Jeshua

Since I began writing Carpenter’s Corner about 15 months ago we’ve been systematically looking at the first five books of Moses and now come to the end. From the creation of the very first individuals, to the death of Moses at the entrance to the Promised Land, we have weekly taken a glimpse at God’s plan of salvation for the entire world. We discovered the gospel recorded for the first time in the pages of Genesis 3:15. We watched as God provided for Himself a sacrifice as Abraham readied to plunge a knife into his one and only son Isaac. God halted his sacrifice and  provided a substitute ram that was caught in the thicket Gen 22:1-14.

We watched in disgust as Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, then in amazement as God used this tragedy to save the Hebrew people from one of the worst famines in the history of the world Gen chapters 42-47. God prepares his servant Moses to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt and into the desert where He provides for them over and over again throughout the books of Exodus and Numbers. Then as the walls of water from the Yam Suf are piled up the fledgling nation of Israel are guided safely through the sea to the waiting desert on the other side where over 1.5 million men women and children are cared for by the Lord for over 40 years.

We climbed up the top of the mountain with Moses as God gives the world The Ten Commandments and discover that it would take more than the blood of bulls and goats to take away our sin. Again in Leviticus chapter 16 and 17 we ponder a  “word picture” describing  our future salvation through the scapegoat who is led and released unharmed out into the wilderness while the other goat is killed for our sin debt. We also learned that the blood of animals would only cover (atone) our sin and that this ritual would have to be repeated over and over again each year…that is until Jesus showed up.

Now as we reach the very edge of the desert we see an elderly Moses looking into The Promise Land before he passes on to be with the Lord. And in God’s perfect timing and purpose we discover that “The Law” that was given to Moses on top of the mountain would not be able to take us into The Promised Land. It would take a more perfect and precious sacrifice to take away our sins and allow us entrance into the presence of God almighty.

So it is not by chance, but design that Joshua is the one chosen by God to lead the nation into a land flowing with milk and honey. Even the very name of the book “Joshua” means “Yahweh is Salvation” and is the Hebrew form of Jesus in the New Testament. God used the law as a schoolmaster to teach us that we need to receive His One and Only Son as the way or provision to reach Him.

Let’s take one final stop before leaving Deuteronomy and look at a very interesting provision God commanded in Deuteronomy chapter 25, the role and duty of the Goel or kinsman redeemer in a Levirate marriage. When a woman’s husband died and she had no son to carry on the family name the brother or nearest relative had the obligation of marring her and providing a son. The living brother was the dead brother’s Goel or redeemer. He was also the avenger of blood who had the obligation to take revenge on another family should the need arise. The kinsman redeemer was also responsible to redeem the estate that a nearest relative might have sold to escape poverty. This selfless act would insure that the asset remain in the family.

What’s so interesting about this provision is that it comes at a point when the Israelites are standing on the edge of the Promised Land but can’t enter in until Joshua leads them. In much the same way, Jesus Christ is our Goel, our redeemer and it’s only through Him that we enter into the Promised Land. That is why the church is referred to as the bride of Christ. Jesus is our kinsman redeemer; He alone avenges our blood and redeems all that is lost through the curse of sin. In chapter 5 of Revelation we see a future scene in heaven where Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, is the only One who can receive the scroll, read or even look at it. We watch as Jesus becomes our kinsman redeemer and takes the title-deed or ownership of planet earth! So imbedded in the Name of Jesus Christ is a great truth that “Yahweh is Salvation” Halleluiah!