"Joshua and the Promised Land" -- ENGLISH (EN) Subtitles Subtitles for: "IcBible4of8_JoshuaAndThePromisedLandEN.---" www.intercommedia.org -and-|www.creationism.org/videos/ "Ken Anderson Films" Presents|(Distributed by "InterComm Media") "Joshua and the Promised Land" The Bible tells us the story of a man named Joshua ... and his journey to a country called the Promised Land. With his own eyes, Joshua had watched as the great leader, Moses, led Israel out of Egypt. And toward the land God had promised them. You remember that story, don'€™t you? Moses liked Joshua very much. One day Moses asked the young man to become his special helper. Moses knew Joshua loved God and always tried to please God ... by doing good things. Not long after the people of Israel escaped from Egypt, the Amalakite army attacked. They were bad men from a country where people did not love God. Moses sent Joshua and some soldiers out to meet the Amalakites. As Moses himself watched and prayed - asking God to Help his small army win over those strong and wicked soldiers. When Moses held up his hands to Heaven, his soldiers would win. But when he grew tired and lowered his arms, the enemy grew strong. God was teaching Moses and Joshua they could win only through prayer. Some of the men came and helped old and tired Moses hold up his arms to God. And because they did, the weak and little army of Israel ... won the battle over the big and strong army of the Amalakites. But Joshua wasn'€™t one bit proud. He knew God had given them the victory. He took time to thank Him. Joshua would always remember when Moses led the Israelites to Mt. Sinai. They put their camp at the bottom of the mountain. Then Moses and Joshua went up alone to talk to God. That was the most important lesson Moses taught Joshua. Talking to God. How exciting it must have been to see the great man on his knees, really talking to our Heavenly Father. You and I can talk to God, too, in the way the Bible teaches us to do. But most exciting of all was when God gave Moses the 10 Commandments. Do you know the 10 Commandments? If not, you must memorize them soon. Down below the mountain, the people knew their great leader, Moses, really was talking to God. Yet those very same people did a terrible thing. They made a Golden Calf. Why? So they could worship it instead of God! Moses became very sad. He remembered God'€™s promise. That His people would one day be given a beautiful country in which to live. The Promised Land, it was called. But one day, God spoke to him, just as He had spoken to him up on the mountain. Send 12 men into the Land of Canaan, God said. That was the name of the country God had promised to Israel. Have them bring back a report of what they see. Moses did as God told him. Joshua was one of those that Moses said should go into the new country. He and 11 others. They found Canaan a rich and beautiful land, flowing with milk and honey, the Bible says. Some of the fruit was so heavy they could hardly carry it. Of course, they brought back many things, such as fruit, to show Moses. But you do know, when they got back, 10 of the men told Moses the Promised Land - Canaan - was ugly. It'€™s dangerous there, they warned him. We shouldn'€™t go. There are people like that today, too. These men told Moses there were giants in Canaan. They made us look like grasshoppers, they were so big, the men said. It frightens you just to see them. How terrible would it be to live there. Joshua became very upset by the things these men said. How foolish of them to bring such an ugly report from Canaan, he thought. It is a wonderful place! He cried out to the people. If we obey God, if we show Him we really love Him, He will bring us to the Promised Land, and we will be happy there. At least some of the people listened to Joshua. Caleb, one of the men who had also gone to Canaan, said, What Joshua tells you is true! But many of the other people wouldn'€™t listen to Joshua or Caleb. No! No!, they cried out. We would be fools to go into Canaan! God spoke to Moses again. Won'€™t they believe in me, God said, after all the mighty miracles I have shown them? A great storm shook the mountain, Mt. Sinai. If the people of Israel do not want to go to the Promised Land, the voice of God cried out, then I won'€™t let them go to the Promised Land! They will spend the rest of their lives living here in the wilderness! It frightened the people to hear the voice of God. I should think at least some of them were sorry for the way they acted. Oh, God loved these people so much! He wanted to do good things for them! But God told Joshua and Caleb it would be different with them. Because they had told the people the good things about Canaan, they would one day see the Promised Land. I'€™m sure it must have frightened these 2 men a little bit. That God would do something so special for them, but not for the others. God also said the boys and girls ... would one day be able to enter the Promised Land. They were not the ones who had