Study Focus:Josh. 5:13–15; Isa. 37:16; Rev. 12:7–9; Deut. 32:17; Exod. 14:13, 14; Josh. 6:15–20
There is no doubt that the book of Joshua is also a book of war. However, God’s direct involvement in the conquest of Canaan drastically affects the nature of this war, which some have called a “holy war.” For those touched by the sting of war, however, the combination of “war” and “holy” may be especially troubling. For many Christians, though, even more vexing is God’s characterization as a warrior who not only commands the Israelites to advance against the Canaanites and other peoples but also fights for them. This week, we will attempt to tackle this sensitive and fraught topic.
Our study of this topic involves a two-part approach. The first part relates to worldview, which provides the lens through which we interpret biblical data. The second part involves a good analysis of the biblical data itself, including a proper understanding of the biblical language, its literary aspects, and its historical context. This week’s lesson focuses on the first part of the approach. The great conflict between good and evil, which started with the rebellion of Lucifer in heaven, is an indispensable aspect of the proper worldview to deal with this complicated matter. God’s involvement in Joshua’s wars can be correctly understood only in light of His participation in this broader conflict. The correct understanding of this great conflict impacts all biblical doctrines. It is not an exaggeration to affirm that the great conflict is the most appropriate Adventist lens through which to interpret this issue and Scripture as a whole. Indeed, the Bible encourages us to employ this lens from the very beginning.
Part II: Commentary
The Great Conflict as the Theological Framework of Scripture and Adventism
The Great Conflict as the Theological Framework of Scripture and Adventism
An inadequate appreciation of the metanarrative of the cosmic conflict will inevitably curtail the ability of the biblical interpreter to understand not only the concept of Joshua’s holy war but also the big picture of Scripture. A deficient perception of this worldview affects nearly every biblical doctrine. In fact, only “an understanding of the cosmic conflict provides the Christian with a worldview of history that is both rational and coherent.”—Frank Holbrook, “The Great Controversy” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), p. 995.
The significance of this worldview is evident in how the great conflict shapes the belief system of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As we shall see, the church’s 28 beliefs may be categorized into six doctrines. Here, we will provide a brief summary of how the great controversy worldview influences these beliefs.
God
When dealing with evil, God is not only addressing the human predicament but also working to show His justice to all the vast creation in the worlds not touched by sin (1 Cor. 4:9). At the center of the great conflict is the “theodicy.” In a self-inflicted, temporary limitation, God allows evil to develop to a certain point to show its true character, so that His creation may see it in its true light. This way, they can realize God’s love and justice when addressing a given crisis within the great controversy. Any reading of Scripture without this perception will eventually produce a distorted view of God’s character, whether concerning His ability, or willingness, to end evil. For this reason, the divine announcement regarding the destruction of the Canaanites, 400 years before Joshua, must be seen against this backdrop (Gen. 15:13–15). God allowed the evil in the land to develop up to a determined limit. In this context, God is not simply giving the land to Israel but judging the persistent sin of those nations by expelling them from the land (Lev. 18:24, 25).
Man
God created humans in His image and likeness. Immortality was conditioned to their loyalty, based on their free will to adhere to their role as coregents of the Creator (Gen. 1:27, Gen. 2:15–17). The rebellion initiated in heaven was transferred to this earth when the first couple chose to ally themselves with Satan by disobeying a clear and direct commandment of God (Genesis 3). As a result, death, decay, and suffering entered the once-perfect environment of this world. From that moment on, humans were born with the propensity for evil (Rom. 3:23), which, without God’s intervention, would bring this world to a state of chaos (Rom. 8:22). Because of God’s holy and loving nature, He cannot be indifferent to sin and human propensity for evil (Hab. 1:13). That is why, as a righteous Judge, He steps in to break the destructive spiral of sin (Rev. 20:14). The conquest of Canaan and the destruction of those who decided to cling to this vicious cycle reflect the divine desire to eradicate evil.
Salvation
The rise of the cosmic conflict did not catch God unprepared. A rescue plan already had been drawn up in the trinitarian eternal communion (1 Pet. 1:20). At the center of this plan was the atoning death of Jesus and His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb. 9:11–28). In Jesus, humanity has a new opportunity and, by His power, can overcome sin (Col. 2:13). On the cross, He paid the price by dying in our place; in His heavenly ministry, He makes His merits available to all people. In light of what Jesus did, no one is beyond God’s ability to restore, even in the heart of Canaan, as the story of Rahab and the Gibeonites reveals.
