179
T H E
K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
conscious helplessness, days of separation unto God,. in preparation for the crisis which is always coming to be lievers. What happened during the period of waiting? The spies had been sent to Jericho to spy out the land? There they found one of God’s waiting ones, knowing only that God had delivered Israel from Pharaoh’s hand, and on that simple faith in Him, God planned to save her and hers. Many lessons could be learned from this incident, but we can only call attention to Rahab’s recognition of God and to her faith (Heb. 11:31; Jas. 2:25). She entered in with God’s people to possess the land, as we Gentiles share with Israel in the blessings promised them, no more as strangers and aliens but fellow-citizens. God’s abiding-place was in Israel (Ex. 25:22) where the blood was sprinkled (Lev. 16:14) and where the tables of the covenant were (2 Chron. 6:11). The cloud had dis appeared. The ark takes its place. They are now to walk by faith. The command is “Separate yourselves. Keep your eye on the ark. Follow it.” Three thousand feet separated the ark from Israel so that all could see. Nothing must come between them and God, and nothing must come between Christ and us. Pilgrims find a new path each day. (b) The Promise of God, vs. 7-13 “Come hither and hear the words of the Lord your God.” This is the need today (1 Thess. 2:13). The living God, the Lord of all the earth, is speaking. His promise had been given. All enemies would be subdued and swept away. The Promised Land was before them. God was their Leader—not the arkS-but, the God who dwelt in the ark. He must guide; He must help; He must supply; He must hold back the waters; He must make good His promises. We must en dure as seeing Him who is invisible (Heb. 11:26, 27; Mark 9:23; Luke 1:37). (c) The Power of God, vs. 14-17. At day-break the of ficers passed through the camp and gave orders for the crossing of the river. The procession was formed. The priests, with the ark first, moved on, but there was no change in the flow of the water until the bare feet of the priests touched the water, clothed in white, bearing the ark on their shoulders. Beneath the covering was the golden lid and bending cherubim. As the priests went on, the wa ters went back, and somewhere up the river flowed into the lowlands, the waters below hurrying on their journey and leaving the bed of the river dry. Waters flow according to God’s laws, and God makes new laws when He pleases. As Jesus introduced a new law when He walked on the waters, so here God exercised His power and authority. In the center of the bed of the river the priests tarried until all had passed over, men, women and children,—mur muring, fault-finding doubting people,—all had to see the power of God manifested. What a sign was this of His ability to drive out and subdue their enemies before them! God was there in the midst Himself. Men put limits upon the ability of God to handle His own forces. They seek to bring God down to the level of their own idea of what He ought to do. God’s forces are not fetters that bind men. They are His creatures to carry out His Word. (d) The Memorial Stones, 4:1-12. The lesson here is simple. The twelve memorial stones left in the bed of the river, and the twelve on the land midway between the river and Jericho, were God’s witnesses to the deliverance of Is rael and of His guidance and leading in their journey to the Promised Land. The lesson to us is one well worth thinking about. We
(1) THE COMMISSIONING AND COMMANDING OF THE NEW DEADER, Chapters 1, 2 “The Lord spake unto Joshua,” 1:1. (a) A Successor Selected. Joshua is about 83 years of age at this time. He was a descendant of Joseph, through Ephraim, born in Goshen, of Egypt, while Israel was in slavery. God chose him to be the successor of Moses (Num. 27:18-23). He was a wise and successful leader. He conquered and divided the land and died at the age of 1 1 0 . Trained under Moses, he was a man of action, a good executive, learning to command by first being obedient to commands. God chooses as He will. Nothing is more helpful than a study of those men who have been chosen of God to carry out His purposes and plans. Joshua was a man of convic tion—spiritually-minded. He was a man of courage—not afraid to stem the tide. A man of control—his faith was fixed in God. Note God’s orders: “Moses my servant is dead; now, therefore, arise and go over this Jordan.” God now has an other servant, as Elisha succeeded Elijah; Solomon suc ceeded David; Paul followed Stephen. The emblem of Joshua was a spear. (Josh. 8:15) The task before Joshua was tremendous. The Canaan- ites were a great nation, highly cultured, the rival of Egypt and Assyria. No easy task was given to Joshua. It re quired courage, persistence and faith. (b) Success Assured. God’s command was, “Go for ward.” The land was on the other side. There is no rest on this side. (Phil. 3:12). Possession was promised (v. 3). There would be no failure, “I have given.” They were to possess what they took by faith. The metes and bounds were fixed, but alas, Israel never took the territory which was assigned to them. They failed, as we fail, to possess their possessions, in full. (1 Ki. 4:24; Judges 2:1-3) God has given us all things (1 Cor. 3:21) but how few we really possess (1 Cor. 3:21; Eph. 1:13). (c) The Secret, of Success. We have here a three-fold exhortation. Joshua was to be strong. 1. Because of God’s Grace, (v. 6 ). The land was promised them. It was theirs. God sealed His promise with an oath. How graciously He always deals! 2. Because of God’s Word (v. 7; Isa. 8:20; 1 Pet. 4:11). We are to keep God’s Wprd in mind,—medi tate on it-funemorize it. 3. Because of God’s Command (v. 9; Isa. 12:2). His command assures success. (1 Cor- 6:13; John 10:28). (2) THE CROSSING OF THE JORDAN, and MEMORIAL STONES, Chapters 3, 4. “All the Israelites passed over on dry ground,” 3:17. Israel moved from Shittim, on an upper plateau, running along the line of the Jordan to a lower level near the river (v. 1). They remained here three days, facing the Prom ised Land and facing, also, the obstacles, absolutely help less. The river was swollen by the melting snows of the moun tains of Lebanon, and at this time it was perhaps 500 feet wide. When the morning came, God told Joshua that He would magnify him in the sight of all Israel. (a) The Presence of God, vs. 1-6. Here is another of those graphic pictures which should be painted in words which will fasten the truth upon the minds of the pupils. A three days’ pause had taken place (v. 11). (“Three days” are always suggestive of death and resurrection). What the church and every Christian needs is a period of waiting upon the Lord,—days of heart-searching, days of
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker