The Life of the Prophet Joshua - Research Paper Example

The Life of the Prophet Joshua Introduction Prophet Joshua, who is the central character in the book of Joshua, is postulated by the Hebrew Bible as one of the courageous spies for Israelites. Joshua is also presented within the passages in the Hebrew Bible as Moses’ assistant (Heschel and Morris 103). In accordance to the books of Numbers, Exodus, and the Book of Joshua, the prophet is described as the leader of the Israelites after the demise of Moses. Prophet Joshua was born in Egypt within Ephraim, one of the tribes of the Israelite people. The father of Prophet Joshua is said to be Nun, who named the prophet as Hoshea when he was born. The name Joshua was ascribed by Moses who preferred to call him Yehoshua, which is translated to Joshua. Joshua was born before the Israelites left Egypt during the exodus. The close association that is drawn between Joshua and Caleb reflects that these two were age mates. This paper gives a critical analysis and presentation of the life of the prophet Joshua, including exactly when he was born, the history of his family, the events which led to his becoming Moses’ assistant, and how he came to be one of the personalities in the Bible. Additionally, the discussion of Joshua’s life will include the book of Joshua and how it presents this prophet, the happenings prior to and after his death and the implications of his life. When was Joshua Born? The date when Joshua was born is estimated in relation to the life of Moses, who was the central character of the Israelite leadership before Joshua appeared. The death of Moses is estimated to have happened when the 40 years period of wandering in the desert cane to an end. This was about the year 1405 BC. In this sense, the date when Moses was born is in or around the year 1525 BC (Krajewski and Adam 204). It is at the end of the 40 year period in the wilderness that Moses transferred the leadership of the Israel people to Joshua. In the Book of Deuteronomy 31: 1-2, Moses is depicted speaking to the Israelites saying that he was at that time a hundred and twenty years of age. Moses had become frail at this age and he had been told by God that he would not be among those who would go over Jordan. In Deuteronomy 31:7, Moses’ favor for Joshua as the next leader of the Israelites is depicted. Moses points out in front of the Israelites that Joshua will go with the people of God to the Promised Land and cause them to inherit it (Creach 35). It is at this point that Moses endorsed Joshua as the next leader of the Israelites. The death of Moses is presented in the book of Deuteronomy 34: 7-9, after which he was mourned by his people for a period of thirty days. The son of Nun (Joshua) is depicted as a person who is full of wisdom and as endorsed by Moses through the command of God. These events can be used to have an accurate calculation of the time when Joshua the prophet was born. The age of Joshua can be worked backwards from the book of Joshua 24: 29, which depicts his death. Since Joshua died at the age of 110, it is postulated that he was 90 when his leadership changed. In this sense, the date of his birth is estimated to be around the year 1495 BC (Miller 170). Happenings before the Death of Moses Moses sent Joshua and Caleb to Canaan as spies while the Israelites were still in Egypt. With Joshua and Caleb were other ten men who were entrusted by Moses and sent to the land of the Canaanites. Their role was to gather as much information as possible about this land, which God had promised to the Israelites (Mills 128). The significance of Joshua and Caleb is depicted in relation to the fact that these two spies were the only ones who came up with reports about the land of Canaan which were encouraging to the Israelites. Joshua and Caleb are presented in the readings as faithful men among the Israelites. It is because of their faith that they are said to be the first of the Israelite people to enter Canaan, the Promised Land (Heschel and Morris 115). It is notable that earlier on, God did not allow any of the Israel people or members of the Israelite tribes to enter Canaan. This is because these people were considered to be disobedient to the directives that they were given by God (Krajewski and Adam 201). Not even Moses himself had earlier been allowed to enter the Promised Land. It is in relation to this that the significance of Joshua among the Israelites became evident and noticeable. Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, after which these people were faced with tribulations during their wandering in the desert (Creach 46). In Joshua 14: 16, Caleb is called a Kenizzite. This means that he was not among the Israelites when they left the land of Egypt. On the other hand, Joshua was among the Israelites as they left Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Nonetheless, Caleb is said to have joined the Israelites about two years later, since they had left the land of Egypt. The obedience and faithfulness of Joshua, therefore, had come out before that of Caleb, which justifies the fact that he later became the next leader of the Israelites after Moses. In Exodus 17, Joshua first appears in the Bible. At this point he is called Hosea. After the crossing of the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites were attacked by the Amalekites. It is due to these attacks that Joshua became an assistant of Moses. Joshua, who by then was called Hosea, led the counterattack against the Amalekites. Joshua’s courage and battle tactics led to the defeat of the Amalekites by the Israelites (Mills 112). Subsequently, Joshua was selected or chosen to be the assistant of Moses during their journey towards the Promised Land. After the battle of the Israelites with the Amalekites, Joshua is mentioned next when the Israelites reach Sinai. It is at this point that Joshua is seen as a diligent leader, as he waited for Moses to descent down the Mountain, as Moses had gone there to meet God. During the long wait for Moses, the Israelites were involved in the worship of the golden calf which was sinful and against the commands and directives of their God. More significantly in the life of Joshua is the fact that he was not part of the idol worship of the Israelites to the golden calf. Joshua was actively involved in the leadership of the Israelites as he accompanied Moses for the many years through the desert. Notable is the journey of Moses to the Tent of Meeting, during which he was accompanied by Joshua. Joshua’s Actions after the Death of Moses When the death of Moses was near, it was obvious that Joshua would take over the leadership of the Israelites. Therefore, Joshua becomes the successor of Moses when Moses died (Miller 160). The Pentateuch ends when the Israelites are at the verge of crossing Jordan into the Promised Land. After this, the book of Joshua begins; it narrates about the prophet and his leadership over the Israelites after the death of Moses. It is notable that the book of Joshua picks up immediately from where the Torah is depicted to end. The character that Joshua demonstrated as a leader of the Israelites is the one which makes him a great leader. His actions after the death of Moses and the successes that he represented are described in detail in the book. Duality is a trait demonstrated by Joshua’s character, an attribute which was not seen in Moses. It is evident that Moses was a powerful spiritual or religious leader of the Israelites. In addition to being a powerful religious leader, the duality within Joshua’s character is seen in his second ability as a courageous and strong military commander able to ensure successful battles for the Israelites. Moses was an effective intermediary between the Israelites and their God, while Joshua was both an intermediary and a capable commander of the Israelites in the battles that they fought against their enemies during the long journey to the Promised Land. Because of the abilities that Joshua demonstrated, he attained the loyalty of the Israelites who had a lot of respect and appreciation for him as the cause of their successes in battles. The capture of the city of Jericho by the Israelites was among the battles which were led by Joshua and which revealed that Joshua’s leadership was guided by God (Creach 53). Joshua showed leadership that was not comparable with that of Moses in many ways, especially in the way he fought against enemy cities and tribes. More significant is the fact that Joshua led the Israelites into the successful capture of the rest of Canaan (Heschel and Morris 126). During this time, the Israelites entered the Promised Land. However, this was achieved after long years of suffering and wandering through the wilderness, during which many died and disobeyed because of the lost faith. The importance of the leadership of Joshua was seen in the events which they encountered in the desert and when they had to face their enemies in battle. These events were full of miracles which emanated from the guidance of God and the faith that Joshua had and revealed in the God of the Israelites. The Scriptures The emphasis of Joshua’s leadership is demonstrated within the book of Joshua. The book demonstrates in detail the role which God played in the victories of the Israelites under the leadership of Joshua as a capable servant of God. The Book of Joshua is the number six book in the Old Testament. According to critics, the scriptures of the book of Joshua are presented as the last of the writings in the Pentateuch. On the other hand, the Fathers call the book of Joshua as Jesus Nave. The scriptures of the book of Joshua date back to the period of Origen. He is said to be the translator of Hebrew book of Joshua, which was then called the book of the son of Nun. The early translation and writing of the scriptures of the book of Joshua translates the Nave as a certain kind of a ship through which the world was saved from evil (Krajewski and Adam 195). This is, therefore, the reason why the scripture within the book of Joshua is referred by the fathers as Jesus Nave. The scriptures in the Book of Joshua were written in two major parts. The first part includes writings on how the Israelites were led by Joshua in their conquest of the land which God had promised them (Miller 162). The second apart of the scriptures in this book represents the divisions which emanated from the conquest of the new land by the Israelites. The events in the book of Joshua are narrated as unfolding consequently in relations to the activities which led to the capture of the Promised Land and the implications thereof. The conquest is described as an entry of Joshua into the Promised Land (Mills 129). The entry of Joshua into the Promised Land followed the assurance by his spies that the way was clear and safe for the Israelites. This entry happened in day ten of the initial month after forty years had elapsed since the exodus from Egypt (Creach 68). Notable and significant is the fact that the channel through Jordan is depicted within the book of Joshua as dry in favor of the entry of the Israelites. In the midst of Jordan, Joshua foresaw the laying of a monument which was to signify the entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land. Additionally, the Israelites erected another monument at Galgal. These monuments play a significant role in showing that the promise that the Israelites were given by God has been given. The miracles which happened prior to the entry into the Promised Land motivated the building of these monuments. The book of Joshua then describes the events which happened at Galgal where Joshua and the rest of the Israelites that he led camped. For example, those who were born during the wanderings in the desert were circumcised at Galgal in accordance to the culture and religious obligations of the Jews. The leadership of Joshua is further revealed and strengthened by his vision when he saw an angel sent by God. This followed after manna stopped falling and the faith of the Israelites was being put to test. The strength that Joshua received after his vision of God’s angel is depicted as one of the events which led to the fall of Jericho under the hands of the Israelites. The city of Jericho is then sacked and its inhabitants killed, with only Rahab and her family spared. The crime of Achan and the defeat that followed, the taking of Hai, Mount Hebal after the defeats of Jerusalem and the kings of Eglon and Lachis are the events which happened during the leadership of Joshua. The renewal of the covenant between God and the people of Israel is another significant point of Joshua’s leadership demonstrated and depicted in the scriptures of the book. Later, there were divisions among Israelites and the subsequent death of Joshua, which are described chronologically in the Book of Joshua. The Death of Joshua and its Implications During his last days as the leader of the Israelites, Joshua is described as being active in dealing with the divisions within the land (Miller 150). This is described in the second part of the book of Joshua. The death of Joshua is a significant event as presented in the scriptures within the book of Joshua. The death of Joshua is preceded by the farewell address that he said to his people (Heschel and Morris 119). Joshua prepared this address when he knew that he was in the last days of his religious life as a leader and a war commander of the Israelites. The address that Joshua had for his people is similar to that of Moses in which he had endorsed Joshua as the next leader for the Israelites. In regard to the speech, Joshua assembled all tribes of Israel and their leaders. During his address, Joshua reminded the Israelites of the past blessings that they had received from God and predicted possible future curses if the Israelites did not remain obedient and faithful to the commandments. The significance of Joshua’s life and death to the Bible and the Scriptures is described in relation to the fact that the people of God will be saved (Krajewski and Adam 220). Nonetheless, the similarities and the differences between Moses and Joshua’s lives reflect the varying role of leaders as mediators between the people and their God. For example, both Moses and Joshua led the people of God across the water; they met God when he appeared to them; and they led the Israelites in battle. More importantly, both of these leaders built altars in appreciation of their God and, finally, both of them had given phenomenal farewell addresses to their people before they died (Creach 39). Through the redemption that the Israelites received through Moses and Joshua, the reference of the Bible to the encounters of the Israelites is significant up to the present day. The unfolding of the Bible after the book of Joshua reflects prophesies of other prophets related to the savior of the world. The savior is exemplified in Moses and Joshua and the rescue of God’s people from the land of Egypt to the Promised Land. The New Testament depicts Jesus Christ as the savior of mankind in light of the redemption that the Israelites had in the Old Testament. It is, therefore, in regard to the above discussion and reflection on the life of Joshua the prophet that the connection between the Old Testament and the New Testament is demonstrated. Works Cited Creach, Jerome F. D. Joshua: Interpretation: a Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Louisville, Ky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. Print. Heschel, Abraham J., and Morris M. Faierstein. Prophetic Inspiration after the Prophets: Maimonides and Other Medieval Authorities. Hoboken, NJ: Ktav, 1996. Print. Krajewski, Stanislaw, and Adam Lipszyc. Abraham Joshua Heschel: Philosophy, Theology and Interreligious Dialogue. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2009. Print. Miller, John W. Meet the Prophets: A Beginner's Guide to the Books of the Biblical Prophets, Their Meaning Then and Now. New York: Paulist Press, 1997. Print. Mills, Watson E. The Prophets. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press, 1996. Print. Read More