Intro: This is the first message in a series entitled “Casting the Vision.” Today I want to begin with “Picking up from what was started”, the text I chose is in no disrespect to those that have formerly served behind this pulpit, but is commending those that have served in the past. Everything that has happened from the good and the bad I must believe it was God’s will, and from that plan and for all that have led it was done for His glory. Church your best days are not in the former but will be in the latter. The work that was planted on these 4 ½ acres of land between Summit Ave. and cherry ln. will soon show forth it’s fruit and there will be multiplication. Church I am not a farmer but I know that there are some seeds that are planted that can take years before they begin to sprout. This house I believe has come to its season. Solomon tells us to everything there is a season, his father said in Ps 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. This house will be like Aaron’s rod and show forth life and a testimony that we are a HOUSE OF GOD! Deu. 29:29. This is our season our TIME!
I. Preparing the way
Moses pointed the people in the right direction. He was a Hebrew that was spared the death sentence of Pharaoh; he would be raised by the sister of the man that signed the death warrant on all young Hebrew boys.
He would grow up in comfort of a palace but it would be his heritage that would cause him to murder an Egyptian in defense of one of his own people, such an act caused him to flee and take refuge in the desert becoming a shepherd.
He would marry and begin his new life only to find himself on the back side of the mountain where he would have an encounter with the living God; it was such an encounter that changed his life and a call to leave his sheep to become a shepherd for God’s people, and take them out of Egypt and into the presence of the Father. For Moses’ love and faith in God he would find himself in the hall of faith recorded in (Hebrews 11:23-29) (23)By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.(24) By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;(25) Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;(26) Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.(27) By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.(28) Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.(29) By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.
God desired His people and called them out to Himself so that they too can share in the same relationship that Moses had. They would be taught God’s way all the while being taken to their promise their inheritance.
Through much rebellion and heartache Moses led the people as he did his sheep to good land. Moses would stand in the gap for these people and put himself on the line for their sake. The people did not always understand or were the most corporative bunch but he led them because he loved them and wanted them to know God just as he did.
Moses was given the great honor of being called a friend of God and he wanted the Hebrew nation to know and
share that honor as well. The people would break his heart but never his spirit or his love for God and them.
He followed the Father so that he could lead the people. He would stand in God’s presence and would be allowed to see his hand write the Law and then watch as the Almighty would walk by only to catch a glimpse of His back.
(Optional read Exodus 33:18-23) (18) And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.19) And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.(20) And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.(21) And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock:(22) And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by:(23) And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen.
Now when God allowed him to see His back, we know that Moses in his corruptive bodily form could not withstand the awesomeness of a face-to-face encounter with God, but I believe this story tells of another meaning and that is before we can see His face, we must be willing to follow.
It is in following that we are led to a face-to-face meeting with the Master whereby corruption puts on incorruption, and we are told, “Well done thy good and faithful servant well done!”
Moses would prepare the people for the promise, getting them to the door, but not taken them through. The promise would be seen with his eyes, but his feet would never walk it. Moses would die and God would take his body made of clay and return it back to where the first man Adam was formed.
Moses would receive a personal burial from the Father. There is a lot of controversy over the death of Moses. Here is a man that would be denied the promise due to his failure to obey God’s instructions when it came time to give the children of Israel water. In Numbers 20:6-12 Moses was to speak to the rock not strike it, he was to ask and not make a demand on the rock. This was a type of Christ and it shows that if we would but ask we would receive, it is when we make demands that we miss out.
This act of rebellion withheld the promise and ushered in punishment. But I must ask was there more to this, could it be that God knew that in order for the children of Israel to know Him as Heavenly Father they needed their earthly father figure to be removed so that they could seek Him and not Moses.
Could it be that they trusted in Moses more than God that their relationship was only what they got from Moses? So many times, we cling to a man instead of letting God be God, we let a leader become the bridge in our relationship and when they are gone so goes our means to the Father.
Maybe Moses was punished for his rebellion, but it was for the children of Israel’s own good. A man, a leader was never meant to stand in the place of God, he is only a servant acting as a mouth piece.
Before Moses died a new shepherd would be appointed to finish the journey that was laid out for the Hebrew nation.
II. Joshua led the people into the Promise. Numbers 13&14 Deu. 31:1-31
Why Joshua? Out of ten spies it was Joshua and Caleb that saw that the land was obtainable!
In Numbers 13 the Lord would speak to Moses to gather 12 men each from the 12 tribes. These men would go into the promise land as spies to “search out the land”. Of these 12, two in particular would stand out. Oshea of the tribe of Ephraim, and Caleb of the tribe of Judah, you thought I was going to say Joshua and Caleb.
I did say that, before Joshua was Joshua he was Oshea which means “help”, Moses in Numbers 13:16 would change his name to Joshua which means “Jehovah is my help” or “Jehovah the savior”. (Which means he was a decedent of Joseph the one that led his people to Egypt to save them, and now Joshua would finish leading them out and into their promise.)
