Series: Types of Christ
Title: Joshua the End of Moses
Text: Deuteronomy 34: 1-12; Joshua 1: 1-9
Date: September 26, 2010
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Joshua is a type of Christ Jesus the Lord. In two places in the New Testament, instead of referring to him by the name "Joshua", he is called "Jesus" (Acts 7: 45; Hebrews 4: 8.) That is because the name "Joshua" and the name "Jesus" both mean "salvation" or "Jehovah Salvation." Joshua is a type of Jesus the Savior.
This name--as it applies to Christ the Redeemer--is of utmost significance. Often we find "name" and "salvation" side beside in the same verse of scripture because his name is salvation.
Matthew 1:21: And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Romans 10: 13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Philippians 2: 9: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth; 11 And [that] every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ [is] Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In our text, the children of Israel have been brought to the edge of the promised land. But God would not allow Moses to lead the children of Israel into Canaan. Joshua is the one God gives to lead the children into the promised land. In our text we have the end of Moses' rule over the children of Israel and the beginning of Joshua's rule.
What is the spiritual lesson in this?
John 1: 17: For the law was given by Moses,
Moses stands here as a type of the law. The law can not bring Gods' children into heaven.
John 1: 17:…[but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Joshua is a type of Jesus Christ. God's children shall be delivered into God's promised rest only by Jesus Christ our Savior.
Romans 10:4: For Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Title: Joshua the End of Moses.
I. JESUS THE SAVIOR SERVED UNDER THE LAW
A. As Joshua was servant under Moses, Christ Jesus served under the law of God--both the moral law and the ceremonial law.
Galatians 4: 4: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5: To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (hold place here)
1. Christ Jesus became obedient throughout his life from his birth even unto his death fulfilling the law for his people and honoring God by fulfilling all that is written in the law and the prophets.
2. But the children of God had also broken the law. The righteousness of God's justice had to be satisfied. The wages of sin is death. So Jesus became obedient even unto the death of the cross. He who knew no sin, was willingly made sin by God and suffered under the wrath of God that his children might be made the righteousness of God in him.
3. So through life and death, even the death of the cross, Christ Jesus was obedient, serving under the law and fulfilled all the righteousness of the law as the representative and substitute of the children of God (Philippians 2: 8.)
4. The Lord our Righteousness is the perfect righteousness imputed to his people.
Romans 5:19: For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
II. THOSE BORN OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OF CHRIST OUR GOD ARE NO LONGER UNDER THE LAW BUT ARE LED BY THAT SAME SPIRIT OF CHRIST OUR GOD AND OUR SAVIOR.
Illustration: The apostle Paul gave the illustration of the woman who is married to a man. As long as he lives she is bound to him by law. But if he die, the law bears witness that she is free to be married to another.
Romans 7:4: Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”
A. We see the same in Moses as a type of the law.
Deuteronomy 34: 5: So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD….
B. Now remember, the law and the prophets bear witness that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled by the Faith and Fidelity of Christ Jesus--the scriptures are they which testify of Christ--he is the end of all that is written--the righteousness of God, the righteousness of all who believe.
Romans 3: 21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22: Even the righteousness of God [which is] by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe:
We see this in our text:
Deuteronomy 34: 9: And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him:
Look at that verse carefully. Moses laid his hands on Joshua.
1. The law came by Moses--in Moses laying his hands on Joshua we see the law bearing witness.
2. Moses was also a prophet of God-in Moses laying his hands on Joshua we see the prophets bearing witness.
3. Joshua was full of the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on Joshua--Christ Jesus is the spirit and the wisdom of the law and the prophets--they are they which testify of me. And both the law and the prophets bear witness--lay hand on Christ declaring--Christ Jesus is the Power and Wisdom we have been declaring all along.
The Savior by which God's children shall be delivered into the land of Canaan is Christ Jesus--the law and the prophets were given by the Spirit of Christ, he fulfilled all that he said he would in the law and the prophets, and the law and the prophets all bear witness that he indeed is the only One who shall lead his children into the promised rest.
III. JESUS OUR SAVIOR IS THE GOVERNOR AND COMMANDER OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.
A. When this was revealed in the children of Israel, they hearkened unto this witness, they obeyed Moses by following Joshua.
Deuteronomy 34: 9:…and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.
1. So it is when the law and the prophets--the gospel of Christ--the righteousness of God is revealed in a sinner--they hearken unto the law and the prophets--and obey by believing on Christ Jesus our Joshua.
