Joshua- Christ Through The Bible

Joshua A Type of Christ

Text: Josh. 1:7   Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper withersoever thou goest.

Introduction

As we open the book of Joshua, there is a transition taking place in the leadership.  Moses has come to the end of his life.  For forty years he led the Israelites.  He has gone up the mountain never to come down again.  It is difficult to imagine that the death of one who had been such a religious leader, such a wise lawgiver, and above all such a patient and humble leader, but as long as Moses lived, they could not enter the Promised Land. While he lived, the Israelites were just a river crossing from the Promise Land. They must remain on the wilderness side of Jordan.  Moses might bring the people to its edge of Jordon, he might see the Promise Land, but he would not cross Jordan or to bring the people over into the inheritance which God had promised them.

 Much as they had reason to love him and as long and sincere as was their mourning for him, they must have felt that his life hindered them from entering into possession of the land of blessing. When an announcement of his death along with the commission of Joshua to go over Jordan it must have moved the people to exchange the spirit of heaviness for the garments of praise and assured them that the last obstacle was removed Moses was dead. Of all the times to die, why now?

 Why after renouncing the pleasures and riches of Egypt after forty years training in the desert of Midian, and after forty weary years of the wilderness journey its murmuring and complaining people, the threats on his life, the challenges to his leadership, all his hopes and fears was this man not permitted to reap the fruit of his sacrifice?

Why then must he die before entering the Promise Land? Did his LORD not love him?  We cannot doubt that He loved him.  Moses talked with God. It was said that the LORD spake unto Moses face to face as a man speaketh unto his friend. God paid him such honor, which he alone of all that ever died was buried by none other than the hand of God. The LORD loved Moses.  It was Moses who stood with the LORD on the Mount of Transfiguration there to speak with Him and Elijah.

These things happened as examples of types, and they are written for our admonition.  God used the men of old who were types living parables by which God has shown the truths that He desired to teach us.

So, what is this different truth concealed in the mysterious death of Moses? Moses was the representative of the LAW.   The law was given by Moses.

When our LORD was transfigured there appeared with Him the two men who represented two divisions of time that were passing away to leave behind the glory of the gospel of Christ.  These two men, Moses and Elijah, served the Law and the Prophets. Moses, my servant, dead arises, therefore, go over this Jordan.

Here is the experience God wants us to understand.

First, that one violation of the law eliminates one from the Promised Land.  Secondly, it is not by Moses or the law but by Joshua that one enters the Promise Land.  The transition is about to take place.  The Law would pass, and Grace would come.

The faithfulness of Moses cannot be questioned. Moses was above all men faithful to God.  Even God Himself said of him He is faithful in all Mine house.  There was no one in his generation who held more constant communion with God.  No one who obeyed God more literally.  No one who walked with Him more intimately.  No one in keeping the commandments could be entitled to the blessing or could produce a more accurate title than Moses.  But he had ONE problem, he disobeyed the LORD.

Whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point is guilty of all that is he is a transgressor of the law.( James 2:10)

As we learned in the study of the Law series, Moses disobeyed the LORD when he struck the rock rather than speaking to it.  It was from his lack of faith that he would not be granted the privilege to enter the Promise Land.

The question was asked, Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in His holy place?  The answer is, He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully.

If you are going to keep the Law, you must keep it to the smallest jot and tittle.

In the story of the Rich Young Ruler, a young man came to Jesus and asked how he might have eternal life.  Jesus quoted the commandments to him.  He said that from his youth he had been keeping the commandments.  Jesus then said, One thing thou lackest.  The one thing that he was lacking made him fall short of the keeping the whole law.  This made him a transgressor of the Law and guilty of breaking the Law.

There are people seeking a means whereby they can earn a specific measure of holiness.  They are trying to find righteousness by the works of the Law.  They are endeavoring to obtain pardon by mixing the Law with Christ. They do not understand the Gospel. 

Paul explains in the tenth chapter of Romans how these people think.  Paul says I want my people to be saved.  They are trying hard to follow God in their way, but they don't know the right direction.  They are trying to make themselves right, but they won't accept God's way of making people right.  They cannot accept the fact that Christ ended the Law. 

