Joshua Overview Part 1 - The Accomplishment of the Pentateuch (5 Books of Promise)

 

1) God’s word (promise) => Thoughts => Glory God, Benefit People, Build Kingdom

 

Are our lives rooted in God’s promise, or do conditions and obstacles along the walk of our daily life easily sway us away from the promise? All the conditions and things that happen to us are fulfillments of the promise. Have we discovered this? This is not the same as the positive thinking that is encouraged in the world.

 

2) Covenant with God => Real belief, real love, real submission

 

We may have always been swayed to and fro in some areas. However, if we come before God despite all our present conditions to really believe in Him, the things that sway us will stop. By the promise, we are not bound by any requirements or limitations to see God’s guidance in our events; but God exaggerates the promise more than any of us. However, amidst our difficulties, we must realize that God never promised us a smooth-going life. Instead, God asked us whether we really want to follow Him, not by fixing our lives on a rigid path, but by following Him in having joy in whatever He gives. This is because the joy received is a result of the discovery that difficulties is His very providence and the reason for such difficulties is His inheritance for us.

 

3) Slow

 

The one who knows the promise and really believes in Him is not afraid of being slow, be it in evangelism doors or in church revival. The crux is whether we are able to see the promise being fulfilled in small but new things always.

 

Book of the Law (Moses 5 books) -> Conquer (Joshua)

= 4 gospelizations -> Conquer (Acts)

 

Joshua is the book of Acts in the Old Testament and Acts is the book of Joshua in the New Testament.

 

 

Books of the Law (Books of Promise)

= Pentateuch/Torah

 

1) Genesis -> 4 encounters: creation, original problem, flood (judgment), Babel (World)

-> Abraham (salvation), Isaac (Blessing), Jacob (Sanctification), Joseph (Conquer)

 

Genesis is God’s providence to Abraham with the background of the 4 encounters - creation, original problem, flood (judgment), and Babel (World). Out of these, Abraham was saved, Isaac represents all who must receive blessings after salvation, Jacob represents all who will be sanctified, and Joseph represents how a blessed person who is sanctified will surely conquer the world. Sanctification only comes when Jacob restores the altar of Bethel, which God calls him to go to repeatedly.

 

God used the 4 encounters and the 4 people in one family to talk about the structure/ideology of our belief in God.

 

2) Exodus: Passover (Born again), Red Sea (Victory: Be still and See, Tabernacle (Prayer), Wilderness (Living), Canaan (Inheritance)

 

Exodus talks about the Passover, where the person is born again by God. Then it continues to talk about the Red Sea, which represents Victory by the method of being still and see. It is about putting down the restless spirit and just quietly confirm/test/approve to see the already victorious working of God. Sometimes after a ministry, when I see that brothers and sisters have not responded decisively to the Lord despite having heard the word of God, my emotions will take hold of me. I went to the Lord alone without confiding in anyone because people would be even weaker. The Lord told me quietly that brothers and sisters had not yet reached my timetable, but however, the promise of the Lord will overcome the weaknesses of their lives. Exodus also continues on the tabernacle (Prayer), Wilderness (Living), and Canaan (Inheritance).

 

3) Levites: 5 sacrifices: Burnt offering, Grain offering, Peace/Fellowship Offering, Sin offering, Trespass/Guilt/Restitution offering

 

This is worship and prayer.

 

Then we have to be central to the altar as the principle of living:

 

4) Numbers: Principle in living, Sanctification, Inheritance

 

The moving camp of Israel had a moving structure with 12 tribes stationed all around central to the tabernacle, ark of covenant, and priests.

 

Yes, sometimes we are weak and hang down there, but with the principle in living, we would have a destination to walk towards and this will protect us from becoming weaker. Sanctification: remove one by one the things that cause us weaknesses repeatedly and it will overwhelm us to see doors open. Inheritance: God calls us for the purpose of getting the first love (born again love) every day. This means not to fear any problems but to see how God opens paths for us through all problems. In abounding problems, the tears in sowing are overcome when we are able to have joy in seeing God only. God calls us out from Exodus and what we have just mentioned regarding the purpose of what God calls us is the 5 mysteries of Exodus.

 

5) Deuteronomy (Repeat -> Fixed perspective): History, Law, Prophecy

 

God has prepared for us future disciples and ministries. However, God wants us to have fixed perspective first. Therefore God repeats in our life and towards our lives. How does God give us the fixed perspective? It is through the history, the law, and the prophecy.

 

 

=> The bible says that the Canaan people are in fear of Israelites because of Israel has the promise of Genesis, Exodus, Levites, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. What does Satan fear us for? Unless we have the books of promise in our background, Satan will continue to happily attack us.

 

 

Passage Reading: Joshua 1:1-9

 

Moses had died, so now God had chosen an heir. God told them that they would not die in the wilderness but inherit Canaan. “Be of good courage”, said the Lord. This was because God never promised an easy conquest, but He told Joshua that he would face a lot of difficulties. If only Joshua kept the promise (not law as the Lord never gives law) in his mind always, He will be with him.

