Okay, this evening now we're
coming back to our study in the book of Joshua, chapter 24. And what I want to talk to you
tonight about is covenant blessings, covenant blessings. I'm taking
verse 30, Joshua 24, verse 13, rather. When we talk about the blessings
that Israel of old received, We know they received these blessings
not because of their faithfulness, as we read, everything that God
had done for them, but everything they received these covenant
mercies because God is faithful. God is faithful. He said, I've
given you a land for which you did not labor, the whole land
of Canaan they possessed. on both the east side and the
west side of the Jordan River, which you—and cities, a land,
cities that you did not build, and you dwell in this land and
you dwell in this city by the will and purpose and determination
of God. These people didn't have to clear
the land or plant anything. They inherited these vineyards
A land that flows with, remember God said a land, I'm gonna give
you a land that flows with milk and honey. A lush land. And not only vineyards, but I'm
gonna give you these other orchards, olives, which you planted not,
you're gonna eat of these things, you're gonna enjoy these things,
they're gonna be a blessing to you. Now we see, leading up to
verse 13, The Lord declares His absolute sovereignty over all
things, His universal dominion over every creature in calling
out and blessing whom He will. David said to the heathen, when
they asked him, David, where's your God? He said, our God's
in the heavens. He had done whatsoever he had pleased. If you read back
through these verses from verse one, down through verse 13, you'll
see, as I pointed out in the reading, everything that God
has done for them. And that all is the picturing
type of the salvation we have in Christ. The Lord in this chapter
reminds the nation of Israel how the Lord blessed that nation
in calling out their father, Abraham. And he found Abraham
in the land of idolatry. He found Abraham dead in sin,
in bondage. And God gave him the land of
Canaan. He said, you come out. Go to
a land I will show you. I'll bless them. I'll bless you
and bless your seed as the stars of heaven as the sand upon the
sea. I will bless those who bless
you and I'll curse those that curse you. Found in Genesis chapter
12. God granted Abraham faith. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember our Lord said, Abraham
rejoiced to see my day. He saw it and he was glad. What did Abraham believe and
whom did he trust for his salvation? The Lord Jesus Christ and him
alone. The Lord and he gave him faith
in Christ. Remember it said that Abraham
believed God Now that just doesn't happen naturally. Abraham believed
God and it was counted to him for righteousness. The Lord also
reminds them and us how the Lord gave unto Abraham and Sarah this
special son. Abraham was nearly 100 years
old and Sarah about 90 years old. She was barren all her life,
had never had any children, and now she's way past the age of
naturally bearing children, but God gave that special son,
Isaac. and those promised covenant blessings
that were given in Isaac through Isaac all the way to the Lord
Jesus Christ. As it says in verse 3, I took
your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, that
is from the land of idolatry and bondage, and I led him throughout
all the land of Canaan, multiplied his seed, and I gave him that
special son. that special son. We read in
the Galatian letter, now to Abraham and his seed were the promises
made and he sayeth not and to seed as of many but as of one
and to thy seed which is Christ. God blessed his people through
that special son, and all that is a picture of the Lord Jesus
Christ. God gave a special son in Isaac,
and out of Isaac and Rebekah came those two twin boys, Jacob
and Esau. Remember what it says in Romans
9? The children being not yet born, neither having done any
good, or any evil that the purpose of God according to election
might stand. Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. Jacob was loved and blessed with
spiritual blessings according to the will of the Lord. God
elected one and left Esau to perish. God elected Jacob unto
salvation. And God left Esau to perish in
his own willful rebellion against God. I pointed out in the reading, verse 4, I gave unto Isaac Jacob
and Esau, those twin boys, And there's a picture of God's sovereign
mercy, sovereign salvation. And I gave Esau this mountain
to possess, that Jacob, who was loved and blessed of God, went
down to Egypt for 400 years. They were in bondage. Now, as
I pointed out in the reading, just naturally looking at that,
The person who's not taught of God and doesn't know what the
word of God would say, you would think, well, Esau had the blessing
and Jacob had no blessings. You would think, well, God didn't
love Jacob. He sent him down into bondage.
