Lessons of the Period. Among many lessons suggested by this book the
following should be considered and the student asked to suggest
others. (1) God is at war with sin: (a) He thrusts out the Canaanites
because of their sins; (b) He allows the defeat of Israel at Ai
because sin was among them; (c) He allows Achan put to death because
of it. He is, therefore, against all sin, personal, social and civic
or national. (2) Religious victory and entrance upon spiritual rest is
accomplished through a leader or commander and through a divine power,
not through a law giver and by the works of the law. It was not Moses,
the lawgiver, through whom they entered and not by their own strength.
(3) God keeps his covenants in spite of all the weakness of man. (4)
God decides the issues of battles and of wars with a view to the final
on-going of his kingdom. Only God and not the relative strength or
preparedness of the contending armies can forecast the final issues of
war. (5) The fact that God is for one does not preclude the use of
strategy and discretionary methods. (6) The failure or sin of one man
may defeat a whole cause and that in spite of the faithful efforts of
many others. (7) What is a just severity to some is often a great
mercy to others. The destruction of the Canaanites was a severe
penalty for their sins, but it was an unspeakable blessing to all the
future ages because by it a true faith and a pure worship was
preserved.

For Study and Discussion. (1) Each of the lessons suggested above.
Find a basis either in incident or teaching for each. (2) The
geography of the country with the principal cities mentioned. (3) The
several tribes of people mentioned in the narrative. (4) The
providential conditions favorable to the conquest just at that time.
(5) The cruelties of the Israelites to their enemies. Select examples
and discuss each. (6) The significance of the war. (7) The character