The Abrahamic Covenant in the Book of Joshua

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The Abrahamic Covenant enters as a theme in the book of Joshua early in chapter 1, when Yahweh encourages Joshua by reminding them that he is going to lead God’s people into the land that He swore He would give to their fathers (Josh 1:6). Also, before the sons of Israel go into battle against Jericho, Yahweh commands that they be circumcised (Josh 5:2-3); that is, that they be given the sign of the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 17:10-14). In the book of Joshua, we see the prospect of the fulfillment of the long-awaited promise to Abraham: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Gen 12:7).

And in Joshua, the Israelites do go into the land that Yahweh promised to give them in covenant with Abraham. It even seems to suggest that they conquered all of the land (Josh 10:40; 11:16). Indeed, “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that Yahweh had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes, Thus the land had rest from war” (Josh 11:23).

Though God spoke in this way, we also see that He says, “…very much of the land remains to be possessed” (Josh 13:1). Further, Israel’s failure to conquer all of the land does not remain morally neutral. In fact, an emphasis in Joshua – which will become an even greater emphasis in the book of Judges (cf. Jdg 1-2) – is that failure to conquer the land is disobedience to Yahweh. For though He commanded Israel to utterly destroy the nations that they might completely possess the land (cf. Josh 6:17-24; 7:11-15; 8:8, 26-28; 10:28-40; 11:8-15, 21-22), we are told repeatedly that they do not do so (Josh 15:63; 16:10; 17:12-13). Exasperated, Joshua chastises Israel in 18:3: “How long will you put off entering to take possession of the land which Yahweh, the God of your fathers, has given you?” So, notwithstanding Joshua 11:23, Israel did not take possession of the whole land.

And yet, in 21:43-45, it seems to suggest that the Abrahamic promise is fulfilled: "So Yahweh gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And Yahweh gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; Yahweh gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which Yahweh had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass."

Joshua says that Yahweh gave the land to Israel as He had sworn to their fathers (thus emphasizing the covenant promise), gave them rest, and not one of the promises failed but came to pass. However, after that declaration, in 23:4-5, as Joshua is addressing Israel before his death he says, “Yahweh your God, He will thrust [these nations] out from before you and drive them from before you; and you will possess their land, just as Yahweh your God promised you.” After saying that Yahweh gave them all the land and rest of every side according to the promise to the fathers, Joshua then speaks of the complete possession of the land according to the promise of Yahweh as an event that is yet future.

So what are we to conclude from this? Well, what we see in Joshua does indeed relate to the Abrahamic Covenant. Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness is put on display in how He constantly works and fights for Israel (Josh 1:9; 6:16; 8:7; 10:10-14; 11:20; 23:3; 24:1-13, 17-18) to fulfill His promise to give them the land (cf. Gen 12:7; 15:7, 18). However, the disobedience of Israel (cf. Deut 19:8-10) despite even the steadfast faithfulness of Yahweh also is the theme of the Sinaitic/Mosaic Covenant, the administration of which is also present in Joshua (Josh 1:7-8; 8:31-35; 22:2-5; 23:6, 11, 15-16; 24:26).

Therefore, we should understand that Yahweh gave Israel the land, demonstrating His unwavering faithfulness to His word. But Israel failed to completely possess the land, demonstrating their typical disobedience. The Abrahamic promise that His descendants would be given the land as an everlasting possession (Gen 17:8; cf. Gen 13:14) is not fulfilled in Joshua. As promised (cf. Num 33:55-56), this disobedience brought further disobedience until finally Israel and Judah were themselves dispossessed from the land in acts of Yahweh’s judgment (2Ki 17:6; 25:8-11).

Thus the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant remains a future event when Israel will be restored from captivity, gathered from where they are scattered, and brought back to the land with circumcised hearts (cf. Deut 30:1-6; Jer 30-33; Ezek 20:33-44; 36:22-38), where they will possess it as an everlasting possession (Gen 17:8; cf. Gen 13:14).

"As for you, O house of Israel," thus says the Lord Yahweh,
"Go, serve everyone his idols; but later you will surely listen to Me,
and My holy name you will profane no longer with your gifts and with your idols.
For on My holy mountain, on the high mountain of Israel," declares the Lord Yahweh,
"there the whole house of Israel, all of them, will serve Me in the land;
there I will accept them
and there I will seek your contributions and the choicest of your gifts,
with all your holy things.

