The Study of Joshua and Judges

This course provides a comprehensive theological and literary exploration of the biblical books of Joshua and Judges, focusing on their united message within the narrative of Israel's entry, settlement, and early failures in the Promised Land. Together, these books trace the transition from covenant conquest to covenant compromise, revealing the faithfulness of God and the repeated spiritual decline of His people.

The Book of Joshua emphasizes God's covenant fulfillment, leadership transition from Moses to Joshua, the conquest and distribution of the land, and the call to covenant faithfulness. Students will see how Joshua points forward to Jesus as the greater Joshua, who leads God's people into eternal rest—not a geographical territory, but the fullness of life in Him. The Book of Judges follows with a sobering depiction of Israel's moral and spiritual decay as they fail to complete the conquest and fall into cycles of idolatry, oppression, and partial repentance. The refrain "everyone did what was right in his own eyes" underscores the need for a righteous king—and ultimately, the Messiah.

From a Reformed theological perspective, this course emphasizes God's sovereign grace, human depravity, redemptive typology, covenant responsibility, and the centrality of Christ in Old Testament history. Practical applications will be made for spiritual leadership, national identity, moral decline, and ministry in African contexts where similar cycles of political instability, religious syncretism, and leadership failure are evident.