Joshua

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There are so many good principles and stories in the Book of Joshua this week that I really struggled to decide where to place our focus and attention. And that’s what’s hard about being a teacher. Sometimes you have to let certain things go, good things! Things you love! Things you feel are important! What to teach from the scriptures is often not a decision between amazing, inspiring, life changing principles and so-so principles. It’s more often a decision between three or four or more amazing, inspiring, and life changing principles. But we still have to make that choice. The book of Joshua really brought that home to me, and I’m afraid that is what we’re probably going to be wrestling with as teachers for the rest of the year. When it comes to the books of Moses and Abraham, and Genesis and Exodus, the manual really has us slow down and take those in smaller chunks and focus, kind of like how we study the Book of Mormon or the Doctrine and Covenants. But the Old Testament is so big. And we only have a little more than half the year to cover the rest of this huge amount of scripture. And those books of scriptures are still chock full of truth and relevance and power. So what I’ve decided to do, and will probably have to do for the rest of the year is to pick a few different principles and stories to really give the full treatment to. But then, with some of the other principles, perhaps I’ll just throw out three brief things for you: An insight, a teaching idea, and a discussion question. Sometimes that’s all a teacher will need to really take something and run with it, and make it their own. The insight will help give you something to teach. But often the hardest thing is to come up with an idea or a way to teach it. That can be a real challenge. And that’s where maybe I can step in and give you just one quick idea on HOW you could teach that insight. And then, we’re not mere lecturers as gospel teachers. We also need to ask questions and give our students a chance to voice their thoughts and experiences. That can often really make the difference between a good lesson and a great one. So, today, allow me to give you a few in-depth lesson teaching ideas, and then a smattering of smaller ones to conclude. So if you’re ready, grab your scriptures and your marking pencils, it’s time to dig deep.

TRUE COURAGE AND THE SECRET TO GAINING IT

ICEBREAKER

As an icebreaker to the Book of Joshua, I like to do the following activity with my students. I tell them that I’m going to show them a picture from a very important date in history and that I want them to imagine what they would be feeling if they were there, experiencing it. What do they imagine they would be feeling? And then I show them this picture. And if you’re listening to this on the podcast, it’s a picture from inside one of the troop transport boats on D-day advancing towards the beaches of Normandy. What do you imagine a soldier in that boat would be feeling? Fear, most definitely, mixed with excitement, dread, resolve, acceptance. I don’t know, but it would certainly be a tense and terrifying experience. My grandfather faced this same kind of situation in in World War 2 as he was part of the force that cleared the beaches for General MacArthur’s famous return to the Philippines. The fact that he never really liked to talk much about his experiences as a soldier tells you how impactful and difficult that episode in his life must have been for him. Now a second question. If you were a soldier in one of those boats and the ramp was about to drop, and the bullets whiz around you, what would you want to know? You’d want to be prepared. You’d want to know how to fire your weapon. You’d want to know the objective and where you were supposed to go and how to get there.

TRANSITION

Well this kind of situation is very similar to what Joshua and the children of Israel are facing at the beginning of the book that bears his name. They are preparing to enter the promised land to conquer it after all those years of wandering in the wilderness. The promised land is not vacant. There are cities and warriors and battles they will have to fight in order to obtain it. They are standing on the other side of the Jordan river with the ramp of the troop transport boats (so to speak) ready to drop. But before they go, both Moses and the Lord have some advice and counsel to give Joshua before they begin. And maybe you could stop and ponder what kind of counsel you think the Lord would give someone in that situation. What are they most going to need? Well, there is one particular phrase that comes up over and over again in the chapters preceding the battles for the promised land. When something is repeated multiple times in the scriptures, that’s one of His ways of emphasizing and drawing our attention to certain messages. What is that phrase? I want you to go into your scriptures and find it and then mark it every time he says it. Here are the verses. Oh, and in the Deuteronomy verses, it’s Moses speaking. In the Joshua verses, it’s the Lord speaking.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Deuteronomy 31:7

Deuteronomy 31:23

Joshua 1:6

Joshua 1: 7

Joshua 1: 9

Joshua 1: 18

What’s the key phrase? Be strong and of a good courage. Now doesn’t that make sense considering their situation. What were they going to need in order to face walled cities, and giants (or great warriors) and conflict? They’re going to need strength and courage, just like those soldiers on D-Day would need. I like the fact that it makes a distinction there with “good courage”. He doesn’t want them to have impulsive, foolhardy, rash, or overconfident courage. But he wants him to have good courage. Courage based on faith, trust, preparation, and wisdom. It’s that kind of courage that I want to talk about today.

