In Pursuit: God's Wrath on Jericho

In Pursuit:  God's Wrath on Jericho
Small Group Discussion Guide

Sermon Recap: This week we explored a difficult but necessary topic: the wrath of God as seen in the destruction of Jericho in Joshua 6. Far from being a story of arbitrary violence or divine overreaction, this is a story of a holy God responding in love and justice to entrenched evil. Understanding divine judgment helps us better grasp what Jesus bore for us on the cross and how much He desires fellowship with us.

Small Group Study Guide
Icebreaker: What were your earliest thoughts about the story of Jericho? How has your view of it changed over time?

Read Aloud: Joshua 6:16–21

Discussion Questions:

1. What aspects of this story make people uncomfortable, and why?
2. How do the four attributes of God—Perfection, Love, Holiness, and Justice—shape your understanding of this event?
3. How do we reconcile a loving God with a story involving the destruction of every living thing in Jericho?
4. What’s the difference between divine judgment and human genocide?
5. What would happen if God did not respond to sin and evil?

Reflection:

• How does understanding God’s justice deepen your appreciation for what Jesus did on the cross?
• Is there a sin or injustice in the world that you’ve grown indifferent to? What might God be inviting you to do about it?
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Prayer Time:

• Pray for hearts open to both God’s love and His justice.
• Pray for wisdom in sharing this difficult truth with others.
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Action Step: Choose one person this week to talk to about how God’s justice and love intersect in the gospel. Share your personal understanding of how Jesus bore God’s wrath so we don’t have to.