It's been 2000 years since
the glorious light of the cross
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illuminated the world veiled in
darkness and confusion about the
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character of God. And
still today the greatest need of
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mankind is a revelation of God's
love as revealed in the life of
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Christ. Amazing Facts presents
the Everlasting Gospel with
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Pastor Doug Batchelor coming
to you each week from Sacramento
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Central Church in sunny
California. Discover hidden
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treasures in God's word today.
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Good morning Central family.
I want to greet all of our
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visitors and wish you all a very
happy Sabbath day and we're very
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thankful that you are
here worshipping with us today.
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This week as I was preparing for
today's message I actually had
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something different planned
earlier in the week that I've
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reserved it and God willing
in the future I'll complete that
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message. But I felt impressed
and I was praying as I often do.
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I sit there at my computer and
I've got Bible around me, a lot
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Bible resourced on my computer
and I was saying Lord this is a
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frightening responsibility, it's
an awesome responsibility to
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stand before these people and
to try to be a conduit through
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which, Lord, you are going to
speak to these people. What do
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you want to say? I always
have ideas of things that are
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interesting to me but it may not
be what you want to say, Lord.
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And it was amazing how quickly
and how directly God impressed
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with the subject. It was totally
different. And the more I delved
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into the subject the more I
became convinced, this is really
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something God wants us to
consider. And the subject is
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dealing with a great character
in the Bible that I've never
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really done a series on by the
name of Joshua. The message this
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morning will probably only be
the first part which could end
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up being two or three
parts depending on how long I
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elaborate really. Dealing
with the subject of Joshua: A
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Courageous Heart. This is one
of the great characters in the
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Bible. The name Joshua means
Jehovah is salvation or Jehovah
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or Yahweh Saves. His name is the
name of Jesus. As a matter of
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fact the first time you find the
name of Jesus in the Bible is
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in association with the
character we're going to study.
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So that's important. Keep in
mind the New Testament is Greek,
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the Old Testament Hebrew. The
New Testament or Greek way of
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saying Joshua, well the Hebrew
way is Ya-shoo-ah. The Greek
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translation of that is Jesus.
That's where we get the name
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Jesus. When the angel spoke to
Mary and said you will call his
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name Jesus, the angel told
Joseph you will call his name
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Jesus, the angel didn't say
Jesus. He said you will call his
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name Joshua for he will save his
people from their sins. His name
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means Jehovah is Salvation.
Another reason I thought it was
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a good idea to study the
character of Joshua is he's a
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great pattern for our lives
in that Joshua is one of the few
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who made it all the way from
Egypt to the promised land. Most
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of them perished in the
wilderness. I would like to make
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it all the way to the promised
land from the slavery of Egypt.
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How about you? So I thought this
would be a good study for us.
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Now I'm a history buff, one of
the few subjects I did well at
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in school. Let me ask you all
a question, test your history
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knowledge. Who was the first
one to circumnavigate the globe?
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Magellan. How many agree?
Mistaken. That's not his name.
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Mistaken is not his name. I'm
just saying Magellan is not the
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one. It was actually the captain
of Magellan by the name of Juan
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Sebastian El Cano. You
see Magellan is the one who
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assembled the team of five ships
270 men. Had a lot of adventures
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tried to find the Spice Islands,
went around what ended up being
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the Cape of Magellan, Tierra del
Fuego. You know how it got the
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name Tierra del Fuego? As
they were going around the South
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American coast they saw all
these Indian tribes with camp
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fires and they said it's the
land of fire because at night
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could see fires burning all
along the shore. But Magellan
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died in the Philippines. Got
involved in a local dispute he
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should have stayed out of and
got killed in the battle. He did
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not complete the trip. The one
who made the trip all the way
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was only one of his
five captains and it was Juan
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Sebastian El Cano. Matter of
fact out of the 270 men and five
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ships three years later, 48,000
miles later, they didn't make a
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direct route as you can tell,
only 18 men and one ship made it
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back. Thought that you'd find
that interesting. When people
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talk about who led the children
of Israel from Egypt to the
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promised land we always say
Moses. Moses actually didn't
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make it. The one who made it the
whole way is our hero, Joshua.
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So I thought we'd take some time
to look at this neglected hero.
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Another reason I think it's so
very important is not only does
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he have the same name as our
Savior, his name was Jesus in
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Greek, Joshua same name. He's
called Joshua the son of Nun.
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That sounds like how
could anyone be the son of none.
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That's another prophetic meaning
in English anyway. But the word
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Nun means perpetuity, continual
or eternal. So here you have
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someone who's got the name of
Jesus, the son of the Eternal.
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Furthermore who here knows the
name of Joshua's wife? Anybody?
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What was the name of Moses'
wife? Ziporah. And Joshua's wife
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was, and his children's names
were. It tells us who he's the
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son of. I called a theologian
yesterday just to double check.
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But I said I can't find any
descendants of Joshua. It stops
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there. He evidently never
married. His whole life was
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dedicated in the service of
God and Moses and God's people.
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Something like Jesus, married
to the church. So he's a type of
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Christ and he's also a pattern
for us. Of course, ultimately
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Jesus is our pattern. Amen?
Something of a neglected hero
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that we find in the Old
Testament and as I began to look
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at all the adventures and
miracles and the experiences of
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Joshua I thought ah this
is going to be more than one
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message. So let's get started.
The first time his name appears
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it appears in the context of
a general. Let me give you the
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background. He's the
first general in the Bible.
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The children of Israel when they
first went through the Red Sea
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got to the other side,
celebrated. They sang the
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praises. The Lord had destroyed
the Egyptians behind them.
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But as they began their journey
it's hard to hide a nation of
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one and a half to three million
people wandering through the
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desert. There was a very fierce
and warlike tribe, actually a
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series of tribes that lived
in the deserts there around the
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Sinai Peninsula and Saudi Arabia
called the Amalekites. They were
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the constant enemies of God's
people. Matter of fact, you can
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trace the animosity from the
Amalekites to God's people all
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the way to the book of Esther
where you've got someone by
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the name of Haman who is an
Agagite who was the king of the
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Amalekites. All the way to the
book of Esther they're trying to
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exterminate the children of
Israel. The Amalekites when they
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saw the children of Israel going
through the wilderness the Bible
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says that the old, the aged,
the weak they were the ones who
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usually were in the rear. And
the Amalekites began to attack
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the children of Israel on the
rear flanks of their procession
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and to take advantage of those
who were sick, those who were
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old, those who were weak and
to slaughter them, to plunder
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them. And when Moses saw
what was happening he appointed
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the first general and let's
read it here out of the Bible.
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Exodus 17 verse 9: And Moses
said to Joshua, bingo his name
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appears, no background to tell
us. We've got other things in
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the Bible that give us
some background, but this is the
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first appearance of the name of
Jesus in the Bible. It's in the
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context of a deliverer. He is
saving them from the Amalekites
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who are like the devil and his
minions. He said, choose us some
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men and go out and fight with
Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on
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top of the hill with the rod
of God in my hand. Now Joshua
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assembled a group of what he
thought were capable men. Keep
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in mind how big an army did
Israel have when they came out
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of Egypt? They had no army. They
had been slaves. There were none
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of them that were trained for
war. I mean, there may have been
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some that had some experience
because of the masters they
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served in Egypt but for the most
part they made brick. They were
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artisans. All of a sudden
now they've got to be soldiers.
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And so Joshua has to assemble
men who he thought had some of
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the raw materials to be soldiers
and they armed them with the...
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what do you have? Maybe they
took a few Egyptian swords that
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washed up, no swords don't float
do they? I don't know where they
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got them but maybe they got some
swords. Maybe they had their
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shepherds crooks. Who knows?
But they took some of their farm
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implements and they were to
go fight against this warlike
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desert people. And Moses
said I'll be up on the mountain.
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So the next day they were
engaged in battle in the valley.
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Moses up on the mountain. He's
got the rod of God in his hand.
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His hands are stretched out
and he's interceding. As long as
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Joshua and the soldiers of God
could see Moses on the mountain
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interceding with his hands
stretched out, the battle began
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to go in their favor. But as the
day went on, Moses is 80-plus
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years old now. His arms were
getting tired and his arms began
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to drop. Whenever I read this
story in the Bible I think about
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how they punished us in
military school. When we
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misbehaved in military school
we used to have to stand and
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hold our arms up. You can only
do that so long. Try and do it
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for 15 minutes. You'd be
surprised how heavy your arms
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get just after 15 minutes. It
wasn't long into the battle when
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Old Moses realized... Especially
he's holding the rod of God too.
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I don't know how heavy that was.
And his arms were starting to go
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down and just as his arms
go down they start losing the
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battle. So he fights his arms
back up again and they start
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to win and then his arms
go down. Can you imagine the
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pressure? You know, when
you lower your arms people die.
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And so pretty soon, his brother
Aaron and Hur, we don't know
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what his background is, they
come and they get on the right
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and left of Moses and they prop
up his arms. They sat Moses down
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on a rock so he could rest. And
he's got his arms stretched out.
