All came to pass.

Read or hear the story from Joshua 21:43-45

Read excerpts from JOSHUA and the Promised Land
   *Israel, Palestine and the Promised Land
   *Manifest Destiny
   *Land Theft Crusades

What gifts has God given you?
Click here to add your response and/or read others' responses.

At the beginning of the book of Joshua, Yahweh restates the long-term promise of land for the people of Israel. The time has finally come for the "Good Word" to be enacted, and Joshua is primed as the one who will lead the people into the land. Then there are stories of:

spies and prostitutes

walls collapsing

battles and bargains

the sun standing still

There are detailed descriptions of who received what land and which cities. When the dust settles, we see the Good Word standing strong. Joshua and the people of Israel were right to trust God.

Other promises God gives as recorded in the Bible:

Children

Security

Divine Presence

Peace

Freedom

Joy

Eternal Life

For the ancient Israelites,

the promise of land was a promise of salvation,

a gift freely given to the people from God.

In the books of the prophets,

another kind of promise was given,

a promise of a person, a Messiah,

which took centuries to be fulfilled.

And Jesus promised the Kingdom of God,

a spiritual space rather than a physical place.

The rhythm of biblical history is a rhythm of promise, waiting, and fulfillment. How did the Israelites wait during the generations that passed between the time they first heard a promise and the time they received its fulfillment? Sometimes they:

complained

cried

worshipped false gods

All got God's attention, but only complaining and crying was acceptable.

God also gave them positive means to wait, including the telling of stories. Events remembered in the book of Joshua were written down in a much later time when the land had been lost and the people taken away into exile. Memories of the victory of Yahweh during the days of Joshua kept hope alive and despair at bay.

Methods of what John Wesley called, "waiting in the means of grace":

Story/Scripture

Prayer/Song

Ritual/Sacrament

Good Works/Mission

Community

What works for you? How do you wait?
Click here to add your response and/or read others' responses.

For many Americans, the acquiring and possession of land has been a symbol of freedom and opportunity. Like the tradition of Joshua, the tradition of the settling of America is a big story full of smaller stories of conflict, hope, waiting, disaster, loss, and triumph.

What has been the role of land in your family? Is there a particular piece of land that is important to you?
Click here to add your response and/or read others' responses.

Organizations working on behalf of marginalized people against power structures include:

* These links jump to several outside sites for further information on land issues and organizations working with marginalized persons. Links do not constitute an endorsement by the Women's Division of the information on other web sites. These links expose United Methodist Women to diverse perspectives, afford us an opportunity to compare them to United Methodist positions, and, encourage United Methodist Women to critically analyze the issues raised by the Joshua web pages.

NECONA*. National Environmental Coalition Of Native Americans educate Indians and Non-Indians about the health dangers of radioactivity and the transportation of nuclear waste on America's rails and roads; they network with Indian and Non-Indian environmentalists to develop a grassroots counter-movement to the well-funded efforts of the nuclear industry; and they declare Tribal NUCLEAR FREE ZONES across the nation.

Federation of Southern Cooperatives: Land Assistance Fund*. Program helps black farmers retain their land by organizing rural/urban marketing programs and providing other technical and financial assistance

Read the Social Principles of The United Methodist Church

What do you think?
Are we the Israelites whom God favors with gifts, or are we the Canaanites worshipping false Gods?

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The Joshua Website is a resource from: The Women's Division of the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church Women's Division E-mail Women's Division Website General Board of Global Ministries Website In cooperation with the Network of Biblical Storytellers Network of Biblical Storytellers E-mail Network of Biblical Storytellers Webpage Created by the Joshua Project Team who would appreciate your feedback.