At the opening of the book, Moses has just died and Joshua is transitioning into the leadership of Israel. The nation is leaving their desert wanderings and on the verge of entering the promised land. They were at a crossroads of sorts and the status quo was about to change.

As I find myself near the end of my senior year at college, I can imagine all the feelings the people must have been experiencing. Joshua must have been a little anxious, perhaps nervous about filling the shoes of the beloved Moses. The people must have been holding their breath to see what happened next. I'm sure they were excited to enter the promised land, but nervous because of the obstacles that lay ahead and the complete lifestyle transition that lay before them.