JOSHUA
LESSON #15
JOSHUA 14
LESSON #15
MORE ABOUT INHERITANCE
READ JOS 14:6-15
WHO WAS CALEB?
A KENIZZITE--A LEADING EDOMITE FAMILY DESCENDED FROM ESAU.
HE WAS ONE OF THE 12 SPIES WITH JOSHUA WHO CAME BACK WITH A GOOD REPORT.
JOSHUA REPRESENTS THE JEWS, WHILE CALEB REPRESENTS THE GENTILES ENGRAFTED INTO THE NEW TESTAMENT BODY OF BELIEVERS.
CALEB'S NAME MEANS "DOG" AND HE FOLLOWED GOD AS A PUPPY FOLLOWS HIS MASTER MAT 15:25-28.
CALEB'S AGE = 85 YEARS OLD (VERSE 10)
WHAT INHERITANCE DID CALEB ASK FOR (JOS 14)?
HE WANTED A MOUNTAIN == THE WAS A GREAT CHALLENGE (VERSE 9),
BECAUSE HIS FEET HAVE TO TROD IT TO POSSES IT.
MT. HEBRON WAS HIS PROMISED LAND. IT WAS A HARD LAND TO CONQUER. IT HAD THE HIGHEST TOWN IN PALESTINE, AND IT WAS THE
BURIAL PLACE FOR ABRAHAM, SARAH, ISAAC, REBEKKAH, JACOB, AND LEAH. DAVID WAS ANOINTED KING HERE AND IT WAS HIS CAPITAL FOR 7 1/2 YEARS.
THE LESSON WE CAN LEARN FROM CALEB:
FAITHFULNESS TO GOD HAS ITS REWARD.
THE REWARD HAS TO BE OBTAINED, FOUGHT FOR, MAINTAINED.
THE CHALLENGE IS TO REACH FOR THE HEIGHTS.
THE CHALLENGE IS TO POSSESS YOUR POSSESSIONS. JOS 18:3
JOSHUA ASKS THE ISRAELITES "HOW LONG ARE YE SLACK TO GO TO POSSESS THE LAND WHICH THE LORD GOD OF YOUR FATHERS HATH GIVEN YOU?"
WHAT WERE THE REASONS ISRAEL FAILED TO POSSESS THE LAND (SEE JOS 15:63 AND JOS 17:12-13)
1. FOR A TIME THEY COULD NOT AS THEY WEREN'T STRONG ENOUGH, SO IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT.
2. BUT LATER THEY WERE DISOBEDIENT AS THEY DID NOT DRIVE OUT THE ENEMY. WHY?
THEY WANTED PEACE AT ANY COST.
THEY WANTED WEALTH.
BOTH OF THESE ARE WORLDLY COMPROMISES.
IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES, THEY ACTUALLY LOSE GROUND.
IF YOU'RE NOT GAINING GROUND IN YOUR SPIRITUAL WALK, YOU'RE LOSING GROUND.
APPLICATION:
A LOOK TO YOUR OWN INHERITANCE:
A VIEW OF THE PAST PSA 14:5
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE ARE IS BASED IN PART ON OUR HERITAGE:
THE FLOW OF BIBLICAL HISTORY AND THE FLOW OF PERSONAL HISTORY.
A VIEW TO THE FUTURE PSA 78:1-8:
JESUS IS IN THE PROCESS OF REDEMPTION IN OUR LIVES FROM PAST SINS, FROM THE PRESENCE OF SIN, FROM THE POWER OF SIN.
WHAT ABOUT OUR INHERITANCE?
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT ALL CHRISTIANS DO NOT INHERIT EQUALLY JUST AS THE 12 TRIBES DID NOT INHERIT EQUALLY.YOU CAN BE A CHRISTIAN AND NOT ENTER INTO "REST" AND NOT INHERIT GOD’S PROMISES. (HEB 4:1-2)
A SPIRITUAL ANALOGY:
"FROM EGYPT TO CANAAN, A PICTURE OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE"
THE NATURAL MAN (THE UNBELIEVER) IS ILLUSTRATED IN EXO 1-11.
HE LIVES IN SLAVERY TO SIN IN EGYPT WHICH IS A PICTURE OF THE WORLD SYSTEM UNDER SATAN’S INFLUENCE. (READ 1CO 2:14)
THE CARNAL CHRISTIAN (THE CHRISTIAN WHO LIVES LIKE A NON-BELIEVER) IS ILLUSTRATED IN EXO 12 - DEU 34. HE LIVES A LIFE OF STRUGGLE LIKE THE "EXODUS GENERATION" WANDERING IN THE WILDERNESS. HE IS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD BUT DOES NOT LIFE LIKE IT. (READ 1COR 3:1-3).
THE SPIRITUAL CHRISTIAN (THE MATURE BELIEVER) IS ILLUSTRATED IN JOS 1-11. HE LIVES A LIFE OF VICTORY OVER PERSONAL BATTLES. HE IS REPRESENTED BY THE SECOND GENERATION THAT CROSSED THE JORDAN UNDER JOSHUA. HE IS IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND LIVES UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. (READ ROM 12:1-2)
THE REWARDED CHRISTIAN (THE BELIEVER WHO HAS SPENT HIS LIFE FOR CHRIST) IS ILLUSTRATED IN JOS 12-22. HE HAS ENTERED INTO HIS "REST" (PRESENCE WITH THE LORD) AND HAS RECEIVED THE INHERITANCE PROMISED HIM. HE HAS GAINED THE FINAL VICTORY AND FEASTS AT THE TABLE SET FOR HIM IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. (READ 2COR 5:10)
WHAT IS OUR INHERITANCE?
1. THE FULFILLED PROMISES IN THIS LIFE AS A RESULT OF
OBEDIENCE AND FAITH.
2. RULERSHIP WITH CHRIST IN THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF CHRIST. FOR
FAITHFULNESS IN THIS LIFE.
3. REWARDS IN HEAVEN FOR WORKS DONE FOR CHRIST.
4. ETERNAL LIFE AS A FREE GIFT OBTAINED BY FAITH.
HOW DO WE EARN OUR INHERITANCE? 1CO 3:11-15
1. LIVE A RIGHTEOUS LIFE.
2. DO SERVICE FOR HIM.
THE CHALLENGE:
LAY UP TREASURES IN HEAVEN MAT 6:20-21
HOMEWORK FOR JOSHUA 19, 20, 21
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF JOSHUA 13,14
WHAT PROMISES OF GOD DO YOU WANT TO CLAIM TODAY?
FIND SOME RELATED PROMISE SCRIPTURES TO BASE YOUR FAITH ON
WHAT STEP OF FAITH CAN YOU TAKE TO REALIZE YOUR CLAIM?
PREPARATION FOR JOSHUA 19,20,21
READ JOSHUA 19:49-51
READ JOSHUA 20 AND NUM 35:6-34
WHO WAS WELCOME IN THE SIX CITIES OF REFUGE?
WHAT WERE THE CONDITIONS?
HOW LONG COULD ONE STAY THERE?
WHAT SIGNIFICANCE TO US TODAY ARE THE 6 CITIES OF REFUGE? SEE HEB 10:19-23
LOOK OVER JOSHUA 21
THINK ABOUT: IS THERE SUCH A THING AS GOD'S PERMISSIVE WILL?
MEMORY VERSE: PSALM 91:2