JOSHUA CHAPTER 1, “Intro. To
The Book Of Joshua : Preparing To Enter
The Promised Land”
By
Jim Bomkamp
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. Who was Joshua?
1.1.1.
In the
scriptures we see that there is a “first
mention” principle, wherein the first time a person or place is
mentioned the context tells you what is most significant about that person or
place. The first time that Joshua is
mentioned is in Exod. 17:8-11,13, and there we find that Joshua
is a “victorious warrior” under Moses’ leadership, “8 Then Amalek
came and fought against Israel at Rephidim.9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose
men for us, and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on
the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.”10 And Joshua did as
Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to
the top of the hill.11 So it came about when Moses held his hand up, that
Israel prevailed, and when he let his hand down, Amalek prevailed. 13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his
people with the edge of the sword.”
1.1.2.
In Num. 13:16, we read that Joshua’s original name was Hoshea,
which means “salvation” and that Moses changed his name to Joshua,
“16 These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land;
but Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua.”
1.1.2.1.
Joshua means
“Jehovah saves,” which is identical to the name of “Jesus.”
1.1.2.2.
Joshua is a
type of Christ in the Old Testament!
1.1.2.3.
As Joshua led
the Israelites in all of their battles to conquer and gain control of the
1.1.3.
In Exod. 33:11, we read that Joshua was “a
servant to Moses” and that he would not depart from the tent where the Lord
would talk with Moses, “11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to
face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his
servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.”
1.1.3.1.
Joshua teaches
us that those who would be good leaders in God’s kingdom must first learn to:
1.1.3.1.1.
Be a good
follower.
1.1.3.1.2.
Remain in the
presence of the Lord.
1.1.4.
Joshua was one
of the twelve spies whom Moses sent
from the wilderness into the land of Canaan to spy out the land, and from Num.
13:30-33;14:6-10, we read that he was only “one of the two who returned
with a positive report about going in to take possession of the land,” “30
Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “We should by all
means go up and take possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it.”31 But
the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the
people, for they are too strong for us.”32 So they gave out to the sons of
Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land
through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its
inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size.33
“There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim);
and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.…6
And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had
spied out the land, tore their clothes;7 and they spoke to all the congregation
of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an
exceedingly good land.8 “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us
into this land, and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey.9
“Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land,
for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and
the Lord is with us; do not fear them.”10 But all the congregation said to
stone them with stones. Then the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of
meeting to all the sons of Israel.”
1.1.4.1.
In Num.
14:28-30, we read that as a result of the rebellion of the children of
Israel in the wilderness and their refusal to follow the advice of Joshua and
Caleb to go in and take possession of the land of Canaan, the Lord
determined that all of the adults 20 years and older when they left the land of
Egypt would die in the wilderness except for Joshua and Caleb, “28
“Say to them, ‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘just as you have spoken in My
hearing, so I will surely do to you;29 your corpses shall fall in this
wilderness, even all your numbered men, according to your complete number from
twenty years old and upward, who have grumbled against Me.30 ‘Surely you shall
not come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb the son of
Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.”
1.1.4.1.1.
Note that even
Moses was excepted from going into the land of Canaan because he had sinned against the Lord when instead
of speaking to the rock in order for the Lord to make water come out of it that
he instead in anger at the stubbornness of the people hit the rock.
1.1.5.
We read in Deut.
31:23 that the Lord commissioned Joshua to take the people into the land
of promise, “23 Then He commissioned Joshua the son of Nun, and said, “Be
strong and courageous, for you shall bring the sons of Israel into the land
which I swore to them, and I will be with you.””
1.1.6.
We read in Deut.
34:9 that Joshua was “filled with the spirit of wisdom” and
that the Lord was with him and the people followed him after the death of
Moses, just as they had followed Moses, “9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was
filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the
sons of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.”
1.1.7.
It is believed
that Joshua wrote the last chapter of the book of Deuteronomy and then
wrote also the book of Joshua.
1.1.7.1.
The book of
Joshua is like many of the books of the Old Testament in that it begins with
the conjunction “and” which indicates
that in the mind of God and His inspiration that it is a continuation of the
revelation to God’s people from the Lord of His purposes.
1.2. What does the book of Joshua
symbolize in God’s plan?
