Okay, this evening now we're
looking back at our study here. We're going to try to look at
the last part of Joshua 12 verse 24. And then a few verses here
found in chapter 13, Joshua chapter 13. I'm taking the title for
the message from the last verse found in chapter 13. Let's read
that verse again. But unto the tribe of Levi, Moses
gave not any inheritance. The Lord God of Israel was their
inheritance. Now, if you have him, You have
everything. If you have the Lord God of Israel,
you have everything. Everything God has for any sinner
is found in the Lord God of Israel, who is none other than our Lord
Jesus Christ. The Lord God of Israel was their
inheritance as he said unto them. Now we'll go back and look at
that in just a moment, but let me give you this introduction.
The tribe of Levi, one of those sons of Jacob, the tribe of Levi
was the priestly tribe, remember? The Lord called out Aaron, the
brother of Moses, to be the priest, the priest of God, to represent
the people before God, but not only that, to offer a sacrifice
for them unto the Lord. And the sacrifice that Aaron
brought for himself and for others was a blood sacrifice, all that
picturing the way of substitution and the atonement by the blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both Moses and Aaron serve as
personal types of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember I told you there
were instituted types, providential types, and personal types. Both Aaron and Moses serve as
personal types or pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ. Aaron,
the priest of God who represented the people to God. Now, thank God we have a great
high priest. We have a great high priest.
Who is it? The Lord Jesus Christ. The whole
book of Hebrews sets forth his priesthood much more superior
than that of Aaron. Those priests ministered often,
oftentimes the same sacrifices which could never take away sin.
The Lord Jesus Christ offered one sacrifice forever And he
sat down because he got the job done. And by that one sacrifice
that he offered for us, sanctifies us unto the Lord God forever. Thank God for the priest we have,
the great high priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, after the order
of Aaron, Levi, but Melchizedek especially. Moses also was a
picture and type of the Lord Jesus Christ. Moses was that
great prophet of God. great prophet of God, called
of God. Moses, who represented the people,
who represented God rather, to the people. So here we have the
priest who represents the people to God, and then we have the
prophet of God who represents God to the people. He has the
message given from God to the prophet and delivers that to
the people. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ, he
is that prophet. You remember Deuteronomy 18?
The promise God gave to Moses, I'll raise up a prophet from
among the brethren like unto you, or he'll be much more superior,
but like unto you, a real man, sent with God's message. Moses,
the prophet, represented God to the people. In the Lord Jesus
Christ, we see the fulfillment of those two vital offices. Aren't they vital? Vital offices. Where would we be without an
atonement for our sin? The Lord Jesus Christ, though,
didn't bring the typical animal sacrifice, did he? He brought
his own blood for us by one offering perfected forever, them that
are sanctified. The Lord Jesus Christ, we see
the fulfillment of those two offices, but not only that, Christ
is not only our prophet and priest, the Lord Jesus Christ is also
our, what's that third one I've always told you about? He's our
King. He's our King. He's King of Kings
and Lord of Lords. Christ is the King to righteously
and absolutely reign over us and reign over all things. His dominion is from everlasting
to everlasting. His dominion is everywhere all
the time. Now, as I've pointed out many
times in the past, no one person in the Old Testament held all
three of those offices before God, no one person did. Now we know the Lord Jesus Christ
is the fulfillment of all those three offices. Let me give you
an example. David was a prophet and king,
the sweet psalmist of Israel, a man after God's own heart,
but David was not a priest. David was not a priest. You remember
some of those kings who tried to act as a priest? You remember
that one king who went in? Was it Uzziah that went in and
said, I'm gonna be my own priest? You remember what happened to
him? He died a leper. God smote him with leprosy. So
David was a prophet and a king, but he was not a priest and he
knew it. He had to have a priest to officiate
for him before God. We know that Samuel was a mighty
prophet and a priest, but Samuel was not a king. He was not a
king. You see, the Lord Jesus Christ
must have all the honor and glory in all things. He must have the
preeminence in all things. We read in Colossians chapter
one, that Christ is the head of the body. The church, who
is the head of the church? Christ is the head of the church.