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Probably his fingers turned
white by the end of the day
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because there's no circulation.
About the going down of the sun
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they gained the victory. Joshua
was down there fighting. You've
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got basically this trinity that
they are looking up to and when
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they could see them interceding
the win. Moses, Aaron and Hur.
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Sitting on a rock, the symbol
of Christ, arms stretched out a
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symbol of the cross. Didn't
Jesus say to Peter when you're
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young you gird yourself and went
where you wished, but when you
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old another will gird and you
will stretch forth your hands.
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How did Samson die? The last
thing he did is he stretched out
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his arms to deliver God's people
from their enemies. And so here
00:12:33.39\00:12:37.22
you've got the first picture of
Joshua as the one who led them
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to victory. They got the victory
as long as they could see up
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in the mountain Moses
interceding in their behalf.
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How do we get the victory
against our enemy? We've got to
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know that we can come boldly
before the throne. That we look
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up. Jesus said if I am lifted
up I will draw all men unto me.
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So here Moses is a type of
Christ. Joshua is the general.
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And so he led them into victory.
Now it's interesting that he
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went into battle and as you read
the different battles of Joshua
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in the Bible he knew how to
combine brilliant strategy with
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trust in divine power. It's
interesting that as you look at
00:13:17.43\00:13:21.37
of the great generals in history
most of the great generals also
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believed in divine aid. Not
too many good generals, even
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Napoleon, believe in divine aid.
Alexander the Great believed in
00:13:30.82\00:13:34.93
divine aid. You find out
also that Joshua has a servant's
00:13:34.97\00:13:39.75
heart. Even though he is a
victorious general he had the
00:13:39.78\00:13:44.83
heart of a servant. You notice
in Exodus 24 verse 13 it says
00:13:44.86\00:13:50.32
And Moses arose with his
assistant Joshua and Moses went
00:13:50.35\00:13:55.74
up the mountain of God. Now I'll
talk more about that in a minute
00:13:55.78\00:14:00.10
If you read in numbers 11 verse
28 and 29 and this is from the
00:14:00.13\00:14:03.81
New American Standard Bible.
I chose that because it really
00:14:03.84\00:14:07.90
does give a different meaning
here. Joshua the son of Nun, the
00:14:07.94\00:14:11.97
attendant of Moses from his
youth. Now as near as we can
00:14:12.00\00:14:16.49
figure based on all the times
when you add them up during the
00:14:16.52\00:14:20.00
Exodus in the book of Joshua,
Joshua was somewhere around
00:14:20.03\00:14:23.44
38 to 40 years of age during the
plagues of Egypt. You weren't
00:14:23.48\00:14:28.05
considered an old man in Israel
until you got to 50. Before 50
00:14:28.09\00:14:33.18
you were still a young man.
Quite frankly I hate to explode
00:14:33.22\00:14:38.24
some of our concepts but when it
talks about David going against
00:14:38.28\00:14:42.86
Goliath and it says that he was
a youth, he could have been 25.
00:14:42.89\00:14:47.37
You weren't considered a man
until you were 30 to 40 years of
00:14:47.41\00:14:52.35
age. You were still considered
a young man until you were 50.
00:14:52.39\00:14:57.86
Keep in mind Aaron lived to 123,
Moses 120, Miriam about 124.
00:14:57.90\00:15:03.16
They lived a long time back
then. This is in the age of the
00:15:03.20\00:15:08.05
patriarchs. It says he was the
servant of Moses from his youth.
00:15:08.08\00:15:12.90
Well obviously he didn't know
Moses when he was in Midian.
00:15:12.94\00:15:16.20
Probably what happened, and
you've just got to piece this
00:15:16.23\00:15:19.21
together and get some of the
different commentators on this
00:15:19.24\00:15:22.26
subject, when Moses first showed
up and he began to meet with
00:15:22.30\00:15:25.49
Israel before he went to Pharaoh
somebody was going back and
00:15:25.53\00:15:28.42
forth quite a bit between the
Pharaoh and Moses who knew where
00:15:28.45\00:15:32.45
Moses was. In the same way
that Elijah had his Elisha, even
00:15:32.49\00:15:36.42
Elisha had his Gehazi, a lot of
these men of God had attendants.
00:15:36.45\00:15:40.53
People who were their messengers
they were their servants.
00:15:40.56\00:15:45.62
As soon as Moses showed up right
there at his right hand someone
00:15:45.66\00:15:50.40
was assigned to him and that
was Joshua. Joshua was assigned
00:15:50.43\00:15:54.24
he chose or volunteered, we
don't know how it happened, to
00:15:54.27\00:15:58.31
be the attendant of Moses. And
I want you to picture this now.
00:15:58.35\00:16:02.40
When Moses and Aaron go into the
Pharaoh and they had all these
00:16:02.44\00:16:06.07
different exchanges there in
the palace, there may have been
00:16:06.10\00:16:09.29
someone else that was at his
side during that time and when
00:16:09.33\00:16:12.49
Moses was summoned the Pharaoh
said get Joshua and go find
00:16:12.53\00:16:15.49
Moses. Bring him back to take
care of these plagues. And I
00:16:15.52\00:16:18.55
think Joshua there must
have been there for Moses' first
00:16:18.59\00:16:21.55
ministry as the redeemer because
it says he was the servant of
00:16:21.58\00:16:25.31
Moses from his youth, meaning
that from the beginning of
00:16:25.34\00:16:29.34
Moses' ministry Joshua was
there at his side. We don't know
00:16:29.37\00:16:33.18
exactly how long the time
was when the plagues fell, but I
00:16:33.22\00:16:37.05
just want you to picture Joshua
was there. He was happy to
00:16:37.09\00:16:41.15
serve Moses. He went up the
mountain with Moses. Now this is
00:16:41.19\00:16:45.22
significant because when
God is ready to give the 10
00:16:45.25\00:16:47.57
commandments to the children
of Israel he specifically says
00:16:47.60\00:16:52.97
nobody is to come near
the mountain. It is the holy
00:16:53.01\00:16:55.71
mountain of God. If an animal
touches the mountain, the animal
00:16:55.74\00:16:59.14
was to be executed but there
were a couple of exceptions.
00:16:59.18\00:17:04.83
Moses was one exception. He went
not only to touch the mountain,
00:17:04.86\00:17:08.06
went up the mountain. Who else
went up the mountain with Moses?
00:17:08.10\00:17:11.27
Joshua did. He had special
exposure, you might say, to the
00:17:11.30\00:17:16.18
presence of God that others
did not have. I read this to you
00:17:16.22\00:17:21.23
before; Moses arose with his
assistant, Joshua, and went up
00:17:21.26\00:17:26.34
the mountain of God. You can
also read Exodus 32 verse 17:
00:17:26.37\00:17:31.38
And when Joshua heard the noise
of the people as they shouted he
00:17:31.42\00:17:36.10
said to Moses there is a noise
of war in the camp. Joshua was
00:17:36.14\00:17:39.72
not down in the valley when they
built the golden calf. He didn't
00:17:39.75\00:17:43.29
know what was going on down
there. Why? Because he was still
00:17:43.33\00:17:45.91
up the mountain with Moses. How
many of you have that picture
00:17:45.95\00:17:48.85
in your mind, you realize
that? Now how did he stay up the
00:17:48.89\00:17:51.73
mountain 40 days and 40 nights
with no food. It's possible that
00:17:51.76\00:17:56.25
Joshua went up the mountain with
Moses when Moses went to meet
00:17:56.28\00:18:01.05
God and made periodic trips down
to get provisions and went back
00:18:01.08\00:18:05.77
up and he waited. He may have
walked right up into the glory
00:18:05.80\00:18:09.89
there and seen the glory of
God on the mountain. And can you
00:18:09.92\00:18:14.08
imagine what a sight that
was? He cherished that. So here
00:18:14.11\00:18:18.48
Joshua is sort of a go-between
between Moses and the people.
00:18:18.51\00:18:24.43
What is our Joshua? Isn't our
Jesus the bridge? Jesus is the
00:18:24.46\00:18:29.44
ladder between heaven and
earth. Jesus said to Nathaniel,
00:18:29.47\00:18:34.37
hereafter you will see angels of
God ascending and descending on
00:18:34.41\00:18:37.42
the Son of Man. I think during
that 40 days I don't think he
00:18:37.45\00:18:40.59
camped out right there hiding
behind a rock waiting for Moses
00:18:40.62\00:18:43.76
to reappear on the trail. I
think periodically he went back
00:18:43.79\00:18:47.14
down and he said he's still in
the cloud but I'm going back up.
00:18:47.17\00:18:50.23
He'd go back up. He'd wait for
him. A few days later he'd come
00:18:50.26\00:18:53.09
down. He's still in the cloud.
Hang in there. And go back up.
