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Conquest of Promised Land
Forewords
Nation of Israel was under Egyptians power, in which they were forced as slaves to build kingdom of Egypt. Egypt describes world in the Bible, which is slavery of the sin. God saw misery of His nation in Egypt and heard their shout and saw their anguish in the land of Egypt. Therefore God decided to release His nation and promised to lead the nation of Israel to the land, where flows milk and honey. Nation of Israel couldn't’ serve voluntarily God in the Egypt, because nation of Israel was forced in slavery to build the land of Egypt, which was as the target of worship of many idols. God led the nation of Israel away from Egypt, so that they could serve freely their God, who is Creator of all the earth, Almighty, God.
Wandering of nation of Israel towards promised land is also exemplary to the congregation of new covenant, which also gets freedom from the slavery of this world and departure command towards kingdom of God, to the land where just ones lives. We are going to follow now wandering of nation of Israel towards the conquest of Promised Land.
Spies in the land of Canaan
Nation of Israel had followed the Lord in the wilderness and they had come to the wilderness of Paran, whereby they camped. In Paran the Lord spoke to Moses saying: " Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them." Moses functioned according to the command of the Lord and sent these men to spy the land of Canaan: of the tribe of Reuben, Shammua the son of Zaccur. Of the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat the son of Hori. Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb the son of Jephunneh. Of the tribe of Issachar, Igal the son of Joseph. Of the tribe of Ephraim, Oshea the son of Nun. Of the tribe of Benjamin, Palti the son of Raphu. Of the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel the son of Sodi. Of the tribe of Joseph, namely, of the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi the son of Susi. Of the tribe of Dan, Ammiel the son of Gemalli. Of the tribe of Asher, Sethur the son of Michael. Of the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi the son of Vophsi. Of the tribe of Gad, Geuel the son of Machi.
And Moses called Oshea the son of Nun, Joshua. On this name change has important position in announcement of the Bible. We leave this name change to the end of this teaching, in which we process it in the light of the Bible, salvation- announcement.
What kind of Promised Land is?
Moses commanded men to look what kind of Promised Land is and what kind of nation there lives. The people who are living on it, whether it is strong or feeble; whether it is few or many. And what the land is, whether it is fat or lean; whether wood is in it or not. Moses commanded to them that they should be good courage and bring of the fruit of the land.
Congregation of new covenant gets also the same request, watch inheritance given by the Lord. You can trust to promises of the Lord and be participant from loveliness of kingdom of God. Watch by scrutinize and praying, when you read your Bible, there is promising and accurate description from your inheritance land, which the Lord has promised give to you.
So spies went to the wilderness of Sin, from which they arrived to Hebron. From there they found vines, in which was bunch of grapes. They cut these bunch of grapes with them, which was so plenty of that they put them to staff, which two man carried. They took also with them pomegranates and figs.
In Promised Land grew plenty of all kinds of fruits, which God had reserved to Israelites for the nourishment of their body. God has reserved to His nation spiritual nourishment and body’s nourishment. This is a comprehensive indication from good care of God towards His children. Spies returned after forty days and gave account from their journey in the land of Canaan.
Description of Promised Land
Travelers of the land of Canaan showed fruits of the land and said that land indeed flows milk and honey. They told that people who lived in the land are fierce, and the cities are fortified, very great. And also they had seen the children of Anak there. When the nation of Israel heard this account they started to grumble against Moses.
The Promised Land is lovely and beautiful, in which grows plenty of nourishing fruits. But nation of Promised Land was powerful and the cities are fortified, very great. There were also descendants of gigantic tribe. This tells to us, that inheritance land of the Lord is extremely lovely, but enemy in other words satan has surrounded it by his power, lest child of God wouldn't get it. Satan has captured people to do his evil will and by way of this imprisonment he makes his all, lest nobody would get his/her part from the lovely inheritance of the Lord. Nation of Israel forgot, that they were released from the slavery of the sin and they were now in service of Almighty God, to whom nothing is impossible, not even leading of nation of Israel to Promised Land.
Have you got already your part from inheritance, which is to you as reserved? Have you got satan to frighten, that haven’t own your whole inheritance? God is also Almighty in your life and He has also power to lead you, that you can own your part from your inheritance. If you do not grumble against God nor you don’t agree to receive your inheritance so watch example of Caleb’s and Joshua’s, in which affected loyalty and obedience towards the Lord and His commands.