Christ is the head of the body of the church who is the beginning,
remember he said I'm the beginning and the ending, I'm Alpha and
Omega, the firstborn from the dead that in all things he might
have the preeminence, the first place, the rightful place in
all the glory and all the honor. I found this statement by Matthew
Henry when I was reading through his commentary on chapter 12
and chapter 13, but I thought it was a good statement and I'm
going to give it to you about these chapters that we read through.
He said this about names and places of kings
that are so hard and difficult to read about. Here's what he
said. We're not to skip over these chapters of hard names
as useless and not to be regarded. Where God has given mouth to
speak and a hand to write, we should find an ear to hear and
an eye to read, and God give us a heart to profit by it. That's
a pretty good statement, isn't it? Can I read it to you again? We're not to skip over these
chapters of hard names as useless and not to be regarded. Where
God has mouth to speak and a hand to write, we should find an ear
to hear and an eye to read, and may God give us a benefit by
doing so, reading his word. You remember we studied in Romans
Chapter 15, verse four, whatsoever was written aforetime was written
for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scripture
might have hope. Now, here's point number one
I wanna make here. This is, I think, going back
to what is said here in the last part, the last verse in chapter
12. Chapter 12, verse 24. All kings, thirty and one, all
those kings were defeated. All those kings were, thirty-one
different kings that are mentioned here. Some of them are very familiar
because they're repeated over and over again. Og and these
other ones, Sihon, these other ones that we read about, they're
most familiar, but we learn more about the great conquest that
the Lord had given to Joshua in soundly defeating the enemies
of God in the land of Canaan. He mentions specifically 31 different
kings that God defeated. They went down to a complete
total wipeout. You remember one chapter we read
where it says in those particular places that Joshua went in and
conquered them that not one soul was left to breathe. one more
breath of life. They were all destroyed. It was
a complete annihilation. Now we surely know the reason
why Israel had so many victories. Why Joshua was given so many
victories. Because of the God of Israel. Because of the God of Israel.
If you'll notice in chapter 13 verse 6, where it said, them,
the middle part of the verse, them will I drive out. before the children of Israel. I'm gonna drive them out. Now,
in the original, the language is a little bit stronger. In
the original, it reads, it is I that will drive them out. It is I, them will I drive out,
or it is I that will drive them out. And then, you remember in
chapter 11, over here in verse six, in chapter 11, This is the
reason that Israel had so many victories chapter 11 verse 6
and the Lord said unto Joshua be not afraid because of them
for tomorrow about this time will I deliver them up all slain
before Israel. The Lord was going to deliver
them up. before them. And then, don't
turn because we've read this recently, but you remember the
psalmist in Psalm 44, when he writes about the history of that
great victory and the victories that Joshua had, we read these
words in Psalm 44. Verse one, two, three, and four. We have heard with our ears,
O God, our fathers have told us what work thou didst in their
days in the times of old. how thou didst drive out the
heathen with thy hand, and plantest them, and how thou didst afflict
the people, and cast them out. For they got not to land in their
possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save
them, but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy
countenance, because thou hast had favor unto them. Thou art my king, O God, command
deliverance for Jacob." Now the reason we have deliverance from
sin is because of the commandment of God, because of the decree
of God. Now, if we view all these victories,
that God worked through Israel and Joshua the mighty captain
of those armies, the general that God raised up, if we view
all these victories only as a matter of history, and it is a matter
of history, is it not? But if we view that only as a
matter of history, it will be of no spiritual benefit unto
us. But if we can, by the Holy Spirit's
leadership and influence and revelation, see in these victories
our great Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, defeating all our enemies,
we can glean from that comfort and peace and joy and hope in
the Lord Jesus Christ. What a great... He's called in
scripture, the captain of our salvation, who's bringing many
sons unto glory. Joshua, our Joshua, the Lord
Jesus Christ, left nothing undone. Remember from chapter 11, verse
15, as the Lord commanded Moses, his servant, So did Moses command
Joshua, and so did Joshua, and he left nothing undone of all
that the Lord commanded Moses. He left nothing undone. Nothing
undone. Our Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ,
has left nothing undone for us. Has he? Is there something yet
that we must do? to complete our salvation. He's
left nothing undone. He finished the work the Father
gave him to do, and he prayed that way. Father, I've glorified
thee on the earth. I've finished the work you gave
me to do. That's our hope. It is Christ
who finished the work for us. The Lord Jesus Christ has won
and secured our complete salvation from all our enemies And we have
enemies from within and from without, don't we? Sin, he's
conquered our sin. Satan, he defeated him. Death,
hell, the grave, because he lives, we shall live in him. And he
has given unto us all spiritual blessings and has enriched us
abundantly. He's made unto us our wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification, and He is our redemption. Therefore,
we can rightly conclude, as Paul does in Romans 8, where it says,
who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It's God to justify
it. Who is He that condemns it? It's
Christ who dies, He rises again, who is even the right hand of
God, who also makes intercession for us. And then it comes to
this conclusion. We are more than conquerors through
Him that loved us. Romans 8.37. I quote this verse all the time
because it just speaks so much comfort to my heart. Thanks be
to God who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He's given us the victory. We're on the winning team. Every
believer is a winner. because Christ has won the victory
for us. Christ is exalted, far above
all principality and power, might and dominion, and every name
that is named, not only in this world, but also that which is
to come, and has put all things under his feet, and gave him
to be head over all things to the church. He is our head, we
are the body. And then Colossians chapter two,
blotting out the handwriting of ordinance that was against
us, which was contrary to us, he took it out of the way, nailing
it to his cross, having spoiled principalities and powers, he
made a show of them openly, triumphing over them with himself or by
himself. When he had by himself purged
our sin, he sat down on the right hand of the throne of God. Now, chapter 13 verse one. So those 31 kings down to defeat. Now it says in chapter 13 Joshua
13 verse 1, now Joshua was old, stricken in years. And the Lord
said unto him, thou art old and you're stricken in years and
yet there remaineth yet very much land to possess. And he mentions these different
places from the north, the south, the east, and the west. All the
further campaign and the peoples and the kings and the kingdom
that were to be conquered. Joshua was old and stricken in
years. Now, you think about it. Think
about that for a moment. The things that Joshua had seen
in his life. Being born, you remember where
he was born? Born in Egypt, wasn't he? He
was raised a slave. And when God set Israel free,
Joshua was among those who went through the Red Sea. And Joshua
saw all those miracles, those miracles that God brought on
the Egyptians, all the things that Joshua had been through,
all the battles that he has won and the victories that he has
won. And God said, be strong and be
of good courage. I'll never leave you. I'm with
you always. This man, Joshua, who was strong,
who was a leader, who was courageous, now he's old. Now, God said he's
stricken in years. Joshua was now about to finish
up his earthly ministry. Most think at this time that
he was 100 years old at this time. If you read in Joshua 24,
which is the last chapter, verse 29, we read this, Joshua, the
son of Nun, The servant of the Lord, and he was a faithful servant
of the Lord, died being 110 years old. 110 years old. Faithful servant of the Lord.
What a faithful, valiant servant of the Lord he was. And I thought
about this. Only Joshua and Caleb remained
of those men that came out of Egypt more than 45 years ago.
Two men, two men. Now in chapter 14, if you read
ahead, we're gonna see next study about Caleb. Joshua, look at
Joshua 14 verse 10 for just a minute. Joshua 14 verse 10, and now behold
the Lord have kept me alive. This is the testimony of Caleb.
The Lord, behold, the Lord hath kept me alive, as he said, these
forty and five years, even since the Lord spake this word unto
Moses, while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness,
and now, lo, I am this day fourscore and eighty-five years old. Yet, I like this, verse 11, as
yet I'm strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me.
