著我所應許摩西的話賜給你們了。4從曠野和這利巴嫩，直到伯拉大河，赫人的全地，又到大海日落之處，都要作你們的境界。5你平生的日子，必無一人能在你面前站立得住。我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在；我必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。
6你當剛強壯膽！因為你必使這百姓承受那地為業，就是我向他們列祖起誓應許賜給他們的地。7只要剛強，大大壯膽，謹守遵行我僕人摩西所吩咐你的一切律法，不可偏離左右，使你無論往那裡去，都可以順利。8這律法書不可離開你的口，總要晝夜思想，好使你謹守遵行這書上所寫的一切話。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事順利。9我豈沒有吩咐你麼？你當剛強壯膽！不要懼怕，也不要驚惶；因為你無論往那裡去，耶和華─你的　神必與你同在。

3:7耶和華對約書亞說：從今日起，我必使你在以色列眾人眼前尊大，使他們知道我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在。
4:14當那日，耶和華使約書亞在以色列眾人眼前尊大。在他平生的日子，百姓敬畏他，像從前敬畏摩西一樣。
6:27耶和華與約書亞同在，約書亞的聲名傳揚遍地。

3) 約書亞記全書中，多次記載了約書亞如何遵守神和摩西的吩咐，又多次記載了以色列民如何遵守約書亞、神和摩西的吩咐（書1:1;1:10;1:12;3:1;3:5;3:7;3:9;4:1;4:8;4:15;4:17;5:2;6:2;6:6;6:10;6:16;8:1;8:4;8:18;8:30-31;8:35;10:8;11:6;13:1;15:13;20:1）。
試比較「耶利哥事件」及「亞干事件」，看看聽從神的吩咐及違背神的吩咐有甚麼分別？
（書 6-7; 留意：書 6:18-19; 7:1-2; 7:10-13; 7:15; 7:22-26）？


4) 神對約書亞有甚麼重要的吩咐（書1:7-9）？約書亞對以色列民有甚麼重要的吩咐（書22:5；23:6）？

1:7只要剛強，大大壯膽，謹守遵行我僕人摩西所吩咐你的一切律法，不可偏離左右，使你無論往那裡去，都可以順利。8這律法書不可離開你的口，總要晝夜思想，好使你謹守遵行這書上所寫的一切話。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事順利。9我豈沒有吩咐你麼？你當剛強壯膽！不要懼怕，也不要驚惶；因為你無論往那裡去，耶和華─你的　神必與你同在。
22:5只要切切的謹慎遵行耶和華僕人摩西所吩咐你們的誡命律法，愛耶和華─你們的　神，行他一切的道，守他的誡命，專靠他，盡心盡性事奉他。
23:6所以，你們要大大壯膽，謹守遵行寫在摩西律法書上的一切話，不可偏離左右。

5) 總結以上答案，約書亞及以色列民重視的是甚麼？他們能夠「得勝」的關鍵是甚麼（書 8:35; 11:15; 11:23）？

8:35摩西所吩咐的一切話，約書亞在以色列全會眾和婦女、孩子，並他們中間寄居的外人面前，沒有一句不宣讀的。
11:15耶和華怎樣吩咐他僕人摩西，摩西就照樣吩咐約書亞，約書亞也照樣行。凡耶和華所吩咐摩西的，約書亞沒有一件懈怠不行的。
11:23這樣，約書亞照著耶和華所吩咐摩西的一切話奪了那全地，就按著以色列支派的宗族將地分給他們為業。於是國中太平，沒有爭戰了。

反省／應用

1) 「聽神話／吩咐」即是甚麼？

2) 你願意相信你可以藉著「聽神話／吩咐」以致你能夠再突破，得著摩西或其他歷史偉人般的經歷，能夠像他們般被神大大使用嗎？

3) 當時約書亞及以色列民的目標是奪取應許之地，當他們「聽神話／吩咐」的時候，他們有順利，但同時亦有不平凡的經歷。你今年有甚麼目標？你如何可以藉著「聽神話／吩咐」以致你能夠順利兼充滿經歷地達到目標？

Listen and Obey

Warm-up/Sharing
1) Why do some Christians think that it's very difficult to “listen to and obey God”?
2) What kind of paths do you think “listen to and obey God” will lead to, an easy path or a challenging path with a lot of experiences?