God blessed, surely he blessed Esau because he gave him that
mountain to inherit. Just the opposite is true. Just
the opposite is true. God loved Jacob and blessed him
with all spiritual blessings in Christ. And yeah, Esau had
some physical things, but no spiritual blessings and he had
no salvation. Although Jacob was loved and
blessed, he ended up him and his family in 400 years of bondage
until God was pleased to send the deliverer God raised up Moses
and went down to Egypt. And the Lord says through Moses,
I brought you out, verse six. I sent Moses, also I plagued
Egypt, verse five. I brought your fathers out of
Egypt. Now, we can be sure of this. They couldn't deliver themselves.
That's why God had to send the deliverer. And all of that is
such a glorious picture of our salvation. Remember these things
happen unto them for types and examples. I brought your fathers
out of Egypt and you came into the sea and the Egyptians pursued
after your fathers with chariots and horsemen into the Red Sea.
I love that story how Israel went across the Red Sea or through
the Red Sea on dry ground, and when they were clear across,
Moses, you remember, said, stand still and see the salvation of
the Lord. And Pharaoh and all of his army,
those chariots, powerful, powerful war machines. These people were
no match for Pharaoh and his army, and they started down through
the Red Sea. You remember what the Lord did
to those chariots? He took the wheels off. Their wheels fell
off. Somebody the day before greased
up all the wheels, doing the maintenance on them, and they
forgot to tighten the wheel bearing nuts, and the wheels fell off. Well, it was an accident. No,
God did it on purpose. And they drug those chariots,
and they drug deep into the sand. and the Lord covered them with
the sea and killed every one of them. And there's Israel standing
over there. What did they do? What did they
have to do with their salvation? Absolutely nothing. They stood
there and watched God work. All of that is how God saves
sinners, is it not? Moses said, fear you not, stand
still and see the salvation that's of the Lord. And we know that
salvation is of the Lord. From its origination to its execution,
application, sustaining power and ultimate perfection. The Lord also declares how he
blessed and sustained them in the wilderness for 40 years.
There in verse seven. Forty years he sustained them. Now, they could have walked into
the land of Canaan pretty quick. There's a story behind those
spies, you remember, that were sent. Forty days, and the twelve spies that went,
ten of them said, we can't possess the land. There are giants over
there. We're just grasshoppers in their sight. Joshua, Caleb,
said, God's with us. We're going to take that land.
Well, the majority of the people followed those who said we could
not take the land, and they turned and went away, and God gave them
40 years. He killed a whole generation.
There's only two men that walked into the promised land that were
20 years and older that were men, and that's Joshua and Caleb.
And even that's a picture of the gospel, is it not? Joshua
the Savior, Caleb the faithful dog, and I sustained you in the
wilderness. Moses couldn't do this. Remember,
they were ready to stone him. And people said, you brought
us out in the wilderness just to kill us. They didn't have any food. They
ran out of food, ran out of water. God provided the water through
that rock, and God provided the food from heaven. Forty years. Boy, that's a lot of food. You
see, with God, there's an abundant and infinite supply of mercy.