00:18:53.13\00:18:55.74
Well one of these time while
he was still up the mountain, he
00:18:55.77\00:18:58.64
might have taken provisions with
him, they got tired of waiting
00:18:58.68\00:19:02.06
for Moses didn't they and they
made a golden calf. Joshua had
00:19:02.10\00:19:05.21
nothing to do with that. That's
good to know. You'll find there
00:19:05.25\00:19:08.33
is no example in the Bible
of Joshua sinning. There are
00:19:08.37\00:19:12.60
examples in the Bible where
people deceived Joshua. That's
00:19:12.64\00:19:16.41
different isn't it. But he was
faithful. When he knew what was
00:19:16.44\00:19:20.91
right he did what was right. So
he's up on the mountain, they're
00:19:20.94\00:19:25.04
making a golden calf. After they
make the golden calf, and isn't
00:19:25.08\00:19:28.72
it sad. Moses was just getting
ready to come back and they just
00:19:28.75\00:19:33.51
got tired of waiting. I talked
about this a little last week.
00:19:33.55\00:19:38.27
They took their jewelry,
they made a god, it says they
00:19:38.31\00:19:44.18
worshipped. Then they ate and
drank, had a potluck after the
00:19:44.21\00:19:49.33
worship. Nothing wrong with that
right? Then they rose up to play
00:19:49.36\00:19:54.18
and it got out of hand evidently
They had a social and it got out
00:19:54.22\00:19:59.00
of hand. They not only had the
worship and the potluck, then
00:19:59.04\00:20:02.22
they had the social and by
the end of the social they were
00:20:02.25\00:20:06.34
naked. That's what it says.
And they're having a party down
00:20:06.37\00:20:10.39
there, and it's loud. Matter of
fact it's so loud Joshua who had
00:20:10.42\00:20:15.11
evidently had some experience
in war, he finally sees Moses
00:20:15.15\00:20:17.89
coming out of the cloud, his
face is glowing, he's got the 10
00:20:17.92\00:20:20.76
commandments and Joshua says
boy I'm glad you're here. You're
00:20:20.80\00:20:23.45
just in time. Sounds like we're
being attacked. There's a war in
00:20:23.49\00:20:26.07
the camp. Well God had already
told Moses what was going on.
00:20:26.11\00:20:28.62
He said you better get back down
there. The people have corrupted
00:20:28.66\00:20:32.95
themselves. They had begun to
worship like the Egyptians just
00:20:32.98\00:20:37.40
before Moses came back. Now this
is a little side track but I
00:20:37.43\00:20:41.28
can't miss this opportunity
to remind you. The devil has not
00:20:41.31\00:20:47.53
changed. Our Jesus is about to
return and in the same way Moses
00:20:47.57\00:20:53.75
and Joshua came down the
mountain, here Moses was almost
00:20:53.79\00:20:56.02
a type of the Father. Christ
is coming in the glory of the
00:20:56.05\00:20:58.22
Father isn't he? Moses came down
the mountain with the glory of
00:20:58.25\00:21:02.76
God, the law of God and Joshua
by his side. That's how our
00:21:02.80\00:21:07.31
Joshua is coming back. But
when they came, what happened to
00:21:07.34\00:21:11.94
his people? They had begun to
worship like the pagans and it
00:21:11.97\00:21:16.07
sounded like the sound of war
in the camp. You remember what
00:21:16.10\00:21:19.18
Moses said? Now I'm paraphrasing
because we have a lot to cover
00:21:19.22\00:21:22.26
this morning. Moses with a
breaking heart said to Joshua
00:21:22.30\00:21:26.43
That is not the sound of
those who are crying for being
00:21:26.47\00:21:30.54
overcome that you hear. Neither
is it the sound of those who
00:21:30.57\00:21:33.93
shout because of gaining the
victory, but it is the sound of
00:21:33.96\00:21:38.69
those who sing, sing as in
drunken sounds. They're having
00:21:38.72\00:21:43.38
a party. So they come back down
the mountain and of course Moses
00:21:43.41\00:21:46.53
cast the 10 commandments out
of his hand and they crushed the
00:21:46.56\00:21:49.11
golden calf and made the people
drink it. He had to go back up
00:21:49.15\00:21:52.94
the mountain to get another
transcript. The first time God
00:21:52.98\00:21:56.71
cut the stones. The second time
said, I cut the first ones, you
00:21:56.74\00:22:00.27
cut these. But God wrote with
his finger on both didn't he?
00:22:00.30\00:22:04.00
Who do you think went back
up with him the second time?
00:22:04.03\00:22:07.22
Joshua went back up there
with him. He was happy to be a
00:22:07.25\00:22:10.37
servant of Moses. Just to be in
the presence of the aura of God
00:22:10.40\00:22:15.88
was a privilege for him. He had
a devoted heart. Joshua had a
00:22:15.92\00:22:20.02
devoted heart. Here is something
that I never caught before until
00:22:20.06\00:22:24.13
I began to study this story
of Joshua. Exodus 33:10 and 11;
00:22:24.16\00:22:28.36
God is speaking to Moses at the
tabernacle. The tabernacle is
00:22:28.40\00:22:32.58
built at this point. The ark
is built. And all the people saw
00:22:32.62\00:22:37.37
the cloudy pillar stand at
the tabernacle door and all the
00:22:37.40\00:22:41.02
people rose up and they
worshipped. The glory of God is
00:22:41.05\00:22:44.60
rising up above the tabernacle
and all the people rose out of
00:22:44.64\00:22:49.64
respect for the presence of
God, every man in his tent door,
00:22:49.68\00:22:54.10
probably with their heads bowed,
and the Lord spoke unto Moses
00:22:54.13\00:22:58.62
face to face as a man speaks to
his friend. Notices this: And he
00:22:58.65\00:23:03.10
turned again into the camp.
Moses leaves the tabernacle
00:23:03.14\00:23:06.22
after ministering or meeting
with God. He goes into the camp
00:23:06.25\00:23:11.00
but, you got your Bibles open,
his servant Joshua, the son of
00:23:11.03\00:23:15.74
Nun, a young man would not
depart from the tabernacle.
00:23:15.78\00:23:20.26
I like that. How many people are
looking at their watch as church
00:23:20.29\00:23:25.16
cranks to a conclusion saying
how much longer? I think we need
00:23:25.20\00:23:29.23
more young people like Joshua in
the church who want to bask in
00:23:29.27\00:23:32.95
the presence of God. They want
more of God. Even after Moses
00:23:32.98\00:23:37.20
left the service he said I'm
going to stay. I just, the glory
00:23:37.23\00:23:40.73
of God, I want to be in the
presence of God. He wanted to be
00:23:40.76\00:23:44.19
up on the mountain with God. His
desire was to be in the presence
00:23:44.23\00:23:47.84
of God. He wanted to come to the
tabernacle and didn't want to
00:23:47.88\00:23:51.46
rush out. I thought that
was interesting. But his servant
00:23:51.49\00:23:55.09
Joshua, the son of Nun, the
young man, he would not depart.
00:23:55.12\00:23:58.65
I can just picture Moses saying
all right I've got a message for
00:23:58.68\00:24:02.72
the people Joshua. Joshua. And
Joshua was going go ahead, I'll
00:24:02.76\00:24:06.84
stay right here. Just wanted the
glory of God, wanted to be in
00:24:06.87\00:24:10.46
the presence of God. I want to
have that experience, don't you?
00:24:10.49\00:24:14.04
He had a devoted heart.
Sometimes his devotion maybe
00:24:14.08\00:24:18.67
seemed a little bit maybe even
fanatical. When Moses realized
00:24:18.70\00:24:22.97
that he could not administer
this great people, his father-
00:24:23.01\00:24:27.21
in-law, Jethro, said look you
need to delegate. And God said
00:24:27.24\00:24:30.56
I'm going to take some of the
Spirit that I've given you Moses
00:24:30.60\00:24:33.12
I'm going to give it to some
elders. I want you to pick out
00:24:33.15\00:24:35.92
the 70 elders. And he picked the
70 elders, told him bring them
00:24:35.96\00:24:38.76
to the tabernacle and I'll take
the Spirit from you and put it
00:24:38.79\00:24:44.15
on them. But two of them didn't
show up. Eldad and Medad, for
00:24:44.19\00:24:47.88
whatever reason. Maybe they
didn't feel worthy. When they
00:24:47.92\00:24:51.48
were called to the tabernacle
they didn't come. And the Holy
00:24:51.51\00:24:55.36
Spirit fell on the 70 elders
and they began to prophesy. They
00:24:55.40\00:24:58.77
were given the Spirit of Moses
just like Elisha was given the
00:24:58.80\00:25:01.91
Spirit of Elijah. Actually
it was all God's Spirit. None of
00:25:01.95\00:25:05.62
these patriarchs have a
patent on it. You realize that.
00:25:05.65\00:25:09.25
And then Joshua saw that Eldad
and Medad who weren't even at
00:25:09.29\00:25:12.18
the tabernacle, they were
suddenly filled with the Spirit
00:25:12.21\00:25:15.03
and they began to preach and to
prophesy and they were glowing
00:25:15.07\00:25:18.92
and Joshua said Oh no
this belongs to Moses and now
00:25:18.96\00:25:22.71
everyone else is going to think
they're in charge and he was
00:25:22.75\00:25:26.42
worried. He came to Moses
and Joshua, it says verse 28 of
00:25:26.45\00:25:30.06
Numbers 11 and verse 29, Joshua,
the son of Nun, the attendant of
00:25:30.09\00:25:35.25
Moses from his youth.
