#DailyDevotion Jesus Is Our Joshua
June 29th
Read Josh 4:1–24
Jos 4:14-19 ESV On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life. (15) And the LORD said to Joshua, (16) “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.” (17) So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.” (18) And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before. (19) The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.
It was the 10th day of the first month they Israelites entered into the promised land. It is notable that it was the 10th of the 1st. The 10th symbolizing that their journey was now complete. The time in the wilderness was over. The Lord had fulfilled his promise to the Israelites that at the time at which those who had grumbled against him had finally passed away. The first month symbolizes a new beginning for the Israelites. No longer will they be foreigners in a foreign land. They have a new home, a new land, a new country to call their own.
We too like the Israelites in the wilderness are looking forward to the day when we shall enter into the promised land promised to Abraham and those who have the faith of Abraham, a new heavens and a new earth. We do not know when we shall enter into it. We know when we do, we shall be ushered into it by another Joshua whose name in Greek is Jesus.
Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place, a new home, where righteousness reigns. Where there is no more death or sorry, crying or tears, no more hunger or thirst he is preparing for all who put their trust in him. There everything comes out as a wash, and greater than a wash for he has promised he would pay back Israel double for their sins, how much more so than for his true Israel the Church, the flock of all believers in Christ.
Sure, now we may have misery, trials, tribulations, troubles, sicknesses and death. Then these will be no more. A land truly flowing with milk and honey, whose trees bear fruit every month whose leaves heal the nations. And we shall see God and the Lamb and know true love and true peace. We won’t have to defeat the Philistines, the Hittites, Jebusites or Nanites. Jesus has already conquered all our enemies for us on the cross.
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us patience, faith and endurance until that time as you have us cross the Jordan of this world into the world prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Amen.