OVERVIEW:

Abimelech’s rise to power and his subsequent death; the oppression of the Ammonites; Jephthah’s deliverance of Israel and vow to God.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Although Gideon’s fame as a courageous judge of Israel is secured in biblical history (Hebrews 11:32), the inviolable law of sowing and reaping enters the picture as we move into chapter 9 in today’s reading. (Galatians 6:7–8) The seeds of rebellion and pride that we witnessed Gideon sow at the end of chapter 8 (8:27–31) are already beginning to bear some nasty fruit. As we enter chapter 9, God details for us the consequences of what Proverbs 15:25 calls the “house of the proud”. Abimelech, the son of Gideon by his concubine (8:31), is a proud, egotistical, “self-monger” whose whole motive and purpose in life was to gain power! He is determined to set himself up as the king in the kingdom. (9:1–4)

Because the Bible tells us that one of the chief characteristics of those living in the last days will be a preoccupation with and love for “SELF” (2^nd Timothy 3:2), much like what is being revealed in Abimelech, we would do well to “examine ourselves” (2^nd Corinthians 13:5) to see if there are any areas of our life where, we too, in our pride, might be being driven by the pursuit of prestige, power, and/or position. In other words, are we somehow secretly striving to set ourselves up as a “king” in our own little “kingdom”? We may need to take an honest look at the motive behind our service for Christ to determine whether it is really for Him or for ourselves. Prior to coming to Christ, we were all driven by our pride to the exaltation of SELF. (Mark 8:34) Sadly, many have simply changed the arena from which they seek to exalt self. Whereas it used to be the world, now it is the church. (3^rd John 9) God forbid!

Note also, that Gideon’s sin, at the end of chapter 8, also becomes a warning to all parents. The biblical principle that we witness in scripture is that whatever parents do in moderation, their children will typically do in excess. The “minor” exaltation of SELF manifest in Gideon in 8:27, becomes “major” in and through Abimelech. Abimelech is so enamored with SELF that he actually murdered all of his next-of-kin, 70 of his own brethren! The only one that wasn’t murdered was Jotham, and the only reason he escaped was because he hid himself! Oh, that we would learn that sin is not to be trifled with! The remainder of chapter 9 simply chronicles the continuation of Abimelech’s ravenous selfishness and self-centeredness. But notice, God always pays his debts and no sin goes unnoticed! By the end of the chapter, Abimelech is killed by a wise woman (Proverbs 1:20–33), who had taken shelter in a strong tower (Psalm 61:3), using a Rock (1^st Corinthians 10:4) that she dropped on his big head!

In chapters 10-12, once again, we find Israel in one of their repeated cycles of sin. The real issue is that they were willing to serve any god who would make them happy. They wanted their own way, their desires fulfilled, their ego boosted, and that, my friend, is a collision course for disaster! The choice to serve self is sin, and sin always leads to sorrow and death. (James 1:15) It becomes increasingly difficult to understand, much less to tolerate, the blatant foolishness and rebellion of God’s people, Israel. How could they possibly experience all of His blessings, and repeatedly turn their backs on Him? Yet, how can we, who likewise, have been overly blessed by God, and have even seen the consequences of Israel’s choices, do less than make a final end to our own flirting with the world, the flesh, and the devil? We must, once and for all, make the decision that “It is ENOUGH! I am not my own, I have been bought by the blood of God’s dear Son, and by God’s grace and power, sin will no longer control me!”  When we cry out to God, broken by our sin, we can be sure that He will hear us, and deliver us from its dominion. (1^st John 5:14–15; Romans 6:12–14)

In keeping with their pattern, in 10:10, Israel cries out to God again; and in keeping with His pattern, once again, God sends them a deliverer. This time it was Jephthah, another incredible picture of Jesus Christ. Jephthah was a mighty man of valor who was the son of a harlot (Judges 11:1), who was rejected by his brethren (Judges 11:2–3), and went away to live in the land of Tob (which means “blessing, joy, beautiful, and righteous”). While he was in Tob, he gathered vain (or “empty”) men unto himself, and was later called home, by Israel during a time of tribulation, to deliver them from their oppressors. He then came back as the captain of their salvation. (Judges 11:6) 

Just in case you weren’t connecting all of those dots, check this out:

Jesus, too, was a mighty man of valor who was accused of being the Son of a harlot (John 8:41). He, too, was rejected by His brethren (Luke 19:14), and He, too, went away to a place like Tob, a beautiful place of blessing, joy, and righteousness. (Psalm 48:2) While He is there, He continues to gather vain or “empty” men and women to Himself as worshippers. He will come back, at the end of the Great Tribulation, to deliver Israel and to be the captain of their salvation! (Hebrews 2:10; Revelation 19) Again, I say, this book is absolutely amazing!

Though, to this point, Jephthath had been a beautiful type of Christ, the sad reality is, that like many of the Old Testament pictures of Christ, Jephthah found a way to totally get his life jacked up! He made a horrendous mistake by vowing a vow to God that resulted in him foolishly and sinfully burning his own daughter as a sacrifice, supposedly to God! (Judges 11:34–40) Wow! Though Jephthah’s “mistake” was certainly extreme, his mistake is very common throughout the history of God’s people! Jephthah thought there was something he could DO to EARN the blessing and/or favor of God. He thought that by vowing his vow, He could get God on his side. The crazy irony of it all was that God was already on his side! No human work, or any accumulation of them, can ever earn God’s graciously given favor (Ephesians 2:8-9), or make us the recipient of more of His power. (Acts 1:8) He gives it all to us FREELY! (1^st Corinthians 2:12) Oh, may Jephthah’s horrific debacle teach us this invaluable lesson!

Though this is an incredibly sad chapter in Jephthah’s life (not to mention an incredibly sad chapter in the Bible!) it is also a blessing in the fact that God has set His Book apart from every other book in the world because of His honesty regarding its heroes. (Other examples include Noah, Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon, Elijah, et al!) God is a straight shooter, who simply tells it the way it is…or was! He doesn’t sugarcoat or mask anything! The Bible is a real book, about real people; people just like me and you! Hallelujah!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As THE STRONG TOWER – Judges 9:51 (Psalm 18:2, 61:3)

Through JEPHTHAH – Judges 11–12 (see details in “Highlights and Insights” above)

OVERVIEW:

Deborah’s song to the Lord; Gideon’s call and deliverance of Israel from the oppression of the Midianites.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Deborah was one of the judges during this incredibly dark time in Israel’s history. Chapter 5 records a song that she was “inspired” to write and to sing on the very day that Jael put Sisera to death, which we read about in yesterday’s reading. Though the song has obvious reference to the things that were happening at that time historically, the song is actually prophetic in nature, because it will also be the song the redeemed will sing when the true King (the Lord Jesus Christ) takes His rightful throne, and the king of evil (Satan) is defeated. (Revelation 5:9; 14:3) Notice as the song comes to an end (Judges 5:31), the Sun goes forth to reign in His might with those He loves, and there is rest in the land. It is the very thing that Malachi 4:2 and Revelation 19:14 say will take place in the very near future!

Chapters 6-8 deal with one of the most well-known heroes in the book of Judges, Gideon.  He is called by God to be the deliverer of Israel from the Midianites. Interestingly, the name Midian means “strife”, or “contention”. Note that Proverbs 13:10 teaches us that “only by pride cometh contention” and 1^st Corinthians 1:10–11 and 3:1–3 lets us know that the root of “strife” and “contention” is “CARNALITY” or FLESHLINESS!

Make sure you notice just what it was that the Midianites did to the children of Israel. They destroyed the fruit in the land, leaving them with nothing to eat. (Judges 6:4) How incredibly ironic! I mean, here is Israel, starving, mind you, in the midst of a land flowing with milk and honey! Does that sound at all familiar to you? Many people who have received ETERNAL LIFE (John 10:10a) are defeated by their FLESH and, therefore, are unable to eat the fruit of the ABUNDANT LIFE God intended their salvation to provide. (John 10:10b) Remember, Midian’s (or “strife’s”) ultimate target is the harvest! Are you starving spiritually? Are you struggling to be fruitful because of the contentious attitude of your heart and the selfish desires of your flesh? If so, pay close attention to what Gideon did to defeat the Midianites so you can employ the same principles to your life!

God chose 300 men armed with nothing more than pitchers, lamps (lanterns), and trumpets to defeat a much larger and better equipped enemy. This was God’s “strategy”, so that when they got the victory, only God would get the glory. (Judges 7:2) It is, of course, the New Testament principle that God teaches us in 1^st Corinthians 1:27–29: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise…that no flesh should glory in His presence”!

But, notice that battle plan once again. It really was very “simple”. (2^nd Corinthians 11:3) Shatter your pitcher, blow your trumpet, shine your lamp, and stand fast in your place while God defeats the enemy! (Judges 7:19–21) This is the only way “Midian” (pride, strife, contention — FLESH!) can be defeated in our lives as well! We must be BROKEN VESSELS (or, pitchers) for God to use (2^nd Timothy 2:21); we must let our LIGHT SHINE (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:15–16); we must use our MOUTHS as a TRUMPET to proclaim the gospel to the world (Ephesians 6:9); and finally, we must STAND FAST and watch God defeat the enemy with the SWORD (Ephesians 6:10–14)!

You may also want to note that Hebrews 11:32 puts Gideon at the head of the list of judges. Though he often wavered in doubt, he was still a “man of faith” who dared to trust the word of God. When you realize that he was a “common man” (a farmer—Judges 6:11), and not a trained warrior, you can see how wonderful his faith actually was!

As “common” men and women (Mark 12:37b), amid all our doubts, fears, and shortcomings, let us, like Gideon, dare to trust the word of God!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As The Angel of the Lord – Judges 6:12–21

Through Barak, the son of Abinoam – Judges 5:12. The name Barak means “Glittering Sword”. (John 1:1, 14) The name Abinoam means “beautiful father.” Barak, the glittering sword, was the son of a beautiful father!

Through Gideon – Judges 6–8. The deliverer who leads Israel to a most improbable victory.

OVERVIEW:

Early victories and incomplete possession of the land by Israel; the forsaking of God to serve Baal and Ashtaroth; God raises up Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Deborah, and Barak as judges to deliver Israel from the oppression of their enemies four different times.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

To understand the book of Judges we must understand the last sentence in the entire book: “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Mark those words! They are not only the key to this book, they are also the key to human nature. Notice that it says that every man did that which was “RIGHT” in his own eyes, not that which was “WRONG”! The tragedy is that man’s idea of what is right is often the exact opposite of what God says it is. (Proverbs 14:12) This will become evident as we read the book of Judges and find the following recurring expression: “And the children of Israel did EVIL in the sight of the Lord.”  (2:11; 3:7, 12; 4:1; 6:1; 10:6; 13:1)

The book of Judges gives us incredible insight into how it is that the lives of once “sold out” believers can so spiral downward that they actually become, as Paul talked about in 2^nd Timothy 2:20, “vessels unto DISHONOR”, or as Peter talked about in 2^nd Peter 1:9, how they can actually forget that they were purged from their old sins. How unbelievably tragic! God forbid that it would ever be true of us! But the biblical reality is, we all have that potential. It is vital that we learn the practical spiritual lessons in the book of Judges! (Romans 15:4)

There are four key words that summarize the repeated pattern of God’s people in the book of Judges:

1. Commitment
2. Complacency
3. Compromise
4. Corruption

It went like this…

The very first chapter lets us know that when Israel was strong (COMMITTED), they put their enemies to tribute. In other words, rather than “utterly drive them out” as God had clearly commanded (1:28), they made them subservient to them (as in, they made them pay taxes to them). What had happened to them, is the children of Israel went from being COMMITTED, to COMPLACENT! That COMPLACENCY is what led to their “incomplete obedience,” or their COMPROMISE. (Judges 1–3) COMPROMISE, then led to their “complete disobedience” (Judges 3–16), which, of course, is what led to their CORRUPTION, expressed in their utter rebellion and depraved behavior. (Judges 17–21)

As we try to remind you so often, the nation of Israel is a picture of an individual New Testament believer. The book of Judges details for us that we must constantly be on guard to avoid this deadly downward cycle that spirals God’s people away from HIM and His WORD! It is interesting to note that the previous book in the Bible, the book of Joshua, starts with an exhortation to meditate in God’s word day and night. (Joshua 1:8) By the time we get to the book of Judges, however, the words “book”, “law”, “commandments”, “statutes”, or “judgments”, do not appear even once! This downward spiral of complacency, compromise, and corruption is clearly linked to NEGLECTING GOD’S WORD, and the refusal of His people to OBEY IT. Oh, my brothers and sisters, let us HEAR and HEED this graphic spiritual warning!

But there’s another pretty scary pattern that we see repeated throughout the record of the Old Testament, that is also introduced to us in today’s reading (Judges 2:7–10).

A believer’s life with a “1^st generation” encounter with God (meaning they didn’t grow up in a Christian home and were, therefore, saved out of the clutches of Satan and his world’s system) is typically marked by COMMITMENT. Their children’s lives, however, with a “2^nd generation” encounter with God, tend to be marked by COMPROMISE. Then, the lives of their children, the 3^rd generation, tend to have NO encounter with God, and live lives characterized by CONFLICT.

It happens like this:

The 1^st generation, knows GOD and knows His WORKS. (Joshua 24:14–17, 31) They live lives of COMMITMENT.

The 2^nd generation, knows GOD and knows ABOUT His works. (Judges 2:7) They live lives of COMPROMISE.

The 3^rd generation, DOESN’T know GOD and DOESN’T know about His WORKS. (Judges 2:10) They live lives of CONFLICT.

So much COULD be said about this pattern (and SHOULD be said about it!), but maybe our biggest take-away today is simply this: though our children and grandchildren will never have the dramatic rescue some of us “1^st generation Christians” had from the clutches of Satan and his world’s system, we must be certain that they are continuously witnessing and experiencing the mighty WORKS of GOD in OUR lives and in their OWN lives! Judges 2:7 says it this way: “And the people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the Lord, that he did for Israel.” Oh, may we lead our children and grandchildren to experience “1^st generation” encounters with our God!

Chapter 3 records somewhat of a bizarre story. It is certainly historically accurate, but like most of the Old Testament, was recorded in such a way so that it pictures New Testament truth, so we can read it and be admonished by it. (1^st Corinthians 10:6, 11) The story is of “a very fat man” (3:17) by the name of Eglon who was the king of Moab. He is a picture of a believer who has allowed their FLESH to overtake them regardless of their actual physical girth. I think you are aware, our flesh has an appetite for a whole lot more than food! Again, Eglon simply pictures a believer that has been overtaken by their flesh.

Notice how God deals with him. He sends a “judge” by the name of Ehud to deliver Israel from King Eglon and the Moabites. As you might could predict, the way Ehud overcame this “very fat man” was with a dagger (“sword”) that he had strategically “hidden” on his right side. A “sword,” by the way, that just happened to have “two edges”! (Judges 3:16–17/Hebrews 4:12) Ehud thrust the sword into Eglon’s belly and the passage says that the “dirt came out,” and killed him. (Judges 3:21–22)

So, did you catch all of that? God, the Master Teacher and Artist is teaching us that the way we are to deal with (“judge”) the self-consumption of our “flesh” that continuously seeks to rule us is by “hiding” a “two-edged sword” on our right side (Psalm 119:8; Hebrews 4:12) and thrusting it right into the “belly” of our flesh to reveal the “dirt” in our life, in the process of “mortifying” it (Colossians 3:5) or putting it to death! What an incredible book the Bible is!

Chapter 4 records another rather “bizarre” story. God uses a woman named Jael to defeat a man by the name Sisera, who was another oppressor of Israel. Jael was initially aligned with Sisera against Israel, but God changed her heart. In short, she got some “milk”, took a “hammer” and a “nail”, and killed Sisera, while he was sleeping, by putting the nail through his temple! Wow! Quite a story! Likewise, if we allow the “milk” (2^nd Peter 2:2) and “hammer” (Jeremiah 23:29) of the word of God to pierce our lives and renew our minds (Romans 12:2), we, too, can “nail” our enemies (the world, the flesh, and the devil), and be free from their oppression! (Isaiah 23:22; Ezra 9:8)      

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

The Angel of the Lord—Judges 2:1–4

Through Othniel – Judges 3:1–11 (His name means “Lion from the Tribe of Judah.” He delivered Israel from an oppressive enemy—Revelation 5:5)

Through Ehud – Judges 3:15–16 (The Judge with a two-edged sword—Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 2:12)

OVERVIEW:

The two and a half tribes who chose their inheritance on the other side of Jordan build an altar and call it Ed; Joshua exhorts Israel’s leaders; Joshua exhorts all the people of Israel and brings them to a point of decision.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we came through Numbers 32, you’ll remember that two and a half tribes (the tribes of Reuben and Gad, and half of the tribe of Manasseh) chose to live on “this side” of the Jordan River before they ever even saw what God had in store for them in the land He specifically had chosen for them on the “other side”. They live in infamy to this day as the classic biblical example of a people who willfully chose less than God’s best for their lives. Sadly, many believers through the centuries have failed to learn from their tragic mistake. As the old saying goes, “If we don’t learn from the mistakes of history, we are destined to repeat them!”

In chapter 22 of today’s reading, Joshua allows these two and a half tribes to return to the land of their choosing. God, in His grace, allowed them to go, because He never forces anyone to “live close to Him.” The practical reality was, they were leaving the fertile land of Shiloh (the place of “peace” and “rest”), for their chosen inheritance in Gilead (which means “stony place”). As Jesus taught us in the Parable of the Seed and the Sower, it is impossible to “bear fruit” from stony ground. Let us learn from the example of these two and a half tribes to never settle for anything less than God’s absolute best for our lives! A life of “fruit bearing” requires the land of our inheritance in Canaan!

On their way back to their inheritance, these two and a half tribes built an altar they called “Ed” (meaning “witness”) as a memorial to remind their children and the other tribes in Israel that they, too, were the people of God and worshipped the God of Israel. It was actually an attempt to convince their children, along with the children of Israel, that they were “spiritual” and really loved the Lord, even though they willfully had chosen to live away from the presence of God as it was manifested in the land that was promised via the ark of the covenant.

Kids, however, aren’t stupid. The children in these two and a half tribes, just like our children, were able to see through all of their parent’s rationalizations and justifications while they tried to do things that bore “witness” of their true spirituality. The reality is, that altar didn’t “witness” to anything other than their parent’s disobedience and compromise! It has been my observation, through the years, that children can put up with a whole lot of their parents faults, frailties, and even failures, if they will own them! One thing kids just can’t seem to be able to withstand, however, is hypocrisy. Or, in other words, their parents trying to give the appearance of spirituality when there is no reality. Perhaps we should stop and ask ourselves, are there any “Eds” we have built to try to give “witness” to our kids, and to the other believers in our local church, that we are living closer to God than we actually do? An “Ed”, in our 21^st century world, can be anything from going to church and praying before meals, to reading the Bible and/or acting interested in the things of the Lord, but not truly cultivating an intimate relationship with Him, or longing to have His presence close to us at all times. Are you settling for less than God’s best on “this side” of the Jordan, or are you passionately pursuing the closeness of His holy presence on the “other side”?

In chapters 23 and 24, Joshua knows he’s about to die. He begins to give the children of Israel a history lesson, walking them back through God’s faithfulness to them as a people from their inception as a nation. On one hand, he is passionately PLEADING with them to love God and to continue to follow Him in obedience and faithfulness, and on the other hand, he is passionately WARNING them of the consequences that would inevitably destroy them if they were not obedient and faithful to the Lord. He warns them that any co-mingling or any connection, whatsoever, with these nations they had previously destroyed would cause them to become snares and traps, along with being scourges in their sides, thorns in their eyes, and ultimately, those nations would overtake them!

In 24:14-15, Joshua brings his address to a conclusion. What he’s been moving toward is a time of decision. He draws a line in the sand, as it were, and asks the children of Israel to decide to either go all the way with the God who had delivered them from the gods their forefathers served in Egypt and on the other side of the flood, or to just forget serving the Lord, and go back and serve their false gods. Notice, God wanted His people to choose to go one way or the other. He wanted them to be cold or hot, but not to find a place of “lukewarmness” or compromise, somewhere in the middle. (Revelation 3:15–16)

In Joshua 24:24, “The people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice we will obey.” Is that the decision of your heart today? If so, then tell your “Joshua” about it!

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA (the prophet), ELEAZAR (the priest), and JOSEPH (the King) — Joshua 24:29-33

Note: The book of Joshua ends with three funerals: Joshua, Eleazar, and Joseph. A prophet, priest, and king were buried right there in the middle of Israel’s inheritance, picturing that it is only through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Prophet, Priest, and King, that we have access to our inheritance in Him.

OVERVIEW:

The remaining lots are divided among the tribes of Israel; the cities of refuge are designated; the 48 cities are given to the Levites from among the other tribe’s inheritance.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we begin chapter 19 today, Simeon is given his inheritance from within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. (Joshua 19:1, 9) This action actually fulfilled Jacob’s deathbed prophecy in Genesis 49:7, when he said, “I will divide them (Simeon and Levi) in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.” This was the direct result of their over-the-top anger and wrath that was meted out by murdering in cold blood every male in the city of Shechem after the king’s son had defiled Dinah, their sister. Once again, we are reminded of the biblical principle that sin bears great consequences, even when forgiveness has been granted. (Galatians 6:7–8) How many of God’s people throughout history have suffered life-altering consequences because of the momentary lapse of reason caused by the uncontrolled passions of anger, wrath and/or lust. Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. used to say, “Don’t sacrifice the PERMANENT on the altar of the TEMPORARY.” May God help us!

In chapter 20, God appoints six cities to be a place of refuge for those who innocently killed somebody, meaning that it was the result of an accident, or unintentional, not a premeditated act. In the city of refuge, they were protected from the “avenger of blood” by the elders of the city, until the death of the high priest. Upon his death, they were free.

Once again, God has taken out His paintbrush and is painting an absolute masterpiece of His Son and the incredible refuge we have found “in Him!”

The Cities of Refuge:

1. They were appointed for those who were guilty of shedding innocent blood.
2. They were appointed to protect from the “avenger of blood.”
3. A refugee was safe if they stayed in the city.
4. Only the death of the high priest set them free.
5. These cities were always readily accessible to all.
6. Knowing they existed wasn’t enough to protect a person. You had to flee to them.
7. One seeking refuge had to leave everything (family, friends, possessions, etc.) to come to the city.
8. The cities of refuge were the responsibility of the Levites. (Numbers 35:6)

The Lord Jesus Christ:

1. We were all responsible for shedding Christ’s innocent blood. (1^st Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:4–12)
2. By turning to Christ as our Refuge, we are protected from the true “avenger of blood”, God the Father. (See Deuteronomy 32:35, 43)
3. Those who have found refuge “in Christ” are safe and secure. (Romans 8:31–39)
4. It is only through the death of our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 6:20), that we can be made free indeed from the penalty of our sin. (John 8:36)
5. Jesus is accessible to anyone, at any time. (Romans 10:13; 2^nd Peter 3:9)
6. Just knowing what Jesus did and who He is doesn’t save a person. One must flee to Him and trust Him with their life. (Ephesians 1:12–13)
7. One must be willing to forsake family, friends, and possessions to come to Jesus. (Matthew 10:34–39; Luke 18:22)
8. As New Testament priests (Revelation 1:6), it is now our responsibility to lead others to the only true Refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ. (2^nd Corinthians 5:18)

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

As the cities of refuge — Joshua 20 (See Psalm 46:1)

OVERVIEW:

The land of Canaan is divided among the tribes of Israel.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In Joshua 15, Caleb, the eternally strong warrior (a picture of God the Father—Joshua 14:11), decides to reward the man who conquers and takes the city of Kirjathsepher (the “city of the book”) with his daughter, Achsah, to wife. Othniel (whose name means “lion”), who “just happens” to be from the tribe of Judah, conquers and takes “the city of the book” in order to obtain his bride. Achsah, which means “anklet”, was given to Othniel as the promised reward for his accomplishments in battle. Her “anklet” was what distinguished her from other women. During this time period, women were covered from head to toe with clothing, making it nearly impossible to tell one from the other. Othniel’s bride, however, was clearly recognizable by her walk.

Those are the details of the story but the question is, what is all of this actually picturing in the prophetic, or doctrinal application of scripture?

The picture here, is that God the Father gave the love-gift of the church to Christ, the Lion from the tribe of Judah, because of Christ’s accomplishments in battle. Through His death, burial, and resurrection, He fulfilled every prophecy in “the Book” of God (all three components of the gospel were all carried out precisely “according to the scriptures”—1^st Corinthians 15:3–4), and thereby, Christ purchased to Himself a bride. Like Achsah (“anklet”), Christ’s bride, the church, is clearly recognizable by her “walk”! (Romans 6:4; Ephesians 4:1, 17; 5:2, 8, 15)

The picture continues in chapter 15:18–20, as Achsah (the bride of Christ who is known by her walk), “let’s her request be made known” to her father. (Philippians 4:6) She humbles herself by getting off her donkey, and pleads that her father might grant her a field. Jesus said in Matthew 13:38, “the field is the world”!  But notice, that her request is not for just any field! She desires a field that would be watered by springs. Water, biblically, is a picture of the word of God. (Ephesians 5:26) Her father grants her request, so she can produce “much fruit”. As Christ’s bride, we have been commissioned to take His word to the world, that we might “bring forth fruit, and that our fruit should remain”. (John 15:16) Again, the Bible is an incredible book!  

