calling of Abraham, the deliverance from Egypt, the defeat of the Amorites and of the purpose of Balaam,  162

the miraculous crossing of Jordan and taking of Jericho, and finally, the Divine victory  163 given them over all

the nations of Canaan. On these grounds he now earnestly entreated them to make decisive choice of

Jehovah as their God.164

And they replied by solemnly protesting their determination to cleave unto the Lord, in language which not

only re -echoed that of the preface to the ten commandments (Exodus 20:2; Deuteronomy 5:6), but also

showed that they fully responded to Joshua's appeals. To bring the matter to a clear issue, Joshua next

represented to them that they could not serve Jehovah (24:19) -that is, in their then state of heart and mind -

"in their own strength, without the aid of grace; without real and serious conversion from all idols; and

without true repentance and faith."  165 To attempt this were only to bring down judgment instead of the

former blessing. And when the people still persevered in their profession, Joshua, having made it a

condition that they were to put away the strange gods from among them and "direct" their hearts "unto

Jehovah, God of Israel,"  166 made again solemn covenant with them. Its terms were recorded in a document

which was placed within the book of the Law,167 and in memory there o f a great stone was set up under the

memorable tree at Shechem which had been the silent witness of so many solemn transactions in the history

of Israel.

With this event the history of Joshua closes.168 Looking back upon it, we gather the lessons of his life and

work, and of their bearing upon the future of Israel. Born a slave in Egypt, he must have been about forty

years old at the time of the Exodus. Attached to the person of Moses, he led Israel in the first decisive battle

against Amalek (Exodus 17:9, 13), while Moses, in the prayer of faith, held up to heaven the God-given

"rod."

It was no doubt on that occasion that his name was changed from Oshea, "help," to Jehoshua, "Jehovah is

help" (Numbers 13:16). And this name is the key to his life and work. Alike in bringing the people into

Canaan, in his wars, and in the distribution of the land among the tribes - from the miraculous crossing of

Jordan and taking of Jericho to his last address - he was the embodiment of his new name: "Jehovah is

help!" To this outward calling his character also corresponded. It is marked by singleness of purpose,

directness, and decision. There is not indeed about him that elevation of faith, or comprehensiveness of

spiritual view which we observed in Moses. Witness Joshua's despondency after the first failure at Ai. Even

his plans and conceptions lack breadth and depth. Witness his treaty with the Gibeonites, and the

commencing disorganization among the tribes at Shiloh. His strength always lies in his singleness of

purpose. He sets an object before him, and unswervingly follows it. So in his campaigns: he marches rapidly,

falls suddenly upon the enemy, and follows up the victory with unflagging energy. But there he stops - till

another object is again set before him, which he similarly pursues. The same singleness, directness, and

decision, rather than breadth and elevation, seem also to characterize his personal religion.

There is another remarkable circumstance about Joshua. The conquest and division of the land seem to

have been his sole work. He does not appear to have even ruled as a judge over Israel. But so far also as the

conquest and division of the land were concerned, his work was not complete, nor, indeed, intended to be

complete. And this is characteristic of the whole Old Testament dispensation, that no period in its history

sees its work completed, but only begun and pointing forward to another yet future,169 till at last all becomes

complete in the "fullness of time" in Christ Jesus. Thus viewed, a fresh light is cast upon the name and

history of Joshua. Assuredly Joshua did not give "rest" even to his own generation, far less to Israel as a

nation. It was rest begun, but not completed - a rest which even in its temporal aspect left so much unrest;

and as such it pointed to Christ. What the one Joshua could only begin, not really achieve, even in its

outward typical aspect, pointed to, and called for the other Joshua, the Lord Jesus Christ,170 in Whom and

by Whom all is reality, and all is perfect, and all is rest for ever. And so also it was only after many years that

Oshea became Joshua, while the name Joshua was given to our Lord by the angel before His birth (Matthew

1:21). The first became, the second was Joshua. And so the name and the work of Joshua pointed forward to

the fullness in Christ, alike by what it was and by what it was not, and this in entire accordance with the

whole character and object of the Old Testament.