SEARCH

Now obviously, Joshua and the people are going to need to have strength and courage to fight and face the real tangible enemies that occupy the promised land. There’s no doubt about that, and he does have something to say about that. But here’s what I find the most fascinating. That even in the midst of this very real and current physical battle they are about to face, the Lord is going to tell Joshua what he’s going to most need that strength and courage for. Is it to fight Canaanites? Is it to lay siege to walled cities? Is the Lord going to give him military maneuvers and combat techniques? Let’s find out. Please read Joshua 1:6-7 to discover what Joshua and the people would need to have strength and courage to do.

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

They were going to need strength and courage to do according to all the law. Isn’t that fascinating and instructive. Even in Joshua’s situation, the Lord was most concerned about them having strength and courage to be obedient to the laws of God. Perhaps that’s what those verses mean by having “good courage”. It takes strength and good courage to do what’s right, to not deviate to the right or to the left of God’s commandments. It takes strength and courage to do according to ALL the law. To follow the commandments and standards with completely, totally, and with exactness, not picking and choosing certain commandments and ignoring others. That’s not easy to do.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

And that might be a good time in the lesson to ask them if they have ever had an experience where either they or someone they know demonstrated strength and courage in being obedient and to share that example. I asked that question once in one of my classes and I had a student tell me a story of a time when her friends convinced her to sneak into a different movie than the one they had told their parents they were going to go see. As it became quickly apparent that this was not the type of movie she felt comfortable seeing, she sat worried and wondering about what to do. She was afraid of what her friends might think. To stand up and walk out would require strength and courage. So she prayed for help and after a few more minutes, she leaned over, whispered to her friends that she didn’t feel comfortable watching that movie and that she needed to leave. And she did! Now that took strength and courage. The same kind of courage that a soldier needs as they go into battle.

It takes strength and courage to be the only one on the field or court that’s not using foul language.

It takes strength and courage to tell the truth and to be honest in all our dealings with our fellow man even when it’s not to our advantage.

It takes strength and courage to serve a full-time mission or to open your mouth to share the gospel with friends and neighbors.

It takes strength and courage to live a life of faith in a world of doubt and skepticism.

This is what I would call TRUE COURAGE—GOOD COURAGE. The courage to choose the right.

Now. The next obvious question then is probably going to be. OK, where can I get that kind of strength and courage? What if I don’t feel very strong or courageous? Where can I get it? Answer. Just read the next verse and you’ll find it. God gives Joshua and all of us the secret and the source of that strength and courage. What is it?

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

What’s the source, or at least, a source of true strength and courage? It’s the scriptures! This book of the law! All the revelations and wisdom that Moses had recorded as a prophet. And the strength wouldn’t come from just reading it, right? What was he supposed to do with them? Meditate on them day and night. I know you’ve heard me say this before but that is a crucial thing we have to understand if we wish to gain strength and courage from the scriptures. It has to be scripture study, not just scripture reading. We have to meditate, and reflect, and ponder on what we’re reading. We have to dig deep.

And if we do this, if we mediate on the “book of the law” and demonstrate the courage and strength to do according to all that is written therein, then the Lord has some promises for us. What are they? Find the promises and mark them in the following verses:

Deuteronomy 31:6 (The Lord will not fail thee, nor forsake thee)

Joshua 1:5 (“I will be with thee,” and again, “I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee)

Joshua 1:7 (thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest)

Joshua 1:8 (then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. See what he did there: Good courage brings good success)

And when he says “success and prosperity” I don’t think he’s referring to wealth or fame, or conquest, but joy and progress and fulfillment.

TRUTH

Two statements. If I have the strength and courage to observe to do according to all the law, then the Lord will be with me, He will not fail me, nor forsake me, and I will prosper and have good success.

AND

If I meditate on the scriptures day and night, then they will help to give me that strength and courage.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

Can you think of a scripture, scripture story, or scripture character that has helped to give you strength and courage? Please share.

