ALTHOUGH we have heard from many of the difficulty of the subject, and many have sent in no results at all, yet on the other hand many papers have shown a very profitable study of this wonderful type, and many students have expressed their joy and thankfulness for the fruit of their study of the Word.
Some seem to have got lost in going too minutely into detail. The broad outlines of Joshua’s career were more the object aimed at.
We have to thank those who have sent suggestions for study. Some suggestions were most interesting and helpful, and will certainly be made use of.
As many students send in questions resulting from their study, and there is some danger of questions which are written in the matter of the study being overlooked, we shall be very thankful if those who ask questions will write them on a separate sheet of paper with their number distinctly written on it. Questions will be answered as soon as possible, but there are many to be answered, and some delay is unavoidable.
We shall be glad to hear of more of God’s children, especially the young, who wish to take up this study together, and again would ask for the prayers and fellowship of all who seek the blessing and building up of those who are Christ’s wherever they may be found. Will those who are interested kindly make it known to others? All suggestions for study or for any means by which this study may be made more helpful and profitable to all, will be most welcome. Above all, may the study of the precious Word of God be continually accompanied by prayer, that we may increase, not in head knowledge, but in a true heart intimacy with Christ, and that the result may be increased energy and power for His service.
The most helpful way of following out the history of Joshua as recorded in the Word of God seems to be to take it in connection with the different stages of the journeys of the children of Israel, God’s redeemed people, from Egypt to the final settlement in the Land of Promise. As one of our contributors remarks, the subject is a “vast” one, and it is impossible to go into details, but the broad outlines of Joshua’s connection with the history of the redeemed people may be helpful for further study. The stages seem to be twelve in number:
1. Egypt to Sinai — This stage of the journey shows seven distinct steps, ending with the conflict with Amalek in the Valley of Rephidim. Here Joshua is mentioned for the first time.
It is long before his entrance upon public life, so to speak. He is a very young man, and this makes the type the more striking. After everything has been provided for the needs of the journey, manna every morning, and water from the rock, we are shown that the way of victory lies in the unceasing intercession of Moses on the top of the mountain, together with the leading of Joshua below in the valley. The special character of this conflict and its dangers are shown in Deuteronomy 25:17-19, in contrast with Psalms 105:37. When God brought His people out of Egypt, “there was not one feeble person among their tribes,” but when Amalek met them, there were already those who were “hindmost” — “all that were feeble behind thee” — and over these Amalek prevailed. When Satan’s power over the believer has been broken by redemption, he tries fresh tactics, and since he can never get the believer back into his bondage, he tries to turn the heart of a believer back from pressing on to the glory where Christ is; he uses the difficulties of the way or the attractions of Egypt to make us lag behind and grow faint; then, when the eye is off Christ in glory, the flesh begins to work and Christ is dishonored, Amalek prevails. But what keeps us from turning back or lagging wearily behind, and so falling into Amalek’s hands, is the intercession of Christ on high for us, and the presence of the Holy Ghost in us bearing witness to the glory of Christ, and occupying our hearts with the glory and with Christ Himself. This character of the Holy Ghost’s indwelling is spoken of in Colossians 1:27 as “Christ in you the hope of glory,” and gives the special point of the type here. Thus it is not the conflict of Romans 7, which is the experience of a renewed soul under law, and is indeed bondage rather than conflict. Exodus 17 comes in before Sinai, that is, before the principle of law was introduced at all.
2. Sinai. — During the time of Israel’s stay at Sinai, the time of the giving of the law, first pure law, and then law mixed with grace, Joshua goes up with Moses (Ex. 24:13), comes down with him (Ex. 32:17), and departs not out of the tent that Moses has pitched outside the camp and called the Tent of Meeting (Ex. 33:11). The constant association of Joshua with Moses is remarkable here. Acts 1:2 may bear upon the first two passages, and Matt. 18:20 on the third, but the typical meaning here is not easy to see, and offers food for study.
