Joshua – Part One

The book of Joshua is about Jesus.  In fact, the name Joshua means "Yahweh is salvation," or "the LORD is salvation." Variant forms of his name include Jehoshua, and Yeshua. It is the Hebrew name of the Greek form of "Jesus." In Numbers 13:16 his name was changed from Oshua to Jeho–shua (Numbers 13:8, 16). The Divine name was incorporated into his. Every event in the book points directly to the Christ of the New Covenant.

We first encounter the man Joshua as a successful conqueror, not slaying innocent people, but in fighting the enemies of the LORD (Exodus 17:8ff). He is a victorious conquering hero. That’s our Jesus. He is the Conqueror of conquerors. He has conquered the unconquerable. He has triumphed over sin and death.

Chapter and verse divisions in the Bible are meaningless. They are not part of the inspired word of God and they often interrupt a narrative, making it harder to put Biblical events in context. 

Nevertheless, we basically see Joshua called and commissioned as a great leader in Chapter 1. His earthly military prowess is unmatched. But it nothing compared to the prowess of Christ as He defeated Satan at the cross of Calvary! 

In Chapter 2 we read the account of Rahab, the only female (other than His mother, Mary) mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy. She is the one referred to when you hear about the Bible’s “crimson thread;” Jesus in every book of the Bible.

Chapter 3 relates to us Israel crossing of the Jordan, led by the priests. When they get to the river, they step into what they think is water, but by the time their feet get to the surface of the water, the river is divided and their feet fall on dry land. The priests stepped out in faith. God fulfilled His end of the bargain. We come to Christ by stepping out in faith. God’s New Covenant promises that when we do so, He will keep His part of His New Covenant and will give us the gift of eternal life.

The account of the crossing of the Jordan continues in chapter 4. The 12 stones are intended to remind us that God had a covenant with Israel that He kept, even when they did not keep their part (which they failed to do often). Chapter 4 concludes with Joshua’s reminder of the power of God and our need to fear Him.

Parenthetically, the word “fear” does NOT mean respect. It means “fear.” If you think you can stand before God, whose right hand, according to Isaiah 48:13, spans the heavens, without genuine fear, you have another think coming. The only way we can stand before Him without fear is to do so in Christ.

Chapter 5 deals with the circumcision of the Israelite men. To sane people, that is an awful thought! It would really incapacitate the men. Under the New Covenant, we are to have our hearts circumcised. For one steeped in damning sin, that is a painful process. First one must recognize his sin, then he must repent of it, a process that results in heart circumcision. Finally, he must trust in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary for His salvation.

We also read of the fall of Jericho in chapter 5 & 6. For most of history, the story of Jericho was considered a fable. Archaeologists gave no credence to its existence, let alone its fall. But in recent years the city’s remnants have been found and the Bible’s rendition of its fall have been vindicated. Not that the Bible needs man’s vindication, but it certainly does make archaeologists look arrogant and stupid. That’s a good thing.

Israel was given a very unusual, and militarily untenable plan to topple the walls. It is done with silence, with walking and with the sound of trumpets, accompanied by shouting. What kind of battle strategy is that? It is not the way most generals would plan an attack. That would be unimaginable.

The way God decided to attack and defeat Satan was no less unimaginable. Who would have thought that God loved us so much that He would become a man, suffer persecution, go through at least 5 illegal trials and be killed on a cross? What kind of a plan is that? It is certainly not a plan most people would imagine.

As God demonstrated at Jericho, He is not confined to our pitiful form of logic to accomplish His will. We serve a God of eternal and infinite imagination. Nature cries it out and the Bible chronicles it from beginning to end.

What a marvelous God we who have received His salvation through Christ serve!

The Covenants in Plain English

Edenic Covenant - Don't eat the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden and you'll enjoy its wonderful attributes forever. Adam and Eve broke this covenant.

Adamic Covenant - Since you ate the fruit, Adam, you will have to work for your sustenance  and Eve, you will have to suffer pain in childbirth.

Noahic Covenant - The rainbow. God will never again destroy the earth with floods ("global warming" or not).

Abrahamic Covenant - You will have more descendants than there are stars in the sky or grains of sand on the beach.

Mosaic Covenant - Keep the Law perfectly and you will remain in God's will and His presence. Israel led the way in breaking this covenant.

