Topical Bible: God in the Conquest of Canaan

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The conquest of Canaan, as recorded in the Old Testament, is a pivotal event in the history of Israel, demonstrating God's faithfulness to His covenant promises and His sovereign power over nations. This period, primarily chronicled in the books of Joshua and Judges, showcases God's direct involvement in the establishment of Israel in the Promised Land.

Divine Promise and Command

The roots of the conquest are found in God's covenant with Abraham, where He promised to give his descendants the land of Canaan (Genesis 15:18-21). This promise is reiterated to Isaac and Jacob, and later to Moses, as God prepares to fulfill His word. In Deuteronomy 7:1-2, God commands the Israelites to conquer the land and destroy the nations inhabiting it, emphasizing the need for complete obedience to His instructions.

God's Leadership and Presence

God's leadership is evident from the outset of the conquest. In Joshua 1:2-5, God commissions Joshua, saying, "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore arise, you and all these people, and cross over the Jordan into the land that I am giving to the children of Israel. I have given you every place where the sole of your foot will tread, just as I promised to Moses." God's presence is assured with the promise, "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Joshua 1:5).

Miraculous Interventions

Throughout the conquest, God performs miraculous acts to ensure Israel's victory. The crossing of the Jordan River on dry ground (Joshua 3:14-17) and the fall of Jericho's walls (Joshua 6:20) are prime examples of divine intervention. These events underscore God's power and His role as the true leader of Israel's armies.

Judgment and Mercy

The conquest also serves as an instrument of divine judgment against the Canaanite nations, whose practices were abhorrent to God (Deuteronomy 9:4-5). Yet, God's mercy is evident in the account of Rahab, a Canaanite woman who, by faith, is spared and integrated into the Israelite community (Joshua 6:25).

Covenant Faithfulness

God's actions during the conquest highlight His covenant faithfulness. In Joshua 21:43-45, it is recorded, "So the LORD gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everything was fulfilled" .

Lessons in Obedience and Faith

The conquest narrative also serves as a lesson in obedience and faith. The defeat at Ai (Joshua 7) due to Achan's sin illustrates the consequences of disobedience, while the eventual victory after repentance demonstrates God's readiness to forgive and restore.

God's Sovereignty and Holiness

Ultimately, the conquest of Canaan reveals God's sovereignty and holiness. He is depicted as the divine warrior who fights for His people, ensuring that His purposes are accomplished. The narrative reinforces the understanding that God is both just and merciful, executing judgment while extending grace to those who turn to Him in faith.

Nave's Topical Index

Psalm 44:2,3
How you did drive out the heathen with your hand, and planted them; how you did afflict the people, and cast them out.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Joshua.
... This consists of the work of the conquest of Canaan and of ... have followed the fifteenth
chapter of Numbers, thus completing the story of God leading Israel ...
/.../gerberding/the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter vi joshua.htm

Joshua's Conquest.
... was fully prepared for the work of the conquest by his ... by a spirit of implicit obedience
to God's authority. ... led the people to the "rest" of Canaan, though not ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter viii joshuas conquest.htm

Jews.
... be restored to life, when it shall seem fit unto God the Creator ... of Moses; the
priesthood of Aaron: the Egyptian bondage; the conquest of Canaan, and the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hayward/the book of religions/jews.htm

The Relation of Manich??ism to Judaism.
... The relation of God to the conquest of Canaan is a point that those inclined
to cavil have never failed to make the most of. The ...
/.../chapter vii name relation of.htm

Hannah Praying Before the Lord.
... up by the Israelites in the wilderness, was after the conquest of Canaan erected
at ... in those days, so the Jewish priests offered sacrifices to God in the ...
/.../mother stories from the old testament/hannah praying before the lord.htm

The End of the War
... The difference between the 'miraculous' conquest of Canaan and the 'ordinary' facts
of history is not that God did the one and men do the other; both are ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the end of the war.htm

The Book of God
... Assuming that the narratives of the conquest of Canaan are true ... They made their
so-called advance in obedience to God an excuse for taking possession of the ...
/.../mcconnell/understanding the scriptures/chapter iv the book of.htm

Joshua
... upon the law, i.7, xxiii.6, and the injunction to "love Jehovah your God,"
xxiii.11. ... According to the redaction, eg, the conquest of Canaan was entirely ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/joshua.htm

Author's Preface.
... The great wickedness. Noah God's chosen man. The Ark. ... Crossing Jordan and fall of
Jericho. The complete conquest of Canaan. Cruelty to the Canaanites. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tidwell/the bible period by period/authors preface.htm

Canaan
... ark of the covenant between Israel and its national God was taken ... the Kenizzites
shared with the Israelitish tribes in the conquest of Canaan throws light ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter ii canaan.htm