CONCLUSION

Well, you know me. I love the scriptures and I believe in the power that scripture study can have on a life. One of the things that I love about the Come Follow Me program is the manner in which it has re-energized and re-emphasized the importance of scripture study in the lives of members of the Church. I have never seen more interest and enthusiasm for the scriptures in members of the Church than right now and these past four years and I hope that enthusiasm continues well into the future, because I know that scripture study can make our way prosperous. Meditating on the scriptures can give us the strength and courage that we need to do according to all that is written therein. Joshua is usually viewed as a great military leader. A general of war and conquest. Maybe there is a bit of a macho image that we ascribe to him. Big biceps, good with the sword, gutsy. But perhaps that image overshadows what really made Joshua great. It wasn’t his leadership as a general, or skill as a military strategist, or his power as a soldier. It was his commitment to truth and righteousness that made him great. Joshua had true strength, and true courage. The kind of strength and courage that can storm the beaches of sin, temptation, and rebellion without fear and without frailty.

If you wanted to show a little video to highlight the principles that we teach here, consider showing one of the two following Church produced messages:

Enemy Territory: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2012-06-0006-enemy-territory?lang=eng

Leave the Party: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2013-11-0005-leave-the-party?lang=eng

POWER TO CHANGE

ICEBREAKER

Well, we’ve taken some time to examine a great male hero from the Book of Joshua, our next story is going to revolve around a great heroine from this same book. Now at first glance, you may think that she would have nothing in common with a man like Joshua. She’s not an Israelite. She’s a Canaanite. She doesn’t travel with the children of Israel. She’s a citizen of Jericho, the first enemy city the Israelites encounter. She doesn’t have a virtuous past like Joshua. She’s a harlot. So with that in mind, why on earth would we want to spend our time studying her? Because she has a very important message to teach us. To introduce her, as an icebreaker, you could ask if anybody in your class knows how to do a 180 on a skateboard, or snowboard, or a wakeboard. If so, ask them to describe how they do it. And once for this I even brought in a skateboard to my class and actually had a student demonstrate how it’s done.

TRANSITION

After we talk about that, I tell my students that I’d like to introduce them to a woman named Rahab. Rahab was a woman who knew how to do a 180. Let’s take a look at her story

SEARCH

To help your students understand the story of Rahab, you could have them do the following handout. This challenges your students to put these pictures of the story into chronological order as they read Joshua chapter 2:1-22 and Joshua 6:25 or as they listen to a narration of the story—and you can find recordings of every chapter of the scriptures on the church’s website. I won’t take the time to read through each of those verses here, but I invite you to do so, especially if you’re not familiar with this story. While they listen and do the activity, encourage them to ponder what truth Rahab’s life teaches them.

Here are the answers to the handout.

Number 1 would be G, the picture of Joshua sending the two spies out to Jericho.

Number 2 would be A, the picture of Rahab hiding the two spies in the flax on her roof.

Number 3 would be F, the picture of Rahab telling the guards that the spies had fled the city and to go chase after them.

Number 4 would be D, the picture of Rahab talking with the spies about her belief in Jehovah and her request to be saved alive along with her family when the Israelites decide to attack Jericho.

Number 5 would be E, the picture of Rahab helping the spies to escape down the walls of Jericho.

Number 6 would be B, the picture or Rahab placing a scarlet cord in her window before the attack on Jericho.

And Number 7 would be C, the picture of Rahab and members of her family being spared during the battle.

Now after they’ve had a chance to get to know the story of Rahab here in Joshua, you may want to lead them through the following cross references as well.

We know from Joshua 6:25 that Rahab was not just an opportunistic traitor in the face of an imminent attack. It tells us that “she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day”. Rahab joined the Children of Israel. She’s a convert! And she’s accepted by the children of Israel which shows you that anyone among the Canaanites who was willing to change and accept Jehovah as God would be spared. It’s also obvious that Rahab has real faith in God. Listen to her describe her reasons for helping the spies:

9 And she said unto the men, I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you.

10 For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed.

11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.

So, she has faith. She has a testimony of God. And one of the most fascinating things about that statement is what it reveals about the nature of that testimony Did she actually see the Red Sea part? Did she ever experience the deliverance of the Children of Israel from Egypt? Did she see God fight for the Israelites in their previous battles? No. She’s only heard of those things. And yet she believes. And she’s willing to act on that faith. That’s remarkable to me. Especially when you consider all the people among the children of Israel who actually DID witness and experience those things, who never developed real faith in God—who rebelled, and complained, and desired to return to Egypt. Well, hopefully we can be like Rahab. We don’t have to have seen these scriptural events or miracles with our own eyes in order to have faith in them.

