1. A Conquering People Chapter 10

2. What is the fifth book of the Bible?  The Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible.  The theme of this book is God’s people must love him and be obedient to him.  In the Book of Deuteronomy ends, Moses said farewell to the Israelites and passed his wisdom on to them.  The words of Moses to the Israelites became an important Jewish prayer which is known as Shema.  Moses sees the Promised Land from a mountain, but never enter it.

3. Who did God call to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land?  God called Joshua to bring the Israelites into the Promised Land.

4. The Book of Joshua  The Book of Joshua is not a day to day account of events, but rather a biblical writer’s interpretation of the religious significance of these events.

5. The Fall of Jericho (The Book of Joshua)  Jericho was a well known city in the center of Canaan, about 23 miles northeast of Jerusalem.  God told Joshua that he and his troops should march around Jericho and not attack it directly.  They marched around the city for seven days carrying the Ark of the Covenant in front of them.  On the seventh day the priest’s blew their ram horns and the Israelites shouted loudly.  The walls fell down and the Israelites took over the city.

6. How did God’s people conquer Jericho?  The biblical writers wanted people to know that the Israelites conquered Jericho because they followed the plan of God. Joshua was the military leader, but it was God who led him. The Israelites believed that God was with them in every part of their lives.

7. How was the land of Canaan distributed after the Israelites conquered it?  The land was distributed among the twelve tribes of Israel. The tribes were the descendents of Jacob’s twelve sons.  The land was sectioned (parceled) by casting lots.

8. Casting Lots  Lots were coins, sets of specially marked stones, or sticks wrapped in paper.  The lots were thrown down and the position the lots landed in represented certain outcomes based on predetermined rules.

9. What did the Israelites believe about casting lots?  They believed the outcome was an expression of God’s will.  Land was a gift from God. No one except God could ever take the land away.

10. Shechem  A religious shrine in Canaan.  The Israelites met here and thanked God for the land that had been distributed among the twelve tribes.  The Israelites began settling in Canaan once the ceremonies were complete (Book of Judges).

11. What was the pattern recorded in the Book of Judges?  The Israelites turn away from the one true God.  God allowed other nations to rule.  The Israelites asked God for help.  God remembered the covenant and sent a judge. The judge was usually a military leader.  The judge defeated the enemy.  Peace returned.  This pattern taught the Israelites to keep their part of the covenant.

12. Why was Canaanite king able to take over the Israelite territory?  The Israelites had started to worship false gods.

13. Deborah, the Judge  God chooses Deborah to remind the people to keep the covenant.  Deborah promised the Israelites that God would give the land back to them.  Deborah went to battle with Barak.  Deborah praised God for the victory.

14. Nazirite  A person consecrated to God who promised not to drink wine or strong drink, touch anyone or anything that had died, or cut or shave his or her hair.

15. Samson  The birth of the judge Samson was foretold in an extraordinary way.  God blessed Samson with great strength. As long as he kept his vows, God continued to make him strong.  Samson married a Philistine woman, but the Philistines mistreated him and his wife and they then killed his wife.  Samson was enraged and took revenge on the Philistines.  The Philistines were unable to capture Samson because he was so strong.

16. Delilah  Delilah was a Philistine and the second wife of Samson.  She helped the Philistines capture Samson by getting him to tell her about the key to his strength.

17. Samson’s Strength  God was the source of Samson’s strength. Samson’s kept his strength by keeping his Nazirite vows.  While Samson was asleep, Delilah let other Philistines in to shave off Samson’s hair. They then blinded him, put him in prison, and then used him to turn a great stone to grind grain.  Samson’s hair grew back in prison.  During a festival the Philistines mocked Samson as he stood between two temple columns.  Samson prayed to God.  God gave Samson his strength back and Samson pushed the columns down killing everyone including himself.

18. How did Samson symbolize the Israelite nation?  He was guided by God.  He was dedicated to God.  He broke his promises, returned to God and was blessed again by God.

19. How did God use Samson’s defeat to help the Israelites?  God used Samson’s defeat as the beginning of the downfall of the Philistines.  God again let the Israelites win over those who tried to defeat them.

20. What did Samson have in common with Deborah?  Both Samson and Deborah were judges.

21. The Book of Ruth  The eighth book of the Bible.  Even though this a very short book, it shows God’s presence in everyday life.

22. The Story of Ruth  There is a famine in Israel. Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and there two sons move to Moab where there is food.  Elimelech dies and his two sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth.  The two sons die and Naomi and her daughter in laws are poor.  Naomi decides to go back to her homeland and tells her daughter in laws to go back to their mothers.  Ruth refuses to leave Naomi. She wants to stay with her and help her.  They go to Bethlehem. In Bethlehem they are able to gather up grain from the harvest.

23. The story continued…  The field was owned by Boaz, a relative of Elimelech. He told his servants to help both Naomi and Ruth.  Boaz then bought land from Naomi and married Ruth. Together they had a son, Obed. He was the father of Jesse and grandfather of David.

24. What does this story show?  This story shows that sadness can be turned into happiness.  Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz lived their lives with faithfulness and kindness as God wanted them to do.