Waiting for the Promise, by Elspeth Young
Joshua 1–8; 23–24
Joshua succeeded Moses as the next prophet and leader of the Israelite nation. The Lord directed Joshua to lead the children of Israel into the promised land. Joshua sent two spies to Jericho. There, Rahab saved the spies from capture, and in exchange they promised to preserve her and her family from the forthcoming destruction. The Lord stopped the waters of the Jordan River so that the Israelites could cross on dry ground and enter the promised land. When the armies of Israel obeyed the Lord, He blessed them to win in battle. Before his death, Joshua reminded the Israelites of all the Lord had done for them. He urged the people to choose to serve the Lord.
Additional Resources
Scripture Helps: Old Testament, “Joshua 1–8; 23–24”
Note: The “Introduction to the Course” provides guidance on how to use the standard lesson elements that follow.
Encouraging Personal Study
Before class, consider sending students one or more of the following messages or some of your own:
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The Lord commanded Joshua to “be strong and of a good courage” (Joshua 1:9). As you study Joshua 1, consider how the Lord can help you have courage in your own circumstances.
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What circumstances do you face that require you to exercise faith in Jesus Christ? Think about how you can strengthen your faith as you study Joshua 2–3 and 6.
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Do you ever feel pressured to follow unrighteous influences over the Lord? Consider what you can learn from Joshua 24 that can help you or others in these situations.
Questions and Sharing
Provide time for students to ask questions and share insights and truths they discovered in their personal study of Joshua 1–8; 23–24.
Skill Training
The learning activity for Joshua 2–3; 6 might be a helpful place to use the skill “Visualizing the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills.
Learning Activity Options
Multiple learning options are provided for you and your students. Prayerfully choose which option or options will be most meaningful for your class. You could also seek input from your students.
Improving Our Teaching and Learning
Encourage learners to come to know the Savior by studying the gospel daily. Scripture study gives us a chance to hear the Savior’s voice. The invitation to read the scriptures is an invitation to come to know Jesus Christ. As you teach your students about scripture study, encourage them not only to find what the scriptures teach about the Savior but to find Him. To learn more, see “The Savior Encouraged Others to Come to Know Him by Studying His Word” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 25).
How can the Lord help me have courage?
You might display the following phrases and invite students to write down how they would complete one or more of the sentences.
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I feel overwhelmed with …
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I feel inadequate when …
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I feel anxious or fearful about …
Encourage students to keep their responses in mind as they study counsel the Lord gave to Joshua. Invite them to look for truths that can help them when they feel this way.
Explain that Joshua had reasons to feel overwhelmed, inadequate, and anxious. The children of Israel had wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Moses, the great lawgiver and prophet, was gone. It was Joshua’s responsibility and opportunity to lead the children of Israel into the promised land and into battle against people who were seemingly mightier than they were.
Invite students to study Joshua 1:1–9 and find words or phrases that may have comforted Joshua. You may want to point out that the Book of Mormon clarifies that Moses did not die but was translated (see Guide to the Scriptures, “Translated Beings,” Gospel Library; see also Alma 45:19). Students could share with a partner or the class what stood out to them from the verses they studied and why. You could also consider asking:
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What do you think Joshua learned from the Lord’s counsel? (Students may identify a variety of truths, including something like the following: When we know the Lord is with us, we can be strong and courageous.)
Consider displaying the following instructions and giving students time to complete them individually.
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Write down one or more situations you face that require you to be strong and courageous.
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Find scriptures or statements from Church leaders that can help you receive strength and courage from the Lord in these situations. Examples of scriptures you could study include Joshua 1:9; Psalm 27:1; Isaiah 41:10; 2 Timothy 1:7; and Doctrine and Covenants 6:36.
When students have finished, invite them to share some of the scriptures or statements they found with a partner or small group. Then consider asking the following questions:
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When has the Lord given you strength or courage? What did this experience teach you about Him?
To conclude, invite students to think about how they could apply what they have learned to their lives. Invite them to record their thoughts or spiritual impressions.
What difference can acting with faith in Jesus Christ make in my life?
Consider writing the following question on the board:
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What are situations in life that require us to act with faith in Jesus Christ?
Consider writing students’ answers to this question on the board. You could also invite them to discuss how we can benefit from these kinds of situations.
Explain that in the book of Joshua we learn about the Israelites’ entrance into the promised land after 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. This book describes numerous situations that required individuals to exercise faith in the Lord. Encourage students to consider how the examples they study today can help them exercise more faith in Jesus Christ in their lives.
