In a world full of tension, it can be difficult to hold onto God's promises of the promise land. For those of us in the Christian faith, we daily struggle to believe in God's redemptive powers as darkness, sin, and struggle aims to grip at us daily.

If you are struggling in any way, I encourage you to go see Joshua: Live in the movie theater. This is Sight & Sound's latest theaterical production taken from the big stage to the big screen! It's filmed in front of a live audience then converted to digital format for movie screens through Roadside Attraction films. 

The show begins with the Israelite clan following Moses to find the promised land. If you remember your bible stories, this was not a quick jaunt to the park. It took 40 years for them to make their way through the wilderness. They encounter struggles, dust storms, lack of food & water, and pure tiredness. At their wits in, they question Mose's leadership. 

During all the chaos and complaints, one of the followers, Joshua encourages the people and his family to trust in God and give thanks. He ends up being a leader helping others to trust and believe. 

"Everything in me wants to believe we will be eating meat for dinner, but for all these people, I don't see how it can possible happen."

All the sudden, quail (a bird) shows up! In the show, they use live animals, which is an extra special factor. You can even hear the wings on the big screen too!

Of course, living into God's promises is short lived. God tells the Israelites (and us) he will provide, we receive, then we quickly forget.

When the Amalekite army came, Moses asked Joshua to lead an army because Moses believes that Joshua has been the most faithful of the group so far. 

When the army comes, I love the special effects, music, and sounds. Backdrops, fog, lights, and music are all used to highlight God's faithfulness and presence with the Israelites as they fight. 

In a theater, often you struggle to see the stage due to seating & height issues. I love seeing this on a big screen because the effects are even better and larger!

The Israelites win the battle, Joshua thanks God for saving them, and is thankful for what the Lord has provided.  Joshua continues to struggle as he begins to understand what it really means to trust in God; which sometimes means giving up what is easy. 

This hits home with every member of the audience, as we can relate to Joshua on a daily basis. How long o Lord, can we fully trust you, O Lord? Just like with Joshua's inner monologue song, we too find difficulty trusting God will have our backs. 

One of my favorite scenes was when Joshua and Moses went to the top of a mountain. We felt like we were up there with the two of them! The camera angles, music, fire specks, and lights were perfect!

Of course, while they were gone, people doubt, question, and fight with each other. 

Ending with the Ten Commandments scene, the music and voices of the actors shines through strong and clear. 

Finally, the Israelites reach Caanan.You think they would have it figured out by then, but alas, they don't. Still encountering trouble, fearful of the "giants", letting things become distractions, they still fail to trust.  Thus, they are condemn to 40 years in the desert. For their lack of faithfulness, only Joshua and Caleb would be allowed into the promised land.

"You can't lead people to the promised land, if they want to remain in Egypt." 

I don't know about you, but this hit home with me. I see that God provides, gets me through a trial, and at the next one, I doubt again. 

Or, I focus too much on the promise land (the things that are to come, the things that are deemed important) and I fail to see what God is doing within the moment. 

One of the poignant moments is when even Moses struggles because he struggles continuing to lead a people that fail to understand and listen. He hands the reigns over to Joshua to lead the next generation. Moses walking off the stage sets the rest of the story.

It's finally time for them to enter into the promised land, with Joshua as their leader. I think they "finally" get it-. but the story isn't over! 

The story scenes flip and showcase a city of darkness. The music sets the scene and so do the characters. They are theifs, vengeful, and selfish. The words "throw away" are used several times in reference to food and people; showing the sinful nature of the city. The people get into a dizzy as rumors of the Israelite army are coming to knock them down. It's funny- the Israelites didn't see what exactly God had given them but sure earned a reputation with other people! 

Another of the things that I also love about Sight & Sound is that they just don't use the stage. They use stage exits and the audience to bring the story into life. Whether it's actors in the center aisle, animals (horses) walking out, or surround sound music & effects, you feel like you are a part of the story. That is one thing I do miss watching the shows on a screen. The cameras do a great job at grabbing contrasting angles and the editors are fantastic, but there is something about being there, in the audience, versus in front of a screen!

The story of Rahab is very important in the bible is very important in this show too. She ends up helping the Israelite, playing a key part in helping them suceed, but actually starts to understand their God. Portrayed as one of the key redemption stories before Christ, Rahab looks at people for who they are and not their social status. She ends up helping the Israelites, even knowing her own life could be in danger. 

Finally, the promised land is found. Joshua continues to trust and lead his people, marching around Jericho. Our Sunday school classroom version in our heads has nothing on Sight & Sound's production. Secrecy movements in the middle of the night, silence, and then 6 days of walking the walls of the town; totally unsettling the people inside Jericho.

Watching the fall of Jericho is magificient. They really captured the feelings and chaos of the town "crumbling down". They captured how Rahab's family was spared in the midst of destruction too. 

"My daughter, your faith has made your righteous. You are pure in God's eyes." 

God is ever faithful, God's promises are real, and the story of Joshua is a powerful one that you shouldn't miss. 

It's hard to condense 24 chapters of the Book of Genesis into a 2 hour show, but I feel like Sight & Sound Theatre as done as amazing job at highlighting the important parts of the story, while showcasing how the people failed to fully trust in God until the end. Most of the parts of Joshua's story you will know just from worship & Sunday school, but you might want to brush up if you have time before or after the show!

Trust in the Lord and join Joshua, Moses, and the people of Israel as they journey from the Red Sea to the walls of Jericho in order to find the Promised Land. Perhaps you will find God's promises for you too. 

Go see Joshua Live in a theater near you! 

Learn More & Find Tickets to see Joshua Live. 

Sight & Sound is a storytelling company passionate about bringing true stories of redemption to life on stage and on screen that reveal the power of the Gospel. Since its beginning as a traveling multi-media show in 1976, Sight & Sound has inspired over 30 million people with stories from the pages of scripture and history. Today, Sight & Sound operates two live-theater venues, immersing over a million people each year in state-of-the-art original productions. In 2020, Sight & Sound launched an online streaming platform, welcoming a new global audience from over 200 countries and territories around the world. Most recently, Sight & Sound expanded into feature films, debuting at #2 in movie theaters across the nation. Sight & Sound is headquartered in Lancaster, PA with over 900 employees companywide. 

Roadside Attractions founded in 2003, has built its reputation on championing distinctive, filmmaker-driven movies and creating innovative theatrical campaigns that connect them with audiences nationwide. Roadside’s films have grossed more than $500 million at the box office and received 23 Academy Award® nominations. 

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