Reading Joshua 1–5 Episode Summary Joshua Steps Into Leadership After Moses’ death, Joshua steps into leadership—a daunting role filled with both loss and promise. God’s words to him are clear: “Be strong and courageous.” That command becomes a rallying cry for every believer who faces change and uncertainty. With renewed faith, the Israelites prepare to cross the Jordan River and finally enter the land God promised generations earlier. Rahab’s Risk and Redemption Meanwhile, in Jericho, an unlikely hero appears. Rahab, a woman with a checkered past, chooses faith over fear. When two Israelite spies arrive at her home, she hides them beneath stalks of flax on her roof. Although her actions are risky, she trusts that the God of Israel is mighty to save. Because of her courage, Rahab and her family are spared, and her name becomes part of the lineage that leads to Jesus Himself. Crossing the Jordan When Israel reaches the flooded Jordan, the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant into the water. Instantly, the river stops flowing. The people cross on dry ground—just as their parents crossed the Red Sea years earlier. To remember this miracle, Joshua commands twelve men to take stones from the riverbed. These stones serve as a lasting reminder that God’s power makes the impossible possible. Renewal at Gilgal Soon after, the people camp at Gilgal. There, they renew their covenant with the Lord and celebrate Passover for the first time in the Promised Land. The next day, the manna that had fed them for forty years ceases, because God’s promise has finally been fulfilled. Their time of wandering is over, and a new chapter of faith begins. On This Date in Church History In 1555, Queen Mary I of England intensified the Marian Persecutions following the martyrdom of Bishops Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer. Over two hundred believers died for refusing to deny Christ. A century later, in 1663 Virginia, colonial laws fined people for skipping church. Both stories show a simple truth: faith can’t be forced. Laws may fill pews, but only love fills hearts. True worship is never about obligation; it’s about devotion. Connect Questions or feedback? Visit comment.lifespringmedia.com to send a note. The post S3E003-Joshua 1-5: From Rahab’s Roof to the River’s Edge first appeared on Lifespring! Media.