As a soothing aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples
and gather you from the lands where you are scattered;
and I will prove Myself holy among you in the sight of the nations.

And you will know that I am Yahweh, when I bring you into the land of Israel,
into the land which I swore to give to your forefathers.
There you will remember your ways and all your deeds
with which you have defiled yourselves;
and you will loathe yourselves in your own sight
for all the evil things that you have done.

Then you will know that I am Yahweh
when I have dealt with you for My name's sake,
not according to your evil ways or according to your corrupt deeds,
O house of Israel," declares the Lord Yahweh.'"

- Ezekiel 20:39-44 -

Responding to Suffering Righteously

Though the many characters in the story of Job present various views on the reason for suffering and how to respond to it, no one character provides that righteous example. However, from observing Yahweh’s interactions with the various characters, we see that the book of Job teaches that the righteous man should respond to suffering by worshipfully and faithfully submitting to God’s absolute sovereignty in all things.

Though Job’s three friends mean well (Job 2:11), their faulty theology leads them into error and renders them a hindrance rather than a comfort. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar believe they have God figured out: He rewards the righteous and faithful and punishes the wicked and the unfaithful. While correct in a general sense, they erred by applying this paradigm absolutely. In fact, even before Job is afflicted we learn that his suffering will have nothing to do with his sinfulness (Job 1:8-12; 2:3-6). Thus Yahweh’s wrath is kindled against them (Job 42:7-8). And though Yahweh does not respond to Elihu’s comments, it is clear that his analysis falls short as well. Elihu’s main argument is that suffering is a purifying process (Job 33:8-12, 29-30), and while this certainly has some merit, again, in a general sense (cf. 1Pet 1:6-7; Jas 1:3), the opening chapters teach us that Job is not suffering to be purged of sin, but because God willed to make an example of Job to prove a point to Satan.

Job himself is probably the best example of the five characters throughout the narrative. There is much that we can learn from the ways he responded (Job 1:20-22; 2:10). In fact, Yahweh Himself commends Job for speaking rightly of Him (Job 42:7-8). However, Job’s proper responses are also mixed with foolish thoughts. He proclaims His hope in Yahweh regardless of circumstances (Job 13:15a; 14:7-14; 19:25-27), but in the same breath desires to contend with Him (Job 13:3, 15b). As the book progresses, his tendency to find fault with God’s judgment grows. For this he receives perhaps the most contemptuous rebuke in all of Scripture (Job 38-41).

Though not the perfect example of righteousness, we do learn from Job’s interaction with God how we should respond when we suffer. First, we should not seek to console ourselves by attributing our suffering to secondary causes. Job always recognized that God was sovereign in his afflictions (Job 1:21; 2:10; 12:9-10), and he was commended for that (Job 2:3; 42:7). We should not seek to save God from His sovereignty. He means to be glorified in being recognized as the ultimate mover and determiner of all things (cf. Is 45:7; Lam 3:37-38).

We learn, negatively, though, that faith in God’s sovereignty should not cause us to blame Him or accuse Him of unrighteousness. We should recognize that we all deserve suffering as a result of our sinfulness (Rom 3:10ff). It is God’s mercy that we do not suffer continually (Mt 5:44-45; cf. 2Pet 2:4).

Thirdly, we should not seek detailed reasons for our suffering, but trust God’s wisdom. Just as Job never knew about the spiritual battle revealed in the opening chapters, so also our suffering is often greater than ourselves. We should seek to saturate ourselves with the knowledge of God, and be satisfied in His sovereignty and goodness. He has a plan that cannot be thwarted (Job 42:2) which will bring about His greatest glory, which is our greatest good (Rom 8:28). Thus, we should trust God’s goodness even when circumstances seem to contradict that. As Job did, we should accept good and adversity as gifts from Him (Job 2:10) and worship Him for His goodness (Job 1:20-22).

