A Glimpse Into the Book of Joshua (Joshua 1) What is common to both Real Estate & the Children of Israel in the Wilderness? In real estate, the main word is … Location, Location, & Location. The land - the strategically positioned land and, or property. This is true for the children of Israel especially in their journey through the Wilderness. Let’s look at the “LAND” – the spiritual map of the journey of the children of Israel and the parallels in the life of Christian. The Promised Land The word “land” is found eighty seven (87) times in the Book of Joshua because this book is the record of Israel’s entering, conquering and claiming the Promised Land. God promised to give the land to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-7; 13:15-17; 15:7); God reaffirmed the promise to Isaac (26:1-5) and to Jacob (28:4, 13, 15), as well as their descendants (Gen. 50:24). In Deuteronomy, where Moses reminded the people of God about the Promise of God concerning the land and their responsibility to possess it, I mean in his farewell speech, the word “land” is found nearly two hundred (200) times. And the word “possess“ over fifty (50) times. We know that Israel owned the land because of God’s gracious covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-5), BUT their enjoyment of the land depended on their faithful obedience to God (Deut. 28-30). The Importance of the Land You are most familiar with the epithet “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Ex. 3:8, 17), that is, a land of plenty! Or ”a place of peaceful pastures and gardens where the herds could graze and the bees could gather pollen and make honey – a land of possibilities. Prophet Ezekiel called the land of Israel “the glory of all lands” (Ezek. 20:6, 15), that is, the most beautiful of all lands. He said that Jerusalem was “in the center of the nations (5:5) and that “the land was the center of the world” (38:12). The word center (Hebrew – navel) suggests that Israel was the “lifeline” between God and this world; for salvation is of the Jews (Jn. 4:22). God chose the land of Israel to be the “stage” on which the great drama of redemption would be presented. Prophet Daniel calls it “the pleasant land” (8:9), and “the glorious land” (11:16 &41). The four geographic locations seen in the history of Israel illustrates four spiritual experiences. EGYPT (bondage) – it is the place of death and slavery where Israel was delivered. They were delivered from death by the blood of the lamb and from bondage by the power of God who opened the Red Sea and took them across safely. This illustrates the salvation you and I have through faith in Christ Jesus – “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29). Jesus Christ delivers the believing sinner from bondage and judgment through His death and resurrection. WILDERNESS: it is the experience of Israel that depicts the believers who live in unbelief and disobedience and don’t enter into the rest and riches of their inheritance in Christ, either because they don’t know it’s there or they know and refuse to enter. A place in point is Kadesh Barnea, the place of crisis, where these pilgrims refused to obey the Lord and claim His will for their lives (Num. 13-14). They were always nagging, griping and complaining; they frequently complained and wanted to go back to Egypt (Ex. 16:1-3). They chose not to enjoy the fullness of God’s promise but worked heavily through life as wanderers. CANAAN: it represents a life of faith, trusting Jesus Christ, our Joshua, the Captain of our salvation to lead us from victory to victory (Heb. 2:10). It epitomizes the Christian life as it ought to be; conflict and victory, faith and obedience, spiritual riches and rest. – When Israel was in Egypt, the enemy was around them – made their lives miserable. When they crossed the Red Sea, the enemy was behind them - intimidating them. When they crossed the Jordan river, the enemy was before them - amplifying their challenges, but they conquered these enemies by their faith in God. The book of Joshua reveals to us that the victorious Christian life is not a once for all triumph that ends all our problems. There are conflicts and victories as we defeat enemies and conquer new land and reclaim our inheritance to the glory of God. With each conflict and victory, “The victorious Christian life is a series of new beginnings” (Alexander Whyte, the Scottish Preacher). Above all, the Good News is that we are fighting FROM victory not FOR victory! Our assignment is to administer to the enemy the defeat which he suffered at the Cross. BABYLON: this is where the nation endured seventy years of captivity because they disobeyed God and worshipped idols of the pagan nations around them (Jer. 39:8-10). Unrepentant act of obedience leads to chastening from God. But when His people repent, confess their sins and forsake them, God forgives and restores His children to fellowship and fruitfulness (1 Jn. 1:9; 2 Cor. 7:1). Right now, in your journey of life, where are you? Are you in a dynamic fellowship with God and the brethren conquering new lands? Or in captivity and defeat due to disobedience? Every believer must ask this essential question as he or she travels on the spiritual pilgrimage, “Where am I?” Also, ask the question, “In what direction am I moving?” Am I … Stagnant? Surviving but not living. This is a state of virtually no progress or movement. Everything or nearly everything is still with regards to career, relationships, calling, ministry, health, attitude or life. For all the activities, there is no significant or tangible movement or productivity. Going around in circles? This is a looping life. It is going around the same territory, task or harbingers repeatedly without a detour or advancement. You are moving but just not in any progressive direction. Israel moved in the Wilderness, but just in loops. God was upset with this lifestyle and commanded them to advance in their journey. Wandering? You are probably busy going with every trend of events and vogue of life. You are set, determined, connected, active and engaged, but your lifes activities are based on preference, not conviction. Actually, you move like a lost sheep without a shepherd; like a marooned ship blown here and there by the storm, or at worst, like a beggar without a guide or any walking stick! Is there a focus to your journey or you just lay your hands on all that pop up? Men fail not because of lack of dream but because of broken focus! (Ps. 27:4; Mk. 10:21; Pro. 21:15; Pro. 27:8). Are you Retrogressive (backward)? Israel went like a spiral gyre and then backward (Jer. 7:24). Today, where are you in life and in your spiritual journey? Are you in the wilderness, active but not productive? In the Wilderness, the Jews were a complaining people, but in Canaan, they were a conquering people. In their wilderness, Israel kept looking back, but in the Promised Land, they looked forward to conquering the enemy and claiming their rest and their riches. The wilderness was a labyrinth and a roaming experience filled with delay, defeat and death; but they were full of power, life and victory in the Promise Land. You have been called into the path of life and light. (Pro. 4:18). Get back to God. Get back on the way. Get connected to His life and purpose for you.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 21:41:42 +0000
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