Lesson Nine
Heirs of Promise, Prisoners of Hope

God provides a perfect home for the newly created human race, which we refer to as the Garden of Eden. God gives them dominion over the whole newly created earth (See Genesis chapter one and two) Yet, God is still the supreme owner and sustainer of all!

Adam and Eve sell out. They choose to follow the suggestions of the enemy and doubt and disobey the One Who had given them everything, including life itself. They loose their perfect home.

God, however, has a plan of hope. Promises.

Israel being given the land holds many very interesting and helpful illustrations of God's plan of restoration of the lost "home" and inheritance.

As the historical account of Joshua begins we see the promised land is under the control of evil. Satan has had his way with the inhabitants of Canaan, leading them into all manner of false worship, immorality and violence.
The Canaanites have heard -- Abraham, Isaac, Jacob have lived among them. The true God has revealed Himself to them. They were warned that their life style had consequences -- Abraham actually rescued them when an invading army which had conquered their cities, including Sodom and Gomorrah. Abraham freed them and the Canaanites went back to their cities (Gen. 14)
But they didn't learn, Sodom and Gomorrah and that whole area in the Siddim Valley which is now the salt sea, (Gen. chapters 14, 18 and 19) were destroyed by fire and brimstone.

They had heard, they had been warned.
But they did not repent and turn, but continued to follow Satan, the enemy of the true God. The prince of evil only led them deeper into darkness of sin.

OUR WORLD
Our world is also "the promised land"! But at present Satan is much of what is going on in this world. We are longing for the time when God's saints inherit the "new earth" with Christ, cleansed and recreated in it's Eden glory and perfection.
But right now this world is inhabited by evil. Satan claims the dominion belongs to him, and he is leading people deeper and deeper into an existence that rejects the true God and His commandments.

JOSHUA AND ISRAEL
They were promised the land. It was God's gift to them. They didn't earn, God gave it to them. Now, they were commissioned by God to clear out the evil. First it was a more general "clear out" enough for Israel to take root in the land.

OUR WORLD
God called forth a church, where people can find escape from a world largely rejecting God.
With the church Christianity takes root in the land.

JOSHUA AND ISRAEL
The territory was divided by tribes, and within each tribe's territory families were given their territory. The land was not only given them as a gift from God, but also responsibility rested on each family and individual to clear out their property.

IN OUR DAY
By God's grace we are brought into the faith, and given individual titles to the promised land. Yet we also (by God's grace and strength) have the responsibility to clear out (not dislocate people) but clear out sin in out hearts and minds, and lead our families in worship and faith in God.

Heirs of Promise, Prisoners of Hope

The already is, but not yet, paradox.

When we read Joshua 11 and 12 we can get the impression the war of conquest was all over, the land was all free of opposing forces and Israel could just move in and settle down.

Yet as we continue reading in the book of Joshua (chapter 13) it soon becomes apparent there is still a lot of conquering to do! In Joshua 18:3 Joshua reprimands people " How long are you slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you? "

How like the experience of Christianity.
Christ confirmed the covenant, the enemy was defeated, the power of evil broken, at the cross!
It is reality!

Yet the battles are only beginning, the defeated foe will not relinquish his claims on the land and the people without a desperate fight. The human race are still prisoners, many without hope, others with hope because they have full faith that the battle has been won, the promises are sure, and Jesus is and will deliver them from the cords of evil that seek to bind them.

So why is the world in such a mess?
And why did ancient Israel experience so many invasions, and so much trouble, famines, and sinking into idol worship and other abominations? God had given them the land with many promises of blessings, protection, and happy, peaceful living, a light to the world?

Maybe the question is the same as Joshua's question:
How long are you slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers has given you?

"The Lord has a great work for us to do, and he invites us to look to him, to trust in him, to walk with him, to talk with him. He invites us to make an unreserved surrender of all that we have and are to him." (June 6 1901 YI)

While some give in to slackness and pull away from "a great work", others have thought their own endowments sufficient for an enterprise.

Christ says, "Without me you can do nothing." "Follow me, abide in Me, then you will bring forth fruit".
Jesus says. "Follow where my footsteps lead the way. Then you will not meet the armies of Satan alone. Let me go before you, and you will not be overcome by the enemy's planning to deprive you of your crown which I have laid in store for you".

Lesson Ten
The True Joshua

Joshua as a "type" of Christ.

"Typology is one of the main ways the NT authors use the OT. In the OT, types are like historical previews that anticipate the realities brought about by Jesus."

A type being "an example" or "likeness".
An anti-type being the corresponding reality of the type.

The wilderness sanctuary was a type or likeness of the heavenly sanctuary, with it's priests, furniture and ceremonies being a type of Jesus as both our sacrifice and our High Priest in His work in the heavenly sanctuary.
Hebrews 8:2 (Jesus) a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. 8:5 (The earthly priests) served as the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished by God when he was about to make the tabernacle: to see, that he make all things according to the pattern showed to him in the mount.

