5 v.8 The circumcision of the men of war once they had entered the land of Canaan indicated that the deliverance was of Yahweh and not of man. We know that circumcision renders grown men weak and unable to defend themselves [Genesis 35:25]. Thus the willingness of these men to be circumcised in hostile territory advertises their faith in God’s power to save.

6 v.17 The way in which ‘all that were in the house’ of Rahab were saved is a forerunner of the way in which there were occasions in the Acts of the Apostles where whole families believed [16:15, 32 18:8] showing us that Yahweh is concerned with families.

5:14-15 Joshua doubtless believed that Yahweh was with him in the taking of the land of Canaan. However the appearance of the angel of the Lord provided him with tangible proof of this. Further Joshua was shown that he was the successor of Moses through the similarity between the events of Exodus 3 and here 'loose thy shoes … for the place … is holy'.

ch 6 - The way in which Jericho was taken is instructive. Israel were to march round the city but 6:10 'ye shall not shout'. This coupled with their obedience to the commandments of the Lord demonstrated to them - or it should have done - that the deliverance was not by their strength. In fact we know that the people did this in faith (Hebrews 11:30)

Notice the precise way in which the writer to the Hebrews draws on this chapter to make his point.

5:2-7 That Israel had not circumcised their males in the wilderness matches Moses (Exodus 4:24) who had not circumcised his son - so why did the Lord tolerate this oversight without comment during the wilderness journey?

6:22 So one man brought Rahab out of the city. What did the other man bring out? Was he Achan and did he bring out the gold and garment?

5:10 Israel entered Canaan on the 10th day of the month 4:19 and it seems, were circumcised the next day and then three days after that kept the Passover. So we are now only four days into the period that Israel were in the land.

6:25 'unto this day' indicates that the book of Joshua was written quite some time after the events the book speaks of.

5:1      That all the kings in the land of Canaan heard of the drying up of Jordan and were afraid should have given Israel a strategic advantage when they came to take the land. God had put fear in the hearts of the people. Israel squandered this blessing from God by their unwillingness to keep God’s commands.

5:9 - the (symbolically baptized) stones left on the shore were a symbol that God had "rolled away" (hence the name "Gilgal") the reproach of Egypt (bondage to sin).

6:12,2,3,4,5 - Joshua rose up early in the morning perhaps echoing how Jesus was resurrected well before the future second coming and millenial day of rest (note the frequent mentions of  "seven" and "seventh" Josh 6:4,8,13,15,16 perhaps hinting at the millenial Jubilee, etc.). When they marched around the city 6 days nothing was accomplished (6 being the number of man and thus it took power from God to accomplish the cities walls to fall). The 7th day reminds us of the millenial day of rest. The 7 times on the 7th day perhaps suggests a reference to the ultimate Jubilee when Christ returns (Lev 25:8,9,10,11,12,13,31,39,40,41; Eze 38:11,23; Isa 27:13) with the number 50 (5 x 10 perhaps indicating grace and mercy to a multitude), the mention of liberty and freeing bond slaves (perhaps echoing liberty from slavery to sin and freedom in Christ), villages without walls being redeemed (as Rahab's family in wall less Jericho was redeemed and the unwalled villages of Israel in the last days will be redeemed), and the Lord will make himself known to the nations. 

Israel was doomed to spend a further thirty-eight years wandering in the desert after they murmured against Yahweh (Num 14:27,33). 

During that time, males of the new generation were not circumcised.  Yahweh had judged His nation.  He left them to subsist in sin until the disobedient generation had died (Num 14:29).  Once all were dead, the new generation would be taken into the Promised Land by Joshua. 

This land was first promised to Abraham and then his progeny (Gen 13:15).  As a token of the covenant with Yahweh, Abraham was circumcised (Gen 17:24).  Thus, as the new generation of Israel was about to enter the land of covenant, they needed to be circumcised (5:7).  At that juncture, Yahweh took away the reproach of Egypt (5:9). 

The shame of Egypt was that it trusted in false gods.  Yahweh had destroyed Egypt for its idolatry and brought His people out to worship Him in the land of promise.  But, Israel lacked trust in Yahweh and had to pay the consequences.  Bear your whoredoms (Num 14:33) literally means to suffer for your idolatry.  The suffering was the same as that of Egypt - death.  But, with the new generation, the reproach of Egypt was rolled back and a new beginning began. 

The name Gilgal means rolling, which signifies the rolling back of this reproach (5:9).

6:19   As the spoil of Jericho was to be dedicated to God Achan actually robbed God.

5:15 Taking one’s sandals off in the presence of Yahweh showed reverence. Moses was obliged to do the same thing (Exo 3:5). God’s path cannot be sullied by man-made accoutrements. In the spiritual sense, entering God’s house (where he was present) demanded a similar action. The right spiritual attitude and heart was needed as opposed to the thoughts and values of the flesh (Ecc 5:1).

True followers of Christ need to maintain the same spiritual attitudes in their worship, although they are not obliged to remove their shoes while worshipping. It is interesting, though, that some religions still demand that shoes be removed before entering a place of worship as a sign of respect. However, Judaism does not require this practice.

6:1 Jericho today is an Arab town in the West Bank just north-west of the Dead Sea (16 km – 10 mi). Jericho’s name means fragrance and its population is around 20,000 people.  The Arab name for Jericho is Ariah (fragrance), thought to be derived from the Canaanite Riah. The Hebrew name is Yeriho.  Some think that the Hebrew name is derived from yerah which means moon. In Canaanite times, the people of Jericho were moon worshippers.

Jericho is known as the city of palm trees (e.g. Deut 34:3); and because of its proximity to the Dead Sea, it rests at the lowest elevation of any town on earth.

The West Bank is in the hands of the Palestinians at the moment.  But prophecy says that it must be in the hands of Israel when Gog comes down (Eze 38:8). The mountains of Israel are in the West Bank.  And so, it would not be surprising that modern Jericho would also become a possession of Israel.

A woman worth more than Gold

Jericho had become doomed to destruction as described in the law in Lev 27:28-29. This meant complete annihilation as a devoted offering to God. But for some reason the silver, gold, bronze and iron was allowed to remain (Josh 6:17-19), presumably because metal survives fire intact and is even purified by it (Num 31:22-23). It was not possible (under the law) for Rahab and her family to survive without being killed. So why weren't they killed? In Prov 3:13-18 God likens a woman of wisdom to Gold and Silver. So the principle of the law was applied to Rahab whose wisdom and faith survived the fire of war, as Gold is purified in fire. She became a faithfully devoted servant of God as we can see from her parentage of David and eventually Jesus (Matt 1:5-16).

V.24 "after the manner of Egypt" as Egypt and Pharaoh oppressed thee, so shall Sennacherib. But, the prophet offers words of comfort to Israel. (if they would listen) in V.26 as you were delivered out of the hand of Pharaoh, so you will be delivered from the Assyrians.

10:6  ‘mire of the street’ echoes the words of the contemporary prophet Mic 7:10

The warnings spoken by Isaiah now become more specific. Moses had spoken of a nation coming from afar, speaking a strange language, and cruel in its dealings with other nations. Isaiah, now identifies this nation as the Assyrians. It is plain that both nations, north and south were warned by the prophet about the devastation to come about. (V.10-11)

V.6 Yahweh used proud Assyria as a tool of punishment for His people.  The nation would stride arrogantly through the land conquering many cities on its way to Jerusalem (vs.28-32). 

But, Yahweh would spare Jerusalem and dispatch the invader.  Assyria would be cut down to the degree that the number of its remaining leaders would be minuscule (vs.19,33).  (Trees are used figuratively to represent them). 

The collapse of Assyria began in 612 BC when Babylon destroyed Nineveh, and was completed at the battle of Carchemish in 605 BC.

10:21  "The remnant shall return" is a play upon the name "Shearjashub" of Isa 7:3.

10:22 The ‘sand of the sea’ echoes the promise to Abraham – Gen 22:17 - but despite the fact that Israel are numerous only a few will remain. It is clear from the way that this passage is used in Rom 9:27 that the few that remain are faithful.

V.24 The Assyrian here is a reference to Gog, another northern host.  Gog and its confederates will come against Israel in the end times (Eze 38:3-6).  They, like Sennacherib will come against Jerusalem.  But, unlike Sennacherib, they will attack Jerusalem and wreak havoc (Zech 14:2).  The Lord Jesus together with His immortalized saints will destroy this enemy (Zech 14:3).

