Joshua's Call to Perseverance - Part 1 of 2

The Baptist Bible Hour now comes to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. O for a thousand tongues to sing, my great Redeemer's praise! Thou the wisdom of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace!

This is LeSaire Bradley, Jr. inviting you to stay tuned for another message of God's sovereign grace. Lord, let me praise thee in the morning, while the day is new. Let me praise thee at the moon-time, I'm leaning true. Let me not forget to praise thee, for since on the cross they nailed thee. Thy love has never failed me, and it never will. Lord, I must come to thee for comfort, to thee, Lord, alone.

All that we may do for others can't for sin atone. Lord, we know that thou didst tell us that the poor are always with us, and that thy love is jealous. Let us love thee more. And now an announcement from Timothy Guest, managing editor of the Baptist Witness. I'm excited to talk about this latest edition of the Baptist Witness. As our listeners are aware, our publication is now an online-only format, so if you visit BaptistBibleHour.org, you can pull up the Baptist Witness and read it there. Every two months, a new edition comes out with three articles that we trust are edifying to you and a strength in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.

So this latest edition is themed Honoring Christ in Every Season of Life. There's an article authored by myself that is addressed to young people. And then Richard Hobbywalks has written one directed to those in middle age.

And then my dad, Zach Guess, has one for those who are old. So I'll just let the reader decide which age category that they fall into. In thinking through the content of this edition and then reading through the articles that were written and writing my own, I really was stirred up to pray. There's a verse in the book of Judges. It talks about after that Joshua's generation had passed on. And it speaks of a new generation that rose up that knew not the Lord.

And I want to pray with all that I have against that. So we are praying that God would raise up a new generation of young people that love Jesus Christ more than they love the attractions of this world and who would faithfully walk in his kingdom as his servants. And we're thankful for godly young people and we want to encourage them and strengthen them with this article. We also need faithful examples of those who are middle-aged.

There's particular challenges to these years. There's advantages to this season of life, but there's also temptations. The scriptures have numerous examples of godly people who made dreadful mistakes in their middle-aged years. So Brother Dickey's article has some solid encouragement and some sobering warning. And then finally old saints are such a blessing to the church to see people who've walked with Jesus for 50, 60, 70 years who, yes, have made mistakes but learned from them, who give us an example of long-term faithfulness.

So my dad's article is just charged with enthusiastic exhortation for the aged to finish strong in their Christian race. So go to BaptistBibleHour.org and pull up The Baptist Witness and you can read this latest edition there. You can also look back and read all of our prior online editions of the publication as well. Again, that's BaptistBibleHour.org. I'm indeed thankful for this opportunity that we have to send out God's Word by radio each day, each week. We're thankful to have you with us today.

And if you are blessed with the program, I hope that you will decide to help in its support. We depend on our listeners to keep us on the air. Our address is Baptist Bible Hour, Box 17037, Cincinnati, Ohio 45217.

Please mention the call letters of the station over which you hear the program or the website where you're receiving it. Today we bring you another message from our series on the book of Joshua. Someone asked me why I was spending time in an Old Testament book which records battles that are not relevant to our day.

Well, actually the book of Joshua is full of practical lessons that are indeed relevant today. We note the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians Chapter 10, Verse 10. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happen unto them for ensamples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed, lest he fall. And then we look at Romans Chapter 15, Verse 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. So we see that in the New Testament Scriptures, we are told to look at these Old Testament Scriptures and learn the lessons that are practical for us today. The message today is Joshua's call to perseverance.

We've been bringing messages from the book of Joshua, and want to go there today to Chapter 23. We'll begin reading with Verse 1, Joshua Chapter 23. And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. And Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, and for all their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age. And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto the nations because of you, for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.

What a significant declaration. You've had success, you've enjoyed victory, and the reason is that the Lord your God has fought for you. Verse 4, Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain to be an inheritance for your tribes from Jordan with all the nations that I have cut off even unto the great sea westward. And the Lord your God shall expel them from before you and drive them from before you and drive them out of your sight and ye shall possess their land and the Lord as the Lord your God hath promised you.

Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or the left. Joshua knows that he's nearing the end of his journey here on this earth. In verse 14 he says, and behold this day I'm going the way of all the earth. Joshua lived to be a hundred and ten years old and probably he was very close to that time when he was speaking these words. Now the fact is that we're all going the way of the earth. We're all someday going to die. But as Joshua was of advanced age he knew the time was close for him.

