JOSHUA – Introduction

Tuesday Morning Bible Study 5/3/16, the Year of Our Lord

Pastor Carolyn Sissom

Joshua teaches us the lesson that faith is “the victory that overcomes the world.”

Joshua is “Yehowshuwa” and means “Jehovah-saved, Jehovah is salvation, Jehovah is deliverer.”

God prepared Joshua to take the place of Moses.

I remember a few weeks ago when I was praying for the election and the Lord spoke to me, “Carolyn I raise up my leaders by Grace.”

The Lord prepares His man/woman for His kingdom purposes whether civil or spiritual.

Joshua was a warrior; Word-bearer; servant; faithful co-worker; lover of God’s House and God’s Presence; a man of zeal; a man of changed character.  His name was changed from Oshea (“helper”) to Joshua (“Jehovah helps”).  (Num. 11:28)

He was a man who was rejected by his brethren (Num. 14: 6-12).

We can compare:

Paul……….14 years of obscurity……………. Apostle

Joseph…….13 years of prison…………………Throne

Moses……..40 years of wilderness…………..Deliverer

Joshua…….40 years of wilderness……………Captain

Jesus………3-1/2 years of rejection………………King

Joshua was a leader who submitted to the laying on of hands.

He was a leader who was set before the priesthood.

Numbers 27:18-23:

“The Lord said to Moses, Take Joshua, the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand upon him.  Set him before Eleazar the priest, and before the entire congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.  You shall put some of your honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.  He shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord; at his word shall they go out, and at his work they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation.  Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before the entire congregation.  He laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.”

He was set before the congregation, received a commission and shouldered the responsibility at a time as it was given to him.

He was a leader who obtained guidance through the Word.

He was a shepherd-husbandman (Num. 27: 15-23).

He was an example of faith.

Numbers 32:12: “…Joshua, the son of Nun, for he has wholly followed the Lord.”

He was found with the elders (Num. 32:28).  He was a leader who caused others to inherit (Deut. 1:38).  He was able to receive encouragement from other ministry.  He received progressive revelation of his ministry.

He was filled with the spirit of Wisdom. Deut. 34:9: “Joshua, the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened to him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.”

(Points taken from “The Making of a Leader” by Frank Demazio, Portland, Oregon).

The book of Joshua covers approximately 30 years, from the death of Moses to the death of Joshua. 

The focal point of this book is clearly the promised land.  It contains the accounts of how Israel, entered, conquered, and divided Canaan.  It is a book of victory and fulfilled promises.  Genesis contains the promising of the land.  Exodus contains the leaving for the land.  Leviticus contains the laws for living in the land.  Numbers contains the wandering outside the land (old generation).  Deuteronomy contains the preparing for the land (new generation).  The book of Joshua is the possessing of the land.

The message of the Book of Joshua is God is faithful to keep His Covenant (Abrahamic) by giving the Land to the Seed of Abraham.  Those who believe must labor to enter into all that God gives (Heb. 3-4).  Israel’s trials and wanderings in the wilderness ended, and the beginning of the new life in the Land.  The believer is responsible to surmount formidable obstacles, engage in a protracted warfare, and overcome fierce foes before they enjoyed the land.  The new generation had a new leader in a new sphere of living.  We see and learn the principles of spiritual warfare in the heavenlies.   

The book of Joshua is the Ephesians of the Old Testament.  The “heavenlies” of Eph. 1:3; 2:6; 6:12 are illustrated by the land of Canaan, a picture of the experience of victory and conquest.

Joshua was born in the land of Egypt.  With the sole exception of Caleb, he was the only adult Israelite who survived the 40 years of wilderness wandering to enter Canaan.

He was 85 years old when he succeeded Moses (according to Josephus).

He took 7 years to subdue 7 nations.

He died at the age of 110 and was buried in Timnath-Serah.  The town was given to Joshua.  It is now in the West Bank.

We learn our inheritance in Christ is obtained through the obedience of faith.  The book of Joshua reveals a people who enter, overcome, and occupy the land of God’s Promise.  This is the principle of victory by faith.

Canaan is a picture of the believer’s present position and possession in Christ Jesus; that spiritual Sabbath into which we can now enter (Heb. 3-4). Canaan is the normal Christian life.  After Canaan is entered, the city of Jerusalem would be established, the Temple built; and the manifestation of the Glory of God in Divine order on Mount Zion would be seen.

Jordan typifies that deeper union of our hearts with Jesus Christ in his death whereby we become separated unto Him, and introduced to the fullness of Jesus’ nature and ministry.  In practical terms, Canaan is the abundant life of Jn. 10:10 and land (life-style) that flows with milk and honey.  Canaan is kingdom living.

The tragedy is that the majority of Christians live far below their revealed privileges and redemption rights of the Blood Covenant of Jesus Christ.  This Christian life is not meant to be a wilderness.  Although, all the Christians I know have spent their season in the wilderness while overcoming their Adam nature.

The fall of Jericho and its king (Satan) speaks of the fall of Babylon and this world system.  This will happen by supernatural means and design.

