Good morning to everyone. Thank you to Mark again for leading us this morning. We're going to talk a little bit about faith and hope this morning, and I was just thinking this morning that I'm glad my faith and my hope are not in the Packers, eh? 

We're working through the book of Joshua, Joshua 1. We're still in verses 1 to 9, kind of an introductory meeting last week, or an introductory message last week. And we're going to look into the verses specifically. This week we spent a good deal of time looking at the man Joshua, his background and how he came to this point in his life in the book of Joshua where he will lead Israel into the land to conquer and divide it. 

I think it's vital to keep in mind the context which brings us to this monumental time in the life of Joshua and the plan and purpose of God in fulfilling His promises to Israel and also as using them as a witness to the nations. And really we need to start in Genesis 3. If you turn to Genesis 3 at verse 1, when we think about God's salvation plan, when we think about the promises that he's given in Genesis 3 at verse 1, it says, 

"Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, 'Has God indeed said, You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?' And the woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" 

So we see right at the beginning questioning the Word of God and then adding to the Word of God here. 

Verse 4: "Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sowed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 

Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, 'Where are you?' So he said, 'I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.' And he said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?' 

Then the man said, 'The woman you gave me to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.' And the Lord God said to the woman, 'What is this you have done?' The woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.' So the Lord God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle and more than every beast of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.'"

Well, this is the historical account of the fall of man of Adam and Eve in the garden when they chose to disobey God, to trust the talking snake, and followed the deception, which was really their desire to be like God. And we have that same deception today, you can be like God, you are God. 

This is a siren call of works, righteous religion, of humanism, of the many movements of which man is the center and his knowledge and ability is the means by which to obtain salvation. I was telling Mark this morning, I don't know if any of you saw the interview with Aaron Rogers before the game last night, but he was talking about how he likes to visualize things to manifest them and bring them into existence and speak things into existence. 

Positive confession, which again didn't work out too well for him last night. But this is everywhere in our society, this idea that we can speak things into existence, that we can work our way to salvation, that somehow God is in me and I am the master of my own destiny. This is the lie of the devil from the beginning. 

But notice from the very fall, we see the promise of the seed. Verse 15 in Genesis 3, God gave the promise of the seed of the woman who would crush the head of Satan. Now move on to Genesis 12 with me and let's look at that important passage, Genesis 12:1. This familiar text to Abram, it said that the Lord God had said to Abram, 

"Get out of your country from your family, from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and I will curse him who curses you, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." 

God here makes a promise of blessing to all nations through the seed of Abraham, the Messiah, the Savior. God's means of salvation would come through Israel, the nation that would come through Abraham, and in particular that seed that was promised in Genesis 3 who is Christ. 

Go over to Galatians 3 now and let's look at Paul's commentary on this. Galatians chapter 3 at verse 10. Paul writes, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse, for it is written, cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no one is justified by the law on the side of God is evident, for the just shall live by faith. Yet the law is not of faith, but the man who does them shall live by them. 

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Brethren, I speak in the manner of men, though it is only a man's covenant. Yet if it is confirmed, no one annuls or adds to it. 

Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He does not say, and to seeds as of many, but as of one, and to your seed who is Christ. In this I say that the law, which was 430 years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no longer of promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise." 

Well, Paul makes it very clear here that the promise of God, of the Deliverer, of the one who would crush Satan's head, the promise of the seed of Abraham, was fulfilled in Christ. And thus blessing of salvation came to all nations, all men, every man who will turn to Christ in faith alone and receive his righteousness. This was always the plan of God, as we see from the beginning in Genesis 3, Genesis 12. 

Salvation was to come to all men, to all nations, and Israel was God's chosen nation, His people, His witnesses to bring this salvation, physically in the person of Christ, God incarnate, and through the message of salvation through faith in Him as we see in the example of Abraham, and of all men and women of faith throughout time, the sons of Abraham by faith. 

Notice also that Paul makes a contrast between the law and faith, the law and grace, really. The means of salvation is not by the law, he says, not by works, not by keeping the law to establish my own righteousness, but by grace through faith. Salvation is the gift of God, and when I turn from my own works, my own pride, in seeking to establish my own righteousness through the law, as Paul testifies in Philippians 3, and I turn to Christ in faith alone, then I receive His righteousness. 

His very righteousness is imputed to my account, credited to me as it was to Abraham by faith. I believe in Joshua 1 verses 1 to 2 we have a type. We have a foreshadowing of this very truth. Crossing the Jordan, coming into the promised land is clearly a picture, a type of coming to salvation through faith in Christ. Moses is associated with and represents the law. When we think of Moses, we think of the law given at Sinai. We call it the Mosaic law. 

But in Joshua here, we see a clean break from Moses, and I believe from the law unto promise. I understand that Joshua and Israel will still live under the law, and Joshua is instructed to do so, even in our text. But Joshua, Yeshua, is a type of Christ, and it is the promise of God of leading them across the Jordan and into the promised land that is so vividly pictured here in these first verses. 

We'll explore that a little more in the New Testament here, but let's read our text together, Joshua 1 at verse 1. 

"After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying, Moses, my servant, is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all of the land of the Hittites, and to the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you, nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses, my servant, commanded you. Do not turn from it, to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." 

Well, there's six points on your outline: picture, promise, presence, providence, prophecy, and power. A lot of Ps came to me when I was working on this. First we see a stunning statement from God in verse 1, he says, Moses is dead, Joshua is now to lead them in. God is fulfilling His promise to His people, and this is a picture of the final promise, the promise of eternal rest, eternal life, spiritual rest in Christ through faith. 

We see this picture, this type, all over the New Testament, specifically in 1 Corinthians 10 and in Hebrews 3 and 4, and I want to look at those passages. 

1 Corinthians 10, Paul's words commenting on this, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he says, "Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. 

Look at what he says here in verse 4, 1 Corinthians 10:4, "For they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted, and do not become idolaters as were some of them as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play, nor let us commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in one day 23,000 fell, nor let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents, nor complain as some of them also complained and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the ages have come." 

Types, the rock from which they drank was Christ, Paul says. The rock that Moses struck, he was to speak to it, but in frustration with the people he struck it twice, and yet God provided water, sustenance, life from it. Jesus was struck, killed, crucified, and from that event God provided life and salvation. 

What is the message? What is the example to us? Believe. Faith. Do not rebel, but believe God. Trust Him and receive His salvation through faith in Christ. We see this in Hebrews 3 and 4 as well. Turning over to Hebrews 3, we're going to look at a lengthy passage here in Hebrews 3 and 4, verse 7, therefore as the Holy Spirit says, 

"Today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." That's what Paul was just talking about, the rebellion in the wilderness. "Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion in the day of trial in the wilderness where your fathers tested me, tried me, and saw my works forty years. 

Therefore I was angry with that generation and said, 'They always go astray in their heart and they have not known my ways,' so I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'" You see, that's entering the land, right? We're studying in Joshua 1, we're going to go across the Jordan into the land. They shall not enter my rest, the promised land. This is a picture, a type of entering eternal rest, receiving eternal life through faith in Yeshua, in Christ. 

Look at verse 12, "Beware brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end. While it is said, today if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion for who having heard rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt led by Moses? 

Now with whom was he angry 40 years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did he swear? That they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey." What does it mean that they didn't obey? 

Verse 19: "So we see that they could not enter in, why? Because of unbelief." With Moses we were working with the law, obey and be blessed, but why was it that they did not enter into the rest? Why was it that they did not go into the promised land with Joshua? Because of unbelief. 

Look over chapter 4 of Hebrews, "Therefore since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it." Remember the context of Hebrews, he's writing to these Jewish congregations and some of them had come to faith, some of them were sort of at the point of faith who had heard the gospel and understood it intellectually, but had not gone on to perfection as he says in chapter 6. 

"And then there are those who were against the gospel in that group, but he's writing, he's saying that some of you might come short of this. You need to believe, you need to trust, for indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them, but those which the word heard they did not profit, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest. What a promise." 

"As he has said, so I swore in my wrath they shall not enter my rest, although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he has spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way, and God rested on the seventh day from all his works, and again in this place they shall not enter my rest. Since therefore it remains that some must enter it, and those to whom it was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, unbelief, again he designates a certain day, saying in David, 'Today, after such a long time as it has been written, today, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. 

For if Joshua had given them rest, think about this, if the final rest, if the culmination was Joshua leading them into the promised land, he says, then he would not afterward have spoken of another day. It's a picture, it's a type. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God, for he who has entered his rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from his. 

Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience." Paul's imploring them to believe Jesus, to go on to perfection, that's the point here. Joshua was a picture, a type, not the final rest, not the final fulfillment of the promise of salvation, that would come in Christ. 

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God, how? Ceasing from works, from law-keeping for salvation, turning to Jesus in faith. We who have believed have entered that rest. Jesus is our Sabbath rest. 

So we see the promise, the promise pictured in the crossing of the Jordan, the conquering of the promised land, but ultimately fulfilled through faith in Jesus Christ. And this promise was from the beginning, Genesis 3, Genesis 12, and this also includes the promises of the nation and of the land for Israel in Genesis 12, given to Abraham. 

One-third of that promise has been fulfilled in Christ, the seed, the blessing to all nations. The land, the fullness of the promise in the Kingdom is yet to come for Israel as Jesus will sit on David's throne and rule and reign for a thousand years. And Israel will fulfill God's intent, remember we talked about this in Thessalonians, God's creative intent for Israel. 

Israel will fulfill God's intent for her to be a witness to all nations leading them to the Savior. Well next in our text we see God's presence. Verse 5: "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life." What a promise that is. For the purpose of God, for God's intent for your life, no man will thwart that. No man will stand before you all the days of your life. 

"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them." 

Well how could Joshua, facing the giants, facing the fortresses, how could Joshua be courageous? He could be courageous because of the promise of God that we just looked at. He could be strong and very courageous because of the presence of God. We saw before when the ten spies were sent that Joshua and Caleb came back and said to Moses, "Man there's some big old giants in that land, big guys, and the cities are fortified, they're impenetrable, let's go get them, because God gave us the promise. 

We shall overtake them. They've been given into our hand, they are our bread." This was faith, my friends, faith in the promise of God. In the mind of Joshua and Caleb, none of the circumstances mattered. None of the worldly concerns. They had the promise of God and this gave them absolute confidence and courage. 

And they also had the presence of God, as we see in these verses. God said to Joshua, just as I was with Moses, well that would really mean something to Joshua, wouldn't it? Because he was there. Joshua had always been there. He was on the mountain with Moses. He was in the tent of meeting with Moses when God would meet with Moses. 

And he'd seen how God was with Moses and how he kept his promises to Moses and to Israel. And Joshua lived, he walked by faith. This is how he could be strong and be of good courage. Because he believed and took for himself the promises of God and trusted in the presence and providence of God in all that was going to happen every day of his life. 

Joshua was called to some major challenges. And he was called to some pretty amazing battles and victories for the people of God. In our time, we're not warring according to the flesh, Paul says. By the weapons of battle, conquering cities, taking the land. We're not called to this. We are called to do greater things than these according to the words of Jesus. 

And that is to bring the gospel to men so that they might receive the promise of eternal life through faith. And yet there are some massive challenges to this. There are forces and powers that are continually working against this very endeavor in this world which lies in the sway of the wicked one. And we may even face persecution or perhaps martyrdom at some point as so many have throughout the world since the time of Christ. 

How can we be strong and be of good courage? How can we be courageous in bringing this truth message to lost men in our world? We aren't facing being beaten by rods and being whipped and being jailed and being killed. How can we be courageous enough to speak? We believe, therefore we speak. How can we be courageous enough to not be scared to tell our neighbor about Jesus? 

It's precisely the same as it was for Joshua. It's based in the promise, the presence, and the providence of God, trusting and believing His Word. Turn over to Matthew 28 with me, please. Matthew 28 at verse 16. 

"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'" 

Amen. 

Joshua was given the task of taking the land, fighting the military battles, leading the people, and dividing the land, a formidable task. We are given the great commission by Jesus to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, to persuade them to believe Jesus, to be reconciled to God through faith in Him. 

And my brothers and sisters, we see the same promise of His presence and His providence in verse 20 of Matthew 28 in that great commission. "And lo, I am with you always." All authority has been given to Me, He says, and now I send you as My ambassadors. I'm always with you, even to the end of the age. 

Jesus is with us. In fact, He lives in us. In fact, He is working all things together for our good. He has prepared in advance the circumstances, the details for the good work He wants us to do, to preach the gospel so that men might believe and He might save them, just as He did for us. We are His ambassadors, we carry His full authority as His representatives when we preach the gospel and implore men to believe. 

And not only that, but we have His great power working in and through us, the very power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Joshua would see the power of God in his life. He had already seen it in so many glorious ways. 

Have you seen the power of God in your life? Have you seen the greater work of the salvation of lost souls, the new creation, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the surety of eternal life, changed lives, transformed by the power of God? You think that it was something when God toppled the walls of Jericho? That's nothing compared to seeing a man, woman, or child pass from death unto life, having heard and believed the good news gospel of Jesus Christ.

Do you trust Him? Do you believe Him? Will you walk around the walls seven days? Will you trust that He will save men through the foolishness of the message preached? Don't you see, it's the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation, it is God by His power that saves men. He just wants you to be a faithful servant. He just wants you to be a herald of His message today and every day, trusting Him, believing Him. This is how we can be courageous. 