Joshua's most obvious "type"
Joshua 's mission was to cause Israel to inherit the land of Canaan.
Jesus' mission is to enabling spiritual Israel to inherit the antitypical heavenly land of Canaan.

Also
Joshua sought to do God's will with steadfast perseverance. He was in contact with the "Lord of Hosts" Jesus.
Jesus came to do the Father's will. (John 6:38) And did it perfectly. He was in constant contact with God His Father.

Hebrews gives a clear connection between Joshua and Jesus.
4:8 For if Joshua had given them rest, then God would not afterward have spoken of another day. 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

The contrast of Joshua and Jesus in these texts in Hebrews indicates that Jesus is the anti type or reality of Joshua who represents a limited preview of Jesus.
Jesus will fulfil the task that Joshua only partially accomplish.

Though, we may ask, why didn't Israel find rest? Joshua could only lead them in battles to possess the land and disperse it to them according to God's direction. Israel did have some temporary rest.
Hebrews links their failure to unbelief.
The true rest can only be found in personal connection with Jesus Christ, a connection of faith and trust. Christ is the Prince of Peace.

He calls us:
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

We can experience that rest now, finding peace even in a world of turmoil. Yet, the final, ultimate rest is still future, with Jesus in the glorious kingdom.
But we are to seek that living faith and belief in Him, now, we can enter into rest with Jesus now.
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you." John 14:27

Going out to conquer.

What is another way to look at those battles of Israel as a "type"?
We have discussed them as the battle of evicting sin (which God's power and grace enables us to do) from our lives.

But there is another way to see them as a "type".

In this world, we too, like Israel as they were entering Canaan, are surrounded with many well fortified cities filled with people who were not connected with God or His ways.

We are commissioned to go forth to conquer!
Not with metal swords or modern weaponry, but with the Word of God in our hands and in our minds and hearts.

In Rev. 6.2 the early Christian church rides forth on a white horse.
Rev. 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

What beautiful symbolism.
The church of Christ, justified and full of the joy and enthusiasm embracing the wonder of the newly ratified gospel, ride forth in white purity to spread the good news to all the nations as a rescue mission, of those lost in their sin.
They have bows and arrows.
In DA 255, we read of " arrows of truth pierce to the soul, breaking through the barriers of selfishness, and working contrition, and finally gratitude to the Saviour.
And GC 90 "As arrows from the Lord's quiver, the Reformer's words pierced their hearts.
GW 151 Although no human eye can see the path of the arrow of truth, who can say that the arrow has not sped to the mark, and pierced the souls of those who listened?.. the truth has silently cut its way to the heart. God has spoken to the soul..

Then there are crowns! Symbolizing victory in Christ.

God has given the gift of salvation, to all who by faith, trust and faithfulness claim that gift. It was bought by the blood of the Lamb!

It is only through Him that we are dressed in white righteousness, and enabled to go forth to proclaim the gospel news to others

Unity in the Promised Land
Lesson Eleven

This weeks lesson is mainly a study of Joshua 22.

Two of the tribes of Israel, Gad and Reuben, with half the tribe of Manasseh, had received their inheritance before crossing the Jordan. To a pastoral people, the wide upland plains and rich forests of Gilead and Bashan, offering extensive grazing land for their flocks and herds. It held attractions which were not to be found in Canaan itself, and the two and a half tribes, desiring to settle here, had pledged themselves to furnish their proportion of armed men to accompany their brethren across the Jordan and to share their battles till they also should enter upon their inheritance. The obligation had been faithfully discharged.

When the ten tribes entered Canaan, forty thousand of "the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh . . . prepared for war passed over before the Lord unto battle with them.Leaving their families behind, trusting that God would take care of them. For six to seven years they fought bravely by the side of their brethren.

SERVING GOD NOT MAN?

These forty thousand men had not left their families in order to serve Israel. They were all uniting to serve and obey God.
We too are to unite with our fellow believers to serve and obey God.

Ephesians 6:6-7 Not with eyeservice, to please men; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Col. 3:23 And in all things that you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

THE IMPORTANCE OF UNITY

Unity is to be "in truth", not in apostasy.
And that's where the conflicts arise.

Joshua charges the two and half tribes returning to their homes across the river:

Joshua 22:3-5 You have not left your brethren these many days (6-7 years), unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God... Therefore now return unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.
But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to
**love the LORD your God, and
**to walk in all his ways, and
**to keep his commandments, and ..
.**to cleave unto him, and
**to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.


They have left Shiloh and several days go by and suddenly a report comes in

The children of Rueben and Gath with the half tribe of Manasseh are building a grand and impressive altar on this side of the Jordan. (Joshua 22:10)

Remember they had left Shiloh loaded with much riches, with silver, with gold , with bronze, with iron, etc. To build an impressive and grand altar, a replica of the altar of the LORD (22:28) they didn't just pile a few stones on top of each other. This was something grand and impressive.