disobeyed God. They were not the ones who doubted His promises. No, it was their parents who had done wrong. It made Moses unhappy to think, even though he had led these people ... all the way from Egypt, where they had been slaves, he would not have a chance to lead them into the Promised Land! But, after all, these people had listened to the bad reports about Canaan. They had said they did not want to go into the Promised Land. So now they were getting just what they had asked for! O what foolish, foolish people! And so, for 40 years, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. One by one, those who had disobeyed God died ... without a country they could call their own. During those 40 years, Joshua learned many things ... about what it means to love and obey our Heavenly Father. That is something you and I can learn, too! Then one day - many, many years after they had left Egypt - Moses called Joshua and the people together. I am an old man, Moses said, and it is time for someone else to lead you. As those years passed, Joshua also grew older. So it was that Moses said, The Lord has chosen someone new to lead you into the Promised Land. Your new leader will be Joshua! God has told me this is to be so! Joshua could hardly believe his ears. How could he ever take the place of a great man like Moses? Moses was such a great man. Even though Joshua had done many brave things. I'€™m sure he felt Moses was a much greater leader than he could ever be. But Moses said to Joshua, Be strong and courageous! The Lord Himself has chosen you to lead these people into the Promised Land! He will be with you and lead you just as He has been with me! So never be afraid or discouraged! Joshua knew the great man truly spoke the words of God. Moses had carefully written down the many things God told him. What people must do to please God. To live happily together. He had also written the history (in Genesis) of what had happened ... since God first made Adam and Eve (the first man and woman). All these things were written on scrolls, which were the books in those days. These scrolls were to be kept in a special placed called the Ark of the Covenant. One day Moses said goodbye and went away, leaving Joshua to lead the people. God told Moses to go to the top of Mt. Nebo. There - after all those many years - he could look into the Promised Land! And there on the mountain, alone with his Heavenly Father, whom he loved so very much, Moses died. The Bible tells us God Himself put Moses into his grave. At last the time had come for Joshua to lead the people into the Promised Land. But first, even as he himself had gone long years before, Joshua sent 2 men on a secret mission. 2 spies. He told these men, these spies, to find out what the land was like now, especially Jericho. The land was still beautiful, even as before, but Jericho had truly become a great and strong city. This would be the first city the children of Israel would come to ... when they entered Canaan, the Promised Land. No doubt the 2 visitors had to pay a toll, like we do sometimes on our highways, to visit the city. At first people thought they also were citizens of Canaan. Joshua'€™s 2 spies found Jericho a wicked place. People didn'€™t care about God. They didn'€™t worship Him. They did bad things, just as many people do today. All over Canaan, people were the same. They made silly looking idols and worshiped them instead of the true God. For more than 400 years they had done this. How patient God had been, not to punish them! The King of Jericho had heard how God saved the children of Israel ... from slavery in Egypt. He had heard how they crossed the red Sea. Now, at last, news came that they were entering his country. The Israelites came to the River Jordan, but surely they could not cross it. It was spring time and the river was flooded. No one could cross this time of year. The King didn'€™t know about the 2 spies Joshua had sent. They were careful not to be discovered. They came to the house of a woman named Rahab. And they asked if she had a place where they could sleep. Rahab could see these were strangers. She knew about the King'€™s fears. She was sure these men were spies from Israel. What should she do? Some of the other people in Jericho had also seen the strange visitors. And they began to realize they were spies. This news was brought to the King. It was frightening news. Right away, he sent soldiers to arrest the 2 men - the 2 spies - that Joshua had sent into his country. Rahab knew these men worshiped the true God. She decided to help them. She was very wise. Bring out those 2 men who came to your house! Demanded the soldiers, as they reached Rahab'€™s place. They are spies! But Rahab had hidden the 2 men. And, a wise woman, she tried to fool the soldiers ... into believing the 2 spies were gone. Of course, the soldiers didn'€™t believe her. But as they searched the house they found nothing. Rahab'€™s heart began to beat very fast though, when the leader of the