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Updated May 2016
Deuteronomy is about preparing to enter the physical promised land as an allegory of how to prepare to attain to the spiritual Promised Land of eternal life, and a warning that possession of the land is absolutely contingent on living by every Word of God. Joshua is about the inheritance of the physical promised land being attained only by a hard struggle and closely following the Eternal; as an allegory that we may attain to the spiritual Promised Land of eternal life, only by an intensive struggle to overcome all sin through living by every Word of God
Egypt was an allegorical type of bondage to sin and the Canaanites were an allegorical type of unrepentant sinners who will be totally destroyed by Christ at the final judgment. This is a lesson for those who think that Jesus Christ will overlook willful sin, because he is love and understands our weakness.
The scriptures were recorded for OUR instruction and reveal that Jesus will not permit any compromise with the Word of God or any lack of zeal to follow him wherever he goes; precisely because he is love! and wants to save us from the sorrow that sin brings.
The book of Joshua reveals the end of the unrepentant willful sinner typified by the Canaanites; as they died, we shall also surely die for any unrepented self justified willful sin.
Joshua 1
Joshua 1:1 Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister [Joshua had been Moses servant, aide, assistant for many years], saying, 1:2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel.
Joshua the faithful; was given every place that he had visited as a spy in the land, and so was Caleb; while the faithless who would not obey, died in the wilderness.
Those who faithfully follow every Word of God will also have their place in the Promised Land of eternal life. All those who lacked faith to obey the Word of God and enter the land DIED in the wilderness; typical of the called out yet spiritually faithless of today, who will not be zealous to live by every Word of God, and will die not entering into the spiritual Promised Land of eternal life.
1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.
Joshua is reminded of the borders of the land given to Israel.
1:4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
If we are zealous to live by every Word of God; we shall be delivered into that spiritual Promised Land of eternal life, and NO MAN will be able to keep us out. Very many today fear men, they fear to question the words of men and to stand firmly on the Word of God.
Yet following men contrary to God's Word is idolatry and brings destruction; and only faithfully and zealously following the whole Word of God will bring the promise of eternal life.
Many elders also cling to false traditions because they fear rejection by their peers or by the brethren. It is only by learning to respect and follow the whole Word of God that they may enter eternal life. Those who fear men so much that they cannot faithfully live by every Word of God are doomed to destruction by Jesus Christ.
God's encouragement to Joshua was recorded for US!
If we are full of faith and courage to follow the whole Word of our God! If we are strong and zealous for the Word of God, if we reject false traditions as we see them proved false by the Word of God; if we follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth; we may suffer trials in this life as Israel did in conquering the land; but we shall conquer sin and the grave through the might of our Master! and we shall rise up into the Promised Land of Eternal Life when we hear our Master's call!
1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 1:6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I
sware unto their fathers to give them. 1:7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.
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.
My heart breaks for those who refuse to live by every Word of God or even call the Word of God unreliable for like the ten spies; these men have no love or zeal for the Word of God and allow themselves to be intimidated by their fears instead of being filled with the power of faith in following Almighty God! Then they lean on their corporate idols and their false traditions, no matter what God's Word says; and stoop to anything to justify their error in turning away from the truth.
1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee [if we live by every Word of God] whithersoever thou goest.
Then Joshua commanded the people to prepare to enter the land.
1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 1:11 Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it.
Joshua then reminded the people of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh of their obligations.
1:12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 1:13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
1:14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; 1:15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
1:16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 1:17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
The people of Gad, Reuben and the half of Manasseh pledge themselves to Joshua.
1:18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage.
Our deliverance into eternal life depends on our love for and our zeal to follow our espoused Husband and to live by every Word of God.
YES WE CAN conquer sin and enter the spiritual Promised Land of eternal life, like Joshua conquered Canaan (a type of sin), through the strength of our Mighty One! But ONLY by being faithful to live by every Word of God, to learn it and to keep it!
Joshua 2
Two spies are saved by Rahab. This was probably a pub like common public house where food, drink, accommodations and company could be found by the traveler. These two men would likely have eaten and taken a room at this establishment; this does not imply they were seeking company as well.
Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there.
Word comes to the ruler of the city that these men are spies and lodge at Rahab's house.
2:2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, Behold, there came men in hither to night of the children of Israel to search out the country.
The ruler then bids Rahab to give over the two men as spies.
2:3 And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house: for they be come to search out all the country.
Doubtless the memory of the exodus from Egypt the parting of the Red Sea [for Canaan had been dominated by Egypt before the end of pharaoh and his army] and the fame of Israel crossing the sea dry shod had spread across the city, and the woman probably talked of these things with the two men; Rahab BELIEVED them!
She feared the God of Israel and believed; and she acted on that belief, which was FAITH in the Word of God, that God's Word would be fulfilled and that the city and people would be destroyed.
Rahab believed God! and she acted on her faith to save these two men! This shows that even the Canaanites (as types of sin) if they were to sincerely repent, and add to repentance the works of godliness could be saved!
But Canaan as a whole refused to repent sincerely; they fought God and trusted in their own idols and false teachings to save them! If we resist the Word of God today, we shall all likewise perish; and if we are zealous for the whole Word of God to learn it, to keep it, and to follow its author with zealous determination, fearing to turn away from God like Rahab did;WE shall be delivered as Rahab was!
This woman sheltered the two spies in her house which was undoubtedly a capital offense worthy of death, as she would be perceived as putting the whole city in grave danger; yet she risked the immediate danger and chose to fear God rather than man!
This whore had more faith and true repentance than very many of today's called out, who today would not dare to stand up for the Word of God against the pollution of the Sabbath or other false teachings!
No wonder the obscure Canaanite whore is a mother of the family of David the zealous; and is accounted among the elect who will receive the promise of eternal life in the raising of the bride of Christ in Hebrews 11.
Oh my friends; where is our courage of FAITH coupled with actions, to stand on and keep the whole Word of God; regardless of what others may say or do? Where is our zeal for the sanctity of the Sabbath and for the whole Word of God?
2:4 And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were: 2:5 And it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out: whither the men went I wot not: pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them. 2:6 But she had brought them up to the roof of the house, and hid them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order upon the roof. 2:7 And the men pursued after them the way to Jordan unto the fords: and as soon as they which pursued after them were gone out, they shut the gate. 2:8 And before they were laid down, she came up unto them upon the roof;
Rahab makes a declaration of faith and couples that declaration with the works of faith, saving the two men and placing her trust entirely in the hands of the Eternal Jesus Christ. Where is our faith and trust and belief in the Word of God and the promises of our loving Lord today? Yes other Canaanites feared, but would not repent! Rahab feared and did sincerely repent and choose faith and trust in the Word of God over all else.
2:9 And she said unto the men, I know that the LORD hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. 2:10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt [forty years before]; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. 2:11 And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more
courage in any man, because of you: for the LORD your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath.
God the Father and Jesus Christ are God indeed; why then do we not respect the sanctity of the Sabbath and the holiness of every Word of God? Why then do we fear men which are nothing but dust before our God? Why do we make idols of men and corporate entities who lead us away from Christ-like zeal for the Word of our God?
2:12 Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the LORD, since I have shewed you kindness, that ye will also shew kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: 2:13 And that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death.
The two men then agree that she had spared them at the risk of her physical life and that she and her family should be saved.
My friends, put your trust in God in sincere repentance of sin, to keep his Lord with loving enthusiastic zeal, regardless of any consequence, or what any person may say or do; and Christ will spare you from the wages of unrepentant sin and raise you on that day!
2:14 And the men answered her, Our life for yours, if ye utter not this our business. And it shall be, when the LORD hath given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with thee.
She let them down from the wall by a cord giving them a way to escape out of the city of sin, even as God will send his two servants to provide a way to escape destruction for the faithful who love God enough to keep his Word and to diligently seek out his truth.
2:15 Then she let them down by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she dwelt upon the wall.
Rahab tells the two men where the pursuers are seeking them at Jordan, and shows them how to elude the pursuit. She is doing all this at the risk of her life even as we should be living by every Word of God even if it costs us our physical lives.
2:16 And she said unto them, Get you to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you; and hide yourselves there three days, until the pursuers be returned: and afterward may ye go your way.
The two men then give her a way to save her house; telling her to use a scarlet thread [cloth] as a sign. How fascinating, that a scarlet thread was used; giving us a glimpse of the blood of the Passover Lamb on the doorposts of Israel in Egypt, and of the blood of the Lamb of God covering the sins of the repentant!
2:17 And the men said unto her, We will be blameless of this thine oath which thou hast made us swear. 2:18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father's household, home unto thee.
As in Egypt, those who are outside the house during the destruction will surely die; only those inside the protected house, protected by the scarlet symbol of the blood of the Lamb of God will be spared. This tells us that only those who are faithfully keeping the whole Word of God and following Christ, with his blood atoning for their sin; will be saved spiritually.
2:19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
Rahab is reminded to keep her word and promise to them; that if she backslides she shall surely die.
We, the spiritually called out of the New Covenant, must also keep our baptismal commitment of espousal to Christ; that we will do all that our Lord requires; and if we go back on our word and exalt other gods as idols, instead of living by every Word of God: We shall also die along with all other unrepentant sinners.
Notice that Rahab immediately bound the scarlet to her window not waiting for a single day. We must also immediately obey the Word of our God once we learn what is right! No delay, no vacillating, no forgetting: Immediate sincere repentance to seek to return back under the atoning sacrifice, once we are made aware of any sin!
2:20 And if thou utter this our business, then we will be quit of thine oath which thou hast made us to swear. 2:21 And she said, According unto your words, so be it. And she sent them away, and they departed: and she bound the scarlet line in the window. 2:22 And they went, and came unto the mountain, and abode there three days, until the pursuers were returned: and the pursuers sought them throughout all the way, but found them not.
The two men give their good report.
2:23 So the two men returned, and descended from the mountain, and passed over, and came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all things that befell them: 2:24 And they said unto Joshua, Truly the LORD hath delivered into our hands all the land; for even all the inhabitants of the country do faint because of us.
Joshua 3
Joshua 3:1 And Joshua rose early in the morning; and they removed from Shittim [Acacia Wood], and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over.
Thee days after the people came to the Jordan river they were told to make ready to cross
3:2 And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it. 3:4 Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.
The people are told to sanctify themselves, which means to wash and be clean; to be separated from all sin and uncleanness for Christ will come among them: Thus showing that those who cross into the spiritual Promised Land of eternal life must be holy and free from all spiritual uncleanness and sin; by sincere repentance to go and sin no more; thereby having the atoning sacrifice of Christ applied to them.
3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the LORD will do wonders among you.
In the morning Joshua commands the priests to go forward over Jordan.
3:6 And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass over before the people. And they took up the ark of the covenant, and went before the people.
Jesus Christ then tells Joshua that he will demonstrate that he is with Joshua as he was with Moses.
3:7 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.
Christ commands the priests to stop and stand still as soon as they enter the water by the shore.
3:8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
Joshua then declares to the people that God will give them a sign of a miracle to demonstrate that the God of Moses is with them and will lead then to inherit the land.
3:9 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither, and hear the words of the LORD your God. 3:10 And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Jebusites.
3:11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the LORD of all the earth passeth over before you into Jordan. 3:12 Now therefore take you twelve men out of the tribes of Israel, out of every tribe a man. 3:13 And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the LORD of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.
As long as the ark stood still over the water of Jordan, the swollen rushing river was held back and Israel crossed over dry-shod. This was a remarkable miracle of encouragement for Israel; and it must have been a very frightening exhibition of the power of God for the Canaanites nearby.
3:14 And it came to pass, when the people removed from their tents, to pass over Jordan, and the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people; 3:15 And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of [early spring] harvest,) 3:16 That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.
3:17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan.
Joshua 4
Christ commands that twelve stones be taken from around the priests feet in Jordan and set up for a memorial where they camped that evening; that Israel would always remember the power of their God.
Joshua 4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 4:2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man, 4:3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
A man of each tribe took a stone for his tribe out of Jordan.
4:4 Then Joshua called the twelve men, whom he had prepared of the children of Israel, out of every tribe a man: 4:5 And Joshua said unto them, Pass over before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of Jordan, and take you up every man of you a stone upon his shoulder, according unto the number of the tribes of the children of Israel:
4:6 That this may be a sign among you, that when your children ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones? 4:7 Then ye shall answer them, That the waters of Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it passed over Jordan, the waters of Jordan were cut off: and these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel for ever.
The memorial of the power of Christ was set up near Jericho where the first camp in the physical promised land was established.
4:8 And the children of Israel did so as Joshua commanded, and took up twelve stones out of the midst of Jordan, as the LORD spake unto Joshua, according to the number of the tribes of the children of Israel, and carried them over with them unto the place where they lodged, and laid them down there. 4:9 And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of Jordan, in [from] the place where the feet of the priests which bare the ark of the covenant stood: and they are there unto this day.
The priests carrying the ark stood still in the river until all the people had passed over and the stones were gathered up; then as they marched out of the river the spring flood waters resumed. The ark represented the presence of God opening the way for entry into the promised land, and the ceremony was symbolic of the fact that only by obedience to God and his Word, only by faithfully following Jesus Christ; can one pass over the spiritual boundary of death to enter the spiritual Promised Land of Eternal life.
4:10 For the priests which bare the ark stood in the midst of Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to speak unto the people, according to all that Moses commanded Joshua: and the people hasted and passed over. 4:11 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over, that the ark of the LORD passed over, and the priests, in the presence of the people.
Keeping their promise and doubtless eager to complete their mission and return to their families, the army of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh marched into the Promised Land, armed and ready for battle.
4:12 And the children of Reuben, and the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, passed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses spake unto them: 4:13 About forty thousand prepared for war passed over before the LORD unto battle, to the plains of Jericho.
This event magnified God before the people, and it also magnified Joshua by proving that he was with God and that God was with him!
4:14 On that day the LORD magnified Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they feared him, as they feared Moses, all the days of his life.
Joshua was commanded to command the priests to march forward.
4:15 And the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying, 4:16 Command the priests that bear the ark of the testimony, that they come up out of Jordan. 4:17 Joshua therefore commanded the priests, saying, Come ye up out of Jordan. 4:18 And it came to pass, when the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD were come up out of the midst of Jordan, and the soles of the priests' feet were lifted up unto the dry land, that the waters of Jordan returned unto their place, and flowed over all his banks, as they did before.
The first camp in the Promised Land where the twelve stones from Jordan were set up, was at Gilgal beside Jericho.
4:19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. 4:20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
4:21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? 4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
Spiritually this is a tremendous lesson. The twelve stones are a memorial, showing that the way into the spiritual Promised Land is ONLY through faithfully following Jesus Christ the Lamb of God.
4:23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
This is speaking of all humanity and not just to the close neighbours who might see these physical stones.
When the resurrection of the chosen takes place; and the children of faith who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, are raised up to that Promised Land of eternal life; the whole earth will know who is God indeed, and which god is a false idol!
4:24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.
Our God is Mighty to Deliver his faithful!
Why do we call his Sabbaths holy, and then pollute them; condemning ourselves? Why will people admit truths and then turn away from them to insist on their own false ways? Why do we idolize men and exalt their words above the whole Word of God? Why do we love men, corporations and social activities and friends; and we do NOT love God enough to DO what he says? Why are we zealous for our false traditions, and condemn any zeal to keep the whole Word of God?
We are lukewarm and stand condemned by Jesus Christ (Rev 3:15) for our lack of zeal to live by every Word of God! We are ready to be vomited out of the mouth of Jesus Christ into severe correction for our lukewarmness for the keeping of the whole Word of God!
Why will you die oh [spiritual] Israel? Why will you not choose LIFE eternal and cast your idols aside, to be zealous for the whole Word of God? Why do we fear men and not God? Why are we followers of false ways and not zealous to follow the whole Word of God?
Dare to be a Daniel, a Joshua; and to faithfully follow Jesus Christ in keeping the whole word of God with passionate zeal!
Rahab and false witness
Why did God think highly of Rahab when she lied?
We all know that faith without works is dead and she had to do her part to prove her faith by her works. When the officers came to her door and demanded information about the two men, she deceived then to save the two men; some would condemn her calling this lying.
What does the scripture say? Clearly it says that we are not to bear false witness, yet Jesus came to reveal the purpose and intent, the spirit of the law; what did he teach?
Jesus taught that the foundation of the law was mercy; therefore he healed on the Sabbath day, and allowed that men could indeed lift an ox out of a pit on the Sabbath.
We are to obey the letter of the law, however in certain extremely rare emergency occasions the intent of the law which is the spirit of mercy may over-rule the letter of the law. Very rare emergencies are exceptions to the letter, such rare exceptions should never become the norm.
Luke 14:3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 14:4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 14:5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day?
Jesus said that the Sabbath was made for the good of people and even animals, and that exceptions to resting could be made in exceptional cases, for the good, the life, health and safety of others. Jesus used the situation of David where he had been fleeing from Saul's soldiers for three days without food and ate the Bread of Presence, saying that God desires mercy.
The vast majority of false witness is to deceive others (as in done by the COG elders today regarding their false teachings), or for personal gain, or to harm others. Rahab did not lie to harm anyone! She misled these officers to SAVE lives! This was an "ox in the ditch" situation where an exception to the law was necessary to obey the Greater Law of Mercy.
Joshua 5
The local rulers were filled with the fear of God because of the miracle in stopping the spring flood of Jordan so that Israel could pass over.
Joshua 5:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
After crossing the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, Israel is commanded to be circumcised. Physical circumcision is a type of spiritual conversion. Circumcision removes the barrier that protects from sensitivity rendering one sensitive. This is a type of the removal of the barrier of sin that comes between us and God thereby making us sensitive to the spiritual things of God. We are all to become circumcised in heart; that is, we are all to sincerely repent of sin and to become sensitive to the whole word of God.
Jeremiah 4:4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your heart,
Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Joshua 5:2 At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second
time. 5:3 And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
The people that came out of Egypt were already circumcised, but they had not circumcised their children in the wilderness.
5:4 And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt. 5:5 Now all the people that came out [of Egypt] were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised. 5:6 For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
To enter the physical promised land, it was essential to be physically circumcised according to the covenant that Christ made with Abraham.
Genesis 17:7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 17:8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 17:9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
This was a type, that ONLY those spiritually circumcised in heart and sensitive to keeping the whole Word of God may have the Passover sacrifice of the Lamb of God applied to them, atoning for all past sin, that they may enter the Promised Land of eternal life. Those who compromise and turn away from zeal for the word of God; sin. And sin comes between us and God, separating us from God and eternal life.
Isaiah 59:1 Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
Joshua 5:7 And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way. 5:8 And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole. 5:9 And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.
The people being circumcised could then take the Passover, as a type, that ONLY the spiritually circumcised in heart, the sincerely repentant and zealous to live by every Word of God; can be covered by the atoning blood of the Lamb of God and going and sinning no more; and then inherit eternal life.
Romans 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified [by the application of the Passover sacrifice of Jesus Christ].
Joshua 5:10 And the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal, and kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the month at even in the plains of Jericho.
Exodus 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
The people began to eat of the OLD grain they found in the land the day after Passover, and on the day after that the manna ceased.
Joshua 5:11 And they did eat of the old corn of the land on the morrow after the passover, unleavened cakes, and parched corn [grain] in the selfsame day. 5:12 And the manna ceased on the morrow after they had eaten of the old corn of the land; neither had the children of Israel manna any more; but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan that year.
Jesus Christ appears to Joshua, for no man has seen God the Father.
John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Joshua 5:13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
Joshua challenges the stranger, and then immediately falls down to worship Christ as soon as he understands who the stranger is.
5:14 And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my Lord unto his servant 5:15 And the captain of the LORD's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.
Joshua 6
At the approach of Israel the city of Jericho had gone on war footing and closed its gates.
Joshua 6:1 Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. 6:2 And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.
Joshua is given his instructions for the taking of Jericho.
Jericho is to be taken by God so that the fame of God should be spread abroad.
Except for a few, they would not repent but remained adamant in their sins. Therefore they are a type of sin in the Word of God.
The method of defeating Jericho by Christ, was also an allegory of the plan of salvation for the early harvest.
How many of us have the faith of Joshua to follow Christ and trust in our God to deliver us from all enemies and sin? How many of us are just like the Canaanites and refuse to repent of our idolatry and lack of zeal for the word of God?
Jericho as the first powerful city of Canaan reached by Israel, and represented the end of unrepentant sinners.
As Jerusalem was chosen to be the city of God; Jericho represented Satan and rebellion against God.
The Astounding Allegorical Prophecy of JERICHO
The people were to march around the city representing sin for six days remaining silent except for the blasting of the trumpets of God. This representing that Satan has ruled this world for six thousand years; and the seventh day the trumpets are to sound and the people are to shout in rejoicing at the fall of Jericho as a type of the fall of Satan's world and deliverance from bondage to Satan and sin.
6:3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days.
The priests were to sound their seven trumpets daily during the once daily march and they were to march around the city of Sin, which was Jericho once each day; and then to march around the city seven times on the seventh day; and the city of sin would come crashing down!
Thus showing that at the end of six thousand years of a world ruled by Satan; this world of sin shall come crashing down!
The daily trumpet blasts announce the presence of Christ among his called out. The shouting of the seventh day pictures rejoicing over the total victory over sin!
6:4 And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams' horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
6:5 And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.
6:6 And Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto them, Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven priests bear seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD. 6:7 And he said unto the people, Pass on, and compass the city, and let him that is armed pass on before the ark of the LORD.
6:8 And it came to pass, when Joshua had spoken unto the people, that the seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams' horns passed on before the LORD, and blew with the trumpets: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD followed them. 6:9 And the armed men went before the priests that blew with the trumpets, and the rereward came after the ark, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets.
6:10 And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.
6:11 So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. 6:12 And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. 6:13 And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams' horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward [a rear guard followed the Ark of the Covenant] came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. 6:14 And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.
Right here please notice that the people OBEYED God, even though it would not have made any sense to them!
It is to the zealous faithful followers of Jesus Christ who live by every Word of God the Father in heaven; that the V I C T O R Y over DEATH; and the gift of the Promised Land of eternal life comes!
6:15 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times. 6:16 And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.
The resurrected shall Shout for Joy, for God has given us total victory over bondage to sin! Which of the chosen elect will not be overflowing with joy and humility before the great power of our Mighty God on that day?
The word "accursed" means receiving total destruction. Nothing of Jericho representing sin was to be taken or saved; except the repentant Rahab and her family.
The city of Jericho was to be accounted accursed because it represents the Satan and the wickedness of rebellion against God and unrepented sin!
As this symbolic city was accursed; so shall all those who refuse to repent from acting contrary to the Word of God, during their opportunity; be destroyed.
6:17 And the city shall be accursed, even it, and all that are therein, to the LORD: only Rahab the harlot shall live, she and all that are with her in the house, because she hid the messengers that we sent.
Joshua warns that to take of the accursed thing condemned to destruction will make the partaker of the accursed thing accursed (condemned to destruction) himself. This why Paul reminded Timothy not to be a partaker of other men's sins.
1 Timothy 5:22 . . . neither be partaker of [participate in] other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
Joshua 6:18 And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.
Those who say that they go to restaurants on Sabbath because those folks are going to work anyway, make themselves partakers of and participate in their sin; and are condemned to utter destruction by Jesus Christ along with them (if they do not repent); for taking part in their sins.
The precious metals belong to Christ for the victory he has wrought! Even so the precious things of this world will be inherited by Jesus Christ and his elect! Yet everything evil shall be committed to total destruction!
6:19 But all the silver, and gold, and vessels of brass and iron, are consecrated unto the LORD: they shall come into the treasury of the LORD.
In these types of cities very many of the houses are built up against the outer wall, with the outer wall making up one of the four walls of the home. When the wall fell so did a part of the houses opening up everything to the attack. Israel OBEYED Christ and followed his instructions fully; thus being given a great victory; even so, if we and obey Christ fully and consistently, He will grant us victory over all sin and death!
6:20 So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.
Everything was destroyed in this city which represented sin and rebellion against the Word of God.
Yes, God can and will raise them up in future and give them a opportunity to repent; and after learning and understanding this lesson they will probably repent.
This took place and was recorded as an object lesson FOR US; that if we depart from zeal for the Word of God we shall all also perish like Jericho; yet if we are faithful and zealous to keep the whole Word of God without compromise and to follow our Espoused Husband in all things; we shall receive deliverance and victory over sin and death and given the gift of eternal life in that Promised Land of eternity!
6:21 And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.
Joshua sends the two men back to Rahab's house to save her and her family as they had promised.
6:22 But Joshua had said unto the two men that had spied out the country, Go into the harlot's house, and bring out thence the woman, and all that she hath, as ye sware unto her. 6:23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
We shall have total destruction if we sin and choose to attempt to justify our sins instead of repenting; while the worst sinner who does repent shall be saved.
6:24 And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. 6:25 And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father's household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.
The city of sin was destroyed and Joshua cursed anyone who would raise again this city of sin. In type he was teaching that anyone who compromises or refuses to keep the whole Word of God and does not repent like Rahab did; shall be condemned to utter destruction.
6:26 And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the LORD, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.
If we are faithful to God, he shall raise us up to positions of renown on that day; in direct proportion to our deeds of zeal for learning and keeping the whole Word of God during our physical lives!
God justly decides that:
Ezekiel 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him [for righteousness], and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him [for judgment to death].
God then offers his mercy to all who sincerely repentant!
18:21 But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. 18:22 All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him: in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.
God has no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather works to bring to sincere repentance and to save the wicked out of their wickedness.
18:23 Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
We think that we are pleasing God and have it made if we obey men; God says the exact opposite!
The spiritually called out of the latter day Ekklesia have fallen into the wickedness of idolizing men and all of these sins in the spiritual sense.
If we will not sincerely repent and turn to a passionate zeal to learn and keep the whole Word of God, and reject the false traditions of our idols of men; we shall surely be corrected and if we will still not repent; we shall surely die for blindly following men contrary to the Word of God.
18:24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
According to this judgment; Jesus Christ will reject those who follow the false traditions of their idols of men and have no zeal to learn and to keep the whole Word of God.
How long will we pollute the Sabbath and high Days and follow idols of men contrary to God's Word?
18:25 Yet ye say, The way of the LORD is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?
Those who teach that once baptized we can willfully commit some sin and that Christ knows how hard life is and will overlook that sin; those who teach the abominable "Primacy of Peter" LIE that men have been placed in authority by God and must be obeyed without question even contrary to God: WILL SURELY DIE, along with those who follow them and are not zealous to keep the whole Word of God.
The prophet then speaks of sincere repentance and LIFE to which God is calling us.
18:26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.
18:27 Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.
18:28 Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.
18:29 Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the LORD is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal?
Every person will be judged by his own actions; NO ONE will be able to use the Nazi excuse that "I was just following your appointed leaders." Christ will then say that these were not his appointed leaders at all and were allowed to TEST us, as to whether we will keep the Word of God or keep the words of men! and he will ask us why we did not follow His Word and not the false words of false men!
Indeed God will allow false teachers to do wonders to TEST his people as to whether they will follow cunningly devised fables as in the COG today, or even false wonders; to turn them away form zeal for keeping the Word and following the Eternal!
Deuteronomy 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams [religious teacher or leader], and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,
13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods [to follow Idols of men and to believe them contrary to the whole Word of God], which thou hast not known, and let us serve them
Those who teach to serve men without question claiming they are God's anointed; saying that you need not have any zeal for the Sabbath or for God and his Word; no, you must be zealous for us and our organization (here comes the BIG LIE) because we are of God even though we teach falsely and depart from God's Word. If they were of God they would teach a passionate zeal for the whole Word of God; they would focus all on God; and would never focus anyone on themselves!
13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams [religious leader or teacher]: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Brethren, TODAY we are being Tested and Proven as to our loyalty and our zeal for God the Father and our espoused Husband our Mighty One. Will we blindly follow idols of men; or will we prove all things and hold fast only what is good by the whole Word of Almighty God?
1 Thessalonians 5:19 Quench not the Spirit [by sinning] 5:20 Despise not prophesyings [warnings]. 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
God calls today's Ekklesia to sincerely REPENT, lest we be destroyed for not proving all things and for our idolatry of obeying men and not God!
Ezekiel 18:30 Therefore I will judge you, O house of [physical and spiritual] Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin
Let us sincerely repent of our Sabbath and High Day pollution, which we do because "The church says it is all right;" when Almighty God warns that he will destroy those who pollute his Sabbaths!
Let us sincerely repent of following the false traditions of our idols of men, blindly and without questioning them or holding them up to the standard of God 's Word.
Let us turn to a hot burning zeal to follow the Lamb withersoever he goeth!
Ezekiel 18:31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house of [physical and spiritual] Israel? 18:32 For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Joshua 7
The sin of Achan
Joshua 7:1 But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.
Spies are sent to view Ai
7:2 And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.
Ai is a village near Jericho
7:3 And they returned to Joshua, and said unto him, Let not all the people go up; but let about two or three thousand men go up and smite Ai; and make not all the people to labour thither; for they are but few.
The few of Ai defeated the three thousand of Israel and there was great mourning and concern for God had not been with the army.
7:4 So there went up thither of the people about three thousand men: and they fled before the men of Ai. 7:5 And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty and six men: for they chased them from before the gate even unto Shebarim, and smote them in the going down: wherefore the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.
Joshua and the elders humbled themselves before God to seek the reason. This is the first step in sincere repentance, which is to humble ourselves before God and seek understanding from him.
7:6 And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.
Oh that we would inquire of God in sincerity and truth like Joshua and not in self justification of our sins.
7:7 And Joshua said, Alas, O LORD God, wherefore hast thou at all brought this people over Jordan, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us? would to God we had been content, and dwelt on the other side Jordan! 7:8 O LORD, what shall I say, when Israel turneth their backs before their enemies! 7:9 For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land shall hear of it, and shall environ us round, and cut off our name from the earth: and what wilt thou do unto thy great name?
Then Jesus Christ reveals the sin to them that they might turn from it and be saved. Oh if we only sincerely sought out correction from Christ in genuine humility, then he would reveal his truth to us and if we acted on the new understanding in true repentance to do it; we would also be saved.
Let us seek to obey the Lord our God with all our hearts like Joshua and not be corrupted to sin by partaking of wickedness like Achan.
Achan stole from the things consecrated to God and deceitfully hid them.
7:10 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Get thee up; wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face? 7:11 Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgressed my covenant which I commanded them: for they have even taken of the accursed thing, and have also stolen, and dissembled also, and they have put it even among their own stuff.
If we have any hidden unrepented sin and try to justify it rather than sincerely repent; we shall be known by Christ and we will be destroyed if we do not sincerely repent.
7:12 Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.
When will we destroy the accursed thing; which is our idolatry to follow men and corporate organizations in place of following the whole Word of God? Our massive sin is our overwhelming pride in our own traditions to justify them, instead of turning to true zeal for the whole Word of God. We shall be rejected by Christ until we sincerely repent and expunge the evil from our midst.
7:13 Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the LORD God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.
Christ made them cast lots to find the evildoer and he caused the lot to fall on the guilty. Today there is not only one guilty person, the vast majority of us are guilty of pride and idolatry to exalt the words of men above the Word of God. All have been shown the nature of our leaders (in the Calendar and Last Great Day Papers) and how they know the truth, yet twist and turn and even lie to deceive themselves into cleaving to their false traditions and justifying their proud idolatry.
7:14 In the morning therefore ye shall be brought according to your tribes: and it shall be, that the tribe which the LORD taketh shall come according to the families thereof; and the family which the LORD shall take shall come by households; and the household which the LORD shall take shall come man by man.
Achan is to be cast into the fire as a demonstration that those who love the pleasures and rewards of sin will be cast into the lake of fire if they will not repent.
Brethren, this idea that Christ is love and will allow us to compromise with the Word of God or justify committing sin against our espoused Husband by following the teachings of others is an ABOMINABLE LIE!