Finally, we should not wait for circumstances to improve before praising God. Instead, we should imitate Job’s example (Job 1:20-22); he was still on the ash heap covered with boils and sores when he was reconciled to Yahweh (Job 42:1-6). We should praise and worship God even in the midst of our sufferings, and thus demonstrate that He Himself is more satisfying to us than pleasant circumstances.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
- Psalm 73:26 -

Solomon: "Don't Waste Your Life"

Perhaps the most memorable -- and potentially confusing -- theme of the book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon's insistence on proclaiming the vanity, or futility, of life. The Hebrew word hevel appears 38 times in the relatively short book, and it denotes at least three things:

1. Transience: the name Abel is a transliteration of this word, and interestingly Abel's life was very transient, as he was murdered at a young age by his brother Cain;
2. An incomprehensibility, referring to frustration over life’s unanswered questions; and
3. A futility described as “striving after the wind” (Eccl 1:14; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 16; 6:9), being of “no advantage” (Eccl 3:19; cf. 1:3; 5:11, 16; 6:8, 11), and of “no profit” (Eccl 2:11; 3:9).

Indeed, his exclamations of the emptiness of the various occupations of man’s life may leave the reader thinking that the book is nothing more than the skeptical-cynical musings and complaints of a jaded pessimist, and anything but godly wisdom from the wisest king in the world (1Ki 4:29-34; 2Chr 9:22).

However, Solomon’s great focus on the futility of life must be considered through the lens which he intended. Besides futility, another oft-repeated phrase throughout the book is “under the sun” (Eccl 1:9; 2:17-20; 3:16; 4:1; 5:18; 6:1; 8:9; 9:11; 10:5). Solomon is referring to the way things appear to be on this side of heaven; that is, from the perspective ‘under the sun’ as opposed to the eternal perspective ‘beyond the sun.’

He is speaking of life from the human perspective, and so his conclusions about the emptiness, futility, and incomprehensibility of life make sense. Because the Word of God tells us specifically that world we live in ‘under the sun’ has itself been subjected to futility. Paul tells us that in Romans 8:20, where he uses the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word, hevel, mentioned above. He goes on to say that this creation which was subjected to futility is in slavery to corruption (Rom 8:21) because it is under the curse of sin (Gen 3:17-19). Therefore, Solomon’s apparent pessimism is actually a wise incredulity, because it is indeed appropriate to be pessimistic about this world. We simply cannot make sense of life from a merely human, or naturalistic, perspective.

So how are we to live in this cursed world, filled with futility and brokenness? The answer is the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes, and is presented most succinctly at the end of all Solomon’s ruminations: “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments” (Eccl 12:13). Though life seems incomprehensible while ‘under the sun,’ there is a God in heaven whose perspective is greater than ours. He is the one who makes sense of life and gives it meaning. That which gives this seemingly inscrutable and fleeting life meaning is the fear of God.

That phrase, which in Solomon's mind is the key to all of life, is distributed fairly evenly throughout the book (Eccl 3:14; 5:7; 7:18; 8:12-13; 12:13). It is the unifying thread that ties all of the apparently random discourses together. But what does it mean, exactly, to fear God?

Well, the one who wisely fears the Lord worships Him in all things. He regards God and His Word as supreme in all the occupations of his everyday life, and considers all he does in the light of who God is and what He has revealed of Himself in His Word. And such worship of Yahweh is precisely what He elsewhere in Scripture declares is His ultimate purpose in all He does (Is 42:8; 43:7, 25; 48:11; Ezek 36:22-23; Eph 1:11-12). All of life is to be lived for the glory of God (1Cor 10:31).

It's interesting, then, that Solomon consistently exhorts his readers to enjoy life as a gift of God (Eccl 2:24-26; 3:12-13, 22; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-9; 11:8-9). You can pursue your greatest pleasure apart from the fear of God, but at the end of your pursuit, you, like Solomon, will find that none of those pursuits satisfy your soul. You'll find that your striving after pleasure is like “striving after the wind.”

But the one who pursues his greatest pleasure according to the fear of God – that is, pursuing his pleasure in God Himself – will find that the enjoyments of this life are gifts from a gracious and beneficent Father (Jas 1:17), and will thus give glory and praise to Him as the giver of all good things. In this way he will worship God, because he will be living his life the way the Creator of life intended it to be lived. This way, and only this way, he will not waste this one fleeting life he has under the sun.

Heed Solomon's word to us. Don't waste your life.