And so I'm going all the way of the way of all the earth. He had a remarkable life. God had used him as a great leader and a great example. We find first he was living with his people in Egyptian bondage. But then he delivered a faithful report at Kadesh Barnea when all the others, the spies that were sent over, ten at least, were saying we can't take the land. Joshua and Caleb gave a positive report.

But because they listened to the majority the people then had to wander in the wilderness for 40 years. And so Joshua was a part of Israel during the wilderness wanderings. And then he led when they came to the crossing of Jordan.

And he was in front of Israel's army as they went forward to take the land of Canaan. But you see, he's concerned very much for the welfare of the people that he has served. Concerned what will happen to them after he's gone. I'm going to soon be leading you. I've had wonderful experiences with you along the way, he says. But I'm concerned that after I'm gone you're going to continue on course. It makes us think about the words of the Apostle Peter very much in that vein. 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 12.

Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things. There is a lot of repetition in the book of Joshua. Over and over again the people are reminded the importance of obeying God. Adhering to the truth that had been proclaimed to them. The message coming first from God and then through Moses and then through Joshua.

And they were not to turn from it either to the right hand or the left. Well, sometimes people get a little perturbed when there's a lot of repetition. You say, well I've heard that before. Well, the question is not whether you've heard it before but what have you done about it? Have you embraced it?

Have you applied it in your life? And so Joshua was repeating again and again the message that he had from God. And Peter is saying here that I want to put you, I don't want to be negligent. I want to put you always in remembrance of these things though you know them and be established in the present truth.

So in spite of the fact that you know these things and you're even established in them I'm not going to hesitate to bring it to your attention again. Yea, I think it meet as long as I'm in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance. I think it's appropriate as long as I'm in this flesh in this tabernacle in this body as long as I'm with you to be putting you in remembrance. Knowing that shortly I must put off this tabernacle even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed me. Moreover, I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to have these things always in remembrance. He uses the word remembrance three times in that portion of scripture. I've taught you the truth, you're established in the truth but I'm going to tell you about it again. I don't want you to forget it. I want you to remember. We find in the book of Romans chapter 12 that we need to have our minds renewed.

Oh how true. You can hear a message and think well I've heard all of it, I didn't learn anything new today but you go out in the world and some of the things that you've heard and embraced begin to slip away from you. You come under the influence of the world that's constantly beckoning and wanting you to become a part of its structure. So Peter, knowing he was reaching the end of his journey said I'm not going to hesitate to tell you again and again I want you to have these things clearly in your mind. I want you to remember them. So as Joshua calls all the leaders of the land to gather to bring this message, I title this message Joshua's Call to Perseverance. And the first thing he does is speak of God's blessings of the past. How important that we are constantly remembering what God has done for us.

What great things God had done for them as a people. So look again at verse 3. And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.

What a wonderful blessing. The Lord your God has fought for you. Can you not say that today when you look back over life? I've had battles to fight. I've had trials to face. I've had difficulties to overcome.

And how is it that you're here today? How is it that it's as well with you as it is has it not been that the Lord has fought the battle for you? We're told in Ephesians chapter 6 to put on the whole armor of God that we may be prepared for the battle with our great adversary the devil. And we could not successfully fight that battle unless the Lord fought for us. So just as Joshua is reminding the people that God has defended them.

Let us personally individually today remember that and remember as far as our church is concerned that God has blessed us through these many years. What a wonderful thought then the Lord has fought for you verse 4 behold I have divided unto you by lot those nations that remain to be an inheritance. You see basically they had come in possession of the land. They had conquered it but there were little pockets here and there little places in some of the villages some of the cities where there were still a number of the Canaanites dwelling.

And he said I've divided the territory by lot and these nations that remain are going to be an inheritance for the tribes from Jordan with all nations that I have cut off even unto the great sea westward. So we can see many examples of how God had fought for them how had been with them. When they came into the land the first battle to face was that of Jericho. And it actually did not require warfare. It required simple obedience.

March around the walls until God brought them down flat. And then we see it in the ultimate victory at Ai. They were first defeated there because there was sin in the camp but when that was attempted to then they came back and won the battle at Ai. We see the defeat of the ten kings and right up to the battle with the Amorites when Joshua had to call for the sun to stand still.

An amazing remarkable thing. He needed more daylight to be able to finish that battle and he asked the sun to stand still and God heard his request. And so as we see what great things God has done for his people in the past people that trusted him people that depended upon him it encourages us today to know that if we trust in the Lord and we face our enemies and our trials we can face it with courage because we know the battle is the Lord's.