Galatians 4: 6: And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7: Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
2. They were under the rule of Moses, even as we were under the law of God. Moses served God's purpose even as the law served God's purpose. When Moses died, God revealed that they were no longer under the rule of Moses, but under the rule of Joshua. The children obeyed and followed Joshua. Even so the born again child of God obeys the law and the prophets, we no longer look to the law to deliver us but we are under Christ and trust him alone to deliver us.
3. Get this: when God reveals Jesus our Savior in a sinner, those born of the Spirit of God pass from death to life, from under the dead bondage of the letter of the law to the righteousness of faith, from under the dominion of the law to the direct leadership of Jesus Christ whose Spirit dwells in us, to him whose name is Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins.
Galatians 3: 23…before Faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the Faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24: Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster…unto Christ, that we might be justified by Faith. 25 But after that Faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
B. It is not the believer who is without law to God. It is those who are turn again to the law who are without law to God.
1. The believer obeys everything the law declares by slipping under the light and easy yoke of Christ our King, under the direct leadership and rule of Christ Jesus who is our God, who is our Life and who is the total fulfillment of the law for us (1 Corinthians 9:21.)
2. We are passed from death to life, from bondage to complete redemption--if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law (Galatians 5: 18.)
Galatians 4: 7: Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ….9: But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Do you not hear the law? Have you not heard Moses? Hearken unto the law and the prophets, hearken unto the gospel of Christ, hearken and follow Jesus by faith in and turn not back.
C. Vested with complete power and authority from God, Joshua led Israel to victory and possession of the land.
1. Our Lord Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.
2. He has all authority in heaven and earth
3. He has power over all flesh
4. He shall save his people from their sins.
D. Joshua led Israel into Canaan
1. Moses brought them to within sight of it but he could not take them into it. Joshua took them into it.
Romans 8: 3: For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh;
Tthey mind law, outward obedience, their pretense of discipline is a cloak of maliciousness which will result in total self-righteousness.
Romans 8: 5:…but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
We declare to you what I am saying to you today--point you away from each other to Christ
Romans 8: 6: For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. 7: Because the carnal mind [is] enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
A great deal of religion claims to believe sovereign grace but call it whatever name you want, call it grace as most do, in their works of minding the things of the flesh to attract, to constrain, and to produce it is nothing more than the carnal yoke of the law.
Romans 8: 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
2. Sinners are not made obedient by pointing them to Moses only to Joshua, not to Sinai only to Zion, not to the flesh only to Christ Jesus our Savior. That is how you learn the discipline of forgiveness, of love, of mercy, against which there is no law. THOSE WHO ARE CARANLLY MINDED HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY HAVE THEIR MINDS SET ON.
E. Joshua conquered all their enemies.
1. Christ has conquered Satan.
2. Christ has conquered sin.
3. Christ has conquered death.
Right now--We are more than conquerors through him that loved us (Romans 8: 7.)
F. Every promise God made to physical Israel was fulfilled at the hands of Joshua.
1. Everything God promises to his elect are fulfilled in and by the Lord Jesus Christ. Do you believe Christ Jesus is able? Abraham believed what he promised he was able to perform, do you believe him?
2 Timothy 1:12:…I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Hebrews 7:25: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Paul believed:
Philippians 3: 21:…he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Because he believed our Savior is able, rather than come with the rod of the law, he came with this word of discipline:
Philippian 3:15: Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
What rule is that?
Galatians 6:14: But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Rather than pointing you to you, rather than yoking you into outward obedience so I can glory in your fleshly appearance--rather than that I will glory in the cross of Christ, set before you this gospel of my Savior, in whose blood is able to purge his children from dead works, who is able to subdue all things unto himself, who shall reveal even this unto you through the power of his gospel. Why not glory in those earthly things? Why not turn again to Moses? Why not turn again to the plains of Moab?
Galatains 6: 15: For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16: And as many as walk according to this rule, peace [be] on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body {not the cutting marks of those who tried to bring me into subjection by their chains and whips, but} the marks of the Lord Jesus.
These marks: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:
Application: When you hear of this great Savior, Jesus Christ, who is able--doesn't it make you want to grind your old taskmasters whip into powder. Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. How often I play the harlot by turning again to the weak and beggarly elements! But I have this great hope as I read about my Savior typified in Joshua. When he came to Rahab the harlot, when he saw that scarlet thread in her window, he spared her house. So Christ is merciful and faithful to save all sinners who cast all their care upon him, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present [you] faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, [be] glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen (Jude 24-25.)"