Joshua: People of God's Purpose

by David Jackman

Following closely on the heels of the Exodus story, the book of Joshua recounts the mighty acts of God as he fulfills his promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is, quite profoundly, a testimony to God’s faithfulness. Written by a pastor to aid pastors in their preaching, and for their churches in their reading, this accessible commentary guides readers through the history of Joshua’s rise to power in Israel and God’s leading of his people into their promised “rest” in the land of Canaan. With warmth and wisdom, David Jackman ultimately points readers to the true hero of Israel’s God himself.

Part of the Preaching the Word series.

Genres: Reference, Theology

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2014

Reviews

[Erin Seeders]

One of the best Bible book commentaries I have read by far! I appreciate the author’s expository teaching on a book of the Bible that we typically read as only a historical narrative with nothing that applies to us- or vice versa we try to read ourselves into the historical narrative that only pertains to the Israelites during this time in history. The things that most stuck out to me were as follows:

To quote loosely, the author points out that Joshua, in a sense, is the first Israelite leader, though directly commissioned by God, to be wholly dependent on the Word of God already spoken and written, along with the prayerful supplications of the priest to provide the wisdom he needed to make God-honoring decisions for the people.

And to quote the author, “The question we should be asking first and foremost in an Old Testament narrative like this is, what is God teaching us about God here? That is the string and direct line from the Biblical text to our own lives, because whatever God reveals of Himself in the narrative remains true for us today. His character is eternal and unchanging…The Bible is God’s book about God before it is God’s book about us.”

At the end of it all, we who are in Christ serve this same great God of Moses and Joshua. And the call then is the same call today- we are to a people of His, set apart from the world, holy as He is holy, living daily by the sustenance and direction of His Word, and an obedient people who love Him with our whole heart.

[Rick]

Through a very difficult season in my life, I found this book encouraging convicting, and enlightening as I studied the book of Joshua. Its admonitions to courage and emphasis on obedience in faith as a response to consistent providential grace were so timely for my life! Its excellent top-level survey combined with its principle applications are not only useful to an expository pastor but also beneficial to a reading layman. I highly recommend this book to anyone studying the book of Joshua and this book has made me look forward to other books in this series, as well as looking for other writings by David Jackman.

[Noah Hooper]

Thoroughly enjoyed this commentary on Joshua!

Jackman does a great job in dealing with difficult interpretations connecting Joshua to the overall Biblical narrative while drawing out practical implications for believers today.

The key thread he pulls on throughout the book is the union of God’s promises and His people’s responsibility. God has promised to work, therefore, His people walk in obedience to His commands knowing that He will be faithful.

[Nathan Battey]

As the series title indicates, Jackman's commentary is a homiletical/preaching commentary; it is not a technical commentary by any means. Having said that, Jackman's style is enjoyable and he had numerous insightful points. This commentary serves as a good introduction to the book and peaks interest in a somewhat neglected book of the Bible.

[Suzi]

I really enjoyed this commentary - it helped me understand the big themes and messages in the Book of Joshua while simultaneously linking them to other parts of the Bible. The context is also really helpful, I’m glad I found it and I’ll be using the series to help unpick more Old Testaments Bible books.

[Jonathan Roberts]

Great collection of sermons that helped me teach this book of the Bible. Recommended

[Wassenario]

Really enjoyed studying this book