In-Depth Bible Study Guide
Slaying Giants: Facing Fear with Courage and the Word of God
Primary Text: Joshua 1:1–9
1. Introduction & Overview
This sermon launches a series through the book of Joshua by anchoring in one of Scripture's most commanding passages of divine commissioning. The central message is both simple and profound: the giants we avoid do not disappear — they wait. And when God calls us to face them, the antidote to paralyzing fear is not self-confidence but a courageous trust in the God who accompanies us, fueled by deep immersion in his Word. The sermon drew a straight line from the spies' report in Numbers 13 to Joshua's commissioning in Joshua 1, showing that Israel's decades of avoidance never eliminated the giants — it only delayed the inevitable confrontation.
Key Biblical Passage: Joshua 1:1–9 (with supporting references from Numbers 13, Deuteronomy 31, Philippians 4:13, 2 Timothy 3:16–17, 1 John 4:4, and Luke 12:32)
Study Objectives: By engaging this guide, you will (1) understand the literary and theological structure of Joshua 1 within the larger Deuteronomistic narrative, (2) explore the Hebrew vocabulary of courage, meditation, and divine presence, (3) trace the biblical theology of God's accompanying presence from the Pentateuch through the New Testament, and (4) develop a scripturally grounded practice for confronting fear in daily life.
Estimated Study Time: 2.5–3 hours
Why This Passage Matters: Joshua 1:1–9 is one of the Old Testament's most concentrated texts on the relationship between divine calling, human courage, and scriptural meditation. Its themes reverberate through the entire canon and reach their fullest expression in Christ. Serious students will find in this passage a theology of courage that is neither naive optimism nor stoic willpower, but something altogether more robust.
How This Guide Builds on the Sermon: The pastor delivered a pastorally rich and practically grounded message. This guide goes deeper into the Hebrew text, the historical transition from Moses to Joshua, the literary architecture of the commissioning speech, and the biblical-theological arc of God's "I will be with you" promise.
2. Exegetical Analysis
Genre and Literary Structure
Joshua 1:1–9 is a divine commissioning speech — a recognizable genre in the ancient Near East and throughout Scripture in which a deity or superior authority formally installs a new leader. Scholars like Richard Hess (Joshua, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries) identify clear parallels with other commissioning scenes: Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3), Gideon's call (Judges 6), and ultimately the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18–20). The form typically includes: (1) a statement of the situation, (2) the command to act, (3) the promise of divine presence, and (4) an encouragement formula.
In Joshua 1:1–9, this structure appears with striking clarity:
- Verses 1–2: Situation established — Moses is dead; the mission continues
- Verses 3–4: The promise of land — geographical scope of the inheritance
- Verse 5: The promise of divine presence — "No man shall be able to stand before you"
- Verses 6–9: The encouragement formula, threaded with the command to meditate on Torah
Place Within the Larger Narrative
Joshua stands at the hinge point between the Pentateuch and the Former Prophets (Joshua through 2 Kings), forming part of what scholars call the Deuteronomistic History — a sustained theological narrative shaped by the covenant principles of Deuteronomy. Joshua 1 is deliberately structured to echo Deuteronomy 31, where Moses commissions Joshua and God ratifies that commission. The repetition is intentional: the reader is meant to feel the continuity. The mission does not belong to Moses or Joshua — it belongs to God, and it outlasts any individual leader.
Verse-by-Verse Analysis
Verse 1: "After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord..." — The title eved YHWH ("servant of the LORD") is a high honorific in the Old Testament, reserved for figures like Abraham (Genesis 26:24), David (2 Samuel 7:5), and the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 40–55. Its use here frames Moses' death not as defeat but as completed faithful service.
Verse 2: "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go..." — The Hebrew qum ("arise") is an urgent call to action. God does not linger in the eulogy. The mourning period (Deuteronomy 34:8) has concluded. The mission presses forward.
Verses 3–4: The land promise is described in sweeping geographical terms — from the Negev wilderness to Lebanon, from the Euphrates to the Mediterranean. This is the full Abrahamic land grant (Genesis 15:18), now being activated. Notably, God speaks of it in the perfect tense in Hebrew: "I have given" (natatti) — a prophetic perfect expressing certainty of fulfillment.
Verse 5: "Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you." This is the theological center of the passage. Divine presence is the basis for human courage. The promise is unconditional: "I will not leave you or forsake you" — language that will echo through Hebrews 13:5.
Verses 6–9: The threefold repetition of "be strong and courageous" (chazaq ve'ematz) is not rhetorical padding — it is structural emphasis. Sandwiched in verse 8 is the command to meditate on Torah, suggesting that scriptural immersion is the mechanism by which courage is sustained. The sermon rightly identified this architecture.
