Ichthus77

Judges 1:1-3:8, Ruth 1:1-13

Bible Narrative Project

Background on Ruth from the book intro link above: “The story is set in the time of the judges, a time characterized in the book of Judges as a period of religious and moral degeneracy, national disunity and frequent foreign oppression. The book of Ruth reflects a time of peace between Israel and Moab (contrast Jdg 3:12-30). Like 1Sa 1-2, it gives a series of intimate glimpses into the private lives of the members of an Israelite family. It also presents a delightful account of the remnant of true faith and piety in the period of the judges, relieving an otherwise wholly dark picture of that era. … As an episode in the ancestry of David, the book of Ruth sheds light on his role in the history of redemption.” Coolness.

Judges: ch. 1 Apparently mutilating p.o.w.s in the ancient Near East was common because it rendered them unfit for military service. They are fighting against Jerusalem again because they do not yet inhabit it until David captures it. Othniel, Caleb’s nephew, wins Caleb’s daughter by capturing Debir (Othniel goes on to be the first judge). She asks her father for a field and springs of water and gets them (those springs are still there in Hebron). There’s all this fighting and they can’t completely drive out the Canaanites (study notes give various reasons). There is an unnamed man who helps them attack Bethel, as did Rahab. The Canaanites who remained became subject to forced labor. ch. 2 Israel is rebuked by the Angel of the Lord for not driving out the Canaanites and for making covenants with them. Joshua’s death is mentioned again, then the cycle of the time of the judges is introduced: rebellion, being plundered, being delivered by a judge God raises up. Ch.3:1-8 is a list of Canaanites left in the land to test Israel, ending in Israel’s first idolatrous rebellion after Joshua’s death. God sells them into the hands of the king of Mesopotamia, who they serve 8 years.

Ruth: Naomi’s husband and sons die, so she wants to return to Judah because she heard God was blessing Judah with food. She urges her daughters-in-law to go back to their families as she is too old to have more male children for them to eventually marry. Setting up the empty-to-full theme.

Joshua 22-24

Bible Narrative Project

Ch22: Reuben Gad and Manasseh go back across the Jordan to their agreed-upon land and set up a controversial altar, which they explain is not in place of the main altar, but only a copy of it to remind the rest of Israel that they, too, worship the same God.

ch23: In an earlier chapter, the language “do this thing” stood out to me. In this chapter “going the way of all the earth” stands out. Like Moses, Joshua is giving his last words of exhortation.

ch24: Like Moses before his death, Joshua assembles the tribes at Shechem for covenant renewal. He begins with a review of Israel’s history, starting with Abraham’s father Terah. A well-known verse is “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” It’s a bumper sticker on my fridge door. Then follows the covenant renewal. Something that stands out is that a stone was used all the witness, “for it has heard all the words of the Lord which He spoke to us”. There are six other memorials set up in the Promised Land (4:20, 7:26, 8:29,32, 10:27, 22:27) to which is added the ruins of Jericho. Is this what Jesus meant by the rocks crying out? Perhaps testifying of God’s salvation? This book ends with Joshua’s death and with the bones of Joseph, brought up from Egypt, being buried in Shechem [ 1)the land Jacob bought from Hamor (Gen 33:19), 2) to the center of the tribes of Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh, 3) fulfilling an oath sworn to Joseph before he died (Gen 50:25; Ex 13:19) ]. Eleazar, the priest who served Joseph as Aaron has served Moses, also dies.

Joshua 20-21

Bible Narrative Project

Ch.20: Israel is not the only people to designate cities of refuge. In “Eternity in Their Hearts” Don Richardson tells about the Yali of New Guinea and the Hawaiian “cities of refuge” of which Pu’uhonua-o-honaunau was one. The cities of refuge were not only for Israel, but for the traveller, too.

Ch.21 I tried to google to see if there are still 6 cities of refuge and 48 cities of the Levites, but can’t find any info. … does that mean no?

Joshua 14

Bible Narrative Project

Caleb asks for Hebron. It makes me chuckle, the bit about “for you heard on that day that Anakim were there”…as if to say, “Let me take this beautiful, fertile land so you don’t have to deal with those pesky Anakim.”

Joshua 9-11

Bible Narrative Project

Chapter 9: The Gibeonites send a few who pretend to be from far away, to make a covenant which would allow them to live as servants, partially fulfilling Noah’s prophecy regarding Canaan in Genesis 8:25-26.

Chapter 10&11: I love when the Bible talks about Jerusalem before Israel controlled it. First when it was still known as Salem in Genesis 14, and now here in verse 6. As for the sun not going down…perhaps the day just dragged on and on, lol…’course I’m sure God could manage it without any destruction, if it really happened. He defeats these five king finally at Makkedah, then all of southern Palestine, then all of northern Palestine. All that is left of the book of Joshua is review and dividing the land up between the tribes.

Joshua 5-8

Bible Narrative Project

Chapter five: Since the land is shaking in their boots, Israel has some down time for circumcision. They eat some food from Canaan and the manna ceases. The captain of God’s army is not on Israel’s side–rather, Israel is fighting God’s battles. Joshua is commissioned by the captain as Moses was by the burning bush.

Chapter six: Rahab and her family are spared. The curse upon Jericho is fulfilled in 1 Kings 16:34.

Chapters 7 and 8–there is sin in the camp preventing further victory (against Ai, in particular) and it is narrowed down to Achan who (in contrast to Rahab) stole from God. He involves his whole family in this sin and they all die from it. Horrible.

Joshua 1-4

Bible Narrative Project

Readings to discuss:
Conquest of Canaan
Did God Command Genocide in the Old Testament?

Chapter one. It’s go time. Be strong and courageous. The two and half tribes are reminded of their obligation to help fight.

Chapter two. Rahab. Sort of reminds me of Tamar. It’s interesting how such women make it in to this grand narrative, isn’t it? Also reminds me of the deliverance of Lot (and Noah)–and Israel’s firstborn. It’s so cool to hear that Israel and her God’s reputation precedes her.

Chapter three: The waters of the Jordan are stopped and the ark stands in the way for Israel to pass on dry ground. As if Jericho weren’t terrified enough. Does wonders for Israel’s confidence in God’s choice of Joshua as they head toward Jericho.

Chapter four: A more correct translation would be “the twelve stones that had been in”.

It’s interesting. We have Rahab and the scarlet cord, parallel to Israel’s Passover. This is followed by crossing the Jordan the way they crossed the Red Sea.

Deuteronomy 32-34, Psalm 91

Bible Narrative Project

The song of Moses, God telling Moses how he would soon die, the blessing (final words) of Moses (compare with Jacob’s blessings on his sons in Gen 49), and the death of Moses. Like Aaron and Jesus, he just goes and breathes his last seemingly at will (though his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated). Like Aaron the people mourn for him thirty days. Again, Moses cannot go into the Promised Land because he struck the rock twice to get water out of it, instead of speaking to it, as God had commanded. But check out the last three verses.

Deuteronomy 30-31

Bible Narrative Project

The continued very long goodbye of a very great man. He prophecies restoration, he urges them to choose life, he gives further counsel, he prophecies that Israel will fall away, and writes a song about it to remind them when it comes to pass. Seems like 31:23-29 should go at the end of 33.

Deuteronomy 28-29

Bible Narrative Project

Blessings opposite the cursings of the previous chapter, followed by still more warnings of (downright horrible) consequences if they go their own way. Also, the covenant in Moab.