Journey Through Joshua
Are you living the victorious Christian life today? That is God’s will for every one of His children — not for some of us, but for all of us. Charles Spurgeon said, “There is a point of grace as much above the ordinary Christian as the ordinary Christian is above the world.” There are a lot of ordinary Christians, and so many of them are falling short of the victory, joy, fullness, and blessing that God intends in the Christian life. Let us journey through Joshua and find truth from God’s Word to help us live victoriously for Him.
Listen: Journeying through Joshua
Overview of Joshua
Joshua is the first book of the historical section of our Old Testament. Not only that, it is the first book of the Bible named for its main character (Joshua). Who was Joshua? Joshua was one of the 12 original spies who spied out the land (Numbers 13), but more importantly, he was Moses’s longtime aide (Exodus 24:13) and eventual successor (Deuteronomy 31). He was the young man that God touched, taught, and brought along in such a way that when Moses passed off the scene, he was the man that God used to lead His own chosen people into the Promised Land.
The Book of Joshua was written somewhere in the land of Canaan. There are basically three geographical settings and three main time periods in the book of Joshua.
Geographical Locations:
- They begin by the Jordan River.
- Then they enter the land of Canaan.
- When the book ends, the 12 tribes are situated on both sides of the Jordan River.
Time Periods
- Claiming their possession.
- Entering into the Promised Land.
- Enjoying all that God designed for them.
In Joshua 1:1-3, the Bible says, “Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”
A God of Beginnings
Though Moses’ life on earth came to an end, God’s work did not. Can I remind you that our God is not a God of endings? He is the God of new beginnings. We learned that back in the Book of Genesis, but that principle is repeated all through the Word of God.
When the Pentateuch ended in the book of Deuteronomy, they were looking over into the Promised Land. There is a vision of what God has for them. But when you come to the book of Joshua, that vision has now become a venture, a venture of faith. Taking the next step. What was in Deuteronomy a promise has in Joshua now become reality. This is not faith in principle, friends: this is faith in action, and this is the way God designed the Christian life to be lived.
Outline of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is an amazing book. We are just giving it a bird’s eye view in this study. There is no way to walk through all of it, but I would challenge you to read through the book of Joshua for yourself.
Joshua 1-5 marks the commencement of their campaign into the Promised Land. Spies were sent out yet again. The Jordan is crossed. A memorial is erected. A time of dedication takes place. This is not just a geographical or a military campaign. It is a spiritual one. Everything in the Christian life is spiritual.
Joshua 6-12 records a great conquest. If you are a military buff, you will be interested to see these campaigns, to see how they cut the Canaanite power in half, and then continue to conquer every part of the land of Canaan. God wanted to ensure that His people left nothing undone in their conquest of Canaan.
Joshua 13- 21 finds the children of Israel in the land of Canaan. This Promised Land is divided and allocated to each of the tribes, and then this beautiful book closes with a time of consecration.
Joshua 22-24 details how the altar was erected. The covenant is renewed. This book begins and ends in the presence of God. That this is the only place where true victory is found.
A Book of Victory
What does the Book of Joshua mean to us? We are not part of the nation of Israel. The New Testament Church has not taken the place of Israel. They are very different. Yet, the Book of Joshua holds definite principles to apply to our lives. As a matter of fact, the Book of Joshua in the Old Testament should be studied alongside the book of Ephesians in the New Testament. The Book of Ephesians is a book on the fullness of the Christian life, the fullness of God, and the Holy Spirit within us. It’s a book of victory found in claiming all that is ours through Jesus Christ.
The Book of Joshua is the Old Testament precursor to that. It is a picture. When God brought His children out of the land of Egypt, He did not bring them out to merely bring them out. He brought them out to bring them in. Their wandering around in the wilderness was not His perfect will. God had to do that to throw Egypt out of them. That wandering around in the wilderness is a picture of the life of flesh, a life that falls short of faith and victory.
One More River to Cross
Most Christians have one more river to cross. They have come out of Egypt with a mighty hand. God saved them, but now they are wandering around in the wilderness, trying and failing, wondering what is missing, knowing there has to be more to it than this. Oh, friend, there is! There is another river to cross. By faith, there is a promised land that God wants to bring you into. That is really what the book of Joshua is all about. It is about claiming your possessions.
Canaan was rightfully theirs because God gave it to them, but they had to claim it by faith. They had to quit wandering around in the wilderness of doubt and carnality. God not only wants you to be saved, but He also wants you to live a Spirit-filled life. And Jesus said, I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. Canaan is a land of beauty and bounty, just like the victorious Christian life, and both of them are claimed only by faith.
1 John 5:4 says, “…this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” Some people have thought that Canaan was a picture of Heaven, but that cannot be, because in Canaan, they still faced enemies. There were still battles to fight. When we get to Heaven, none of that will be there. I am not waiting until I die to see Canaan; I can see Canaan today. We can enjoy what God has provided through Christ today.
Three Things from Joshua 1
The opening verses of the Book of Joshua provide us with three things. First of all, a command. He says in verse two, “go over.” This is something God wants you to do. Will you obey Him today?
Then there is a comfort beginning in verse three. God gives this comfort of His presence. It was not that there would be no battles, no enemies, or no difficulties. Only this: I will be with you. He says in Joshua 1:5, “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Sounds a lot like the Lord Jesus, doesn’t it? “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5)
Then he leaves us with a condition. What was the condition for victory and possession? It is centered in the Word of God. The Bible says in Joshua 1:7-8:
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
The Key to a Successful Life
If you want good success in the Christian life, if you want victory over the enemy, if you want to possess all that is promised to you in Jesus Christ, then may I challenge you today: get in the Word of God. Get the Word of God in you, and determine to walk in faith.
Journeying through Joshua leads us to journey with Jesus. Did you know the Old Testament name Joshua is the equivalent of the New Testament name for Jesus Christ? He is our Captain. Jesus is our Leader. He is even greater than Joshua. What Joshua could not do, Jesus cannot only do now, but for all eternity. May God help us to live in His victory today.
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