These 12 went into the land for 40 days and came back to give their full report. They would speak of a land that flowed with milk and honey; they would bring back a sample of the fat of the land. Between Joshua and Caleb’s shoulders rested a staff that contained a cluster of grapes. Now the Bible doesn’t say much about the size of those grapes but I can’t help but think if it took two men to carry one cluster those grapes were not your average size.
Many have speculated that these grapes were larger than a man’s head. Can you imagine a grape that took two hands to eat! Here they are with these grapes they are describing the land telling everyone that it was everything they were told it was going to be and so much more; it had it all!
But then they begin to describe the land as having giants and other great inhabits making home there. So with that said the people went from excitement to depression. Those giant grapes would become neglected so that the people could murmur and complain. Ten spies would confirm that the land was unobtainable while Joshua and Caleb said it was theirs for the taken.
The faithless mob would cry aloud making bold remarks that they would raise up a new leader to take them back to Egypt. Such a cry would anger God to the point of killing them all. It would be Moses who would remind God that if he killed them then all he did for Israel would be in vain and that Egypt and other inhabitance would hear of their death and mock God saying “He delivered the people only to destroy them”.
It was Joshua’s faithfulness and devotion to God that made him stand out. When the people cried out it was Joshua who rent his clothes over their lack of trust in God. It was proclamation with Caleb that the land was obtainable!
He was born in Egypt, and was possibly around the age of 40 when they left. He shared in all the events of the Exodus, and held the place of commander of the host of the Israelites at their great battle against the Amalekites in Rephidim (Ex 17:8-16). He became Moses' minister or servant, and accompanied him part of the way when he ascended Mount Sinai to receive the two tables (Ex 32:17). Joshua along with Caleb would become the only remaining survivors of the exodus from Egypt; the others would die in the wilderness during the 40 years of wandering because of their unbelief.
Under the direction of God, Moses, before his death, invested Joshua in a public and solemn manner with authority over the people as his successor at that time he was somewhere between the age of 80 to 85(Deut 31:23).
III. Now is the time to walk out the promise.
The people were encamped at Shittim when he assumed the command; and crossing the Jordan, they encamped at Gilgal, where, having circumcised the people, he kept the Passover.
Before Jericho would fall; Joshua in the 5th chapter verses 13-15 would be visited by the Captain of the Lord's host, who spoke to him encouraging words. Who was this Captain that stood before Joshua many have regarded Him to be none other than Christ Himself; evidence such as: a drawn sword and the fact that He accepted the worship from Joshua. No other angel in scripture would allow worship that only belongs to the Lord.
Also, it was stated He was the captain of the host of the LORD all caps which is how they rendered the word Jehovah. He was the captain of the Host of God. Joshua would be commanded to remove his shoes because it was Holy Ground just as Moses was commanded at the burning bush.
The Lord would stand with Joshua as they marched around Jericho by His might the walls of the city would fall after the seventh march around and at the sound of the trumpet and the shout of the people, (great things always follow the sound of a trumpet!)
Now began the wars of conquest which Joshua carried on for many years, the record of which is in the book which bears his name. Six nations and thirty-one kings were conquered by him. Having thus subdued the Canaanites, Joshua divided the land among the tribes, Timnath-serah in Mount Ephraim being assigned to himself as his own inheritance.
Jos 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. These words were spoken to Joshua in chapter one, these words from the Lord tell us that, even though the land had been promised to Israel, they had to do something themselves; they were going to have to walk out their promise the entire length and breadth of it. In other words, they were going to have to take some action in order to enjoy their promise that meant if they wanted the entire inheritance they had to work for it!
Optional material: (His work being done, he died, at the age of one hundred and ten years, twenty-five years after having crossed the Jordan. He was buried in his own city of Timnath-serah; and "the light of Israel for the time faded away."
Joshua has been regarded as a type of Christ (Heb 4:8) in the following particulars: (1) In the name common to both; (2) Joshua brings the people into the possession of the Promised Land, as Jesus brings his people to the heavenly Canaan; and (3) as Joshua succeeded Moses, so the Gospel succeeds the Law.
IV. What does this mean for us?
This church has been led for many years by one man it was his vision and dream to establish a church that was to be a lighthouse for this city. Now for whatever reasons this church has not been able to move forward in the vision and plan that God has for this house.
By no means would I call myself a Joshua, but I believe in the vision that was cast for this house, and I am ready to see the vision prosper. Pr 29:18 ¶ Where [there is] no vision, the people perish:
I believe that God has placed me here to walk out the vision that was laid forth from the foundations of this church.
There are going to be many battles we will face before we obtain the land, we will deal with some resistance but if we maintain a united front and you trust me as I seek to lead this church in the direction that God has for this house we will see the promise.
Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.(3) For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
Church I am speaking to you right now the vision I will say it in word and I will write it down. I want to obtain all that God has for us and today right now is when I start walking out our promise and I will not stop until we have received everything that God has promised us.
I just got to ask “IS ANY ONE GOING TO FOLLOW ME AS I GO TOWARD THE PROMISE”
Who here will walk the length and breadth of this city taking back what the enemy has stolen and reclaiming this city in Jesus name! Watch out Greensboro here we come and we come in power and might of the Holy Spirit.