You remember he was one of those 12 spies that spied out the land,
Joshua and Caleb both. Was then even so is now my strength,
my strength now for war, both to go out and come in. He's saying
I can still go out and fight for my Lord. God blessed him
with good health, 85 years old, and he said, I'm ready to go.
I'm ready to get back in the battle, getting ready to fight
the battle. And we'll study more about him
next week. But remember what I've told you before about how
this is a picture of Christ and the Savior, Joshua and Caleb. Joshua is a picture of the Savior.
Caleb, a picture of the faithful believer, faithful servant of
the Lord entering into glory. And it's a picture of the Savior
and the believer entering into that eternal Canaan in perfect
peace, rest, and eternal joy. You know, when the Lord came
forth from the tomb and ascended to glory, you know, He didn't
go as a private man. He went as a public head. When
he went to glory, all the body of Christ went there with him. Now, I can't explain that, but
what it says in Ephesians 2, they were already seated in the
heavenly together in Christ. What's true of the head is true
of the body. Where the head is, that's where the body is, in
Christ. And that's a picture, is it not?
Joshua and Caleb entering into the promised land, the Savior
and the faithful believer. Joshua's body, was like our body. Joshua's body is like our body.
Joshua's body is worn out. He's given it in the service
of the Lord. The Lord said, you're stricken in years. Once full
of strength, now frail. Once ready to do battle for the
Lord, now ready to lay down his life. This is the way of all flesh,
is it not? It is but grass headed back to the dust from whence
it came. May the Lord be pleased to teach us to number our days
that we may apply our heart to wisdom. I always think of this
scripture, let's turn and read it together. Over here in Psalm
90. Psalm 90, look at this carefully.
And I'm getting close to that three score, three score and
10. Some of you are past three score
and 10. Three score and 10 is what? 70, right? Look at verse
10, Psalm 90 verse 10. The days of our years are three
score and 10, and if by reason of strength they be four score
years. That's 80. Yet is there strength,
labor, and sorrow, for it is soon cut off and we fly away. That's reality. Who knoweth the
power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so
was thy wrath. So teach us, verse 12, teach
us to number our days, not our years, not our decades. Teach us to
number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Today is the day of salvation.
You don't have tomorrow. I don't have tomorrow. Death
may be tonight. The Lord may call us home this
evening. We don't know. The days and the
months are with the Lord. There is a time appointed that
we shall meet. But there is a great contrast
here I wanna point out. A great contrast here between
Joshua and the greater Joshua. the Lord Jesus Christ. It can
never be said of him that he's old, stricken in years. There
is a great contrast and an anti-type in the Lord Jesus Christ. In
scripture, he's called the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will never be old and stricken
in the flesh with weakness and old age because he is the immutable
God, which was, which is, and is to come. The first, the last,
the alpha, and the omega. He is the immutable God. He is
the everlasting Father. He is the Prince of Peace. For
I am the Lord. He said, I change not, therefore
you sons of Jacob, you are not consumed. He never changes. He is immutable. We change all
the time. Our bodies change. Our attitude,
up one day, down the next. Happy one day, sad the next.
