JOSHUA AND DEBORAH AS LEADERS IN ISRAEL

WEEK 5

SUBJECT:    CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS STUDIES CLASS:    SS2

DATE:    ………………………………

TOPIC:    JOSHUA AS LEADER

CONTENT: 1.

Joshua is chosen and equipped to lead Israel.

(b) Deborah leads the people to victory.

 

Sub-Topic: 1.

JOSHUA IS CHOSEN AND EQUIPPED TO LEAD ISRAEL. Num. 13:16 – 14:10; Num. 27:15-23; Josh. 1:1-9

Joshua the son of Nun and representative of the tribe of Ephraim distinguished himself as a faithful leader as a member of the twelve-man spy team appointed by Moses as emissaries to Canaan. Ten of them gave a negative report of inability to possess the land (they even planned to elect a leader to make a return journey to Egypt) but Joshua and Caleb tried to exhort the people to victory.

 

Moses presented Joshua to be his successor, elected by God and to be commissioned by Eleazar – the Priest who will inquire for him by the judgment of Urim before the Lord in the presence of the entire congregation as Moses too lays his hands on him, investing all his authorities on him. Moses did as the Lord commanded him and Joshua was commissioned accordingly.

 

There were some previous associations of Moses and Joshua. These are:

1. Joshua was with Moses when Moses met the Lord on Mount Sinai.
2. He was one of the twelve spies Moses sent to Canaan.
3. He and Caleb submitted minority reports to Moses.

 

Moses died at the age of one hundred and twenty years, his eyes did not become dim nor did his strength decrease.

 

Joshua led the Israelites as they conquered lands before Jordan (occupied by Reubenites, Gadites and half tribe of Manasseh) and beyond to Canaan (for the remaining tribes). The Israelites conquered Canaan as instructed by God to match round the city once a day for six days and seven times on the seventh day. Seven Priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns should go before the ark. On the seventh day, after the seventh march, the trumpets should be blown and the people should shout with a great shout as the wall would fall.

They did all according to God’s directive and the walls of Jericho fell. They killed and burnt all living and non-living on the land except for Rahab, her family and the vessels of bronze and iron they put in the treasury of the house of the Lord. Joshua died at the age of one hundred and ten years.

 

EVALUATION

• Caleb exhorted the Israelites to victory alongside whom?

• Moses died at the age of  ?

• Joshua died at the age of  ?

• Mention the tribes that pitched their inheritance before Jordan.

• State the account of Israel conquering Canaan.

 

GENERAL EVALUATION

Objective Test:

1. The purpose of Joshua’s address at Shechem was to   a. Show his love for God b. Establish a new covenant with God c. Remind Israel of their unfaithfulness d. Make Israel trust God (JUNE 2013 SSCE. Q7)
2. How old was Joshua before he died? a. 95years b. 98 years c. 110 years d. 111years (JUNE 2010 SSCE. Q5)
3. Joshua was a successful leader of his people because he    a. was chosen by Moses b. Trusted in God c. was a good spy d. was a brilliant soldier (JUNE 2007 SSCE. Q4)
4. Joshua’s farewell address to the elders of Israel took place at     a. Dan b. Bethel c. Shiloh d. Shechem (JUNE 2004 SSCE. Q5)
5. The Israelites conquered Canaan as instructed by God to match round the city     a day for six days. a. Twice b. Thrice seven times c. Once d. four times

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Give an account of Joshua’s farewell address. (JUNE 2013 SSCE. Q1a)
2. Outline two leadership qualities which he manifested during this occasion. (JUNE 2013 SSCE. Q1b)

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT:

 

1. Give an account of the report of the spies Moses sent to the land of Canaan. (JUNE 2011 SSCE. Q3a)

(b) Identify two lessons that can be drawn from this incident. (JUNE 2011 SSCE. Q3b) PRE-READING ASSIGNMENT:

Study Deborah as a leader.

 

WEEKEND ACTIVITY:

 

Study Deborah as a leader paying attention to the leadership qualities that made her a unique woman in Israel.

REFERENCE TEXTS:

 

• CRS for SS2 by L.O Udokporo et al; by Melrose Publishers.