There are several other observations we must make from today’s reading to help us understand some of the key issues we face, as we, like Israel, seek to possess our inheritance. (Acts 20:32; Ephesians 1:15-23)

1. Some of the children of Israel chose to dwell “on this side of Jordan”. (Numbers 32) Like many believers today, they are indeed God’s children, and are glad of it, but that’s about it. They missed the point of their exodus. (Deuteronomy 6:23) They are more interested in having the promise of going to God’s home when they die, than they are allowing God to make them His home while they live. Notice that they were the first to fall to the enemy because they settled for less than God intended for them! (2^nd Kings 10)
2. Some were only “partial possessors”. (Joshua 16:10) That is, they could have driven the enemies out, but rather, chose to put them under tribute instead. In the same way, many “partial possessors” today think they can “spiritualize” their flesh, and use it for “ministry” or some other perceived benefit, rather than utterly destroying it on a daily basis.
3. Some were conquerors and possessed all of their inheritance. (Joshua 8:26; 19:47) This is what Paul was praying we might allow God to do in us in Ephesians 1:18–20 when he said, “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,”!
4. One wanted more—Caleb in Joshua 15. In like fashion, Paul prayed in Philippians 3:10-14, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

In terms of dealing with your flesh and taking possession of all that God intended your salvation to be, which of the four groups listed above do you think you presently fit into?

Notice also in today’s reading, that the scriptures provide us with several action steps for beginning the process of “possessing our inheritance”:

1. “Arise!” (Joshua 18:8a) In other words, get up out of your “safe” place! Sometimes we must purposely and purposefully choose to get up out of our mediocrity and comfortability in order to take possession of our possession! (Philippians 3:14)
2. “Go for a walk!” (Joshua 18:8b) “Walk” through every area of your life and allow the Lord to reveal areas of your life that you still haven’t allowed Him to possess. (Psalm 139:23–24)
3. “Tell Joshua (Jesus) what you see!” (Joshua 18:8c–9) Take what the Lord has shown you about where you are in your relationship with Him, and pour your heart out to Him about it! Allow Him to change you and to possess all of you today. The reality is, we will not live in the full possession of the spiritual inheritance God intended our salvation to provide, until our Lord Jesus Christ fully possesses all of us!         

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through Othniel – Joshua 15:17 (His name means “lion” and he is from the Tribe of Judah—Revelation 5:5.)

As Shiloh – Joshua 18:1 (Shiloh means “peace”, as in “rest from war”—See Genesis 49:10; Matthew 11:28, and Colossians 3:15-16.)

OVERVIEW:

Joshua conquers kings and cities for Israel; the land is divided by lot among the tribes; Caleb requests and obtains the mountain of Hebron from Joshua.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Word has been spreading throughout the land of Canaan about this weak, nomadic people who have been transformed into powerful warriors and their omnipotent God!

Notice as we move into Joshua 11 in today’s reading, the kings throughout the land have been struck with fear and are conspiring together to keep them from completely overtaking their cities. (11:1-5) Note: The word “king/kings” is found over 50 times in today’s reading!

Knowing that these various kingdoms banding together might be intimidating to Joshua and his people, God reassures him that He, by His power, will slay the conspirators and grant victory to Israel just as He had done with the previous individual kings and their armies. (11:6-9)

Notice in 11:10, that Joshua defeats the king who was the head of the villainous kingdoms with “the sword”, in the same way that our Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, will defeat the “king” who is the head of the kingdom of darkness with “the sword” that proceeds out of His mouth. (2^nd Thessalonians 2:8; Revelation 19:15, 21)

Notice also, in 11:21, that Joshua not only utterly destroyed all of the kings and their cities, but also the giants and their cities! (The Anakims were giants.) Have the kings from the kingdom of darkness been conspiring together against you? Are there giants that seem to be coming down out of the mountains against you? Trust in the sword of the word of God that is in the possession of our Joshua! He’s got this! By trusting the word of God and the God of the word against the enemy, in time, one-by-one, you will be able to list the kings and giants that have been defeated as you take possession of your possession, just as surely as Joshua’s defeated foes are listed one-by-one in Joshua chapter 12!

As we begin chapter 13, the Lord reminds Joshua, “Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” There is, no doubt, many reading this today who feel the same way! But regardless of our age, I’m sure the Lord could speak these same words to each of us, “There remaineth yet very much land to be possessed!” Let us passionately pursue possessing our possession!

In the remainder of chapter 13, God identifies the various places in the land that Joshua and the children of Israel still needed to possess. What is interesting, is that before they have actually taken physical possession of these various places (13:7), God goes ahead and has them divide the land as if it was already theirs. The fact is, it was as good as theirs because God had given His word in verse 6, saying, “Them will I drive out from before the children of Israel.” The point is, to go ahead and divide the land as the inheritance to the various tribes required faith in God and His word. That is the pathway to victory every time!

Chapter 14 is a significant chapter. It had been 45 years since Joshua and Caleb had gone with the other 10 leaders of the tribes of Israel to spy out the land that God has promised to them. When they were in the land, Caleb set his eyes and his heart on a particular piece of property. Though he was now 85 years old, he never forgot it, and never waned in his desire that God would give it to him. Notice his words in 14:12, “Give me this mountain!” It was the mountain of Hebron. This is the same mountain that the 10 other spies saw and feared because of the giants that lived there in the “great and fenced” cities. (Joshua 14:12) Caleb received permission to go and conquer this mountain and the giants that lived there. Even in his old age, Caleb was anxious to claim the inheritance God had promised him. (Joshua 14:6-9) It is interesting to note that Hebron means “fellowship”. It is the very thing that God desires from each of us. God has promised fellowship to us, but like Caleb, we must claim the promise of God that we are “more than conquerors” in defeating the giants in our lives that seek to keep us from it! (Romans 8:37)        

What mountain are you trusting the Lord to give you today? Have you possessed Hebron, the mountain of “fellowship”?

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA – Joshua 11–14 (As the One who conquers the “kings” and “giants” in our lives—Romans 8:37, and as the One who gives us our “inheritance”—Acts 20:32; Ephesians 1:11.)

OVERVIEW:

The conquest and destruction of Jericho; the sin of Achan; the destruction of Ai; the deception of the Gibeonites and their subsequent covenant with Israel; Joshua leads Israel in victory after victory.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As Christians, we face many “Jerichos” in our lives. Like the spies at Kadesh, we, too, often want to give up at the sight of insurmountable odds. (Numbers 13:28–33) But Joshua chapter 6 teaches us that no wall is too high, no barrier so impenetrable, and no sin so great that our Lord Jesus Christ cannot give us the victory. Take notice from Joshua 5:14 in yesterday’s reading that the soldier who fights most powerfully and experiences the victories God intends, is the one who bows the lowest before battle! God is picturing for us the fact that the battles we face in the Christian life are won on our KNEES and on our FACES before the Lord! (Ephesians 6:10–18; 1^st Peter 5:6–8)

Note also in today’s reading that no man can take a city by himself. It is no small thing that Joshua had the loyal cooperation of the priests and the people, and that together they overcame the enemy! The book of Hebrews commands us not to forsake assembling ourselves together, as so many in the last days are doing (You know, the old “You don’t have to go to church to be spiritual” stuff!), but it tells us to exhort one another, and especially as we get closer to Christ’s return! (Hebrews 10:25) We all need the accountability and help that our brothers and sisters in our own local church provide, in order to keep our enemies defeated, so we can possess the fullness of what God intends for our lives. (1^st Corinthians 1:10) It is the only way we can live in victory. (Matthew 16:18)

In chapter 7, God reveals to us the consequences of secret sin. Achan had secretly taken some of the spoils from Jericho in direct disobedience to God’s command. (Joshua 6:18–19) Because of this sin in Israel’s camp, they suffered their first defeat. What is interesting, is that in Joshua 8:2, unlike in the battle with Jericho where all the spoils of the city were to be reserved to God alone, God now instructed the children of Israel to take the spoils from Ai unto themselves! Had Achan simply waited a few days, he would have had all the wealth he could have carried! (Matthew 6:33) How much like our FLESH to prematurely TAKE what the SPIRIT is fully capable of and even planning to PROVIDE!

Note specifically in Joshua chapter 8 that Ai represents the daily battle we have against the flesh. (Galatians 5:17) In 8:3, notice the wording. It says, “So Joshua arose,” and thereby, led Israel to victory against Ai. Recognize that for New Testament believers, it pictures the fact that it is only through the power of Christ’s resurrection that we can conquer and defeat the enemy of our flesh! In verse 6, we are told that “they will come out after us”, picturing the fact that the members of our fleshly bodies will come out to fight against the Spirit until we receive our glorified bodies! (Romans 8:23; Ephesians 4:30; Romans 6:12–13; Colossians 3:5) Notice also that the end of verse 9 says, “Joshua lodged that night among the people.” We have this same promise, that our Joshua (Jesus), in this biblical “nighttime” in which we are presently living in the Church Age (Romans 13:12; 1^st Thessalonians 5:4–9), that our Lord Jesus Christ “lodges” with us, as it were, by His Spirit, to provide our victory over the flesh. (Romans 7:24–25; 8:9–14; Ephesians 3:16)

Gibeon was the next city to be taken after the victories of Israel at Jericho and Ai. Notice that the Gibeonites used deceit as their tool to avoid destruction. In chapter 9, they posed themselves as ambassadors from a far country who wanted to be the servants of Israel. They succeeded in getting this agreement (or covenant) from the leaders of Israel before their true identity was revealed. Oh, my brothers and sisters, may we beware! Like the Gibeonites, our flesh will do everything within its power to try to make deals with us so it can escape death!

Note also that there is a lesson for us to learn by the timing of this whole ordeal with the Gibeonites! It is often after taking God at His word, in trusting Him for great spiritual victories, that the next attack of our flesh will be to “work wilily” (9:4) in agreeing to be the “servant” of the Spirit, so it doesn’t have to die! We must learn that our flesh is as deceptive as Satan himself! We must, therefore, never let our guard down! The only answer to the flesh is DEATH! Let us join Paul in saying, “I die daily.” (1^st Corinthians 15:31).  

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In the Ark of the Covenant – Joshua 6 (Like God’s presence dwelt within Israel in the ark, God’s presence now dwells in us by the Spirit of Christ – 1^st Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:9).

Through Joshua – Joshua 8 and 10 (He is the only one who can lead us to daily victory over our flesh.)

OVERVIEW:

The commission of Joshua; the covenant with Rahab; crossing the Jordan river into the land promised; the memorial of the twelve stones; the circumcision of God’s people at Gilgal.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The book of Joshua is the account of how Israel crossed the Jordan River and claimed the inheritance that God had promised them. Before actually possessing the land, however, there were still many battles for them to fight, and many enemies they would need to defeat. Once again, we find that God is painting another incredible picture of the Christian life through His record of Israel’s history. Because, as we seek to take “possession” of our “inheritance in Canaan”, we, likewise, have many battles to fight, and many enemies to overcome. Namely, the world, the devil, and these bodies of flesh in which we all live. Note that 1^st Thessalonians 4:4 tells us that we have been called to “possess our vessel in sanctification and honor.” For this to happen, just like the children of Israel in the book of Joshua, we must allow our Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, to lead us to victory in every battle, and against every enemy! (Ephesians 6:10; 2^nd Corinthians 10:4–5)

Be sure to keep in mind as we develop these pictures in the book of Joshua, that Canaan is NOT a picture of heaven. We do not have to battle to gain our home in heaven, it is a gift! (Ephesians 2:8–9) Rather, Canaan represents the abundant inheritance that God has for each of us “in Christ”. We sometimes refer to this inheritance as “the victorious Christian life”; Jesus referred to it as the “abundant life”. (John 10:10) It is very simply the life of fullness and fruit-bearing God designed all of us who have received Christ to “possess”. Practically speaking, it is when the life of Christ, in all of His fullness, is what is being manifested through our bodies (2^nd Corinthians 4:11), while at the same time, we manifest the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22–23), the “fruit of holiness” (Romans 6:22), and the fruit of souls won to Christ (Colossians 1:6).

