Learning History

The walls of Jericho come down for Joshua.

The books of history in some ways follow a similar pattern (in the scholarly sense) as do the Torah. Lessing takes us through the arguments about authorship of Joshua, which seem to follow many of the same patterns as the arguments seen previously regarding Moses. It does seem that humans are often looking to disprove Scripture and its legitimacy. I cannot reconcile this in my heart or mind. There are a few more interesting obstacles faced here, particularly given use of the phrase “to this day” and 3rd person point of view: “And the Lord said to Joshua…” or “At that time Joshua built an altar to the Lord…” (Joshua 8:1,30. ESV). But given Joshua 24:26: “And Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law of God. And he took a large stone and set it up there under the terebinth that was by the sanctuary of the Lord.” (renewing the covenant), and the traditional view: “The Babylonian Talmud Baba Batra 15a credits Joshua with the book that bears his name, excepting the final verses that record his death (24:29– 30). These are credited to Eleazar. The account of Eleazar’s death (v. 33) is then credited to his son, Phinehas.” , I believe there is enough evidence for Joshua’s authorship at first discovery.

Most important in my own mind is what Joshua reveals to us regarding the questions I (again, a simple layman) had been asking regarding the destruction of entire cities and every person in them. It is a question I have been asked in the past by those arguing against God, for which I had no good answer…until now. Lessing brings forth points I had never connected before. The first is the point that God intended His people to be set apart so that the (Hebrew) “seed” of the woman – the Messiah, be preserved. Second, Matthew 24:37-40 says:

“37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (emphasis added)

The sins of those outside God’s chosen, and the line of the Messiah could “not be tolerated or allowed to perpetuate in the land…” .

This was a major discovery for me. It lifted my own heart, and though I am certainly not owed any explanation of the Lord’s intentions or purposes, it is with joy that I learn things that enable me to answer certain questions and begin to learn how many ways He has demonstrated His love and desire for us to be reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ: between the serpent’s offspring and Eve’s. (Gen. 3:15)

[1] Lessing, R. Reed. 2014. Prepare the Way of the Lord: An Introduction to the Old Testament. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House. 146.

[1] Beal, Lissa Wray. Joshua, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, 2019. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=6121627.

Created from liberty on 2025-04-11 12:45:45.

[1] Lessing, R. Reed. 2014.158.

Upon the initial examination of the study materials in Samuel and Kings, there does appear to be largely what is talked about in the broadest sense: historical books covering Samuel (“the bridge from the Judges to the monarchies”) and said monarchies in Kings. There is indeed a great history, covering the southern and northern kingdoms and their relationships with God and how they did or did not choose to keep the Abrahamic covenant with God respectively. There are very vivid accounts of blessing for loyalty and judgement for disloyalty. We are also introduced to more prophets throughout these historical books, setting the stage for the later books in the Old Testament.

I find however, in this Holy season of Easter the emphasis on David to be as important as the whole of the scripture as the rest of the entirety, even though David’s death occurs relatively early in Kings. Even though often times, his personal behavior could be abhorrent (even by human standards), his love and loyalty to God is indeed, as Maier stated “the golden standard”. For those, like me, just now embarking down the road of this unified theological narrative, this becomes even more important as we focus on the entire Scripture pointing to the Messiah in the person of Jesus.

God promises the Messiah from the line of David

12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.[c] Your throne shall be established forever.’” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. (2 Samuel 7:12-17 ESV).

I was admittedly confused, because some of the wording, i.e. “When he commits iniquity…” obviously speaks to other than a sinless Christ. I went to find this: “Though these words may refer to Solomon, the substance of the prophecy found here was not completely fulfilled…until the coming of Christ”[1] (emphasis mine). When referring to other passages as directed such as (1 Kings 2:12), this unified theology becomes clearer to me.

After initially thinking that I would struggle to produce 500 words on the books Samuel and Kings, I believe I could easily write another 500, but the above was a revelation to me that I felt it important to share.

[1] Engelbrecht Edward A, and Concordia Publishing House. 2016. The Lutheran Study Bible : English Standard Version. Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.

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