Are We Ready?

O. T. #435  "Are We Ready?"
January 8, 2015
Introduction to Joshua
Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses's minister, saying...   Joshua 1:1

Is it time to get moving and cross over Jordan? Are we ready? How is our faith-strong or weak? Anyone facing their Jordan, a test of faith? Seems like I am with my physical situation. I'm trying to get over the crud so I can have surgery this month. Are we listening to God's instructions as Joshua was in this chapter?

Background:

The Man:
What do we know about the author of this book, this man called Joshua?

• The name Joshua is the Hebrew form of Jesus, which is Greek, and means Jehovah saved.
• He was a slave in Egypt and served as Moses' minister during the journeys of the nation.      (Ex. 24:13)
• He led Israel's army into battle against Amalek. (Ex. 17)
• Hew was one of the two spies who had the faith to enter Canaan when the nation rebelled in unbelief. (Num. 14:6)
• He and Caleb were permitted to enter the Promised Land as a result of their faith.
• He was around the age 85-90's years old when he took Moses' place at the head of the nation.
• His first 7 years as ruler (chapters 1-12) were spent in the conquest of the land with the Israelites.
• the remainder of his years were spent dividing up the inheritance and ruling the nation.
• He died at age 110. (24:29)

The Land:
Canaan represents:

• God's inheritance, given to the believer and claimed by faith;
• the believer entering into a life of rest and victory through faith in Christ;
• the Israelites, like too many modern Christians, are "in between" their Egypt and Canaan spiritually-delivered from the bondage of sin, but have not by faith entered into the inheritance of rest and victory.

[Resource: Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the Old Testament]

Challenges within the book of Joshua:

The miracles that God performed during this time and for His purposes included:

1. His holding back the Jordan's waters (Josh. 3:7-17);
2. the fall of Jericho's walls (6:1-27);
3. the hailstones (10:1-11);
4. the long day (10:12-15).

The keynote feature in this book is God's faithfulness to fulfill His promise of giving the land to Abraham's descendants (Gen. 12:7; 15:18-21; 17:8). By His leading, they inhabited the territories east and west of the Jordan River, and so the word possess appears nearly 20 times. (MacArthur)

Possess means to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); to seize; to inherit. (Strong's Concordance)

However, Israel failed at their conquest of every part of the land.
Having received their allotments, the various tribes were unable or unwilling to bring their territory under total settlement so that the enemy could not filter back into their territory. See Judges 1. 
(Falwell)

God requires complete obedience, not partial obedience.
Are we obeying God partially or completely? Do we pick and choose what we want to do?
Are we looking for the miracles of God as we enter our Promised Land of blessing and maturity?
Is our faith like Joshua's so we continue living the Christian life faithfully?

*Update: I got the results of my CAT scan-I have gall stones and kidney stones, along with other things. Hopefully, I will be having surgery sometime this month. I appreciate your prayers for me.