He answered and said, Moses
00:25:35.29\00:25:37.65
my lord, restrain them.
But Moses said to him, are you
00:25:37.69\00:25:41.16
jealous for my sake, speaking
to Joshua. Would the Lord that
00:25:41.20\00:25:45.48
all of his people were prophets
and that God would put his
00:25:45.51\00:25:49.13
Spirit upon them. Was Moses
jealous that others were given
00:25:49.16\00:25:52.71
the gift of the Spirit or was
he saying, Ah I wish that all of
00:25:52.74\00:25:56.70
of them had this gift of
the Spirit. And Joshua didn't
00:25:56.74\00:26:00.68
understand. He thought that they
were going to lose respect for
00:26:00.72\00:26:02.59
Moses and it was now go to
these 70 elders and he needed
00:26:02.62\00:26:06.80
some guidance there. Now we
get into one of the areas where
00:26:06.83\00:26:11.79
Joshua really shines. After
they build the tabernacle, they
00:26:11.83\00:26:16.75
migrate back from the
Mount Horeb, Mount Sinai, to the
00:26:16.79\00:26:22.70
borders of the promised land and
they should have gone in at this
00:26:22.73\00:26:26.35
point. The Lord originally
directed them to go south to
00:26:26.39\00:26:29.96
receive the 10 commandments,
to build the tabernacle, and now
00:26:30.00\00:26:32.55
they were to go to take
possession. As they are nearing
00:26:32.58\00:26:36.22
the borders of the promised
land the people get a little bit
00:26:36.26\00:26:39.13
apprehensive. They said you know
we weren't even hardly ready
00:26:39.17\00:26:42.21
when the Amalekites attacked us
and they're just a desert tribe.
00:26:42.25\00:26:45.26
There are mighty nations that
live in this land. We barely
00:26:45.29\00:26:48.55
beat the Amalekites and then
Moses dropped his hands and we
00:26:48.58\00:26:51.67
lost. What's going to happen
when we cross over? We better
00:26:51.70\00:26:55.02
find out what's going on over
there. And they came to Moses.
00:26:55.05\00:26:58.99
Deuteronomy chapter 1 says
the people came to Moses to send
00:26:59.02\00:27:02.70
spies. It was not God's idea.
You read about it in Numbers
00:27:02.74\00:27:05.91
chapter 13. It makes it sound
like God thought this up. He was
00:27:05.94\00:27:10.24
accommodating their request. And
so Moses picks, he said look I
00:27:10.27\00:27:13.57
want to be fair, they're all
going to want to hear the report
00:27:13.60\00:27:16.82
from their own tribe and so I'll
get representatives from all the
00:27:16.85\00:27:20.03
tribes. Joshua was from the
tribe of Ephraim which is kind
00:27:20.07\00:27:23.93
of interesting because Ephraim
really became the leader of the
00:27:23.97\00:27:27.80
10 tribes of the northern
empire. He wasn't from Benjamin
00:27:27.83\00:27:33.02
or Levy like Moses was or even
Judah like Jesus was. He was
00:27:33.05\00:27:37.09
from the common folk you might
say which is another example
00:27:37.13\00:27:40.88
of Christ. And so Joshua goes
as the representative of Ephraim
00:27:40.92\00:27:43.98
and they've got these others.
Matter of fact, turn with me in
00:27:44.02\00:27:46.93
your Bibles. We're going to read
this out of the Bible. Numbers
00:27:46.96\00:27:52.74
chapter 13 verse 1: And the Lord
spoke to Moses saying send men
00:27:52.77\00:27:58.51
to spy out the land of
Canaan which I am giving to the
00:27:58.55\00:28:01.13
children of Israel. From each
tribe of their fathers you will
00:28:01.17\00:28:04.42
send a man, every one a leader
among them. So evidently Joshua
00:28:04.45\00:28:07.51
is a leader among the people of
Ephraim. We already saw that he
00:28:07.55\00:28:10.57
was a general. And it lists
their names and most of their
00:28:10.61\00:28:13.52
names kind of slip into
obscurity and I'm not going to
00:28:13.56\00:28:16.41
even try and read them all. In
verse 16, these are the names of
00:28:16.44\00:28:21.20
the men who Moses sent out to
the land and Moses called Joshua
00:28:21.23\00:28:25.95
the son of Nun of Hoshea
the son of Nun, Joshua. That's
00:28:25.99\00:28:29.90
interesting there that his name
was Hoshea which means Yahweh
00:28:29.93\00:28:34.78
is Savior but he calls him a
little different derivative of
00:28:34.82\00:28:39.07
that. And the other name that
we remember is Caleb the son of
00:28:39.11\00:28:42.60
Jephunneh. So he sent
them to spy the land of Canaan.
00:28:42.63\00:28:45.42
I'm in verse 17 of Numbers 13.
00:28:45.45\00:28:47.11
Go up this way into
the south and go into the
00:28:47.14\00:28:50.18
mountains and see what the land
is like, whether the people who
00:28:50.22\00:28:53.23
dwell in it are strong or weak,
few or many, whether the land
00:28:53.26\00:28:56.24
they dwell in is good or bad,
whether the cities they inhabit
00:28:56.27\00:28:59.44
are like camps or strongholds,
whether the land is rich or poor
00:28:59.48\00:29:02.47
or whether there are forests
or not. Be of good courage and
00:29:02.51\00:29:05.40
bring some of the fruit of the
land. Notice bring some of the
00:29:05.43\00:29:09.02
fruit of the land. Now the time
was the season of first ripe
00:29:09.05\00:29:13.31
grapes. I remember reading in
history the story of Lewis and
00:29:13.34\00:29:16.75
Clark. You've heard me refer to
it several times. I'm a little
00:29:16.79\00:29:20.73
bit of a buff. To me it was
the great adventure in history.
00:29:20.77\00:29:24.65
You've got this new country that
is still virtually virgin in its
00:29:24.68\00:29:29.41
state. Thomas Jefferson has just
bought country he's never seen.
00:29:29.45\00:29:34.14
Like that man who said I've
bought land, I need to go see
00:29:34.18\00:29:37.39
it. Louisiana Purchase. They
basically bought the land all
00:29:37.42\00:29:40.36
the way from the Mississippi
to the Pacific from Napoleon who
00:29:40.39\00:29:43.29
didn't think it was worth
anything. Another bad move.
00:29:43.33\00:29:47.79
And so Thomas Jefferson gets
this Lewis and Clark expedition
00:29:47.82\00:29:51.08
and he charges them and he
says go find out what we bought.
00:29:51.11\00:29:54.79
Look at the land. See if it's
good or bad. See what the tribes
00:29:54.82\00:29:58.64
are like. Bring back some of the
plants and the animals so we can
00:29:58.67\00:30:02.45
know what kind of diversity
there is. You know Jefferson was
00:30:02.48\00:30:05.63
something of a scientist. So
they made this epoch two year
00:30:05.67\00:30:08.66
adventure across the country and
came back and there was great
00:30:08.70\00:30:11.57
celebration when they came back,
trying to find out what there
00:30:11.60\00:30:14.96
was. They brought a good report
of what they saw and after the
00:30:14.99\00:30:19.19
report Lewis and Clark expansion
west just exploded. But that's
00:30:19.23\00:30:23.40
not what happened to the
12 spies. Let's read about it.
00:30:23.43\00:30:27.36
Verse 21: So they went and
they spied the land from the
00:30:27.40\00:30:30.88
wilderness of Zin as far
as Rechab near the entrance of
00:30:30.91\00:30:33.87
Hamath. And they went up through
the south and they came to
00:30:33.90\00:30:37.26
Hebron, Ahiman, Sheshai, Talmai.
The descendants of Anak. They
00:30:37.30\00:30:40.53
saw this country up there where
the Anakin lived, these giants.
00:30:40.57\00:30:44.21
Verse 23: Then they came to the
valley of Eschol and they cut
00:30:44.25\00:30:48.18
down from there a branch is
one cluster of grapes and they
00:30:48.22\00:30:52.08
carried it between two of them
on a pole. This enormous cluster
00:30:52.12\00:30:55.82
of grapes and not only was
it a big cluster with a lot of
00:30:55.85\00:30:58.19
grapes, I think every grape was
probably as big as your fist of
00:30:58.23\00:31:02.20
you can picture that. And after
spying the land they returned
00:31:02.24\00:31:06.18
40 days later. And they
came back to Moses and the whole
00:31:06.21\00:31:09.99
congregation that were in the
wilderness in Paran at Kadesh
00:31:10.03\00:31:13.93
and they brought back word to
them to all the congregation and
00:31:13.97\00:31:17.84
showed them the fruit of
the land. Now I've got a theory.
00:31:17.87\00:31:21.69
Patriarchs and Prophets seems to
support this. Two of them were
00:31:21.73\00:31:25.82
carrying this staff that
had this great big old 50 pound
00:31:25.85\00:31:30.50
cluster of grapes. Who do you
think they were? I think it was
00:31:30.54\00:31:33.90
Joshua and Caleb. Because as the
spies went through the land ten
00:31:33.94\00:31:36.65
of them kept looking at all the
obstacles, how big the walls of
00:31:36.68\00:31:39.36
Jericho were, that of course
were going to crumble anyway,
00:31:39.39\00:31:43.13
how big the giants in Hebron
were, and the fortifications and
00:31:43.16\00:31:46.98
the Jebusites and the Canaanites
and all of the ites in the land.
00:31:47.01\00:31:50.82
They got intimidated by it. But
Joshua and Caleb, they had faith
00:31:50.85\00:31:53.81
They said look the Lord just
conquered the biggest nation in
00:31:53.85\00:31:56.74
the world, Egypt. He can conquer
these nations. We don't know how
00:31:56.77\00:32:00.08
We don't see exactly how he's
going to do it but we trust God.
00:32:00.11\00:32:03.36
He gave us the land. So they
began to look at the good things
00:32:03.40\00:32:06.13
instead of the bad things. And
they said, wow, look at the size
00:32:06.17\00:32:08.62
of those dates, look at the figs
how big they are, look at the
00:32:08.65\00:32:11.07
pomala, look at the grapes.
And so they're stuffing their
00:32:11.10\00:32:13.85
pockets and they satchels with
all this food that they want to
00:32:13.89\00:32:16.70
show the people and they're
hearing the other spies talking
00:32:16.74\00:32:20.17
about oh me oh my, look at how
big they are. How could we ever
00:32:20.21\00:32:23.69
conquer this land? And as they
began to come back I think that
00:32:23.73\00:32:27.10
Joshua and Caleb conspired. They
said look we better get there
00:32:27.14\00:32:30.84
first and set the mood. We
better get the positive side of
00:32:30.88\00:32:33.93
things because these guys are
so negative. They're going to
00:32:33.97\00:32:37.88
discourage everybody. And
I think with their cluster of
00:32:37.92\00:32:41.77
there were probably fruit flies
following them. A cloud of fruit
00:32:41.80\00:32:45.13
flies. They out ran the other
10 spies and they were the first
00:32:45.17\00:32:48.57
ones there because notice how
the language is when they first
00:32:48.61\00:32:52.93
get back. They said we went
to the land, verse 27, where you
00:32:52.96\00:32:57.10
sent us and truly it flows with
milk and honey and here's the
00:32:57.14\00:33:01.24
fruit. Good report so far.
But the other 10 caught up.
00:33:01.28\00:33:05.55
Nevertheless, wait here, listen
to us. Boy we got some bad news.
00:33:05.59\00:33:09.62
By the way, what did Joshua
bring, good news or bad news?
00:33:09.66\00:33:14.62
What did Jesus bring? What
does the gospel mean? Joshua
00:33:14.66\00:33:21.33
good news, a good report. Then
the negative people came and
00:33:21.37\00:33:25.51
they said nevertheless the
people who dwell in the land are
00:33:25.54\00:33:29.46
strong and the cities are
fortified very large. Moreover,
00:33:29.50\00:33:32.91
we saw the descendants of Anak
there and the Amalekites dwell
00:33:32.94\00:33:36.32
in the south and the Hittites
and the Jebusites and the
00:33:36.35\00:33:38.32
Amorites dwell in the mountains
and the Canaanites dwell by the
00:33:38.35\00:33:41.12
sea on the banks of the Jordan
and you can just see all of a
00:33:41.16\00:33:44.02
sudden this wave of fear
and despondency went across the
00:33:44.05\00:33:47.39
crowd and they went (moan)
oh man. And you can just see it.
00:33:47.42\00:33:51.54
Caleb read the crowd and he
quieted the people. Why do you
00:33:51.58\00:33:54.95
think he needed to quiet them?
They were already starting to
00:33:54.98\00:33:58.93
mourn. Caleb quieted the people
before Moses and said, Let us go
00:33:58.97\00:34:02.98
up at once and take possession
for we are well able to overcome
00:34:03.01\00:34:06.98
it. Obviously there was a
difference between the reporters
00:34:07.02\00:34:11.22
who came back. Some said we can
win and the other said we can
00:34:11.25\00:34:15.44
never win. Do we have that in
our society today. We have both
00:34:15.47\00:34:19.62
views don't we? A lot
of people say (moans) nooo.
00:34:19.66\00:34:24.33
Phew, man. I don't think we
would have ever won World War II
00:34:24.37\00:34:28.49
with that attitude. Obstacles
were bigger then by the way.
00:34:28.53\00:34:32.58
I'm talking about World War II.
And Caleb said we are able. Now
00:34:32.62\00:34:37.32
I want to pause here and just
bring out an important point.
00:34:37.35\00:34:42.72
If you are a Christian and
God in his word has given you a
00:34:42.76\00:34:48.06
glimpse of the promised land you
are to bring back a good report.
00:34:48.09\00:34:53.04
You are to encourage people that
you are able to be a Christian.
00:34:53.07\00:34:57.62
He is able to give you victory.
You can overcome. Seven times
00:34:57.65\00:35:01.99
in Revelation, Jesus says to
him that overcomes. Yes you can.
00:35:02.03\00:35:06.73
He is able to keep you from
falling. We are able. We can be
00:35:06.77\00:35:11.09
saved. You can make it. Jesus
would not have done all that he
00:35:11.12\00:35:14.72
did to suffer if it wasn't
possible for you to get to the
00:35:14.76\00:35:18.32
promised land. Would God
have done everything he did
00:35:18.36\00:35:21.14
miraculously to get them out
of Egypt if he couldn't get them
00:35:21.18\00:35:23.97
all the way to the promised land
Logically I mean obviously you
00:35:24.00\00:35:26.75
can make it. But 10 of them
forgot that and all they could
00:35:26.79\00:35:30.58
look at was the obstacles
and they discouraged the others.
00:35:30.62\00:35:36.11
I am encountering even pastors
that say we're not really able.
00:35:36.14\00:35:41.52
O God may save us but he doesn't
expect you really to overcome
00:35:41.55\00:35:45.91
because the giants are too big.
I mean God doesn't necessarily
00:35:45.94\00:35:49.75
expect you to live a holy life
because after all the devil's so
00:35:49.79\00:35:54.38
and you're so small. And they
discourage people. They don't
00:35:54.42\00:35:59.22
even try to live a holy life.
And that really troubles me.
00:35:59.26\00:36:03.51
I think that we ought to
give the good news and give a
00:36:03.54\00:36:07.72
positive report. Yes you can.
Here is the fruit. By the way,
00:36:07.76\00:36:12.22
do we have a responsibility like
Joshua and Caleb to show people
00:36:12.25\00:36:16.68
fruits of the other land.
What are the fruits of the other
00:36:16.71\00:36:19.74
land? Galatians 5:22: Love, joy,
peace. You and I ought to bring
00:36:19.77\00:36:25.07
back examples of the fruits of
the land and say you can see it,
00:36:25.10\00:36:30.36
you can, taste it, it's in
my life. And if they see those
00:36:30.39\00:36:33.91
fruits, they'll say hey I
think I'd like to go. That looks
00:36:33.95\00:36:37.60
pretty good to me. But they've
got to see it, don't they?
00:36:37.63\00:36:41.21
Well then they discouraged the
people and it says here verse 31
00:36:41.24\00:36:47.16
they disagreed with Caleb and
Joshua. The men who had gone up
00:36:47.19\00:36:51.44
with them said we are not able.
Now you've got to choose friends
00:36:51.48\00:36:55.70
when there are two kinds of
voices out there in the church.
00:36:55.73\00:36:58.18
These are God's people. Is that
right. Is Israel God's people?
00:36:58.22\00:37:01.43
Two voices. One voice, the
minority voice, notice Caleb and
00:37:01.46\00:37:04.60
Joshua compared to 10 are saying
we are able. The majority voice,
00:37:04.64\00:37:10.13
we're not able. That's still
true today. It seems like it's a
00:37:10.17\00:37:14.40
smaller group that says you
can live a holy life, you can be
00:37:14.43\00:37:19.14
like Jesus, you can be an
overcomer. That's the minority.
00:37:19.17\00:37:22.93
It's the majority that looks
at all the obstacles to Godly
00:37:22.97\00:37:25.97
living. God doesn't really
expect it. Just say a prayer,
00:37:26.01\00:37:28.95
you'll be saved but don't expect
to be an overcomer. And they
00:37:28.98\00:37:34.24
said we're not able to go
against the people for they are
00:37:34.28\00:37:38.92
stronger than we are and they
gave the children of Israel a
00:37:38.95\00:37:42.81
bad report. Joshua brought good
news, they brought bad news.
00:37:42.84\00:37:46.05
A bad report of the land that
they had spied out saying the
00:37:46.09\00:37:49.23
land through which we've gone as
spies is a land that devours the
00:37:49.27\00:37:52.92
inhabitants. That's another
reason why I think Joshua and
00:37:52.96\00:37:54.96
Caleb were the ones who got
there first because the first
00:37:55.00\00:37:56.93
part says flows with milk and
honey. These guys say it devours
00:37:56.96\00:37:59.71
the inhabitants. Why they've got
thorns there. Joshua and Caleb
00:37:59.74\00:38:03.73
look at the roses. These guys
said look at the thorns. Do we
00:38:03.76\00:38:08.66
have both in the church today?
You know on any given day in
00:38:08.69\00:38:13.90
California you've got two birds
that might be flying around.
00:38:13.94\00:38:18.62
One is a vulture, the other is a
humming bird. They can fly over
00:38:18.66\00:38:23.31
the exact same country and
one is looking for every bright
00:38:23.34\00:38:26.32
flower and sweet nectar and
the other one is looking for
00:38:26.35\00:38:29.26
something dead and they're both
looking at the same area. In the
00:38:29.29\00:38:33.29
church you've got vultures that
just see all the problems, all
00:38:33.33\00:38:36.92
the dirt, all the gossip, all
the failures, all the falling,
00:38:36.95\00:38:40.33
and they just love to talk about
everything bad. For one thing
00:38:40.36\00:38:43.67
it seems to justify the sin in
their lives and that's why they
00:38:43.70\00:38:46.97
focus on that. Then you've
got people who have their eyes
00:38:47.01\00:38:51.11
fixed on God like Joshua and
they are looking for the nectar.
00:38:51.15\00:38:54.48
They're looking for the good
things. I'd like to invite you
00:38:54.52\00:38:57.25
if you've been a buzzard be a
humming bird would you please.
00:38:57.28\00:39:01.28
You can choose what you want to
be. You find what you look for.
00:39:01.32\00:39:05.28
It's like that old adage
that says two men looked out of
00:39:05.32\00:39:08.60
prison bars, one saw mud and one
saw stars. So if you want you
00:39:08.64\00:39:12.74
can see mud or you can look up
and you can see stars. They both
00:39:12.77\00:39:16.86
looked at the same land. One
gave a good report, one gave a
00:39:16.90\00:39:20.95
bad report. And all the
congregation lifted up their
00:39:20.99\00:39:24.88
voices, I'm in chapter 14 verse
1. All the congregation lifted
00:39:24.91\00:39:28.07
up their voices and wept. You
notice people are more inclined
00:39:28.11\00:39:32.15
to believe the bad report.
They wept all that night and the
00:39:32.19\00:39:35.44
children of Israel murmured
against Moses and Aaron in the
00:39:35.48\00:39:38.63
congregation saying to them if
only we had died in the land of
00:39:38.66\00:39:42.27
Egypt. Oh don't ever say that.
Or if only we had died in the
00:39:42.30\00:39:45.88
wilderness. Why has the Lord
brought us to this land where we
00:39:45.91\00:39:48.74
can fall by the sword that our
wives and our children should
00:39:48.78\00:39:52.14
become victims. Would it have
been better for us to return to
00:39:52.17\00:39:55.50
Egypt. So they said to one
another. Let's select another
00:39:55.53\00:39:59.22
leader and return to Egypt.
Now how do you thing Joshua felt
00:39:59.25\00:40:02.55
who's the servant of Moses when
he heard the people say pick
00:40:02.59\00:40:06.07
another leader. How loyal was
Joshua to Moses. Joshua almost
00:40:06.10\00:40:09.07
came out of his skin when other
people began to prophesy with
00:40:09.11\00:40:12.28
the Spirit of Moses. And so now
they say pick another leader.
00:40:12.32\00:40:17.01
Those were fighting words for
him. Verse 6, And Joshua the son
00:40:17.05\00:40:20.55
of Nun and Caleb the son of
Jephunneh who were among those
00:40:20.58\00:40:24.01
who had spied out the land tore
their clothes and they spoke to
00:40:24.05\00:40:27.76
all the congregation of Israel.
They ran in the midst of the
00:40:27.80\00:40:31.41
people. They said the land
through which we passed is an
00:40:31.45\00:40:34.83
exceedingly good land, not just
good land. Now what are they
00:40:34.87\00:40:39.13
saying? Exceedingly good land.
Ah friends, I wish you could see
00:40:39.16\00:40:42.86
that land. I wish I could put it
on the screen and you could see
00:40:42.89\00:40:46.42
what God has got for those that
love him. You can't even imagine
00:40:46.46\00:40:49.88
it. If the Lord delights in us
he will bring us into the land
00:40:49.91\00:40:53.10
and give it to us, a land that
flows with milk and honey, only
00:40:53.13\00:40:55.96
do not rebel against the Lord.
Now he's beginning to chastise
00:40:56.00\00:40:59.51
them. God had picked Moses. Do
not rebel against the Lord nor
00:40:59.54\00:41:02.44
fear the people of the land
for they are our bread. They are
00:41:02.47\00:41:05.75
nothing for us. How did they get
their bread in the wilderness?
00:41:05.78\00:41:09.46
They just went out and picked
it up. That's what he's saying.
00:41:09.49\00:41:13.13
He's saying we can pick
them off. They are bread. We'll
00:41:13.17\00:41:16.13
devour them. Do not fear them.
The Lord is with us. If the Lord
00:41:16.16\00:41:19.98
is with us we can make it. Do
you believe that friends? If the
00:41:20.01\00:41:23.85
Lord is with us we can be
overcomers. And the congregation
00:41:23.89\00:41:27.18
said to stone them with stones.
Now they're going to kill.
00:41:27.22\00:41:30.51
They're going to execute Joshua
and Caleb. And I'll tell you
00:41:30.55\00:41:33.58
when you've got a mob about a
million and a half against two
00:41:33.61\00:41:36.73
it looks hopeless doesn't it?
They had the courage to go out
00:41:36.77\00:41:39.84
there in this crowd. Popular
opinion had turned totally
00:41:39.88\00:41:43.72
against their report. Isn't
that right? Has popular opinion
00:41:43.75\00:41:47.11
turned against the report that
we can be godly Christians, that
00:41:47.15\00:41:50.47
Christianity is more than
a social club where we get
00:41:50.51\00:41:52.41
together. Find out what people
want and give them what they
00:41:52.44\00:41:55.49
want. That's sort of the church
marketing plan today instead of
00:41:55.52\00:41:58.61
finding out what God's word says
and tell people. Find out what
00:41:58.64\00:42:01.70
people want and accommodate
what they want. That's not the
00:42:01.73\00:42:04.80
purpose of the gospel. It's not
to change God to fit us. It's to
00:42:04.84\00:42:08.56
change us to fit God. And it
wasn't popular. And they went
00:42:08.59\00:42:12.21
right out there in the midst and
told them you're rebelling. They
00:42:12.25\00:42:15.23
were repenting, they tore their
clothes. You know the Bible
00:42:15.26\00:42:19.00
tells us in Ezekiel 9 it's those
who sigh and cry who are going
00:42:19.04\00:42:23.18
be the ones who get the mark of
the seal of God. And the people
00:42:23.22\00:42:26.46
were ready to stone them. And
they all picked up stones and
00:42:26.50\00:42:29.38
they were beginning to drag them
off like Stephen to stone them
00:42:29.42\00:42:32.62
to death and you know what
happened? God intervened to save
00:42:32.65\00:42:36.89
them. Read this here. The
congregation was ready to stone
00:42:36.92\00:42:41.68
them. Now the glory of the Lord
appeared in the tabernacle of
00:42:41.71\00:42:46.77
meeting before all the children
of Israel. Suddenly there was
00:42:46.81\00:42:51.30
seen above the tabernacle it
looked like the Shekinah glory
00:42:51.34\00:42:55.84
was rising like a mushroom cloud
of light and the glory of God
00:42:55.88\00:43:00.37
suddenly appeared and everyone
cowered behind and they dropped
00:43:00.40\00:43:04.86
their stones and they gave
up the idea of stoning them.
00:43:04.90\00:43:07.54
God was manifesting his obvious
displeasure. They had heard the
00:43:07.58\00:43:11.44
voice of God thunder from that
cloud before and suddenly the
00:43:11.47\00:43:15.38
Lord basically intervened to
save Joshua and Caleb. They were
00:43:15.41\00:43:19.65
going to kill them. You might be
in the minority but you and God
00:43:19.68\00:43:23.88
are always a majority and
so I'd much rather be with the
00:43:23.92\00:43:29.32
minority that's right than the
majority that's wrong. Can you
00:43:29.35\00:43:34.52
say amen to that? And then of
course Moses speaks up here and
00:43:34.55\00:43:39.07
the Lord spoke to Moses.
How long will I dwell with these
00:43:39.11\00:43:43.56
people that reject me. I need to
move on here. I've still got a
00:43:43.59\00:43:48.01
lot more I need to cover. So
God stands up for him and by the
00:43:48.05\00:43:52.44
way I wish we had more young
people like that that would
00:43:52.47\00:43:54.84
stand up. And you go to chapter
26 of Numbers. For the Lord said
00:43:54.88\00:44:00.80
to them they shall surely die in
the wilderness and there was not
00:44:00.83\00:44:06.20
left a man of them save Caleb
the son of Jephunneh and Joshua
00:44:06.24\00:44:12.49
the son of Nun. Of the ones
who left Egypt how many of the
00:44:12.52\00:44:18.73
original made it to the
promised land. You got just
00:44:18.77\00:44:21.46
Caleb and Joshua. In the same
way friends, how many people
00:44:21.49\00:44:25.85
have come to this world
and lived a holy life without
00:44:25.89\00:44:29.48
sinning? That made it all
the way from the cradle to the
00:44:29.51\00:44:34.39
grave without sin? It's just
Jesus. And that's another type
00:44:34.42\00:44:40.45
of that. Well then we go on
to the place where Joshua is
00:44:40.48\00:44:46.43
ordained by Moses. Now you know
the story. Moses got discouraged
00:44:46.47\00:44:51.98
They've gone through the
wilderness all these years.
00:44:52.02\00:44:54.51
Oh, by the way, I don't want
to rush past this. What was the
00:44:54.55\00:44:58.94
penalty of the children
of Israel because of their
00:44:58.98\00:45:02.92
faithlessness? Did God intend
for them to wander 40 years?
00:45:02.96\00:45:07.47
Why did they wander 40 years?
Because they lost faith. And so
00:45:07.50\00:45:11.63
God said look you're going to go
off into the wilderness and all
00:45:11.67\00:45:15.76
of you 20 years old and upward
that did not believe, all of
00:45:15.79\00:45:19.08
those who were at the age of
accountability, you weren't old
00:45:19.12\00:45:22.28
enough to serve as a soldier
till you were 20. So all of
00:45:22.32\00:45:25.41
those who were at least 20 years
of age when they left Egypt on
00:45:25.45\00:45:29.05
up, they all died because
they didn't believe. That whole
00:45:29.08\00:45:33.16
generation was wiped out
including Moses and Aaron and
00:45:33.20\00:45:37.21
Miriam. Now do the math for
me. What was the maximum age of
00:45:37.24\00:45:43.94
anybody that finally came into
the promised land. Joshua and
00:45:43.97\00:45:49.93
Caleb if they were a little over
40 I think Caleb was about 40
00:45:49.96\00:45:55.56
years of age when he came
out of Egypt so 60. Who were the
00:45:55.59\00:46:00.31
the two oldest people.
Caleb and Joshua. You got that.
00:46:00.34\00:46:04.99
Everybody else had died. They
didn't all die at once. Some of
00:46:05.02\00:46:07.93
them it was various plagues.
Some of them it was just old age
00:46:07.96\00:46:12.22
but none of them made it. You
could say every one of them knew
00:46:12.26\00:46:17.45
that they weren't get beyond
a certain age because they lost
00:46:17.49\00:46:21.59
faith. And as Joshua and
Caleb saw everybody around them
00:46:21.62\00:46:25.68
dropping God continued
to preserve them because the
00:46:25.72\00:46:28.44
believed in God. What is it
that preserves us? Faith in God.
00:46:28.48\00:46:33.24
Without faith it's impossible to
please God. Well Moses finally
00:46:33.27\00:46:38.00
they're about to enter the
promised land. Moses was going
00:46:38.04\00:46:40.78
make it. But as they neared the
borders the people ran out of
00:46:40.81\00:46:43.52
water again and they got
discouraged. They started to
00:46:43.55\00:46:46.91
complain. They wanted to go back
to Egypt and Moses was just...
00:46:46.94\00:46:49.50
He had had victory over his
temper all these years and he
00:46:49.54\00:46:52.48
lost his temper again. Not only
did he lose his temper in front
00:46:52.51\00:46:55.90
of the people, he struck
the rock twice when he was only
00:46:55.94\00:46:59.87
supposed to speak to the rock
and it was supposed to be a type
00:46:59.91\00:47:02.66
of Christ. And the Lord says,
you didn't honor me before the
00:47:02.70\00:47:06.11
people. I can't let you take
them in. And like Magellan Moses
00:47:06.14\00:47:09.34
didn't make it all the way but
Joshua did make it all the way.
00:47:09.37\00:47:13.01
Now Moses instead of being
threatened or being upset that
00:47:13.05\00:47:16.65
he doesn't get to take
the people in, he's now just
00:47:16.69\00:47:18.71
concerned about the people. Keep
in mind, was Joshua a humble
00:47:18.74\00:47:24.14
man? He must have been a very
humble man. Keep in mind who is
00:47:24.17\00:47:30.14
the meekest man that ever lived?
Moses was. Joshua had his mentor
00:47:30.17\00:47:36.10
Moses before him all the time.
Moses was identified as the
00:47:36.14\00:47:38.88
meekest man that ever lived.
Of course that was up until the
00:47:38.92\00:47:42.68
time of Christ. So Joshua, here
he's this general, he goes up
00:47:42.71\00:47:46.25
the mountain with Moses, he goes
into the tabernacle, he survives
00:47:46.28\00:47:49.78
when everyone around him
is dying and yet he always
00:47:49.81\00:47:52.45
maintained an attitude of
humility. He was a humble man.
00:47:52.49\00:47:56.30
Well the time came for Moses to
die. It's amazing how many times
00:47:56.33\00:48:04.37
in the end of the book of
Deuteronomy it talks about
00:48:04.41\00:48:08.64
God insisting that Moses charge,
prepare, ordain Joshua. You can
00:48:08.68\00:48:15.14
read about this here in Numbers
27 verse 18: And the Lord said
00:48:15.17\00:48:21.33
to Moses, take thee Joshua the
son of Nun, a man in whom is the
00:48:21.36\00:48:27.74
Spirit and lay thine hand upon
him and set him before Eliezer
00:48:27.77\00:48:34.12
the priest and all the
congregation, in other words in
00:48:34.15\00:48:37.91
the presence of everybody, I
am transferring authority Moses
00:48:37.94\00:48:40.73
from you to him. All the
authority and Spirit that you
00:48:40.77\00:48:44.25
had he will have. When Jesus
came into our world, did he come
00:48:44.28\00:48:48.28
with complete authority of the
Father? It says if you've seen
00:48:48.32\00:48:57.08
me you've seen the Father.
And give him a charge in their
00:48:57.12\00:49:05.82
sight and thou shalt put some
of thine honor upon him that all
00:49:05.85\00:49:11.29
the congregation of the
children of Israel may be
00:49:11.33\00:49:14.05
obedient. They need to listen
to him the way they listened to
00:49:14.08\00:49:16.67
you. Hopefully better because
they always wanted to stone
00:49:16.70\00:49:21.72
Moses. By the way, they wanted
to stone Joshua too didn't they?
00:49:21.75\00:49:26.28
Can you think of any times
in the life of Christ when they
00:49:26.31\00:49:30.77
wanted to stone Christ? Did the
Lord intervene and save him from
00:49:30.80\00:49:34.41
stoning? It's interesting isn't
it? Joshua is an interesting
00:49:34.45\00:49:38.70
type of Christ. Deuteronomy 31:7
Then Moses called Joshua and
00:49:38.73\00:49:43.67
said to him in the sight of all
Israel, Be strong and of good
00:49:43.70\00:49:49.47
courage. Now you can understand
if you were Joshua. He had
00:49:49.51\00:49:54.22
witnessed a lot of rebellion
in 40 years hadn't he? When the
00:49:54.25\00:49:58.93
people went back into the
wilderness Joshua hadn't lost
00:49:58.97\00:50:01.49
faith. He didn't have to go with
them. He could say well Lord hey
00:50:01.53\00:50:04.51
look I can see why they need
to wander for 40 years but I've
00:50:04.55\00:50:06.74
been good. Caleb and I, we're
heading on in now. We'll meet
00:50:06.77\00:50:08.93
them later. Is that what he said
or did he go with them even in
00:50:08.96\00:50:13.76
their wanderings? You think
maybe the church has had to
00:50:13.79\00:50:17.56
tarry in this world too long
because of apostasy and lack of
00:50:17.59\00:50:20.83
faith? Moses went into the
wilderness with them, Joshua
00:50:20.86\00:50:24.90
went with them, God went with
them. Is the Lord still with his
00:50:24.93\00:50:28.72
church in spite of our failures?
Are we still God's people?
00:50:28.76\00:50:33.47
What makes us God's people? He
is committed to us the oracles
00:50:33.50\00:50:37.51
of truth. His tabernacle is in
our midst. And what was in the
00:50:37.55\00:50:41.53
middle of the tabernacle?
The word of God, the Law of God.
00:50:41.56\00:50:44.89
Is God with his church? How
do we know he's with his church?
00:50:44.92\00:50:48.03
Because we're all faithful, we
don't murmur, we don't complain,
00:50:48.06\00:50:51.13
we don't gripe against our
leaders? Write that down. What
00:50:51.16\00:50:55.73
tells us that he's among his
people? He has committed to us
00:50:55.77\00:50:59.98
his word, he's committed to us
his Law, it's in our midst isn't
00:51:00.01\00:51:04.19
it? We're still his people.
We may be wandering in the
00:51:04.22\00:51:06.76
wilderness. God went with them,
Joshua went with them, Moses
00:51:06.79\00:51:09.75
went with them. He's still with
us and we're still heading to
00:51:09.78\00:51:12.37
the promised land but we're
learning things along the way.
00:51:12.40\00:51:16.71
Amen? So Joshua was worried.
He said how can I manage these
00:51:16.74\00:51:21.01
people? You barely
survived Moses. And he's kind of
00:51:21.05\00:51:24.31
overwhelmed with the task. We
don't know what his job was back
00:51:24.35\00:51:28.40
in Egypt. If you believe what
you see in the movies, he was a
00:51:28.44\00:51:32.98
stone cutter, but I wouldn't
believe Cecil B. DeMill when
00:51:33.02\00:51:37.49
revelation is not there. It
doesn't tell us what his job was
00:51:37.53\00:51:42.34
He evidently was more educated
because he did write. Probably
00:51:42.37\00:51:45.91
he at least dictated the book
of Joshua and we'll get to that
00:51:45.94\00:51:50.37
in our next study. And he says,
be strong and of good courage
00:51:50.41\00:51:54.81
for you must go with this
people to the land which the
00:51:54.84\00:51:58.25
Lord has sworn to their fathers
to give them. And you shall
00:51:58.28\00:52:02.07
cause them to inherit it. Who is
it that causes us to inherit the
00:52:02.10\00:52:07.67
promised land? It's Jesus isn't
it? Our Joshua. You shall cause
00:52:07.70\00:52:12.57
them to inherit it and the
Lord God, he is the one who goes
00:52:12.61\00:52:17.20
before you. He will be with
you. He will not leave you nor
00:52:17.23\00:52:21.42
forsake you. What did Jesus say
to us? I will never leave you
00:52:21.45\00:52:25.82
nor forsake you. It's the same
promise. Do not fear. What did
00:52:25.86\00:52:29.93
Jesus say over and over again
to the church, to the apostles?
00:52:29.96\00:52:34.22
Don't fear, don't be afraid.
Nor be dismayed. Now whenever
00:52:34.25\00:52:39.05
I see the word be in the Bible
I like to remember the first
00:52:39.08\00:52:42.97
words in the Bible when God
says let there be light, let
00:52:43.00\00:52:47.19
there be land, let there be
creatures. There is creative
00:52:47.23\00:52:51.34
power in the word of God and God
says let it be, it is. And if
00:52:51.38\00:52:55.28
God says be strong you may not
feel very strong. If you believe
00:52:55.32\00:52:59.09
in the word of God be strong you
can accept it and it becomes a
00:52:59.13\00:53:03.36
reality. He will give you his
strength. Be courageous. Do not
00:53:03.40\00:53:07.57
be afraid or dismayed. He'll be
with you. Deuteronomy 34 verse 9
00:53:07.60\00:53:13.57
Now we're reaching the end of
Moses' life. And Joshua the son
00:53:13.61\00:53:19.71
of Nun was full of the Spirit
of wisdom for Moses had laid his
00:53:19.75\00:53:24.61
hands upon him and the children
of Israel harkened unto him
00:53:24.64\00:53:29.41
and did as the Lord commanded
Moses. He was Spirit filled.
00:53:29.45\00:53:34.76
Was Jesus full of the Spirit
of God? Now I want to show you
00:53:34.80\00:53:40.75
something here and I want to
make sure that... Go with me in
00:53:40.79\00:53:45.19
the book of Exodus chapter
23 and this is our last verse I
00:53:45.23\00:53:48.66
want you to consider; there's
actually two quick verses.
00:53:48.69\00:53:54.56
Exodus 23 verse 20. God is
telling Moses early on I'm going
00:53:54.59\00:53:58.66
to have someone else lead
the children of Israel into the
00:53:58.69\00:54:02.69
promised land. Behold I send an
angel before you to keep you in
00:54:02.73\00:54:07.89
the way to bring you into
the place that I have prepared.
00:54:07.92\00:54:12.42
When the Bible talks about this
arch angel, the Angel of the
00:54:12.45\00:54:16.57
Lord, God also told Moses
I'm going to send a prophet like
00:54:16.60\00:54:20.97
unto me. Who was this angel
that he was to send before him.
00:54:21.01\00:54:24.82
Wasn't it Christ who is the
ultimate Angel or Messenger of
00:54:24.86\00:54:28.61
the Lord? Beware of him and obey
his voice. Do not provoke him.
00:54:28.64\00:54:33.84
He will not pardon your
transgressions. In other words,
00:54:33.87\00:54:36.94
he's got the power to pardon, if
you provoke him he won't. So who
00:54:36.98\00:54:40.40
is this Angel of the Lord who
has the power to forgive, the
00:54:40.44\00:54:44.02
Arch Angel? This is a
type of Christ. This is Jesus.
00:54:44.06\00:54:46.93
But notice here, for my name
is in him. Now with that in mind
00:54:46.96\00:54:54.11
my name is in him, what was the
name of Joshua? God is Savior.
00:54:54.15\00:55:01.14
Jesus the son of Nun. What does
Nun mean? Perpetual, eternal,
00:55:01.17\00:55:08.13
continual. From everlasting
to everlasting thou art God.
00:55:08.16\00:55:11.82
My name is in him. Who was the
one who led them finally from
00:55:11.85\00:55:15.72
the wilderness into the promised
land? It was Jesus. My name is
00:55:15.76\00:55:20.50
in him. It was Joshua who led
them in. He is one of the most
00:55:20.53\00:55:24.30
striking types of Christ.
Did you catch what I was saying
00:55:24.33\00:55:28.02
here? Matter of fact, that word
Nun, I looked it up yesterday.
00:55:28.06\00:55:32.33
The word Nun is used in Psalms
as eternal, continual, perpetual
00:55:32.37\00:55:36.61
Jesus, Yahweh, Jehovah, the
Savior, the Son of the Eternal
00:55:36.64\00:55:43.86
is the one who will lead you all
the way in. Jesus is our Joshua
00:55:43.90\00:55:49.89
isn't he? And I don't think it's
a mistake that the Bible begins
00:55:49.92\00:55:55.54
with there in Exodus, Joshua as
the general, the great deliverer
00:55:55.57\00:56:00.03
the savior of the people. In
the absence of Moses they really
00:56:00.07\00:56:03.88
needed a savior didn't they? And
the last words in the Bible are
00:56:03.91\00:56:08.24
Even so come Lord Jesus. He is
the author and the finisher of
00:56:08.27\00:56:13.52
our faith. Amen. Dear Lord,
we wonder sometimes how we can
00:56:13.56\00:56:18.78
ever doubt the inspiration
of your word when we see a
00:56:18.81\00:56:22.82
kaleidoscope of pictures of
Jesus in all of these characters
00:56:22.86\00:56:27.19
and these stories. We've seen
Jesus again today, Lord, in the
00:56:27.23\00:56:31.26
character of Joshua. We pray
that we will see him even more
00:56:31.30\00:56:35.49
as we continue this study.
But today, Lord, we've seen an
00:56:35.52\00:56:39.64
individual that had tremendous
faith. We would like that faith.
00:56:39.68\00:56:45.29
We know that it's easy to
focus on the obstacles and the
00:56:45.32\00:56:49.03
problems. Sometimes we are
diverted to look at the giants
00:56:49.06\00:56:52.69
in the land. Help us, Lord, to
look at the fruits of the land.
00:56:52.73\00:56:56.34
Help us to bring back a good
report and let others see the
00:56:56.37\00:57:00.37
fruit of the land in our lives
that they'll be inspired. Help
00:57:00.40\00:57:04.30
us to be overcomers Lord. We
want to be among those who will
00:57:04.34\00:57:08.76
live and remain when Jesus comes
that can make it all the way
00:57:08.80\00:57:12.57
from birth into eternity in the
moment, in the twinkling of an
00:57:12.61\00:57:16.75
eye. Lord, forgive us for the
times when we have been negative
00:57:16.78\00:57:21.14
discouraging ourselves and
others. Help us to keep the good
00:57:21.18\00:57:25.39
news good news. I pray Lord
that you'll bless even though
00:57:25.43\00:57:29.58
there are challenges. That we'll
be willing to go up the mountain
00:57:29.61\00:57:33.34
with you on a regular basis to
keep our eyes lifted up as you
00:57:33.38\00:57:37.16
are there interceding in our
behalf that we might gain the
00:57:37.19\00:57:40.90
victory in the battles that come
Bless your people, Lord. Forgive
00:57:40.93\00:57:44.72
us for sometimes repeating the
history of ancient Israel. Help
00:57:44.75\00:57:48.33
us to be like that generation
that made it into the promised
00:57:48.36\00:57:51.73
land and across the Jordan. Be
with the many need represented
00:57:51.76\00:57:55.24
in our families, Lord, and our
individuals and pour out your
00:57:55.28\00:57:59.16
Spirit in their lives as we keep
Jesus before us and it's in the
00:57:59.20\00:58:03.05
name of our
Joshua we pray. Amen.
00:58:03.09\00:58:06.98