The Book of Joshua presents a couple of difficulties, especially as we try to tell these stories to our children. The stories contained in the book describe the great power of God and show what should have happened when Israel arrived in the Promised Land, and not necesarily what actually happened. If you compare the Book of Joshua to the Book of Judges, in fact, you will see two very different pictures of the conquest. In the former, the Israelites conquer the entire land from north to south with little difficulty. In the latter the Israelites are barely able to hold to the barren hilltops of Palestine and struggle to survive for some 150 years.

In terms of the violence, how can we reconcile the God of peace in the New Testament with a God who would tell the people to wipe out their enemies in the Old Testament. First of all, we must remember that these events are exaggerated. The author, writing centuries after the events had ocurred, is reflecting a view held in his days: wouldn't it have been easier if all the pagans would have been wiped out so that Israel would not have been tempted all those years with their pagen gods! One must remember that this is the author's view, and not necessarily the fullness of what God wanted. We came to know what God wanted and what He was like only when Jesus was born and He revealed that truth to us. The violence and the God of war presented in this book might atually be a distorted image of God - but the best that these people could have done.

What is important to see in this book is the tremendous faith of this people who trusted in God against all odds. There is also a call to fidelity - to live up to one's commitment to God (one's own covenant with the Lord).
Shalom
Fr. Jude Winkler, OFM Conv.