In Joshua chapter one the
children of Israel were preparing to enter the land God
promised to Abraham,
then Isaac and Jacob. The land was already theirs. God had given it to them,
but they had to take possession of it. Forty years earlier their parents could
have taken possession, but they instead wandered in the wilderness all that
time because of their unbelief.
Notice also that Moses was
not permitted to lead them into the land because of his disobedience, but there
is also another reason. Moses was the Law giver. The law can only lead one to
the edge of the Jordon, but it cannot take us through to the land beyond. The
law is our schoolmaster leading us to Christ.
“Wherefore the law was our
schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But
after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all
the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been
baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there
is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one
in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs
according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:24-29)
The law is also an accuser. It
says, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23a)
However, Jesus by His grace
says, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
(Romans 6:23b)
God provided a list of
blessings for Israel if they would obey His law (Deuteronomy 28:1-14.) He also
provided curses for disobeying His law (Deuteronomy 28:15-68.) That is the
essence of the law. Obey and be blessed, but disobey and be cursed. If Israel
had just obeyed, they could have avoided many curses that fell upon them.
I thank God often that I live
in the age of grace. God’s grace can be seen in every age of course, but the
point is, we are not under the law. (Romans 6:14-15; Galatians 5:18) We are
under grace.
“For by grace are ye saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Who led Israel into the
Promised Land? We all know that would be Joshua. Also, his Hebrew name is the
same as Jesus’ Greek name, meaning “savior.” Joshua had to be the one to lead
them through the Jordon River to the Promised Land, since he is a type of
Christ. Only Jesus can lead us to the promised land of new birth in Him.
When Joshua led Israel
through the Jordan River to the Promised Land God held the waters back as He
did with the Red Sea when Moses took Israel through on dry ground. It was
during the flood season at that time, so the Canaanites were shocked and very
frightened by this great miracle of Israel’s God.
As the children of Israel
were going from one river bank to the other side, the priest carrying the ark
remained standing in the middle of the Jordan. When all had gone through, the
priest carried the ark to shore and immediately the waters closed up.
When Joshua led them through
the Jordon River, the Israelites were identified with Christ (the Ark) and the
land they were entering. When a person today is born again in Jesus, that
person is identified with Jesus and all the power of Heaven. Keep in mind that
Canaan (this world) is not our promised land. Our home is in Heaven and our
strength is in Jesus Christ, just as it was with Israel.
“For our conversation
(citizenship) is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord
Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 3:20 note is mine)
The Promised Land consists of
300,000 square miles (another source says 200,000). Israel has never inhabited
more than 30,000 square miles at any one time from my understanding. Even today,
they only inhabit 8,019 square miles and now I’ll work my way to the point I
wish to make.
Israel owned the land at that
time and they still do. All of the land, 300,000 square miles, was theirs for
their enjoyment. All they had to do was trust God and obey Him. If they had
done so, they could have enjoyed a land larger than the state of Texas, but
instead they settled for a piece about the size of New Jersey.
Don’t you think we
Christians, the Church, are a lot like Israel has been? Think about these two
Scripture references in relationship to what I have discussed to this point.
“That he would grant you,
according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his
Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that
ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all
saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the
fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be
glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.
Amen.” (Ephesians 3:16:21)
“But my God shall supply all
your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)
We have much more than
300,000 square miles of land that is ours. We have all of Heaven. We are
children of Almighty God. We are co-heirs with Jesus Christ (Romans 8:17). All
the power and blessings of our Father are at our disposal.
God has made it so very easy
and simple for us in the Church Age. We do not have to adhere to the law to
receive blessings and avoid curses. Jesus took our curses upon Himself. He just
requires that we trust Him with everything and follow Him.
After a visit with his close
friend Henry Varley, Dwight L. Moody kept hearing the words, “The world has yet
to see what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him.” Later, while
attending a service of Charles Spurgeon, he realized that it wasn’t Spurgeon
preaching behind the pulpit; it was God speaking through him. Then he thought
again about, “The world has yet to see what God will do with a man fully
consecrated to him,” and realized that the quote says “a” man, not any
particular man, but any man. He then said to himself, “Well, I will be that
man.”
Mr. Moody was poor and
untrained. He was not ordained, but he was committed to Jesus Christ. He
reached two continents for Christ and that had not been accomplished since
George Whitefield did so over 100 years earlier.
Perhaps we should ask
ourselves, “What could God do with me to glorify His name if I would just be
totally committed to Him? Can He use me? Would He use me?” The questions demand
a “Yes!” answer.
The Israelites only took possession
of about 10% of what they already owned. Through today, they have never enjoyed
90% of their land.
How much of what God has
provided for us have we left unattended?
The law led us to Jesus. By
faith, we walked through the Jordan with Him and are on the other side. We have
been born again. We have been baptized by His Spirit and carry His name. We are
identified with Him.
There is nothing Jesus cannot
accomplish in one of His own who is totally committed to Him.
“The world has yet to see
what God will do with a man fully consecrated to him.”
Most of us accomplish very
little of the 100% that is ours. Jesus said of us, “And other fell on good
ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth,
some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.” (Mark 4:8)
Every single Christian has
the potential to produce 100% through Christ, but the potential is not in us.
It is in Jesus, and He can accomplish much in those who are willing.
Grant Phillips
Email: Phillip5769@twc.com
Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com
Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html