I often think about this, you know, you think about the law and some factions of Christianity want to bind the law on believers as a rule of life. I still haven't, as much as I've thought about it, haven't figured out what that means. But I've often thought about how I can't keep the law. I can't keep it perfectly. You know what I can do? I can believe Him, I can trust Him, I can tell people about Him. 

By His power and life in me, I can love people. I can do that. That's good news, this new covenant life. We see the picture, we see the promise, we see the providence, we see the power, and next, my friends, we see the centrality of prophecy, the revealed Word of God. 

How are we going to be strong and courageous in the mission that God has given us, that Jesus gave us in the Great Commission? Stay focused on the Word of God. Joshua 1: 7, "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 

This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." 

What word did Joshua have from God? What books did he have in his day? Only the first five written by Moses, right? This was all that God had revealed and written down at this point. And so God encourages Joshua to fix his heart, mind, and soul on the Word of God. 

Do not depart to the right or to the left. Stay the course, stay the middle road, illuminated by the words of God. Know the Word, trust the Word, believe the Word, and obey the Word. In this you will have good success, God promises Joshua. 

We have so much more by way of revelation today, and we live in the glorious light of the new covenant. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit live in us and empower us and guide us and teach us. And we have the completed Word of God. 

But the message from God is the same. Stay focused. Be filled with the Word of God. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly. May Jesus be at home in you, fully functional out through you, as Ephesians 3 says. Meditate on it day and night. Take the promises for yourself. 

Romans 6 and 12 give us clear instruction that the way to have our outward living come into consistency with who we are inwardly is to know the Word, the truth of who we are and what we have in Christ, that we are new creatures having died, been buried, and raised to newness of life with Jesus. 

We are dead to sin, dead to the law as a rule of life, and free from the bondage of the fear of death which held us all our lifetime. Paul says, know these truths, count them up, count up the facts, and then choose to yield to Christ's power in us, His life lived through us, as we present our members as weapons of righteousness for His glory and His purposes. 

We are to renew our minds to these truths, these great doctrines of the Christian life and faith continually that we might be being transformed, sanctified, conformed to the likeness of Christ as our outward living is in harmony with the inward reality of who we are in Christ. These are the words of God. 

Jesus taught us in John 15 that we're like a branch and He's the vine. We're to abide, we're to remain in Him. Keep focused on Jesus, who He is, what He has done, the promises, His presence in us, His providence in our lives as He holds all things together by the Word of His power and works all things together for our good. 

His power, the very power that raised Jesus from the dead working in me and His prophecy, the Word of God, the promises. Abide in Him. Don't veer to the left or the right. Don't be distracted by the world, by the wisdom of men. Abide in Him. Stay that middle road. Look unto Jesus and see the fruit that He will produce in you, through you, for His glory and for the salvation of lost men. 

Hear the words of our God to Joshua, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid nor dismayed. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua had seen amazing things at the hand of God in his life. He was about to see many more because God was with him, working through him. 

God accomplished these things, and that is going to become apparent as a major lesson to us in this book. It is God who accomplishes His will and does the mighty works. Hear the words of our Savior, Jesus. 

"All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." 

Why is it that we can be courageous? Because the Lord is with us. In fact, He lives in us. He will never leave us or forsake us. His word will not return void, but will accomplish His purposes. He is sovereign. He is in control. He does the works. 

He provides the power. He accomplishes His will. What am I? Who can I be but a faithful servant? This is what God wants from me, to know His word, to believe His word, to trust in Him and to obey Him each moment, each day of my life. 

In this abiding life, we as Joshua will see God do amazing things. Have you seen God do amazing things in your life? Look around this room. People I know. Look at me. Amazing things God did. I was a vile, wretched pagan full of myself. Religious. God brought witnesses to me. People who loved me. People who told me the truth. God saved me. He changed me. 

He provided for me salvation. And then He gave me a purpose. And the privilege of knowing Him each day and serving Him. Trust Him. Believe Him. And know that He will work through you to do the great work of salvation and will show His power through you for His glory. 

It was true of the life of Joshua, and it's true in the life of every faithful believer today. Not wars and land, but souls saved and God glorified through this amazing new covenant life as we walk by faith in Jesus Christ. 

Let's close in prayer. 

"Father, we're so thankful for Your Word, Your promises, for the examples that You give us. Thank You for the true historical accounts of men who trusted You and believed You and the work that You did through them, the amazing, wonderful work that You continue to do as You work out Your plan of salvation, as You bring all things to consummation in Christ, and Your will will be accomplished in heaven and on earth. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen."