Jesus, Our Joshua

Scripture Reading: Joshua 4

              Moses had handed over the leadership responsibilities to Joshua and then died. Joshua led the Israelites over the Jordan River and into the Promise Land. There is something of a type, a foreshadowing of things to come in this account. Moses was the Law-giver. As great and godly a man as he was, Moses was unable to lead the people out of the wilderness and into the Promise Land. It took Joshua to do that.

              Joshua’s name is the Hebrew equivalent to the New Testament name “Jesus.” It means Jehovah saves. When Jesus was born he was given his name because he would, “save his people from their sins.” Jesus does what the Law was unable to do. The Law is good and holy and righteous, but it is powerless to save. It cannot lead us into the Promise Land. It takes Jesus, our Joshua, to do that.