In fact, take a look at these two New Testament references to Rahab.

James praised Rahab as an example of faith that was backed up with a demonstration of works.

James 2:25-26

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

So she not only believed that Jehovah was God, but she was willing to act on it, and save the lives of the Israelite spies. Others in Jericho may have feared the Israelites when they heard of the Lord’s wonders, but didn’t accept Him as a God or they weren’t ready or willing to make any kind of change in their life. Only Rahab.

Paul talked about Rahab’s faith

Hebrews 11:31

31 By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

Therefore she and her family were the only ones that were saved. She refused to die spiritually with them that believed not.

Also, consider this. Rahab is mentioned in Jesus’s genealogy. That’s fairly significant. Which means, Rahab marries into tribe of Judah. Matthew 1:5

5 And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;

And then get this. If you look at that genealogy line and compare it 1 Chronicles 2:10-11, you learn something interesting about Salmon’s father Nashon.

10 And Ram begat Amminadab; and Amminadab begat Nahshon, prince of the children of Judah;

11And Nahshon begat Salma(which would be Salmon), and Salma begat Boaz (or Booz),

So we learn that Nashon was a prince of Judah. Rahab marries his son, who would also, then, have been a prince. And if she married a prince, what would that make her? A princess.

So, what principle or truth does the life of Rahab teach you? There could be multiple answers to that question, but one thing I think this story teaches me for sure is that PEOPLE CAN CHANGE! Through the power of faith and works and repentance, God’s mercy can transform people into something completely different. She went from prostitute to princess. From harlot to heroine. She shows us that a person in a wicked environment can still become a person of integrity through repentance and righteous living.

Another powerful truth that Rahab’s life teaches is that not only was Rahab saved from destruction, but because of her actions her entire family was saved as well. Our repentance and faith can also bless our families and bring salvation to them too! I taught a Rahab on my mission who joined the Church herself but then, through her example turned around and helped other members of her family to do the same. And not only that, but when we change or choose righteousness, in many cases we are also choosing for generations to come. Our decisions affect our posterity. I’m forever grateful to my ancestors who first chose to live the gospel all those years ago, who because of their faith and sacrifice, I have the gospel in my life. One of those ancestors of mine who I admire greatly was a woman by the name of Harriet Austin. She accepted the gospel in New York, packed her things and decided to travel to Nauvoo. Her father rode for miles after her, pleading with her to return, but she never looked back. She was a Rahab, and her descendants, of who I am one, are still being blessed and saved by her decision to change.

TRUTH

So, which of the lessons of Rahab’s life are you inspired most by and why?

Is it the truth that:

People can change.

It is possible to have deep and abiding faith in things that we have never seen with our own eyes.

Our righteousness can bless and save our families.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

When have you seen one of these truths demonstrated in your own life?

CONCLUSION

I hope that Rahab’s story has inspired you as much as it inspires me. Though it may be hard, it is possible to do a 180 in life just like Rahab did. I hope we remember that if we ever find ourselves standing behind the walls of our own worldly Jericho’s, that we will have the courage to change. And I also hope that we’ll be willing to accept and welcome anyone who wishes to make that kind of change in their life, regardless of their past.

THE ACHAN PRINCIPLE-NO MAN IS AN ISLAND

ICEBREAKER

Now here’s another story in Joshua that acts as an antithesis or a foil to Rahab’s story. And that’s the story of Achan from Joshua chapter 7. As an icebreaker to this story, I just ask a pretty simple question. Why shouldn’t we sin? And that question appears so simple that it’s almost silly. But when you stop to think about it, the answers to it can be very profound and helpful in motivating us to choose the right. Hopefully we can come up with something more than just “because it’s bad”. Some possible answers could be “wickedness never was happiness”. We displease our Father in Heaven. The consequences may have long lasting and even eternal effects. And we could go on and on. But when I ask that question, the reason the story of Achan teaches us usually isn’t brought up. So let’s add another powerful motivating thought that can help us avoid and resist temptation.

SEARCH

I’d like to guide you through this sad but enlightening story.

Before Jericho was destroyed, Joshua gave the people a very specific instruction. What was it?

Joshua 6:18-19

Don’t take the accursed thing. They were not to keep any of the spoils of the city. All of the gold, the silver, the brass, or iron was to be dedicated to God. This was not to be a conquest with the purpose of enriching themselves, but to give glory to God and to obtain the promised land for their posterity.