1.2.1.
Summary of the
message to us from the first six books of the Bible:
1.2.1.1.
Genesis is the book of “beginnings.”
1.2.1.2.
Exodus which describes deliverance from
1.2.1.3.
Leviticus which teaches us all about the ceremonial laws is the
book that symbolizes “the believer’s sanctification.”
1.2.1.4.
Numbers is the book of the wanderings of God’s people and
symbolizes “the testings and trials for God’s people” in this
world.
1.2.1.5.
Deuteronomy which is a second iteration of the law of Moses
symbolizes “obedience to God”.
1.2.1.6.
Joshua symbolizes “the walk in the blessing and victory
in Christ that the believer can have.”
1.2.2.
Erroneously,
many have thought that the book of Joshua symbolized heaven for the believer, and there are some hymns that reflect this, however
the book of Joshua is not a book about rest in the Lord, such as will be ours
(the true believer in Christ) in heaven, rather it is a book that is full of
battles wherein the people of God have been told to go out and to conquer a
land that has been given to them.
1.3. What does the
1.3.1.1.
From the
Pentateuch (first five books of the
Bible) and especially the book of Genesis we see that in God’s call of the
children of
1.3.1.1.1.
Alan Redpath has written the following about how the calling of the
children of
1.3.1.2.
The
1.3.1.2.1.
We are seated
in the heavenly places IN CHRIST JESUS.
1.3.1.2.1.1.
Eph. 2:5-6:
“5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive
together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),6 and raised us up with
Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.”
1.3.1.2.2.
We have been
buried and raised up with Christ.
1.3.1.2.2.1.
Col. 2:12-13,
“12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up
with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.13
And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your
flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our
transgressions.”
1.3.1.2.3.
We have died
and raised up with Christ and our life is hidden with Christ.
1.3.1.2.3.1.
Col. 3:1-3, “1
If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.2 Set your mind on the things
above, not on the things that are on earth.3 For you have died and your life is
hidden with Christ in God.”
1.3.1.2.4.
Having died
and been raised up with Christ we must reckon these truths to be true in our
life in order to realize them.
1.3.1.2.4.1.
Rom. 6:7-11, “7
for he who has died is freed from sin.8 Now if we have died with Christ, we
believe that we shall also live with Him,9 knowing that Christ, having been
raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over
Him.10 For the death that He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life that
He lives, He lives to God.11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but
alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
1.3.1.2.5.
We are blessed
with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places IN CHRIST.
1.3.1.2.5.1.
Eph. 1:3, “3 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.”
1.3.1.2.6.
We have
boldness and confident access to God guaranteed to us IN HIM.
1.3.1.2.6.1.
Eph. 3:12, “12
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.”
1.3.1.2.7.
We are promised
that the Lord will always lead us in His triumph IN CHRIST.
1.3.1.2.7.1.
2 Cor. 2:14,
“14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and
manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.”
1.3.1.2.8.
We are
complete IN HIM, and yet are to be rooted and built up IN HIM and established
in our faith.
1.3.1.2.8.1.
Col. 2:6-10,
“6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,7
having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your
faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive
through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men,
according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to
Christ.9 For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form,10 and in
Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority.”
1.3.1.2.9.
Having
received the Holy Spirit at conversion, we are exhorted that we ourselves are
responsible to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
1.3.1.2.9.1.
Eph. 5:18-19,
“18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled
with the Spirit,19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.”
1.3.1.3.
So then, we
Christians have been given many promises however, in order for us to in truth
receive the blessing of them in our lives, we must in faith claim and
appropriate them, just as the
Israelites were given the promised land of Canaan as their possession and yet
they had to go in and conquer the inhabitants of the land in order to take
possession of that land.
1.3.1.3.1.
Just as the
Israelites under Joshua’s leadership did not conquer all of the land of Canaan as they were told to do, so too most Christians do
not claim, appropriate, and walk in all of the blessings which have been given
to them in Christ. For instance,
some Bible commentators have even said that perhaps less than 10% of all
Christians are even walking in the filling of the Holy Spirit in their life.
2. VS 1:1-2 - “1 Now it came about after the
death of Moses the servant of the Lord that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of
Nun, Moses’ servant, saying,2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise,
cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to
them, to the sons of Israel.” – Joshua is commissioned by the Lord to go into the
2.1.
