Joshua Leads Israel

Remember that Joshua stayed on Mount Sinai to wait for Moses as he went up to speak with the Lord. 

video

https://www.lds.org/friend/online-activities/videos/scripture-stories/old-testament?lang=eng#23-joshua

Ark of the Covenant: Bible Dictionary: https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bd/ark-of-the-covenant?lang=eng&letter=a

A group of people  went on a tour of a dimly lit cave. When the people were deep in the heart of the cave, the lights were turned off. The guide told them not to panic; he was just demonstrating total darkness. Before the guide turned the lights back on, he asked the people to point in the direction they would go to leave the cave and keep pointing until they could see again. When the lights were turned back on, everyone was pointing in a different direction. They had lost their way in the dark.

Timpanogos Cave

John 8:12

 12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,

 I am the light of the world: he that followeth

 me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have

 the light of life.

 1 Nephi 12:17
.
17 And the mists of darkness are the

 temptations of the devil, which blindeth the 

eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children

 of men, and leadeth them away into broad 

roads, that they perish and are lost.

If we choose to follow Jesus, we will live in the light, but if we choose to follow Satan, we will be in spiritual darkness. Listen to the account of Joshua to see whom he chose to follow.

Joshua 24:15

Choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

• What did the Lord promise Joshua as Joshua prepared to enter the promised land? (Joshua 1:5.) 
Joshua 1:5 
•  There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
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• What was Joshua to do to receive help from the Lord?
What was Joshua told to do with the scriptures?
  Joshua 1:7–8
7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
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  Before they entered the Promised Land, Joshua was told to "Be strong and of a good courage" four times. 
• There were already people living in the land, and the Lord would command the Israelites to fight to take over the land -- to kill or throw out some of the people there. 
• Why do you think he would need to be strong and have courage at that particular time? Why do we need to be spiritually strong and courageous today?
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• Jericho was a city with high walls.
• Joshua sent two spies into the city of Jericho.  A woman named Rahab helped them.

• What favor did Rahab ask of the spies? (Joshua 2:12–13.) 

Joshua 2: 12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father’s house, and give me a true token:
13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.


A miracle happened as Israel crossed the river.  

The ark of the covenant was a portable altar that contained sacred writings, including Moses’ writings and the tablets containing the Ten Commandments.

Joshua 3

• 
   7 ¶And the Lord said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
   8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
•  15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
   16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
   17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.

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• (Joshua 6:11–16, 20
• Jericho was straitly shut up.
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  1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.
  
  2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
  
  3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
  
  4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
  
  5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
  
  6 ¶And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord.
  
  7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the Lord.
  
  8 ¶And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns passed on before the Lord, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of theLord followed them.
  
  9 ¶And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rearward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
  
  10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

  11 So the ark of the Lord compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.
• 12 ¶And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the Lord.
  13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the Lord went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rearward came after the ark of theLord, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
  14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
  15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.
  16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the Lord hath given you the city.
  20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
• They followed God's directions even though they didn't understand how it would work. 
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• Joshua 24:15

  
  

  Choose you this day whom ye will serve; but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.