3. Historical & Cultural Context
The Historical Moment
Joshua 1 is set approximately 1406 BCE (by the early date of the Exodus) or 1230 BCE (by the late date), depending on how one reads the archaeological and biblical evidence. The Israelites stand on the eastern bank of the Jordan River at the end of forty years of wilderness wandering — a full generation after the failure at Kadesh-Barnea described in Numbers 13–14.
Moses has died on Mount Nebo (Deuteronomy 34), within sight of the Promised Land. His death marks the end of the foundational era of Israel's existence as a covenant people. Everything that follows in Joshua is the outworking of promises made to Abraham (Genesis 12, 15), reaffirmed to Isaac and Jacob, and formally codified at Sinai.
The Jordan at Flood Stage
The Jordan River in flood stage (Joshua 3:15) was a genuinely formidable obstacle. The Jordan Valley sits at approximately 1,300 feet below sea level — the lowest point on earth — and the river runs through a narrow gorge. During the spring barley harvest (March–April), snowmelt from Mount Hermon and seasonal rains swell the river dramatically. Archaeological surveys and historical records confirm that the Jordan regularly overflowed its banks during this season, sometimes spreading across the Zor — the dense jungle-like thicket along the riverbanks — by hundreds of meters. For a nation of hundreds of thousands with livestock and belongings, this was not a minor inconvenience. It was a genuine crisis.
Canaanite Civilization
The land Joshua is entering was not empty. Late Bronze Age Canaan (1550–1200 BCE) was home to a network of city-states, many with sophisticated fortifications. Cities like Jericho, Hazor, and Megiddo were well-established urban centers. Egyptian records and the Amarna Letters (14th century BCE diplomatic correspondence) confirm the political complexity of Canaan during this period. The "Anakim" (giants) mentioned in Numbers 13 likely refer to a warrior class or clan of unusually large stature, known in other ancient Near Eastern texts as well.
Leadership Succession in the Ancient World
In the ancient Near East, the death of a great leader was a moment of profound vulnerability. Enemy nations watched for such transitions as opportunities to attack. God's immediate commissioning of Joshua — without a gap or period of institutional uncertainty — was itself a theological statement: the mission of YHWH does not depend on the survival of any human leader.
4. Word Studies
"Arise" (Hebrew, qum)
- Meaning: To rise, stand up, get up; often used as a call to decisive action
- Etymology: A common Semitic root appearing across cognate languages with the basic sense of rising from a prone or seated position
- Biblical Usage: Used at pivotal moments of divine commissioning — "Arise, go to Nineveh" (Jonah 1:2); "Arise, anoint him" (1 Samuel 16:12); "Arise, shine, for your light has come" (Isaiah 60:1)
- Theological Significance: Qum in divine speech is never merely physical. It signals the end of one season and the urgent beginning of another. God's "arise" to Joshua is a declaration that mourning has its season, but mission does not wait indefinitely.
- Translation Considerations: ESV and NASB render it "arise"; NIV uses "get ready." The more literal "arise" captures the urgency better.
"Strong and Courageous" (Hebrew, chazaq ve'ematz)
- Meaning: Chazaq means to be strong, firm, resolute — often used of physical strength but also of moral resolve. Ematz means to be bold, courageous, stouthearted.
- Etymology: Chazaq shares a root with words for "grip" and "hold fast." Ematz is related to concepts of inner fortitude and determination.
- Biblical Usage: This exact pairing (chazaq ve'ematz) appears in Deuteronomy 31:6, 7, 23; Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18; 10:25; and 1 Chronicles 22:13. It becomes a kind of covenantal formula for leadership under divine calling.
- Theological Significance: The repetition in Joshua 1 alone (four times in the chapter) signals that this is not casual encouragement. As the sermon noted, God does not command courage because there is nothing to fear — he commands it because there is. The command itself implies that the danger is real and that human strength alone is insufficient.
- Translation Considerations: Some translations render ematz as "brave" or "bold," but "courageous" (ESV, NIV) best captures the volitional quality — courage is something one chooses, not merely feels.
"Meditate" (Hebrew, hagah)
- Meaning: To murmur, mutter, utter, ponder; to speak quietly to oneself in a low, repetitive tone
- Etymology: The word is also used of the cooing of a dove (Isaiah 38:14) and the growling of a lion over its prey (Isaiah 31:4), suggesting sustained, low-voiced engagement with something
- Biblical Usage: Psalm 1:2 ("on his law he meditates day and night"); Psalm 63:6 ("I meditate on you in the watches of the night"); Psalm 77:12 ("I will meditate on all your work")
- Theological Significance: The sermon's insight here was exegetically precise. Hagah is not silent, abstract contemplation. It is oral, repetitive engagement — speaking the Word to oneself, turning it over, rehearsing it. This is the ancient practice behind what we now call lectio divina or Scripture memorization. The pastor's observation that "fear knows how to hagah" — that fear rehearses its own script — is a theologically rich application of this word.