3. Sinai to Kadesh-Barnea. — Trial and failure of people under responsibility. Three steps are taken, first they despise the manna (Num. 11), then they despise Moses (Num. 12), and finally despise the pleasant land (Num. 13), and are turned back — under law they could not get in. Joshua only comes in once in this stage (Num. 11:28), where he is seen jealous for Moses’ glory.
4. Searching of the Land. — This is the turning point. Here Joshua’s name is changed from Hoshea (“salvation”), to Jehoshua or Joshua, the same as Jesus (“Jehovah the Saviour”), and faith at once attaches itself to him; that is the special point of the remarkable connection between Caleb and Joshua. Faith owns that everything depends upon Christ and receives the Spirit’s witness to Him, and gets the blessing. All the rest fall in the wilderness (cf 2 Timothy 1:12, and Phil. 3:7-14). Note also the remarkable way in which Caleb by faith takes up God’s promise (cf. Numbers 14:30 with Josh. 14:6). Caleb says “me and thee” because God said “Caleb and Joshua.”
5. Thirty-eight years’ wandering — marked by entire absence of any mention of Joshua. This is reckoned from Kadesh-Barnea to the brook Zered (Deut. 2:14). During the time of God’s governmental dealings, His estrangement from them (Num. 14:34, New Tr.), manna remains and water from the rock, but there is no testimony to a glorified Christ. Caleb carries it in his heart through all. The remaining stages are simpler, and though there is much that is most interesting and profitable in them, we must pass rapidly over them as space limits are already exceeded.
6. Plains of Moab. — Preparation for entrance into the land. Joshua appointed to succeed Moses. (Num. 27:15,23, 32:28, 34:17; Deut. 1:36,38, 31:7,23, 34:9). Compare the passages relating to the Spirit in John 14-16
7. Jordan. — Joshua is magnified (Eph. 1:20,21; Phil. 1:20). Joshua places the twelve stones in Jordan (Rom. 6:6, o).
8. Gilgal. — Joshua circumcises them; place of return after every victory (2 Cor. 4:10).
9. Jericho. — True Christian warfare. Captain of the Lord’s Host is there. Yet Joshua commands. No carnal weapons. No word is uttered till Joshua says “Shout.” They attempt Ai without Joshua, and are defeated. Ebal marks the close of this first stage in the occupation of the land.
10. Ebal to Shiloh. — Conquest and inheritance in the energy of faith. Judah, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Joshua conquers the whole land, and with Eleazar assigns the inheritance.
11. Shiloh. — Here, when the tabernacle has been set up, the seven backward tribes are stimulated to take their inheritance. Joshua sends three men for each tribe to describe the inheritance and write it in a book. Lastly, Joshua takes his inheritance. Cities of Refuge. Cities of Levites. Cf. Second Epistle of Peter.
12. Shechem. — Joshua lays all upon the stone of witness, and Joseph’s bones are buried in Shechem, for after all, though Joshua in the energy of the Spirit might conquer the land and allot it, all belongs to the one who was separated from his brethren, and whose only inheritance here is a grave. Cf. Epistle of Jude.
We trust that further study may fill out this meagre outline, and lead to rich feeding of heart upon Christ in Whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily, and in Whom we too are complete.
The Subject for April will be (D.V) the Passover. The special points to be searched out are—
1. The meaning of the details of the Passover as given in Exodus 12, showing how they answer to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus.
2. The number of Passovers actually recorded as kept in the Old Testament, giving the occasions and if possible the difference in meaning.
3. All references to the Passover in the Word of God. Students may take either a single one of these divisions of the subject, or all three, “according to his several ability,” and we hope that the subject may be found easier for beginners, as well as giving a little harder work to older hands.
Further suggestions will be welcomed, and those received will be made use of shortly.
May the practical effect of “keeping the feast” according to 1 Corinthians 5:8 be seen in us for whom “Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed.”
B. S. ED.