SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED
| February
1, 2004 pm Joshua 24:29 (29) And it came to pass after these things, that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old. Joshua 24:30 (30) And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathserah, which is in mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill of Gaash. Joshua 24:32 (32) And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. Joshua 24:33 (33) And Eleazar the son of Aaron died; and they buried him in a hill that pertained to Phinehas his son, which was given him in mount Ephraim. JOSEPH, JOSHUA AND ELEAZAR All three were buried at the end of the book of Joshua; the book that showed Israel enter the Promised land, conquer it's enemies and enjoy the land as their own. There are three aspects of our Christian lives that we must experience, in order to enjoy all that Christ died on the cross for us to enjoy. These men represent these aspects. There is the promise that it is there for us. There is the driving out of the enemies from our blessings. And there is the enjoyment of it afterwards for ourselves. It's like the song that speaks of going to the enemies camp and taking back what he stole from us. Israel was given the promised land, but there were Canaanites in there that had to be removed.
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: But in these heavenly places there are enemies. Eph 6:12 (12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. HIGH PLACES here is also translated as HEAVENLY PLACES. Blessed in heavenly places and enemies in heavenly places to fight? No wonder we have to FIGHT with the whole armour of God! TAKE BACK WHAT HE STOLE FROM US! SIGNED JOSEPH represents the PROMISE. He speaks of the SIGNED element of SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED. Something is there for us as a promise, and it is SIGNED. Genesis 50:24-26 (24) And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (25) And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence. (26) So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt. Joseph's bones were carried from Egypt towards Canaan.
(1) Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, (2) Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. (3) Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (4) From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. (5) There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. (6) Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. SEALED Joshua was representative of the LIFE of Jesus Christ, which is obviously resurrection life. He speaks of the promise SEALED. Sealing something is making it SOLID. It may be SIGNED, but it's on it's way to being delivered when it is SEALED. IT CONFIRMS. Sure enough!!!!! God did indeed say the land was our's because JOSHUA IS DEFEATING ALL THE ENEMIES, and GOD MUST BE WITH HIM as Joseph said God would be with us. SEALING the promise is PROVING IT by EXPERIENCING IT. I know God is with me, because I am actually conquering enemies and I could not do that without God's help. We need to constantly carry around these two truths.
Notice that the death of Joseph is associated with the promise of the land. GARDEN OF EDEN I want to stress that the LAND that I wish to deal with is the Garden of Eden.
(27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (28) So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. The message of the death of Christ is the message that the element that held us away from the kind of fellowship with God that Adam had in the garden before sin is now our's once again to enjoy. His DEATH deals with sin, and that means we can fellowship with God now. Rom 6:1-3 (1) What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (2) God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (3) Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? We died with Christ so that we would become dead to sin. Rom 6:6-7 (6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (7) For he that is dead is freed from sin. We are freed from sin when we are dead to sin. Isa 59:2 (2) But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. We can enter the country, therefore, because we died with Jesus and became free from sin. Let me speak here about BACKSLIDERS... How many people either stay away from Church, or continue coming, but simply take a back seat to even trying to serve God?
The story of the prodigal son shows this so well.
Shechem was where God told Israel they would enjoy houses they never built, and vineyards they never planted, and there Joshua said these words: Joshua 24:13 (13) And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. It's like the Garden of Eden!
John 4:35-38 (35) Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. (36) And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. (37) And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. (38) I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours. Same thing as what Joshua said in that same city! Blessings of GOD -- like the Garden of Eden. THAT is where they buried Joseph. Joshua 24:32 (32) And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. JOSHUA And secondly, Joshua's presence implies victory. Christ is our POWER. No enemy can come against us. Luke 10:19 (19) Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. We need two truths. 1) The death of Jesus is accounted to us when we're baptized, so that we are free from sin. THE LAND IS OUR'S! (JOSEPH) 2) The LIFE of Jesus is victory against the devil who tries to hinder us on our way. (JOSHUA) Death deals with our past sinful lives that belonged to ADAM, and were banned from the Garden. But we have to realize why we have the Holy Ghost now.
I believe that JOSHUA represents the victory side of the picture, because our victory is IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
I know too many who set out to work for God, and the devil hit them hard.
Zec 4:6-7 (6) Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (7) Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. 2Sa 22:33-34 (33) God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect. (34) He maketh my feet like hinds' feet: and setteth me upon my high places. GOD SETS YOU ON THE HIGH PLACES! Eph 6:10 (10) Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of HIS might. Look at circumstances that seem like enemies of your fulfilled promises.
The mention of Eleazar in the end of Joshua, who was also buried, laying to rest a work that God required to have done, speaks of receiving the blessings of God and enjoying them. Eleazar was one who worked with Joshua to distribute the land to the Israelites. Joshua 14:1 (1) And these are the countries which the children of Israel inherited in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed for inheritance to them. Num 34:17 (17) These are the names of the men which shall divide the land unto you: Eleazar the priest, and Joshua the son of Nun. ELEAZAR MEANS "GOD WILL HELP." Rom 8:26 (26) Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. THE SPIRIT HELPETH. You PRAY for things you need.
If you stutter a syllable all the time, or always start in tongues using the same sounds, you are in the flesh.
2Co 12:9 (9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. When YOU are weak, then HE is strong.
(19) Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. He so totally dropped Himself into the care of the Father, that the Father QUICKENED Him so powerfully! John 5:30 (30) I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. This is powerful... John 8:28 (28) Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. When they would crucify Him they were going to learn something most powerful!
(49) For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. Stop trying to figure everything out.
(29) Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. The Holy Ghost DISPENSES you with the blessings God has promised to you. Joseph encouraged them about the land. Joshua led Israel to conquered it. Eleazar helped distribute it. SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED |
