Prepare to Trust (part ii)

The Preparation of Joshua & the People:

(3) Revealed Clear Appointment

Joshua gives a three-day warning. This three-day warning further manifests Joshua’s faith and it is a call for the people as well. The call to the people is that they must believe and prepare for what was going to take place. This was like a countdown that made things real. It is God’s timeline.

Illustration:

There are some things that you make plans for but you only do so generally. For example, we said, “One day, when the kids get old enough, we will take them to Disney World.”

It is a different kind of preparation though that happens when you set the date, put money down, buy park tickets, and schedule the time out of the office. Those days of waiting for the deadline may seem like the longest days of your life, but at least you know it is coming.

This was a countdown to expose the reality of Israel’s faith. In other words, the precision was not merely a matter of them having faith; but it was a precision that gave them a firm deadline. This has been the Lord’s way of working with his people historically. Historically, the Lord puts forth his word and those who believe, manifest their belief by obedience. The obedience of the people of God to the word of God is what it means to be justified by works. See James 2:21-26.

​James 2:21–26 KJV 1900Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

As noted, James is a New Testament author who confirms the Old Testament accounts, though he is under the New Covenant. This means that the Old Testament way to show faith is the same under the New Covenant.New Testament Christians show that they are part of the covenant community by their works. See Titus 3:7.

​Titus 3:7 KJV 1900That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

The main event that separates the book of James from the book of Joshua is that the LORD did not call people to faith by the words of Joshua. Rather, the LORD sent Jesus Christ between the book of Joshua and James. The LORD spoke through the living Word. Jesus came to this earth through the lineage of Judah, one of the tribes of Israel. He would call on the elders and leaders of Israel to repent and believe the gospel; but in that time, rather than exercise faith, they refused the greater Joshua (Jesus). Jesus Christ spent his public ministry calling people to a greater inheritance, and then his voice went silent for three days. There could have been no greater time in all of history where men/women were called to prepare to trust. Thank the Lord that - after three days, it became evident that Jesus was the obedient Son of God. Thus, in the time of James, the call to faith was not made by Joshua of the Old Testament but by the Jesus who had come. Jesus, in his life, in his death for our sins, his burial and resurrection is God’s statement to believe. Only those who receive Jesus Christ inherit eternal life. Those who receive eternal life will show that they have eternal life by their works. You cannot be a Christian WHO IS PREPARING by faith if you have not entered into the PREPARATION phase by faith.If you are a Christian, your preparation did not end when you believed on Jesus Christ. Your preparation began. I John 3:1-3 indicates an ongoing purification. I John 5 confirms that faith is the victory that overcomes the world. In other words, preparation is an act of faith where we daily believe and obey the promises of God. Applications: (1) Preparation means that you must act We must agree that preparation is not just a matter of belief without activity.(2) Preparation means that you must believe We must agree that preparation is not just a matter of activity without belief.(3) Preparation means your entire life We must agree that preparation involves our entire life (uproot tent/life/living)...etc (4) Preparation means a readiness to believeWe must agree that preparation is a commitment to be ready to believe (not do you believe, but are you ready to believe?) God’s kingdom mission is a mighty work that He delights to accomplish through those who trust and prepare to trust in Him.