Joshua was the one God chose to bring the people into the Promised Land. His name is the Hebrew form of the name Jesus. He is a type of Jesus.
“Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying: ‘Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, who may go out before them and go in before them, who may lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be like sheep which have no shepherd.’ And the Lord said to Moses: ‘Take Joshua the son of Nun with you, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him.’ ‘…At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, he and all the children of Israel with him—all the congregation.’” [1]
“Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, he shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.” Joshua, in the context of being a type of Jesus, is the one who leads God’s people into a place of bountiful provision and a place of glorious rest. [2]
The Law (Moses) did not bring people into the Promised Land, the Gospel (Jesus) did. The Law points us to our need for a Savior and Shepherd other than ourselves. The Savior and Shepherd that we need is Jesus Christ.
“And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, ‘Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?’ And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So, I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’” [3]
Just as no one else except Jesus, God’s perfect Son, the Lamb, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, was able to carry out God’s plan of redemption of sinners, so no one else except Jesus can carry out God's end-time judgments against the evil of this world. Jesus receives the scroll and is able to loose the seals.
Just as Jesus faithfully carried out God’s plan of redemption of the world, so will He faithfully carry out God’s plan of judgment on the evil one and his followers. He will bring Satan and Satan’s followers to an end. It is recorded in the Book of Revelation.
Old Testament Joshua brought the people into the Promised Land, and he executed judgment on the pagans who rejected the one true God. New Testament Jesus brings His followers into the eternal Promised Land, and executes judgment on the devil, the devil’s angelic helpers, and on the devil’s human accomplices. In the end, Jesus Christ lives and reigns with His flock victorious. Glory to God!
[1] Numbers 27:15-18, 21
[2] Deuteronomy 1:38; Hebrews 4:8
[3] Revelation 5:1-5
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