Moses, whom Joshua faithfully served, symbolized the law
and thus he could not qualify to lead the people into the
2.1.1.
The law is the
standard of right and wrong, however it is flawed for it does not impart the
desire to do what is right nor the power to do so.
2.1.2.
Moses, as the
symbol of the law, failed to be obedient to the Lord when he in anger struck
the rock for the water to come out
for the people to drink, instead of speaking to it as he had been told by the
Lord to do.
2.1.3.
Thus, Moses
had to die before Joshua could be called to lead the people into the
promised land.
2.2.
We see here
that the children of
2.3.
Just as the
Red Sea had to be crossed for the Israelites to escape the
3. VS 1:3-4 - “3 “Every place on which the sole of your
foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.4 “From the
wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river
Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the
setting of the sun, will be your territory.” – The Lord tells Joshua that when they cross
over the river that every place that the sole of their foot touches belongs to
them
3.1.
The Israelites
never claimed nearly all of the land that was given to them. The borders
of the land given to them by the Lord went as far north as above modern day
3.1.1.
Again, as was
mentioned earlier, we Christians have already been assured victory whenever
we yield our lives in surrender to the Lord and walk by faith in the
promises of God’s word. We are
assured of victory in every area where we may be tempted because of
Christ’s prior victory upon the cross of
3.1.2.
We Christians
do not have to battle up until we reach the place of victory, we stand in it
through the cross and blood of Christ of Calvary, and thus we can only battle
down from that place of victory that is ours as part of our birthright as
Christians!
3.1.2.1.
After all,
upon the cross of
3.1.3.
This also
symbolized the fact that the vast majority of Christians also do not claim
all of their birthright as children of God, nor walk in all of the
blessing that the Lord has for them.
3.2.
We Christians
have victory assured to us through promises that we possess in Christ, however
we must step out in faith and claim and appropriate those promises that we have
been given in order to receive their full blessing.
3.2.1.
Alan Redpath has written about how God only blesses the believer
who presses in to claim and appropriate what is his, “Full blessing in
the Christian life is not bestowed except to eager, hungry people who press in
to receive it. True, God has blessed us
with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, but the blessing is
in heavenly places, and these are places to which Satan has access, and where
he can still cast all his fiery darts.
God does not bless His child unless He sees him eager for the
blessing…He desires every one of His children to press in against all the
assaults of the enemy, that we may lay hold of that which is our inheritance in
the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that every foe we shall ever meet in that battle
already has been met and conquered by our Joshua.”
4. VS 1:5 - “5 “No man will be able to stand
before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be
with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” - The Lord promises Joshua that there is not a
single inhabitant currently living in the land of Canaan that will be able to
stand against the Israelites when they go into the land under the Lord’s
leading and in His strength
4.1.
Just as Joshua
and the children of Israel were guaranteed victory over their enemies when they began to take possession of the promised
land, so we Christians are likewise guaranteed that we will have victory in
all of our spiritual battles if we rely upon Christ’s strength in our life.
4.2.
The author of the
book of Hebrews tells us in Heb. 13:5 that it was Jesus who has
made this promise to us as Christians, “I will never fail you or
forsake you!”
4.2.1.
This is
further assurance from the Lord that indeed this book of Joshua was meant to
apply directly to our lives as Christians and that it was meant to give us assurance of the promises of God on
our behalf.
5. VS 1:6 - “6 “Be strong and courageous, for
you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers
to give them.”
- The Lord tells Joshua to be strong and
courageous for the Lord will give the people of
5.1.
We see in this
chapter that several times the Lord tells Joshua to be strong, courageous, and
not to fear.
5.1.1.
Joshua did
fine serving in Moses’ shadow as his servant and assistant, however now God had
called him to step forward and himself become the leader of God’s people.
5.1.2.
The Lord never
tells a man or a woman to not be afraid unless they are afraid, nor does he tell them to be courageous unless they
tend to be “cowardly.” Therefore, we
can surmise that Joshua by nature was sort of a cowardly, timid, and
mealy-mouthed man.
5.1.3.
The reason
that I believe that Joshua was picked
by the Lord to lead the people of
5.1.4.
We Christians
can be encouraged that the Lord can also strengthen us and use us mightily even
though many times we may have some cowardly type of tendencies. As long as we
realize that we must not allow our fears to paralyze us, then we can be
used mightily by the Lord.
5.1.4.1.
As you,
Christian, walk in the promises of God realize that the Lord is trying to also
encourage you to, ‘be strong and courageous.’
6. VS 1:7-8 - “7 “Only be strong and very
courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant
commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may
have success wherever you go.8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your
mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful
to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way
prosperous, and then you will have success.” – The Lord tells Joshua to be careful to do
all that the Law of Moses commands and to not let God’s word depart from his
mouth
6.1.
Again, we see in these verses that the Lord is encouraging
Joshua that he is to be ‘be strong and courageous.’
6.2.
The Lord gives
some pre-requisites for success and being in the center of God’s will as they are entering into the
6.2.1.
Students of
His word.
6.2.2.
Committed to
being doers of His word and not
merely hearers.
6.2.2.1.
Notice that the
Lord tells Joshua that he must be careful to do ‘ALL’ of God’s will as
revealed in His word.
6.2.2.2.
If we Christians
are to be used greatly by the Lord we must not pick and choose which of
God’s commandments that we will be careful to obey. The Christian walk is not meant to be a
“cafeteria” type of plan when it comes to obeying the Lord, we must be
committed to keeping “everything” that His word tells us both to do and not to
do.
6.2.2.3.
When we get to
the book of 1 Samuel we will read about another man, Saul the first king in
6.2.2.3.1.
When they made
sense to him.
6.2.2.3.2.
When he didn’t
feel like they might be too difficult to accomplish.
6.2.2.3.3.
When he felt
like doing them.
7. VS 1:9 - “9 “Have I not commanded you? Be
strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is
with you wherever you go.” - The Lord reminds Joshua that
he is being commanded by the Lord to lead the people into the promised land
7.1.
For the
third time in this chapter, we see
that the Lord encourages Joshua to ‘be strong and courageous.’
7.2.
The Lord
tells Joshua not to ‘tremble’ in fear at the sight or thought of the enemy, and
not to be ‘dismayed’ so that he would lose focus on the task that the Lord had called him to perform
in conquering the enemy.
7.3.
The Lord
promised Joshua that He would be
with him every single place that he would go, therefore he need not fear
any fear.
7.3.1.
We
Christians have an enemy that we also must battle and the souls of men as the
territory for us to gain.
7.3.2.
We
Christians can take heart that the Lord has also promised us that He will be
with us wherever we may go. We won’t face any of our enemies alone either. The Lord our God is with us as well as
behind and before us everywhere we may go!
7.3.3.
Nothing
takes the Lord by surprise and
whether or not we realize or sense it Jesus always remains seated upon the
throne ruling over all creation.
8. VS 1:10-11 - 10 Then Joshua commanded the
officers of the people, saying,11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and
command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within
three days you are to cross this
8.1.
It is always
important to count the cost before you commit your life to Christ. Joshua calls the people to prepare themselves
to enter into the land.
8.2.
We Christians
must realize that we cannot ignore practical concerns and realities. Joshua
commands the people to take some time and go and to prepare food for themselves
for when they enter into the land to possess it.
8.3.
Just as Jesus
was raised from the dead on the third day, so Joshua tells the people that they
are to get ready because they will enter into the land to conquer it after
three days.
8.3.1.
We Christians
are walking in that resurrection power in Christ who was raised on the third
day.
9. VS 1:12-18 - “12 And to the Reubenites and to
the Gadites and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said,13 “Remember the
word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your
God gives you rest, and will give you this land.’14 “Your wives, your little
ones, and your cattle shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the
Jordan, but you shall cross before your brothers in battle array, all your
valiant warriors, and shall help them,15 until the Lord gives your brothers
rest, as He gives you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God
is giving them. Then you shall return to your own land, and possess that which
Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the
9.1.1.
