Joshua Overview

ss=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'>1)  9-27-08…AM…SBC     2)Joshua Overview

Introduction:

1-      Maybe you heard me say that we have been studying the book of Joshua since late April.  Maybe you have wondered, “Why so long on the OT?  Wouldn’t it be better to study something more relevant to today?”

2-      Let me offer some suggestions for the value of studying the OT[1]

a-      studying the OT gives us practice in using proper Biblical Hermeneutics – grammatical and historical

b-      studying the OT reveals God’s person, character and activity

c-      studying the OT deepens our understanding of the NT because the NT has quotes and allusions from the OT

d-     studying the OT provides principles to live by which are indispensable to society

e-      studying the OT guides the honest student to faith in Christ for the law is our schoolmaster that leads us to faith

3-      This church takes the Bible to be the Word of God and that through the Bible God has spoken

a-      The Bible is not merely a record of what God said in the past, it is in fact what God is saying today

b-      By means of the words of the Bible God has spoken and is speaking to us today

c-      The “All Scripture is profitable” from the NT is the affirmation of the OT being God’s reveled word

Ø      “To speak of the OT as revelation is not to speak in the past tense.  If God has spoken in the text of Scripture, then there is no reason to limit that Word to the past.  If he has spoken, it does not matter when he has spoken.  If God has spoken, his voice is still to be heard today.  The OT, then, is revelation of God’s will, and a theology of the OT must seek to be a presentation, or restatement of God’s Word.”[2]

Ø      The OT then is the authoritative revelation of theological truth that must impinge on our lives – that is why we study the OT

Simple Outline

A- Chapters 1-12:       The Conquest of the Land

B- Chapters 13-24:      The Allotment of the Land

Joshua Overview

Ø      God told Moses to tell the people currently in slavery in Egypt that, “I am that I am” has sent me to you.

·         The ambiguous name “I am that I am” has been clarified as meaning, “I am who I will show Myself to be as history unfolds.”[3]

Ø      As the history of Israel unfolded, God continued to reveal Himself to His people.[4]

Ø      By the time the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land, they had learned through experience as well as through verbal instruction the kind of God they served.[5]

Transition:  First of all the book of Joshua taught us about…

1)    The Sovereignty of God (Grudem)

A-    What is it?

1-      the S of G can be summarized as God’s ongoing relationship with His creation

a-      when we believe in the sovereignty or providence of God we avoid 4 theological pitfalls

1.      Deism – God created the world and then abandoned it (movie: Expelled – Ben Stein)

2.      Pantheism – Creation is just a part of God and not distinct from God

3.      Chance – the random collision of time, space and events

4.      Fate/Determinism – natural course of events; something that unavoidably happens

2-    The Westminster Confession states: “The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he hath foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.”[6]

3-    God’s providential actions are the outworking of the eternal decrees that He made long ago

4-    If the Sovereignty of God is His ceaseless bond with His creation, then we see this not only through Joshua but it becomes the intended goal of all Scripture

B-   Where is it in the book of Joshua?-------Let’s highlight a few

1-      1:5 – God assured Joshua a lifetime of continuous victory over his enemies, based on His unfailing presence and help.[7]

2-      3:5 - Joshua exhorts them to consecrate themselves because the Lord will do amazing things among you

3-      Miracles – Jordan River crossing (ch3), Jericho’s walls (ch6), hailstones and sun still (ch10)

Ø      That God was fighting for Israel was clear in Joshua’s encounter with the messenger of the Lord of Hosts. (ch5)

Transition:  Second the book of Joshua taught us about…

2) The Faithfulness of God

            A- What is it?

1-      Based on His faithfulness, we find God fulfilling all his promises to his people.[8]

2-      In God’s faithfulness we have the sure ground of confidence that He will perform what his love has led him to promise.[9]

            B- Where is it found in Joshua?

                        1- 11:23 – through out the entire book God is always seen as keeping his covenant to Israel

                        2- 21:45 – This is certainly a fitting note on which to end this extraordinary section of the book.[10]

3- The Land – the faithfulness of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is seen in the entrance and

                          conquering of the land.

Transition:  Thirdly, the book of Joshua taught us about…

3)The Grace of God – Israel’s sin                 

A.   What is it?

1-      Grace may be defined as the unmerited or undeserving favor of God to those who are under condemnation.[11]

2-      Another intended goal of all of Scripture is to display for us the gracious acts of a sovereign God

B.   Where is it in Joshua?

1-      Chapter 2 – undeserved favor was shown to Rahab and her house

2-      God was gracious to the Canaanites by waiting for centuries before judging them[12]

3-      Chapter 7 – the sin of Achan

4-      9:14 – they did not seek the counsel of the Lord

5-      15:63; 16:10; 17:12 – the Canaanites were not driven out

Ø    When the people chose to sin, God persevered with the people.

Ø    He graciously did not abandon His people for their sin but disciplined them to bring them back into the place of blessing.[13]

Ø    The story of practically every major character in Joshua evidences God’s grace in His dealings with these people.[14]

Salvation Application:

·         Since Adam and Eve’s sin in the garden all mankind has been deserving of God’s judgment (you and me today)

·         The God that created you did not abandon you to live life on your own

·         God graciously gave to those under his condemnation His son so that salvation might be possible

·         He created you to glorify Him and the best way that you can do that this morning is by repenting of your sin and placing you faith in Jesus Christ to save you

·         Will you  fall into gracious hands of God for salvation today – there will be a time to do that at the end

- between now and then think about the ways that you have received the undeserved favor of God

Transition:  Lastly this morning, the book of Joshua taught us about…

4) The Responsibility of man

A-    What is Israel’s responsibility? – this book is in one sense a book about choices

1-      The one choice presented repeatedly to Israel through the book:

Will you fear God and be obedient to His commands

B-    Where is it in the book of Joshua?

1-      1:16 – they chose to not be like their parents and instead follow God’s plan into the PL

2-      Ch 5 - they restart the practice of circumcision

3-      8:30-35 – they go through the religious ceremony of renewing their vows before God (choice)

4-      22:5 – the choice is presented

5-      22:26 – the altar was to remind them that they worshipped God alone.

Ø    the greatness of God in His relationship with man was not meant to be like a trip to the circus

·       at the circus you go and you are awed by the great acts that are displayed

·       you ooh and ah over the death defying trapeze acts

·       you hold your breath while the performer becomes the human cannonball

·       you scratch your head when all those clowns get out of one small car

·       but at the end of the night you go home and within in a few days you are unaffected by all that you have seen

Ø      the greatness God is meant to be something that we never recover from

Ø      the greatness of God is meant to be something to which you pledge your whole life to pursuing

-          more than money

-          more than fame and prestige

-          more than family

-          more than any other temporary possession that this world has to offer

Conclusion:

1-      God has sovereignly decreed that man should be free to exercise moral choice, and man from the beginning has fulfilled that decree by making his choice between good and evil.

2-      Man’s responsibility to his Maker can never be taken too seriously – God made us moral responsible agents

3-      His Word addresses each of us individually and each of us is responsible for the way in which we respond

-          with attention or inattention—belief or unbelief—obedience or disobedience

-          we cannot avoid responsibility to God’s revelation

-          we live under His law and will answer to Him for our lives

Invitation:

Silent Prayer

Demonstration of Salvation Prayer -

Chorus #3 – I Exalt Thee

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[1] Introduction to OT – class notes; p2.1

[2] Sailhammer: Old Testament Theology; p21-22.

[3]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996), 97.

[4]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996), 97.

[5]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996), 97.

[6]Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1997, c1989), 204.

[7]John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985), 1:328.

[8]Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology, "The Present Work Is a Revision and Enlargement of My 'Systematic Theology,' First Published in 1886."--Pref. (Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004), 289.

[9]Augustus Hopkins Strong, Systematic Theology, "The Present Work Is a Revision and Enlargement of My 'Systematic Theology,' First Published in 1886."--Pref. (Bellingham, Wa.: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2004), 289.

[10]David M. Howard, Jr, vol. 5, Joshua, electronic ed., Logos Library System; The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2001, c1998), 398.

[11]Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology (Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1997, c1989), 196.

[12]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996), 98.

[13]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996), 98.

[14]Roy B. Zuck, A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, electronic ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1991; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996), 98.