- Translation Considerations: "Meditate" (ESV, NIV, NASB) is standard, though it can mislead modern readers into thinking of silent introspection. The physical, vocal dimension of hagah is important.
"Forsake" (Hebrew, azav)
- Meaning: To leave, abandon, desert, release
- Etymology: Used across the Old Testament for physical departure, abandonment of relationships, and theological apostasy
- Biblical Usage: "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Psalm 22:1); "Can a mother forget her nursing child... even these may forget, yet I will not forget you" (Isaiah 49:15); "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5, quoting Joshua 1:5)
- Theological Significance: The promise "I will not leave you or forsake you" (lo' arpeka ve'lo' e'ezeveka) is one of the most repeated divine promises in Scripture. Its appearance in Joshua 1 is a direct quotation of Deuteronomy 31:6. The writer of Hebrews applies it directly to New Testament believers (Hebrews 13:5), demonstrating the canonical permanence of this promise. The God who did not forsake Joshua does not forsake his people.
5. Cross-References & Biblical Theology
Parallel Passages
Deuteronomy 31:6–8 — Moses' commissioning of Joshua uses nearly identical language: "Be strong and courageous... the LORD your God goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Joshua 1 is a deliberate echo, reinforcing narrative continuity and theological consistency.
Numbers 13:30–33 — Caleb and Joshua's minority report against the ten spies. "We are well able to overcome it" (v. 30) versus "we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers" (v. 33). The sermon's contrast between measuring giants against God versus measuring giants against self is rooted directly in this text.
Thematic Connections
Psalm 1:1–3 — The blessed man meditates (hagah) on God's law day and night. This psalm may function as an introduction to the entire Psalter and echoes Joshua 1:8 almost verbatim, suggesting a canonical connection between Joshua's commissioning and Israel's ongoing life of worship and meditation.
Isaiah 41:10 — "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you." The language of divine accompaniment and the command not to fear echo Joshua 1:9 in a prophetic context, showing the promise is not time-bound.
Matthew 28:18–20 — The Great Commission shares the commissioning genre with Joshua 1: a new leader (the disciples), a vast mission, a divine command, and the promise of presence — "I am with you always, to the end of the age." Jesus' final words deliberately echo Joshua's commissioning.
Hebrews 13:5 — Directly quotes Joshua 1:5: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." The author applies this Old Testament promise without qualification to New Testament believers, affirming its covenantal permanence.
Philippians 4:13 — "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." The sermon cited this in the context of hitting fear with God's Word. Paul's confidence is not self-generated but Christ-sourced, directly paralleling Joshua's courage rooted in divine accompaniment.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 — "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness." The sermon used this to explain why God's Word is the only sufficient "hammer" against fear — it carries divine breath, not merely human wisdom.
1 John 4:4 — "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." A New Testament declaration of the same theological reality Joshua 1 establishes: the presence of God with his people is the decisive factor in any confrontation.
Luke 12:32 — "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Jesus addresses the smallness of his followers not by inflating their self-image but by directing their attention to the Father's power and generosity — the same move God makes with Joshua.
Psalm 119:11 — "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." The practice of hagah in Joshua 1:8 finds its fullest personal expression here — scriptural internalization as the foundation of faithful living.
6. Interpretive Considerations
The Land Promise: Literal or Typological?
One significant interpretive question in Joshua 1 concerns the nature of the land promise. Three broad positions exist:
Literal-historical: The land promise was given specifically to ethnic Israel and was fulfilled (at least partially) in the conquest and more fully in the Davidic-Solomonic era (1 Kings 4:21). This view, common in dispensational theology, maintains a future literal fulfillment for Israel.
Typological-christological: The land functions as a type pointing forward to the rest that Christ provides (Hebrews 3–4) and ultimately to the new creation (Romans 4:13, where Paul expands the promise to include "the world"). N.T. Wright and other biblical theologians argue that the land promise is not cancelled but escalated in Christ.
Ecclesiological: Some Reformed theologians see the church as the heir of the covenant promises, with the land spiritualized as the inheritance of the kingdom.
For the purposes of this sermon series, the pastor wisely focused on the theological and applicational dimensions — the principle that God's promises do not expire with changing leadership, and that obedience is required regardless of circumstances. This application is valid across all three interpretive positions.