Before we even
get to these verses in the book of Joshua, there is some background that is good to cover regarding the tribes of
Reuben and Gad. In Numbers
32:1-22, we read the story of how that even before the children of Israel
crossed the Jordan River to go in and possess the land of Canaan that the
tribes of Reuben and Gad decided that they would rather claim land on the east
of the Jordan River for their inheritance than to claim their inheritance
in the land of Canaan, and they were permitted to do this, “1 Now the
sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad had an exceedingly large number of
livestock. So when they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, that it
was indeed a place suitable for livestock,2 the sons of Gad and the sons of
Reuben came and spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of
the congregation, saying,3 “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh,
Sebam, Nebo and Beon,4 the land which the Lord conquered before the
congregation of Israel, is a land for livestock; and your servants have
livestock.”5 And they said, “If we have found favor in your sight, let this
land be given to your servants as a possession; do not take us across the
9.1.2.
In these
verses here in Joshua 1:12-18,
we read that the tribes of Reuben and Gad were appointed by Joshua to head
the first group going into the land of Canaan to do battle, and likewise
there are many Christians who once had a dynamic walk with the Lord, or who
once had a tremendous ministry in their spiritual walk, or who once were
leaders in a church, however now they are content to not have full
possession of the promises, calling, gifts, and ministries
they have been given by Christ.
9.1.2.1.
Notice that it
was the worldly temptations relating to their business and livelihood that
caused the tribes of Reuben and Gad to desire to possess the rich land on the
east side of the Jordan River. Likewise, it is often the cares of this
world combined with the pressures of a man’s making a living that cause him to
pull away from a deep walk with Christ, use his spiritual gifts in
ministry, and be a vital part in the body of Christ.
9.1.3.
The tribes of
Reuben and Gad symbolize for us Christians what it is like walking in the
“permissive will” as opposed to the “perfect will” of God for our lives. Sometimes
we Christians can make decisions and choose paths for ourselves that don’t
place ourselves outside of God’s care for us, however they are not the perfect
will of God for our lives. This places
us in God’s “permissive will.” These two
tribes discovered the tragic results of not following the perfect will of God
in our lives.
9.1.4.
The tribes of
Reuben and Gad paid a huge price for living their lives outside of the land of
promise.
9.1.4.1.
We see in the Old
Testament that their land was often raided and was the first to be attacked
by the Israelite’s enemies since they had isolated themselves from the rest
of the tribes, and in 1 Chron. chapter 5 we read that the tribes of Reuben
and Gad were the first to be taken captive by the Assyrians when they
invaded Israel. Then to top it off,
they never returned from their captivity.
9.1.4.1.1.
In the same
way, Christians who pull away from being vitally connected to the body of Christ
are the easiest prey to the schemes
and snares of the Devil.
9.1.4.1.2.
The safest
place for any sheep to be is among the rest of the flock for it is always the sheep that wanders off that is
the easiest prey to wolves.
9.1.4.1.3.
Speaking of
how the tribes of Reuben and Gad were the first taken captive by the Assyrians,
Alan Redpath has written the following, “They went down to defeat and into
bondage, even though at one time they had led the people of God in the way of
blessing. Judges 5:16 says this: “For the divisions of Reuben there were great
searchings of heart.” I should think
there were! They chose, they tasted of
blessing, they had entered into the land of promise, but they hankered after
the world, its pleasures, its indulgence, and its sin, and they were trapped
and caught and ensnared in it. It is not
how a man begins his Christian life, but how he ends it, that counts.”
10. CONCLUSION:
10.1.
Well, we haven’t yet seen the Israelites enter into the promised land,
they have only been preparing themselves to enter in
10.2.
The book of Joshua correlates to our walking in the blessing and
promises of God as Christians
10.3.
This morning as we consider this introduction to the book of Joshua,
and how it relates to walking in the blessing of God, we Christians need to
realize:
10.3.1. We battle from the position
of victory through the cross and blood of Jesus
10.3.2. We must choose to step out
in faith and claim and appropriate the promises of God on our behalf, the ones
we already possess in Christ by our very birthright as children of God
10.3.3. Be strong and courageous as
you step out and serve the Lord
10.3.4. We should not be content to
be in the permissive will of God for our lives, for what a sad thing it is to
be like the tribes of Reuben and Gad and not claim all that is ours in Christ
10.3.5. We would be wise to not be
content to have our Christian experience and walk consist only in a closeness
we once had with the Lord and what we once did in serving the Lord