Caleb tries to calm down nation, lest it not grumble against Moses. Caleb said: says: " Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." Caleb trusted possibilities of God, that's why he tried also encouraging others to trust to God and His help. Caleb’s trust to God and His possibilities prevented insurrection and grumbling from his heart. Nation of Israel has not been learned yet trust to God, that's why they rebel against God. Nation of Israel wandered in their own power in the wilderness, that's why they feared conquest of the Promised Land.
When promises of God start to become full in our life, so then satan violent attacks and tries to bear fear into your heart that you wouldn’t own those promises, which God has promised to you. If you trust to God and His help so then you can own promises of God in your life. But if you wander with your own power, so then satan gets you fear on that very moment whereby promises of God are going to fulfill in your life.
Grumbling against God
But those men, who had been with Caleb in the land of Canaan said: " We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. "
When saying like this they sent out an evil report of the land which they had spied out to the sons of Israel, saying: " The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eat up the inhabitant thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight."
Unbelief and consequences of trusting to manpower were catastrophically, in that as this consequence entire congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night. All Israelites started to grumble against Moses and Aaron. The whole nation murmured to Moses and Aaron: " Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would God we had died in this wilderness! And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? Was it not better for us to return into Egypt? "
And they said one to another: “Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.”
When has come time to filling of God’s promises, so then he who trust power of the flesh will face same attitude which was in nation of Israel in the wilderness. Satan can blind some people hearts in that way that they think about is better die as live. That lovely land of promises changes for the land, where there is pain and devastation, in those cases that trust their own flesh and not power of God. He who trusts his flesh is unable to see that loveliness, which is in the Promised Land and he can’t resort to help of God, and he can’t have his part from heavenly inheritance. He who trusts his flesh wants return to Egypt (the world), because on the manpower and not with human wisdom can’t own inheritance of the Lord. He who is under his flesh wants to displace those leaders which God has chose, who encourage others to go inside inheritance land of the Lord. He who is under his flesh selects for himself such teachers and leaders, who lead people to the slavery of Egypt and accept idols worshiping.
Sin sticks as we clearly see. Spies infected their own unbelief to whole nation and they make evil report from lovely land and polluted whole nation. Sin is like an amoeba, which extend its tentacle every place, only through the faith tentacles of sins break. Sin and unbelief are as infectious diseases, which easily pollute others heart. Be you faithful to God and "infect" the faith to God to the hearts of your neighbours.
He who trust to God preserves from all misguidance, to which astray he who trusts his own flesh. Trust to the Lord, He leads you safely all the way there to own your inheritance. If you trust to God, so then enemy is forced to withdraw, because you are living your life with God and satan must flee. Be so trustful to God, He lead you to good land
Because of Israelites insurrection Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the sons of Israel. Moses and Aaron felt large pain in their heart because of Israelites fall. There is an example also to us. If we see sister’s or brother’s fall, it would produce also to our heart health pain on their behalf. Shepherds of the congregation must be also same attitude towards others. You who have got calling of shepherd, do you feel pain on behalf of those sheep, which fall to the sin? If you want only enjoy as being leader nor you don’t feel any health pain on behalf of those sheep, which fall to the sin, so you must first repent, that you can help others to go forward in the way of the faith.
Joshua and Caleb tore their garments and began to speak to the nation: " The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not". After this entire congregation said to stone them with stones, but the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation, to all the sons of Israel.
He who is under his flesh is unable to see loveliness of God’s inheritance land. He who is under his flesh sees only those hindrances, which satan set ahead of people. But he who trusts to God sees in the same way as Joshua and Caleb saw. Inheritance of the Lord is extremely lovely to him who trusts to God. Satan tries to prevent to him who trusts to the Lord. Through trust and the faith we understand, that satan must flee, because with us is the Lord. Is futile to afraid from the enemy, because the Lord is with us.
He who is under the flesh demand stoned those who believe and have trust to the Lord. But don't be frightened those who wanna stone you, because when you are stoned for your faith the glory of God surrounds you. If you are reviled in the name of Christ, you are blessed, because "the Spirit of God and of glory rests on you, 1 Peter 4:13,14.
When glory of the Lord appeared to Israelites, so the Lord spoke to Moses; " How long will this people provoke me? and how long will it be ere they believe me, for all the signs which I have shewed among them? I will smite them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of thee a greater nation and mightier than they". As intention being a child of God is believing to God. If we don't believe to God, just repeatedly rebel against Him, so God can take away His mercy away from our life. Yes it is true, because the gospel has been preached for obedience of faith to all disciples of Jesus Christ, Romans 1:5; 16: 25,26. Life of the faith is obedience towards God. God saves people from the power of the sin and satan, that mercy of God would grow us, that we would reject ungodly life and carnal lusts (sin) and we would live virtuously, righteously and godly prevent in this world. Because Jesus has redeemed those, which believe to God, because He cleans us from the all iniquity, so that we would maintain good works. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God before prepared that we should walk in them, Tit 2:11-14; Eph 2: 10.
After this Moses appeals mercy to the nation of Israel, lest God would dispose it. God answer to Moses: " have pardoned according to thy word: But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD. Because all those men which have seen my glory, and my miracles, which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten times, and have not hearkened to my voice; Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers, neither shall any of them that provoked me see it: But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land wherein he went; and his seed shall possess it. “. God forgave and not destroyed nation of Israel. But they, which had seen the glory of God and His miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness and were already ten times teased the Lord neither been heard His voice. Not one of them however we'll see inheritance land of the Lord. But in Caleb who was servant of the Lord in him was another spirit, because Caleb faithfully followed the Lord, so to him God promised to lead inheritance land of the Lord.
This is serious speech to you and to me, for promises of God can’t own otherwise as through the faith. Rebels and teasers of the Lord remain outside God’s promises. Now to us can harass this judgement of God, when He left rebels outside of promise. Reason for leaving outside of promise was continuous and persistent rebelling and teasing of the Lord, even though God had made so many miracles in the middle of the nation. Question was so continuous rebelling and not from temper tantrum of little baby. When God in His mercy saves the man, so especially in the beginning of life of the faith appears (baby phase) little temper tantrum against God, which arise from this reason that new-born child of God don’t know yet God and His education methods. This kind of temper tantrum comes out through growth and not take away our inheritance, but if we are all the time repeatedly rebellious against the Lord, so then is danger we can’t see inheritance land of the Lord earth and His promises, because inheritance land and His promises can own only through the faith, not through unbelief and rebellious attitude.
Aim at to be faithful for the Lord and follow that way, which He has already beforehand prepared to you. That way is good to walk, for God affect through the Holy Spirit in your heart, so that you can wander on that way.
The Lord gave to the nation of Israel time forty years, which was time, which they was forced to wander in the wilderness. Forty year was forced also their children to suffer, because of others fault. Forty days they had got to examine inheritance land of the Lord, but they were however in their unbelief reject inheritance, which the Lord has promised. The Lord said that nobody of these rebels can’t enter to promised land and they, which had lead whole nation to grumble against the Lord and made evil report from promised land died by the plague before the Lord. The Bible teaches, for whatever a man may sow, that he also will reap., Gal 6: 6-9.
Forty is number of trial in the Bible. Spies and whole nation of Israel were forty days in the test. They had forty days time to examine promised land. God gave them plenty of time, so that they could choose correct. But now as a consequence of incorrect selection came forty-year errantry in the wilderness. As this consequence also their children had to suffer from others sins. Whenever someone commits a sin, he falls into suffering, but too often also other people must suffer for the sake of others sin. Do you understand now how bad matter sin is? If you do sin, so it does not break only you, but it breaks and touches also your neighbour. Larger rebels died before the Lord and they, which believed these rebels got time 40 years, and they also died without seeing promised land. Only Joshua and Caleb saw the promised land.
Also today continuous grumbling and insurrection against God produce spiritual death. They that follow today’s insurrection generals are forced also to wander in the dry wilderness without fresh and living water of God. Be you as Joshua and Caleb, so you can drink from the fresh and clean source of living water, which lead you to the eternal life connection with the Lord.
Israelites came for sad and said to Moses that they are ready to go to that place, from which the Lord had spoken. But Moses answered that the nation can’t anymore go and not break against commands of God, for God not commanded the nation anymore to go Promised Land. Moses said that it doesn't succeed, for the Lord is not on their middle; so please don't go there that your enemy wouldn’t win you. You have turned away from the Lord and you will fall to the sword of the Amalekites and Canaanites if you go there.
But nation of Israel was stubborn nation, and they went towards Promised Land, but covenant of the ark and Moses not moved from the camp. Then Amalekites and Canaanites, which lived in those mountains, rushed down, and won them and broke them.
In this to us is one important teaching. Then must walk forward just to that direction, from which the Lord has spoken, there is blessing of the Lord. But when the Lord speaks, that we can’t walk forward, so then we can’t walk ahead, just wait and walk to that direction, from which the Lord speaks to us. Obstinacy of nation of Israel is to us warning that we cannot be rebellious against Him, but trust and obey Him.
Joshua
When Moses has died, the Lord spoke like this to Joshua: " Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. ".
Joshua got now continues about that where Moses remained. As the task of Joshua was now taking Israel to the Promised Land.
Crossing of Jordan
Joshua sent two spies to Jericho, whose task was, watch Jericho. Rebel generation was dead and new generation had grown and now was their moment at hand, conquest the Promised Land and inheritance land of the Lord waited them.
Old generation had got baptism through faith in the Red Sea. New generation would get baptism through faith in Jordan. Priests must carry Ark of the Covenant before nation and nation must follow them. This was order, how Jordan must cross. Priests went before to Jordan carrying ark of the covenant and when they stepped to the water, that the waters stood still, those coming down from above rose up into a heap, very far above the city Adam, which is beside Zaretan; and those going down by the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite to Jericho. Like this nation of Israel walked across dry stream. This is antitype of water baptism, every describes it when life of the faith starts, next step is water baptism. Quite same took place during the Moses, whereby nation got baptism in the Red Sea
Circumcision
All nation, which had left from Egypt was circumcised, but that generation, which had been born on the journey in the wilderness, it had not been circumcised. Therefore the Lord commanded Joshua to circumcise new generation, and Joshua made according to the command of the Lord and so whole nation was circumcised. Circumcision is pattern of regeneration and getting of the Holy Spirit. For the Bible teaches, that right circumcision is circumcision of the heart in the Spirit. Today they who believe to God are in Christ Jesus also circumcised, but not circumcision made by hands, but by putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, Romans 2:29; Col 2:11. Hand-made circumcision does not remove filth of the flesh, but circumcision of Christ, which takes place in the Spirit removes filth of the flesh. Circumcision is so a pattern from the regeneration and getting of the Holy Spirit.
When the nation was circumcised in Gilgal, so when Joshua was in Jericho to him appeared the captain of the Lord’s host, who said to Joshua said to Joshua: Take your shoe off your foot, for the place on which you are standing is holy. And Joshua did so. A similar incidence as also in life of Moses took place, when he was at burning bush. This took place, so that Joshua would understand, that he doesn't make wars and not fight alone, but the Lord is with him. Like this the Lord gave land of Canaan to Israelites under the leadership of Joshua. You must accept that the Lord can circumcise you in the circumcision of Christ, so that you can have got your part from inheritance of the land of the Lord.
Moses and Joshua
Egress of nation of Israel from Egypt with guidance of Moses and conquest of Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership is one of the patterns of OT, which has counterpart in announcement of NT. God spoke to me, that Moses describes the law, which as intention is bringing about contrition, which brings people out about slavery of the sins, after which starts journey towards the Promised Land. Joshua describes Jesus Christ, every only can take us to the Promised Land.
In Hebrew Bible (Tanakh) Joshua’s name is Yehoshua in other words the Lord (Yhwh) is salvation. Yehoshua (Yeshua) is in Hebrew Jesus. Septuagint is Greek Old Testament, which apostles used so much, that many citation of NT have been taken direct from Septuagint. When I looked at Septuagint, my heart overjoyed, because there was Joshua’s translated on the word Ieesous, which is same name as what NT’s Greek text use from Jesus. This is not an accident, but an accurate prophetic pattern of OT from Jesus Christ who saves and leads disciples of Christ to Father God.
May the law of God affect contrition in the hearts of the people, after which Jesus Christ saves them and lead them to New Jerusalem, in which just ones lives with God. Petri Paavola from Finland |
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