The Doctrine of Revelation: The Storyline of Scripture (Part 12)

Why did we do so much marching in children’s Sunday School? Is there something inherent in either childhood or spirituality that requires so much marching? I recall learning about the story of Joshua and the Wall of Jericho and I suppose our teacher thought that naturally the best teaching method was to have us march around the table. Maybe it is. But it’s not really the marching that bothers me so much about my childhood remembrance of this story. It’s the fact that marching is all I seem to remember learning about Joshua. We do that too often to children as we teach them the Scriptures. We detach these stories from the rest of Scripture so that they become simply little stories with cute motions and participatory actions. But children, like adults, need to see how Jesus is at the center of everything. The story of Joshua is included in that assertion. For the story of Joshua clearly points us to Jesus.

For those unfamiliar with Joshua he is recorded in the book of Exodus as Moses right-hand dude. He appears for the first time in Exodus 17, as Israel goes to war with the Amalekites. He is at Sinai with Moses as he receives the law (Exodus 24:13). He shows up in Numbers 14 as one of two faithful spies. But there is a really interesting passage in Numbers 13 where Moses actually renames Joshua (whose original name was Hoshea). If you know anything about ancient cultures you know that names are extremely important, so to be renamed is to place a unique significance on an individual. The Scriptures state it simply:

These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. (Numbers 13:16)

There’s not a lot of difference between the two names. Hoshea means “He has delivered,” and Joshua means “the LORD has delivered.” So the question has to be why did Moses feel it necessary to make this specific change. Why such a close parallel for a name change? The answer here is key. While both names do direct us to an act of salvation, “Joshua” attributes the salvation specifically to God. God is Savior! That is key for understanding Joshua as leader of Israel.

Joshua was appointed as Moses successor (Numbers 27:18-23; 34:17; Deuteronomy 1:38; 3:28; 31:6-7; 31:23; and 34:9). His responsibilities would be to lead Israel into the acquisition of the Promised Land (Joshua 1:1-9). But it would not be Joshua who would give Israel the victory. It would be God working through Joshua. The LORD has delivered! Here’s how the text reads:

After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant,  2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.  3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.  4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.  5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.  6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.  7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.  8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.  9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:1-9)

Joshua leads but God gives what He had promised to always give. The Lord delivers because God is savior. There is, from this theological assertion, an obvious leap to the person of Jesus.

What’s immediately interesting about the Jesus/Joshua relationship is that they share the same name. We don’t see it in the English, but in the Greek OT (the Septuagint) the name “Joshua” is spelled exactly the same as “Jesus” in the Greek NT. Yeshua, Joshua, Jesus is the name that connects these men. But they share more than a name. For Joshua’s task was to lead the people of God into the Promised Land and do so in such a way that it proclaimed, Salvation belongs to the Lord (Joshua 6:2)! This points us to the true Joshua, Jesus who leads the people of God into the real and final Promised Land as the God who delivers. Joshua’s name pointed us to this reality, his actions pointed us to this reality, but it is Jesus who fulfills them.

Jesus is the true Joshua who promises to lead us into the Land of rest, peace, and sustenance (Matthew 5:5; 25:34; much more can be said on this theme). What Israel never realized the church will realize in its true leader! The account of Joshua is about so much more than Jericho, than marching, than even Joshua. It is about Jesus!