10:1 It seems that the false prophets were not content with just speaking words opposing the prophets. They put things n writing as well! A bit like Nebuchadnezzar’s decree that no one in his kingdom could worship any God but himself – Dan 3:5-7 God requested obedience. The false prophets demanded adherence to their ways. We are not governed by manmade rules. Our conscience, educated by the Word of God, is our guide.

1 v.1 The association of Paul Silvanus [Silas] both here and 1 Thessalonians 1:1 is most natural as they were together at Thessalonica. [Acts 16:19] Timothy seemed to be an almost constant companion of Paul, being sent on missions to see how things fared with the ecclesias that Paul had established.

2 v.3 'falling away' is not a casual departure from the faith. From the way that this and a related word are used in the New testament Matthew 5:31 19:7 divorcement Mark 10:4 divorcement Acts 21:21 forsake 2 Thessalonians 2:3 falling away we can see the terrible nature of forsaking Christ.

1:8 taking vengeance draws on Isaiah 61:2 which we know is the work of the lord Jesus (Luke 4:18) but to be finished at his return.

2:8 Consume with the spirit of his mouth echoes Isaiah 11:4 which speaks of the work of the Lord Jesus at his return.

1:9 'Glory of his power' quotes Isaiah 2:10, 19, 21) which clearly speaks of the establishment of the kingdom of God.

2:4 'exalteth … God' quotes Daniel 11:36 and so the brethren at Thessalonica would doubtless see Rome being a partial fulfilment of this area of Daniel 11.

1:4 Paul suffered persecution whilst he was at Thessalonica and eventually was thrown out of the city (Acts 17:10) There is no indication in Acts that the ecclesia suffered persecution however here we learn that they did.

2:2 'By letter as from us ...' is further evidence that there were those in the first century who sought to undermine the preaching of Paul by sending our letter which purported to come from him even though they did not. 

1:11 Do we ever pray for our brethren and sisters that they might be accepted at the resurrection?

2:1  The judgment is a personal thing. We will be judged according to our individual response to the gospel. However the purpose of the Father is to have a multitude of immortal saints who do His will. Hence ‘being gathered together …’ speaks of the fellowship we will enjoy in the kingdom with both the Father and his son and our brethren and sisters.

1:8 The judgment on those who do not know God contrasts markedly with the blessing on those who do know Him – John 17:3

1:3   In 1Thess 1:2 Paul had told the brethren and sisters that he thanked God for them. Now he says he is ‘bound to give thanks’ indicating that the spiritual development of the ecclesia since the sending of the first letter had gown.

Vs.3,7 Paul warned that before Jesus would return to earth to become the king of the world, spiritual rot would set in the ecclesia. The term falling away is derived from the Greek word apostasia from which the word apostasy (the abandonment of former beliefs) comes.

The apostasy began in the first century and was already observable to Paul. Over the subsequent centuries the apostasy would develop, organize and enlarge until we now see the organized Christian churches which are astray from the original tenets of the apostles. 

It behoves anyone interested in truly serving Yahweh to refer to the His Word, the Bible, and check out the claims of those espousing religious beliefs and philosophies (John 4:24). If those claims do not agree with the Word, they should be rejected (Isa 8:20; 2Cor 11:3,4).

1:10 This verse is taken by Evangelicals (particularly) to describe those who will have come through the Tribulation.

They reckon that raised believers, together with believers who are living at the time, will be taken out of the earth to safety, in the Rapture, just before the Tribulation occurs.  

They think that the Tribulation will be a seven-year period in which the Antichrist (a Jew) sets himself up as king in Jerusalem.  They believe that He will be deposed. 

Unfortunately, they have based scriptures, which are ascribed to Jesus, as belonging to the Antichrist.  Thus, when Jesus returns to earth and sets up His kingdom in Jerusalem, He will be opposed as the Antichrist.  But, He will not be deposed. Instead, He will destroy those who oppose Him.

Those who think that they will be whisked away when Jesus (the supposed Antichrist) appears will be greatly surprised to see that they have not gone anywhere.  Instead of being welcomed as saints, they will be destroyed as sinners.

2:5  Paul was well aware of the problems that the Thessalonians had to deal with. Those very problems had been a topic of his instruction when he was with them which visit is recorded in Acts 17:1 where we infer – Acts 17:11 – there was an antipathy towards the message of Scripture.