Deuteronomy at a Glance

As Israel is about to go into the land of Canaan to possess it as He swore to the Fathers (Deut 1:8; 6:3, 10, 18-23; 8:1; cf. Gen 12:1-3, 7; 13:13-17; 15:7, 18; 17:8; 28:13-14; 35:12; 50:24), Yahweh graciously proclaims again to Israel all His gracious dealings with them since the time of the patriarchs (Deut 2:7; 3:22; 4:7; 5:15; 7:17-19; 8:14-18; 23:14; 31:3-8), as well as the Light of the revelation of Himself in His Law (Deut 4:24, 35, 37; 6:4; 7:6-7, 9-10).

He presents to Israel all the blessings for loving and serving Him in faithfulness (Deut 4:40; 5:29; 6:24-25; 7:13-14; 11:13-15; 15:4-6, 10; 16:15; 24:19; 28:1-2), as well as all the curses for deserting Him to serve other gods (Deut 4:25-27; 8:19-20; 11:16-17; 18:20; 27:14-26; 28:15; 29:27-28; 31:17-18).

And even though it is plainly revealed that Israel will fall away into blasphemy, idolatry, and perverse sin (Deut 31:16), Yahweh even now reveals New Covenant blessings in the promise of a new heart for a remnant of His people which He will gather to Himself and from whom He will get what He is worthy of (see below; cf. Jer 30-33; Ezek 36):

So it shall be when all of these things have come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind in all nations where the LORD your God has banished you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey Him with all your heart and soul according to all that I command you today, you and your sons, then the LORD your God will restore you from captivity, and have compassion on you, and will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.
If your outcasts are at the ends of the earth, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you back. The LORD your God will bring you into the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it; and He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.
Moreover the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. The LORD your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments which I command you today.
Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers.
- Deuteronomy 30:1-9 -

Numbers at a Glance

Yahweh brings glory to Himself by revealing His wrath and righteous judgment (Num 11:33; 12:10-15; 14:22-23; 16:28-33; 16:41-49) against the sin of the sons of Israel in punishing them for their continual rebellion (Num 14:1-4, 9; 17:10; 20:3-5, 10, 24; 27:14).

And Yahweh brings glory to Himself by revealing His grace, mercy, forgiveness, and covenant faithfulness in preserving them despite their rebellion (Num 23:8-10; 22:12; 21:8-9; 25:11; 15:2, 18-19, 41; 27:12; 32:22).

Israel’s great sin will not abate Yahweh’s desire to glorify Himself by fulfilling His promises to bless His people.

The counsel of Yahweh stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.
Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,
The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
- Psalm 33:11-12 -

Leviticus at a Glance

In the book of Leviticus, Yahweh reveals His character and mind to the sons of Israel in the form of His holy Law.

He reveals Himself to Israel to impress upon them the standard of His holiness to which, as His people, they are held (Lev 10:3; 11:44-45; 20:7, 25-26; 22:32).

He reveals Himself to Israel to impress upon them the severity, seriousness, and pervasiveness of their sin before a holy God through very particular and arduous means of atonement.

• Leviticus 1-7: The offerings for atonement (burnt, grain, peace, sin, and guilt offerings).
• Leviticus 8-10: The priests' role in the offerings and in the atonement.
• Leviticus 16: The laws for atonement in general and the holy Day of Atonement are instituted.
• Leviticus 17: Yahweh requires that whatever sacrifices for atonement that are made must be made at the tent of meeting and nowhere else.
• Leviticus 22: The animals that are sacrificed must be without defect.
  

And He reveals Himself to Israel to point them to a coming Great High Priest (Heb 2:17; 4:14; 6:20; 7:26; 8:1; 10:21) who would make a perfect and final atonement for them (Heb 7:25; 8:6; 9:23-24 10:12-14; John 19:30) something neither they nor their priests could ever do themselves (Heb 9:9-10; 10:1-4, 11).

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
- Hebrews 10:19-23 -

Exodus at a Glance

In the book of Exodus, Yahweh demonstrates His sovereign power, His great compassion, and that there is no god but Him as He reveals Himself to the sons of Israel through Moses, delivers them from their oppression in Egypt, brings them to Himself in covenant, and leads them to the land He promised to their fathers.