Palestinian (Land) Covenant - As my chosen people, you WILL have a land of your own (notwithstanding the events in the Middle East today).

Davidic Covenant - From your descendants will come the Person of my New Covenant, the savior of the world, the Messiah (Christ).

THEN CAME GOD'S NEW COVENANT - The blood of Christ shed for the remission of sin. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

NOT PERFECT, BUT PRETTY GOOD!

James Street, from The Master’s College and Seminary, made this five-minute summary of the Old Testament’s plot:




H/T: The Cripplegate

EIGHT COVENANTS OF THE BIBLE-Under Which Covenant Are You? Part 3

THE NEW COVENANT

The most important thing to know about the NEW COVENANT is that it is not a legal document, it is a PERSON and His name is Jesus.

The second most important thing to know about the NEW COVENANT is that it supersedes and fulfills all aspects of all of the previous covenants.

While there were, indeed, Unconditional Covenants that will never pass away, they are all fulfilled in Christ. He is their completion. Through Him Israel will get their land, the Law of Moses will be satisfied, the promise to Abraham will be fulfilled and the sin of Adam will be atoned for.

In the New Covenant, there is not one iota of the Old Covenant(s) left to deal with. The New Covenant is a NEW DEAL that is instituted by God. It is the completion of God’s character, His love for His creation and His plan for its redemption. There is nothing you can add to it and there is nothing you can take from it.

The New Covenant was predicted in Jeremiah 31:31ff, and referenced many times by the writers of the Old Testament. It was provided directly for Israel and extended to Gentiles.

Galatians is all about those who corrupt the New Covenant by trying to add to it things like circumcision, tithing, rules and regulation. Galatians builds on the principles laid out in Romans. It sets the stage for the book written to the Jews to show them how their hope of a Messiah had been realized in Jesus…the book of Hebrews; specifically chapters 4-10.

Through the New Covenant, sin is more than atoned for, it is forgiven. The forgiveness is not through the shedding of the blood of animals, but of the Son of God. The New Covenant does everything the Mosaic Covenant could not do. The Mosaic Covenant could do no more than cover (atone) for sin. The New Covenant takes sin away.

The New Covenant is not written in stone, on tablets or on paper, it is written in the hearts of believers. It is made manifest by indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It provides a new temple; a temple of believers. Our bodies are now God’s temple.

The New Covenant contains the Law of Moses and fulfills it perfectly.  Nothing, absolutely nothing, needs to be added to it to make it better. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can be taken from it to make it less inclusive.

When Jesus said, “This cup is the New Covenant of my blood,” He was not speaking insignificantly. His shed blood was the very purpose for His coming.

The Bride of Christ, His church, personifies the New Covenant. The church has not replaced Israel, it is a partaker with Israel.

There are those who insist that the Law of Moses, or at least some aspects of it,  must be kept by Christians in order to please God. They are referred to as “Judaizers.” They are people who call themselves Christians, but find it necessary to apply some of the attributes of Old Covenant Judaism to their Christian walk. They call themselves “Bible believers,” but mean by that that they follow the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. That is untenable under the New Covenant.

Far too many “Christians” try to live with one foot in the Old Covenant and one foot in the New Covenant. That is patently impossible. Not one single part of the Old Covenant is relevant to Christians. They have a NEW DEAL in Christ. In Him ALL things have become new, not just select things.

The New Covenant is the basis of the “Dispensation of Grace.” It is an Unconditional Covenant, eternally in effect, between God and anybody who puts his trust in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.

CHRISTIANS!  LET GO OF THE OLD COVENANT! ENJOY THE BLESSINGS, FREEDOM AND REWARDS OF THE NEW COVENANT! LET THE HOLY SPIRIT WRITE GOD’S WILL IN YOUR HEARTS AND DON’T BE BOUND BY ANY ASPECT OF THE OLD COVENANT! YOUR SALVATION IS COMPLETE IN CHRIST!

EIGHT COVENANTS OF THE BIBLE-Under Which Covenant Are You? Part 2

This is the second of a three part series on the covenants of the Bible. People who call themselves Bible believing Christians need to know these things about the covenants in order to realize what they have in Christ.

