• The Old Testament is preparatory to the New; the New Testament cannot be understood apart from the Old.

God’s dealings with man in the Old Testament are a picture of his dealings with man in the New.

As we study these Old Testament books, we are amazed at times at their relevance for the day and age in which we live.

The book of Joshua has been described as the Ephesians of the Old Testament.

Both books highlight the warfare of the saints.

In Joshua, faith, power and courage are required, in Ephesians we have the shield of faith, the power of his might and the standing firm.

Joshua took a people who had been wandering and they became warriors. How can wanderers become warriors?

Joshua took 2-3 million people into a fortified land facing cities that were surrounded by walls and they faced men who were battle hardened. But in such a short space of time they conquered much of the land.

Caleb was forty when he and Joshua spied out the land. We discover he was eighty-five in chapter 14 v 10.

Thirty-eight years wandering that means they conquered most of the land in seven years.

We read in the last chapter that Joshua died when he was one hundred and ten years old. That means, assuming he and Caleb were of an age, the whole book covers a period of about no more than 30 years.

They achieved so much in difficult circumstances in such a short space of time.

That’s what we want to be, in the battle and making progress.

The church today is all about programmes and plans but very little progress is made.

As I read Joshua and as I look at Ephesians I realise that the words of Paul in Romans eight fit this book of Joshua and that’s the title I want to give this series.

By way of introduction let’s look firstly at:

Joshua is the sixth book in the Bible following after the five books of Moses.

Vernon Magee remarks, Genesis is Israel born, Exodus is Israel chosen, Leviticus is Israel drawn nigh by the blood, Numbers is Israel proven, Deuteronomy is Israel entrusted and Joshua is Israel in conflict and conquest.

This book is really the climax of Moses’ writings and the commencement of the historical books.

It forms a bridge between Moses’ writings and the historical books of the Old Testament.

Pink describes it as the capstone of Moses’ writings and the foundation of what is to follow.

This book marks the end of Israel’s wanderings and the conquest and apportionment of the land of Canaan.

A new generation, a new leader, a new sphere. They were moving onward and forward.

• Chapters one through five- they move into the land.

• Chapters six to eleven -they fight the battles.

• Chapters twelve to twenty two- the land is distributed.

• Chapters twenty-three to twenty four -record the epilogue and death of Joshua.

Consider some of the key words in this book, perhaps they speak to us about how we become more than conquerors.

Joshua 10:25 And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.

Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

The word Passover occurs 53 times, the word Ascend or rise up 37 times.

The word Inheritance occurs 45 times.

They were a people who wanted to possess their possessions.

Perhaps one of the difficulties of this book is the fact that it appears that God allows a people to invade a land and kill thousands of people.

Instead of God being abhorred by this, God is often angry when they fail to slaughter the inhabitants.

Many have used this to pour scorn on this book and the God who inspired it saying this is not compatible with a God of love.

Our sovereign and righteous God can and will do no wrong.

This land was promised to Israel in Genesis 15.

God speaking of their return to Canaan said this,

God said of the Amorites, one of the inhabitants of Canaan, that their iniquity was not yet full.

The same God who used a flood to punish sinners, used fire and brimstone, could use his people as instruments in purging the earth of those who had filled the cup of his indignation to the brim.

In Lev. 18 you will read about their sinful idolatrous practises.

Too many people have an unbalanced view of God they think of the God of love, but God is above all a holy God, and he must deal with sin.

This book will challenge us, there is a fight to be fought, victory is ours and the way of success is here before us.

What do we know about Joshua?

Joshua was born in Egypt. He would have grown up under the taskmasters’ whip. He was used to hard labour and understanding tough times.

A man, who would understand people, understands problems and understand pain. A man whom God prepared to become a great leader of this nation.

Joshua must have made an impression on Moses, something about this young man, something outstanding that causes Moses to depend upon him.

What lessons did Joshua learn on the way to becoming what God wanted him to be?

God used Moses who was raised in the palace, God used Joshua who was raised a slave in Egypt.

Praise God he can use you too.

In Exodus 17 we find Israel in a familiar situation. They had no water to drink.

You know the story well -

Out came the water and the people drank.

This ofcourse is a wonderful picture of salvation and men and woman receiving the Holy Spirit.

"This spake he of the Holy Spirit."

A battle begins, a battle between the flesh and the spirit.

Look at the verse Eight.

Then came Amalek who was a descendant of Esau a relation through the flesh.

What a picture of the flesh that attacks the people of God.

Here we discover the trust Moses had in the young man Joshua.

Joshua is nominated as the leader in the battle.

What lessons the young man was learning.

Exodus 17:12 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

We don’t read about Joshua tiring in the battle, but Moses was tired interceding. It’s easier to fight than to pray, the more spiritual the excerise the more difficult it is to continue.

Joshua was becoming what God wanted him to be. He was destined for greater service, but he had to learn many lessons.

Moses goes up to receive the law.

For how long did Moses stay up the mount?

Exodus 24:18 And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.

Joshua waited on the mount for forty days and forty nights. Forty is the number of testing or probation in Gods’ word.

What was being tested? His patience.

If you want to be any use for God you must have patience, no short cuts and no quick fixes will suffice.

Exodus 32:1

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Arron and the people thought Moses would not return and they fell into sin.

Joshua on the other hand, was ever looking for Moses’ return and remained the faithful servant.

If you want to be any use for God, keep the Lord’s return ever before you. Some areas of your Christian life are effected by you being constantly aware of the Lord’s return.

• Comfort.

1 Thes. 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

• Church.

Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

• Conduct.

1 John 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

• Conflict.

1 Cor. 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Let’s consider something else that Joshua learned.

Joshua was one of the twelve spies sent out to spy the land.

Numbers 13:28 Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.

They mention some of the enemies.

Numbers 13:29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.

Numbers 14:8 If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.

Numbers 14:10 But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

Numbers 14:30 Doubtless ye shall not come into the land, concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and Joshua the son of Nun.

Numbers 32:12 Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the Lord.

What lesson did Joshua learn? It pays to take your stand. Joshua had principles and he stood by them and the Lord blessed him.

Just one more lesson, he learned that it was God’s prerogative to raise men up.

Numbers 27:18-19 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; [19] And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.

He had learned.

This new generation had watched their forefathers, fight with each other, complain about Moses and murmur continually. They had heard about their unbelief and how they lost out on the land because of it.

Someone has said, "The book of Joshua is the most encouraging book in the Old Testament we find little failure and little complaining."

I read about a newspaper that made a mistake. They said regarding a wedding, "Their roses were punk." They printed an apology and said, "Their noses were pink." They didn’t learn from their mistakes!