1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,390 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hello, and thank you for listening to your 2 00:00:13,430 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: daily Bible verse, the podcast that examines the Bible each 3 00:00:17,260 --> 00:00:19,780 Speaker 1: day to help us learn more about God and His 4 00:00:19,820 --> 00:00:23,550 Speaker 1: will for us. I'm your host, Shaka Hines, and today 5 00:00:23,610 --> 00:00:27,090 Speaker 1: we're continuing our Joshua series. And after this short word 6 00:00:27,140 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: from our sponsor, we'll dive into today's Bible verse in 7 00:00:30,700 --> 00:00:47,089 Speaker 1: Joshua 11, verse 23. Today's Bible verse is Joshua 11, 8 00:00:47,090 --> 00:00:52,540 Speaker 1: verse 23. So Joshua took the entire land, just as 9 00:00:52,620 --> 00:00:55,830 Speaker 1: the Lord had directed Moses, and he gave it as 10 00:00:55,870 --> 00:01:00,270 Speaker 1: an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal divisions. Then 11 00:01:00,290 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: the land had rest from war. The verse begins, Joshua 12 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 1: took the entire land just as the Lord directed Moses. 13 00:01:08,690 --> 00:01:12,540 Speaker 1: God commanded Moses to lead the Israelites to the promised land, 14 00:01:12,980 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 1: promised by covenant to their ancestor Abraham. But because of 15 00:01:16,980 --> 00:01:20,910 Speaker 1: disobedience along the way, God prevented the great prophet and 16 00:01:20,970 --> 00:01:24,250 Speaker 1: leader from getting to enter the land, and Moses died 17 00:01:24,410 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: on Mount Nebo. After Moses' death, the mantle of leadership 18 00:01:28,100 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: had passed to Joshua. And in Joshua 1, God tells him, 19 00:01:31,819 --> 00:01:34,030 Speaker 1: As I was with Moses, so I'll be with you. 20 00:01:34,050 --> 00:01:37,550 Speaker 1: I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong 21 00:01:37,650 --> 00:01:40,850 Speaker 1: and courageous because you'll lead these people to inherit the 22 00:01:40,890 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: land I swore to their ancestors to give them. and 23 00:01:44,700 --> 00:01:48,830 Speaker 1: Joshua was faithful to obey God's instructions. Joshua led the 24 00:01:48,970 --> 00:01:52,390 Speaker 1: Israelites across the Jordan River, and after crossing the river 25 00:01:52,730 --> 00:01:56,250 Speaker 1: and a steady campaign of war that happened over approximately 26 00:01:56,330 --> 00:02:00,310 Speaker 1: seven years, Joshua led the Israelites to conquer and begin 27 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 1: to possess the land God promised them. Joshua chapter 6 28 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,120 Speaker 1: through 9 summarizes how when the Israelites obeyed God, he 29 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: brought Israel victory in his central campaign against the city's 30 00:02:12,850 --> 00:02:16,489 Speaker 1: in Canaan of Jericho and Ai, and how even the 31 00:02:16,710 --> 00:02:21,460 Speaker 1: unauthorized peace treaty Joshua forged with Gibeon, another major city 32 00:02:21,500 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 1: of Canaan, and galvanized the southern kings of Jerusalem like Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, 33 00:02:27,660 --> 00:02:32,630 Speaker 1: and Eglon to form an alliance against Israel. Joshua 10 34 00:02:32,630 --> 00:02:35,570 Speaker 1: then summarizes the conquest of those kings and the rest 35 00:02:35,610 --> 00:02:40,360 Speaker 1: of southern Canaan. Finally, Joshua 11 records the Israelite conquest 36 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,110 Speaker 1: of the northern Canaanite kings led by Jabin of Hazor. 37 00:02:44,710 --> 00:02:51,070 Speaker 1: Joshua faithfully obeyed. The verse continues, and he, Joshua, he 38 00:02:51,130 --> 00:02:54,070 Speaker 1: gave it as an inheritance to Israel according to their 39 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:59,100 Speaker 1: tribal divisions. Finally, Israel begins to take possession of their 40 00:02:59,430 --> 00:03:04,970 Speaker 1: their Transjordan inheritance. Imagine the faithfulness of God and the 41 00:03:05,010 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: tenacity of Joshua to realize the promise given to Abraham 42 00:03:09,180 --> 00:03:13,580 Speaker 1: probably over 500 years earlier. There were so many stages 43 00:03:13,700 --> 00:03:16,920 Speaker 1: in the formation of God's people, from Abraham to Isaac 44 00:03:16,980 --> 00:03:19,930 Speaker 1: to Jacob to Jacob's sons to Egypt and now to 45 00:03:19,950 --> 00:03:23,330 Speaker 1: the promised land. Each person was called to be faithful, 46 00:03:23,430 --> 00:03:27,809 Speaker 1: to obey God in the historical period in which they lived. Now, 47 00:03:27,930 --> 00:03:31,270 Speaker 1: some responded well to the call and others just didn't. 48 00:03:31,470 --> 00:03:34,310 Speaker 1: For Joshua, his call was to lead the people to 49 00:03:34,410 --> 00:03:37,770 Speaker 1: conquer the land and allot the land as an inheritance 50 00:03:37,810 --> 00:03:43,070 Speaker 1: to God's people. And he faithfully obeyed God. Now, the 51 00:03:43,130 --> 00:03:47,110 Speaker 1: last sentence of our passage says, Then the land had 52 00:03:47,230 --> 00:03:52,030 Speaker 1: rest from war. Joshua's faithful campaign and defeat of the 53 00:03:52,150 --> 00:03:57,020 Speaker 1: central cities in Canaan, the southern and northern cities, might 54 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: of Canaan, it broke the coalitions of Canaanite military strength 55 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,660 Speaker 1: and the land had rest from war. For Joshua, faithful 56 00:04:05,810 --> 00:04:09,610 Speaker 1: obedience to believe in the promise God gave his ancestor 57 00:04:09,850 --> 00:04:12,990 Speaker 1: Abraham and to do what God commanded him to do 58 00:04:13,110 --> 00:04:18,190 Speaker 1: culminated in God giving the land a time of rest. 59 00:04:18,670 --> 00:04:22,790 Speaker 1: The Israelites enjoyed a cessation of the overarching campaign of 60 00:04:22,850 --> 00:04:26,180 Speaker 1: war that marked the beginning of of their possession of 61 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: this land on this side of Jordan, but the rest 62 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:34,830 Speaker 1: was temporary. Conflict would resume again. Joshua's faithful leadership points 63 00:04:35,210 --> 00:04:39,990 Speaker 1: to a greater and more perfect leader, the King Jesus Christ. 64 00:04:40,490 --> 00:04:43,690 Speaker 1: Jesus Christ declares that he is the way, the truth, 65 00:04:43,880 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 1: and the life. During his first coming, Jesus himself fought 66 00:04:47,260 --> 00:04:51,719 Speaker 1: the battle against sin, darkness, and death. And he won. 67 00:04:51,970 --> 00:04:54,930 Speaker 1: And in his second coming, Jesus will complete the work 68 00:04:54,970 --> 00:04:59,130 Speaker 1: he's already done. The promised inheritance of the land of 69 00:04:59,210 --> 00:05:03,580 Speaker 1: Canaan to Abraham points to a greater and more perfect 70 00:05:03,660 --> 00:05:08,980 Speaker 1: inheritance for those willing to believe God as Joshua did. 71 00:05:09,580 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 1: In 2 Samuel 7, God promises the king of Israel, David, 72 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: that his family line will be established forever. In Isaiah 9, 73 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: it declares that a child from David's line will rule 74 00:05:20,460 --> 00:05:25,050 Speaker 1: in peace, justice, and righteousness forever. Daniel 2 says that 75 00:05:25,330 --> 00:05:27,810 Speaker 1: God will set up a kingdom that will crush all 76 00:05:27,950 --> 00:05:31,409 Speaker 1: other kingdoms and will never be destroyed, ever, ever, ever. 77 00:05:31,430 --> 00:05:36,770 Speaker 1: Hebrews 11 explicitly states that Abraham and other faithful men 78 00:05:36,810 --> 00:05:40,339 Speaker 1: and women were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. 79 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:44,700 Speaker 1: Jesus himself came to usher in the kingdom of God. 80 00:05:45,070 --> 00:05:48,630 Speaker 1: and to offer an invitation not only to Israel, but 81 00:05:48,710 --> 00:05:53,500 Speaker 1: to any willing to obey God. Now, the temporary rest 82 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: given to Israel in Joshua 11, that pause between conflict 83 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:01,220 Speaker 1: points to a better and more perfect rest given by Jesus, 84 00:06:01,260 --> 00:06:04,180 Speaker 1: who says, Come to me, all you who are weary 85 00:06:04,220 --> 00:06:07,950 Speaker 1: and burdened, and I will give you rest. He promises 86 00:06:08,029 --> 00:06:11,110 Speaker 1: that with gentleness and humility, he will teach you how 87 00:06:11,150 --> 00:06:14,339 Speaker 1: to walk in God's peace. He will give you spiritual 88 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 1: rest from the burdens you carry and ultimate rest experience 89 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:24,339 Speaker 1: fully in eternity with God, Jesus, the greater Joshua, his kingdom, 90 00:06:24,660 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: the eternal inheritance and his rest, the total restoration of 91 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:34,310 Speaker 1: God's desired peace for his people. As Joshua was faithful 92 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:37,310 Speaker 1: to do the work God called him to do, let 93 00:06:37,710 --> 00:06:41,070 Speaker 1: us be faithful to do the work God has called 94 00:06:41,250 --> 00:06:44,529 Speaker 1: us to do. And what does our faithful work look 95 00:06:44,610 --> 00:06:48,229 Speaker 1: like in this period of history? God doesn't call us 96 00:06:48,290 --> 00:06:52,970 Speaker 1: to military warfare like Joshua to possess this kingdom, the 97 00:06:52,990 --> 00:06:56,609 Speaker 1: kingdom of God. Jesus himself has already won the battle. 