#DailyDevotion Jesus Is The Fulfillment Of Joshua
June 26th
Read Josh 1:1–18
Jos 1:7-9 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. (8) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (9) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
The Lord had promise this land to Abraham and his descendents. The covenant of the Law made possession of the land dependent upon following the book of the Law. God would ultimately give the fulfillment of the “Promised Land,” a city whose foundations and walls would be built by God unconditionally as promised to Abraham to all who have the faith of Abraham.
But for now, in Joshua, the people of Israel have a command and a promise and from that they can head the words of the Lord and of Joshua. Be strong and very courageous! They could do that if they kept their eyes and their hearts on the book of the Law and trusted in the Lord. If they quit trusting the Lord and quit following the Law then they could have no basis upon being strong and courageous.
David knew this. This is why he could slay the lion and the bear and ultimately Goliath. He trusted in the Lord and in the Lord’s promise. It’s why he could wait for God’s plans for Saul in order to be king and could go successfully against the inhabitants of the land. The same was true of course for Joshua. He would meditate on the book of Law, instruct God’s people and do as it said because he trusted in the Lord’s promise. This book of the Law they were to meditate upon day and night. And so they could be bold trusting the promise the Lord God was with them wherever they went.
The Lord Joshua (Jesus) Christ at the end of Matthew gave similar instructions before his departure to the right hand of the Father. He said, Mat 28:20 “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” So the apostles taught us everything Jesus had taught them which Jesus (Joshua) had been given of the Father. He calls us to meditate upon it day and night. He also gives us a promise that he is with us until the end of the age. Even as the Lord delivered the land into the hands of the Israelites, so too, Jesus will give us the inheritance of Abraham, the new heavens and new earth with the Father and Jesus as our temple teaching us face to face. So in this life, with this promise we can be strong and courageous. The Lord is with us.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us your Spirit that we may meditate upon your teachings day and night, be strengthened by them and lead us to live in them by faith being encouraged by your continual presence always. Amen.