They do not believe that My servant Moses is dead.  They do not see the meaning of the words Moses is DEAD.  They continue to bring Moses to life again and hope by his help to be delivered from judgment and enjoy the Promised Land. Moses must die, or rather you must die to Moses or the law before you can live unto God. The connection with the law must be broken by death before Joshua (Jesus) can lead you to the inheritance. That it is only death that separates that relationship this is made clear from the apostle's writing in Roman 5:1, Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?  He goes on to say But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter. Romans 7:6

By this, we can see that under Moses (Law) the Israelites could not enter the Promise Land.  It was only with Joshua (Grace) they could inherit the land. Anyone who enters the land of blessing must obtain that entrance not by the Law, but by Grace of Jesus Christ.

To enter the land, they were faced with a barrier, the river Jordan.  They would need to pass over Jordan by faith which was the same faith that necessary to cross the Red Sea. The same faith that brings the joy of sins forgiven is the same faith needed for full surrender to the LORD.

The Ark of the Covenant, carried by the priest would step into the water first.  The ministers of God must believe that they can be free from the wanderings in the Wilderness of Sin.  They must understand that Moses is dead, and Grace is alive.

The water of Jordan stopped flowing, and the priests that carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground until all the people were passed clean over Jordan  Josh. 3:17

How does this crossing the Jordan typify the second work of Grace?  The waters of Jordan were to be divided and rendered harmless for the people, by the presence of the Ark.  The Ark was the symbol of God's presence among the people it was at the Mercy Seat the golden covering of that Ark where the cherubim stretched forth their wings that God's presence was especially manifested there with the Shekinah or divine glory. It was then the presence of this Ark on the priest's shoulders in the midst of Jordan that rolled back its overflowing tide and made the depths a way for the ransomed of the Lord to pass over.

The Hebrew writer explains why it is essential to move on in our Christian experience. In the sixth chapter of Hebrew, we see that we should be finished with the introductory lessons about Christ.  We need a new life by turning away from the evil that we did in the past by having faith in God.  We were taught about baptisms, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and the final judgment.  Now it is time to move forward. 

While wandering in the Wilderness of Sin, we learned the lessons of repentance, forgiveness, conviction, holiness, and righteousness along with service to God.  Now it is time to put to practice the things we have learned.  These lessons are now applied when we cross over to the Promise Land.

But wait, there are those who have learned the truth and have received the gift of God and shared in the Holy Spirit.  They were blessed and saw the power of God.  But they left it all behind.  Some return to the Wilderness of Sin, because that cannot believe Moses is dead.  Some return to Egypt because they fear the giants in the land and want the old life of bondage.

When Moses returned to Egypt, he was eighty years old.  Joshua was forty years old when they left Egypt.   He became the right hand of Moses during the forty years of wandering in the Wilderness of Sin.  He would become the successor of Moses and would lead the Israelites into the Promise Land.

Joshua spent forty years in Egypt.  He was present with of the rest of his nation in their sorrows; he was one with them in their afflictions; Joshua shared their labors in the brick-kilns of Egypt; in all their afflictions he was afflicted.

The study of Joshua would be incomplete without looking at the character of his life and his work. The Scriptures suggests that as the successor of Moses he was a type of our Lord and Savior, and the more we reflect upon the subject, the more striking this feature of his career appear.

First, let us look at his name.  The original name of the -leader of the hosts of Israel, Hoshea, Salvation, was changed, to Jehoshua, or Joshua, '' God's Salvation," or "Jehovah the Savior'''' (Num. 13: 16, 14: 6, 30). In the Greek translation of the Bible, Joshua is always rendered by the word meaning Jesus, as its use in the New Testament.

Joshua was only human, but by the power of the LORD empowered the Israelites to defeat the nations of Canaan, and kept them from the countless dangers they faced. Joshua saved Israel, not by his power, but by trusting the LORD; he helped save his people; whereas Jesus Himself by His power, the power of God, shall save whosoever will. We may understand the interpretation of His Name to be God the Savior.