We're trusting him. How important it is for us to remember what the Lord has done for us. Psalm 126 verse 3 The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad. And then going once again to the book of 1 Peter chapter 1 here's a marvelous description of what he's done for us by his sovereign grace.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Notice the blessing to an inheritance. There are times that people have expected to receive a great inheritance and when the time came it had been dissipated and they were terribly disappointed. But here as an inheritance that is incorruptible.

Now how often do you think about that? You get discouraged with the troubles of life but do you stop to ponder the fact that one day you're going to enjoy that inheritance that is incorruptible undefiled and fadeth not away reserved for you in heaven. The inheritance is sure. It's yours by reservation and you're going to arrive on time. Reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time wherein ye greatly rejoice. You should be able to rejoice in that. That's a beautiful gift.

A marvelous inheritance to be at home with the Lord where there will be no more tears, no more heartache, no more sickness, no more sin, no more conflict but eternal joy with the Lord in the presence of Jesus Christ. So we greatly rejoice in it though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations. Yes, sometimes our hearts are very heavy here because there are many trials, many difficulties that we encounter that the trial of your faith being much more precious than gold which perishes though it be tried with fire might be found under the praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Sometimes people say I just don't understand. Why did God let this happen to me? Why am I enduring this deep trial? And some because they're not correctly informed with biblical truth will make a statement like this. Well God didn't have anything to do with that particularly if it's a deep, deep trouble. Can't imagine that God would be involved.

God didn't have anything to do with that but this passage tells us that the trial of your faith is much more precious than gold. There's a purpose in your trials. God's going to teach you.

God's going to train you. God's going to work in such a way that you look forward with great anticipation to that inheritance that's on the other side. So at the appearing of Jesus Christ the trial of your faith will be unto his glory whom having not seen, he loved in whom though now you see him not yet believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your faith even the salvation of your souls.

Sometimes when these many trials come upon us they weight us down. We can feel deep sadness and we're reminded that the Lord says we're to rejoice. Rejoice all the way in the Lord and again I say rejoice. And you say how can I rejoice? My life has been so disrupted. I never dreamed that I would come to this place.

Never dreamed the heartaches could be so heavy. How can I rejoice? He says you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory because you're looking to him. You haven't seen him. Peter had seen him in the flesh. But you haven't seen him.

Yet you love him. You love Jesus Christ in whom now though we see him not yet believing you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. No, you can't enjoy the difficulties that you may encounter. You don't rejoice in the trial itself in the pain that's inflicted in a time of difficulty but you rejoice that there's something better farther on. You rejoice because of that inheritance that is yours in heaven.

Rejoicing with joy unspeakable and full of glory. And then in chapter 2 verse 9 he describes the blessing that's come upon us like this. But ye are a chosen generation a royal priesthood and holy nation a peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Isn't that something to rejoice in that you've been called out of darkness?

It's getting darker in our country today. You hear more and more outlandish statements that are directly opposed to the teaching of God's word. You observe deep resentment against Christianity. Yes, the way is dark.

And you hear some of the statements people make and you can't help but feel sorry for them. They feel like they have such wisdom and yet they're in such terrible darkness understanding nothing about the truth of the living God and the truth of his word. So all of us were in the dark. As a matter of fact we're describing the book of Ephesians by nature as not just being in the dark but being part of the darkness. And the fact that you've been called out of darkness what a blessing that you're able to see some things you could never have seen just as a natural man. That's by his grace that you have been transformed that you have been effectually called brought into the light. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost but now I'm found was blind but now I see. As Joshua was reminding the people to be thankful for what God had done for them we need to be reminded as well. Certainly we should be thankful for his mercies which are new every morning and to be found giving thanks for his saving grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. When you've been convicted of your sins you know that you need help. You need a savior and there's only one. There's none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved. And this wonderful savior says him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out. And if you have found refuge in him as your savior let us join together to say thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Now until next week at this same time may the Lord richly bless you all. And grace my fears repeat how precious did that grace appear the upright words believe. Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come.

Tis grace that brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home. The Baptist Bible Hour has come to you under the direction of Elder LeSaire Bradley, Jr. Address all mail to the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. That's the Baptist Bible Hour Cincinnati, Ohio 45217. When we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as the sun we know the days to see in God's grace than when we first begun.