Also remember, Israel had been specifically told in Deut. 12 that they were not to built shrines anywhere for worship, but to perform their worship ceremonies only in the place God chose (which at the time was Shiloh where the sanctuary was located.)
They had seen Canaanite shrines all over the place and were admonished to destroy them utterly and never convert them to use in their worship.
So it was a pretty powerful command by God, not to build altars of worship.

They were also fearful, as they remembered the past, when rebellion by a few, caused the whole camp to suffer (Achen took what he wasn't supposed to take, and Israel lost the battle against Ai with a number of their soldiers losing their lives)

So with the evidence they had, Israel came to the conclusion those two and a half tribes where doing something seriously against God's commands. They were building an alternative worship system.
That's what it LOOKED like.

One important point for us:
COMMUNICATE, if you know your going to do something which on the surface of things looks bad, communicate what you plan and why you will do it.

If those two and half tribes had mentioned their own concerns and what they planned to do, before launching the project, it would have prevented the problem.

But maybe they didn't think of building that altar until they stood at banks of the river and their own fears of division triggered the plan right then and there.


So back to the ten tribes of Israel and their reaction.

Just days earlier they had thanked and appreciated those men for leaving their families and own homes, in obedience to God's command to help conquer the promised land for the rest of the tribes. Suddenly the Israelites forgot all that and are ready to turn on the men finally able to go home, and wage war on them and destroy them! How quickly trust and goodwill can turn to fear, accusations and even violence.

Thankfully someone knew that reaction was wrong, they needed facts first, and they sent 11 men to inquire and ask what was actually going on.

Again the important point, don't assume, COMMUNICATE.

Joshua 22 reports a happy ending.

The enquiry group begins with harsh words when they reach the camp of the builders.

What trespass is this that you have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that you have built an altar for yourselves, that you might rebel this day against the LORD? Wasn't the iniquity of Peor enough for us, from which we are not yet fully cleansed , though the congregation was struck by a plague of the LORD,
that you must turn away this day from following the LORD? Must you rebel to day against the LORD, so that tomorrow He will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel? (Joshua 22:17-18)

Obvious the delegation from Shiloh were fearful that God would punish the whole nation if they they didn't stop what they considered an outright rebellion against God.

But it appears the builders just stood there in disbelief as the accusation was hurled at them. Their facial expression of disbelief in what was happening must have softened the accusers, because they changed their approach.

They offer: "Look, if you see going back to your place across the river as a problem to your worship of God, we can give you land on this side, so you can be near Shiloh where the sanctuary of God is located."

The delegation then explained: "Remember what happened with Achen? He took the cursed objects from Jericho, and we lost that battle against Al and a lot of soldiers died in that battle all because of Achen's sin. He did not die alone in his iniquity."

RESPONSE:
The builders first response was not self defense, it was not angry retaliation, the first words they spoke was to declare their loyalty to the God of heaven.
They also showed their trust in God, "God knows whether or not this is rebellion or treachery against the LORD."
They agree with the accusers, "If it is rebellion then do not spare us." BUT "let the LORD Himself require an account."
Let the LORD be the judge.

They then explain that they realize the Jordan River sets a boundary between them and the rest of Israel. They were afraid that in years to come those on the west side would no longer see them as part of Israel or allow them to participate in sanctuary ceremonies.
So they wanted a "witness" to stand on the western side of Jordan, to confirm that they too, were part of Israel worshipping the same God as the rest of the tribes.
It was to remind everyone that when the tribes on the east would come to the west, they were coming to worship the God of Israel, to join with them in the place God had designated! It was to be a Witness, it was NOT for sacrifice or some separate worship at all -- it was there to remind everyone of their unity.

Everyone was happy, rejoicing in their commitments to God.

Its one of the things that weighs on me, as l feel that we must learn the lesson of unity when it comes to the church. Much harm and to some degree, evil can be avoided if we are not divided in purpose.

Lesson 12
God Is Faithful

Joshua 21:43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein.
21:44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand.
21:45 Not one good thing failed which the LORD had promised unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.

Our covenant God keeps His promises and fulfills His oaths.
We can depend on it!

Israel had achieved remarkable victory, in just a few short years conquering a well fortified, well defended land and settling therein in peace.

But remember -- they couldn't even conquer little Ai without God.
It was God that gave them the victory.

He gave "all the land" (every bit of it was a gift from God)
He delivered "all their enemies into their hand" (there were many strong armies against them, but God took care of all of them)
and according to "all that He had sworn" (not just one or two promises but all)
"all came to pass"

All Israel's victories and success has to be attributed solely to God's intervention

Our conquests and victories in overcoming sin and being a witness for God all are dependent upon our Lord and Savior.

2 Timothy 2:11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.

2:12 If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

God's covenant promises -- why do we sometimes think they are or have failed? The covenant has conditions. If we...

However, even if we neglect, and push aside His repeated appeals to come to Him, and due to rebellion and faithlessness miss out on His wonderful promises and gift of life and victory, He remains faithful, his promises will be fulfilled!!
In spite of the backsliding and unfaithfulness of human beings, God will fulfill His promises for all who respond and turn to Him.

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.
John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall anyone pluck them out of my hand.