Concerning Israel’s deliverance, the book of Exodus reveals that it is Yahweh who delivers (or redeems) them from the oppression they suffered under the power of Egypt. In Exodus 9:16 Yahweh explicitly reveals to Pharaoh the reason for His dealings with Egypt on behalf of Israel: “But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth” (cf. also Ex 7:17). Yahweh is consumed with demonstrating His power (in contrast to that of any professed gods of the nations) as well as bringing fame and glory to His great covenant name.

This notion of making His name known has preeminent importance in His design of deliverance. This becomes most apparent in the opening verses of chapter six (Ex 6:1-8). God speaks to Moses, and opens and closes His discourse by proclaiming His name: “I am Yahweh” (Ex 6:2, 8). He goes on to tell Moses that He revealed Himself to the patriarchs, but not by name (Ex 6:3). This is curious, because a simple reading of Genesis 15:1-8 shows that Abraham knew God by His name, Yahweh. What He is intending to communicate is that though He made a covenant promise to the fathers that they would inherit the land, they had only sojourned there (Ex 6:4); they hadn’t received the promise yet. As such, they didn’t know the name of Yahweh in the sense that they didn’t know Him in His covenant faithfulness. But by Yahweh’s deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, the giving of the covenant Law, and finally the conquest of the Promised Land under Joshua, He declares that they will know Yahweh in the essence of His character; i.e., One who keeps covenant.

Yahweh also desires to make His name known among Pharaoh and the inhabitants of Egypt. When Moses first entreats Pharaoh to let the sons of Israel go and sacrifice to Yahweh, Pharaoh responds, “Who is Yahweh that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh” (Ex 5:3). From this point forward, Yahweh declares that one of His designs in Israel’s deliverance is to make His name known to Pharaoh (Ex 7:1-5) and the Egyptians (Ex 14:4, 18). And by the end of the Israelites’ deliverance, Pharaoh and his people do know Yahweh’s name (Ex 10:16-17; 12:30-31; 14:24-25).

Finally, Yahweh designs that His name be proclaimed and known among all nations, and not just Israel and Egypt. We see this in His declaration in Exodus 9:16: “…to proclaim My name through all the earth.” And by the second chapter of Joshua, we see that the fame of Israel’s deliverance has accomplished this (Josh 2:8-11).

Yahweh’s purposes for the sons of Israel are revealed throughout the book. First, His deliverance and redemption of Israel is designed to fulfill His covenant promises to the patriarchs. They are to be to Him a special treasure, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation (Ex 19:5-6). He does this by bringing them into the land He swore to their fathers by His covenant (see Ex 2:24; 3:15-17; 6:3-4, 8; 32:13; 33:1-3), thereby establishing the faithfulness of His name. Secondly, He clearly reveals that His design is to set apart the people of Israel among the nations as the people of God (Ex 9:4; 11:7; 19:6). In chapter thirteen, He commands that the firstborn be sanctified to Him so that they remember that He delivered them. He tells them they must not worship the gods of the land they will inhabit, but to remain distinct from the nations by worshiping Yahweh (Ex 23:23-33). He renews His covenant with them in Exodus 34:11-27 as a means of keeping them distinct from other nations, and reveals that the name of Yahweh is Jealous (Ex 34:14). This purpose is reaffirmed as the Torah develops and as the purposes for the Mosaic covenant are further made plain (Lev 10:10; 11:47; 20:25).

Genesis at a Glance

In the book of Genesis, Yahweh reveals His glory in the manifold perfections of His character by disclosing His dealings with the people of His creation.

His glory is displayed in His fellowship with and blessings to Adam and Eve before the Fall in the garden (Gen 1-3).

His glory is displayed in His justice, righteousness, and wrath against sin (Gen 3:14-24; 4:11-12; 6:5-7; 7:23; 11:8-9; 19:24-25).

His glory is displayed in His mercy and compassion on a single family in the whole earth (Gen 6:8; 8:1; 9:1, 8-9).

His glory is displayed in His goodness to one man on whom He sets His covenant love and through whom He blesses all the nations of the earth (Gen 12:1-3; 15:5, 18; 17:1-8; 24:1; 26:24; 35:9-12; 50:24; Rom 4:16-17).

His glory is displayed in His free and sovereign grace in the election of a particular covenant people for Himself, to whom and through whom He magnifies His faithfulness (Deut 7:6-10).