Jesus as the New Joshua

Joshua’s Battle Against Jericho: The Story of a Whore Who Becomes a Bride

1. The Great City and the Inheritance

The name of the great city ”Jericho” brings to mind the greatest single battle recorded in the Old Testament. After crossing the Jordan and entering the land of promise, Joshua and all Israel camped in Gilgal.6 Joshua erected twelve stones taken from the riverbed as a memorial to represent the twelve tribes of Israel who crossed the river in safety. The Jordan crossing reminded the Israelites of their fathers, those who crossed the Red Sea after they were delivered from pharaoh, whereupon they sang the song of Moses(Exod 15:1-19, Josh 4:19-24).

But the great city Jericho was walled up to heaven (Deut 9:1), defying Joshua and the armies of Israel. This impassable city represented the decisive struggle of the people of God against the nations of Canaan. In order to inherit the paradisiacal land flowing with milk and honey, and to receive their inheritance by their tribes (Josh 18:3-10), as promised in the book of seven parts (18:9), Israel would have to destroy Jericho. But what was this inviolable city to Joshua, who could command the sun and the moon to cease in their courses that the day of slaughter might not end (10:12-14), and whose God could rain giant hailstones from heaven upon the armies of the Canaanite kings (10:11)?

2. The Wealth of Jericho

This fortress city of Jericho, in the plain of the Jordan, was filled with great wealth. Her treasures included silver and gold, articles of bronze and iron (6:19), linen (2:6), and scarlet (2:18). Jericho evidently sustained a commercial relationship with Shinar. Among her many treasures was the beautiful Babylonian garment7 that was to prove so tempting to Achan (7:21). Jericho was an impregnable fortress town, whose fall before Joshua would cause the kings of Canaan to fear the God of the armies of Israel (9:1-3, 24; 10:1-4).

3. The Two Spies and the Whore

Joshua initiated the conquest of Jericho by sending two spies to view the land and the city (2:1). But the presence of the spies was reported to the king of Jericho, who sought to kill them (2:2, 14). Attempting to escape the king, the spies turned into the house of Rahab, a whore of Jericho identified by her scarlet cord (2:18), whose house was evidently open to strangers (2:1). Rahab protected the spies, whom she could have delivered over to death (2:14).

4. The Divine Warrior Appears

The battle of Jericho began with Joshua‘s unexpected vision of a divine Man. Having sanctified all Israel from uncleanness caused by their neglect of covenant circumcision,Joshua was contemplating holy war against Jericho (5:1-12). As he lifted up his eyes, he saw a divine Man standing with His sword drawn for battle. Joshua fell before the Man and was told to remove his sandals from his feet (5:14-15).

5. The Sevenfold Judgment and Fall of the City

The battle began as Joshua directed the campaign against Jericho. He commanded the people to circle the city once a day for seven days and seven times upon the seventh day (6:3-4).8 On the seventh day, Joshua arose early in the morning (6:12). He caused the priests carrying the ark of the covenant to sound seven trumpets of judgment before the city. Then he commanded all the people to shout out against her (6:8,20). Suddenly the walls of the wicked city fell (6:20). All those who remained in Jericho were put to the sword, and the city was burned with fire (6:21,24).

6. Rahab Delivered: The Whore Becomes a Bride

But Rahab the whore was delivered along with all her house. She came out of the city in safety because she had obeyed the word of the two spies (6:25). According to Matthew, Rahab became the bride of Salmon, who was of the royal tribe of Judah. Through this marriage the Gentile whore of Jericho became an ancestress of Jesus the Messiah, the True Joshua (Matt 1:5-16)!

Jesus’ Battle Against Babylon in Revelation: The Story of the True Joshua, and a Whore Who Becomes a Bride

1. The Great City and the Inheritance

The name of the great city ”Babylon” brings to mind the greatest battle depicted in the New Testament. The sins of Great Babylon reached up to heaven (Rev 18:5), an affront to the God of all the earth. This mighty city represented the decisive struggle of the LordJesus against the unrepentant of earth. Babylon must be destroyed for the people of God to inherit the paradise of God (21:1-5), and receive their distribution by their tribes (21:12), as the fulfillment of the book of seven seals (5:1). But what is this great city to Jesus, the True Joshua, whose own light causes the sun and the moon to cease (21:23), and whose God will rain great hailstones from heaven down upon Babylon (16:19-21)?

2. The Wealth of Babylon

Babylon was a city filled with great wealth. Her treasures included gold and silver, bronze, iron, linen, and scarlet (18:12-13). In the city lived a woman arrayed in an alluring Babylonian garment of scarlet and purple (17:4).9 The fall of this great city before Jesus would cause the kings of the earth to fear and mourn (18:9-10).10

3. The Two Witnesses and the Whore

Now the Lord sent two witnesses into the wicked city (11:3-12), but the nations sought to kill them (11:7). Nevertheless, they were delivered from death in the sight of their enemies (11:12). Dwelling in the great city was a whore identified by her scarlet (17:3-5), who committed fornication with the kings of the earth (18:3). The whore had the power of death over the saints of God (17:6).

4. The Divine Warrior Appears

Jesus‘ battle against Babylon began with John the Apostle’s unexpected vision of a divineMan (1:12-19). The True Joshua appeared with a sword proceeding out of His mouth (1:16). He commanded John to write seven letters to His churches, calling them to purity for holy war (2:1-3:22). John fell before the feet of the Man as though dead (1:17).

5. The Sevenfold Judgment and Fall of the City

The battle began and Jesus directed the campaign against Babylon. He opened the book of seven seals (5:1), the seventh seal becoming seven trumpets of judgment (8:1-2). As the seventh trumpet sounded (11:15), the ark of the covenant appeared in heaven (11:19), and there were loud voices in heaven crying out, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ!” (11:15). In one hour Great Babylon, the wicked city fell (18:2). All the city was burned with fire (18:8).

6. Delivered Out of Babylon: The Whore Becomes a Bride

But a voice had cried out before Babylon, “Come out of her my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you partake of her plagues.” (18:4).11 And so some of those who had belonged to the whorish city were delivered from death, even those who had obeyed the word of the two witnesses.

And all of those who were delivered from their fornications and adultery became a part of the city of the true Israel of God, the New Jerusalem, the bride of the Royal Lion of Judah, Yeshua, the True Joshua (21:2). And to memorialize their safe passage to the paradise of their inheritance, Jesus gave them a city of twelve precious stones by the river of crystal waters, even to all of those who had been delivered from the beast and had come safely across the sea of glass, all who sang the Song of Moses and the Lamb (15:1-4).