Day 353 - Joshua 1

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 6
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A Reminder. The Old Testament gives us pictures of the steps in the believer’s life. First step — salvation. Then separation from the world, then worship, then service and now in Joshua, warfare. Joshua has replaced Moses as leader. There were a few battles in the wilderness, but it is now going to be one after another in “the land.” Joshua was leading the people to conquer the whole land. God had promised to give them the land, so now they have to take possession of it. Notice carefully the wording of verse 3. Not “I will give you.” For us today, the “promised land” is not so much heaven as the heavenly blessings we have now while here on earth. The book of Joshua is a picture, an illustration, a type of the book of Ephesians. The “heavenly places” (Eph. 1:3) are our Canaan, into which we enter when we accept Christ as Savior. As we enjoy our rich blessings we realize it means warfare against Satan, the one who robs us of our joys if we are unwilling to resist him (James 4:7).
It is a battle! Satan will do all in his power to keep you from understanding this.
V.1-9 The name “Joshua” means “Jehovah the Savior.” It is the same name as “Jesus” in the New Testament. Christ is our Leader in the battles to defend the truth (Eph. 6:11).
V.10-15 Preparation for the battles ahead! “Victuals,” verse 11, means food which they would need during the difficult days. Christ, through God’s Word, is the food for us Christians (John 6:35). “Armed,” verse 14, means they were to go “five in a rank,” or in a very orderly way. See the end of 1 Corinthians 14:40.
V.16-18 What respect they had for their leader! Are we Christians as reverent toward Christ?