7:15 And it shall be, that he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burnt with fire, he and all that he hath: because he hath transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and because he hath wrought folly in Israel.
Joshua obeyed Christ and did as he was commanded; finding and rooting wickedness out of the congregation! No he did NOT tolerate diversity of doctrine (a fancy term for false teachings) or any sin, and neither does Jesus Christ!
7:16 So Joshua rose up early in the morning, and brought Israel by their tribes; and the tribe of Judah was taken: 7:17 And he brought the family of Judah; and he took the family of the Zarhites: and he brought the family of the Zarhites man by man; and Zabdi was taken: 7:18 And he brought his household man by man; and Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken.
Joshua tells Achan to repent before God
7:19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me.
Achan then admits his evil deeds
7:20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.
Joshua sends officers to determine the truth of Achan's confession
7:22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 7:23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD.
Then Achan and his whole family and all his possessions were stoned and burned to death.
7:24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor.
7:25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 7:26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.
Joshua 8
Christ commands the destruction of Ai but grants Israel its spoil. Jesus then gives Joshua the stratagem by which he may take Ai, and Joshua again OBEYS the Eternal! If only we were filled with the obedience of Joshua!
Joshua 8:1 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear not, neither be thou dismayed: take all the people of war with thee, and arise, go up to Ai: see, I have given into thy hand the king of Ai, and his people, and his city, and his land: 8:2 And thou shalt do to Ai and her king as thou didst unto Jericho and her king: only the spoil thereof, and the cattle thereof, shall ye take for a prey unto yourselves: lay thee an ambush for the city behind it.
8:3 So Joshua arose, and all the people of war, to go up against Ai: and Joshua chose out thirty thousand mighty men of valour, and sent them away by night.
An Israelite army is hidden near Ai, and then the strength of Ai is lured out by the main army of Israel, the army of Israel then flees and the men of Ai pursue, only to look back and see their city burning as the five thousand of Israeli attack the city from another place.
8:4 And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready: 8:5 And I, and all the people that are with me, will approach unto the city: and it shall come to pass, when they come out against us, as at the first, that we will flee before them, 8:6 (For they will come out after us) till we have drawn them from the city; for they will say, They flee before us, as at the first: therefore we will flee before them.
When the army of Ai has been distracted from the defense of Ai by Israel, the undefended city is then attacked from then rear by five thousand of Israel and taken.
8:7 Then ye shall rise up from the ambush, and seize upon the city: for the LORD your God will deliver it into your hand.
Israel must then set the city on fire to destroy the Canaanite city as a type of sin and an example of the end of unrepentant sinners.
8:8 And it shall be, when ye have taken the city, that ye shall set the city on fire: according to the commandment of the LORD shall ye do. See, I have commanded you.
In the morning Joshua prepares by numbering out the five thousand and separating the two forces.
8:9 Joshua therefore sent them forth: and they went to lie in ambush, and abode between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of Ai: but Joshua lodged that night among the people. 8:10 And Joshua rose up early in the morning, and numbered the people, and went up, he and the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. 8:11 And all the people, even the people of war that were with him, went up, and drew nigh, and came before the city, and pitched on the north side of Ai: now there was a valley between them and Ai.
Five thousand were set to take the city from the west, while the army was arrayed from the north of the city.
8:12 And he took about five thousand men, and set them to lie in ambush between Bethel and Ai, on the west side of the city.
8:13 And when they had set the people, even all the host that was on the north of the city, and their liers in wait on the west of the city, Joshua went that night into the midst of the valley.
Joshua advanced towards the city and the forces of Ai went out to meet Israel.
8:14 And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.
Joshua then fled with the army of Israel and the strength of Ai pursued.
8:15 And Joshua and all Israel made as if they were beaten before them, and fled by the way of the wilderness. 8:16 And all the people that were in Ai were called together to pursue after them: and they pursued after Joshua, and were drawn away from the city. 8:17 And there was not a man left in Ai or Bethel, that went not out after Israel: and they left the city open, and pursued after Israel.
At this point Jesus commands Joshua to give the signal to his five thousand on the west of Ai.
8:18 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Stretch out the spear that is in thy hand toward Ai; for I will give it into thine hand. And Joshua stretched out the spear that he had in his hand toward the city. 8:19 And the ambush arose quickly out of their place, and they ran as soon as he had stretched out his hand: and they entered into the city, and took it, and hasted and set the city on fire.
The army of Ai seeing their city destroyed behind them, went into panic and were destroyed as Israel turned back upon them.
8:20 And when the men of Ai looked behind them, they saw, and, behold, the smoke of the city ascended up to heaven, and they had no power to flee this way or that way: and the people [of Israel] that fled to the wilderness turned back upon the pursuers. 8:21 And when Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city, and that the smoke of the city ascended, then they turned again, and slew the men of Ai.
As Israel who had fled turned back on their pursuers, the five thousand that had set the city on fire come forth from the city to also attack the army of Ai from the rear.
8:22 And the other issued out of the city against them; so they were in the midst of Israel, some on this side, and some on that side: and they smote them, so that they let none of them remain or escape.
The wicked king was taken for judgment and his whole people were destroyed. This is typical of the destruction of these wicked COG leaders of today who teach idolatry and Sabbath pollution and seek people to follow them and not the whole Word of God, destroying all zeal for living by every Word of God! They shall be cast into the affliction of great tribulation, and ultimately unless they repent, will be cast into the eternal destruction of the lake of fire.
8:23 And the king of Ai they took alive, and brought him to Joshua.
8:24 And it came to pass, when Israel had made an end of slaying all the inhabitants of Ai in the field, in the wilderness wherein they chased them, and when they were all fallen on the edge of the sword, until they were consumed, that all the Israelites returned unto Ai, and smote it with the edge of the sword. 8:25 And so it was, that all that fell that day, both of men and women, were twelve thousand, even all the men of Ai. 8:26 For Joshua drew not his hand back, wherewith he stretched out the spear, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai.
8:27 Only the cattle and the spoil of that city Israel took for a prey unto themselves, according unto the word of the LORD which he commanded Joshua. 8:28 And Joshua burnt Ai, and made it an heap for ever, even a desolation unto this day.
Here the author equates evening with sundown; demonstrating the terms "evening" and "sun set" or "sun down" are synonymous. Evening is not some ambiguous period; it is clearly sunset; as all Israel has understood from the most ancient of times. If anyone tries to tell you that it is alright to work after sunset beginning Sabbath, because evening is a vague and ambiguous time period: Don't you believe them! They are false teachers tempting you and testing you, so that God can see how zealous you are for his Word!
At the same time the Rabbins who teach that evening is at sunset for the Sabbath and any time in the afternoon for other purposes because the sun is in process of going down; are double minded and wrong; evening is when the sun is set.
8:29 And the king of Ai he hanged on a tree until eventide: and as soon as the sun was down, Joshua commanded that they should take his carcase down from the tree, and cast it at the entering of the gate of the city, and raise thereon a great heap of stones, that remaineth unto this day.
The faithful followers of Christ were given the victory over the Canaanites at Ai, as a type of sin and the king of Ai as a type of Satan; and if we are zealous and faithful to follow our Lord and his Word without compromise or turning aside; we shall also be given a victory over sin and its king; through our zeal to obey and follow the Word of God, and his power to keep his promises and deliver his called out faithful.
Joshua gave Burnt Offerings and Peace Offerings; and if we are at ONE in FULL UNITY to follow and obey our God we shall also be at peace with God the Father and the Son! If we are like the idolatrous Canaanites who followed the idols of their own ways; we shall also be destroyed like them!
8:30 Then Joshua built an altar unto the LORD God of Israel in mount Ebal, 8:31 As Moses the servant of the LORD commanded the children of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of whole stones, over which no man hath lift up any iron: and they offered thereon burnt offerings unto the LORD, and sacrificed peace offerings.
Joshua then wrote a copy of the law of Christ on the altar stones; thus indicating that they had hearts of stone. If we are called and faithful we should be writing the law of God on our hearts by diligently studying to learn internalize into our very natures and to keep the whole Word of God (Jer 31).
8:32 And he wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he wrote in the presence of the children of Israel.
Then Israel stood half on Mount Gerizim and half on Mount Ebal
8:33 And all Israel, and their elders, and officers, and their judges, stood on this side the ark and on that side before the priests the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, as well the stranger, as he that was born among them; half of them over against mount Gerizim, and half of them over against mount Ebal; as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded before, that they should bless the people of Israel.
Then half the people declared the blessings for faithful obedience to live by every Word of God; and half the people declared the curses for living contrary to the Word of God. Then Joshua read the Book of the law to all the people.
Oh that there were a Joshua among us that would turn us away from our lukewarm, lip-service only religion, and lack of zeal for keeping the Word of God; and turn us back to the whole Word of the Eternal Almighty God!
8:34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and cursings, according to all that is written in the book of the law. 8:35 There was not a word of all that Moses commanded, which Joshua read not before all the congregation of Israel, with the women, and the little ones, and the strangers that were conversant among them.
God's message to the called out: As they were in bondage in physical Egypt, we were in a spiritual Egypt of bondage to sin. We must remember that from which we were delivered and be faithful to follow our Deliverer; and to never equate the words of men with the Word of God.
Deuteronomy 11
Deuteronomy 11:1 Therefore thou shalt love the LORD thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, always.
God has done many mighty deeds to deliver HIS New Covenant called out from the bondage of sin. These mighty deeds of God in delivering physical Israel were recorded to encourage us that our Mighty One is faithful and powerful to keep all of his promises of salvation, if we will only follow him in dedicated zeal.
11:2 And know ye this day: for I speak not with your children which have not known, and which have not seen the chastisement of the LORD your God, his greatness, his mighty hand, and his stretched out arm,
11:3 And his miracles, and his acts, which he did in the midst of Egypt unto Pharaoh the king of Egypt, and unto all his land;
As God destroyed Pharaoh the god-king of Egypt; God will also destroy Satan the god-king of the wicked: And the sincerely repentant who are passionate to follow the Lamb of God withersoever he goeth, will rise up from the grave in total victory over death; like physical Israel came up out of the sea of death.
11:4 And what he did unto the army of Egypt, unto their horses, and to their chariots; how he made the water of the Red sea to overflow them as they pursued after you, and how the LORD hath destroyed them unto this day;
Remember God's correction on the stubborn self willed among physical Israel; for God will not hold back from correcting the spiritually called out when they go astray from him either.
11:5 And what he did unto you in the wilderness, until ye came into this place;
11:6 And what he did unto Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben: how the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their households, and their tents, and all the substance that was in their possession, in the midst of all Israel:
These things were recorded for our instruction that we might live by every Word of God, and so enter the Promised Land of eternal life.
11:7 But your eyes have seen all the great acts of the LORD which he did.
11:8 Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it;
11:9 And that ye may prolong your days in the land, which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
All of these things were recorded for our instruction and we have indeed seen many miracles of deliverance in our own lives. We should be full of faith in our God and his power to deliver us out of ALL our trials. We should know to run to our High Tower of Strength and our Deliverer in times of stress; and we should NEVER seek to prevent persecution from the wicked by hiding our light of zeal for our Great God, or by compromising with our faithfulness. We should personally and as groups, practice what we preach and boldly declare and dedicatedly live by the Word of the LORD without compromise or watering down to avoid offending the wicked.
11:10 For the land, whither thou goest in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowedst thy seed, and wateredst it with thy foot [needed to irrigate it], as a garden of herbs:
Today the land is not as it was; yet once the people sincerely repent and turn to godliness as the millennial kingdom of God begins; God's blessings will again rain down on the land.
11:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven:
11:12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.
A good land is promised to the people who live by every Word of God; and a wonderful eternity with God is promised to those who overcome and keep the Spiritual New Covenant of Marriage with Jesus Christ and very Lamb of God.
Physical blessings for obedience; all of which have their spiritual counterparts
11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul,
11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land [spiritually God's spirit will rain down upon the faithful] in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain [the seasonal spring and fall rains are a type of God pouring his spirit first on the early first fruits faithful, and later on the sincerely repentant main fall harvest of humanity], that thou mayest gather in thy corn [grain], and thy wine, and thine oil [as a type that God will gather in His harvest of humanity].
The faithful to live by every Word of God will produce much spiritual fruit through the blessings of God's Spirit.
11:15 And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full.
When we are blessed we must be careful not to become filled with pride, and so thinking ourselves wise depart from zeal to follow our God, into following our own ways and idols of men; as is done in the Ekklesia today.
11:16 Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;
As God shuts up the rain on the land for wickedness; he will also withhold his Holy Spirit from those who are not zealous to live by his Word.
11:17 And then the LORD's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you.
11:18 Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand [keep and live by the Word of God, fulfilling God's Word in our every deed], that they may be as frontlets between your eyes [keep God's Word always in our minds and hearts] .
The duty of parents
11:19 And ye shall teach them [God's Word to] your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
11:20 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: [God's Word shall be always in you and everywhere you look God's Word should come to mind]
11:21 That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth.
Let your meditation be upon the things of God day and night, as it was with the Lord's beloved David Psalm 119.
11:22 For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him;
If the New Covenant called out are diligent to zealously live by every Word of God, then we shall have total victory over Satan and bondage to sin and the grave, through the power of God.
11:23 Then will the LORD drive out all these nations [The Canaanites were symbolic of Satanic wickedness] from before you, and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves.
In the spiritual sense; if we are faithful to follow the Lamb of God, God will drive out all sin from within us and defeat Satan and his supporters who oppress us, and we shall inherit eternal life and a place in The Eternal Kingdom of God.
The millennial borders of the physical Promised Land in the Middle East; to which will be added the additional lands that the nations of Israel have been given
11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
Spiritually speaking neither Satan nor any of his supporters can prevail against us on the spiritual plane, no not even the grave can conquer those who are zealously faithful followers of the Lamb of God!
11:25 There shall no man be able to stand before you: for the LORD your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath said unto you.
The Promised Land and Theocracy of Israel was a type of the eternal Kingdom of God!
Possession of eternal life with God, is CONDITIONAL on our faithful obedience to HIM; as possession of the physical Promised Land by Israel is CONDITIONAL on their faithful obedience to God.
The blessings for the faithful to God, and the curses for following idols of men to keep what seems right in our own eyes. Each of these points has its spiritual counterpart.
11:26 Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse;
11:27 A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you this day:
Today we obey men and not God; we have gone after other gods to make men our gods and idols in place of the Eternal
11:28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.
11:29 And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt put the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
11:30 Are they not on the other side Jordan, by the way where the sun goeth down [on the west side of Jordan in the land], in the land of the Canaanites, which dwell in the champaign over against Gilgal, beside the plains of Moreh?
11:31 For ye shall pass over Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God giveth you, and ye shall possess it, and dwell therein.
11:32 And ye shall observe to do all the statutes and judgments which I set before you this day.
Joshua obeyed all that Moses had commanded, and the blessings and cursing are applicable spiritually as well as physically!
Deuteronomy 27
The people are again encouraged to keep all of the commandments of God: For possession of the land [For the faithful New Covenant called out, the Promised Land of Eternal Life] is absolutely dependent on keeping all the commandments of God with enthusiastic passionate zeal and love for our Husband!
Deuteronomy 27:1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day.
27:2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister:
When they enter the land they must list the laws of God [the laws of the Land of God] on a monument at the border.
27:3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.
27:4 Therefore it shall be when ye be gone over Jordan, that ye shall set up these stones, which I command you this day, in mount Ebal, and thou shalt plaister them with plaister.
An altar is to be built at the entry of the Promised Land and peace offerings representing the people reconciled to and at peace with God, living by every Word of God is to be set up. [At this point the tabernacle is with the people and so the law about not sacrificing away from the tabernacle is not broken.]
The altar is to be built of whole stones not cut out by the hand of man; which is reference in Daniel two when Jesus Christ comes to strike Babylon on its toes and destroy that evil system. The stones of the altar are representative of Messiah the Christ the Rock of our Salvation.
27:5 And there shalt thou build an altar unto the LORD thy God, an altar of stones: thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them.
27:6 Thou shalt build the altar of the LORD thy God of whole stones: and thou shalt offer burnt offerings [representative of wholehearted obedience and service to God] thereon unto the LORD thy God:
27:7 And thou shalt offer peace offerings [representative of being reconciled to and at peace with God], and shalt eat [the peace offerings] there, and rejoice before the LORD thy God [at their entry into the Promised Land given to them by God; which is an allegory of the entry of the New Covenant called out overcomers, into the spiritual Promised Land of eternal life, through faithfully following the Mighty God].
The people of physical and spiritual Israel are never to forget that their place in the Promised Land is absolutely conditional on their faithful zeal to live by every Word of God.
Notice here very plainly how hugely important the keeping of all the commandments is to our Great God.
Our baptismal commitment is to keep all the commandments of our espoused Husband, to live by EVERY Word of God, as we enter voluntarily into a marriage covenant of espousal to a spiritual Husband.
Whether we are chosen to be changed to spirit and enter a final formal marriage with Christ in eternal life, or are not chosen; is entirely dependent on whether we love him enough to zealously "be a DOER of the Law" now, and diligently DO WHAT God COMMANDS!
27:9 And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.
27:10 Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the LORD thy God, and do his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day.
Moses instructs the Levites to loudly declare blessings for obedience and cursing's for not diligently living by every Word of God.
27:11 And Moses charged the people the same day, saying,
27:12 These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when ye are come over Jordan; Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin:
27:13 And these shall stand upon mount Ebal to curse; Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
27:14 And the Levites shall speak, and say unto all the men of Israel with a loud voice,
Physical idolatry has its spiritual application in making idols of corporate organizations and making idols of men to follow them in place of living by every Word of God.
27:15 Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the LORD, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.
The spiritual application below is disobedience to God the Father, and not living by His every Word.
27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
This refers to not loving and doing good to others.
27:17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour's landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Spiritually this refers to teaching false doctrine to lead others astray.
27:18 Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.
This refers to the perverting of godly judgment.
27:19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.
This refers to shaming one's father, as a type of spiritually bringing shame on God the Father.
27:20 Cursed be he that lieth with his father's wife; because he uncovereth his father's skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Spiritually this refers to our fidelity to our spiritual Husband Jesus Christ above all, and the rejection of all false ways and sinful abominations.
27:21 Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:22 Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:23 Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.
Spiritually this refers to the sin of Balaam in taking a reward to lead the people astray from God into sin and so spiritually murdering them. This is a great sin in the Ekklesia today as they lead the people astray from God in pursuit of the reward of numbers and income.
27:24 Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
And some foolish and ignorant people say that God's law is not a Law of Love! God's law is defined as "Love for God" and "Love for our neighbour" as Jesus Christ clearly defined the law from his own mouth!
God IS love; God's law IS love: BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!
Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Deuteronomy 28
In this latter day, Israel [the Anglo Saxon peoples] and Judah are under the protection of God so that God may fulfill the promises he made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses.
We have been given choice blessings and we have responded by filling our lands with abominations and great rebellion against the commandments of our God.
Therefore hear the warnings of God as recorded by Moses.
At this moment there is a great regional war brewing in the Middle East. God will give Israel and Judah one last victory! After which [if they do not repent and turn from their sin] they shall be taken into a new captivity, as soon as Peace and Safety is declared 1 Thess 5:3.
The Blessings For Obedience to all of God's commandments
We have been blessed and made the chief peoples on the earth for the past several hundred years. Now God is preparing to correct Israel [The Anglo Saxon people] and Judah one last time in preparation for the coming of Messiah the Christ.
Deuteronomy 28:1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
28:2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.
28:3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.
28:4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
28:5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.
28:6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
28:7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.
28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
28:9 The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.
28:10 And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.
28:11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
28:13 And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them:
28:14 And thou shalt not go aside from any of the words which I command thee this day, to the right hand, or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.
The curses for disobedience, or compromising with any of God's commandments; which are beginning to fall upon the people of God [the New Covenant spiritual Israel] and physical Israel [the Anglo Saxon peoples] and Judah, as a final warning; and which are about to climax with a final captivity after the coming LAST victory over our enemies in this dispensation.
Once Islamic Extremism in the Middle East is crushed and a regional peace deal is achieved; the abomination will be set up in the Vatican and when he goes to the Holy Place 75 days after being set up doing miracles the captivity of our people will begin with the occupation of Jerusalem and spread from there to all of Judah and will include the defeat of the Anglo Saxon peoples.
This is a long list of the horrors that will come upon us for the overspreading of our many abominations; which curses could easily begin in the next two or three years.
28:15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
28:16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.
28:17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.
28:18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.
28:19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.
28:20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me.
28:21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it.
28:22 The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption [wasting away], and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.
28:23 And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron.
28:24 The LORD shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust: from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
28:25 The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
28:26 And thy carcase shall be meat unto all fowls of the air, and unto the beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.
28:27 The LORD will smite thee with the botch of Egypt, and with the emerods, and with the scab, and with the itch, whereof thou canst not be healed.
28:28 The LORD shall smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart:
28:29 And thou shalt grope at noonday [seeking solutions in confusion of mind], as the blind gropeth in darkness, and thou shalt not prosper in thy ways: and thou shalt be only oppressed and spoiled evermore, and no man shall save thee.
28:30 Thou shalt betroth a wife, and another man shall lie with her: thou shalt build an house, and thou shalt not dwell therein: thou shalt plant a vineyard, and shalt not gather the grapes thereof.
28:31 Thine ox shall be slain before thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof: thine ass shall be violently taken away from before thy face, and shall not be restored to thee: thy sheep shall be given unto thine enemies, and thou shalt have none to rescue them.
28:32 Thy sons and thy daughters shall be given unto another people, and thine eyes shall look, and fail with longing for them all the day long; and there shall be no might in thine hand.
28:33 The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and crushed alway:
28:34 So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
28:35 The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of thy head.
Because we serve idols of men; we shall be made to serve men.
28:36 The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone.
28:37 And thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall lead thee.
28:38 Thou shalt carry much seed out into the field, and shalt gather but little in; for the locust shall consume it.
28:39 Thou shalt plant vineyards, and dress them, but shalt neither drink of the wine, nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.
28:40 Thou shalt have olive trees throughout all thy coasts, but thou shalt not anoint thyself with the oil; for thine olive shall cast his fruit.
28:41 Thou shalt beget sons and daughters, but thou shalt not enjoy them; for they shall go into captivity.
28:42 All thy trees and fruit of thy land shall the locust consume.
28:43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high; and thou shalt come down very low.
28:44 He shall lend to thee, and thou shalt not lend to him: he shall be the head, and thou shalt be the tail.
28:45 Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
28:46 And they shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed for ever.
28:47 Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things [Because we will not zealously serve God during the abundance of God's blessings we shall be given over to they curse to humble us.];
28:48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.
28:49 The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;
28:50 A nation of fierce countenance, which shall not regard the person of the old, nor shew favour to the young:
28:51 And he shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy land, until thou be destroyed: which also shall not leave thee either corn, wine, or oil, or the increase of thy kine, or flocks of thy sheep, until he have destroyed thee.
28:52 And he shall besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high and fenced walls come down, wherein thou trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shall besiege thee in all thy gates throughout all thy land, which the LORD thy God hath given thee.
28:53 And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, which the LORD thy God hath given thee, in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee:
28:54 So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate [meek and timid], his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave:
28:55 So that he will not give to any of them of the flesh of his children whom he shall eat: because he hath nothing left him in the siege, and in the straitness, wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee in all thy gates.
28:56 The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter,
28:57 And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them for want of all things secretly in the siege and straitness, wherewith thine enemy shall distress thee in thy gates.
28:58 If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD;
28:59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful [great], and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.
28:60 Moreover he will bring upon thee all the diseases of Egypt, which thou wast afraid of; and they shall cleave unto thee.
28:61 Also every sickness, and every plague, which is not written in the book of this law, them will the LORD bring upon thee, until thou be destroyed.
28:62 And ye shall be left few in number, whereas ye were as the stars of heaven for multitude; because thou wouldest not obey the voice of the LORD thy God.
A final captivity
28:63 And it shall come to pass, that as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good, and to multiply you; so the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you, and to bring you to nought; and ye shall be plucked from off the land whither thou goest to possess it.
28:64 And the LORD shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other; and there thou shalt serve other gods, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, even wood and stone.
28:65 And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:
28:66 And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life:
28:67 In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.
28:68 And the LORD shall bring thee into Egypt again with ships, by the way whereof I spake unto thee, Thou shalt see it no more again: and there ye shall be sold unto your enemies for bondmen and bondwomen, and no man shall buy you.
Right now the nations of Israel, both physical and spiritual, think obedience to God a little thing. The Israelite nations [including spiritual Israel] are immersed wholeheartedly in sin and about to receive God's just correction in its fullness; while the people of God continue to idolize men and count their espousal to Christ, as meaning that they are to obey lovers who claim to come in his name, rather than their commitment to obey their God and obey the scriptures.
The brethren are relying on their false traditions instead on the commandments of their Husband. The Ekklesia of the New Covenant called out is now also facing the strong correction that Moses warned us of and the Christ in Rev 3 warned us of.
Deuteronomy 29:1 These are the words of the covenant, which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant
Joshua 9
There are many good lessons that we can learn from the adventures of Joshua and Israel in entering the physical promised land.
When the rulers of all the cities in the land heard of the destruction of Jericho and Ai, they confederated together to come out to war against the common enemy, yet the inhabitants of Gibeon invented a strategy to save themselves.
Joshua 9:1 And it came to pass, when all the kings which were on this side Jordan, in the hills, and in the valleys, and in all the coasts of the great sea over against Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof; 9:2 That they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.
The inhabitants of Gibeon were wiser than their neighbors and found a way to make peace with Israel through craftiness.
This teaches us that our spiritual enemy (Satan) may attack openly, or he may be crafty and seek to plant his tares peaceably among us; seeking to influence us through craftiness. That is the main attack focus of Satan against the New Covenant people at this time.
Today we should follow the instructions of John Baptist and Jesus Christ, and demand the FRUITS of sincere repentance and zeal for the whole Word of God before baptizing people.
Likewise those who do not have the fruits of zeal for the whole Word of God to keep it, should be cast out of the assemblies.
9:3 And when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai, 9:4 They did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wine bottles, old, and rent, and bound up; 9:5 And old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy.
9:6 And they went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We be come from a far country: now therefore make ye a league with us.
Israel asked them, how can we make a treaty in case they were found to dwell in the land. And the people of Gideon did their best to deceive them that they were from a far county; and Israel believed then and did not properly investigate, neither did they inquire of God.
These people had heard of the might of God and believed the reports; yet they acted with craft and were NOT willing to sincerely repent and follow God; instead they opted to join the assembly without any real repentance.
How could Israel have avoided this trap? By first enquiring of God for His instructions and will in the matter!
9:7 And the men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure [what if] ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a league with you? 9:8 And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye? 9:9 And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 9:10 And all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth. 9:11 Wherefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spake to us, saying, Take victuals with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: therefore now make ye a league with us.
These Gibeonites feared Joshua and Israel and not God and presented a superficial appearance to Israel which was false.
Today most of the tares in the assemblies are sincere but lack any real understanding and are zealous for a group and its leader, but not zealous to live by every Word of God to Learn it and to keep it; instead they are idolaters of men and corporate entities. Like the Gibeonites, they hear the messages and then they exalt the messenger, the leader and the organization; while having no zeal for God to enthusiastically keep his Word.
9:12 This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and it is mouldy: 9:13 And these bottles of wine, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.
Joshua and the elders looked at the physical evidence before them and did not ask of the Lord about the spiritual reality and truth of the situation.
Likewise the brethren today are in the habit of blindly believing anything they are told, and not questioning the words of men by enquiring in the Word of God.
9:14 And the men took of their victuals, and asked not counsel at the mouth of the LORD.
This is one of the very few mistakes of Joshua the Zealous the Faithful.
9:15 And Joshua made peace with them, and made a league with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.
After three days the truth came out
9:16 And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a league with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt among them.
Israel then marched to their cities
9:17 And the children of Israel journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kirjathjearim.
Joshua and the leaders decide to make servants of them and call them out and give them an ultimatum to become servants
9:18 And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes. 9:19 But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them. 9:20 This we will do to them; we will even let them live, lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them. 9:21 And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.
Joshua demands an explanation and declares that they are to be servants.
9:22 And Joshua called for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us? 9:23 Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.
The Gibeonites reply that they deceived Israel out of fear for their lives and promised to do whatever Joshua required for the sake of their lives.
9:24 And they answered Joshua, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you, therefore we were sore afraid of our lives because of you, and have done this thing. 9:25 And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.
Joshua then spared their lives and made them servants of the Levites.
9:26 And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not. 9:27 And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.
I want to say that many of the tares probably the majority, do not know that they are tares and are very sincere and very nice people. This is just NOT their time now.
One elder told me about 1985 that the majority of brethren were not converted and were brought in so that the corporate church could have their support and so that some good would rub off on them.
What is wrong with that? Have you not read that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Do you not know that the unclean makes the clean unclean? These folks are very nice and very sincere, yet they have diluted us into a social club devoid of zeal to live by every Word of God!
Joshua 10
Joshua 10:1 Now it came to pass, when Adonizedec king of Jerusalem had heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it; as he had done to Jericho and her king, so he had done to Ai and her king; and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel, and were among them; 10:2 That they feared greatly, because Gibeon was a great city, as one of the royal cities, and because it was greater than Ai, and all the men thereof were mighty.
The other rulers in Canaan hearing of all these things, resolved to confederate together and come out to attack Gibeon for making peace with Israel.
10:3 Wherefore Adonizedec king of Jerusalem, sent unto Hoham king of Hebron, and unto Piram king of Jarmuth, and unto Japhia king of Lachish, and unto Debir king of Eglon, saying, 10:4 Come up unto me, and help me, that we may smite Gibeon: for it hath made peace with Joshua and with the children of Israel.
These five kings laid siege to Gibeon.
10:5 Therefore the five kings of the Amorites, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, the king of Eglon, gathered themselves together, and went up, they and all their hosts, and encamped before Gibeon, and made war against it.
Gibeon then asks deliverance from Joshua. It occurs to me that Joshua could have seen this as deliverance from his Gibeonite problem and let the other Canaanites slaughter Gibeon. Not so, for Joshua had already given his word that the Gibeonites would be servants of the Levites.
10:6 And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua to the camp to Gilgal, saying, Slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us: for all the kings of the Amorites that dwell in the mountains are gathered together against us.
Joshua was keeping his word and Christ was with him, informing him that Jesus had worked the Gibeon problem out to bring destruction on the five kings of Canaan.
10:7 So Joshua ascended from Gilgal, he, and all the people of war with him, and all the mighty men of valour. 10:8 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Fear them not: for I have delivered them into thine hand; there shall not a man of them stand before thee.
Joshua marched all night and caught them by surprise in the early morning.
10:9 Joshua therefore came unto them suddenly, and went up from Gilgal all night.
Jesus Christ went before Israel and helped them to destroy the five rulers and their armies.
No wimp who tolerates sin here; Jesus Christ is Mighty to Save his people who are zealous and faithful to him and the Word of God!
10:10 And the LORD discomfited them before Israel, and slew them with a great slaughter at Gibeon, and chased them along the way that goeth up to Bethhoron, and smote them to Azekah, and unto Makkedah.
Jesus Christ rained great hailstones on them destroying many.
10:11 And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Bethhoron, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword.
Jesus Christ even prolonged the hours of daylight so that Joshua could complete the job of destroying the five kings! Such is the power and the might and the glory of our Deliverer!
Why will we fear transitory physical temptations and persecutions when zeal for our Mighty One guarantees victory over sin and entry into the Promised Land of eternal life?
10:12 Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. 10:13 And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day. 10:14 And there was no day like that before it or after it, that the LORD hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the LORD fought for Israel. 10:15 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
The five kings hid themselves and were sealed up in a cave by Israel until the battle was over and the enemy was destroyed.
10:16 But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah. 10:17 And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah. 10:18 And Joshua said, Roll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: 10:19 And stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the LORD your God hath delivered them into your hand.
A few of the enemy escaped into fenced cities but the slaughter had diminished them in a very big way.
10:20 And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.
Then the fame of Christ, Joshua and Israel filled the land and all the Canaanites were afraid.
10:21 And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.
Joshua then sent for the five kings
10:22 Then said Joshua, Open the mouth of the cave, and bring out those five kings unto me out of the cave. 10:23 And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.
Joshua then proceeded to give a graphic lesson to the leaders of Israel. This graphic action was worth ten thousand words in strengthening the faith and heart of Israel to keep the word of God and to follow Christ wherever he will lead us.
10:24 And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.
Brethren, these words are for us today; fear God and do his will and zealously live by every Word of God and he will deliver us from death itself in that day! God our Father and our Husband Jesus Christ are Mighty, they are Worthy, and greatly to be exalted above all else.
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.
For the second time the word "evening" is used synonymously with sunset or sun down. If anyone says that the word "evening" is ambiguous and that people can decide for themselves when to stop work for the Sabbath: They do not understand the Word of God. Evening is synonymous with sun down or sunset in terms to the beginning and ending of days.
10:26 And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on five trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening. 10:27 And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid great stones in the cave's mouth, which remain until this very day.
Joshua totally destroyed Makkedah, which was the battle headquarters of the five kings and where they hid.
10:28 And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.
Joshua then proceeded to destroy the fenced cities of the five kings and their satellite cities.
10:29 Then Joshua passed from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, unto Libnah, and fought against Libnah: 10:30 And the LORD delivered it also, and the king thereof, into the hand of Israel; and he smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain in it; but did unto the king thereof as he did unto the king of Jericho.
10:31 And Joshua passed from Libnah, and all Israel with him, unto Lachish, and encamped against it, and fought against it: 10:32 And the LORD delivered Lachish into the hand of Israel, which took it on the second day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein, according to all that he had done to Libnah.
The king of Gezer came to help Lachish and was also defeated.
10:33 Then Horam king of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua smote him and his people, until he had left him none remaining.
Next was the city of Eglon one of the five great cities.
10:34 And from Lachish Joshua passed unto Eglon, and all Israel with him; and they encamped against it, and fought against it: 10:35 And they took it on that day, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and all the souls that were therein he utterly destroyed that day, according to all that he had done to Lachish.
10:36 And Joshua went up from Eglon, and all Israel with him, unto Hebron; and they fought against it: 10:37 And they took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof, and all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining, according to all that he had done to Eglon; but destroyed it utterly, and all the souls that were therein.
Debir was also taken; only Jerusalem remaining.
10:38 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to Debir; and fought against it: 10:39 And he took it, and the king thereof, and all the cities thereof; and they smote them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed all the souls that were therein; he left none remaining: as he had done to Hebron, so he did to Debir, and to the king thereof; as he had done also to Libnah, and to her king.
10:40 So Joshua smote all the country of the hills, and of the south, and of the vale, and of the springs, and all their kings: he left none remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. 10:41 And Joshua smote them from Kadeshbarnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, even unto Gibeon.
Joshua had succeeded in gaining possession of the south central core of the promised land in this series of battles, being completely victorious in all his battles, because he was with Christ and Christ was with him. If we are likewise to follow Jesus Christ and the whole Word of God which was inspired by Christ; we shall also be victorious over sin, continually overcoming and growing until the end.
If we follow our espoused Husband without compromise or turning aside from zeal for the Word; He SHALL fight for us!
Let us not try to fight our spiritual battles by compromising with sin and keeping our own ways to do what WE think is right! Let us follow our Master and the whole Word of God without any compromise, backsliding or turning aside!
10:42 And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel.
10:43 And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.
Joshua 11
After the conquest of the south of the land, the northern Canaanites came together to fight against Israel and the campaign to control the land turned to the north.
Joshua 11:1 And it came to pass, when Jabin king of Hazor had heard those things, that he sent to Jobab king of Madon, and to the king of Shimron, and to the king of Achshaph, 11:2 And to the kings that were on the north of the mountains, and of the plains south of Chinneroth, and in the valley, and in the borders of Dor on the west, 11:3 And to the Canaanite on the east and on the west, and to the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite in the mountains, and to the Hivite under Hermon in the land of Mizpeh. 11:4 And they went out, they and all their hosts with them, much people, even as the sand that is upon the sea shore in multitude, with horses and chariots very many. 11:5 And when all these kings were met together, they came and pitched together at the waters of Merom, to fight against Israel.
Jesus Christ promises to go before Israel and destroy these massed Canaanites.
11:6 And the LORD said unto Joshua, Be not afraid because of them: for to morrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain before Israel: thou shalt hough their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.
Joshua encouraged by the promise of victory, goes to the attack against a vastly superior force.
11:7 So Joshua came, and all the people of war with him, against them by the waters of Merom suddenly; and they fell upon them. 11:8 And the LORD delivered them into the hand of Israel, who smote them, and chased them unto great Zidon, and unto
Misrephothmaim, and unto the valley of Mizpeh eastward; and they smote them, until they left them none remaining. 11:9 And Joshua did unto them as the LORD bade him: he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire.
Joshua then took Hazor which was the chief of the Canaanites.
11:10 And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword: for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. 11:11 And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them: there was not any left to breathe: and he burnt Hazor with fire.
The destruction of all the Canaanites was commanded by YHVH [who became Jesus Christ], and Joshua obeyed in all things.
11:12 And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the LORD commanded.
The cities that did not threaten war were not attacked or destroyed, which may explain why Christ showed mercy on the Gibeonites who sought peace.
11:13 But as for the cities that stood still in their strength, Israel burned none of them, save Hazor only; that did Joshua burn. 11:14 And all the spoil of these cities [which had come out against them] , and the cattle, the children of Israel took for a prey unto themselves; but every man they smote with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, neither left they any to breathe.
Joshua's zeal to keep the whole Word of YHVH [Jesus Christ} was unquenchable; like our zeal to live by every Word of God should be. Our battle is not against flesh and blood but is spiritual and is against persecution and temptation to depart from our Christ-like zeal for the whole Word of God. As Joshua kept the whole Word of God as recorded by Moses, so we should also keep the whole Word of God as written by Moses and the prophets and apostles.
11:15 As the LORD commanded Moses his servant, so did Moses command Joshua, and so did Joshua; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.
The fight was long, but as long as they followed their Husband victory was assured.
11:16 So Joshua took all that land, the hills, and all the south country, and all the land of Goshen, and the valley, and the plain, and the mountain of Israel, and the valley of the same; 11:17 Even from the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir, even unto Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon under mount Hermon: and all their kings he took, and smote them, and slew them. 11:18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.
It was Jesus Christ who hardened the hearts of the Canaanites that they would not make peace!
WHY? Because as he had hardened the heart of Pharaoh to make an example and an instruction for us and he did the same thing with the Canaanites; that we can learn that Jesus Christ will NOT TOLERATE any sin (the Canaanites being a type of sin).
11:19 There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. 11:20 For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.
At that time all of the men of huge stature were destroyed out of Canaan except for a few remaining in the Gaza strip.
11:21 And at that time came Joshua, and cut off the Anakims [physical giants] from the mountains, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the mountains of Judah, and from all the mountains of Israel: Joshua destroyed them utterly with their cities. 11:22 There was none of the Anakims left in the land of the children of Israel: only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod, there remained. 11:23 So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD said unto Moses; and
After conquering the land, Joshua divides the land for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.
Joshua 12
The cities destroyed by Moses and their land given to Reuben, Gad and half Manasseh on the East side of Jordan.
Joshua 12:1 Now these are the kings of the land, which the children of Israel smote, and possessed their land on the other side Jordan toward the rising of the sun, from the river Arnon unto mount Hermon, and all the plain on the east: 12:2 Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the river, and from half Gilead, even unto the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon; 12:3 And from the plain to the sea of Chinneroth on the east, and unto the sea of the plain, even the salt sea on the east, the way to Bethjeshimoth; and from the south, under Ashdothpisgah:
12:4 And the coast [border] of Og king of Bashan, which was of the remnant of the giants, that dwelt at Ashtaroth and at Edrei, 12:5 And reigned in mount Hermon, and in Salcah, and in all Bashan, unto the border of the Geshurites and the Maachathites, and half Gilead, the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
12:6 Them did Moses the servant of the LORD and the children of Israel smite: and Moses the servant of the LORD gave it for a possession unto the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh.
The list of kings and cities that Joshua dispossessed for Israel on the West side of Jordan
12:7 And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west, from Baalgad in the valley of Lebanon even unto the mount Halak, that goeth up to Seir; which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions;
12:8 In the mountains, and in the valleys, and in the plains, and in the springs, and in the wilderness, and in the south country; the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites:
12:9 The king of Jericho, one; the king of Ai, which is beside Bethel, one; 12:10 The king of Jerusalem, one; the king of Hebron, one; 12:11 The king of Jarmuth, one; the king of Lachish, one; 12:12 The king of Eglon, one; the king of Gezer, one;
12:13 The king of Debir, one; the king of Geder, one; 12:14 The king of Hormah, one; the king of Arad, one; 12:15 The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one; 12:16 The king of Makkedah, one; the king of Bethel, one;
12:17 The king of Tappuah, one; the king of Hepher, one; 12:18 The king of Aphek, one; the king of Lasharon, one; 12:19 The king of Madon, one; the king of Hazor, one; 12:20 The king of Shimronmeron, one; the king of Achshaph, one;
12:21 The king of Taanach, one; the king of Megiddo, one; 12:22 The king of Kedesh, one; the king of Jokneamof Carmel, one; 12:23 The king of Dor in the coast of Dor, one; the king of the nations of Gilgal, one; 12:24 The king of Tirzah, one: all the kings thirty and one.
The campaign lasted seven years and Joshua who had been the servant of Moses was now very old. The first twelve chapters of Joshua cover the seven year military campaign to seize the land and contain many principles appropriate for our spiritual lives today. The next twelve chapters cover the dividing of the land which took another seven years. For these fourteen years until the first harvest planted by Israel was reaped they ate the grain in the land.
Joshua 13
Joshua 13:1 Now Joshua was old and stricken in years; and the LORD said unto him, Thou art old and stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.
YHVH (Jesus Christ) then reveals the remainder of the land he will give to Israel; and tells Joshua to divide the land he has taken among the people..
13:2 This is the land that yet remaineth: all the borders of the Philistines [all Gaza], and all Geshuri,
Geshur lay upon the eastern side of the Jordan between Bashan [Gesher is more or less modern Golan] , Maachah, and Mount Hermon, and within the limits of the Hebrew territory; but the Israelites did not expel its inhabitants, they ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all Bashan (Golan), as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and half of Gilead, as far as the border of Sihon king of Heshbon.
The people of Geshur appear to have been brought under tribute, but to have retained their own kings. One of David's wives, Maachah the mother of Absalom, was daughter of Talmai king of Geshur; and it was here that Absalom found refuge after the murder of Amnon, and remained three years with his grandfather,
13:3 From Sihor, which is before Egypt,
Sihor "The river of Egypt", i.e., the Wadi el-Arish ( 1 Chronicles 13:5 ), which flows "before Egypt", i.e., in a north-easterly direction from Egypt, and enters the sea about 50 miles south-west of Gaza.
even unto the borders of Ekron [A city of Philistia] northward, which is counted to the Canaanite: five lords of the Philistines; the Gazthites [Gaza] , and the Ashdothites [Ashdod], the Eshkalonites [Eschol] , the Gittites [Gath] , and the Ekronites [Ekron ; also the Avites [Philistines of Gerar]:
The entire coast up to Sidon and then east including Mount Hermon and then slanting north east and up to the Euphrates river.
13:4 From the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that is beside the Sidonians [Sidon] unto Aphek, to the borders of the Amorites: 13:5 And the land of the Giblites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrising, from Baalgad under mount Hermon unto the entering into Hamath [Euphrates].
Jesus Christ when he comes, will give the whole twelve tribes their promised land. The borders of the millennial Israel will be from Al-Arish in Sinai up along the Med Sea to Sidon an then head east to Mount Hermon and up north to the Euphrates. The eastern border will then track due south to the river Arnon and will include all Bashan [modern Golan]. the southern border will be from the Dead Sea due south to Eilat and then a direct line north to Al Arish in Sinai.
13:6 All the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon unto Misrephothmaim, and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out from before the children of Israel: only divide thou it by lot unto the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee.
Joshua is commanded to divide the land already taken.
13:7 Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 13:8With whom the Reubenites and the Gadites have received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond Jordan eastward, even as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them;
Gad, Reuben and half of Manasseh were given the land from the river Arnon north to include Golan and Lebanon east of Mount Hermon and part of Syria up to the Euphrates.
13:9 From Aroer, that is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain of Medeba unto Dibon; 13:10 And all the cities of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, unto the border of the children of Ammon; 13:11 And Gilead [Golan] , and the border of the Geshurites and Maachathites, and all mount Hermon, and all Bashan unto Salcah; 13:12 All the kingdom of Og in Bashan, which reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei, who remained of the remnant of the giants: for these did Moses smite, and cast them out.
Israel was not able to expel all the indigenous people, because after Joshua, they repeatedly turned away from God.
13:13 Nevertheless the children of Israel expelled not the Geshurites, nor the Maachathites: but the Geshurites and the Maachathites dwell among the Israelites until this day.
Levi received no land except for the Levitical cities to live in.
13:14 Only unto the tribes of Levi he gave none inheritance; the sacrifices of the LORD God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance, as he said unto them.
The land of Reuben.
13:15 And Moses gave unto the tribe of the children of Reuben inheritance according to their families. 13:16 And their coast was from Aroer, that is on the bank of the river Arnon, and the city that is in the midst of the river, and all the plain by Medeba; 13:17 Heshbon, and all her cities that are in the plain; Dibon, and Bamothbaal, and Bethbaalmeon, 13:18 And Jahaza, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, 13:19 And Kirjathaim, and Sibmah, and Zarethshahar in the mount of the valley, 13:20 And Bethpeor, and Ashdothpisgah, and Bethjeshimoth, 13:21 And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country.
Balaam was NOT a prophet of God! He was a pagan soothsayer and magician like Simon Magus!
13:22 Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.
The western border of Reuben was the Jordan
13:23 And the border of the children of Reuben was Jordan, and the border thereof. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben after their families, the cities and the villages thereof.
The inheritance of Gad
13:24 And Moses gave inheritance unto the tribe of Gad, even unto the children of Gad according to their families.
Gad received the land from Ammon to the lake of Galilee
13:25 And their coast was Jazer, and all the cities of Gilead, and half the land of the children of Ammon, unto Aroer that is before Rabbah [Ammon]; 13:26 And from Heshbon unto Ramathmizpeh, and Betonim; and from Mahanaim unto the border of Debir; 13:27 And in the valley, Betharam, and Bethnimrah, and Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of Sihon king of Heshbon, Jordan and his border, even unto the edge of the sea of Chinnereth [Sea of Galilee] on the other side Jordan eastward. 13:28 This is the inheritance of the children of Gad after their families, the cities, and their villages.
The inheritance of the half the tribe of Manasseh; Manasseh being one half of the tribe of Joseph who was given the double portion of the first born.
13:29 And Moses gave inheritance unto the half tribe of Manasseh: and this was the possession of the half tribe of the children of Manasseh by their families. 13:30 And their coast was from Mahanaim, all Bashan [Golan with its heights and plains] , all the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, and all the towns of Jair, which are in Bashan, threescore cities: 13:31 And half Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, cities of the kingdom of Og in Bashan, were pertaining unto the children of Machir the son of Manasseh, even to the one half of the children of Machir by their families.
This is the dividing of the land east of Jordan between Gad, Reuben and half of Manasseh.
