Despite
so much talk about ‘leadership’ today, there is a curious absence of the most
important character quality: courage. Without courage, you cannot go
forward, overcome obstacles, suppress fear, and make it safely to your
destination. In short, without courage, you cannot lead. Remember that courage
is not bravado, bullying, biceps, or bluster. Courage is the mastery of fear, a
steeling determination to go forward, to take one’s focus off the obstacles and
aim it clearly at the prize. No turning back.
To
live as a Bible-believing Christian in an increasingly hostile world takes
courage, conviction, and consecration, while willing to turn one’s back on
comfort, convenience, and cowardice. In order to become ‘strong and courageous,’
one needs to learn the Bible, God’s Holy Word.
A
great inspiration for this is the Book of Joshua. It is the first of a series
of historical books in the Bible. The Book of Joshua has a victorious theme:
After centuries of exile in Egypt, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
finally inherit the land promised to their fathers. The exodus is finished, the
land is possessed, and the covenant with God renewed in the land.
Here
are some points to get you started in your study of Joshua.
Hebrew Name
He
came from the tribe of Ephraim and his original name was Hoshea, the son
of Nun. Hoshea means ‘salvation.’ In Numbers 13:16, Moses changes his
name to Yehoshua or Joshua, which means ‘Yahweh is salvation.’ The diminutive
form of Yehoshua is Yeshua, the Hebrew name for Jesus.
Author
While
so many Bible books have anonymous authors, this one does not. It says in that
Joshua wrote these words in the Book of the Law (Joshua 24:26). So he is the
author of the book that bears his name.
Theme
Possess your
possession.
Portrait of
Christ in Joshua
1.
Scarlet cord: Rahab the harlot and
her city of Jericho were scheduled for invasion and destruction. The only thing that would
save her and her family was hanging a scarlet coloured cord on the window of
their home. Whoever dwelt in the house where the scarlet cord hung when the
invasion occurred would be spared (2:18-19). This is similar to an event which
happened 40 years earlier in Egypt: The Passoer. The death angel passed over
any (Israelite) house in the land of Egypt that had the shed blood of the
passover lamb on the window or door. What a powerful metaphor of the blood of
Christ cleansing us from all sin (I John 1:7) and delivering us from death.
2.
Commander of the LORD’s Army (5:14): On
the eve of the invasion of Jericho, the Commander stood before Joshua, who
asked him if he was on Israel’s side or their enemies. He answered ‘Neither: I
am Commander of the Lord’s army.’ This Commander had to be the Lord Himself
because a) Joshua fell on his face and worshipped him and b) He said that the
ground was holy.
Jesus Christ
is coming back again, not to take sides, but to take over.
Key Verses
Joshua 1:8-9
(NKJV):
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall
meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that
is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will
have good success. 9Have I not
commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be
dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 11:23
(KJV):
So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto
Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their
divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.
Distinctives
•
Fulfilled
covenant: The Book of Joshua shows the proof that God fulfilled His
covenant to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give their descendants the land of
Canaan. God is faithful to His word (21:43, 45).
•
Joshua:
A forerunner of Jesus, Who leads His people out of sin and into their
promised inheritance;
•
Jordan
River: Boundary to the promised land. It represents a line of consecration which
needs to be crossed.
•
Canaan:
Represents our inheritance before God.
•
Gilgal:
Israel’s first camp in Canaan. It represents a place of covenant, where the
‘reproach of Egypt’ was rolled away.
•
Conquest
of Canaan: We have a glorious inheritance in Christ but we must ‘fight the
good fight of faith’ (I Timothy 6:12) in order to receive it;
•
Holy
and Herem: The land was the holy inheritance of God but there were parts
that were ‘herem,’ the accursed thing assigned for destruction. Jericho was one
of those places. Failure to completely destroy the accursed brought judgment on
Israel (Joshua 7:10-13).
•
Supernatural
intervention: In the battle of the south and the 5 kings, Joshua prayed
that the sun would stand still in Gibeon and the moon over the Valley of
Aijalon (10:12). The Scripture goes on to say that there was not a day before
or sine, when the Lord obeyed a man, for He fought for Israel. God will move
heaven and earth to intervene on behalf of His servants who are doing His will.
•
Rest:
After the battle, and fighting the good fight of faith, there is rest
(Joshua 11:23; 14:15; 21:44; 22:4; 23:1).
Outline of
Joshua
Crossing
Jordan and Preparation to Invade Jericho 1-5
Conquest of
Jericho 6
Sin of Achan 7
Conquest of
Ai 8
Treaty with
the Gibeonites 9
Conquest of
the South 10
Conquest of
the North, Kings slain 11-12
Land divided
among the tribes; city of refuge 13-21
Reuben, Gad,
Manasseh go to Transjordan; Altar of Witness at Jordan 22
Farewell
speech, Covenant at Shechem, Death of Joshua 23-24
Joshua is a
courageous, overcoming, victorious book. May it help you to become ‘strong and
courageous’ in the coming days.
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