 |  |
On the other hand, while this suggests a link, there is also a most definite division.
Joshua cannot lead Israel into the land of promise until it can be said, "Moses My servant
is dead". To those who know the teaching of the epistles to the Romans or the Galatians,
the typical teaching of this is obvious. But we must not assume such knowledge on
the part of our readers, and the lesson is important enough to warrant careful statement.
The following passages set forth in doctrinal language what is set forth in type in
Josh. 1: 1, 2:--
"Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid; for if there had been a law
given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law"
(Gal. 3: 21).
"For the law was our pedagogue (tutor or governor, a household slave who had
charge of a child until he had grown to years of discretion, see Gal. 4: 1-3) to bring us
unto Christ . . . . . but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a pedagogue"
(Gal. 3: 24, 25).
"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, by the
which we draw nigh unto God" (Heb. 7: 19).
In the death of Moses is typified the death of the law, and death to the law of all
who are saved. And so we are not surprised to read the words, "Now therefore arise",
and to discover that the Hebrew word kum, translated "arise", is used of resurrection
(Isa. 26: 19), and in the words of the Saviour, Talitha cumi (Mark 5: 41). The LXX
uses the word anastas, so frequently employed in the N.T. for "resurrection".
"Moses is dead: now therefore arise."--These two phrases together suggests the
repeated doctrine of the epistles of Paul that death to law is with a view to life in Christ;
that we are not only reckon ourselves indeed "dead unto sin", but also just as surely
"alive unto God" through Jesus Christ our Lord. Newness of life, however, is not the
end; it is itself only a means to an end. The command to "arise" is followed by the
command to "walk in newness of life", "to serve in newness of spirit".
"Moses My servant is DEAD; now therefore ARISE, GO OVER this Jordan."
We have already seen the insistence upon the death of Moses before Joshua, the type
of Christ, could receive the command to "arise". On a number of occasions Moses made
it clear that he could not take the children of Israel over Jordan:--
"Get thee up into the top of Pisgah . . . . . and behold it with thine eyes; for thou shalt
not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua and encourage him, and strengthen him; for
he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou
shalt see" (Deut. 3: 27, 28).
"I must not go over . . . . . ye shall go over" (Deut. 4: 22).
Further emphasis upon resurrection is found in the words of Josh. 1: 11:--
"Within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land."
And when at length Israel did pass over Jordan, it was in many respects a repetition of
the earlier experience of the crossing of the Red Sea (Josh. 3: 17). The typical teaching