SS25-Q4 - Lessons of FAITH from JOSHUA

Introduction to the Quarterly Sabbath School

Lessons of FAITH from JOSHUA – Meat in Due Season Advanced Commentary

The book of Joshua is more than a record of Israel’s conquest of Canaan; it is a living prophecy for God’s people at the end of time. As ancient Israel stood on the borders of the Promised Land, so spiritual Israel today stands on the verge of the eternal inheritance. The experiences of Joshua and the Israelites are “written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Cor. 10:11).

Ellen G. White reminds us that the history of Israel is a mirror of the church today:
The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position and experience of the people of God in their journey to the heavenly Canaan.
"We want to understand the time in which we live. We do not half understand it. We do not half take it in. My heart trembles in me when I think of what a foe we have to meet, and how poorly we are prepared to meet him. The trials of the children of Israel, and their attitude just before the first coming of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to illustrate the position of the people of God in their experience before the second coming of Christ--how the enemy sought every occasion to take control of the minds of the Jews, and today he is seeking to blind the minds of God's servants, that they may not be able to discern the precious truth."  {1SM 406.1}  

"When Christ came to our world, Satan was on the ground, and disputed every inch of advance in His path from the manger to Calvary. Satan had accused God of requiring self-denial of the angels, when He knew nothing of what it meant Himself, and when He would not Himself make any self-sacrifice for others. This was the accusation that Satan made against God in heaven; and after the evil one was expelled from heaven, he continually charged the Lord with exacting service which He would not render Himself. Christ came to the world to meet these false accusations, and to reveal the Father. We cannot conceive of the humiliation He endured in taking our nature upon Himself. Not that in itself it was a disgrace to belong to the human race, but He was the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory, and He humbled Himself to become a babe and suffer the wants and woes of mortals. He humbled Himself not to the highest position, to be a man of riches and power, but though He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich. He took step after step in humiliation. He was driven from city to city; for men would not receive the Light of the world. They were perfectly satisfied with their position."  {1SM 406.2}  

Thus, the victories, failures, conflicts, and faith of Joshua’s generation reveal prophetic insights into the final conflict between truth and error.

The Shepherd’s Rod writings further unfold that Joshua is a type of Christ in His leadership of the purified church, guiding the 144,000 and the great multitude into the kingdom (SRod, Vol. 1, pp. 37–38; 3TG, Vol. 1, No. 10). The Jordan crossing, Jericho’s fall, the division of the land, and the covenant renewal all symbolize the steps of God’s end-time people as they prepare to inherit the Promised Land of God’s everlasting kingdom.

This quarter’s lessons will explore key themes from Joshua under the banner of faith—faith that overcomes enemies, faith that claims promises, faith that withstands trials, and faith that leads to ultimate loyalty to God. Each topic carries both a historical application and a prophetic end-time lesson, revealing how the Lord is preparing His people to stand firm in “the war zone” of the great controversy and to inherit His promises.

• Recipe for Success reminds us that true victory comes only through obedience to God’s Word and dependence on His presence.

• Surprised by Grace shows God’s mercy in saving Rahab and her household—a foretaste of the gospel reaching the nations.

• The Conflict Behind All Conflicts reveals the unseen war that determines earthly battles.

• Ultimate Loyalty and Choose This Day confront us with the final choice of worship and allegiance in the great controversy.

• The True Joshua points us to Christ, the Captain of our salvation, who alone leads us into the heavenly Canaan.

As we journey through these lessons, we are called to see Joshua not only as a leader of Israel, but as a prophetic figure pointing to the work of Christ and the mission of His last-day church. Just as Israel could not move forward without the Ark of the Covenant and the visible presence of God, so today the church must not advance without the cloud of divine guidance. The battles are fierce, the enemies within and without are real, but the message of Joshua assures us that “God is faithful” and that victory belongs to those who wholly follow the Lord.

This quarter’s study is therefore not only a retelling of history, but a prophetic preparation for the final inheritance. The lessons of faith from Joshua are the “meat in due season” for a people about to cross Jordan and enter into the land of promise.

Table of Contents

1. Recipe for Success—September 27–October 3  

2. Surprised by Grace—October 4–10  

3. Memorials of Grace—October 11–17  

4. The Conflict Behind All Conflicts—October 18–24  

5. God Fights for You—October 25–31  

6. The Enemy Within—November 1–7  

7. Ultimate Loyalty: Worship in a War Zone—November 8–14  

8. Giants of Faith: Joshua and Caleb—November 15–21  

9. Heirs of Promises, Prisoners of Hope—November 22–28  

10. The True Joshua—November 29–December 5  

11. Living in the Land—December 6–12  

12. God Is Faithful!—December 13–19  

13. Choose This Day!—December 20–26