1. The book of Joshua is history from a prophetic point of view. What would you expect to find in such a book?
I expect to follow (in some chronological fashion) Joshua's period of leadership of the Israelites, but that to be intermixed with prophesy and allusion to future events.
2. How does the Lord encourage Joshua in the difficult task of replacing a legend like Moses?
Even just reading through Moses' lifetime and then beginning with Joshua's leadership is kind of epic . . . I'm sure that achieving legitimacy at that level with a large group of people was difficult, but God didn't leave Joshua to figure things out for himself. He spoke to Joshua and told him what he needed to do and what was to come. There was no guess-work.
3. Why would the Lord instruct Joshua to circumcise the Israelites at this point?
The circumcision would set the men of Israel apart from those in Jericho, but this would also have been a requirement for taking new territory in the Lord's name and for the observation of Passover. There is a reference in my Bible to Exodus 4:24-26 regarding consecration prior to war, and then Exodus 12:48 discusses preparations for the Passover feast.
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