• Fundamentals of CRK for SSS Book One/SSCE Section A by A.E. Osubele; Doves Publishers.

• Essential CRK for SSS by Edmond Okoli; Tonad Publishers Limited.

• Revised Standard Version Holy Bible (RSV); Bible Society.

 

SUB TOPIC: 2.

DEBORAH LEADS THE PEOPLE TO VICTORY: JUDGES 4: 1- 12

Ehud was a judge in Israel but after his death the people rebelled against the Lord and so God allowed the Canaanite King Jabin of Hazor to conquer and rule them cruelly for twenty years. The commander of Jabin’s army was Sisera who lived in Harosheth-hagoiim – who had nine hundred chariots of iron.

During this time, Deborah – the wife of Lapidoth, a prophetess was a judge who sits under the Palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in Ephraim, where the people come for judgment.

She summoned Barak the son of Abinoam, from Kadesh in Naptali to take ten thousand soldiers from Naphtali and Zebulun and go to Mount Tabor near River kishon where God will conquer Sisera.

Barak agreed to raise army and to fight if only Deborah, the prophetess would accompany him to battle. Deborah made him realize that the glory of the war would go to a woman if she was to accompany him.

 

Both Deborah and Barak led the army of Israel against the Canaanites. Sisera, the commander of Canaanites army fled on foot when God sent confusion into their midst. He then hid himself in the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber, the Kenite.

He requested for water but Jael gave him milk but while Sisera slept, Jael killed him by driving a tent peg into his temple and she later showed his corpse to Barak.

The army of children of Israel defeated the Canaanites but the glory of the war went to a woman – Jael as prophesied by Deborah.

Deborah possessed some leadership traits which are as follows:

1. She was courageous and had great confidence in God.
2. For Deborah to be judge in Israel and her judgment respected where there was no regard for women, she was a woman of rare gem, quality, high level of honesty and integrity.
3. Deborah was a successful leader because through her, the problem of oppression by King Jabin over Israel was solved.

EVALUATION

• Who was the judge that died before Israel went under Jabin’s cruel rule?

• How many years were they in bondage?

• Deborah judged the people under a tree. Mention the name of the tree and where?

• Jabin had how many chariots of irons?

• Barak was asked to raise how many soldiers?

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GENERAL EVALUATION

1. Deborah, a prophetess who was a judge in Israel was the wife of     . a. Joshua b. Abijah c. Lapidoth d. Sisera (JUNE 2011 SSCE. Q7)
2. The first woman to be a prophetess and judge in Israel was     a. Jael b. Deborah c. Rebecca d. Mary
3. The captain of the host of Israel against Sisera’s army was     a. Balaam b. Barak c. Obama d. Saul
4. Jabin had     chariots of iron. a. 700 b. 800 c. 800 d. 900
5.         was the wife of     who killed Sisera. a. Heber; Joel b. Jael; Jabin c. Jael; Heber d. Jaol; Hebrew.

ESSAY QUESTIONS:

 

1. State Deborah’s duty in Israel before the battle against King Jabin and what led to it.
2. Mention three leadership qualities found in Deborah that made her outstanding.

 

WEEKEND ASSIGNMENT:

1. Give an account of the war between the Israelites and the Canaanites during the time of Deborah. (JUNE 2005 SSCE. Q1a)

(b) In what three ways can Christians benefit from the leadership qualities displayed by Deborah? (JUNE 2005 SSCE. Q1b)

PRE-READING ASSIGNMENT:

 

Read intensively about how God guided the Israelites in the Bible.

WEEKEND ACTIVITY:

 

Study about ways by which Christians are guided and led.

 

REFERENCE TEXTS:

 

• CRS for SS2 by L.O Udokporo et al; by Melrose Publishers.

• Fundamentals of CRK for SSS Book One/SSCE Section A by A.E. Osubele; Doves Publishers.

• Essential CRK for SSS by Edmond Okoli; Tonad Publishers Limited.

• Revised Standard Version Holy Bible (RSV); Bible Society.

QUIZ QUESTIONS:

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