"Be Strong and Courageous" — Command or Promise?
Some readers wonder whether the repeated command to be courageous is a demand that creates guilt when we fail to feel courageous. The sermon addressed this directly and helpfully: courage in this text is not the absence of fear but the decision to obey in spite of it. The command is embedded in promises (God's presence, God's Word, God's faithfulness), which means it is simultaneously a call and an enablement. As theologian Tremper Longman III observes in his work on the Old Testament, divine imperatives in the context of divine promises are not naked demands but grace-enabled callings.
Common Misapplication
Joshua 1:8's promise of "good success" (sakal) is sometimes misread as a prosperity formula — "meditate on Scripture and you will succeed financially or professionally." The Hebrew sakal (to act wisely, to have insight) and tsalach (to prosper, to advance) in context refer to covenant faithfulness and mission success, not material wealth. The success God promises Joshua is the completion of the land-taking mission, not personal comfort.
7. Theological Implications
The Theology of Divine Accompaniment
Joshua 1:5 and 9 articulate what theologians call the doctrine of divine omnipresence in covenantal form — not merely that God is everywhere, but that God is with his people in a redemptive, purposeful, mission-oriented sense. This is the Immanuel theme that runs from Genesis ("I will be with you," Genesis 26:3) through the Incarnation ("God with us," Matthew 1:23) to the new creation ("He will dwell with them," Revelation 21:3).
The Sufficiency and Authority of Scripture
God's instruction to meditate on Torah (v. 8) is a statement about the functional authority of Scripture in the life of faith. Long before the New Testament canon was assembled, God established the pattern: his written Word is the primary instrument by which his people are shaped for obedience. The sermon's application — that Scripture is the only sufficient weapon against fear — is not merely practical wisdom; it is rooted in a robust theology of revelation and inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16–17).
God's Faithfulness Across Generations
The death of Moses and the commissioning of Joshua teaches that God's covenant faithfulness is not contingent on any human leader. This has profound implications for how the church understands pastoral transitions, institutional change, and the fear of an uncertain future. The mission belongs to God; human leaders are stewards, not owners.
Fear as a Theological Problem
The sermon made a sophisticated theological point: fear itself is not sinful, but fear that overrules obedience to God becomes idolatrous — it places something (the giant, the risk, the unknown) in the position of authority that belongs to God alone. This connects to the First Commandment. When fear determines what we do rather than God's call, we have functionally given fear divine authority.
8. Practical Application
The scholarship of Joshua 1 does not merely inform the mind — it equips the will. Several concrete applications flow directly from the text:
Practice Hagah deliberately. The Hebrew word for meditation involves oral, repetitive engagement with Scripture. Choose 2–3 verses that speak directly to a fear you are currently facing and practice speaking them aloud — not just reading them silently. Write them on index cards. Rehearse them in the morning. Return to them when fear begins its own rehearsal.
Distinguish information from authority. The sermon's insight that "fear is often right" is exegetically grounded. The spies were not wrong about the giants — they were wrong about who was bigger. When fear presents you with accurate information ("you could fail," "this is risky"), practice the discipline of acknowledging the fact while refusing to grant it decision-making authority over your obedience.
Identify your Jordan River. Before Israel faced Jericho, they faced a flooded river. The sermon invited honest self-examination: What is the "river" in your life — the first obstacle that must be crossed before you can even get to the giants? Name it specifically. Bring it to God in prayer with the language of Joshua 1:9.
Pursue community as a spiritual discipline. The pastor's invitation to small groups was not a program pitch — it was grounded in Colossians 3:16's vision of mutual admonishment and the hagah of God's Word happening in community. The practice of "regrouping often" with fellow believers who will speak God's Word into your fear is a biblical discipline, not merely a social preference.
Participate in the church's mission. The pastor transparently shared his own fear about expanding the church's capacity to reach unchurched families. This is a direct application of Joshua 1: the mission is not about the leader's comfort or certainty — it is about the people God loves who need to hear the truth. Participating in that mission (through prayer, invitation, volunteering, and generosity) is a concrete act of courage that mirrors Israel's crossing of the Jordan.
9. Discussion Questions
Observational
Read Joshua 1:1–9 carefully and count every instance of the phrase "be strong and courageous" or its equivalent. What surrounds each occurrence? What does this structural pattern suggest about the relationship between courage and the other elements in the text?
What specific promises does God make to Joshua in verses 3–9? List them. Which of these promises are conditional (dependent on Joshua's actions) and which are unconditional?
Compare Joshua 1:5–9 with Deuteronomy 31:6–8 and 23. What exact phrases are repeated? What does this deliberate repetition tell us about how God communicates with his people?
Interpretive
The sermon argued that "faith is not pretending the giant is smaller than it is — faith is refusing to pretend that God is smaller than he is." How does the contrast between the ten spies and Joshua/Caleb in Numbers 13 illustrate this distinction? What made their responses different if they saw the same giants?
God commands Joshua to meditate on the Book of the Law "day and night" (v. 8) and promises that this will lead to "good success." How should we understand this promise? Is it a formula for prosperity, a description of covenant faithfulness, or something else? What is the Hebrew word sakal and how does its meaning shape your answer?
Why do you think God chose flood stage as the time to command Israel to cross the Jordan? What does the timing suggest about the relationship between divine calling and favorable circumstances?
Theological
The promise "I will not leave you or forsake you" (v. 5) is quoted directly in Hebrews 13:5 and applied to New Testament believers. What does this canonical connection tell us about the nature of God's covenantal promises? How does the Incarnation — "God with us" — represent the ultimate fulfillment of this promise?
The sermon made the claim that "fear becomes a giant the moment it starts overruling my obedience to God." How does this connect to the First Commandment? In what sense is fear-driven disobedience a theological problem, not merely a psychological one?
Applicational
The pastor described the practice of "whacking fear" with Scripture — hitting specific fears with specific biblical truths rather than generic positivity. What fear are you currently facing, and what specific passage of Scripture speaks most directly to that fear? How might you practice hagah with that passage this week?
The sermon noted that "an ignored problem doesn't disappear — it just gets louder." What "giant" have you been avoiding, hoping it would go away? What would it look like to take a first step of obedience toward it this week?
The pastor connected the church's mission to reach unchurched families with Joshua's calling to take the land. How does understanding the biblical narrative of God's pursuit of his people change how you think about personal evangelism or inviting someone to church?
Investigative
- Research the Deuteronomistic History (Joshua through 2 Kings) as a unified theological narrative. How does Joshua 1 function as the theological introduction to this entire section? What themes introduced in Joshua 1 are resolved, complicated, or developed by the end of 2 Kings? Consider consulting a commentary or Old Testament introduction for this question.
10. Recommended Resources
Commentaries on Joshua
Accessible
- Dale Ralph Davis, Joshua: No Falling Words (Christian Focus, 2000) — Exceptionally readable and theologically rich. Davis is a masterful expositor who combines scholarly rigor with pastoral warmth. Ideal for motivated lay readers.
- David Howard Jr., Joshua (New American Commentary, 1998) — Thorough, evangelical, and accessible. Excellent for verse-by-verse study without requiring knowledge of Hebrew.
Intermediate
- Richard Hess, Joshua (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, 1996) — Solid mid-level commentary with good attention to historical and archaeological context. Bridges lay and scholarly audiences well.
- Trent Butler, Joshua (Word Biblical Commentary, 2nd ed., 2014) — More technical, with attention to Hebrew text and critical issues. For readers comfortable with theological terminology.
Advanced
- K. Lawson Younger Jr., Ancient Conquest Accounts: A Study in Ancient Near Eastern and Biblical History Writing (JSOT Press, 1990) — Scholarly examination of Joshua's conquest narratives in their ancient Near Eastern context. For those wanting to engage critical scholarship seriously.
Biblical Theology and Background
Accessible
- Craig Keener and John Walton, eds., NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible (Zondervan, 2016) — Excellent notes on historical and cultural context throughout Joshua. Available digitally on YouVersion and Bible Gateway.
Intermediate
- Tremper Longman III and Raymond Dillard, An Introduction to the Old Testament (2nd ed., Zondervan, 2006) — Chapter on Joshua provides excellent orientation to the book's theology, structure, and interpretive issues.
Word Study Resources
Accessible
- Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek Lexicons — Available free at BlueLetterBible.org. Search any word in Joshua 1 to access Hebrew definitions, usage, and cross-references. An excellent starting point for word study.
Intermediate to Advanced
- Francis Brown, S.R. Driver, and Charles Briggs, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (BDB) — The standard scholarly Hebrew lexicon. Available on BibleHub.com for free. Technical but invaluable for serious word study.
Theological Reflection
Intermediate
- Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction (IVP, 1980) — While focused on the Psalms of Ascent, Peterson's exploration of disciplined, sustained faithfulness directly complements the themes of hagah and courageous obedience in Joshua 1.
This guide was prepared to deepen engagement with Joshua 1:1–9 as preached. The goal throughout has been to let scholarship serve discipleship — to help serious students of Scripture not merely know more about the text, but know more fully the God the text reveals, and to walk more courageously in obedience to his call.
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