Congregation Bible Study – October 19–25, 2026

Joshua showed courage by accepting a difficult assignment and obeying instructions that seemed unusual from a military standpoint. He did not replace Jehovah’s plan with one that looked more logical to him. He led the people around Jericho for the appointed days and waited for the specified moment to act. I learn that spiritual courage is not the absence of questions; it is obeying because I trust Jehovah even before I can see how the result will come.

Joshua already had reasons for confidence. The spies had seen the fear of Jericho’s inhabitants, and Jehovah had stopped the Jordan River. Remembering recent acts of God could give him courage to face a new instruction.

Courage was also needed to lead others. Joshua was not obeying privately; he had to convey the plan and lead an army. When a right decision affects others, my calm confidence can make obedience easier for them too.

Joshua was courageous because he obeyed Jehovah even when the plan made little military sense.

Joshua evidently had access to the inspired writings connected with the Law Jehovah had given through Moses. Joshua 1:8 refers to “this book of the Law” and directs him to read and meditate on it. Deuteronomy was also part of that written heritage. I learn that Joshua did not build courage on personal enthusiasm. He had Jehovah’s words to review, and those words could nourish informed confidence before difficult decisions.

The nighttime setting and scroll in the picture help us imagine that meditation required intentional time. Joshua had enormous responsibilities, but activity could not replace reading. Direction for action came from first listening to Jehovah.

Today we have access to far more Bible material. That is both an opportunity and a responsibility. Before an important decision, I can calmly consult Scripture instead of depending only on memory, opinions, or whatever appears first in a search.

Joshua had the written Law and meditated on it; his courage was fed by Jehovah’s own words.

Before the march, Jehovah directed Joshua to circumcise the Israelite males who needed that sign of the covenant. That could appear strategically unwise when they were close to an enemy city, since the men would be physically weakened while recovering. Yet Joshua obeyed. I learn that Jehovah may ask us to put a spiritual obligation first at a time when human thinking would prefer to secure comfort or a sense of control.

The event forces a distinction between recklessness and obedience. Joshua was not taking a risk out of pride or a desire for excitement. He acted because he had clear direction from Jehovah, who understood Jericho’s situation far better than he did.

When a Bible standard costs me financially or seems to complicate an opportunity, I can remember this account. Not every wise decision looks advantageous immediately. The main question is whether I am obeying a clear principle from Jehovah.

Jehovah required obedience that seemed to leave the army vulnerable, and Joshua trusted his direction.

The Bible account itself describes a very brief campaign: Israel marched around Jericho once for six days and seven times on the seventh day before the walls fell. The material’s picture shows jars of burned grain found at the site of the ancient city. That detail is consistent with a quick conquest because stored food remained. Such evidence makes the account more tangible without replacing the Bible as the main basis for faith.

A prolonged siege would normally consume much of a city’s stored food. The jars of grain are notable because they fit the short duration described in Joshua 6. Archaeology can illustrate a detail without becoming the foundation of our faith.

I also appreciate that the account gives a concrete sequence of days and actions. The Bible does not present Jericho’s fall as a shapeless legend. It includes details that allow readers to follow the events and compare its claims with historical evidence.

The Bible describes only seven days, and the stored grain fits a siege that did not last long.

Joshua 6:26 warned that whoever rebuilt Jericho would pay a terrible price: he would lay its foundation at the cost of his firstborn and set up its doors at the cost of his youngest son. Much later, 1 Kings 16:34 reports that Hiel rebuilt the city and lost Abiram and Segub at those stages. I am impressed by the time between prophecy and fulfillment. The passing of years does not make Jehovah’s word less certain.

Hiel may have known the warning and still moved ahead with the project. Ignoring Jehovah’s word does not remove its consequences. A Bible warning remains valid even when the surrounding culture treats it as old or exaggerated.

The account also strengthens my trust in promises I am still waiting to see. Jehovah did not forget a declaration made centuries earlier. If a future promise seems delayed from my viewpoint, its fulfillment does not depend on my clock.

Hiel rebuilt Jericho and Joshua’s warning came true; time does not weaken Jehovah’s word.

Joshua trusted Jehovah because over many years he had seen that not one good promise failed. He witnessed deliverance from Egypt, care in the wilderness, the crossing of the Jordan, and victories in Canaan. His confidence rested on a record. I can do something similar by remembering fulfilled Bible promises, noting answers to prayer, and reflecting on times when applying a principle protected me. Trust grows when present tests do not erase accumulated evidence.

