Father Mike Schmitz hosts this Bible in a Year podcast episode featuring Jeff Cavins, creator of The Great Adventure Bible Timeline, as they transition into the Conquest and Judges period. This green-coded time period covers the books of Joshua and Judges, representing Israel's movement from the desert wanderings into the promised land of Canaan.

The discussion explores how Israel crosses the Jordan River under Joshua's leadership after Moses' death, beginning their conquest of the promised land. However, this period is marked not by easy victory but by cycles of faithfulness and rebellion, culminating in the chaotic era of the Judges where 'every man did what was right in their own eyes.'

Cavins emphasizes approaching these challenging biblical narratives with trust rather than skepticism, viewing them as mirrors for our own spiritual journey rather than putting God on trial for difficult passages about conquest and judgment.

Joshua's Leadership and the Conquest of Canaan

After Moses dies on Mount Nebo, Joshua leads Israel across the Jordan River where God rolls back the waters eight miles upstream to the city of Adam, demonstrating divine power over the Canaanite god Baal who supposedly controlled waters and fertility.

The conquest follows a 'divide and conquer' strategy with southern and northern campaigns, but Israel only takes the hill countries while Canaanites retain the strategic lowlands with their chariots.

The land gets divided among twelve tribes, with Joseph receiving two half-tribes (Ephraim and Manasseh) and the Levites receiving 48 cities throughout the land instead of tribal territory because 'the Lord himself is your inheritance.'

This represents 'showtime' after their 'boot camp' training at Mount Sinai - the moment to put faith into practice in a land where they must remain distinct from surrounding nations.

The Deadly Cycle of the Judges Period

After Joshua's death, Israel enters a period with no central leadership, falling into a seven-fold cycle that repeats throughout Judges: sin leads to servitude, servitude to supplication, supplication to salvation, then back to sin.

God raises up twelve judges - warrior-kings rather than courtroom judges - including one woman named Deborah (meaning 'buzzing bee' in Hebrew) and the famous Samson.

The period demonstrates how 'sin leads to servitude' - a universal truth that 'we become slaves' when we turn away from God's covenant faithfulness.

The recurring phrase 'every man did what was right in their own eyes' bookends the period, showing the danger of rejecting divine leadership for personal autonomy.

Samson as Microcosm of Israel's Covenant Struggle

Samson takes a Nazarite vow of holiness but regularly breaks it, representing how Israel was 'supposed to be separate, holy unto the Lord' but kept getting 'entangled with the Philistines.'

His strength came not from his hair but from what it represented - covenant faithfulness with God. 'When you lose covenant faithfulness, you become weak, you become blind, and you become like all the other nations' - Jeff.

The haunting line 'Samson did not realize the spirit of God had left him' serves as a warning against presumption - assuming God's presence while living in persistent sin.

Even after his fall, 'Samson's hair began to grow' and God answered his final prayer, demonstrating that 'God is a God of second chances' unlike our world where 'everything is permissible and nothing is forgivable.'

Approaching Difficult Biblical Passages with Faith

Readers must choose between two attitudes: putting 'God on trial' when encountering difficult texts, or approaching with trust knowing 'God is not arbitrary' and has 'covenant faithfulness.'

As Saint Augustine taught, 'if I can't understand it, I have to dwell here a little longer until I can see what I need to see' rather than rushing to judgment.

These stories were 'written for you' and 'written to encourage you' - they reveal both God's character and our own spiritual condition as mirrors for self-examination.

Jeff Cavins addresses difficult questions about 'Harem Warfare' and complete destruction of cities every Thursday at 2 PM Eastern on the Ascension Catholic Bible Study Facebook page.