Invite students to create a chart like the following:
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Faithful actions |
Results of acting in faith |
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Give students time to study one or more of the following accounts and to complete both columns in the chart based on what they find. This could also be an opportunity to introduce the skill “Visualizing the Scriptures” in Scripture Study Skills. Students could picture themselves in the account and consider what thoughts or feelings they might have had.
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Rahab and the spies (Joshua 2:1–21; 6:22–25)
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Israelites’ entrance into promised land (Joshua 3:1–17)
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The battle of Jericho (Joshua 6:1–20)
When students have finished studying, invite them to share with a partner or small group what they wrote in their chart. You could also have them discuss the following questions together:
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What did you learn about the Lord from the account you studied?
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How could this account help with situations that require you to exercise faith in Jesus Christ?
If students have questions about the Lord’s commandment to destroy the people of Jericho, you could point them to “Deuteronomy 7:1–6, 16–24. Why did the Lord command Israel to destroy the Canaanites?” in Scripture Helps: Old Testament.
Consider sharing the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund:
Most blessings that God desires to give us require action on our part—action based on our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith in the Savior is a principle of action and of power. First we act in faith; then the power comes—according to God’s will and timing. The sequence is crucial. The required action, though, is always tiny when compared to the blessings we ultimately receive. (“Abound with Blessings,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 70)
Consider writing the following truth on the board: As we act with faith in Jesus Christ, we can receive God’s power and blessings. You could then ask questions like the following:
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Why do you think the sequence of acting in faith and then receiving God’s power is crucial?
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What are examples from your life when you have received God’s power or blessings because you acted with faith in Jesus Christ?
You might share the following statement by President Russell M. Nelson:
What would you do if you had more faith? Think about it. Write about it. Then receive more faith by doing something that requires more faith. …
Faith in Jesus Christ is the greatest power available to us in this life. All things are possible to them that believe.
Your growing faith in Him will move mountains—not the mountains of rock that beautify the earth but the mountains of misery in your lives. Your flourishing faith will help you turn challenges into unparalleled growth and opportunity. (“Christ Is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains,” Liahona, May 2021, 103, 104)
Give students time to create a plan to increase and exercise their faith. If it is not too personal, invite students to share aspects of their plan with a partner or with the class.
What can help me choose to serve the Lord?
The following scenario can help students recognize the importance of using their agency to do good. Consider sharing it or creating a different one that better meets the needs of your students:
Walter recently moved away from his parents’ home. Now that he’s on his own, he’s finding it difficult to do things his parents encouraged him to do, such as attend church, study the scriptures, and follow the Savior’s teachings and standards. Walter’s new roommates are nice people and fun to be around, but he has noticed that following Jesus Christ does not seem to be a high priority for them.
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What are some questions you could ask Walter that might be important for him to consider?
Explain that toward the end of his life, Joshua shared a final sermon with the Israelites. Despite the Israelites’ efforts to remove evil influences around them after entering the promised land, Joshua was still concerned about the temptations that his people faced.
Invite students to study Joshua 24:1–18, looking for truths from Joshua’s counsel that could help with the scenario about Walter and with situations they face in their own lives.
After students have studied, consider inviting them to share with a partner words or phrases from these verses that could help Walter in his situation. You could then ask questions like the following:
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How would you summarize Joshua’s message as a statement of truth? (Students could identify a truth like this: We can choose to serve the Lord regardless of what others choose.)
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What are some examples of situations young adults face in which it would be helpful to follow this principle?
Consider sharing the following statement by Elder Dale G. Renlund, and then discuss the questions below:
Our Heavenly Father’s goal in parenting is not to have His children do what is right; it is to have His children choose to do what is right and ultimately become like Him. …
Indeed, God desires, expects, and directs that each of His children choose for himself or herself. He will not force us. Through the gift of agency, God permits His children “to act for themselves and not to be acted upon” [2 Nephi 2:27]. Agency allows us to choose to get on the path, or not. It allows us to get off, or not. Just as we cannot be forced to obey, we cannot be forced to disobey. No one can, without our cooperation, take us off the path. …
We need to choose whom we will serve. The magnitude of our eternal happiness depends on choosing the living God and joining Him in His work. (“Choose You This Day,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2018, 104–6)
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What stood out to you from this statement?
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What do you know about Jesus Christ that can help you choose Him over other influences?
To conclude, invite students to think about pressures they may be currently facing to follow unrighteous influences instead of the Lord. Invite them to consider what adjustments they could make in their lives to more fully demonstrate that they choose to serve the Lord. Encourage them to record their plan and any impressions they received from the Holy Ghost.