The Church
By virtue of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His subsequent ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, a new creation emerges. This new community of believers is encouraged to gather under the leadership of the resurrected Savior in the church (ekklesia), also known as the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). The church has the mission to preach the everlasting gospel (Rev. 14:6) in the context of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) and bring people from all the nations to its fellowship (Matt. 28:18–20). In the eschatological windup of the great controversy on the earth, the church has a crucial role in God’s plan. For this reason, it has been fiercely attacked by Satan. However, God has always preserved a faithful remnant that in the end will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the last invitation of grace for humankind. As militant Israel was victorious in the past, so the militant church, under the leadership of the new Joshua—Jesus—will be triumphant in the end.
Daily Living
The cosmic conflict is the narrative that shapes our lives, impacting every aspect, such as how we handle finances, interact with others, and make personal decisions. As members of the body of Christ, we are urged to emulate Jesus through lives of faithful discipleship, characterized by radical surrender and obedience to God (Rev. 14:12). While salvation is not earned through obedience to God’s law, aligning ourselves with the moral principles of His law serves as evidence of our new experience of salvation in Christ. Obedience to divine commandments, especially the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath, as an act of worship, will be at the center of the controversy during the closing moments of this cosmic war on earth (Revelation 12; 13). Similarly, in the Promised Land, the Israelites were called to live in holiness before the Lord, experiencing the positive outcomes of obedience as a nation of priests.
Last-day Events
Finally, the impact of the great-conflict worldview is even more substantial on the doctrine of last-day events. The time of the end starts after the end of the 2,300-day prophetic period and paves the way for the divine judgment in three phases.
The first phase, also known as the pre-Advent judgment, started on October 22, 1844, when the restoration/purification of the heavenly sanctuary began (Dan. 8:14). It extends until the second coming of Jesus, which opens the second judicial phase, also known as evidentiary judgment, wherein the redeemed will participate during their stay of 1,000 years in heaven (Rev. 20:4–6). At the end of this period, the executive judgment closes the cosmic conflict with the destruction of Satan, his angels, and all impenitent sinners (Matt. 25:41, Rev. 20:9–14).
What is expected in each phase? The theodicy. The theodicy is God’s concern in showing His love and justice in eradicating evil from the universe. In the pre-Advent judgment, He reveals His justice and love to the unfallen worlds by saving His people and condemning the little horn and its followers. In the evidentiary judgment, God reveals the same to the redeemed when they learn from the heavenly records why some people were saved and others lost. Finally, in the executive judgment, at the end of the millennium, even Satan, the fallen angels, and the lost will kneel in recognition that God is just (Rom. 14:11). This group includes all those Canaanites who, like the other lost, refused to accept God’s grace.
Part III: Life Application
The Spiritual Battle Today
In many situations, the spiritual nature of Israel’s battles becomes apparent because of God’s direct involvement. Meditate carefully on the following incidents and ponder how they can teach Christians today about the nature of spiritual warfare and the ways in which we may become victorious. Pay attention to the interaction between human and divine agencies.
Judges 7. Gideon overcomes the Midianites with only 300 men after dispensing with 32,000 troops. The remaining army defeated the large army of the Midianites by breaking jars and blowing trumpets.
2 Kings 6:24–7:20. While the starving inhabitants within the city walls of Samaria are completely unaware that events have suddenly turned in their favor, four lepers explore the empty camp of the massive Aramean army, which abandoned its position in a hurry and left everything behind in confusion.
Isaiah 36–38. Under overwhelming pressure, King Hezekiah seeks the Lord and the prophet Isaiah for help. The 185,000-man army of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, is the biggest threat Jerusalem has ever faced. In this existential crisis, God miraculously intervenes to save the helpless city.
Now, compare these accounts with the description of the last battle in human history, which John writes about in Revelation. What do they have in common?
How do the battles of Israel best strengthen your faith regarding the outcome of the cosmic conflict in Revelation?
Read Revelation 20:7–15. In a final confrontation, Satan raises a large army to launch his last attack against God and the redeemed inside the New Jerusalem.
How does this last battle end the war behind all wars?
