The Old Testament Expounded, Part 3

We pick up from where we left off, last time. 

C. History Books

 

1. Joshua

Joshua is a picture of Christ. Joshua led the children of Israel from the wilderness to the land of Canaan. Jesus led us from the wilderness of sin to the kingdom of God (Col. 1:13). Joshua won all his battles, except the one against the nation of Ai, because of Achan. Christ won literally everything. What Judas was to Jesus, Achan was to Joseph.

Canaan spiritually means your ultimate spiritually calling. There are some things you will finish while here on earth. There are other things concerning you that you will know when you get to heaven.

The book of Joshua is divided into 4 divisions, for easier study:

• Joshua 1-5: Preparation to conquer Canaan
  
• Joshua 6-12: Conquering the land of Canaan
  
• Joshua 13-22: Allocation of the land
  
• Joshua 23-24: Last words of Joshua

Joshua chapters 6 and 7 also stand as major events in the book, where we see the walls of Jericho coming down, and the sin of Achan, respectively.

2. Judges

This book shows the cycle of sin. It shows how the children of Israel used to rebel against God over and over, and their relationship with God. The book of Judges is a reflection of the present day believer, who is always walking in sin, and repenting on Sundays. There are two key statements in Judges:

Judges 2:16-18

Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. ¹⁷ Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so. ¹⁸ And when the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who oppressed them and harassed them.

Judges 3:1-2

Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan  ² (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it)…

During this time, only judges ruled the nation of Israel. There were 6 major judges:

1.  Othniel (the brother of Caleb)

2.  Ehud

3.  Gideon

4.  Deborah

5.  Jephthah

6.  Samson

In the same manner, there were 6 minor judges:

1.  Tola

2.  Jair

3.  Ibzan

4.  Elon

5.  Abdon

6.  Abimelech

Despite having the judges, the children of Israel still continued sinning against God, throughout the time of the judges, especially soon even after a judge died. Here are some verses that summarize the cycle of sin, in the book of Judges.

Judges 3:7

So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs.

Judges 3:12

And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, because they had done evil in the sight of the Lord.

Judges 4:1

When Ehud was dead, the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord.

Judges 6:1

Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years…

Judges 8:33

So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-Berith their god.

Judges 10:6

Then the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals and the Ashtoreths, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the people of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; and they forsook the Lord and did not serve Him.

Judges 13:1

Again the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord delivered them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

Judges 17:6

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Judges 21:25

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

When the children of Israel had a judge, they refrained from sinning. Soon after the judge died, they resumed sinning. You must have someone in your life to hold you accountable for the things you do, to walk with you.

Proverbs 28:26

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

Pray to God to lead you to someone who will walk with you in this walk of faith, someone you will be accountable to.

3. Ruth

The book of Ruth was written during the times of the judges, right when there was famine.

In the book of Ruth, there are several symbolisms:

•  Elimelech: He is a picture of God. His death means the departure of God from covering Israel as a nation

•  Naomi:  She is a picture of the nation of Israel.

•  Mahlon: He is a picture of the law. His name meant “sickly”

•  Chilion: He is a picture of the Prophets. His name meant, “One who is pining away.” Prophets were often killed and were fading away.

•  Ruth: She is a picture of the Bride of Christ.

•  Orpah: Her name meant, “Stiff-necked. She was a picture of a once saved but backsliden church.

•  Boaz: He is a picture of Christ.

Elimelech left the house of bread (Bethlehem, which meant “house of bread) and went to the land of Moab, which was cursed.

The Moabites were cursed because they were descendants of Moab. Moab was the child Lot had with his first daughter, while Ammon was the child he had, with the second daughter (Gen. 19:30-38). They got him drunk and slept with him, and their children were cursed, as they were born out of incest with the father. That is why throughout the Scriptures the Ammonites and the Moabites were cursed.

The picture of Sodom and Gomorrah speaks of the days of the anti-christ.

Moab is a picture of the world.

Ruth (the church) came from Moab (the world) and was determined to serve and worship God, regardless of where she came from.

There is always something people adore. Orpah went back to her people, and her gods, to do the things she used to love to do. How do you know your god? When you are idle, the thing or place you go, that is where your god is. If you run to football, see a friend etc., that is your religion and god. When you go to the word when you are bored or idle, that is where your God is. Just like Ruth, let us choose to go and walk with our God, and not be like Orpah, who went back to her gods and people, the Moabites, who are a picture of the world.

We will continue from there in the next sermon, looking at rest of the history books, as well as the prophets. 

 -- Teacher Sammy Nyanjom

(16/11/14 Sunday Service Sermon, Teaching Transformation Ministry.)

 
Teacher Samny is a friend of Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), Next to Eastgate Restaurant.