So the children of Israel attack Jericho and conquer the city. But read Joshua 7:2-5 and read what happens next.

And if you did that, you’ll discover that the Israelites are defeated by an army of men from the tiny city of Ai, near Jericho, which even the name sounds like it’s a little city. It’s not a big city like JERICHO. But just a little one. Ai. Joshua feels like they don’t even need to send that many people. Oh just send two or three thousand men over there. They are but few. This won’t be hard. But when they try, they’re defeated. They chase them out of the area and kill 36 men. Now Joshua is beside himself and prays to the Lord in verses 6-9 and says that if they can’t defeat a little city like Ai, how are they going to defeat the rest of the land. And I like how the Lord responds to him. Read verses 10-12 and tell me why they weren’t able to defeat the city of Ai?

10 And the Lord said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?

11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.

12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you anymore, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

So Joshua knows, somebody didn’t follow the instruction. Somebody among the camp of Israel must have kept some of the spoils of the city for themselves. But who?

Now I want you to read the rest of the story in Joshua 7:16-26 and just react. What do you think about what happens next? And if you did that, who was the source of the problem? A man named Achan. As Joshua is going one by one through each of the families of Israel, it appears that God gives him the inspiration to know that Achan was the one who had troubled the camp of Israel and basically calls him out on it. He says: My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession unto him: and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. And with that indictment, the confession comes out.

What had he done?

He had taken some of the spoils of Jericho for himself and hidden them under his tent. A goodly Babylonish garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold. I like that it’s a Babylonish garment that he takes. Babylon, in the scriptures, is frequently used as a symbol for the world and worldliness. It’s usually the lure of the Babylonish that leads people to sin. And what was the consequence for this act? And this is where sometimes my students will react. What do they do to Achan? They stone him to death, and his family, and all his possessions. Now that sounds terrible, I know. And what bothers you about that? Probably the fact that not only does he die, but his family too? And we say, But they didn’t do anything? That’s not fair. Now we know that the scriptures often deal in extreme stories, and this is one of them, but I feel it’s there to teach us a very important principle. And I’ll introduce that principle with a question:

Who suffered because of Achan’s sin?

The entire camp of Israel suffered.

The families of the 36 men that were killed in the battle of Ai suffered

His family suffered and all that he had.

I believe this story is there to teach us all a disturbing but all too real principle about sin. Why shouldn’t we sin?

Because . . .

TRUTH

Our decisions can have a profound effect on other people’s lives. This is what I would call the Achan principle.

LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES

And is that true? Well let’s see. I’ll name a sin, and you tell me how someone who chooses to do it might hurt others who are innocent:

Pornography

Alcohol or drug use

Watching inappropriate media

Leaving the Church

Now I know that many will defend or rationalize their poor decisions with the defense, “Well, I’m only hurting myself”. And I want to respond by saying, “You wish!” Sin never hurts just us. All of our actions have a ripple effect because no man is an island. Make no mistake about it. What we do has an impact.

CONCLUSION

So before we make a rash decision, before we indulge in temptation, before we abandon faith, we would do well to stop and consider the ramifications those decisions will have on the people around us. Many people suffered because of Achan’s offence. It’s sobering to think just how much impact one person can have on the lives of so many others. Sometimes I’ve seen the actions of just one member of a class ruin the experience for everybody else in that class. One member of a quorum or organization can cause trouble and disunity for the whole. A bad employee can cause problems for the whole organization. And who usually suffers the most may from our sins? Like Achan, it’s usually our families that bear the deepest impact. The people that are closest to us.

Spouses are hurt by their partner’s indulgence in pornography

Children hurt by their parents dishonesty or anger

Siblings who follow in the errant footsteps of older brothers or sisters

And maybe one of the most profoundly tragic examples. We must remember that when we choose to walk away from our covenants and our faith, that we are never choosing just for us. We are often choosing for our posterity as well. We’re choosing for generations—our children and our children’s children. That’s why I said Achan was a perfect contrast to Rahab. Where her righteousness and faith brought salvation to generations after her, Achan’s decision brought destruction and death to his. I have an extended family member who abandoned his faith and now, none of his children or his grandchildren are members of the church either.