 

 

1. Promise -> Fixed Perspective

= Acts 1:1-14

<1-2> Jesus Christ

<3> Death and Resurrection: Kingdom of Heaven

<4-7> Wait upon the Holy Spirit

<8> Power -> The ends (4 gospelizations)

<9-11> Come again: Reward

<13-14> Disciples joined constantly in prayers

Why do people go to healing ministries, or Christian books expositing about an area of living? This is actually a degenerated metamorphosis away from promise. What is really promise? It is that no matter how we feed our babies or do our work, God is the one who establishes all our work and hands. Joshua 1:1-9 is too important to skip. If we start our living, whether to work, or whatever not by promise, there will be no returns.

 

1) Already given to you

 

When Abraham did not have anything to start with, God showed him the stars: Individual, family, region, age gospelization.

 

2) God is with us

 

There is no blessing that is greater than seeing God with us.

 

3) Be strong (keep)

 

4) Pray (continuous, scheduled, concentration)

 

 

2. Evidences -> Witness

= Acts 2:1-4 Holy Spirit descended, 15 nations

 

Are there evidences only when you have been well? No. Isn’t there God’s work even when you are weak? But the problem is whether we have a fixed perspective. By this, we will then able to be set apart from others. This is the meaning of Isaiah 60, “Arise and Shine!”

 

1) Spies (prostitute)

 

After restoring promise, the spies that were sent to spy out the land now came back with a positive report. And how was it done? It was through a prostitute, giving a report that all the people had fear in their hearts when they heard of the God of Israel.

 

2) Crossing Jordan River

 

What is evidence? It is crossing the river when it is most impossible. Evidence is when we have joy in seemingly impossible situations.

 

3) Remember

 

When they were crossing Jordan River, they took stones from the middle of the Jordan River to show their descendants. They left something behind for this lesson so that they would not forget. Why shall we not bring back the evidences that we remembered of God’s conquest? If we do so, we should do so with pride.

 

4) Circumcision (Baptism)

 

Their ancestors had been circumcised before crossing the Red Sea. But now, they crossed the Jordan River and were circumcised in front of their enemies! There is absolutely no logic in this. What God looks at is the heart of discernment, rather than whether we are stronger, have better conditions or are wiser than our counterparts.

 

 

3. Conquer <6:1-13:7> <6:1-27>

= Acts 2:5-47, <42-47> break bread

 

1) Circle the City = Play

 

God just calls us to play around when we are with our company mates, or they may fear and run away from us. God tells us not to fight against our colleagues for the gospel. But when we are with people that we are always with, even our small groups, we just keep our fixed perspectives with us.

 

2) Blow Trumpet: Message, Witness

 

When the time is ripe, just share and witness. Testimonies always overcome the hardness of men.

 

3) Ark of covenant: Church message

 

If we hold on to the church message through the week, we will surely be successful.

 

4) Those who hold weapons to walk in front: Disciples

 

The congregation of Israel could stand boldly only because of the strong leaders in front..

 

5) 13 times: God’s timetable

 

In God’s perfect timetable, if you circle for only 12 times, the wall of the city will not fall. There is an emphasis that we must know the timetable of God (what God is doing) well.

 

6) Everyday circle, 24 hours ministry

 

Those who circle every day, or take up the ministry of small groups or in word ministry in battle daily will be strong. Therefore, do not stop your ministry.

 

7) Workers (family): Rahab

Such a family (of workers of God) has parents and children who will continue to follow the Lord no matter what the conditions are. Such members of the family will have a lot of blessed people network. Wherever Paul went, he searched for such a family.

 

8) <10:6-14> Power of Prayer: discover God’s doing

 

The sun stood still. Surely the Lord had told Joshua about stopping the sun. Therefore the power of prayer is not about the power that comes from your laying of hands, but that you have discovered the perfect will of God.

 

 

4. Inheritance (Division of Land)

= Acts 3-28 Jerusalem, Antoich, Macedonia (Philippi, Corinth, Ephesians), Rome

 

Joshua conquered 7 tribes, 31 kings.

 

1) Together

 

Though we may have goodness and some possessions in life at every step in our lives, it is not the most important. But the most important thing is being together.

 

2) 12 tribes => All have their inheritance

 

3) Rewards <14:6-15>

 

Some received more and some received lesser. Jesus Christ is from the line of David, the tribe of Judah. Judah (Caleb) received the most inheritance. Why did he receive the most? The reason is not because he fought more, but it is because he followed the Lord most faithfully. If you are able to receive peace to follow the Lord despite your circumstances, you are ‘Caleb”. If we are able to find a believer like Caleb in our midst, will we not give all our blessings to him?

 

 

5. Admonishment

 

1) History

 

2) Law

 

3) Prophecy

 

 

In conclusion

 

1) Life structure/ideology

 

This is the promise.

 

2) Living method: Prayer (Rely on Holy Spirit)

 

If we are busy and have no time for prayers, this means we have not started praying. But the busier one is, the more prayers there should be. Such practice can happen only when the life structure/ideology has been fixed in his mind. When God tells us to let go and let Him do His work, do we have the structure of the principle (reason), then the spiritual (faith), and then the soul (emotions) to respond to Him? Why is it that we cannot translate seeing God-driven works in our lives to being able to express God’s works?

 

3) Slow

 

Be slow so as to rely on the Holy Spirit.

 

Taken from Discipleship Training on 8^th September 2006, Joshua Overview Part 1.