Summary of Joshua
By Johannes Brenz
I’m translating a brief overview of the books of the Bible by Johannes Brenz (1499–1570) for the weekly devotional. Here’s what Brenz has to say about Joshua.
Joshua
Joshua crossed over the Jordan, stormed the city of Jericho, defeated the kings of the Canaanites, seized the rule of the land of Canaan, and divided it among the tribes of Israel. This is a public testimony and proof that God faithfully kept His promise, in which He pledged to give the land of Canaan to the children and descendants of the patriarchs. But see why and for what purpose He promised and gave the land. Was it so that they should have good times, live leisurely, be idle, use the cities and land of other people, and thus have outward and bodily pleasure in it? By no means was it for that purpose. Rather, it was that they would preserve in their polity and people the preaching of the promised seed of Abraham, which is Jesus Christ, our Savior, and that they would spread the same preaching and proclaim it to their descendants, until such a time when He Himself would come and attain and accomplish the salvation which was promised.
Therefore, when you read the book of Joshua, you should not regard it as though you are only reading about Jewish victory and conquest, but rather as a heavenly institution and ordering of the preaching and teaching of Christ.
Johannes Brenz, Kurtzer Begriff und Inhalt der gantzen Heiligen Schrifft (1552)
John Martin, Joshua Commanding the Sun to Stand Still (ca. 1840)