I remember speaking to a friend one night in college who expressed that he felt he could never forgive himself. I asked him why. He said that when he was in high school, he listened to a type of music that was quite spiritually damaging and not good for the soul. But, as he neared mission age, he recognized the problem, got rid of the music, and changed, served a mission, married in the temple. I asked him why he could never forgive himself then. He said, “Well, during that time, I got my little brother into listening to that kind of music as well, and now it’s totally changed his lifestyle and no matter what I say, I can’t get him to stop. He’s fallen into that world and out of the church. I do think I can ever forgive myself for that.”

Now let me say that I believe that all people will still need to stand accountable for their own decisions and that we needn’t beat ourselves up continually over the poor decisions of our past that may have affected others once we have repented. And I believe deeply in the power of Christ’s atonement to fix and remedy even those kinds of situations in the future. But I still believe that it’s important to consider the impact our decisions may have on others before we make them. That thought may serve as one of the greatest deterrents to sin and motivations for righteousness. Remember the Achan principle. If we know that somebody else will be affected by what we do, it may make it much easier for us to resist. And remember that this principle goes both ways. We don’t have to just focus on the negative side. Our good actions can also have a profound ripple effect and influence many for good.

QUICK IDEAS

SCRIPTURE PRESCRIPTIONS

As I said in the introduction, for the remainder of the video, I wanted to give you just a few more brief insights from some of the other chapters of Joshua.

WHAT MEANETH THESE STONES?

Scripture Block: Joshua 4:1-9, 21-24

Insight: The insight is this. Before the Lord commanded the children of Israel to cross the Jordan River, he instructed a man from each tribe to carry a rock from the Jordan and build an altar or a memorial near the place where they had crossed. Why did he want them to do that? So that in the future, when their children saw this strange pile of stones by the way, they would naturally ask “What mean ye by these stones?” And then, the parents would be able to sit their children down and “in accents of wonder” say. “Well, let me tell you about that. This was the place where the Lord parted the Jordan River for us. We walked across it on dry ground, can you imagine that! The Lord performed a miracle for us. And these stones are here, so that we will never forget that.” The stones would serve as a reason and an impetus to spark a conversation later about the Lord and his power. Well, we too have piles of stones today.

I’ve had the privilege of visiting the Holy Land on a number of occasions, and basically, that’s what you see there. Mostly rocks. Piles of stones. Ruins of ancient cities. Memorials and mountain tops. But what makes these unassuming locations so special? The question does. We say “What meaneth these stones?” And then as you talk about what happened in those locations, those stones take on a different and awe-inspiring significance. This is where David defeated Goliath in faith. This is where Elijah called down fire from heaven, This is where Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount. This is where the Savior rose from the tomb and conquered death and sin.” And as our question is answered, our faith deepens, and our testimony grows.

Gordon B. Hinckley in particular, and many other modern prophets have believed deeply in the practice of setting up piles of stones. The Church has poured millions of dollars into restoring key Church History sites. Replicas have been built, buildings restored, lands purchased, visitors centers and museums built and staffed by volunteer missionaries. It’s incredible. The purpose of this enormous investment. To give us and our children the opportunity to ask, “What meaneth these stones?” Why is Kirtland important? What happened here at Carthage Jail that I should know? Why is this grove of trees near Palmyra significant? Just this past summer I had the opportunity to visit these Church History sites with all of my children. And that’s what we did. We were able to share with them the meaning of these special places and tell them what happened there and bear our testimonies of their significance. I’m so grateful that those “piles of stones” are there.

We can make piles of stones within our own families. When you receive an answer to prayer, or have a spiritual experience, or gain a testimony of some aspect of the gospel, do you write it down? Do you share that story with your family? In our family, there are certain faith building stories that we tell over and over again. These “pile of stones” stories are passed from generation to generation. We all know and love Grandma Wilcox’s black dog story. The story of how Grandpa Wilcox gave up smoking. My Dad’s ranch stories are classics in our household. My mother’s story of getting lost in the snow. And for me, my answer to a child’s prayer under the pink waterslide in Moab. All these stories are our own piles of stones that I pray are passed on to future generations.

And in a way, the scriptures themselves are a pile of stones—a book of remembrance—a memorial to God’s involvement in the lives of his children. Joshua 4:24 reminds us of one of the major reasons for why we make piles of stones:

24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the Lord your God for ever.

Idea:

As an idea to teach this insight, sometimes I’ll bring into my classroom a bunch of rocks and set them up in a pile at the back of the classroom. Then as they walk in, you just wait and watch what they do. And then, just start counting in your mind how many times students ask what it’s all about. They’ll say, “What’s this for?”, or “Why is this pile of stones here?” And you can just tell them that it’s part of the lesson and you’ll talk about it later.

Discussion Question:

What are some of your family’s “piles of stones?”

THE WALLS OF JERICHO

Scripture block: Joshua 6:12-16, 20

Insight: We alluded to this story back in Numbers with our lesson about grape-gatherers versus wall-watchers. You may recall from that lesson that the walled cities of the promised land were some of the greatest fears the Children of Israel had as they contemplated the conquest of the area.

Well, we too may encounter what seem to be walls and barriers in our lives. There will be many obstacles to face and overcome in our journey of faith through mortality. Doubts can be walls. Trials can be walls. Our own insecurities can be walls. The actions of others can be walls.

What does this story teach us about these barriers that we encounter in life? If we have faith in him, he can knock them down. I’m sure many of you are familiar with the song “Joshua fit’ the battle of Jericho, and the walls came a tumblin’ down.” But you know what? Joshua never really “fit” the battle of Jericho at all. The Lord did. All Joshua and the people had to do was obey and demonstrate faith in the Lord’s instructions, and the Lord knocked that wall down flat. When we have faith in God, and we are willing to obey his instructions, he can knock down our walls too! God can help us conquer an addiction. He can sustain us through a crisis of faith. He can help us endure a heavy trial. He can heal any hurt. He can hedge up the ways of our enemies. God can knock down what seem to be impenetrable walls in our lives. BUT, we’ve got to be willing to follow the instructions.

And what do you make of those instructions here? The circling of the city over multiple days, the blowing of the trumpets. Seems a little strange and hard to understand. Well, so are God’s commandments sometimes. We may not always understand the purpose of all God’s counsels and instructions. They may seem counterintuitive or even pointless to us. But if we obey—if we listen, it will work! There’s also a possibility that the circling of Jericho over six days was a way of offering mercy to the people of Jericho, a warning, an invitation to come to God. God will always offer people many opportunities to change or repent before the destruction comes. Sadly, only one person and her family in the entire city heeded that trumpets call. Rahab. And she was saved!

Idea:

You could use this little handout to help your students apply the lesson of the walls of Jericho. It asks them to label the picture of the wall with the biggest barrier, obstacle, or problem they are currently facing. They will then place that handout in Joshua chapter 6 and leave it there until they feel that wall has been broken down. Invite them to pray for God’s help, seek out his counsel through scripture study, and approach that wall with faith and courage. Now sometimes those walls are broken down quickly, and other times they may take years. But I believe that all individuals who pray in faith and endure to the end will eventually see all of their walls crumble to the ground. I relish the thought of somebody doing this activity and then totally forgetting about until one day they come to that chapter in Joshua once again, see the card, and realize that God really did help them break down that will.

Discussion Question: What have you found helpful in breaking down your walls?

GIVE ME THIS MOUNTAIN

Scripture Block: Joshua 14:6-15

Insight: I told you a few weeks ago that the name of my oldest son is Caleb. And a big part of the reason we chose that name is because of the story we discussed back in Numbers 13-14 where he and Joshua were the grape-gatherers and not the wall watchers. But there’s another story about Caleb that I love here in the book of Joshua. As the children of Israel enter the promised land, the different tribes choose different parts of the land to inherit. It’s divided up. Well, certainly one of the most difficult places to conquer would have been the area known as Hebron. Hebron is in a more mountainous, rough part of Palestine. And it’s much harder to gain rocky terrain that it is flat. This is also the area where the so-called giants lived. However, Hebron would certainly have been a choice piece of land to inherit. This was the place where Abraham originally lived. But, to obtain it would pose a great challenge. Now I want you to read and pick out your favorite phrase from this speech of Caleb’s as the Children of Israel contemplate the conquest of Hebron, and what stands out to you?

Now you might have chosen Caleb’s statement, “I wholly followed the Lord my God”. Hopefully we too are willing to wholly follow him.

You might have chosen, “I brought him word again as it was in mine heart,” showing Caleb’s sincerity in his beliefs and convictions.