Notes
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Key Text: Joshua 10:14
Study Focus: Josh. 5:13–15; Isa. 37:16; Rev. 12:7–9; Deut. 32:17; Exod. 14:13, 14; Josh. 6:15–20
There is no doubt that the book of Joshua is also a book of war. However, God’s direct involvement in the conquest of Canaan drastically affects the nature of this war, which some have called a “holy war.” For those touched by the sting of war, however, the combination of “war” and “holy” may be especially troubling. For many Christians, though, even more vexing is God’s characterization as a warrior who not only commands the Israelites to advance against the Canaanites and other peoples but also fights for them. This week, we will attempt to tackle this sensitive and fraught topic.
Our study of this topic involves a two-part approach. The first part relates to worldview, which provides the lens through which we interpret biblical data. The second part involves a good analysis of the biblical data itself, including a proper understanding of the biblical language, its literary aspects, and its historical context. This week’s lesson focuses on the first part of the approach. The great conflict between good and evil, which started with the rebellion of Lucifer in heaven, is an indispensable aspect of the proper worldview to deal with this complicated matter. God’s involvement in Joshua’s wars can be correctly understood only in light of His participation in this broader conflict. The correct understanding of this great conflict impacts all biblical doctrines. It is not an exaggeration to affirm that the great conflict is the most appropriate Adventist lens through which to interpret this issue and Scripture as a whole. Indeed, the Bible encourages us to employ this lens from the very beginning.
Part II: Commentary
The Great Conflict as the Theological Framework of Scripture and Adventism
The Great Conflict as the Theological Framework of Scripture and Adventism
An inadequate appreciation of the metanarrative of the cosmic conflict will inevitably curtail the ability of the biblical interpreter to understand not only the concept of Joshua’s holy war but also the big picture of Scripture. A deficient perception of this worldview affects nearly every biblical doctrine. In fact, only “an understanding of the cosmic conflict provides the Christian with a worldview of history that is both rational and coherent.”—Frank Holbrook, “The Great Controversy” in Handbook of Seventh-day Adventist Theology, ed. Raoul Dederen (Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald, 2000), p. 995.
The significance of this worldview is evident in how the great conflict shapes the belief system of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As we shall see, the church’s 28 beliefs may be categorized into six doctrines. Here, we will provide a brief summary of how the great controversy worldview influences these beliefs.
God
When dealing with evil, God is not only addressing the human predicament but also working to show His justice to all the vast creation in the worlds not touched by sin (1 Cor. 4:9). At the center of the great conflict is the “theodicy.” In a self-inflicted, temporary limitation, God allows evil to develop to a certain point to show its true character, so that His creation may see it in its true light. This way, they can realize God’s love and justice when addressing a given crisis within the great controversy. Any reading of Scripture without this perception will eventually produce a distorted view of God’s character, whether concerning His ability, or willingness, to end evil. For this reason, the divine announcement regarding the destruction of the Canaanites, 400 years before Joshua, must be seen against this backdrop (Gen. 15:13–15). God allowed the evil in the land to develop up to a determined limit. In this context, God is not simply giving the land to Israel but judging the persistent sin of those nations by expelling them from the land (Lev. 18:24, 25).
Man
God created humans in His image and likeness. Immortality was conditioned to their loyalty, based on their free will to adhere to their role as coregents of the Creator (Gen. 1:27, Gen. 2:15–17). The rebellion initiated in heaven was transferred to this earth when the first couple chose to ally themselves with Satan by disobeying a clear and direct commandment of God (Genesis 3). As a result, death, decay, and suffering entered the once-perfect environment of this world. From that moment on, humans were born with the propensity for evil (Rom. 3:23), which, without God’s intervention, would bring this world to a state of chaos (Rom. 8:22). Because of God’s holy and loving nature, He cannot be indifferent to sin and human propensity for evil (Hab. 1:13). That is why, as a righteous Judge, He steps in to break the destructive spiral of sin (Rev. 20:14). The conquest of Canaan and the destruction of those who decided to cling to this vicious cycle reflect the divine desire to eradicate evil.
Salvation
The rise of the cosmic conflict did not catch God unprepared. A rescue plan already had been drawn up in the trinitarian eternal communion (1 Pet. 1:20). At the center of this plan was the atoning death of Jesus and His ministry in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb. 9:11–28). In Jesus, humanity has a new opportunity and, by His power, can overcome sin (Col. 2:13). On the cross, He paid the price by dying in our place; in His heavenly ministry, He makes His merits available to all people. In light of what Jesus did, no one is beyond God’s ability to restore, even in the heart of Canaan, as the story of Rahab and the Gibeonites reveals.
The Church
By virtue of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and His subsequent ministry in the heavenly sanctuary, a new creation emerges. This new community of believers is encouraged to gather under the leadership of the resurrected Savior in the church (ekklesia), also known as the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). The church has the mission to preach the everlasting gospel (Rev. 14:6) in the context of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) and bring people from all the nations to its fellowship (Matt. 28:18–20). In the eschatological windup of the great controversy on the earth, the church has a crucial role in God’s plan. For this reason, it has been fiercely attacked by Satan. However, God has always preserved a faithful remnant that in the end will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the last invitation of grace for humankind. As militant Israel was victorious in the past, so the militant church, under the leadership of the new Joshua—Jesus—will be triumphant in the end.
Daily Living
The cosmic conflict is the narrative that shapes our lives, impacting every aspect, such as how we handle finances, interact with others, and make personal decisions. As members of the body of Christ, we are urged to emulate Jesus through lives of faithful discipleship, characterized by radical surrender and obedience to God (Rev. 14:12). While salvation is not earned through obedience to God’s law, aligning ourselves with the moral principles of His law serves as evidence of our new experience of salvation in Christ. Obedience to divine commandments, especially the observance of the seventh day as the Sabbath, as an act of worship, will be at the center of the controversy during the closing moments of this cosmic war on earth (Revelation 12; 13). Similarly, in the Promised Land, the Israelites were called to live in holiness before the Lord, experiencing the positive outcomes of obedience as a nation of priests.
Last-day Events
Finally, the impact of the great-conflict worldview is even more substantial on the doctrine of last-day events. The time of the end starts after the end of the 2,300-day prophetic period and paves the way for the divine judgment in three phases.
The first phase, also known as the pre-Advent judgment, started on October 22, 1844, when the restoration/purification of the heavenly sanctuary began (Dan. 8:14). It extends until the second coming of Jesus, which opens the second judicial phase, also known as evidentiary judgment, wherein the redeemed will participate during their stay of 1,000 years in heaven (Rev. 20:4–6). At the end of this period, the executive judgment closes the cosmic conflict with the destruction of Satan, his angels, and all impenitent sinners (Matt. 25:41, Rev. 20:9–14).
What is expected in each phase? The theodicy. The theodicy is God’s concern in showing His love and justice in eradicating evil from the universe. In the pre-Advent judgment, He reveals His justice and love to the unfallen worlds by saving His people and condemning the little horn and its followers. In the evidentiary judgment, God reveals the same to the redeemed when they learn from the heavenly records why some people were saved and others lost. Finally, in the executive judgment, at the end of the millennium, even Satan, the fallen angels, and the lost will kneel in recognition that God is just (Rom. 14:11). This group includes all those Canaanites who, like the other lost, refused to accept God’s grace.
Part III: Life Application
The Spiritual Battle Today
In many situations, the spiritual nature of Israel’s battles becomes apparent because of God’s direct involvement. Meditate carefully on the following incidents and ponder how they can teach Christians today about the nature of spiritual warfare and the ways in which we may become victorious. Pay attention to the interaction between human and divine agencies.
Judges 7. Gideon overcomes the Midianites with only 300 men after dispensing with 32,000 troops. The remaining army defeated the large army of the Midianites by breaking jars and blowing trumpets.
2 Kings 6:24–7:20. While the starving inhabitants within the city walls of Samaria are completely unaware that events have suddenly turned in their favor, four lepers explore the empty camp of the massive Aramean army, which abandoned its position in a hurry and left everything behind in confusion.
Isaiah 36–38. Under overwhelming pressure, King Hezekiah seeks the Lord and the prophet Isaiah for help. The 185,000-man army of Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, is the biggest threat Jerusalem has ever faced. In this existential crisis, God miraculously intervenes to save the helpless city.
Read Revelation 20:7–15. In a final confrontation, Satan raises a large army to launch his last attack against God and the redeemed inside the New Jerusalem.
How does this last battle end the war behind all wars?
Notes