soldiers decided to go up to the roof. That was where she had hidden the 2 men. But the soldiers saw nothing, because the men had been so carefully hidden. At last the soldiers left and began to search in the city. Rahab went up onto the roof and uncovered the hiding place. I know the Lord is with you, she told the spies. We have heard of the great things He has done for Israel. The King and his followers are afraid, but I want to know the true God. I want to worship him. This was an amazing thing for Rahab to say. For she had lived all her life in the city where people worshiped false gods. Promise me, she continued, that when your army comes, you will be kind to my family. Spare my father and mother, and my brothers and sisters. The 2 men promised Rahab that she and her family would be protected. If you don'€™t tell about our secret mission, then when the Lord gives us the land, we will be kind to you, they said. This is what you must do, the men told Rahab. When our army comes, tie this red rope in your window. Then gather all your family into your house. Be sure no one goes out onto the streets. Our soldiers will not bother your house. Rahab promised she would do exactly as the spies from Israel told her. Rahab'€™s house was on the city wall. That night, when all was dark and quiet, she took a rope of her own. You can escape from the city, she told the men. Go hide in the hills for 3 days. Then, when the soldiers no longer search for you, you can go to your people. So in the darkness, while the city slept, the 2 men escaped. You can imagine how pleased Joshua was, when his 2 spies returned. He knew the Lord would surely give them Canaan, the Promised Land, after all these years of waiting. The King and his soldiers are afraid of us, the spies told Joshua. They know how God has helped us. So Joshua led the people to the River Jordan. Even though it was very wide and the water was flowing angrily, because of the flood in spring time. Some of the people became fearful. How would they ever get across? They had no boats. But there was no fear in Joshua'€™s heart. Prepare yourselves, he told the people, for tomorrow the Lord will do another miracle for us. And so, the next morning, carrying the Ark of the Covenant ahead of them, the people marched toward the river. The Ark of the Covenant, you remember, was where Moses placed the 10 Commandments and the big scrolls. They're like books, in which he had written the things God had told him to write. The things you and I can read in the Bible today. Forward march! Joshua cried out, as they reached the water. God did send another miracle! Just as He had taken the people across the Red Sea, when they left Egypt, so now He caused the roaring flood waters of the Jordan River to dry up. Every drop! So the people could cross on dry land, as though there had been no river at all! How thrilled the Israelites were to have the Ark of the Covenant! They knew what was inside the Ark. God'€™s very words to them! Upstream, from where God had caused the Jordan River to dry up, another wonderful thing happened. The water piled up like a small hill. It didn'€™t flow over the river bank. It just stayed in the one place. Surely the people in Canaan could see that the God of Israel was the true God! When His people reached the other side, Joshua told them to find 12 big rocks. They placed these rocks in a pile. A monument it was called. Which would be there to remind them of how good ... their Heavenly Father had been to them. Just as soon as the Ark of the Covenant had crossed over the dry river bed, the water, which God had held back, came rushing like the mighty flood it was. Once again, the people could surely see it was God helping them. Always remember what the Lord has done for you, Joshua told them. Always thank Him and praise Him! The people of Jericho couldn'€™t believe it! A river drying up so people could walk across! But Rahab was not surprised. She knew the Israelites were truly God'€™s people. Oh, she wanted to love and serve God too! She truly did! Joshua and the Israelites camped at a placed called Gilgal. They took time to thank God and tell God they would serve and honor Him. The next day, Joshua walked up bravely to look at Jericho. Suddenly, he saw something! There stood a man with a big sword in his hand. He looked like a mighty soldier. Are you on our side? Joshua asked, Or are you one of the enemy soldiers? Joshua soon learned this was no soldier from the land of Canaan! The soldier became like a blazing fire and said, I am the Captain of the Army of the Lord! Quickly, Joshua bowed down and cried out, What am I to do? Remove your shoes from your feet, the flaming soldier said. For this is a special place where your God is speaking to you! Joshua now recognized the soldier'€™s voice. It was the voice of His Lord. I have given you the victory over Jericho and its King and its mighty soldiers!, the Lord told Joshua. For any other army, Jericho would have been almost impossible to conquer. But