The Mosaic Covenant contains very extensive detailed information and the Scriptural account of the covenant extends from Exodus 20:1 through Deuteronomy 28:68. The parties of this covenant were God and Israel. The covenant was not made with the Gentiles or the Church, but with Israel only, a point made in Deuteronomy 4:7-8; Psalm 147:10-20 and Malachi 4:4.

The main provision of the Mosaic Covenant was the Law of Moses; 613 commandments of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. 365 of these were things that were forbidden, 248 were things that should be done.

This is a Conditional Covenant. If featured if-then items. If Israel did so-and-so, God would do sucn-and-such.

The key element of the entire Mosaic Law centered around the sacrifice of blood. It is exemplified in Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to your upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes atonement by reason of the life.”

This is a VERY important issue, for Israel was to supply the blood from animals, but some day, God would supply the blood once and for all in His Son, Jesus.

The Mosaic Covenant required five different offerings. You can see them in Leviticus chapters 1-7. There were also diet restrictions, death penalties, signs (such as circumcision) and tokens (such as the Sabbath).

The Law of Moses was not a means of salvation. Salvation always has been, is now and always will be by grace through faith in Christ. The purpose of the Law of Moses is to reveal God’s holiness, to keep Israel a distinct people, to provide a rule of life for Jews, to serve as a wall of partition between Israel and Gentile nations, to reveal and show what sin is and to drive one to faith.

The Mosaic Covenant, being conditional, is no longer in effect. It was fulfilled and came to an end with the death of Messiah. The Law, in its totality no longe has authority over any individual, as noted in Romans 7:5; 10:4 and Galatians 3:19.

In Matthew 5:17-18, we read: “Think not that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law; till all things be accomplished.” Most who use this passage do not accept their own thesis, since they must believe in doing away in some form of many of the commandments of the Law of Moses, but reserve some, arbitrarily, to remain in effect.

The Land Covenant (often referred to as the Palestinian Covenant) is found in Deuteronomy 29:1 through Deuteronomy 30:20. This covenant is often considered part of the Mosaic Covenant, but the Deuteronomy 29:1 passage clearly indicates that it is distinct. It is between God and Israel. It reaffirms the title deed to the Land (now referred to as Palestine) belongs to Israel.  It is still very much in effect.

The Davidic Covenant, was made between God and David. It is important to note that the promise from God was that the THRONE of David would be established forever (not Solomon or his progeny).  This is most important to understand: the Messiah was to come from the Seed of David (I Chronicles 17:11 and many others).  Messiah’s throne, house and kingdom would be forever. In I Chronicles 17:12-15 we see that it is the Messiah who will be established on David’s throne, not the throne itself.

The importance of the Davidic Covenant is that it gives significance to the Seed aspect of the Abrahamic Covenant. Messiah was to come from the Seed of Abraham.

The Davidic Covenant is an Unconditional Covenant. It is God’s plan for the salvation of the creation He loves.

NEXT WE WILL SEE HOW THESE SEVEN COVENANTS ARE FULFILLED IN AND SUPERSEDED BY THE PERSON OF THE NEW COVENANT, SOMETHING SO RADICAL THAT ONLY GOD COULD HAVE THOUGHT OF IT.

EIGHT COVENANTS OF THE BIBLE-Under Which Covenant Are You? Part 1

This begins a three part series on the covenants of the Bible. People who call themselves Bible believing Christians need to know these things about the covenants in order to realize what they have in Christ.

There are two types of covenants in the Bible: Conditional Covenants and Unconditional Covenants. There are two Conditional Covenants and six Unconditional Covenants.

A Conditional Covenant is one that is characterized by an “if-then” relationship. God says, “If you’ll do this, I will do this.” Both the Edenic Covenant and Mosaic Covenant are Conditional Covenants. Israel did not keep their part of the bargain, breaking both covenants.

An Unconditional Covenant is a covenant in which God simply says, “This is what I am going to do, irrespective of what you do.” The Adamic Covenant, the Noahic Covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant, the Palestinian Covenant (also called the land Covenant), and the Davidic Covenants are Unconditional Covenants.

Five of these eight covenants were made exclusively with Israel while the others were made with mankind in general. Only one of the five covenants made with Israel is conditional: the Mosaic Covenant. The other four covenants with Israel are all unconditional: the Abrahamic Covenant, the Land Covenant, the Davidic Covenant, and the New Covenant.