Joshua completed the work of Moses. Moses led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, but left them in the Wilderness of Sin. Just as Jesus fulfilled the Law and completed the works of the Law. The Law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, and by him, all that believe are Justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses. Acts 13:39

Joshua was the great Antitype who begins his service at the banks of Jordan. His feet are dipped in the selfsame rushing stream in which Jesus was baptized.  When Jesus came up from the water, the Spirit descends upon Him, and the Voice is heard, "Thou art My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased."

 At the Jordan River, Joshua said that twelve stones should be taken by twelve men chosen out of the people, to be a witness to the nation of their deliverance. So, after His baptism in Jordan, the second Joshua (Jesus) began to choose twelve Apostles, those foundation-stones in the Kingdom of God, whose names are on the twelve foundations of the wall of the holy city, the new Jerusalem.

Joshua led the people across the Jordan, and renewed the Covenant of Circumcision, and conquered for them their foes, Joshua assigns to them their inheritance but directs that they must fight for their possessions against the remnants of their enemies if they would maintain their conquest.

Jesus brings us into the Promise Land and renews the Covenant of Circumcision, not of the flesh but the heart.  But he is a Jew, who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. Rom.2:29

Jesus brings His people into the spiritual Canaan of His Church, calls upon them to fight.   For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Eph. 6:12

Before Joshua dies, he called all the tribes of Israel to meet together at Shechem. These were the older leaders, heads of the families, judges, and the officers of Israel. These men stood before God. He reminds them of how God called Abraham out of the land on the other side of the River. How God sent Moses and Aaron to Egypt.  How the ten plagues came upon Egypt.  How they wandered in the wilderness and how the armies of the Amorites were defeated.  He reminded them how God brought them across the Jordan river and conquered the city of Jericho.  He told them it was God who helped them defeat the enemies of Israel.

Joshua told them to throw away the false gods that their ancestors worshiped and serve only the Lord.  He gave them a choice who they would serve.  Serve the gods their ancestors worshiped or serve the Lord.  The people answered, "We all see that we have chosen to serve the Lord." 

Joshua in the 24th chapter told them to throw away the false gods that you have among you. Love the Lord, the God of Israel, with all your heart.  The people agreed, and Joshua found a large stone to be the proof of this agreement. He put the stone under the oak tree near the Tabernacle.  The stone was to be a reminder of the covenant made with the LORD and the people.

Jesus Christ has called each of us to hear what he has done for us; By His Holy Spirit, He has revealed what God has done, how we have been blessed, protected and secured by the Hand of God.   He reminds us of the times we wandered in sin and how He defeated the enemies of our soul and brought us into the Land of Promise.  Jesus Christ has been the Captain of our Salvation, and He has made a covenant with us never to leave us nor forsake us.

Conclusion

We do not need to continue in sin.  The Captain of our Salvation has defeated the enemy of our soul. As John tells us, See, what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so, we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him, there is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is righteous, as he is righteous. He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God commits sin; for God's nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother. 1 John 3

If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, TODAY is the day, NOW is the accepted time.

Deuteronomy- Christ Through the Bible

Series:  The Law

Text:  Deut. 32:4   He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Introduction

The book of Deuteronomy contains the final words of Moses to the children of Israel before they entered the land of Canaan with Joshua as their leader. The book's title means "second law" or "repetition of the law."  In these final sermons, Moses repeated to the Israelites many of the laws and commandments that were part of their covenant with the Lord. Moses also exhorted the Israelites to remember and keep their covenant as he taught them the consequences of either obeying or disobeying the Lord's laws and commandment.

One of the most notable features of the book of Deuteronomy is the frequency with which it is quoted in other scripture. Of the five books of Moses, Deuteronomy is the one most often cited by the Old Testament prophets. It is also quoted or alluded to almost 100 times in the New Testament. Jesus used verses from Deuteronomy to dismiss the temptations of Satan, Thou, shalt fear the Lord thy God and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. Deut.6:13 and then in Duet. 8:3, "…that man does not live on bread alone but on every word, that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

About two months' time is occupied in the book of Deuteronomy, as we can determine by comparing chapter 1.3 with Joshua 5.10, But in his discourses, Moses recounts the history of the forty years since he led the Israelites out of Egypt. There are three primary discourses of Moses, as follows.

