Israel is received by Rahab Joshua Part 1

Transcription

1 Israel is received by Rahab Joshua Part 1 Today we will start the story of Joshua. Joshua started as Moses' loyal assistant. We first saw him leading the fight against Amalek as Israel started their journey towards the promised land. Exo 17:8 (ESV) Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. Exo 17:9 So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." Exo 17:10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Joshua was an obedient follower of Moses as Moses followed the commands of the Lord. At this point, he doesn't know yet that he will succeed Moses in leading Israel, and also unknown to him, the Lord is already preparing him for leadership. Exo 17:11 (ESV) Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. Exo 17:12 But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. Exo 17:13 And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword. Exo 17:14 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." Exo 17:15 And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner, Exo 17:16 saying, "A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." These physical battles point to the spiritual battles taking place in our minds the battle of good and evil forces. Eph 6:12 (CEV) We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world.

2 Eph 6:13 So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when that evil day comes, you will be able to defend yourself. And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm. Eph 6:14 Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. We then see Joshua accompanying Moses to Mount Sinai to receive the ten commandments from God. When they went down from Mount Sinai, Joshua reported the noise coming out of Israel's camp, which they later discovered was the noise of Israel holding a feast and committing idolatry by worshiping a golden calf which they made while Moses and Joshua were gone. Joshua was a witness to all of Israel's rebellion including their lack of faith when they reported that they found giants living in the land of Canaan. The people did not trust the Lord to fight for them so the Lord vowed that none of them will ever see the land except for Joshua and Caleb. Num 14:30 (ERV) So none of you will ever enter and live in the land that I promised to give you. Only Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun will enter that land. Num 14:31 You were afraid and complained that your enemies in that new land would take your children away from you. But I tell you that I will bring them into the land. They will enjoy what you refused to accept. Num 14:32 As for you people, you will die in this desert. Num 14:33 "'Your children will wander around like shepherds here in the desert for 40 years. They will suffer because you were not faithful to me. They must suffer until all of you lie dead in the desert. Before Moses died, he officially passed the leadership role to Joshua: Deu 34:9 (ERV) Moses had put his hands on Joshua and appointed him to be the new leader. Then Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom. So the Israelites began to obey Joshua, and they did what the LORD had commanded Moses. Now let's fast forward to the part of Israel's story after the 40 years had passed and all those who rebelled against God had died in the desert. Jos 1:1 (ERV) Moses was the LORD'S servant, and Joshua son of Nun was Moses' helper. After Moses died, the LORD spoke to Joshua and said, Jos 1:2 "My servant Moses is dead. Now you and all these people must go across the Jordan River. You must go into the land I am giving to the Israelites.

3 Jos 1:3 I promised Moses that I would give you this land, so I will give you all the land wherever you go. Jos 1:4 All the land from the desert to Lebanon all the way to the great river (that is, the Euphrates River) and all the land of the Hittites will be yours. And all the land from here to the Mediterranean Sea in the west (that is, the place where the sun sets) will be within your borders. Jos 1:5 Just as I was with Moses, I will be with you. No one will be able to stop you all your life. I will not abandon you. I will never leave you. Jos 1:6 "Joshua, you must be strong and brave! You must lead these people so that they can take their land. I promised their fathers that I would give them this land. Joshua believed that the Lord will keep His promises. He saw all those rebellious people die in the desert for 40 years. The Lord then gives Joshua the key to living a prosperous and successful life: Jos 1:7 (GNB) Just be determined, be confident; and make sure that you obey the whole Law that my servant Moses gave you. Do not neglect any part of it and you will succeed wherever you go. Jos 1:8 Be sure that the book of the Law is always read in your worship. Study it day and night, and make sure that you obey everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Jos 1:9 Remember that I have commanded you to be determined and confident! Do not be afraid or discouraged, for I, the LORD your God, am with you wherever you go." There it is! That's the key to having a prosperous and successful life study the words of God and obey them. We are not talking about physical riches here which are only temporary. We are talking about spiritual riches which are permanent. Col 3:1 (ERV) You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Col 3:2 Think only about what is up there, not what is here on earth. Col 3:3 Your old self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. Col 3:4 Yes, Christ is now your life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory. Spiritual riches include love, joy, peace, kindness, self-control and all the things that you have when you have the holy spirit in you (Gal 5:22 23). Kids, these things might not be too attractive to you right now, but once you experience some of the things that money can

4 buy and then end up still feeling empty, you will be looking to have these things rather than anything this world can offer. Jos 1:10 (ERV) So Joshua gave orders to the leaders of the people: Jos 1:11 "Go through the camp and tell the people, 'Get some food ready. Three days from now we will go across the Jordan River and take the land that the LORD our God is giving us.'" Jos 1:12 Then Joshua said to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh, Jos 1:13 (HCV) Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God has given you rest, and has given you this land. Jos 1:14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but you shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; Jos 1:15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he has given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God gives them: then you shall return to the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising. Joshua is talking to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh here. These tribes have already been assigned their part of the promised land by Moses. Joshua is telling them to help their brothers fight to get their land also. If we remember that we are talking about spiritual war here, then we will realize that this is speaking of those who have already been given the spirit helping those who are still not been given this blessing. It is talking to those who are strong in the faith helping those who are weak in the faith fight their spiritual battle. Jos 1:16 (ERV) Then the people answered Joshua, "We will do whatever you command us to do. We will go wherever you tell us to go. Jos 1:17 We will obey whatever you say, just as we obeyed Moses. We only ask that the LORD your God be with you just as he was with Moses. Jos 1:18 Then anyone who refuses to obey your commands or turns against you will be killed. Just be strong and brave!" These tribes express their willingness to help their brothers fight for the land that the Lord promised them, just as the leaders in the body of Christ are there to help others in the body overcome their spiritual enemies within them. Jos 2:1 (GNB) Then Joshua sent two spies from the camp at Acacia with

5 orders to go and secretly explore the land of Canaan, especially the city of Jericho. When they came to the city, they went to spend the night in the house of a prostitute named Rahab. Jos 2:2 The king of Jericho heard that some Israelites had come that night to spy out the country, Jos 2:3 so he sent word to Rahab: "The men in your house have come to spy out the whole country! Bring them out!" Jos 2:4 (ERV) Rahab had hidden the two men, but she said, "They did come here, but I didn't know where they came from. Jos 2:5 In the evening, when it was time to close the city gate, the men left. I don't know where they went. But if you go quickly, maybe you can catch them." Jos 2:6 (Rahab said this, but really she had taken the men up to the roof and had hidden them in the flax that she had piled up there.) Jos 2:7 (GNB) The king's men left the city, and then the gate was shut. They went looking for the Israelite spies as far as the place where the road crosses the Jordan. Jos 2:8 Before the spies settled down for the night, Rahab went up on the roof Jos 2:9 and said to them, "I know that the LORD has given you this land. Everyone in the country is terrified of you. Jos 2:10 We have heard how the LORD dried up the Red Sea in front of you when you were leaving Egypt. We have also heard how you killed Sihon and Og, the two Amorite kings east of the Jordan. Jos 2:11 We were afraid as soon as we heard about it; we have all lost our courage because of you. The LORD your God is God in heaven above and here on earth. Jos 2:12 Now swear by him that you will treat my family as kindly as I have treated you, and give me some sign that I can trust you. Jos 2:13 Promise me that you will save my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all their families! Don't let us be killed!" Jos 2:14 The men said to her, "May God take our lives if we don't do as we say! If you do not tell anyone what we have been doing, we promise you that when the LORD gives us this land, we will treat you well." Jos 2:15 Rahab lived in a house built into the city wall, so she let the

6 men down from the window by a rope. Jos 2:16 "Go into the hill country," she said, "or the king's men will find you. Hide there for three days until they come back. After that, you can go on your way." Jos 2:17 The men said to her, "We will keep the promise that you have made us give. Jos 2:18 This is what you must do. When we invade your land, tie this red cord to the window you let us down from. Get your father and mother, your brothers, and all your father's family together in your house. Jos 2:19 If anyone goes out of the house, his death will be his own fault, and we will not be responsible; but if anyone in the house with you is harmed, then we will be responsible. Jos 2:20 However, if you tell anyone what we have been doing, then we will not have to keep our promise which you have made us give you." Jos 2:21 She agreed and sent them away. When they had gone, she tied the red cord to the window. Jos 2:22 The spies went into the hills and hid. The king's men looked for them all over the countryside for three days, but they did not find them, so they returned to Jericho. Jos 2:23 Then the two spies came down from the hills, crossed the river, and went back to Joshua. They told him everything that had happened, Jos 2:24 and then said, "We are sure that the LORD has given us the whole country. All the people there are terrified of us." Of course Joshua will fulfill the promise that these two spies gave to Rahab. Rahab was praised for her faith by apostle Paul: Heb 11:31 (HCV) By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace. Apostle James even gave her as an example of someone who demonstrate their faith by their works. Jas 2:24 (HCV) You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Jas 2:25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

7 Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. Some of you might be wondering why God chose a harlot, a prostitute, to help Israel instead of just perhaps a common woman? That's because spiritually, we all start as sons and daughters of the spiritual harlot Babylon. We all come from the false churches of this world before we receive the messengers of God as Rahab did. We are like the people of Jericho at first who are bound for destruction when we meet the