God had promised Abraham a great nation would develop from his many descendants. They would need a great land for a home, and God told Abraham there would be land for the nation:  the land of Canaan.

     After Moses’ death, God appointed Joshua to lead the Israelites. Before the huge throng of people entered Canaan, Joshua sent two spies into the land, especially the city of Jericho. Rahab, a woman whose apartment was on the city wall, hid the spies while they were in Jericho. In return for the favor, she asked the two men to promise the safety of herself and her family when the Israelites took her city. They told her to gather her family into her home and bind a scarlet cord in the window so the Israelite army could identify her place and give protection to her and her family.

     God sent word for the men of war to march around Jericho once each day for six days. God commanded them to march around seven times on the seventh day, and the priests were told to blow their trumpets. Then at the sound of a long blast from the ram’s horn, the people were commanded to shout a great shout. With that, Jericho’s walls fell down flat.

     Rahab had bound the scarlet cord in her window. The army spared her and her family. God wanted the remainder of Jericho utterly destroyed, and He instructed the Israelites against taking the silver and gold, which were in the city, for themselves.

     After Jericho was conquered, the Israelites went up against the city of Ai, but Israel was defeated. What happened? Why didn’t God help them win the battle?

     Joshua called on the Lord pleading with Him. Why had the Israelites lost the battle?

     God told Joshua there was sin among the Israelites. Someone had taken the forbidden treasures from Jericho. Until that problem was resolved, God would not be with them.

     An Israelite named Achan had stolen a beautiful Babylonian garment, silver and gold from among the spoils of Jericho. He took them and hid them in the earth in the center of his tent.

     Achan’s sin caused Israel a lot of trouble. Once Israel addressed the situation as God instructed, the army was able to conquer the city of Ai.

     After the cities in Canaan were conquered, Joshua began assigning them as the homeland for the nation of Israel.