13:32 These are the countries which Moses did distribute for inheritance in the plains of Moab, on the other side Jordan, by Jericho, eastward.
13:33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance: the LORD God of Israel was their inheritance, as he said unto them.
Joshua 14
The dividing of the land of Canaan on the WEST side of Jordan
Some may think that the record of the dividing of the land is meaningless dry history. In fact it is proof that Jesus Christ keeps his promises to those who are zealous to follow him and keep the whole Word of God.
This is also prophetic, in that the descendants of these people will inherit the same lands in the millennial kingdom of God. Even if we do not know our genealogies Jesus Christ does! And he will give the land back to her inheritors during the millennium kingdom.
It is also an allegory that it is God who apportion offices in the promised Land of eternal life as He sees fit.
Joshua 14:1 And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them. 14:2 By lot was their inheritance, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe. 14:3 For Moses had given the inheritance of two tribes and an half tribe on the other side Jordan: but unto the Levites he gave none inheritance among them.
Joseph had the birthright of a double portion [Ephraim and Manasseh]
14:4 For the children of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim: therefore they gave no part unto the Levites in the land, save cities to dwell in, with their suburbs for their cattle and for their substance.
14:5 As the LORD commanded Moses, so the children of Israel did, and they divided the land.
Judah was first called to receive their inheritance and Caleb spoke to Joshua concerning the promise that he had received.
14:6 Then the children of Judah came unto Joshua in Gilgal: and Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite said unto him, Thou knowest the thing that the LORD said unto Moses the man of God concerning me and thee in Kadeshbarnea.
God kept his promise to Joshua and Caleb that they would live to enter the land! Jesus Christ keeps his promises to those who wholly follow him!
14:7 Forty years old was I when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadeshbarnea to espy out the land; and I brought him word again as it was in mine heart. 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. 14:9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.
14:10 And now, behold, the LORD hath kept me alive, as he said, these forty and five years, even since the LORD spake this word unto Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness: and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and five years old. 14:11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
Caleb asks for his land of Hebron that had not yet been subdued, in faith that he would take his portion according to the promise of God.
14:12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said.
Hebron was given to Caleb and his descendents
14:13 And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance. 14:14 Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite unto this day, because that he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.
Caleb subdues the giants that lived in Hebron at that time and there was peace.
14:15 And the name of Hebron before was Kirjatharba; which Arba was a great man among the Anakims. And the land had rest from war.
Judah was given only the land to the south of Benjamin and the royal city of Jerusalem
Joshua 15
Joshua 15:1 This then was the lot of the tribe of the children of Judah by their families; even to the border of Edom the wilderness of Zin southward was the uttermost part of the south coast. 15:2 And their south border was from the shore of the salt sea, from the bay that looketh southward: 15:3 And it went out to the south side to Maalehacrabbim, and passed along to Zin, and ascended up on the south side unto Kadeshbarnea, and passed along to Hezron, and went up to Adar, and fetched a compass to Karkaa: 15:4 From thence it passed toward Azmon, and went out unto the river of Egypt; and the goings out of that coast were at the sea: this shall be your south coast. 15:5 And the east border was the salt sea, even unto the end of Jordan. And their border in the north quarter was from the bay of the sea at the uttermost part of Jordan:
15:6 And the border went up to Bethhogla, and passed along by the north of Betharabah; and the border went up to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben: 15:7 And the border went up toward Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that is before the going up to Adummim, which is on the south side of the river: and the border passed toward the waters of Enshemesh, and the goings out thereof were at Enrogel: 15:8 And the border went up by the valley of the son of Hinnom unto the south side of the Jebusite; the same is Jerusalem: and the border went up to the top of the mountain [Olivet] that lieth before the valley of Hinnom westward, which is at the end of the valley of the giants northward: 15:9 And the border was drawn from the top of the hill unto the fountain of the water of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah, which is Kirjathjearim:
15:10 And the border compassed from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim, which is Chesalon, on the north side, and went down to Bethshemesh, and passed on to Timnah: 15:11 And the border went out unto the side of Ekron northward: and the border was drawn to Shicron, and passed along to mount Baalah, and went out unto Jabneel; and the goings out of the border were at the sea.
15:12 And the west border was to the great sea, and the coast thereof. This is the coast of the children of Judah round about according to their families.
The inheritance of Caleb.
15:13 And unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh he gave a part among the children of Judah, according to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, even the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron. 15:14 And Caleb drove thence the three sons of Anak, Sheshai, and Ahiman, and Talmai, the children of Anak. 15:15 And he went up thence to the inhabitants of Debir: and the name of Debir before was Kirjathsepher.
15:16 And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. 15:17 And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife.
Caleb gives his daughter springs of water for a wedding present.
15:18 And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou? 15:19 Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.
The families of Judah and their inheritances.
15:20 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families.
15:21 And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur, 15:22 And Kinah, and Dimonah, and Adadah, 15:23 And Kedesh, and Hazor, and Ithnan, 15:24 Ziph, and Telem, and Bealoth,
15:25 And Hazor, Hadattah, and Kerioth, and Hezron, which is Hazor, 15:26 Amam, and Shema, and Moladah, 15:27 And Hazargaddah, and Heshmon, and Bethpalet, 15:28 And Hazarshual, and Beersheba, and Bizjothjah,
15:29 Baalah, and Iim, and Azem, 15:30 And Eltolad, and Chesil, and Hormah, 15:31 And Ziklag, and Madmannah, and Sansannah, 15:32 And Lebaoth, and Shilhim, and Ain, and Rimmon: all the cities are twenty and nine, with their villages: 15:33 And in the valley, Eshtaol, and Zoreah, and Ashnah,
15:34 And Zanoah, and Engannim, Tappuah, and Enam, 15:35 Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah, 15:36 And Sharaim, and Adithaim, and Gederah, and Gederothaim; fourteen cities with their villages: 15:37 Zenan, and Hadashah, and Migdalgad,
15:38 And Dilean, and Mizpeh, and Joktheel, 15:39 Lachish, and Bozkath, and Eglon, 15:40 And Cabbon, and Lahmam, and Kithlish, 15:41 And Gederoth, Bethdagon, and Naamah, and Makkedah; sixteen cities with their villages: 15:42 Libnah, and Ether, and Ashan,
15:43 And Jiphtah, and Ashnah, and Nezib, 15:44 And Keilah, and Achzib, and Mareshah; nine cities with their villages: 15:45 Ekron, with her towns and her villages: 15:46 From Ekron even unto the sea, all that lay near Ashdod, with their villages:
15:47 Ashdod with her towns and her villages, Gaza with her towns and her villages, unto the river of Egypt, and the great sea, and the border thereof: 15:48 And in the mountains, Shamir, and Jattir, and Socoh, 15:49 And Dannah, and Kirjathsannah, which is Debir, 15:50 And Anab, and Eshtemoh, and Anim, 15:51 And Goshen, and Holon, and Giloh; eleven cities with their villages:
15:52 Arab, and Dumah, and Eshean, 15:53 And Janum, and Bethtappuah, and Aphekah, 15:54 And Humtah, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, and Zior; nine cities with their villages:
15:55 Maon, Carmel, and Ziph, and Juttah, 15:56 And Jezreel, and Jokdeam, and Zanoah, 15:57 Cain, Gibeah, and Timnah; ten cities with their villages: 15:58 Halhul, Bethzur, and Gedor,
15:59 And Maarath, and Bethanoth, and Eltekon; six cities with their villages: 15:60 Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, and Rabbah; two cities with their villages: 15:61 In the wilderness, Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah, 15:62 And Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi; six cities with their villages.
Jerusalem was taken by David and made the capitol of all Israel; and it was chosen by Jesus Christ to be the religious and secular capitol of the whole earth during the millennial kingdom and forever more when the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven.
15:63 As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day [the day this was written].
Joshua 16
The land given to Joseph.
Joshua 16:1 And the lot of the children of Joseph fell from Jordan by Jericho, unto the water of Jericho on the east, to the wilderness that goeth up from Jericho throughout mount Bethel, 16:2 And goeth out from Bethel to Luz, and passeth along unto the borders of Archi to Ataroth, 16:3 And goeth down westward to the coast of Japhleti, unto the coast of Bethhoron the nether, and to Gezer; and the goings out thereof are at the sea.
16:4 So the children of Joseph, Manasseh and Ephraim, took their inheritance.
The border of Ephraim
16:5 And the border of the children of Ephraim according to their families was thus: even the border of their inheritance on the east side was Atarothaddar, unto Bethhoron the upper; 16:6 And the border went out toward the sea to Michmethah on the north side; and the border went about eastward unto Taanathshiloh, and passed by it on the east to Janohah; 16:7 And it went down from Janohah to Ataroth, and to Naarath, and came to Jericho, and went out at Jordan. 16:8 The border went out from Tappuah westward unto the river Kanah; and the goings out thereof were at the sea. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Ephraim by their families.
Ephraim also had some cities within the area of Manasseh.
16:9 And the separate cities for the children of Ephraim were among the inheritance of the children of Manasseh, all the cities with their villages. 16:10 And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day [the day this was written], and serve under tribute.
Joshua 17
The land of Manasseh
One half of Manasseh, being the children of Manasseh the first born of Joseph; chose to stay on the east of Jordan and Galilee including the Golan heights and the fertile plains of modern Syria. The other half of Manasseh was on the west side along with Ephraim.
Joshua 17:1 There was also a lot for the tribe of Manasseh; for he was the firstborn of Joseph; to wit, for Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead: because he was a man of war, therefore he had Gilead and Bashan [the area of the Golan Heights and plains of modern Syria.] .
The firstborn son of Manasseh was given the Golan Heights and the fertile plains of Syria; while the other children of Manasseh were given land on the west of Jordan alongside Ephraim.
17:2 There was also a lot for the rest of the children of Manasseh by their families; for the children of Abiezer, and for the children of Helek, and for the children of Asriel, and for the children of Shechem, and for the children of Hepher, and for the children of Shemida: these were the male children of Manasseh the son of Joseph by their families.
The daughters of Zelophehad requested their inheritance promised by Moses and by Christ.
17:3 But Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, but daughters: and these are the names of his daughters, Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 17:4 And they came near before Eleazar the priest, and before Joshua the son of Nun, and before the princes, saying, The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brethren. Therefore according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the brethren of their father.
The land of Manasseh on the west side of Jordan
17:5 And there fell ten portions to Manasseh, beside the land of Gilead and Bashan, which were on the other [east side] side Jordan; 17:6 Because the daughters of Manasseh had an inheritance among his sons: and the rest of Manasseh's sons had the land of Gilead.
17:7 And the coast of Manasseh was from Asher to Michmethah, that lieth before Shechem; and the border went along on the right hand unto the inhabitants of Entappuah.
The land of Tappuah was given to Manasseh, but the actual city was given to Ephraim
17:8 Now Manasseh had the land of Tappuah: but Tappuah on the border of Manasseh belonged to the children of Ephraim; 17:9 And the coast descended unto the river Kanah, southward of the river: these cities of Ephraim are among the cities of Manasseh: the coast of Manasseh also was on the north side of the river, and the outgoings of it were at the sea: 17:10 Southward it was Ephraim's, and northward it was Manasseh's, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.
Manasseh was also given some land in Issachar and Asher.
17:11 And Manasseh had in Issachar and in Asher Bethshean and her towns, and Ibleam and her towns, and the inhabitants of Dor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Endor and her towns, and the inhabitants of Taanach and her towns, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns, even three countries.
After Joshua died, the tribes could not defeat the Canaanites because they turned away from any zeal for God, which will be revealed in the Book of the Judges. They began to commit the sins of idolatry and follow other gods, exalting their idols of men above the whole Word of God.
17:12 Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would dwell in that land. 17:13 Yet it came to pass, when the children of Israel were waxen strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, but did not utterly drive them out.
Joshua gives extra land to Ephraim and Manasseh
17:14 And the children of Joseph spake unto Joshua, saying, Why hast thou given me but one lot and one portion to inherit, [one piece of land for both Ephraim and Manasseh] seeing I am a great people, forasmuch as the LORD hath blessed me hitherto? 17:15 And Joshua answered them, If thou be a great people, then get thee up to the wood country, and cut down for thyself there in the land of the Perizzites and of the giants, if mount Ephraim be too narrow for thee.
Ephraim and Manasseh protested seeking more land between them.
17:16 And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us: and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.
Joshua then gives to the family of Joseph another lot for Ephraim alone, in addition to the lot given for Manasseh and Ephraim together; so that Manasseh could have her own lot and Ephraim could have her own lot, receiving a double portion for the descendants of Joseph.
17:17 And Joshua spake unto the house of Joseph, even to Ephraim and to Manasseh, saying, Thou art a great people, and hast great power: thou shalt not have one lot only: 17:18 But the mountain [Mount Ephraim shall be for Ephraim] shall be thine; for it is a wood, and thou shalt cut it down: and the outgoings of it shall be thine: for thou shalt drive out the Canaanites, though they have iron chariots, and though they be strong.
Joshua 18
Until now the ark had traveled with the people and went with them into battle; now after seven years of war and seven years of dividing the land, the Tabernacle was "permanently " set up in Shiloh and the ark placed inside the Most Holy Place. The laws of the land Sabbath, Jubilees and the Wave Offering then came into practical effect; as Israel began to cultivate their own land.
The main job of the Levites had been preparing the Tabernacle for travel and assisting the priests. When the Tabernacle had a permanent place in the promised land and would no longer travel the chief task of the Levites was completed.
What then? That was when the synagogues [school] system of Israel was established with Levitical cities scattered throughout the tribes along with traveling Levites, as places of learning throughout the land. The Levites then taught basic education and the Word of God in every place; as long as they were faithful to God.
The synagogue was very much more than a place of worship on Sabbath as some have supposed. It was a place of basic and biblical education, and also a place of local Sabbath meetings.
Please read about the Synagogue School System here: All About the Education of Jesus Christ
Joshua 18:1 And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.
Joshua then commands that three spies be sent out by each of the remaining tribes to search out the remaining land; 36 spies in all.
18:2 And there remained among the children of Israel seven tribes, which had not yet received their inheritance. 18:3 And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, How long are ye slack to go to possess the land, which the LORD God of your fathers hath given you? 18:4 Give out from among you three men for each tribe: and I will send them, and they shall rise, and go through the land, and describe it according to the inheritance of them; and they shall come again to me.
The remaining land is to be divided to the seven remaining tribes which have received no land as yet. Judah and Joseph shall have their lands, and all the remaining land is to be divided into seven parts and each part apportioned to each of teh seven remaining tribes by lot.
18:5 And they shall divide it into seven parts: Judah shall abide in their coast on the south, and the house of Joseph shall abide in their coasts on the north. 18:6 Ye shall therefore describe the land into seven parts, and bring the description hither to me, that I may cast lots for you here before the LORD our God.
The seven tribes shall have their portion but no portion is to be sought for Levi, which Levi were given the Levitical cities amongst all the lands of all the other tribes. In this way the Levites would be spread through ALL the tribes, that every land would have Levites to teach them the whole word of God. Until now their principle task of the L:evites was to prepare the tabernacle and ark for travel, now they would become mainly teachers in the synagogues [schools] of Israel.
David reveals that the land was filled with synagogues [Levitical schools] from the most ancient times in Psalm 74:8. From these Levitical synagogues [schools], Ezra restored the temple era synagogue system.
18:7 But the Levites have no part among you; for the priesthood of the LORD is their inheritance: and Gad, and Reuben, and half the tribe of Manasseh, have received their inheritance beyond Jordan on the east, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.
Joshua charges the spies to carefully learn and describe the land to him, that he might cast lots before Christ at the Tabernacle in Shiloh.
18:8 And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh. 18:9 And the men went and passed through the land, and described it by cities into seven parts in a book, and came again to Joshua to the host at Shiloh. 18:10 And Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions.
Benjamin was to be between Judah south of Jerusalem, and Joseph [in this case Manasseh].
The borders of Benjamin.
This is a general map which is the most accurate I could find according to the scriptural definitions of the land, this map is not perfect but gives a general idea of the division of the land.
18:11 And the lot of the tribe of the children of Benjamin came up according to their families: and the coast of their lot came forth between the children of Judah and the children of Joseph. 18:12 And their border on the north side was from Jordan; and the border went up to the side of Jericho on the north side, and went up through the mountains westward; and the goings out thereof were at the wilderness of Bethaven. 18:13 And the border went over from thence toward Luz, to the side of Luz, which is Bethel, southward; and the border descended to Atarothadar, near the hill that lieth on the south side of the nether Bethhoron.
18:14 And the border was drawn thence, and compassed the corner of the sea southward, from the hill that lieth before Bethhoron southward; and the goings out thereof were at Kirjathbaal, which is Kirjathjearim, a city of the children of Judah: this was the west quarter. 18:15 And the south quarter was from the end of Kirjathjearim, and the border went out on the west, and went out to the well of waters of Nephtoah: 18:16 And the border came down to the end of the mountain that lieth before the valley of the son of Hinnom, and which is in the valley of the giants on the north, and descended to the valley of Hinnom, to the side of Jebusi on the south, and descended to Enrogel,
18:17 And was drawn from the north, and went forth to Enshemesh, and went forth toward Geliloth, which is over against the going up of Adummim, and descended to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben, 18:18 And passed along toward the side over against Arabah northward, and went down unto Arabah: 18:19 And the border passed along to the side of Bethhoglah northward: and the outgoings of the border were at the north bay of the salt sea at the south end of Jordan: this was the south coast.
18:20 And Jordan was the border of it on the east side. This was the inheritance of the children of Benjamin, by the coasts thereof round about, according to their families.
The cities of Benjamin
18:21 Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Bethhoglah, and the valley of Keziz, 18:22 And Betharabah, and Zemaraim, and Bethel, 18:23 And Avim, and Pharah, and Ophrah, 18:24 And Chepharhaammonai, and Ophni, and Gaba; twelve cities with their villages: 18:25 Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth, 18:26 And Mizpeh, and Chephirah, and Mozah, 18:27 And Rekem, and Irpeel, and Taralah, 18:28 And Zelah, Eleph, and Jebusi, which is Jerusalem, Gibeath, and Kirjath; fourteen cities with their villages. This is the inheritance of the children of Benjamin according to their families.
Joshua 19
Simeon was to live in an enclave inside Judah in the far south.
Joshua 19:1 And the second lot came forth to Simeon, even for the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families: and their inheritance was within the inheritance of the children of Judah.
The land of Simeon was Beersheba and the surrounding villages.
19:2 And they had in their inheritance Beersheba, and Sheba, and Moladah, 19:3 And Hazarshual, and Balah, and Azem, 19:4 And Eltolad, and Bethul, and Hormah, 19:5 And Ziklag, and Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusah, 19:6 And Bethlebaoth, and Sharuhen; thirteen cities and their villages: 19:7 Ain, Remmon, and Ether, and Ashan; four cities and their villages: 19:8 And all the villages that were round about these cities to Baalathbeer, Ramath of the south. This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Simeon according to their families.
19:9 Out of the portion of the children of Judah was the inheritance of the children of Simeon: for the part of the children of Judah was too much for them: therefore the children of Simeon had their inheritance within the inheritance of them.
The border of Zebulon
19:10 And the third lot came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families: and the border of their inheritance was unto Sarid: 19:11 And their border went up toward the sea, and Maralah, and reached to Dabbasheth, and reached to the river that is before Jokneam; 19:12 And turned from Sarid eastward toward the sunrising unto the border of Chislothtabor, and then goeth out to Daberath, and goeth up to Japhia, 19:13 And from thence passeth on along on the east to Gittahhepher, to Ittahkazin, and goeth out to Remmonmethoar to Neah;
19:14 And the border compasseth it on the north side to Hannathon: and the outgoings thereof are in the valley of Jiphthahel: 19:15 And Kattath, and Nahallal, and Shimron, and Idalah, and Bethlehem: twelve cities with their villages.
19:16 This is the inheritance of the children of Zebulun according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Issachar was by Jordan river.
19:17 And the fourth lot came out to Issachar, for the children of Issachar according to their families 19:18 And their border was toward Jezreel, and Chesulloth, and Shunem, 19:19 And Haphraim, and Shihon, and Anaharath, 19:20 And Rabbith, and Kishion, and Abez,
19:21 And Remeth, and Engannim, and Enhaddah, and Bethpazzez; 19:22 And the coast reacheth to Tabor, and Shahazimah, and Bethshemesh; and the outgoings of their border were at Jordan: sixteen cities with their villages. 19:23 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Issachar according to their families, the cities and their villages.
Asher was on the Med Sea from Zebulon north to Carmel [Haifa].
19:24 And the fifth lot came out for the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families. 19:25 And their border was Helkath, and Hali, and Beten, and Achshaph, 19:26 And Alammelech, and Amad, and Misheal; and reacheth to Carmel westward, and to Shihorlibnath; 19:27 And turneth toward the sunrising to Bethdagon, and reacheth to Zebulun, and to the valley of Jiphthahel toward the north side of Bethemek, and Neiel, and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand,
19:28 And Hebron, and Rehob, and Hammon, and Kanah, even unto great Zidon; 19:29 And then the coast turneth to Ramah, and to the strong city Tyre; and the coast turneth to Hosah; and the outgoings thereof are at the sea from the coast to Achzib: 19:30 Ummah also, and Aphek, and Rehob: twenty and two cities with their villages. 19:31 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Asher according to their families, these cities with their villages.
The land of Naphtali
19:32 The sixth lot came out to the children of Naphtali, even for the children of Naphtali according to their families. 19:33 And their coast was from Heleph, from Allon to Zaanannim, and Adami, Nekeb, and Jabneel, unto Lakum; and the outgoings thereof were at Jordan: 19:34 And then the coast turneth westward to Aznothtabor, and goeth out from thence to Hukkok, and reacheth to Zebulun on the south side, and reacheth to Asher on the west side, and to Judah upon Jordan toward the sunrising. 19:35 And the fenced cities are Ziddim, Zer, and Hammath, Rakkath, and Chinnereth,
19:36 And Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor, 19:37 And Kedesh, and Edrei, and Enhazor, 19:38 And Iron, and Migdalel, Horem, and Bethanath, and Bethshemesh; nineteen cities with their villages. 19:39 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Naphtali according to their families, the cities and their villages.
The lot of Dan.
19:40 And the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families. 19:41 And the coast of their inheritance was Zorah, and Eshtaol, and Irshemesh, 19:42 And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah, 19:43 And Elon, and Thimnathah, and Ekron, 19:44 And Eltekeh, and Gibbethon, and Baalath, 19:45 And Jehud, and Beneberak, and Gathrimmon, 19:46 And Mejarkon, and Rakkon, with the border before Japho.
19:47 And the coast of the children of Dan went out too little for them: therefore the children of Dan went up to fight against Leshem, and took it, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and possessed it, and dwelt therein, and called Leshem, Dan, after the name of Dan their father. 19:48 This is the inheritance of the tribe of the children of Dan according to their families, these cities with their villages.
Joshua is given his lot in Ephraim.
19:49When they had made an end of dividing the land for inheritance by their coasts, the children of Israel gave an inheritance to Joshua the son of Nun among them: 19:50 According to the word of the LORD they gave him the city which he asked, even Timnathserah in mount Ephraim: and he built the city, and dwelt therein.
The end of the dividing of the land; next comes the Judicial Cities and the Levitical Cities, followed by the farewell address of Joshua. .
19:51 These are the inheritances, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, divided for an inheritance by lot in Shiloh before the LORD, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. So they made an end of dividing the country.
Joshua 20
Cities of Refuge.
Joshua 20:1 The LORD also spake unto Joshua, saying, 20:2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: 20:3 That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood.
These cities were places where an accused person could plead his case before authorities; hence they were cities of justice as well as of refuge. The command is for killers to come to these places for justice. Here too is also commanded that the judges or elders sit in the gates of the cities where they can be found easily and the case can be publicly heard.
20:4 And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them.
20:5 And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime.
The refugee shall live in the city until an investigation has been conducted and a hearing takes place.
20:6 And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled.
The cities appointed west of Jordan; three.
20:7 And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.
The cities appointed east of Jordan, three.
20:8 And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.
20:9 These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until he stood before the congregation.
These six cities of refuge are Levitical cities to which 42 other Levitical cities are added; totaling 48 Levitical cities. The cities of refuge are run by the Levites and the judgments are from the Levites.
The cities of refuge are more fully explained in Numbers 35 beginning in verse 8.
Numbers 35:8 And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth.
35:9 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 35:10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye be come over Jordan into the land of Canaan; 35:11 Then ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares.
35:12 And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment.
35:13 And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge.
35:14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.
There were six judicial cities where an accused person my seek judgment at law
35:15 These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. 35:16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be
put to death. 35:17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 35:18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death.
The court shall rule that the next of kin of the murdered person has the right to kill the convicted murderer; after a verdict at law that the killer was indeed a murderer, and that the death was not accidental..
35:19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. 35:20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 35:21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.
If the death was ruled accidental
35:22 But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, 35:23 Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm:
The judgment shall be made in the judicial city where the accused has gone; the judgment will decide of the death was an accident or a genuine murder and pronounce their sentence.
35:24 Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: 35:25 And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.
35:26 But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; 35:27 And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: 35:28 Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession.
35:29 So these things shall be for a statute of judgment unto you throughout your generations in all your dwellings.
At least two or three witnesses musty confirm the guilt of the murderer; however some of the witness may be documents etc.
35:30 Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die.
We are to take no compensation to obtain the release of a willful murder, the willful murderer must die
35:31 Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction [no compensation (or bribe) to save the life of a convicted willful murderer] for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. 35:32 And ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land, until the death of the priest.
35:33 So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. 35:34 Defile not therefore the land which ye shall inhabit, wherein I dwell: for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.
Joshua 21
The six cities of refuge and justice are Levitical cities and are presented as rings in the map below, while the additional 42 Levitical cities are presented as dots.
After the ark was settled in Shiloh and would move no more, the Levites were given cities scattered throughout all Israel so that they could act as teachers to all Israel.
Levitical Cities
Joshua 21:1 Then came near the heads of the fathers of the Levites unto Eleazar the priest, and unto Joshua the son of Nun, and unto the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel; 21:2 And they spake unto them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, saying, The LORD commanded by the hand of Moses to give us cities to dwell in, with the suburbs thereof for our cattle.
21:3 And the children of Israel gave unto the Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD, these cities and their suburbs.
First the priests, the family of Kohath, being of Levi, were given thirteen cities. These cities were in Judah, Simeon and Benjamin; because the priests would serve at Shiloh and later at the temple to be built in Jerusalem.
21:4 And the lot came out for the families of the Kohathites: and the children of Aaron the priest, which were of the Levites, had by lot out of the tribe of Judah, and out of the tribe of Simeon, and out of the tribe of Benjamin, thirteen cities.
Those descendants of Kohath [Levites that were not priests of Aaron], were given ten cities
21:5 And the rest of the children of Kohath had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Ephraim, and out of the tribe of Dan [the southern portion of Dan by the Med. Seacoast], and out of the [western] half tribe of Manasseh, ten cities.
The Levites descended from Gershon received thirteen cities.
21:6 And the children of Gershon had by lot out of the families of the tribe of Issachar, and out of the tribe of Asher, and out of the tribe of Naphtali, and out of the [eastern] half tribe of Manasseh in Bashan, thirteen cities.
The Levites descended from Merari were given twelve cities.
21:7 The children of Merari by their families had out of the tribe of Reuben, and out of the tribe of Gad, and out of the tribe of Zebulun, twelve cities.
21:8 And the children of Israel gave by lot unto the Levites these cities with their suburbs, as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.
The actual cities are now named
The cities of the priests named
21:9 And they gave out of the tribe of the children of Judah, and out of the tribe of the children of Simeon, these cities which are here mentioned by name. 21:10Which the children of Aaron, being of the families of the Kohathites, who were of the children of Levi, had: for theirs was the first lot.
21:11 And they gave them the city of Arba the father of Anak, which city is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it.
Hebron was given to the priests but the agricultural land surrounding Hebron remain the property of Caleb.
21:12 But the fields of the city, and the villages thereof, gave they to Caleb the son of Jephunneh for his possession.
These are the cities of the priests of Aaron the descendant of Levi.
21:13 Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Libnah with her suburbs, 21:14 And Jattir with her suburbs, and
Eshtemoa with her suburbs, 21:15 And Holon with her suburbs, and Debir with her suburbs, 21:16 And Ain with her suburbs, and Juttah with her suburbs, and Bethshemesh with her suburbs; nine cities out of those two tribes. 21:17 And out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs [remember Gibeon who's people would be cutters of wood and drawers of water for the tabernacle and temple], Geba with her suburbs, 21:18 Anathoth with her suburbs, and Almon with her suburbs; four cities.
These were the cities of the priests, God in his wisdom [knowing that He would yet choose Jerusalem] giving the priests the nearest Levitical cities to Jerusalem where the priests would serve later when the temple was built.
21:19 All the cities of the children of Aaron, the priests, were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
The cities given to Kohath, which people were of Kohath from Levi, but not of Aaron the priest.
21:20 And the families of the children of Kohath, the Levites which remained of the children of Kohath, even they had the cities of their lot out of the tribe of Ephraim.
21:21 For they gave them Shechem with her suburbs in mount Ephraim, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Gezer with her suburbs, 21:22 And Kibzaimwith her suburbs, and Bethhoron with her suburbs; four cities. 21:23 And out of the tribe of Dan, Eltekeh with her suburbs, Gibbethon with her suburbs, 21:24 Aijalon with her suburbs, Gathrimmon with her suburbs; four cities. 21:25 And out of the [western] half tribe of Manasseh, Tanach with her suburbs, and Gathrimmon with her suburbs; two cities. 21:26 All the cities were ten with their suburbs for the families of the children of Kohath that remained. [the families of Kohath the son of Levi, a part of which were not descendants of Aaron the priest]
The inheritance of Gershon the son of Levi.
21:27 And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other [eastern] half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities. 21:28 And
out of the tribe of Issachar, Kishon with her suburbs, Dabareh with her suburbs, 21:29 Jarmuth with her suburbs, Engannim with her suburbs; four cities. 21:30 And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs, 21:31 Helkath with her suburbs, and Rehob with her suburbs; four cities. 21:32 And out of the tribe of Naphtali, Kedesh in Galilee with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Hammothdor with her suburbs, and Kartan with her suburbs; three cities.
21:33 All the cities of the Gershonites according to their families were thirteen cities with their suburbs.
The inheritance of Merari the son of Levi.
21:34 And unto the families of the children of Merari, the rest of the Levites, out of the tribe of Zebulun, Jokneamwith her suburbs, and Kartah with her suburbs, 21:35 Dimnah with her suburbs, Nahalal with her suburbs; four cities. 21:36 And out of the tribe of Reuben, Bezer with her suburbs, and Jahazah with her suburbs, 21:37 Kedemoth with her suburbs, and Mephaath with her suburbs; four cities. 21:38 And out of the tribe of Gad, Ramoth in Gilead with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Mahanaimwith her suburbs, 21:39 Heshbon with her suburbs, Jazer with her suburbs; four cities in all.
21:40 So all the cities for the children of Merari by their families, which were remaining of the families of the Levites, were by their lot twelve cities.
The Levites [including the priests] were given forty eight cities, scattered in all Israel; six of which were cities of refuge.
21:41 All the cities of the Levites within the possession of the children of Israel were forty and eight cities with their suburbs. 21:42 These cities were every one with their suburbs round about them: thus were all these cities.
As long as the people diligently followed and lived by the Word of God they had peace and blessings from their Mighty One; it was when they departed from zeal to live by every Word of God that they were greatly distressed.
It was the responsibility of the priesthood to offer sacrifice and make mediatorial intercession for the nation. It was the duty of the Levites to HELP the priests in the physical things pertaining to the moving and setting up of the Tabernacle and holy things; and to teach the people throughout all the land a diligent passionate zeal for every Word of God; that the people be not thrust out from the land by turning away from a zealous whole hearted keeping of the whole Word of God.