Four things should be noted concerning the nature of the unconditional covenants made with Israel.

First: they are literal covenants and their contents must be interpreted literally as well.

Second: the covenants that God has made with Israel are ETERNAL and are not in any way restricted or altered by time.

Third: it is necessary to re-emphasize that these are UNCONDITIONAL COVENANTS that were not abrogated because of Israel's disobedience; because the covenants are unconditional and totally dependent upon God for fulfillment, their ultimate fulfillment can be expected.

Fourth: these covenants were MADE WITH A SPECIFIC PEOPLE: ISRAEL. This point is brought out by Paul in Romans 9:4: who are Israelites; whose is the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.
This passage clearly points out that these covenants were made with the covenanted people and are Israel's possession.

The Edenic Covenant, made between God and Adam, is summed up in Genesis 2:17, “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.” This covenant was conditional; if you eat, you will die. Adam ate and Adam died, introducing sin into the world.

The Adamic Covenant, made between God and Adam, is summed up in Genesis 3:17-19, “…to Adam he said, Because you have hearkened unto the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, You shall not eat of it: cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil shall you eat of it all the days of your life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, till you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken: for dust you are, and unto dust shall you return.” It is an Unconditional Covenant and is very much in effect today.

The Noahic Covenant, made between God and Noah, is summed up in Genesis 9:13-17, “I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud, and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.” The Noahic Covenant is very much in effect today.

The Abrahamic Covenant, made between God and Abraham, is summed up in Genesis 12:2-3 “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and be you a blessing: and I will bless them that bless you, and him that curses you will I curse: and in you shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” The Abrahamic Covenant is unconditional, it is still very much in effect even though it has remained largely unfulfilled.

Written on the Heart

To which does the Bible point?

You might be old enough to remember when every Vacation Bible School recited Psalm 119:11 in every opening assembly. It says, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” That verse was used to try to get kids interested in memorizing Scripture.

Memorizing Scripture is a good thing, but that verse is not about Scripture memorization. It is about having God’s word in our hearts. The Psalmist was anticipating a time when the word of God was to be written in our hearts as prophesied in Jeremiah 31. It is a precursor to the New Covenant that God would establish with those who would receive Christ as their savior. It is about a time when God’s people would have a new attitude about their relationship with Him; an attitude of the heart.

Except at the “Lord’s Supper” or “Communion,” it is rare for a preacher to even mention the New Covenant, let alone expound on what it is and what it means. Most certainly don’t emphasize it. Yet it is the very cornerstone of who we are as Christians. Jesus proclaimed His blood to be the New Covenant. Paul preached its importance. The book of Hebrews spends FIVE CHAPTERS developing its concept. (Does God spend five chapters on something that we should take or leave as we see fit?)

The old covenant that God had established with His people required obedience to the Old Testament Mosaic law. Because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), the law required that people perform rituals and sacrifices. The prophet Jeremiah predicted that there would be a time when God would make a New Covenant with His people.

"'The day will come,' says the Lord, 'when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. . . . But THIS IS THE NEW COVENANT I WILL MAKE WITH THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL ON THAT DAY,' SAYS THE LORD. 'I WILL PUT MY LAW IN THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. I will be their God, and they will be my people'" (Jeremiah 31:31, 33).

Jesus Christ came to fulfill the law of Moses (Matthew 5:17) and create a new covenant between God and His people. The old covenant was written in stone, but the new covenant is written on our hearts, made possible only by faith in Christ, who shed His own blood to atone for the sins of the world. Luke 22:20 says, "After supper, [Jesus] took another cup of wine and said, 'This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you – an agreement sealed with the blood I will pour out for you.'"

Now that we are under the New Covenant, we are not under the penalty of the law. We are now given the opportunity to receive salvation as a free gift (Ephesians 2:8-9). Through Holy Spirit who lives in all believers (Romans 8:9-11), we can now share in the INHERITANCE OF CHRIST and enjoy a permanent, unbroken relationship with God.

Hebrews 9:15 declares, “For this reason Christ is the mediator of a New Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that He has died as a ransom to set them FREE FROM THE SINS COMMITTED UNDER THE FIRST COVENANT.”