Discussion
1) Compare the incidents Moses and Joshua had experienced. Is there any similarity?
a) Exodus 3:1-10 vs. Joshua 5:13-6:5
b) Exodus 14:15-31 vs. Joshua 3:1-17
c) Exodus 17:8-12 vs. Joshua 8:18-26

Exodus 3:1
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up."
4 When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."
5 "Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." 6 Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."


Joshua 5:13
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?"
14 "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?"
15 The commander of the LORD's army replied, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy." And Joshua did so.
6:1 Now Jericho was tightly shut up 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 and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams' horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in."

Exodus 14:15
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. 16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. 17 I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them. And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. 18 The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen."
19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the LORD drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, 22 and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
23 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea. 24 During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion. 25 He made the wheels of their chariots come off [b] so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt."
26 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen." 27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward [c] it, and the LORD swept them into the sea. 28 The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.
29 But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left. 30 That day the LORD saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. 31 And when the Israelites saw the great power the LORD displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.

Joshua 3:1
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards [a] between you and the ark; do not go near it."
5 Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."
6 Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
7 And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' "
9 Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD -the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."
14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea [b] ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.

Exodus 17:8
The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.

Joshua 8:18
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Hold out toward Ai the javelin that is in your hand, for into your hand I will deliver the city." So Joshua held out his javelin toward Ai. 19 As soon as he did this, the men in the ambush rose quickly from their position and rushed forward. They entered the city and captured it and quickly set it on fire.
20 The men of Ai looked back and saw the smoke of the city rising against the sky, but they had no chance to escape in any direction, for the Israelites who had been fleeing toward the desert had turned back against their pursuers. 21 For when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that smoke was going up from the city, they turned around and attacked the men of Ai. 22 The men of the ambush also came out of the city against them, so that they were caught in the middle, with Israelites on both sides. Israel cut them down, leaving them neither survivors nor fugitives. 23 But they took the king of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua.
24 When Israel had finished killing all the men of Ai in the fields and in the desert where they had chased them, and when every one of them had been put to the sword, all the Israelites returned to Ai and killed those who were in it. 25 Twelve thousand men and women fell that day—all the people of Ai. 26 For Joshua did not draw back the hand that held out his javelin until he had destroyed [a] all who lived in Ai.


2) How does Joshua 1:1 describe Joshua? How did Joshua feel at that time (Joshua 1:2-9)? If you were Joshua at that time, did you believe that you would have the similar experiences as Moses had? Did you believe that you would be having the “fame” like Moses in the eyes of all Israel (Joshua 3:7, 4:14, 6:27)?

Joshua
1:1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea [a] on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
3:7 And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' "
4:14 That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses.
6:27 So the LORD was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.


3) In the book of Joshua, there are a lot of incidents about how Joshua listened to and obeyed God, and followed Moses' teachings. There are also a lot of incidents about how the Israelites followed God's, Joshua's and Moses' instructions and teachings (e.g. 1:1; 1:10; 1:12; 3:1; 3:5; 3:7; 3:9; 4:1; 4:8; 4:15; 4:17; 5:2; 6:2; 6:6; 6:10; 6:16; 8:1; 8:4; 8:18; 8:30-31; 8:35; 10:8; 11:6; 13:1; 15:13; 20:1). Compare the incident about the battle of Jericho with the incident about the disobedience of Achan. How different are the outcomes of obeying God and disobeying God (chapter 6-7; Focus on 6:18-19; 7:1-2; 7:10-13; 7:15; 7:22-26）?


4) What important thing(s) did God tell Joshua to follow/obey (1:7-9)? What important thing(s) did Joshua asked the Israelites to follow/obey (22:5, 23:6)?

22:5 But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."
23:6 "Be very strong; be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left.

8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, and the aliens who lived among them.
11:15 As the LORD commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
11:23 So Joshua took the entire land, just as the LORD had directed Moses, and he gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions.
Then the land had rest from war.


5) According to the answers of the above questions, what did Joshua and the Israelites value the most? What was the key factor which lead them to the victories?


Application

1) What does “listening to and obeying God” mean to you?

2) Do you believe that you can have another breakthrough (like Joshua, Moses, etc) in your life by listening to and obeying God?

3) The goal of the Israelites at that time is the promised land, Canaan. They achieve their goal by listening to and obeying God, and their path to their goal was easy but full of challenging experiences. What is/are your goals of this year? How can you achieve it/them by listening to and obeying God so that the path to your goal is easy but full of challenging experiences?