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CHRIST IN JOSHUA CHAPTER 1Verse 5: “. . . as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” So Joshua will continue the typology. As Moses was a type of Christ, so Joshua will be a type of Christ in many ways.CHAPTER 2Verse 1: “And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men . . .” Jesus sent His disciples out by twos, the idea being that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established (Mat. 18:16). Also, two are naturally stronger and more efficient than one.Verse 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.” Sooner or later, most every Bible-believing preacher gets around to preaching on Rahab’s scarlet thread as a picture of the blood of Christ. Just as the death angel of Exodus chapter twelve had to see the blood on the door, Joshua’s men had to see the scarlet thread in the window. Isaiah 1:18 strengthens the type by telling us that scarlet is the color of sin. Also see Matthew 27:28 and Proverbs 31:21.CHAPTER 3Verse 1: “And Joshua rose early in the morning . . .” Likewise, Jesus arose in the morning a great while before day (Mark 1:35).Verse 7: “And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the sight of all Israel . . .” In the New Testament, the Lord Jesus is magnified. Acts 19:17 says, “. . . the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified,” and Paul said, “Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death” in Philippians 1:20.Verse 17: The crossing of the Jordan itself pictures the sinner being identified with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.CHAPTER 4Verse 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.” The comments and references are the same as those given on 3:7.CHAPTER 5Verse 2: Their circumcision under Joshua pictures our spiritual circumcision under Christ (Col. 2:11).Verse 14: The “captain of the host of the LORD” points to Christ the “captain” of our salvation.CHAPTER 6Verses 1-5: Joshua and his soldiers marching around Jericho for six days and then taking the city on the seventh day picture Christ and his saints taking the kingdoms of this world after six thousand years, especially since the city is taken after the seventh trumpet sounded (compare verse 16 to Revelation 11:15).Verses 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.” Joshua spares Rahab and her house, thus pointing to the grace that Christ extends to the unworthy sinner.CHAPTER 7Verses 16-26: In the case with Achan and his sin, Joshua pictures Christ the executer of justice (John 5:22).CHAPTER 8Verses 1-29: With Joshua’s campaign against Ai we see a picture of the first and second coming of Christ. At his first attempt, Joshua could not take Ai because there was sin in his own camp (Jsh. 7:1-15). So, at Jesus’ first coming, the sin of unbelief prevailed among the Jews, and they did not receive Him. At the second attempt, Joshua succeeds in taking Ai. So, at His second coming, Jesus succeeds in taking over the kingdoms of this world and Israel is saved (Rev. 11:15; Romans 11:26).CHAPTER 9Verses 1 and 2: So the Antichrist and his armies gather nations together to fight against Jesus Christ at the second coming (Rev. 19:19).Verses 3-27: It first appeared that the Gibeonites would get away with their deceitfulness, but eventually their sin found them out and they had to give account to Joshua (vs. 22). That points to everyone one day having to give account to Jesus Christ. No one gets away with anything. It only appears so until the day of judgment.CHAPTER 10Verse 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.” Is that not the way of the world, to wage persecution against anyone who makes peace with Jesus Christ? See II Timothy 3:12, Matthew 13:21, and Acts 14:22.Verses 12-14: The sun is a type of Christ, and its standing still echoes the confession of John the Baptist: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” What Joshua’s army needed was more sunlight so as to see more clearly and fight longer. Today, in the ongoing battle between good and evil, what the Christian soldier needs is more of Jesus Christ and less of himself.Verse 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.” The breaking of the necks of these kings points to Christ’s coming victory over Satan and the kings of this world. The references are numerous (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20; Hab. 3:13; Psa. 68:21; and several more).CHAPTER 11Verse 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.” Here Joshua typifies Christ in his complete obedience. The New Testament reference is John 8:29: “. . . I do always those things that please him.”Verse 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.” The verse points to the second coming of Christ when God does the same thing again: “For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.” (Zch. 14:2-3)CHAPTER 12Verses 1 & 7: “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 . . . And these are the kings of the country which Joshua and the children of Israel smote on this side Jordan on the west . . . which Joshua gave unto the tribes of Israel for a possession according to their divisions.” So Jesus will take and divide the whole land, east and west of Jordan, among the tribes of Israel (Ezk. 40-48).CHAPTER 13Verse 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.” So it was with Jesus. He was obedient to all that the Father had commanded, yet the world remained unconverted when Christ returned to glory. So there was “very much land to be possessed.”Verse 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.” Today, there is no priestly tribe or class in the body of Christ because all believers are priests under Christ the High Priest (I Pet. 2:1-5; Heb. 3:1). This was typified by the Levites not having a physical land inheritance but rather a spiritual inheritance in the LORD. We do not live for the things of this present world, but we are rather joint heirs of spiritual things with Christ (Rom. 8:17).CHAPTER 14Verses 12-13: “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. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance.” Caleb’s coming to Joshua for the mountain pictures the Christian coming to Christ for victories in his own life. Jesus said, in Matthew 17:20, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Just as Joshua had the authority to give the mountain to Caleb, Christ has been given the authority by the heavenly Father to grant spiritual victories to those who have the faith to claim them. As Paul wrote to the Philippians, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Plp. 4:19) But no mountain comes easy. Caleb still had to fight for the mountain after being given it by Joshua because faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:20).CHAPTER 15Verses 16-19: “And Caleb said, He that smiteth Kirjathsepher, and taketh it, to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife. And Othniel the son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it: and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife. 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? 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.” So God the Father gave to Christ a bride, namely the church. This bride has been given the “field” of this world to labor in (Mat. 13:38), but she needs the fresh water of the Holy Spirit to get the job done (John 7:38-39). So she asks and receives (Luke 11:13).CHAPTER 16Verse 10: “And they drave not out the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer: but the Canaanites dwell among the Ephraimites unto this day, and serve under tribute.” Again, we are reminded of how often we do not enjoy the abundant life that Christ purchased for us, but rather pay tribute to the world, the flesh, and the devil, simply because we fail to drive the influence of these enemies from our lives.CHAPTER 17Verses 14-18: The children of Joseph came to Joshua requesting more land, but they frowned on his idea of them fighting for it and taking it from the giants. He then insisted that they were able to take the land. The New Testament application is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Just as the children of Joseph were able to obey the words of Joshua, the Christian is able to obey the words of Jesus, in spite of how impossible they may seem.CHAPTER 18Verse 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?” Again, the abundant life in Christ is typified. Notice that the land isn’t merely available for the taking; Joshua wanted the tribes to go and claim what God had given them. So Christ wants the believer to claim the rich, fruitful, and joyous life that He has purchased for us (Heb. 3:19; John 10:10; Gal. 2:20).CHAPTER 19Verse 49: “When 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:” So it is in our service to Christ. Not only do we enjoy the new and full life that Jesus has for us; we make sure to yield to Him an inheritance in our lives. That is, we do not merely take what Jesus has given us. We allow Him an entrance into all that we do rather than keep him at the door knocking (Rev. 3:20).CHAPTER 20This chapter deals with the six cities of refuge that God appointed for the people of Israel. Our notes from Numbers chapter 35 are here reproduced:Strategically placed throughout the land, the cities of refuge were visible and accessible to all who needed protection from the avenger of blood. So it is with Christ (Heb. 6:18; Psa. 142:4-5). He’s like a city on a hill (Mat. 5:14) that offers refuge to those in need. There were six of these cities, and they are found in four books of the Bible (Exo. 21:13; Num. 35:15-24; Deu. 19:2-9; Jsh. 20:1-9). This is no accident because there are four books of the Bible which give us detailed accounts of the life and ministry of our Refuge, the Lord Jesus Christ!The meanings of the names of these cities are also interesting. “Kadesh” means “holy”, which clearly points us to the holy Lamb of God which took our sins away. Had Jesus not been holy he could not be our refuge. “Shechem” means “shoulder, which reminds one of those shoulders of the Saviour which bore our burdens up Calvary’s mount and nailed them to the cross. “Hebron” means “fellowship.” Until Christ came and paid for our sins, we had no fellowship with God (I John 1:1-10). “Bezer” means “a fortified place.” What place could be more fortified than the body of Christ, the abode of all born-again believers? “Ramoth,” meaning “exaltation,” serves as a reminder that we are to exalt the Saviour for his goodness extended toward us. Finally, “Golan” means “joy,” which is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and also the strength of the saint (Neh. 8:10).CHAPTER 21Verse 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.” So Christ gives rest and victory to all who put their trust in Him: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Mat. 11:28) “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” (II Cor. 2:14)CHAPTER 22Verses 1-6: By faith, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, went and fought for the land like all the other tribes, trusting that Joshua would make good on his promise to give them the land they requested east of Jordan. Here we see Joshua rewarding them for their service, typifying Christ who rewards all who serve Him by faith.Verse 19: “. . . rebel not against the LORD, nor rebel against us, in building you an altar beside the altar of the LORD our God.” The one true altar points to Christ our one true Saviour. Any other altar was unacceptable, just as any other means of salvation is unacceptable today. As it turned out, this altar was not built for sacrifice, only for a witness, but the type still stands since the western tribes understood well that only one sacrificial altar was permitted.CHAPTER 23Verse 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.” Notice how Israel received “rest” under Joshua’s leadership, picturing the spiritual rest that the sinner enjoys when he receives Christ.Verse 4: “Behold, I have divided unto you . . .” Again, we see Joshua typifying Christ, the one who divides His inheritance among His followers.CHAPTER 24Verse 1: “And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel . . .” So it is the will of Jesus to gather Israel: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Mat. 23:37)Verses 19-23: “And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins . . . If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt . . . put away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline your heart unto the LORD God of Israel.” The same stands true with those who claim to follow Christ while clinging still to other gods. They cannot serve the Lord until they repent of their false gods. Jesus refuses to be one of the gods; He must be Lord of all.