Joshua 23:14 shows that near the end of his life he could look back and evaluate the results. That reflection was not mere nostalgia; it was evidence. Reviewing Jehovah’s past actions can turn spiritual memories into fuel for a future decision.

We can also strengthen confidence through the experiences of others. Hearing older believers explain how a Bible-based choice protected them expands our own record of evidence. We do not have to experience every test personally to learn about Jehovah’s faithfulness.

Joshua trusted because he had seen promises fulfilled; remembering Jehovah’s faithfulness strengthens us today.

Joshua obeyed instructions that could initially seem unusual because he knew who stood behind them. His example helps me avoid judging direction only by whether it matches my habits or preferences. When we receive guidance based on Bible principles, I can listen, understand the purpose, and act willingly. That is especially useful in emergency preparation: following direction before a crisis can protect a family when there is no time left to improvise.

Joshua’s obedience was not passive. He had to organize the people, communicate instructions, and repeat the march for several days. Following direction may require steady preparation, not merely saying that we agree with it.

If I do not understand something, I can seek clarification without becoming critical. Asking in order to understand is different from demanding that everything convince me before I obey. Joshua shows that trust and responsible thinking can work together.

Joshua obeyed because he trusted Jehovah; we too can willingly follow the guidance we receive.

I can imitate Joshua by doing what is right when a Bible-based choice places me outside what others consider normal. I may need to refuse dishonest conduct, maintain neutrality, speak about my faith, or accept an assignment that intimidates me. Courage does not require feeling confident before I begin. I can prepare, pray, remember Jehovah’s past help, and take the next right step. Confidence often grows after obedience, not always before it.

Joshua did not act alone; he walked with a people following the same direction. The company of courageous believers can help us too. A good ministry partner or mature Christian may make a frightening next step much easier.

Another way to imitate him is to remember earlier experiences. Before Jericho, Joshua had seen the Jordan open. When I face something new, I can recall a previous occasion when Jehovah gave me strength and use that memory as evidence.

I imitate Joshua when I pray, remember Jehovah’s help, and take the right step even while afraid.

The account teaches me that Jehovah is powerful, just, and trustworthy. He waited for centuries until Canaanite wickedness reached its full measure, so Jericho’s destruction was not an impulsive reaction. At the same time, he protected and directed his people in a way that made clear who gave the victory. I see two balanced truths: Jehovah takes persistent wickedness seriously, and he cares for those who trust his direction.

Genesis 15:16 shows Jehovah’s patience long before the conquest. He did not execute judgment at the first wrongdoing. He allowed time, confirming that his justice is not hasty. He gave people time to change, showing restraint before judgment.

I also learn that Jehovah can use methods that leave little room for boasting in human ability. When the walls fell after Israel followed his plan, the nation had reason to credit the victory to him. alone.

Jehovah was patient and just toward Canaan and powerful and trustworthy in leading his people.

Jericho’s fall moved forward Jehovah’s promise to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. The account shows that no wall could prevent God from fulfilling what he had promised. That line of promises was part of the unfolding purpose to bless humankind. To me, Jericho is one scene in a much larger picture: Jehovah keeps his purpose moving forward even when the obstacles appear enormous for a time.

The conquest also secured a land where Jehovah’s people could settle and where later parts of the divine purpose would unfold. The account is not isolated; it connects earlier promises with later events.

Thinking about the bigger picture keeps me from reducing the Bible to disconnected stories. Each account can teach me something about how Jehovah protects his purpose, fulfills his word, and prepares the way for future blessings.

Jericho shows that no obstacle can stop the steady fulfillment of Jehovah’s promises.

I would like to ask Joshua what went through his mind when Jehovah first explained the plan for Jericho. I would also like to know whether he felt tension during the first six days while the walls still looked exactly the same. His answer could teach us much about what faith feels like before the result is visible. Imagining that future conversation makes Joshua more than an ancient character; he becomes a real person we may one day meet.

I would also like to ask which memory of Moses helped him most when he took the lead. Joshua spent many years observing an experienced servant. Learning which lessons stayed with him could teach us how to benefit more fully from older believers.

Another question would be how he remembers the sound and the people’s reaction when the wall fell. Hearing the account from an eyewitness would make the excitement of seeing Jehovah’s promise become reality even more vivid.

I would ask what he felt while obeying for days before finally seeing Jericho’s walls fall.