98 00:06:57,230 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: Now listen to this. Our faithful work, according to John 6, 29, 99 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:07,020 Speaker 1: is to believe in the one he has sent. We're 100 00:07:07,060 --> 00:07:10,730 Speaker 1: called to believe in Jesus. And this is not a 101 00:07:10,790 --> 00:07:14,330 Speaker 1: mere mental ascent to the knowledge that Jesus exists, but 102 00:07:14,390 --> 00:07:18,090 Speaker 1: almost a pledge of allegiance to follow our perfect King 103 00:07:18,410 --> 00:07:22,190 Speaker 1: as He leads us into His kingdom and into His rest. 104 00:07:22,910 --> 00:07:28,110 Speaker 1: Like today, ask God, what ways can I follow in Jesus' 105 00:07:28,150 --> 00:07:31,630 Speaker 1: footsteps more closely? Ask Him, what are you calling me 106 00:07:31,690 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: to do in your kingdom at this time in my life? 107 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: Ask Him, what adjustments can I make to more fully 108 00:07:38,740 --> 00:07:44,390 Speaker 1: participate in your rest. Like Joshua obeyed God and led 109 00:07:44,430 --> 00:07:48,530 Speaker 1: the Israelites to conquer the land of Canaan, let's faithfully 110 00:07:48,710 --> 00:07:53,250 Speaker 1: obey God's command to believe, to believe in Jesus. Let's 111 00:07:53,290 --> 00:07:56,770 Speaker 1: surrender to him as our king and listen to him. 112 00:07:57,150 --> 00:08:00,810 Speaker 1: Let's faithfully administer the duties he calls us to in 113 00:08:00,860 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 1: his kingdom and let's allow him to teach us how 114 00:08:04,380 --> 00:08:09,330 Speaker 1: to live in his rest. Let's pray. Father, thank you 115 00:08:09,430 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: so much for Joshua's example. He was faithful to do 116 00:08:15,380 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: all that you commanded him to do. He conquered the land. 117 00:08:19,700 --> 00:08:24,340 Speaker 1: He encouraged the Israelites to be faithful. And Father, you 118 00:08:24,420 --> 00:08:28,370 Speaker 1: blessed him and his life and the people abundantly through 119 00:08:28,520 --> 00:08:31,630 Speaker 1: even his life and his faithfulness. And God, we find 120 00:08:31,690 --> 00:08:35,089 Speaker 1: ourselves in this time when Jesus has already done all 121 00:08:35,590 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: of the work that He already won the battle on 122 00:08:39,380 --> 00:08:44,010 Speaker 1: our behalf. And you're calling us to believe in Jesus, 123 00:08:44,730 --> 00:08:48,530 Speaker 1: to believe in Jesus, so much so that we are 124 00:08:48,710 --> 00:08:52,630 Speaker 1: willing to stake our lives on it. What Jesus says 125 00:08:52,690 --> 00:08:55,790 Speaker 1: we'll do, where he goes, we'll go. And we want 126 00:08:55,830 --> 00:08:59,290 Speaker 1: to be just like him. Father, you promise us not 127 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 1: only that Jesus has done the work, but he has 128 00:09:02,620 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 1: ushered in a kingdom. your kingdom that we can be 129 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,940 Speaker 1: a part of, and that we get the chance to 130 00:09:09,140 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: enter into your rest. Abba, for everybody who's listening, God, 131 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: would you give us ears to hear what you're telling 132 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:21,890 Speaker 1: us today? What are ways, God, that we can align ourselves, 133 00:09:22,050 --> 00:09:25,569 Speaker 1: our hearts with Jesus? What are some things we can 134 00:09:25,650 --> 00:09:29,849 Speaker 1: change to move into your peace? What are ways that 135 00:09:29,929 --> 00:09:33,740 Speaker 1: we can serve in your kingdom? Praise you, God, that 136 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,640 Speaker 1: you are the one who has done it. We love you. 137 00:09:36,660 --> 00:09:39,469 Speaker 1: It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen.