JOSHUA.
II.-Tried and Triumphant.
Although the Christian experience ought to be a going from strength to strength, and from glory to glory, yet between each successive and higher attainment there may lie deep valleys of trial and temptation that casts the very shadows of death over the pathway of the heaven-bound pilgrim. In this respect the noble life of Paul and that of the true-hearted Joshua are in many ways akin.
I. He was Severely Tested. "Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord" when he heard that his "three thousand men had fled before the men of Ai" (Jos_7:4-9). What a victory they had at great Jericho, what a shameful defeat at little Ai! The bloom of their new life has been suddenly blasted and withered. The enemy is rejoicing, and the name of God has been dishonoured. What is the cause? "Israel hath sinned" (Luk_24:11). The Lord cannot permit His conquering power to rest upon those who are not in their hearts right with Himself. But let no young Christian be discouraged, although at the beginning of their life of testimony for Christ there should be shameful defeats, but let this rather lead to deeper humility and heart searching. It is God’s purpose to give us the victory over all our enemies, but He can only do this in a way that will bring glory to His own Name (Heb_10:38).
II. He Makes no Compromise with Known Sin.
"Joshua rose up early in the morning, . . . and Achan was taken, . . . and stoned with stones" (chap. Luk_7:16-26). This solemn business was not only his, but God’s; so for His sake he must not allow human reason nor feelings to stand in the way of a complete expulsion of the whole concern. What a lesson for us to beware of that covetousness which is idolatry, "for which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience" (Col_3:5-6).
III. He Gives Great Prominence to the Word of God. "Then Joshua built an altar unto the Lord God of Israel,… and wrote there upon the stones a copy of the law of Moses… the blessings and the cursings" (chap. Luk_8:30-35). He knew the power of it in his own experience, and in faithfulness he fearlessly declares "the whole counsel of God keeping back nothing." Preach the Word. Let the blessings for the obedient and the cursings for the disobedient have both their rightful place in your testimony. What God has joined together let no man put asunder.
IV. He was not Infallible. The Gibeonites, with their false pretensions, "did work so wilily" that he was prevailed upon to "make a league with them," contrary to the command of God. After all, he was a man of "like passions as we are," so that his mistake is a source of encouragement for us. If God could so mightily use a man capable of making such a great blunder, surely there is good hope for us! Yes, this is the sort of material that the grace of God has to deal with. We see how truly human this stalwart servant of God was. Nevertheless, we should give earnest heed that while we take counsel we forget not the Lord (Isa_30:1).
V. He showed Prodigious Faith. "Joshua said in the sight of all Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon" (chap. Luk_10:12-14). His failure in no way hindered him from asking and expecting great things from God as soon as the need arose. This was altogether a unique exhibition of the possibilities of faith. The faith that could make such a demand from God was surely fit for anything. He took full advantage of the promise of His grace, "Command ye Me." This record of faith has never been broken, but how very far short we do come of what lies within the reach of every servant of God who really seeks the glory of His Name. All things that will bring glory to God are possible to them that believe (1Jn_3:22).
VI. He Claimed the whole Land of Promise. "So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses" (chap. Luk_11:23). He claimed it by faith, although the people were slow to take possession of it (chap. Luk_13:1). He did not think it presumption to accept all that God had promised. What is our faith doing for us if it is not laying hold of that which God hath promised us in Christ Jesus? (1Co_1:30). It is honouring to Him that we should receive those things freely given us by Him. "He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar."
VII. He Encourages Others to Enlarge their Possessions. When the children of Joseph complained about the smallness of their lot, he said, "Get thee up, and cut down for thyself;… drive out the Canaanites;… thou hast great power" (chap. Luk_17:14-18). It is easy to get dissatisfied with our Christian life when we are more taken up with its narrowness and shallowness than with the all-sufficient promise of God. The effectual cure for such grumbling is to "get up" and "drive out" the doubts and fears, and lay hold of the unsearchable riches of Christ, for "thou hast great power" if thou hast faith in God. There are not a few who, like the tribe of Joseph, have just got about as much of the "land of promise" as make them miserable, always crying out about their leanness and poverty when the cause of it is sheer spiritual laziness. O ye of little faith, how long will ye be slack to go in and possess the land? (chap. Luk_18:3).
VIII. He Testifies to the Faithfulness of God. "Ye know in your hearts that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord spake concerning you; all are come to pass" (chap. Luk_23:14). All that God hath promised He is prepared to give. Many know this in their hearts, like the Israelites, but they have not the courage, like Joshua, to put it to the test, and to say so. Although we believe in our hearts that "it is easier for Heaven and earth to pass than one tittle of the law to fail," yet how slow we are to claim the promises of God with the feet of faith (chap. Luk_1:3). If there is any shame in Heaven it will surely be that we expected so little from our exalted and glorified Redeemer and Lord.
IX. He Exhorts to Whole-hearted Service. "Now, therefore, fear the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and truth" (chap. Luk_24:14-15). In considering "how great things He had done for them," and promised to them, surely this was but reasonable that they should serve Him. Does not the great apostle beseech us by the mercies of God that we present our bodies as our reasonable service? (Rom_12:1). "Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are," whether that be to sin or righteousness, self or Christ (Rom_6:16).
X. His Posthumous Influence. "Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that overlived Joshua" (chap. Luk_24:31). The powerful life of this Prince with God kept speaking through those with whom he had been associated after he was gone. The life of faith always dies hard, while the memory of the wicked soon rots. The garments of a consecrated life, even when laid aside, are like the smell of Lebanon, recognised a long way off (Cant. Luk_4:11). "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord to all self-interest, they do rest, and their works follow them."
Autor: James Smith