A Review of the Past -- Chapters 1 to 4 inclusive. It is suggested that the keyword of this section is REMEMBER.

Application to the Present -- chapters V to 26. The key word to this might be HEARKEN

Application to the Future -- chapters 27 to 30. The key to this might be OBEY. It will be noted that the three words, REMEMBER, HEARKEN and OBEY run all through these discourses.

Besides these three large divisions, there are four smaller ones, which follow the chapter divisions as follows.

The Charge of Moses -- chapter 31.

The Song of Moses -- chapter 32.

The Blessing of Moses -- chapter 33.

The Burial of Moses -- chapter 34.

The Circumstances under which Moses spoke the words of this book are impressive. The forty years of wandering are almost over. The leadership of the Israelites is passing into the hands of Joshua his successor, who has been his right-hand man throughout the forty years, and one of the faithful spies who brought back a good report of the land when Israel was at the border of Canaan at Kadesh-Barnea.

Moses has already been told that his leadership is about to end and that he is soon to depart this life.  Moses, like a father, speaks to the Israelites. Besides Caleb and Joshua, there are none of the people present who were over twenty years old when they left Egypt. That would make the earliest persons, besides Caleb and Joshua, only sixty years of age. Moses was twice that old, now a hundred and twenty. The persons from forty years and under had been horn in the wilderness. Many of them had no recollection of being at Mount Sinai when the law was given. This necessitates the repetition of the law for their instruction. And even those who were sixty years of age who had heard it from young people at Sinai needed it repeated in their bearing, as the laws were for their governing in the land of Canaan which they were soon to enter.

In the next few minutes, we will look at Christ in Deuteronomy as typified in the Cities of Refuge, the Rock of our salvation and the Prophet like Moses.  In each of these types of Christ, we find the safety, security, and hope.

Christ the cities of refuge (Deut. 4:41)

There were six cities of refuge. The actual distribution of the cities of refuge was based on the geography of the area. To be of any use, a city of refuge had to be accessible. For this reason, three were placed on either side of the river Jordan. Good roads were leading to each city, which provided the easy access to all of Israel.

The city of refuge was a place where the accused could find safety.

 The accused's life was not put at risk by the arbitrary actions of the avenger of blood. The question of intent could be decided in an impartial court so that the interests of the slain man's family could also be safeguarded, for the cities of refuge were never intended to harbor murderers. But even if the manslayer was found innocent of the crime and was vindicated he did not get off completely. He had to stay within the city of refuge for the rest of the life of the high priest. The other way was if he died himself.

 If the avenger of blood were to defy the law and take the manslayer's life either inside the city of refuge or outside it after the high priest's death, then he would himself become a murderer. But if the avenger of blood found the manslayer outside the city of refuge before the high priest's death, and took his life, then the dead man had brought about his downfall, and the case was closed.

The defilement by blood

The provisions made for the innocent manslayer did have a spiritual significance. First let's read Numbers chapter 35 and verses 32 to 33.

And you shall take no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the priest. 33 So you shall not pollute the land where you are; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. (Numbers 35:32-33)

It is saying in verse 33 that blood will defile the land. Now when we think about defilement, we probably think of ceremonial defilement under the law of Moses. For under the law of Moses it was a sign of sin having entered that thing which is defiled. Whenever blood was shed, the sin which had contributed to the man's death, and was represented by his blood, was absorbed by the land which was defiled as a consequence.

Whenever life was violently terminated, even accidentally, the law had particular requirements to demonstrate a spiritual principle. God wanted to show that sin also leads to death. So, the treatment of the law of a life terminated by another can show that similarly, sin can also end a life. As a result, some compensation or amends was needed for the death.

A killer put himself on the side of sin, by killing someone. For even if he had killed someone accidentally, he has still taken someone's life which is strictly the prerogative of sin. He had put a man to death, which only sin can do. So, his actions had made him "sin" even if only accidentally.

Now if we take this to the next step, we know that since sin brings death, it must be destroyed. Therefore the killer who has also brought death must also be killed.

This is verified by verse 33 of Numbers chapter 35 when it says:

"…The land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it".

Now the use of the word "land" meant more than the physical surface of the earth – it also included the people. The defilement of sin in taking a life was extended to the community. It was also the community that had the responsibility for its expiation (the act of atonement – amend for something done which was wrong).

For example, if the death was through murder then Deuteronomy chapter 21 made it clear that the whole community would get involved. If a man was found slain and there was no clue as to who might be the killer, then the slain man's blood would be expiated through the death of a heifer appointed for the purpose. This would be followed by the solemn renunciation of responsibility by the community which had dwelled nearest his body. So, in the cases of taking a life through murder, the whole community was involved.

However, if the taking of life was by accident, then the accidental manslayer could not, with justice, be put to death to expiate the blood of his victim. But there is a significant principle that comes into play here. As the manslayer, fleed to one of the cities of refuge to be absolved from the responsibility of the "sin" of his actions, the same principle applies for those who seek refuge in Christ for identification with Christ forgives the sin.

Just as a side note.  Look at the defilement of our land—America.  Our nation aborts almost one million innocent babies each year.  There are around 16,238 murders per year in the United States; this averages to approximately 44 murders per day. Medical mistakes kill 400,000 people per year.  These are just a few ways that our land had been defiled by the blood of the innocent.  Could it be that God has brought judgment on our Nation because we have polluted the land with the blood of the innocent?

Do we see the judgment in the form of increased number of natural and geophysical disasters taking place each?  Geophysical disasters include earthquakes, volcanoes, dry rock-falls, landslides, and avalanches. Climatic disasters are classified as floods, storms, tropical cyclones, local storms, heat/cold waves, droughts, and wildfires.  In 1970, the average of natural disasters that were reported was 78; in 2004, this number jumped to 348. According to AccuWeather, since 1990, natural disasters have affected 217 million people every single year.

As Christians, we should see what is happening in the light of the scriptures.  According to Paul, these disasters are not natural. They are the convulsions of a world accursed by human sin. And they are regular reminders that the new creation is conceived but not yet brought forth. He writes in Romans, for we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. The whole creation was brought under a curse because of Adam's sin. This curse will be removed in the eternal state when Christ will restore the creation to the way it was in the beginning but until Christ returns the groanings from the weight of sin will bring the judgment of God upon the nations of the world until His wrath is poured out in the final judgment.

The High Priest

Those who wanted protection in the city of refuge were represented by the high priest.

The manslayer was to stay within the city of refuge until the death of the high priest. This concept indicates that the high priest represented all who sought refuge, and bore the iniquity of the spilled blood to his own grave. By doing this, he released the manslayer from the burden of accountability.

This is appropriate for two reasons:

 The high priest was head of the tribe of Levi. All the cities of refuge were Levitical cities. The activities of the cities of refuge, therefore, came under his responsibility.

Even more importantly, the high priest, as the spiritual leader, represented purity and freedom from sin. One of his roles was to atone innocently shed blood.

The names of the cities of Refuge

Three were situated to the west of the Jordan River, and three were situated to the east. The meaning of the names of the six cities are significant and spell out the principles of salvation in Christ. They proclaim that the City of Refuge, in other words, the Lord Jesus Christ will consecrate, sustain, unite in fellowship, protect, cheer and ultimately deliver all faithful believers.

Verse seven and eight of Joshua chapter twenty list the six cities.

And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjatharba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.  And on the other side Jordan by Jericho eastward, they assigned Bezer in the wilderness upon the plain out of the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan out of the tribe of Manasseh.

These were the cities appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the stranger that sojourneth among them, that whosoever killeth any person at unawares might flee thither, and not die by the hand of the avenger of blood until he stood before the congregation.

The meaning of the names:

Kedesh – to sanctify, set apart, consecrate, to make holy.

Shechem-- between the shoulders or burden bearer.

Kirjatharba-- joining or fellowship

 Bezer—a fortified place

Ramoth - to be high, raised up, exalted.

Golan- rejoicing through deliverance

Christ our Rock He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Christ is the Rock of our salvation.  Christ is the giver of the water of eternal life.  Paul's revelation that the smitten "ROCK" which gushed forth water in Exodus 17:6-note was also "a spiritual ROCK…and the ROCK was CHRIST." (1Cor 10:4). Even as the rock was a source of literal water for Israel, Jesus our Rock is the source of "living water" to all who believe in Him.  Everyone who drinks of this water shall never thirst again, for this Rock "shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." (Jn. 4:13-14).

The rock speaks of stability.  A rock is something you can lean against without fear of it letting you down.  A rock is stable enough to allow you to place your burdens on it and give you relief from the heavy load you are carrying. Run to the Rock of your Salvation and "cast your burden on the LORD." (Ps 55:22) David ran to his Rock and could affirm that "He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a ROCK making my footsteps firm." (Ps 40:2)

Rocks are long lasting and provide a good picture of God's attribute of immutability (changelessness). The Rock Himself testifies "I, the LORD, do not change." (Malachi 3:6) Are you afraid of change? Run to the Rock of your Salvation, the One Who remains the same yesterday, today and forever." (Heb. 13:8)

Large rocks provide protection from enemy attack, a fact David understood well, declaring that "In the day of trouble, evil, danger, discomfort, distress, affliction, adversity, He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me. He will lift me up on a ROCK." (Ps 27:5) When we are under attack by the enemy of our soul, when we are surrounded by our adversaries, we can flee to the Rock of your Salvation, where the Solid Rock will protect you from your enemies and their fiery darts.

David ran to the Rock and said, "He alone is my Rock and my Salvation. He is my Fortress Stronghold, High Tower; I will never be shaken." (Ps 62:2)

Large rocks provide shade from the blinding, dehydrating rays of the hot desert sun. David when he was in the wilderness, crying out "O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, In a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Ps 63:1) Then, do as David did and run to the Rock of Salvation and experience His comforting "supernatural shade" and ever sufficient supply of soul-satisfying drink.

Ira Sankey knew the security and protection of the Rock when he penned the words to the song a Shelter in The Time of Storm.

The Lord's our Rock, in Him we hide

A shelter in the time of storm

Secure whatever ill betide

A shelter in the time of storm

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land

A weary land, a weary land

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land

A shelter in the time of storm

A shade by day; defense by night

A shelter in the time of storm

No fears alarm, no foes affright

A shelter in the time of storm

The raging storms may round us beat

A shelter in the time of storm

We'll never leave our safe retreat

A shelter in the time of storm

O Rock divine, O Refuge dear

A shelter in the time of storm

Be Thou our helper ever near

A shelter in the time of storm

Isaiah speaking of a future time but applicable in principle to the present writes "He will shelter Israel from the storm and the wind. He will refresh her as streams in the desert and as the cool shadow of a large ROCK in a hot and weary land." (Isaiah 32:2). Where do you run when your emotions, your circumstances, your trials, your adversaries, appear overwhelming and your outlook seems hopeless? Look towards the Rock then run to the Rock, "of Christ Jesus, our Hope" (1Ti 1:1), the Rock Who is eternally stable, secure, sound, solid, unchanging, immovable and always reliable, the only Source of inner strength and deliverance for our soul. Run to Christ, your personal Rock of Salvation.

Fanny Crosby, understood the importance of the Rock of our Salvation when she penned the words:    

Praise the Rock of our Salvation

Praise the mighty God above!

Come before His sacred presence

With a grateful song of love.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

He is God and He alone.

Wake the song of adoration—

Come with joy before His throne!

Christ the Prophet   (Deut 18:15-19, John 6:14)

The Lord, thy God, will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;16 According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. 17 And the Lord said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.  18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.  19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.

In Moses' parting words of instruction to the Israelites before his death and their entering the Promised Land, the highly venerated prophet delivered an intriguing prophecy. He told them: "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear" (Deuteronomy 18:15).

In the next verse, Moses recalls the Israelites' request that God does not speak to them directly anymore after they had heard Him powerfully speak the 10 Commandments from Mount Sinai (verse 16; Deuteronomy 5:22-27). Moses then repeated exactly what God had told him.

God had said to Moses, "What they [the Israelites] have spoken is good. I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him" (Deuteronomy 18:17-18). Incidentally, this passage also defines a prophet as someone who speaks on God's behalf.

At the time Jesus was born, there was the expectation that the Prophet spoken of by Moses would soon arrive. In addition to the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15-18, the Jews may have seen an indication of the coming Messiah in Genesis 49:10: "The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people." They may have also had in mind other portions of Scripture from the prophets and book of Daniel ( Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Daniel 9:24-27).

It is interesting to note the conversations of the men who would become Jesus' disciples as they first learned of Him. Having seen the Spirit of God descending on Jesus after He was baptized, John the Baptist remarked, "Behold the Lamb of God!" (John 1:36). After spending some time with Christ, Andrew told his brother, Simon Peter, "‘We have found the Messiah' (which is translated, the Christ)" (verse 41). And after Christ invited Philip to follow Him, "Philip found Nathanael and said to him, ‘We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph'" (verse 45).

During His earthly ministry, Jesus did not deny that He was the fulfillment of Moses' prophecy. To the contrary, He said, "He [Moses] wrote about Me" (John 5:46).

Although the Jewish leaders rejected Christ, some people who witnessed one of His miracles concluded that He was the fulfillment of Moses' prophecy. After He miraculously fed 5,000 men plus women and children with five barley loaves and two small fish, "then those men … said, ‘This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world'" (John 6:14).

After Christ's death and the establishment of the New Testament Church, the understanding that Jesus was the fulfillment of Moses' prophecy continued as an important concept in the ministry of Jesus' disciples. Peter explained that Jesus Christ was the One spoken of by Moses (Acts 3:22-23).

Stephen, in his speech before being stoned, also referred to Moses' prophecy (Acts 7:37). And, in his defense before King Agrippa, Paul said, "To this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles" (Acts 26:22-23).

There is one more aspect of this prophecy in Deuteronomy 18 that deserves special consideration. After God stated that this Prophet would speak all that He commanded Him, we read: "And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him" (verse 19).

James, Peter, and John were privileged to see a vision of Christ in His glorified state. ... Apparently echoing the instruction in Deuteronomy for people to hear the future Prophet's words, "a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!'"

Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus spoke God the Father's words. As He told Philip, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works" (John 14:9-10).

Before Jesus' crucifixion, James, Peter, and John were privileged to see a vision of Christ in His glorified state. On this occasion, "He [Jesus] was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light" (Matthew 17:2). Apparently echoing the instruction in Deuteronomy for people to hear the future Prophet's words, "a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!'" (verse 5).

Likewise, Peter, in a powerful message, urged his listeners to "hear that Prophet," that is, Jesus Christ (Acts 3:23). The book of Hebrews also reminds us that the Father has "spoken to us by His Son" (Hebrews 1:2).

So, what do we need to hear from Jesus, the Prophet, the Son of God?

Time does not permit us to cover every word of instruction given by Jesus from the Father, here are a few of His key messages:

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:17-19). To learn more about God's commandments, see the section "What Are the 10 Commandments?"

"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21). To learn more about the future God has in store for those who obey Him, see "The Kingdom of God."

"Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14-15).

Jesus Christ was and is the Prophet who was predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15-18 and in passages found in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel.

Conclusion

We have seen Christ as the Cities of Refuge, Christ our Rock, and Christ the Prophet.  In every type found in Deuteronomy, they can be applied to our Christian experience today. When we need safety, we can run to Jesus for refuge.  When we need security, we can lean on the Rock of our salvation.  We need hope for the future we can depend on the Prophet Jesus who said I would never leave you nor forsake you.  We have the assurance of salvation from the sins of the past.  We have security in our salvation in the present in the Rock of our salvation.  We have hope for the future in the Prophet Jesus Christ, who said He would come again.