What I Learned in Joshua & Judges




I've been reading through the Old Testament, and I wrote about what I learned in Leviticus and in Deuteronomy. A while ago I finished Joshua, Judges, and Ruth, but didn't write about it and I realized I'd really like to save in one place all these things God's shown me as I read :)

Things that stuck out to me from Joshua:


  • --Sin has its consequences. In chapter 7, Achan admits to taking plunder from a battle when they all had specific instructions not to. Even when he admits his wrongdoing, there is still a consequence for his actions: he is stoned. It seems severe, but I was once again struck with how God gives us specific instructions, calls us to obey him, and has high standards for obedience. (Alsoooo, if Achan would have just waited, in the very next battle they were all allowed to take plunder. Womp womp.)

  • --God REALLY uses Joshua to do his will. Why? Because he follows God's directions and serves him. In every battle, Joshua inquires of God on what to do, and then he carries out the instructions. (See Joshua 11:16-23)

  • --Joshua's call to not fall away is just as strong. Moses pleads with the people not to turn away (Deut. 30:19-20), and Joshua does the same in chapter 23. He reminds them, "Be very strong; be careful to obey...You are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now" (Joshua 23:6, 8). 


Things that I learned in Judges: 

  • --The people did exactly what Joshua told them not to: as soon as Joshua died and the generation of people under him died, the next generation "grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals" (Judges 2:10-11). 

  • --The leaders that God raised up had such wild adventures that they should definitely be included in your church's next VBS skit-planning session. Ehud the fat-king-killing lefty? Probably my favorite. 

  • --The people are starting to fall apart. Micah makes an idol (chapter 17) and it gets a Levite and the Danites in all sorts of trouble when they try to make the idol their god (chapter 18), and a Levite's concubine is horrifically murdered, which leads to an internal war on the Benjamites, who nearly get wiped out (chapter 19-21). Wild times, when people aren't following God wholeheartedly. 





If you're looking for other Bible-study related posts, check out these 3 questions to ask while you read and 4 ways to grow your faith during the day. 

What have you been reading recently? 

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