That's why His mercies are new every morning. And then He said,
I brought you into the land of the Amorites. I destroyed your
enemies and I gave you the land. Even when Balaam was sent to
curse you, I still blessed you. I still blessed you. Balak said
to Balaam, Numbers 23, come, curse me, Jacob, and come defy
Israel. And he said, how shall I curse
when God, whom God hath not cursed, or how shall I defy whom the
Lord hath not defiled? And Balak's anger was kindled
against Balaam, and he smote his hand together. And again,
Balak said to Balaam, I've called thee to curse my enemies, and
behold, thou hast altogether blessed them three times. You cannot curse what God had
determined to bless in Christ. You cannot curse what God had
determined to bless through the Lord Jesus Christ. He redeemed
us from the curse of the law, and you cannot bless that which
God has cursed. Cursed be the man that trusteth
in man, that maketh flesh his arm, whose hearts departed from
the Lord, for as many as are of the works of the law are under
the curse, for it is written, Cursed is everyone that continues
not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them. And he said, verse 11, and ye went over Jordan and came
to Jericho. We studied all that in Joshua
chapter 2 and Joshua chapter 3. how the Lord parted the rivers
of Jordan, how they walked over, and then they came to that mighty
city of Jericho, and God brought the walls down, saved Rahab the
harlot, and all that to picture. Remember, she put out that scarlet
line, and that house was spared, all that to picture of the blood
of Christ. and how he delivers us to the
blood. I sent a hornet before you and drave them out, even
the two kings of the Amorites, but not with sword, not with
your sword, thy sword or your bow. God said I did that. I did that. Now, you can see
all through there, none of those blessings, none of those victories,
none of that would have ever happened. without God being God. Without God being the absolute
God. And He blessed them abundantly. Now, why all these special and
sovereign blessings unto that nation, Israel? Was it because
they were always obedient people, faithful to the Lord? Just the
opposite is true. We read in Psalm 95, here's what
God says. 40 years long was I agreed with
that nation, with that generation, and said it is a people that
do err in their heart always and have not known my ways. And
yet, in spite of all their rebellion and wickedness and sin against
God, he blessed them still. Why? Because he said he would. You remember back over here in
chapter 23 verse 14, remember what Joshua reminded the people
of? Behold this day I'm going the way of all the earth, and
you know in all your hearts and all your souls that not one thing
hath failed of all the good things which the Lord God spake concerning
you. All are come to pass unto you,
not one word hath failed. God is faithful to his word.
even in spite of their sin, in spite of their constant rebellion
and unbelief against God, yet he blessed them still. All the
blessing they received were not because of their faithfulness,
but rather because of God's faithfulness to his word, his covenant promise,
given unto Abraham. Now, What can we learn from all of
this? Well, a whole lot. A whole lot. Remember, I quote
this scripture to you often found in Romans 15. Whatsoever was
written aforetime was written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. We have a good
hope through grace. Everything that happened unto
them, as we read earlier over here in 1 Corinthians chapter
10, Verse 11, all these things happen unto them for types, and
they're written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the world
are come. All those things are given, not
just to tell us about the history of that nation. It's an interesting
history. That was one of my favorite subjects.
I couldn't do math, and I couldn't do English. I flunked out in
both. But I did like history. I did
like history, but this is more than just a history story. It's
showing us in type and picture the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Now, according as God, according
to His covenant, blessed the nation of Israel physically,
freely, and fully provided everything for them that which they did
not purchase, did not produce, nor did they deserve, he said,
verse 13, I've given you a land for which you did not labor,
cities for which you did not build, and you dwell in them.
I've given you vineyards, olive yards, which you planted not,
yet, boy, you eat every year. I've given you fruit. Even so,
and more so, has the Lord, according to his eternal covenant of grace,
blessed his spiritual Israel, his elect, with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies in the Lord Jesus Christ, the God
of peace. that brought again from the dead
the Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, through
the blood, remember the blood of the everlasting covenant,
make you perfect, complete, justified in the Lord Jesus Christ. We
as his elect We partake of all spiritual blessings in Christ
for which we did not purchase, we did not produce, we did not
earn, we did not deserve, and we certainly did not merit. weren't
in the same shape as those folks. They didn't deserve any blessings
and we don't either. But rather were freely given
unto us in Christ and before, and he did so before the foundation
of the world. He chose us in Christ according
as he had blessed us in Christ before the foundation of the
world. Remember he said of Jacob and
Esau? Before they had done any good
or evil, God said, I chose one and rejected the other. We were
freely given all spiritual blessings in Christ before the foundation
of the world, because election is before creation, before the
fall. So when were we truly blessed?
When he chose us in Christ, justified us in Christ. We are thankful
for temporal and spiritual blessings. We are thankful for temporal
and physical blessings. They are more than we deserve.
But every believer has much more in Christ. Much more. Much more. The wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God is eternal life. Where sin abounded,
you remember, grace. Grace does much more abound.
We did not purchase anything, He bought us with His own blood.
We did not produce anything but sin, and He put that away. We did not earn anything but
the wages of sin, which is death, and He's given us the victories
through the Lord Jesus Christ. And we certainly don't merit
anything at all. You see, salvation is all of
grace. Isn't that a good verse to tell us the gospel? Now, let
me ask you some questions. Which are you more thankful for,
a new house, a new car, or a new heart given us in Christ Jesus? Well, it's a no-brainer, as old
Joe Nuxall used to say about when Johnny Bench hit a home
run. You remember what he'd say? Oh, that's a no-doubter. You
older folks remember that, don't you? That's a no-doubter. You
see, we're more thankful for a new heart given to us in Christ
in regenerating grace. Which are you more thankful for,
to feast upon the best steak in town or to feast upon the
Lord Jesus Christ down forever as the bread of life? Well, I'd
rather have the bread of life, wouldn't you? Which are you more
thankful for, to be a rich, to be a son of a rich and famous
person? Maybe you would like to be Bill Gates Jr. Or would you rather be called
the son of God, a son of God? Behold what manner of love the
Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called sons
of God. Which are you more thankful for, to be an heir to an earthly
fortune? or to be an heir of the Lord
Jesus Christ. An heir of God and joint heir
with Christ. To own a portion of all nations or to have Christ
the Lord Jesus Christ as your portion. As David said, he's
my portion forever. Our God and Savior will abundantly
and eternally bless his covenant people, not because they're deserving,
but rather because the Lord is gracious. Not because we're deserving. Oh, you deserve something, don't
you? Death, judgment, hell, eternal condemnation. You see, it's only
because God delights to show mercy. Jacob prayed that, didn't
he? Lord, I'm not worthy of the least
of your mercies and of thy truth. Our God and our Savior, our God
and Savior will bless us not because of our works or our obedience
or because of our faithfulness, but rather because of His faithfulness,
rather because of His works of redemption, because of His obedience
unto death upon the cross. Remember I told you before the
only reason for grace is grace. He's bestowed upon us all spiritual
blessings because of His grace. Grace for grace. We believe through
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved. He's given us all covenant blessings
that are ordered in all things and that are sure. Now, they were given this land
for which they did not work and did not labor. It was the free
gift of God. The whole land of Canaan and
even some on the east bank, they were given the land, the whole
land as the free gift of God. And every believer in Christ
is promised a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth
righteousness, a land from which we did not labor." He's given
us a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness. We had absolutely nothing to
do with the first creation, did we? Did you have anything to
do with that? When God said, let there be light?
We didn't have anything to do with that. Neither do we have
anything to do with being made a new creature in Christ Jesus
or the creation of the heavenly Jerusalem. It's all the gift
of God. So they were given a land, they were given cities for which
they did not build and they dwell in them. Remember the Lord said,
I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail
against it. We have in Christ the Lord building up his church,
his people into a glorious church, a glorious kingdom without spot
and without wrinkle. He said, this is my church. He said, I will build it, but
not according to our works, but according to his will, his purpose. And we dwell in this new city. We dwell in him. That is, we
abide in Him, and He abides in us. Thirdly, they were given
all these vineyards and olive yards, which they did not plant,
but yet they regularly ate of them every year. God gave them
a bumper crop. And we know the Lord Jesus Christ.
What would you say that's a picture of? Christ is the true vine,
and we are the branches. We enjoy the free wine of His
grace, And the pure wine of His love and mercy, as Christ is
the true vine, the vine, the grapes and the olives. They didn't
plant them, and we did not plant the true vine, did we? The Lord
Jesus Christ. Yet we enjoy the sweet produce
of his spirit within us, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, meekness, temperance, these things. How much more than
in Christ, where sin abounded, grace does much more abound.
That sin, sin that has reigned unto death That's over here in
Romans 5. Let me read it to you. Don't
turn, I'll just read it for you. Romans 5, where it says, Moreover,
the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death,
even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life
by Jesus Christ our Lord. We enjoy in the Lord Jesus Christ
right now all the fullness. In Him goes all the fullness
of a Godhead bodily and in Him you stand, what's that word? Complete. What does complete
mean? I mean, it's complete. That means
it's perfect. That means you can't add anything.
When God said it's complete and full and free, We enjoy the Lord
Jesus Christ right now, the land of his free and sovereign grace,
the city of refuge that he's given us. We have the vineyard
of his spirit. May God ever make us thankful
in our heart. Oh, we have so much to thank
him for. so much to thank Him for. Rejoice evermore, pray without
ceasing, and in everything give thanks, for this is the will
of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Isn't that a tremendous
verse? That's the gospel.