But my favorite phrase comes from verse 12. “Give me this mountain.” Ohh. Isn’t that great?! Give me the challenge. Give me the hardest task because I know I can do it. And not because of my own power. But because I KNOW that the Lord is with us. I’m not afraid of the giants. I’m not afraid of the walls. I’m not afraid of the mountains. What an extraordinary attitude. Caleb understood something about hard things. That the hardest challenges yield the greatest blessings. So he says “Bring it on. I’m ready for this. And I know I’ll conquer. We are well able. We are strong. The Lord is on our side”. And he did conquer, and he did inherit that desirable land. We too will be faced with these kinds of decisions in life. Will we willing to take on the mountains of life—the challenges. It’s true, living obedient in a wicked world is a challenge. It requires great strength and courage, but the rewards are so worth it. Serving a full-time mission may often be a daunting challenge, a looming mountain, but the Caleb’s of this world look at that and say, “Give me this mountain, I am well able to overcome it. The Lord is with me.” Paying tithing, accepting a calling, overcoming temptation, repenting, forgiving, marriage, parenthood, and the daily struggle of living a righteous life and enduring to the end day in and day out, can all be mountains. Where much of this world is always looking for the path of least resistance, the easy way out, or the shortcuts, I hope that we can be Caleb’s and Calebina’s at those times, stare down those tests with confidence and say, “Give me this mountain”.

Idea: You could begin this lesson by showing some pictures of mountains or telling a story of an actual mountain that you’ve climbed and what it took to reach the top. I’d tell the story of the first mountain I climbed when I was 9 years old and the amazing feelings I had as I stood atop it. I had conquered it and it felt amazing. The climb was worth it, and I’ve love climbing mountains ever since.

Discussion Question: What’s a “mountain” you’ve climbed that has brought you great blessings?

CHOOSE YE THIS DAY

Scripture Block: Joshua 8:30-35, Joshua 24:14-31

Insight: Last week I told you that we would discuss another powerful principle regarding obedience. The Lord had a very visual way of teaching this principle to the newly arrived Israelites in the promised land. Back in Deuteronomy, Moses instructed Joshua to hold a special ceremony with the people at a city named Shechem. Shechem lies at the base of two mountains. Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Ebal. They were also called the Mount of Blessing and the Mount of Cursing. In this ceremony, a group of the leaders of the people were directed to climb to the top of Mt. Ebal and shout to the people a list of all the penalties that would come to them if they disobeyed the commandments of God. On the other mountain, Gerizim, another group shouted down the blessings that would be theirs should they obey the commandments of God. And there stood the people in the valley below. If you’d like to read about those instructions and the exact list of blessings and cursings, you could do so by going back and reading Deuteronomy chapters 27-28. And they do it when they come to the promised land as recorded in Joshua 8:30-35. Now at the end of his life, Joshua brought all the people back to Shechem to remind them of that ceremony and its simple yet profound principle. Obedience=Blessings. Rebellion=Cursings. And with that very effective backdrop, that visual representation of the principle of agency, Joshua utters these well-known words.

15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

We too have a choice to make. And shouldn’t that be an easy choice? The mount of blessing and the mount of cursing continually stand before us. And the Lord looks down and says, “Choose”. Sometimes I think we misunderstand the principle of agency. It’s not the right to do whatever we want. It’s the right to choose the right and be blessed for it. Or we have the right to choose the wrong, but we can’t choose the consequences of those decisions. They are inseparably connected.

Idea: You can do a simple object lesson to help your students understand the principle of agency. Just go to your closest hardware store and purchase a number of dowels. For the lesson. I place one of those dowels on a table and demonstrate what happens when you pick up one end of the stick, what happens to the other side? Lo and behold, it also raises and comes up off the table. And I act so amazed by this like it’s the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen. This is a good illustration of the principle of agency. I pull out a bunch of the other sticks and explain that life is very much like a game of pick-up sticks. We get to choose what sticks we pick up. But we don’t get to choose what’s on the other end of those sticks. We can’t break them in half though no matter how hard we try. You can’t climb Mt. Ebal and expect to get the blessings of Gerizim. And basically there are only two types of sticks out there. Obedience sticks, and rebellion sticks. We’ve got to be sure to pick up the right sticks. Then, sometimes I’ll give them some names of the sticks and ask what they would put on the other side of the stick. So what’s on the other side of the stick of drug use? What’s on the other side of paying tithing? What’s on the other side of the pornography stick? What’s on the other side of the Sabbath Day observance stick? Etc.

Discussion Question: What are some of the “Mt. Gerizim Blessings” you are most grateful for?