Joshua

Good in the End

“… that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end” (Deuteronomy 8:16)

Moses told Israel that God’s purpose in Israel’s wilderness wanderings was twofold: to maintain a humble mind and to test their hearts with specific regard to obedience.

The way in which God maintained a humble heart in Israel was through making their dependence upon Him very obvious. When they hungered and cried out to Him He supplied manna (v 3) and when they thirsted He provided water. Miraculously their garments did not wear out and their footwear was always just the right size (v 4). In addition He maintained humility through chastisement (v 5). This is a model for all parents, especially fathers, to follow. We have the evidence of unrestrained and undisciplined youth all around us. Many are not so youthful age-wise any more but they carry the marks of a lack of training and discipline in their youth. They fit the description Paul wrote to Timothy (2 Timothy 3:1-5). With each generation humility is not only less evident but being seen as an undesirable trait. We should not be surprised that bullying has become more prevalent among children and that it remains with them into adulthood.

The tests that God presented to Israel were to reveal what was really in their heart. Did they really trust God or just give Him lip service? Obedience to His commands would reveal their heart and ours. If we believe someone who cares about us to be trustworthy we will do as they ask.

Recently a doctor prescribed a medication for me but I have not taken it. He was unable to convince me that he understood or believed what I was saying and I did not understand his words due to his accent. There was a period of a minute or two when he spoke that I did not recognise any English word. I have not obeyed his instructions because I do not believe they were necessarily in my best interest.

When we choose not to obey the word of the Lord we are saying that we do not understand His instruction, don’t trust His wisdom or we do not believe that He has our best interest at heart. He tested Israel and He will test us regularly. At Ai, under Joshua’s leadership, Israel failed this test (Joshua 7) but they learned from it (Joshua 8) and that is the purpose of chastisement.

God is at work to maintain humility in His people and to test us as to our trust in Him and obedience. He states that it is “to do you good in the end.” If we believe this then we will accept His hand that may sometimes withhold that which seems good to us, and His chastisement, with all grace and joy.

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves, He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:11, 12)

The Last Joshua

“Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, ‘Be strong and of good courage, for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you.’” Deuteronomy 31:23

The New Testament records for us the words “first Adam” and “last Adam” but nowhere will we find the words “first Joshua” and “last Joshua.” Even so, there was a “first Joshua” and a “last Joshua” with regard to the plan and purpose of the Lord and Israel.

Moses was given his name by Pharaoh’s daughter because he was found in water but it would also be an apt name when we consider that it was Moses who led Israel out of Egypt and through the Red Sea to a life of separation from slavery to serve the living God. Though they didn’t even get their feet wet it is said that they passed through the waters. This is later likened to baptism. The nation was separated from the world (Egypt) and separated to God. There was no way back even though they often desired to return. Christian baptism is symbolic that one has been separated from the world to God and there is no way back even though we may at times desire the things of the world.

Israel’s rebellion at the opportunity to enter the land God had promised brought about forty years wandering in the wilderness while God prepared the next generation. Even that generation was at risk of not entering (Numbers 32) but the possibility of another forty years in the wilderness was enough to overcome that threat. Moses also lost the opportunity to lead Israel into the land promised to Abraham and his descendants. In his place would be the “first Joshua.” Joshua was one of the two spies who believed that the Lord would give Israel the land just as He had said. He knew that the giants and fortified cities of the land were no match for God. Joshua believed God, knew God and trusted God. One who trusts God will show it by obedience to His word. This Joshua led Israel into the land.

Much later Israel was dispersed from the land because of persistent rebellion by successive generations. Was the Lord unfaithful to His promise to Abraham? Is He powerless to fulfil that which He promised? The answer to both these questions is emphatically “No.” A believing generation of Israel had entered the land under the leadership of the faithful “first Joshua.” The Old and New Testament authors all affirm that a believing generation of Israel will take possession of the land God has given to Abraham and they will do so under the leadership of the “last Joshua,” Jesus Christ.

The apostle Paul writes, “I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved as it is written: ‘The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; for this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins’” (Romans 11:25-27).

Another Gift

“Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1

The changing of the year seems to be a big event unti1 it actually happens. At the end of December 31st, January 1st is just the next day. People try to make it appear spectacular by burning a lot of money in the form of fireworks and drinking a lot of alcohol. Both distract the mind from the reality that we all have one less year on this earth. Any distraction from difficult times and especially our mortality seems welcome.

The change of year is a good reminder that we should take stock and evaluate our lives regularly. The Bible tells us that for those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord He has taken care of our past and He has a unique life in Himself for us to live now and forever.

Many people make great plans and promises for the year ahead but no one has any certainty of seeing out even the first day of the New Year let alone the whole year. Jesus warns that the world will go on as though all is well and remain oblivious to the fact that the cancer of sin is destroying it from within the hearts of people. If we look to men for salvation we will be greatly disappointed.

Jesus exhorts us to stop worrying about earthly things that will surely pass, including our bodies and material possessions, and trust all our tomorrows into His care – let Him do the worrying.

The year 2011 is God’s gift to us should He tarry and we bodily remain on the earth. Let us choose to be good stewards of this precious gift of time in which we can live by faith in Jesus Christ. We will never have it again.

As Joshua proclaimed near the end of his earthly life, “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Let this be our resolve with God’s gift of life into 2011 and be daily thankful for every day He gives to serve Him and live by faith.

They Presumed Too Much

“They did not ask counsel of the Lord” Joshua 9:14

Before any one points the finger at Joshua and the other rulers of Israel we would do well to look at ourselves first.

Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Head of the church has been made more like the Queen of England. The people make the decisions and then ask the Queen to sign off on them. We are in danger of living our lives like that both individually and corporately. We make our plans and then ask Jesus to bless them. Anyone who thinks about this for even a few moments will see how preposterous that is. Jesus is made to be our servant existing for our benefit to do our will. What an abomination that is! He will have no part in it.

When Joshua approached Ai he consulted his leaders and they sent spies ahead, as they did with Jericho, and on receiving their report made the decision to send a modest but sufficient army against Ai. The size of the force was inconsequential; they had not first met the Lord, their Commander in Chief.

When the Gibeonites came to Joshua with their lie hidden amongst plenty of truth, though initially suspicious, Joshua and the rulers believed the lie. They thought they knew all the facts and they thought they were wise enough to make a correct assessment and response without asking the Lord.

Joshua and Israel’s rulers acted just as we do. Being wise in our own eyes we do not “ask counsel of the Lord.” The consequences of not asking counsel of the Lord can have long lasting devastating effects even for many generations.

At the commencement of a meeting we may ask the Lord’s blessing much as we sing the National Anthem at a significant event. We may even thank the Lord at the end as we presume He had some influence but in between He is relegated to the role of figurehead who only has to sign off on what we have decided.

Again, before we point fingers, we all do this and it is a gross shame to our Lord. There is a remedy as Paul writes, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 7:24-25.

Paul also writes, “He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the Head of the body, the church” Colossians 1:17-18.

Jesus Christ is the active Head of the church not a powerless figurehead so let us humble ourselves before Him, not asking Him to bless our plans but to genuinely come to Him for His will that we might truly serve Him.

When your children ask …

“When your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, ‘What are these stones?’” (Joshua 4:21)

There is much that can be learned on the subject of parenting by observing how the Lord led Israel, particularly during the 40 years they spent in the wilderness while a new generation was being groomed to enter the Promised Land.

The phrase “when your children ask” is also recorded in verse 6 with regard to this event and similar phrases are recorded in Exodus 12:26; 13:14 and Deuteronomy 6:20 concerning other significant events. It seems we have a parenting principle that we would do well to emulate.

The next generation of Israelites would be provoked to question their fathers concerning the piles of stones. One pile was of smooth river stones on the bank and the other pile was of rough stones in the river. Both would look out of place even apart from being made into a pile.

These provocations were intended to be teaching tools to assist parents explain who their God is and what He has done to the next generation. Are there any events in the Christian life that might provoke our children to ask questions?

Actually there are many in the home. Your daily quiet time should raise interest as will the reading materials and conversations parents have in the home. The two most obvious ones in the church environment are baptism and the Lord’s Table. We should take advantage of these even if a question is not forthcoming.

In explaining the Lord’s Table and baptism to our children (and grandchildren) we explain the Gospel of grace through Jesus Christ to the next generation. We may not have a couple of piles of stones but we have something far better as a means of explaining the Gospel to our children and the unsaved.

Parents have the wonderful privilege of explaining the Gospel of Christ to the next generation and should take every opportunity to provoke their children to ask questions and respond clearly to them. God has given us an example to follow.