Canaan was:

1. The place of rest; bounty; and triumph.  Thus Canaan was a habitation and the promise of God, pointing to the heavenly places of the realms of the Spirit which is our heritage.
2. Canaan was not attained by the Law (works), but came to Israel by the GRACE of God.  It was by Promise (Heb. 4: 9-10).  It was received.
3. Canaan was held in trust by Joshua.  He was led by praise, for this warrior submitted to priestly ministry.
4. Canaan, the life of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost was not received by the old generation because of doubt and unbelief.  Hearts that believe, receive. (Heb. 4:11).
5. Canaan was infested by the heathen hordes, and had to be purged from the powers of darkness and idolatry.  These high places of idolatry must be destroyed and the enemy driven out.  A God of holiness and complete triumph demands that Canaan be possessed by his people.  The Saints will possess the Kingdom.  Canaan living is Kingdom living.

This is the same principle as the Canaanite curse  broken off of the life of those in sexual sin and perversion by the Blood of Jesus; and the 13 sexual perversions driven out. (See The Canaanite Curse by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom, www.eastgateministries.com)

Spurgeon described the redeemed Canaan as “Christian perfection, the higher life, the rest of faith, the life more abundant, perfect love.”

The principle of Joshua and Ephesians:

                   Joshua                                                           Ephesians

Habitation – Canaan is a                                      Heavenly places

Land of milk and honey;                                          believers die and rise again

Redeemed by blood to be                                         to be seated in His Presence.

Brought into the land.                                               (In God’s rest).

HERITAGE – Promised Land                                HEIRS BY GRACE – not

Given to Israel                                                           by the works of the Law.

HELD IN TRUST BY JOSHUA                           HEAD TRUSTEE IS JESUS

“Doubly fruitful” military campaign                     Believers receive the spoils of

Was led by Joshua and governed by                       of His death, burial, resur-

The priests; distributed                                             rection, and ascension; the

By the King-Priest.                                                    Lord allots all things.

HARDENED HEARTS WERE DIS-                     HEARTS THAT BELIEVE

The old generation was cut off.                               RECEIVE; the old order is

                                                                                    Alienated from God’s life.

HELD BY THE HEATHEN – the                          HIGH PLACES WILL BE

Enemy must be destroyed                                        PURGED. Satan and his army of

And driven out.  The host of God                          of demons must be cast out by

Is hindered by the heathen.                                      By the Glorious Church, the

                                                                                    Army of the Lord.

There are five times in Ephesians that the Heavenlies are mentioned:

1: 3-4:     The Heavenlies (Canaan) are the predestined inheritance of a chosen

                people.  To enjoy the blessings, one must be in the place of blessing (in the   

                land.

2:18-22:  The Heavenlies (Canaan) are opened by a Divinely ordained Leader. 

2:5-8:      The Heavenlies are a gift of grace to be received by faith.

3:8-10:    The Heavenlies (Canaan) are the sphere of striking divine revelation.

6:12:       The Heavenlies (Canaan) are described as a scene of conflict (the giants          and walled cities).

Through the Blood of Jesus and Faith in His life, death and resurrection, Jesus opened the heaven that we may experience the heavenlies on earth as it is in heaven.  

Unbelievers and scoffers make much of the judgments of Jehovah upon all the inhabitants of the land of Canaan.  Israel was commanded by God to completely exterminate the Canaanite inhabitants of the land including men, women, and children.  The present international rules of engagement prohibit this kind of warfare for all except the enemy.

The Canaanites were by no means innocent.  They were a people cursed by God from their very beginning.  The principles of the Canaanite curse include every manner of sexual immorality and unclean sex spirits.  They were a vile people who practiced the basest forms of immorality.

God waited patiently for hundreds of years, giving the wicked inhabitants of Canaan time to repent before He finally decided to destroy them.  When their iniquity was full, divine judgments fell. 

The battle confronting Israel was not simply a religious war; it was a theocratic war.  Israel was directly ruled by God and the extermination was God’s direct command. No other nation either before or after Israel (in the natural) has been a theocracy. 

The Promised Land is the principle of inheritance:

1. We are to inherit the earth.  – “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”  
2. Jesus secured the Abrahamic Covenant. (Ro. 15:8)
3. Our inheritance is all things.
4. We have been made worthy and fit to inherit (Col. 1: 9-13).
5. The inheritance is in Light (the Word) (Col. 1:12-13).
6. It is in the heavenlies (Spirit: Canaan).
7. It is to be revealed in the last time.
8. It is the divine nature available through the promises (2 Pet. 1:4).
9. It is revealed through the five-fold ministry, especially the Apostle and the Prophet.
10. The Pentecostal experience of the Holy Ghost baptism is the key and the door into our possession.  It is the earnest (pledge, foretaste, down payment, and guarantee) of our full inheritance.
11. We are to inherit Jesus and He is to inherit us.

The book of Joshua is intensely practical.  The land of Canaan is the lifestyle of Romans 14:17. 

The first eight chapters of Joshua reveal eight principles of entering this life:

1. We must see the land and walk in the land.
2. Anyone can inherit the land.
3. Follow valid ministry (Ark) into the land.
4. Don’t forget past deliverances.
5. Change your diet from manna to the mature corn.
6. Victorious faith demands complete obedience.
7. Understand that some will be cut off out of the land.
8. Understand the principle of priesthood responsibility (the total involvement of the entire congregation).

Next week – Chapter 1 – Joshua’s Commission.

Carolyn Sissom, Pastor

Eastgate Ministries Church

www.eastgateministries.com

Scripture from K.J.V. – I entered into the labors of Principles of Present Truth on Joshua by: Kelly Varner.  Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of Bro. Varner (1949-2009); The Canaanite Curse, Pastor Carolyn Sissom, www.eastgateministries.com.