Notice that the book of Joshua begins with the ending of a life: “Moses my servant is dead.” (Joshua 1:2) Moses was the lawgiver and the simple but poignant fact is, the law could not give life or defeat sin! Romans 7:5 says, “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” Moses brought the children of Israel to the edge, but Joshua (Jesus) must take them in and give them the victory! Verse 2 continues with, “now therefore arise.” We must die to ourselves and our self-righteousness (Philippians 3:4–9) and allow God to raise us up to walk in newness of life on a daily basis! (Romans 6:4, 13)

Verse 8 of chapter 1 was certainly a key challenge for Joshua in terms of how God wanted him to approach His word, and yet this verse has likewise been used to challenge every child of God ever since it was delivered personally to Joshua in this text! God told Joshua: “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.” (Joshua 1:8)

The simple reality for every person God has delivered from the bondage of sin, and redeemed to Himself, is that He intends for His word to be our “core value”. The reality is, every one of us has a value system and, in our value system, there are certain things that are at the very core. Our “core values” are the things of life that are the MOST IMPORTANT to us. They are the things in our life that are our HIGHEST PRIORITY. The things in life that make us TICK, they MOTIVATE us, they are a PASSION to us, they are WHAT WE’RE REALLY ALL ABOUT!

In light of what God says to Joshua here, could you honestly say that the word of God is one of your “core values”? Perhaps you’re thinking right now, “Well, how would I know if it was or not?” Actually, Joshua 1:8 lets us know that there are two key “tell-tale” indicators…

1. Our core values are easily identifiable by what we TALK about. Without even trying or consciously recognizing we’re doing it, the truth is, we TALK about what’s IMPORTANT to us! Joshua 1:8 says, “… this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth…” If the word of God is one of our core values, it will be identifiable in the fact that we are constantly TALKING about it! What would those who know you best say you constantly TALK about?

2. Our core values are easily identifiable by what we THINK about. Again, without even trying or attempting to make it happen, the reality is, we THINK about what’s IMPORTANT to us. Joshua 1:8 goes on to say, “…but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.” Could you honestly say that the word of God is something you constantly find yourself THINKING about?

Oh, that it would be evident to God, to us, and to others, that the word of God is one of our “core values!”

Chapter 2 deals with the Jewish men who were sent to spy out Jericho, and their subsequent covenant with Rahab the harlot. Don’t miss the fact that Rahab’s story graphically pictures the story of every one of us who know Christ!

1. She was a sinner. (Romans 3:23) Joshua 2:1 plainly states that she was a harlot.

2. She was under condemnation. (John 3:18) The city had already been declared condemned by God. Notice, just like with the people of the world today, the people of the city would be destroyed whether they “felt” condemned or not!

3. She heard the word of God. (Romans 10:17) The message she heard was a convicting message of judgment that caused her to recognize that the God of the children of Israel was the one true God and Lord! (Joshua 2:8–11; John 16:8)

4. She believed the word. (Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8) Hebrews 11:31 states that Rahab believed and was saved by faith.

5. She sought to win others. (Mark 5:18–20) When a person trusts Christ, their first desire is to share Him with others, especially their own family. Rahab immediately shares her burden to see her family “saved”. (Joshua 2:12–13)

6. She was delivered from judgment. (1^st Thessalonians 4:13–18, 2^nd Thessalonians 1:7–9) Just like Rahab in Joshua 6:22–25, we, too, have been rescued from God’s coming judgment upon this world.

7. She went to a wedding. (Matthew 1:5) Matthew 1:5 lets us know that Rahab married into the royal lineage of the nation of Israel, and, check this out, the Messiah actually came through her family lineage! How gracious is our God to take a harlot and make her the mother of the royal family through which Messiah came?! We, too, have a wedding and a marriage feast to look forward to because of God’s incredible grace! (Revelation 19:7–9, 17–19)

In chapters 3 and 4, Israel follows Joshua and the ark of the covenant across the Jordan River. Note, in Joshua 3:16, that the water that flowed down from the city of Adam stood up and was stopped by the ark. It is a beautiful picture of the fact that the effects of Adam’s sin which flowed from Adam down to us (Romans 5:12, 17), are stopped by Jesus Christ when we “cross over the Jordan” in our lives, and take possession of the life of fullness found in Christ. (Romans 6:14)

In chapter 5, all of the Jewish males were circumcised. Note that circumcision was a mark of a covenant relationship (Genesis 17:9–14) that provided EXTERNAL evidence of an INTERNAL reality. (Deuteronomy 10:16) A perfect and discreet description of circumcision that captures both its physical and spiritual significance is that it is “the cutting away of the flesh that reveals the source of life.” Notice God refers to the covenant relationship of our salvation in Colossians 2:11 as the “true circumcision”. Practically speaking, if the flesh isn’t cut away in our lives, we will not reproduce spiritual life! 

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

Through JOSHUA – Joshua 1 (Note: Joshua’s very name means “Jehovah is salvation.” He is the one who leads us to the “land” that is promised.)

As Rahab’s scarlet thread — Joshua 2:18. (It is a type of the blood of Christ which brings about deliverance from judgment and safety from death.)

As Captain of the Host OF THE LORD — Joshua 5:14–15 (Hebrews 2:10)

OVERVIEW:

The transition of leadership to Joshua; the word from the Lord; the song of Moses; Moses’ blessing upon the tribes; the death of Moses; the succession of Joshua.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into Deuteronomy 31 today, one of the greatest men who ever lived is about to die. It’s hard to imagine everything that must have been going through Moses’ mind and heart at this moment. As he reflected on the past 40 years of his life…

1. He, no doubt, had thoughts about WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN.

Certainly, his mind went back to that fateful five seconds when out of frustration with God’s people, rather than simply speaking to the Rock, as God had instructed him to do, he struck it twice. That one impulsive fleshly decision and action is what prompted God’s decision to not allow him to be the human instrument He would use to bring His people into the abundant life He had designed for them in Canaan. From a practical standpoint, let us once again allow the word of God to etch into our minds and hearts that though our God is full of grace, mercy, compassion, and forgiveness (Psalm 86:5,15), it does not negate the fact that our sin always has consequences. (Galatians 6:7) Let this tragedy in Moses’ life also etch into our minds and hearts the necessity of always being filled with, controlled by, and walking in the Spirit, not only on a daily basis, and not only on an hourly basis, but a moment by moment basis, even a second by second basis! Moses’ failure teaches us that the entire course and direction of our life can be altered by one momentary impulsive action or reaction of our flesh. God help us!

One day we will all stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. We will walk back through every day of our lives from the moment we were saved until the moment we entered the Lord’s presence, whether it be by death or by rapture. We will see our lives then, the way our Lord Jesus Christ sees them now. Oh, when the Lord allows us to reflect upon our lives, much like Moses had the opportunity to do in today’s reading, may our minds and hearts, in that day, not be consumed with thoughts about WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN! Let us walk each day of our lives in simple obedience, in the filling and power of the Holy Spirit, having no regrets at our final accounting at the Judgment Seat!

But not only must Moses have been reflecting on this day about WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN…

2. He, no doubt, had thoughts about WHAT ACTUALLY WAS.

Though Moses, no doubt, spent countless sleepless nights rehearsing the whole “striking-the-rock-twice incident”, wondering why God seemed to have such a knee-jerk reaction to his knee-jerk reaction, and wondering whether the punishment actually fit the crime, there is certainly none of that now. All of that was water under the bridge at this point.

God’s “Plan A” for Moses, was obviously, for him to FINISH WELL. Finishing well in “Plan A” meant obeying God and being the one to lead God’s people into Canaan, the land of promise. Because of Moses’ failure in Numbers 20:7–13, however, God made clear to him that “Plan A” was an impossibility. It just wasn’t going to happen.

But, in His grace, God also had a “Plan B” for Moses! “Plan B,” was, first and foremost, for Moses to “forget those things which were behind, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God!” (Philippians 3:13–14) In other words, to not sit around feeling sorry for himself, pouting about the failures of his past, but to begin from where he was, and seek to obey God in the course God had for him in “Plan B”!

While reading this today, and because of some kind of failure in your past, you very simply may have missed God’s “Plan A” for your life. Okay, so what do you do now? Well, you can do what a lot of people do, and choose to wallow around in self-pity for the rest of your life, rehearsing it all over and over in your mind, wishing you would have done something different, or had made better decisions, forgetting the fact that all of that rehearsing of it won’t do a single thing to change what now is! All it does is bind you to the PAST, causing you to miss the incredible opportunities that are sitting right in front of you in the PRESENT, and insure that you will never tap into the glorious things God has designed for you in the FUTURE! Oh, my brother or sister, learn from the life example of Moses, that God most definitely has a “Plan B” for your life, and there is most definitely a way for you to FINISH WELL in God’s “Plan B”!

In Deuteronomy 31, Moses sees the big-picture. He knows that for him to finish well, the children of Israel did not need to get all sentimental and preoccupied with sad emotions concerning his DEATH. I mean, they were on the very brink of entering into the very LIFE God had intended for them when He brought them out of Egypt! (Deuteronomy 6:23) This was to be a time for forward thinking, jubilation, expectation, and faith! Moses could have very easily played on the people’s sympathies and made this whole ordeal of his death the people’s focus, and fail in his responsibility to orchestrate the beautiful transfer of leadership to Joshua by making it all about him. But Moses is too much of a man of God and too much of a man of character for that! Moses realizes that for him to finish well in his “Plan B”, how he prepares the people for entering the land, and how he coordinates the whole transition to Joshua is vital. It is apparent by Moses’ attitude and demeanor that he is going to finish well. Moses’ attitude toward Joshua at this moment is much like John the Baptist’s attitude toward Jesus in John 3:30: “He must INCREASE, but I must DECREASE.” Though God had already made the people aware that Joshua would succeed Moses as Israel’s leader, Moses wanted to make sure that his final action on this planet caused this transfer of leadership to be handled with such grace and dignity that it would please the Lord, and at the same time, generate excitement and expectation in the hearts of God’s people about their future with God in the land that He purposed to give them, under the leadership of Joshua.

Though today’s chapters record Moses’ PHYSICAL DEATH, let us not miss that they also record an even more significant death: his DEATH TO SELF. Oh, that more leaders would learn from Moses’ example, and use their platform of leadership to advance the work of God, and aggrandize the glory of God! By God’s grace, just as Moses did, let us get the focus off ourselves and completely on the Lord Himself, and become passionate about Him receiving from our lives “the glory that is due His name”! (Psalm 29:2; 96:8) Let us make certain, whether we’re living in God’s “Plan A” or “Plan B”, that in every remaining moment and detail of our lives, our passion is for the work of God, and the glory of God!

But not only were Moses’ thoughts at the time of Deuteronomy 31 on WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN, and WHAT ACTUALLY WAS…

3. He, no doubt, had thoughts about WHAT WOULD BE.

Of all people, Moses had a clear understanding of the purposes of God in the exodus. He realized that God was desiring, not first and foremost to RESCUE the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, but to RESCUE His own name! Moses understood that everything that had taken place in the preceding 40 years was really all about God’s name being rescued from how it was being polluted on the earth. A key chapter that provides incredible commentary of God’s purpose and intention, from the time of the exodus to their entrance into the land, is found in Ezekiel 20. Several times in this chapter, God makes abundantly clear that the issue was HIM, not THEM (the children of Israel)! Sure, the children of Israel were most definitely the beneficiaries of the wonderful and powerful demonstration of God’s deliverance, but the scripture is clear, God did what He did for His own name not theirs! He says in Ezekiel 20:9, “But I wrought (worked) FOR MY NAME’S SAKE, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.” (God repeats this same intention in 20:14 and 20:22)

In Deuteronomy 31, even as Moses is hours away from drawing his last breath on this planet, he has no thought whatsoever about his own name. His preoccupation is for the name of the One by whom he was called, and the only name that is worthy of glory!

Let us always remember, that though we are most definitely the beneficiaries of the work of God through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, God did what He did in delivering us out of the bondage of our sin to rescue His own name from how it was being polluted all over this sinful world! Therefore, like Moses, let our lives reflect that we, too, give no thought whatsoever to our own name but to the name of the One by whom WE were called, and the only name on earth that is worthy of glory!

Note that God summons both Moses and Joshua into His holy presence in the tabernacle before Moses’ death to inform them that despite His incredible grace upon the children of Israel in all that He had done, they would rebel after getting into the land. My, oh my, what a travesty. Let us learn from their horrific mistakes!

God gives Moses “inspiration” in writing a song that would be used for years to come in reminding Israel of their sin. The book ends with Moses lovingly seeking to speak blessing on the tribes of Israel that were about to enter the land that was promised.

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

In JOSHUA – Deuteronomy 31:7 (John 1:17; Romans 3:21–22; Acts 13:39)

In THE ROCK – Deuteronomy 32:4, 31 (Romans 9:33; 1^st Corinthians 10:4; 1^st Peter 2:8)