God was leading the people of Israel! The people in the city became very frightened. They locked all their doors. They watched from their windows. But the soldiers of Jericho knew how strong their city was. No one can break through these walls, they told each other. The King wasn'€™t so sure. Joshua and his soldiers had no ladders to climb up the walls. They had nothing to pound against the walls. Yet, the King knew the God of Israel had led these people out of Egypt. He had led them across the River Jordan. How would God lead them now? Some of the people tried to not be afraid. But early the next morning, Joshua began to follow the plan ... given to him by the Flaming Soldier - by the Lord Himself. He told 20,000 of his men to begin marching around the city. This was just as the Lord Himself had said it must be. Then he had 7 priests follow the soldiers, blowing their trumpets. Most important of all, the Ark of the Covenant was carried around the city. The other soldiers followed. Around and around they marched - around, and around, and around. It all seemed very strange to the people in Jericho. Whoever heard of an army doing such a thing as this? Why were they so silent? Soldiers usually shouted battle cries when they came against an enemy. Only the trumpets were heard. Special care was given to the Ark of the Covenant. You wouldn'€™t have thought any army would take such a precious thing into battle. The very words that God had spoken to Moses were in the Ark. It must not be hurt in any way. But Joshua'€™s soldiers knew God was with them. They knew He would take care of them. The people of Jericho, as they watched, must have wondered too, about the strange sight. An army of soldiers marching around their city - around and around. On the second day, Joshua told the people to do what they had done the day before. Marching, blowing their trumpets. It probably began to seem very funny to some of the people in the city. What kind of an army is this? We are completely safe in here! Sure! Sure! This is just a big joke! After 3, and 4, and 5 days passed, and Joshua'€™s army kept doing the same thing. When the sun came up on the 7th day Joshua told the soldiers, Today we will march around Jericho 7 times. Do not make any sound until I give the signal. When we go around the city the 7th time, we will blow the trumpets and shout as loudly as we can. Do not harm Rahab or her family. Look for the red rope outside her window. Remember, too, Joshua continued, that nothing is to be stolen from the city. It is God who is giving us the victory. So, once again, the soldiers began to march. Can you imagine how excited Rahab must have been? The Lord is going to punish our wicked city, Rahab told her family. But we will all be saved if we believe in Him and do what He says. Of course she told her family about the chord hanging out the window. Rahab'€™s family listened to her. They believed her words. They were very wise. From Rahab'€™s house on the wall, she and her family could see Joshua and the soldiers marching past. The trumpeters, the Ark of the Covenant, such a strange parade going around and around. The Jericho soldiers had never seen anything so funny. I thought these Israelites came to attack us, they said. The King of Jericho didn'€™t understand, either. Why didn'€™t they attack? He and his men were ready for that! But then, as the soldiers of Israel marched around the city the 7th time, Joshua told the trumpet players to blow one long note. Shout! Joshua cried out to the people! Shout! For the Lord has given us the City! So the soldiers and the people began to shout. God has given us the victory! God has given us the victory! God has given us the victory! Then they all became quiet. What was this? An earthquake? No, God was destroying the wall around the wicked city! The part of the wall where Rahab'€™s house was built remained. Find Rahab and her family, Joshua said. Bring them out to safety. Yes, Rahab'€™s family was safe, unharmed as the City of Jericho was destroyed, because Rahab had decided to obey God. God did not want to destroy Jericho. The Bible tells us, God is love, and that is surely true. But when people disobey God, they can expect to be punished. The Bible tells us Rahab became one of the Israelites. She married a Prince of the Tribe of Judah. Many, many years later, the Lord Jesus was born from the Tribe of Judah. The Bible tells us Rahab was actually one of the earthly relatives ... of the Lord Jesus! Wasn'€™t she wise to obey God the way she did? Today, boys and girls, their mothers and fathers, everyone can be in Jesus'€™ family. Joshua lived for many years in the Promised Land with the children of Israel. He often reminded them of how God had led them and helped them. You must decide whom you will serve, he told the people. As for me and my family we will serve the Lord! (Joshua 25:15b) I want to be like Joshua, don'€™t you? THE END --- "Joshua and the Promised Land" Visit: www.intercommedia.org -and- www.creationism.org