Okay, now we're looking at Joshua
chapter 21. And as I read this chapter over,
two things caught my attention. One, the repeated statement that
is given in several verses where among these 48 cities, there
were six cities designated as the city of refuge. And we had
that lesson last time in Joshua chapter 20. And we know those
cities of refuge were appointed and designated by God where the
manslayer could go and find refuge and safety, safety from the avenger
of blood. The other thing that caught my
attention immediately was what is said down in verse 45. There
failed not ought. of any good thing." What the
Lord speaks, He speaks good things. He speaks good news. There failed
not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken, and He spoke
this unto the house of Israel. This wasn't meant for the Philistines
and the Hittites and the Amalekites and all the other items. This
was spoken unto Israel. And the Word of God is given
unto His people. And everything He speaks, nothing
will fail. All came to pass. Now, how many times have we read
in the Scripture, and it came to pass? And the Lord said, and
it came to pass. Everything the Lord says will
come to pass. And that's the title of the message.
All came to pass. Now let's go back for just a
moment and read verse 43. The Lord gave unto Israel all
the land which he sware to give unto their fathers. Now that's
that covenant promise. If you look at the marginal reference
there, you see Genesis 13, 15. It goes all the way back to that
covenant made with Abraham. God said, I'll bless you and
I'll bless your seed. And that looks all the way to
Christ too. He is the seed of Abraham. And we're blessed in
Christ. Isaac. And they possessed it. God gave
it. God's swearing to the fathers.
God gave it and they possessed it. They possessed it as a gift
of God. And not only that, they lived
there. They dwelt there. And the Lord gave them rest.
rest round about, according to all that he said, all that he
swore. When he could swear by no greater,
he swore by himself." You remember in the book of Hebrews, "...unto
their fathers. And there stood not a man of
all their enemies before them. The Lord delivered all their
enemies into their hand." How can one man chase a thousand?
That's what happened because God was with that one man. There
failed not aught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken
in the house of Israel. Everything came to pass. Now this is a sweet and beautiful
summary of God's faithfulness to his word, the word of his
promise. All that he has spoken to this
nation of Israel, not one word failed. God had accomplished
what he said he would do, he said it, and then he did it. Remember he said, I've spoken
it, I'll bring it to pass, I've purposed it, I will do it. Now, there's another statement
similar to this. Turn over to Joshua 23 verse
14. The last words of Joshua as he
was an old man and dying, And the last word to these people,
verse 14, Joshua 23. And behold this day, I'm going
away of all the earth. What is that? Back to the dust. All flesh is grass. And you know
in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing
hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake
concerning you, all are come to pass unto you, not one thing
hath failed." Now isn't that a sweet promise? That's a sweet
promise. And that's why I read over here
earlier, don't turn, let me just read it to you again. When Solomon
prayed there at the dedication of the temple, blessed be the
Lord that hath given the rest unto his people Israel according
to all they had promised, there hath not failed one word. of
all of his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses
his servant." Can we believe that word? By faith, yes, we
receive it. And by faith, yes, we believe
it. All those physical covenant promises
given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were fulfilled in Israel,
giving them the land of Canaan, He said a land that flows with
milk and honey. We're going to see over here
in chapter 22 or 23, 24. He said, I gave you land for
which you didn't earn. I've given you houses for which
you did not build. I've given you fields full of
crops that you didn't plant. God gave them everything. And
that's a picture of the gospel, giving them the land of milk
and honey, defeating all their enemies of the land, and giving
them rest from all their enemies. Now, how much more? Can we rest in the unchanging
covenant promise of our God concerning all spiritual blessings, all
spiritual promises we have in everlasting covenant of grace
with our Lord Jesus Christ. David said, he had made with
me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and is sure, this
is all my hope, and this is all my salvation. And we can say
that. The covenant of grace. You remember
the promise in 2 Corinthians 1, for all the promises of God
in him are yes, And in him, amen, so be it, unto the glory of God
by the Lord Jesus Christ. And then Peter, remember he talks
about those precious promises. whereby are given unto us exceeding
great, exceeding great, not just great promises and precious promises,
exceeding great and precious promises, that by these you might
be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption
that is in the world through lust. Promises of God. Now in this chapter we learn
how the Lord purposed to settle the tribe of Levi, among the
tribes of Israel, you remember they were given no land like
the other 11 tribes because you remember, turn back to chapter
18 verse 7, you remember all the different tribes, the other
11 tribes were given certain portions of land. But the Levites,
being the Levitical tribe and the priestly tribe, they were
given no land. But look at 18, Joshua 18, 7. But the Levites have no part
among you, for the priesthood of the Lord is their inheritance.
And we are kings and priests unto our God, and He is our inheritance.
And Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Nasa have received their inheritance
beyond Jordan, on the east which Moses, the servant of the Lord,
gave them. But the Levites, they had no
particular land area like Judah, and Reuben, Simeon, Gad, all
these other different tribes. But they were given these cities. They were given these 48 cities
to dwell in, and this too was according to the promise of God.
If you look at Joshua 21, Verse 1 and 2, Then came near
the heads of the fathers of the Levites, and the Eleazar the
priest, and the Joshua the son of Nun, to the heads of the fathers
of the tribes of the children of Israel. And they spake unto
them at Shiloh, that is where the tabernacle was located, in
the land of Canaan, saying, The Lord commanded by the hand of
Moses to give us cities to dwell in. with suburbs thereof for
our cattle." Now notice the marginal reference there is Numbers 35
verse 2. You see that? Numbers 35 2. Don't
turn there, let me just read it to you. Here's what that says. Command the children of Israel
that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance their possession
cities to dwell in and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs
were the cities roundabout, that is the pasture land for their
cattle, for their livestock, for their livelihood. But they
also noticed among those 48 cities, as you read down through those
48 cities, six of those cities were designated as cities of
refuge. cities of refuge where the slayer
could run to reside, run to and reside in and be protected by
the priest of God, remember? From chapter 20, and sheltered
from the avenger of blood, avenger of blood, staying in that city
and abiding in that city. You remember we read that verse?
If he came out of the city and the man slayer was outside, he
had the right to kill him. So that man who was guilty of
slaying someone was to stay in that city if he had slain someone
unaware. That is, it was not premeditated
murder. We would call that, in our day,
a form of manslaughter. But notice, if you will, in Joshua 21 verse 13, Thus they gave to the
children of Aaron the priest Hebron with her suburbs to be
a city of refuge for the slayer." Now that's one city, now again
it mentions this down in verse 21, and they gave them Shechem
with her suburbs and Mount Ephraim to be a city of refuge for the
slayer and Gezer with her suburbs again in verse 27, unto the children
of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the half-tribe
of Manasseh, they gave Golan and Bashan, with their suburbs,
to be a city of refuge for the Slayer." Now among these 48 cities
were scattered around, these 6 cities, 3 on the west side
of Jordan and 3 on the east side of Jordan, remember? So the manslayer
could run to that city to be a city of refuge for the slayer. Again, it emphasizes this, and
I think with power. Verse 38, out of the tribe of
Gad, Ramoth and Gilead, with her suburbs, to be a city of
refuge for the slayer, and Manam with her suburbs. What caught my attention as I
was reading this here, remember from our lesson in chapter 20
how that those cities of refuge were a type and picture of the
Lord Jesus Christ who is our refuge. He is our sure dwelling
place. And remember from our lesson
how even the names of those six cities also describe the Lord
Jesus Christ. And how sinners who are guilty
before God find a true refuge and a resting place in the Lord
Jesus Christ, a city of refuge for the one who is charged with
murder. Now, what does all that mean
to us and how is it relative to the gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ? Well, I see in this whatsoever
was written before time was written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. All that tells
us the good news of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation
is for sinners. Salvation is for sinners. The Lord Jesus Christ did not
come to call the righteous to repentance. The Lord Jesus Christ
came to save sinners, Matthew 9, 13. Luke 19.10 says that the
Son of Man, remember that story about Zacchaeus? The Lord said,
Come down, today I must abide at your house, for you're a true
son of Abraham, one of God's elect, for the Son of Man has
come to seek and to save that which is lost. You see, my friend,
salvation is for sinners. That encourages me, that comforts
me, because I know I know I'm a sinner. I know I'm a sinner. And then in Romans 5, Romans
5, it says, when we were yet without strength, the Lord Jesus
Christ died for the ungodly. God committed His love toward
us in that way while we were yet sinners. Christ died for
us. You know, salvation is for sinners.
Salvation is for sinners, a confessed guilty sinner. Now he probably
wouldn't qualify to be on the Supreme Court, but he would qualify
for salvation by the grace of God. You know, if they're looking
for a perfect man to sit on the Supreme Court, they'll never
find one. We're all sinners, sinners. Oh people, I get, it's
comical. It's comical. And I think about
that scripture where it said, let the potsherds strive with
the potsherds. And that's all that's going on.
A bunch of potclays just calling each other potclays and making
fun of one another. It's quite comical. I'm sure
the Lord is having a good laugh. But they'll never find a perfect
man because we're all sinners. They ought to ask some of them
people, are you a sinner? 99% of them said, well, you know,
I was a pretty good boy. And that's what the judge even
said. I go to church, I do this, I do that. I'm not a sinner.
Well, you're not a candidate for salvation. Salvation for
sinners. This is a faithful saying and
worthy of all acceptation that the Lord Jesus Christ came to
save sinners And Paul said right here, you want to find a guilty
man? Right here. Salvation for sinners. That's
why he emphasizes over and over and over, there's a city of refuge
for the slayer. Run to it. Get in it. Stay in
it. Abide in it. Christ is our refuge. Christ is our righteousness.
I'm not going around to try to establish a righteousness. I'm
guilty. I'm guilty. That's what the law
of God says, doesn't it? Let every mouth be stopped and
all the world become guilty, guilty, guilty before God. Now,
the second thing I wanna look at, in verse 43, down through verse
45, all that the Lord our God has spoken unto this nation,
of Israel all came to pass. You know why? God's not like
us. God is faithful to his word,
faithful to his covenant. You know one thing, there's several
things that God, there's several things that's impossible for
him to do. You know that? Impossible for
him to lie. He cannot lie, totally. Impossible
for God to change. It's impossible for God to not
make good on His Word. He said, I've spoken it, I'll
bring it to pass, I'll do it. God is faithful. Know ye therefore
that the Lord our God, Deuteronomy 7, 9. Know ye therefore that
the Lord our God, He is God. The faithful God. which keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love him, and keep his commandments to a thousand
generations. You mean, you've kept the commandments
of God? Absolutely, every one of them. How's that? In Christ, my substitute,
I've honored the law of God completely and fully. And this promise that's
given here in verse 43, The Lord gave unto Israel all
the land which He swore to give to their fathers, and they possessed
it, and they dwelt therein." That promise goes all the way
back to Abraham and his seed. God is faithful. Verse 43, "...the
Lord gave them this land of Canaan, and they possessed it, and they
dwelt therein. It was the gift from the hand
of the Lord." Not because they were deserving. Not because they
were deserving. Where did God find them? Where
did God find Abraham? In the era of the Chaldees, in
the house of idolatry. Not because they were deserving,
but according to his own purpose and his own grace, given in Christ
before the foundation of the world. I often think of this
scripture in regard to that in Deuteronomy 7. Don't turn, let
me just read it to you. Deuteronomy 7, 7. The Lord did
not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because you were
more in number than any people. You were the fewest of all, one
man, Abraham. But because the Lord loved you,
because he would keep the oath which he swore unto his fathers,
your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and
redeemed you of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharaoh. the king of Egypt. Know therefore
that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which
keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His
commandments a thousand generations." God is faithful to His Word,
faithful to His covenant. And then verse 44 in our text,
it said, "...the Lord gave them rest, the Lord delivered them
from all their enemies." Now, you remember, we looked at this before. Let
me just read it to you again. In Psalm 44 verse 3, God says, They got not the land in their
possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save
them, but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy
countenance, because thou hast had favor unto them. Thou art my king, O God, command
deliverance for Jacob, for Israel. He's a God of Jacob. And then verse 45 in our text,
there failed not ought, not ought, of any good thing which the Lord
had spoke concerning Israel, the house of Israel, all came
to pass. Even so, and much more, all the
promises of God given in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
shall be accomplished, because our Lord Jesus Christ is the
faithful Savior, He is the surety of the everlasting covenant,
and because our God is faithful to his covenant, faithful to
his word, and faithful to his people. Our blessed God and Savior,
therefore, he cannot fail. Now that's one of my favorite
verses in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 42 verse 4, where it says,
The Lord behold my elect, my servant, and whom I uphold, and
whom I delight in. That's verse 1. And then he says,
my servant that cannot fail, he cannot fail, he abideth God
is faithful by whom you were called unto fellowship with the
Lord. Not one word can fail. Not one
promise of God given to the elect can fail. All has been accomplished. He said it's finished. He said
it's done. He said heaven and earth shall
pass away, but my word, my word will never, never, never pass
away all shall be fulfilled. The word of God will not return
to him void, it will accomplish that which he pleases. Now I want us to consider these
words given here and relate them to the gospel promise fulfilled
in Christ. Verse 43, the Lord gave Israel
all the land and they possessed it. We, by the Lord's decree
and promise, possess, we possess I mean, we've got it. It's ours. We possess all spiritual blessings
in Christ, in the Lord Jesus Christ, and we dwell in them,
and He dwells in us. He's blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenly, in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord
prayed in John 17, 23, I in them, thou in me, that they may be made perfect
in one. Christ in you is the hope of
glory. We possess. It's not that we
will someday possess all these things. We possess all spiritual
blessings right now. There's not one spiritual blessing
that has not been fully, eternally given unto us right now before
God. Think of it. Think of it. And then the second thing, where
it says there, the Lord gave them rest. You see verse 44?
The Lord gave them rest. Rest. You see, the Lord Jesus
Christ is our Sabbath rest. He is our rest. Our Lord said
this in Matthew 11, remember? Come unto Me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you,
and learn of Me." You know, the more we learn of Him, the more
we see of Him, the more we rest. I'm resting in Him. How about
you? I'm looking to the Lord Jesus
Christ for all righteousness, all pardon, all redemption. I'm
resting in Him. Rest in Him. And all that He
is, is ours. We're heirs of God and joint
heirs with Christ. And then the Lord delivered them
from all their enemies, as it says there in the last part of
verse 44. And our Lord Jesus Christ has
defeated all our foes. We're more than conquerors through
Him that has loved us. More than conquerors. More than
conquerors through Him that has loved us. Now, we've got time
to read this one. Let's turn over and read this.
1 Corinthians, I quote this verse all the time. 1 Corinthians 15. Now, I usually quote just part
of this passage of Scripture. Thanks be to God who's given
us a victory through the Lord Jesus Christ. He always causes
us to triumph in Christ, 2 Corinthians 2, 14. But let's go back to 1
Corinthians 15, verse 50. Now this I say, brethren, that
flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does
corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I show you a mystery.
We shall not all sleep, But we all shall be changed in the moment
of twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. For the trumpet
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed. This corruptible must put on
incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall
have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written,
death is swallowed up in victory. That's Isaiah 25.8. O death,
where is thy stain? O grave, Where is your victory? The sting of death is sin. The
strength of sin is the law. Sin has been put away. The law
has been honored. Now. Thanks be to God who has
given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. All of
our enemies have been defeated by our blessed Savior. Colossians
2.15, having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of
them openly, triumphing over them with himself. Christ completely
has won the victory over our sin in that he put it away by
the sacrifice of himself. Christ has overcome death, hell,
and the grave. He said, I'm he that liveth and
was dead. Behold, I'm alive forevermore. I have the keys of hell and death.
He has crushed Satan's dominion and his power. And the God of
peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Finally, completely,
Verse 45, there failed not ought of any good thing as the Lord
has spoken. Can you think of one promise
God has spoken in his word in the gospel that has not been
accomplished and fulfilled? All came to pass, every promise
God given to Israel was accomplished. How much more in every good thing
promised in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? but we could
spend the rest of the week reading the promises of God that are
certain and sure exceeding great and precious promises in Christ. How about this one? All that
the Father giveth to me shall come to me, and those that come
to me I will in no wide cast out. How about this one? God
was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself. How God made
peace for us in Christ. How God, how Christ made peace
for us with His own blood. And then this one, He's able
to keep you from falling. and to present you faultless
before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only
wise God our Savior be glory and dominion both now and forever
and ever." We can go on and on and on about the promises of
God. He that believeth on the Son hath life. He that believeth
not the Son shall not see life. Our Lord Jesus Christ, excuse me, is the Savior cannot
fail. Call His name Jesus, He shall
save His people from their sin. Our Lord Jesus Christ is Redeemer
who actually redeems all His people from all their sin. For
He obtained for us eternal redemption, not with the blood of bulls and
goats, but with His own blood. See what that verse says there?
There failed not ought of any good thing. That's why the gospel's
good news. That's why the gospel's good
news. God cannot fail. God's faithful to his word, faithful
to his covenant, faithful to his people.