We're always changing, up and down, back and forth. Our Joshua
never changes. He never moves from his throne
of absolute glory and sovereignty. Our Joshua ever lived to intercede
for us, and because he lives, we shall live also in him. We live and move and have our
being. He's able to save to the uttermost,
seeing that he's able to save them to the uttermost, seeing
he ever live to make intercession for them. Right now he intercedes
for us as our mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
as our mediator, as our intercessor, as our advocate. We have an advocate
with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The apostle put it this way in
the book of Romans, it is Christ that died, yea rather that is
risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes
intercession for us right now. That's such a comfort, is it
not? Now, back to Joshua 13, the last part of verse one, thou art old and
stricken in years, and there remaineth yet very much land
to possess. This is a land that yet remained
all the borders of the Philistines and all the all of Geshurai,
from Sihur, which is before Egypt, even under the borders of Ekron,
northward, which is to the Canaanites, five lords, to the Philistines,
the Gazathites, the Ashdodthites, the Eschlonites, the Gittites,
the Ekronites, Abites, from south, the land of the Canaanites, Meribah,
excuse me, Merah, that is beside the Sidonians, on the Aphex,
to the borders of the Amorites, the land of the Giblites, and
all Lebanon, toward the sun rising from Baal, Baal, Gad, and to
Mount Hermon, Hermon, and to the entering in of Hamath, all
the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon, and to Misri, Bothmaim,
and all the Sidonians, them will I drive out before the children
of Israel. Only divide thou it by lot unto
Israel, Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee, therefore,
divide this land for an inheritance unto the nine tribes and the
half tribe of Manasseh. Now, again, it is possible to
read those things. It's hard to pronounce those
names, but it is profitable to study and meditate upon those
things. The Lord reminds Joshua that
there is much more land to be possessed, many more victories
to be won, many more enemies to be defeated, no time to lay
down your guard. Israel had enemies on the north,
as we just read, on the south, east, and the west. The Philistines
to the south, the Zidonians to the west, Lebanon in the east,
and Hamas in the north. They had enemies all around them. But here is the spiritual lesson
to be learned for us. The war is over. Christ has won
the victory. Sin has been put away, but we
shall have battles along the way in our pilgrim journey in
our warfare here in this body of flesh. The war is over. We
know who the winner is. He's won. Christ is the winner. But we have battles in this life,
trials and afflictions along the way in our pilgrim journey. In grace, after many conflicts,
trials, and many battles in our life, we must continue to fight
the good fight of faith. We must never lay down our armor. You remember he said, put on
the whole armor of God. We must never put up the sword
of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. We must never unbuckle
the shield of faith until we put off, until we put off this
robe of flesh. and depart to be with the Lord. And that's what the Apostle Paul
said, willing rather to be absent from the Lord, excuse me, willing
rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. For me to live is Christ and
to die, oh, it's game. It's game. The principal conflict
that we have as believers, what is the principal conflict that
you have? It's not your boss at work. That's not the principal
conflict. The principal conflict we have
and the battle that we face each day is our own sinful self. Own sinful pride, self-righteousness. The apostle writes about it this
way, for the flesh left us against the spirit and the spirit against
the flesh. These are contrary the one to
another so that you cannot do, you cannot do, you cannot do
the thing that you would. Now I would never sin again if
that were possible in his flesh. But when I would do good, evil
is present with me. I can say with Paul, I know that
is in me, that is in this flesh dwelleth no good thing. For the will I wanted but to
do, I cannot find. And then he almost throws up
his hands and says, I surrender, oh wretched man that I am. Who
shall deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through
Jesus Christ our Lord." You see, that's our hope. I hope we can
say with the Apostle Paul, I fought a good fight. I'm ready to depart. Now, here's the almost the last
thing, second to the last thing, verse 6. The last part of verse
6, then the Lord says, Chapter 13, Then will I drive out from
before the children of Israel, only divide thou it by lot unto
the Israelites for an inheritance, as I have commanded thee. Now here's another, one of those
exceeding great and precious promises, the word of the Lord
given unto us to help us along the way and to encourage us. The Lord says that those remaining
enemies that are in the land, he said, I will, I'm going to
drive them out. and give you this eternal inheritance. It is I myself that will do it.
I will drive them out. We know that any spiritual victory
we have been blessed to experience in this life, it is the Lord
that works in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Now listen to Scripture in Philippians
2. Brethren, as you have always
obeyed, not as you have always obeyed, not in my presence only,
but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in
you, both the will and the do of His good pleasure. God who
has begun a good work in you, He will do it. He said, I will
drive them out. And He will. Now turn to Hebrews
13. It is God which worketh in us,
both the will and do of His good pleasure. Hebrews 13, 20. Now the God of peace brought
again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of
the sheep, through the blood of everlasting covenant, make
you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you. that which is well-pleasing in
his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and
ever. Amen. He said, I will drive them
out. I will take care of this matter.
I will work all things for your good and for God's glory, all
things. Now, the last thing is this. Joshua was told to give the inheritance
as I have commanded you, the last part of verse 6. Joshua
was told when the Lord had driven out the enemies, he was to divide
the land to the tribes of Israel according to the commandment
of God. That's why I started in chapter 11 verse 23. So Joshua took the whole land,
according to all that the Lord said unto Moses, and Joshua gave
it for an inheritance unto Israel, according to their division by
their tribes, and the land rested for more. All the tribes of Israel
were given a portion in the land, with the exception of one." Now
look at verse 14. With the exception of one tribe.
For unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance, the sacrifices
of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance. Look at verse 33. But unto the
tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance, for the Lord
God of Israel was their inheritance as he said unto them. Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had
land given them on the east side of Jordan, and the nine other
tribes of Israel were given land on the west side of Jordan, but
Levi received, the tribe of Levi received no land, no inheritance,
no land was given, because the Lord God of Israel, he was their
inheritance. Now, stay with me here, I'm almost
through, stay with me. Now, look at verse 14 again.
Only unto the tribe of Levi he gave none inheritance. The sacrifices
of the Lord God of Israel made by fire are their inheritance. Remember the priest of old? Now,
if you want to turn with me, you can. This is easy to find.
Deuteronomy 18. Deuteronomy 18.1. Deuteronomy
18.1. The sacrifices made unto the
Lord were their inheritance. You remember there was a lot
of meat left over from those bullocks and sheep and different
animals that were sacrificed, and that meat was to go to the
tribe of Levi. And then they had that monetary
10% support. Now look at Deuteronomy 18, 1.
The priest, the Levites, and all the tribe of Levi shall have
no part nor inheritance with Israel. They shall eat of the
offerings of the Lord made by fire and his inheritance. Therefore, shall they have no
inheritance among the brethren for the Lord is their inheritance
as he said unto them and this shall be the priest do from the
people from them that offer sacrifice whether it be ox or sheep and
they shall give unto the priest the shoulder and the two cheeks
and the maw." Now what is the maw? The priest shall have the
shoulders and the whole cheek and the mouth, most think that's
the whole head, the tongue, the brains, everything that's involved
there. What does that mean unto us?
And here's the point I'm trying to make. The Lord has made every
believer a priest and king unto our God, right? We read that
in Revelation 1, 5, and 6. The Lord Jesus Christ, He is
our sacrifice. He is our sacrifice. We, as they
fed upon the sacrifice, we feed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our sacrifice for sin. Now, let me read this scripture
to you, and it'll make sense here. John 6, 53 and 54. The Lord said unto them, Verily,
verily, I say unto you, Except you eat the flesh of the Son
of Man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoso
eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life, and
I'll raise him up at the last day." We feed upon the life and
death of Christ. That's our food. He's not talking
about literally doing that. He's talking about that the believer,
he eats the flesh and drinks the blood. We live upon the life,
the obedient life, and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
what we feed upon as the priest of God. Now here's the second
thing he says here in verse 33. The Lord God of Israel was their
inheritance. The Lord Jesus Christ is our
portion. He is our inheritance. Psalmist said this, Psalm 16,
5. The Lord is the portion of my
inheritance and my cup. The Lord is my portion. He's
my cup. We've been made heirs of God
and joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. We are truly blessed
with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.
He that hath the Son hath all things, all things in Christ. In Him dwells all the fullness
of a Godhead bodily and we're complete in Christ. He is our
inheritance through and through, heirs of God and joint heirs
with the Lord Jesus Christ. Give me thanks unto the Father,
who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints
in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness,
and hath translated us into the kingdom of God's dear Son. We feed upon Him as priests of
God, and He is our inheritance. Now, therefore let no man glory
in man, for all things are yours. Whether Paul or Apollos, Cephas,
or the world, or life, or death, things present or things to come,
all are yours. And you are Christ's, and Christ
is God's. You see, if you have him, you
have all things. That is 1 Corinthians 3, 22,
23. We have in Christ all grace now
and glory forever. He is our inheritance. We feed
upon Him.