Outline of Joshua

Outline

The book of Joshua divides logically in the middle, with the first half focusing on Israel’s conquest of the land of Canaan and the second half on the distribution of the conquered territories among the Israelite tribes. Better, however, is an analysis of the book as four sections, each characterized by a key Hebrew word. The sound similarities between the Hebrew words yield the following pattern:

{abar Cross the Jordan into the land (chs. 1–5)
laqakh Take the land (chs. 6–12)
khalaq Divide the land (chs. 13–21)
{abad Serve the Lord in the land (chs. 22–24)

I. Crossing into the Land (1:1–5:15)

A. Joshua’s charge (1:1–18)

Setting the stage for Joshua

The book of Joshua begins as the people of Israel complete their forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Moses has just passed away, and Joshua, who was his right-hand man, has become the new leader. He is poised to lead the people in an assault against the pagan inhabitants of Canaan, the land that God has promised to the people of Israel.

The Promised Land symbolizes spiritual consciousness, the realization of spiritual riches and supply promised to us by God, which we are to enter into and possess. In Hebrew the name Joshua is identical to Jesus, and both are derived from the word Jehovah, meaning I AM THAT I AM. Jesus, our Way-shower, is our Joshua leading us into the promised land of spiritual consciousness.

As you read, try to see this metaphysical meaning embedded in the story of conquest.