In the same way today it is the duty of the ministry to teach the people throughout all the congregations, a diligent passionate Christ-like zeal to live by every Word of God; that the people be not rejected by Christ for turning away from a zealous whole hearted keeping of the whole Word of God.
A very large responsibility for the sins of physical Israel and Judah were because the priests and Levites went astray into idolatry first, and DID NOT TEACH zeal to learn and live by every Word of God!
Today A very large responsibility for the sins and lukewarm laxity for the zealous keeping of the whole Word of God, and today's gross idolatry of spiritual Israel; falls on the leaders and elders who are leading the brethren into idolatry and DO NOT TEACH zeal to learn and live by every Word of God!
21:43 And the LORD gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers; and they possessed it, and dwelt therein. 21:44 And the LORD gave them rest round about, according to all that he sware unto their fathers: and there stood not a man of all their enemies before them; the LORD delivered all their enemies into their hand. 21:45 There failed not ought of any good thing which the LORD had spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass.
Then Israel fell into idolatry as we the Ekklesia have done today, and they turned away from any zeal to keep the Word of God and followed their idols of men and corporations as we do today.
When we study through Judges and the history of the kings we shall see what becomes of the lukewarm for the Word of God who follow their idols and do what is right in their own eyes.
Joshua 22
Joshua speaks to the two and a half tribes and releases them to cross back over to their land on the east of Jordan – Galilee.
Joshua 22:1 Then Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, 22:2 And said unto them, Ye have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed my voice in all that I commanded you: 22:3 Ye have not left your brethren these many days unto this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. 22:4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.
Joshua urges them to be diligent for keeping the whole word of God. This instruction to physical Israel is the very same for spiritual Israel in the physical sense and in the spiritual sense as taught by Jesus Christ. We must be zealous to learn and to live by every Word of God to receive the gift of entrance into the Promised land of eternal life.
22:5 But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.
22:6 So Joshua blessed them, and sent them away: and they went unto their tents [land].
Joshua blesses the eastern half of Manasseh.
22:7 Now to the one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given possession in Bashan [Golan east of Galilee/Jordan]: but unto the other half thereof gave Joshua among their brethren on this side Jordan westward. And when Joshua sent them away also unto their tents, then he blessed them, 22:8 And he spake unto them, saying, Return with much riches unto your tents, and with very much cattle, with silver, and with gold, and with brass, and with iron, and with very much raiment: divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.
Here we are told that this possession east of Jordan/Galilee was a gift from Christ.
22:9 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go unto the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, whereof they were possessed, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Moses.
Gad, Reuben and the east half of Manasseh honor God by building an altar to him.
22:10 And when they came unto the borders of Jordan, that are in the land of Canaan, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by Jordan, a great altar to see to.
The rest of Israel sees this as rebellion against God for God's altar was at Shiloh and seeks an explanation from them as Christ later taught us to do in similar circumstances in Matthew 18.
22:11 And the children of Israel heard say, Behold, the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh have built an altar over against the land of Canaan, in the borders of Jordan, at the passage of the children of Israel. 22:12 And when the children of Israel heard of it, the whole congregation of the children of Israel gathered themselves together at Shiloh, to go up to war against them.
Phinehas is sent with representatives of the tribes to speak with Reuben, Gad and Manasseh.
22:13 And the children of Israel sent unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, into the land of Gilead, Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, 22:14 And with him ten princes, of each chief house a prince throughout all the tribes
of Israel; and each one was an head of the house of their fathers among the thousands of Israel. 22:15 And they came unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the half tribe of Manasseh, unto the land of Gilead, and they spake with them, saying,
Phinehas seeks dialogue to know why Reuben, Gad and Manasseh have built this altar and apparently will not look to Shiloh.
22:16 Thus saith the whole congregation of the LORD, What trespass is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel, to turn away this day from following the LORD, in that ye have builded you an altar, that ye might rebel this day against the LORD? 22:17 Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day, although there was a plague in the congregation of the LORD, 22:18 But that ye must turn away this day from following the LORD? and it will be, seeing ye rebel to day against the LORD, that to morrow he will be wroth with the whole congregation of Israel.
Phinehas tells them it would be better to return and possess land in the west of Jordan rather than to remain in the east and turn away from God.
22:19 Notwithstanding, if the land of your possession be unclean, then pass ye over unto the land of the possession of the LORD, wherein the LORD's tabernacle dwelleth, and take possession among us: but rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God. 22:20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity.
Reuben, Gad and Manasseh answer that they were not at all rebelling against God, but were setting up a memorial of their faithfulness and zeal for the whole Word of God.
22:21 Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh answered, and said unto the heads of the thousands of Israel,
22:22 The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD, (save us not this day, [if we are in rebellion against the word of God]) 22:23 That we have built us an altar to turn from following the LORD, or if to offer thereon burnt offering or meat offering, or if to offer peace offerings thereon, let the LORD himself require it;
Gad, Reuben and Manasseh answer that they have done this to prevent any apostasy by setting up a memorial that they are one people with one God and there is no border or division between them and the rest of Israel.
22:24 And if we have not rather done it for fear of this thing, saying, In time to come your children might speak unto our children, saying, What have ye to do with the LORD God of Israel? 22:25 For the LORD hath made Jordan a border between us and you, ye children of Reuben and children of Gad; ye have no part in the LORD: so shall your children make our children cease from fearing the LORD.
This altar was not for sacrifice but as a memorial that the eastern tribes worshipped and obeyed the same God as the western tribes.
22:26 Therefore we said, Let us now prepare to build us an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice: 22:27 But that it may be a witness [memorial] between us, and you, and our generations after us, that we might do the service of the LORD before him [at Shiloh and later at Jerusalem] with our burnt offerings, and with our sacrifices, and with our peace offerings; that your children may not say to our children in time to come, Ye have no part in the LORD. 22:28 Therefore said we, that it shall be, when they should so say to us or to our generations in time to come, that we may say again, Behold the pattern of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifices; but it is a witness between us and you.
These people without God's Spirit, put us to an open shame for we claim to have God's Spirit and have none of their zeal for the whole Word of God.
God forbid that the spiritual called out should worship and follow any other than our Husband YHVH and the full Word of Holy Scripture inspired by him. It is time to turn from our false traditions and idols of men and corporate entities to regain a true passionate zeal for the whole word of God.
22:29 God forbid that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn this day from following the LORD, to build an altar for burnt offerings, for meat offerings, or for sacrifices, beside the altar of the LORD our God that is before his tabernacle.
These words brought peace under God, between the eastern tribes and the western tribes. Even so, if all in the COG Groups of spiritual Israel today, uttered the same commitments of zeal for God from the heart, to serve the Eternal and keep all his Word with all their strength and minds; it would bring peace between them and God and they would not be rejected by Christ.
22:30 And when Phinehas the priest, and the princes of the congregation and heads of the thousands of Israel which were with him, heard the words that the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the children of Manasseh spake, it pleased them. 22:31 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest said unto the children of Reuben, and to the children of Gad, and to the children of Manasseh, This day we perceive that the LORD is among us, because ye have not committed this trespass against the LORD: now ye have delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the LORD.
Phinehas returned to Shiloh and reported to the leaders of the people.
22:32 And Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, and the princes, returned from the children of Reuben, and from the children of Gad, out of the land of Gilead, unto the land of Canaan, to the children of Israel, and brought them word again. 22:33 And the thing pleased the children of Israel; and the children of Israel blessed God, and did not intend to go up against them in battle, to destroy the land wherein the children of Reuben and Gad dwelt.
22:34 And the children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar Ed: for it shall be a witness between us that the LORD is God.
Joshua 23
The final address of Joshua
Joshua 23:1 And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. 23:2 And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers,
Joshua disclaims any military success and credits God for all victories over the Canaanites.
The Canaanites were a type of sin and the called out cannot overcome sin except by zeal for and relying upon every Word of God and faithfully following Jesus Christ without compromise or any departing from any part of the word of God the Father. By our idolatry and turning aside to our own ways we are guaranteed failure to overcome sin and to attain to the resurrection to spirit and the spiritual Promised Land of eternal life.
and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: 23:3 And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.
If we follow our Mighty One without any compromise, to zealously live by every Word of God; all sin shall be conquered by the indwelling of the One who conquered all sin; and the Promised Land of Eternity will be divided among us, as each receives his office from our Lord. The dividing of the land was a type of dividing the offices of the kingdom among the chosen overcomers; for all these things are decided according to our zeal for the whole Word of God: NOT our zeal for our idols or our own ways.
23:4 Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. 23:5 And the LORD your God, he shall expel them [those remaining] from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
Be strong and courageous to follow the Word of our Mighty One and to cleave exclusively to him; NOT following any idol of men or corporate entities. Today we are spiritually lukewarm being filled with zeal for our false traditions and idols of men; and having no zeal to learn and to live by every Word of God to please our Lord.
We call the Sabbath holy and then pollute it, we refuse to preach the commanded gospel of warning and repentance, and instead preach what people want to hear; that is not battling against sin! it is accommodating sin!
23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; 23:7 That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them: 23:8 But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
If we were zealous for the whole Word of God and faithfully following our Master, NOTHING could prevent us from overcoming all sin and standing in the resurrection to spirit.
23:9 For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
We can drive all sin out from us, by the power of the Master Overcomer, Jesus Christ; and Satan could not turn us aside from our Beloved.
23:10 One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
If we truly loved God the Father and Christ; we would DO what they teach and command us to do with passionate enthusiasm to please them!
23:11 Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
If we turn aside to idols and false traditions, we shall surely fail to conquer sin and to be chosen to enter the Promised Land of eternity. If we in any way turn aside to sin and join together in trying to marry false doctrine with the true, to mix the profane with the holy; thereby polluting the whole lump; Jesus Christ will no more go before us to drive sin out of us, and shall turn on us to correct us as he did to physical Israel.
23:12 Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them [a type of marrying and becoming ONE with sin], and go in unto them, and they to you: 23:13 Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
23:14 And, behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth: and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spake concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof. [For zealous faithful following the whole word of God.]
23:15 Therefore it shall come to pass, that as all good things are come upon you, which the LORD your God promised you; so shall the LORD bring upon you all evil things, until he have destroyed you from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.
When we do something that God forbids and justify ourselves by saying, "the church said this is ok"; we have made that man or organization our idol and have exalted it above the Word of God. In doing that we have turned aside from any zeal for our God, and into zeal for an idol of men! We have transgressed our baptismal covenant of espousal to Marriage [to become fully ONE with] with God the Father and Jesus Christ.
23:16 When ye have transgressed the covenant of the LORD your God, which he commanded you, and have gone and served other gods, and bowed yourselves to them; then shall the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and ye shall perish quickly from off the good land which he hath given unto you.
Joshua 24
Then were all the people gathered [not just the leaders as in Joshua 23] so that Joshua could address the whole nation.
Joshua 24:1 And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.
Joshua then reports the Word of YHVH [Jesus Christ] to all the people, rehearsing the history of the nation and its relationship with God.
In the beginning of Israel, Jesus Christ first revealed himself to Abraham and called him out of his city and then revealed himself to Isaac, Jacob and Joseph; and then they went down into Egypt to become an allegory of the spiritual called out.
24:2 And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. 24:3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 24:4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.
Physical Egypt a type of bondage to sin was destroyed by Christ, picturing Christ destroying spiritual bondage by his atoning sacrifice as the ultimate Lamb of God. Then Israel was called out of physical Egypt and crossed the Red Sea by the power of Christ; to celebrate a total victory over bondage to the spiritual pharaoh Satan, at the resurrection at the end of the sixth day of Unleavened Bread, after which the High Day representing the millennial Sabbath of rest was celebrated.
The seven days of Unleavened Bread pictures the calling out of people over six thousand years of human history followed by the High Day picturing the millennial Sabbath of Rest.
24:5 I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 24:6 And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.
When Israel sought deliverance from pharaoh; Christ delivered Israel from pharaoh and opened up the sea of death [picturing death and the resurrection]: This picturing Jesus Christ delivering his chosen from the bondage of DEATH in a resurrection to eternal life.
24:7 And when they [Israel] cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.
Then Christ gave them victory over their enemies [a type of victory over sin] and led them into the land of promise; as he will give ultimate victory over sin and over death itself, to his faithful who are zealous to live by every Word of God the Father and to follow Christ the Lamb of God in all things.
24:8 And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 24:9 Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 24:10 But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.
Jesus Christ delivered Jericho that great city, and gave Israel a great victory over the city as a representation of victory over sin and death itself.
24:11 And you went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.
If the spiritually called out are diligent to learn and zealously keep the whole Word of God like Joshua was: We shall be given total victory over sin through the One who has already attained total victory over sin. But if we turn aside from zeal to live by every Word of God, if we begin to compromise with the Word of God; to follow idols of men, we shall all likewise perish spiritually as the Canaanites perished physically.
24:12 And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.
Physical Israel was given a land of promise and if they had obeyed Christ in all things they would have remained on the land forever. This history is a solemn warning and lesson for us; that entry into the Promised Land of eternal life, is entirely contingent on our zeal and faithfully living by every Word of God.
24:13 And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
This message is for BOTH physical AND spiritual Israel: It is for us today! Let us fear and obey our Master and turn away from fearing men and following them contrary to the Word of God.
24:14 Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.
Choose whether you will serve the idols of men and corporate church groups, or whether you will prove all things and hold fast the good to serve our God and keep our baptismal vow.
24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.
We should also declare that we will serve the Eternal and not any idol of men. Remember the might of our Deliverer and that the idols of men are as nothing before Almighty God. Follow men, ONLY as they live by every Word of God! We should all be as faithful to God as was Joshua.
24:16 And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; 24:17 For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: 24:18 And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God.
But the people could not keep their promises to God; and neither have most of us kept our baptismal promise to enter a marriage covenant to obey God the Father and Jesus Christ. As physical Israel was corrected for their turning aside into idolatry; so we of spiritual Israel will also be corrected for our turning aside from zeal to follow our Lord.
24:19 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot [you say you will, but you cannot keep your word] serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. 24:20 If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good.
As they insisted that they would follow YHVH [Jesus Christ]; we also claim to be followers of God the Father and every Word of God; yet we call the Sabbath holy and then pollute it; therefore we also condemn ourselves with our own mouths.
24:21 And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD.
Dear brethren, we are indeed witnesses against ourselves when we declare to follow God and then follow our idols of men who condemn any zeal for the Word of God.
24:22 And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses.
Let us put away our idols of men; and open up our Bibles to learn and to keep the whole Word of God.
24:23 Now therefore put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.
The people declared to follow the Word of God; even as we also declare to follow the Word of God and then we refuse any zeal to keep it.
24:24 And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
Joshua then set a stone [reminiscent of the Chief Corner Stone] as witness that the people had indeed pledged themselves to obey and follow the Eternal.
This physical stone was a type of the ROCK of our Salvation, Jesus Christ; who has heard our baptismal pledge to follow him and to be zealous to live by every Word of God, regardless of any trial or temptation! And if we grow lax and lukewarm, sinning against zeal for our lord and our covenant with him: HE, Jesus Christ, the espoused Husband of our baptismal vow will judge us.
24:25 So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem. 24:26 And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD. 24:27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God. 24:28 So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.
Joshua the faithful dies
24:29 And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. 24:30 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash.
Joshua was such a powerful example of faithfulness and obedience to God that his influence continued and the people obeyed God during his leadership and for years after his death.
All elders and leaders will have to give an account for leading the brethren away from zeal for God and into a zeal for following men. It would be better to have never lived than to stand before our Mighty Judge and have to answer for turning people into idolatry and away from any zeal for him and his word.
24:31 And Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua, and which had known all the works of the LORD, that he had done for Israel.
The bones of Joseph were buried in Shechem.
24:32 And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph.
When Eleazar the high priest during the leadership of Joshua died and the era of Joshua ended, leading to the period of the Judges.
24:33 And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim.