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The Gospel Observer
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to
observe all that I commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19,20).
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September 16, 1990
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Contents:
1) Joshua (Tom Edwards)
2) Word Study: Concupiscence (Tom Edwards)
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-1-
Joshua
by Tom Edwards
Joshua, Moses' successor, had been a great leader for the people of
Israel. He was from the tribe of Ephraim and bore the name that in the
Greek is translated as "Jesus."
Perhaps it is with reference to his spying out the Promised Land, along
with the eleven other men who had been sent in for this mission, that
we view as being the first occurrence of Joshua in the Bible.
However, this would not be so. Joshua is first brought to our attention
in Exodus 17:8-16 (ca. 1440 B.C.). In this scene, Amalek is shown to be
fighting against Israel at Rephidim. Moses gave instructions to Joshua
to "Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek" (v. 9). It was
during this battle that Aaron and Hur helped Moses, who had been on the
top of the hill, by supporting his hands so that he could continue to
hold up the staff of God. While the staff remained up, the children of
Israel prevailed in battle; but when it was lowered, Amalek succeeded.
Joshua was about 45 years old at this time.
Another early scene concerning Joshua, prior to his spying out the
Promised Land, is upon Mount Sinai (Ex. 24:12-14). Notice in verse 13
that he is spoken of as being Moses' "servant" (NAS, RSV) or
"assistant" (NKJ). It was here that Joshua went, at least part of the
way, with Moses when Moses went up the mount to talk with God and
receive the Ten Commandments written on tablets of stone as well
as other instructions that the Lord had given him. Therefore, Joshua
was
not involved in the idolatrous practices that the children of Israel
and even Aaron engaged in during Moses' absence. On their return, after
the forty days on the Mount, Joshua stated to Moses as they neared the
people that "There is a sound of war in the camp." Little did he
realize that the noise was not the sound of battle, but a noise of
singing as the Israelites participated in dancing and idolatry.
By far, Joshua had lived a more distinguished life in contrast to many
of his Israelite brethren. It appears that only he and Moses had
nothing to do with this wickedness that God's people had so foolishly
given themselves over to.
It was Joshua whom Moses put in charge of the "tent of meeting" (Ex.
33:7-11), which was not the tabernacle for neither it nor the
priesthood had yet been established. Concerning this, consider the
following comments: "...at Sinai, after the sin of the golden calf,
Moses is stated to have pitched `the tent' (as if well
known....). This `tent' was not yet the tabernacle proper, but
served an interim purpose. The ark was not yet made; a priesthood was
not yet appointed; it was `without the camp'; Joshua was the sole
minister (ver. 11)" (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia). "It is
remarkable that the trust was committed to Joshua, rather than to
Aaron, or any of the Levites. Probably the reason for this was that
Joshua alone had had no part in the idolatry of the calf" (Pulpit
Commentary).
Later on, as two of the twelve spies who entered the Promised Land,
Joshua and Caleb were the only ones who brought back a positive report
(Num. 13:8,16). The rest had been intimidated by the giants in the land
and were not willing to move in and accept the promises of God.
Joshua and Caleb, however, were not deterred by these
circumstances. Their faith had prompted them to obey the Lord no
matter how insurmountable the obstacles had appeared. They tried to
encourage the others to move in and take possession of the land, for
after all, God had promised it to them. Because of their trust in God,
Joshua and Caleb were the only two, out of all the fighting men of
Israel, who eventually entered the Promised Land to become inhabitants
therein. The rest had died in the wilderness during the forty years of
wandering. It was the new generation whom Joshua had led into Canaan,
and this he did when he was about 85 years old.
This period of Bible history in which Joshua served as Israel's leader
is known as the "Conquest." It was the time in which the iniquity of
the Amorite became full, and God had planned for his people to invade
Canaan, conquering and taking over, so that it could fully become their
territory. Joshua is noted as being a great man of war -- one who
engaged in numerous battles; yet, bear in mind, that at the beginning
of this conquest he was about 85 years old.
It was God who made Moses great; and it was God who also elevated His
servant Joshua. The Lord told him, "No man will be
able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been
with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake
you.... This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all
Israel,
that they may know that just as I have been with Moses, I will be with
you" (Josh. 1:5; 3:7). How did the Lord begin showing this? Similarly
to the parting of the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses, God now
would part the muddy waters of the Jordan River in order that Joshua's
people could cross over into their new land. After the conquering
of Jericho, which was the first city that Israel invaded, the Scripture
says: "So the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame was in all the land"
(Josh. 6:27).
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-2-
Word Study: Concupiscence
by Tom Edwards
The English word "concupiscence" is used only three times in the King
James Version. The original Greek word, however, from which it is
translated, is found in thirty-seven verses; it is usually translated
as "lusts" (22), but also as "lust" (9), "concupiscence" (3), and even
"desire" (3). Though rarely, it is used in a favorable sense in the
following three verses: Concerning the Passover, Jesus states in Luke
22:15, "...With DESIRE I have desired to eat this passover with you
before I suffer" (emphasis mine). Paul's "DESIRE to depart" and be with
Christ (Phil.1:23) is also from this same Greek word, as well as the
great "DESIRE" he had to see the Thessalonians face to face (1 Thes.
3:17). More often, however, this word is used in a negative sense.
James Strong defines the Greek word as "a longing (especially for what
is forbidden)...." The word often denotes lust and covetousness.
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The Steps That Lead to Eternal Salvation
1) Hear the gospel,
for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30,31).
2) Believe in the
deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent of sins
(Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith in Christ
(Rom. 10:9,10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized in water
for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3,4;
Gal. 3:26,27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith;
for,
if
not,
salvation
can
be
lost
(Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet.
2:20-22).
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First published for the Tri-state church of Christ in Ashland,
Kentucky, at 713 13th Street.
evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards
tedwards1109@gmail.com
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