Title: Jordan River Crossing by Faith!
Contents
Sunday day sermon
Text: Joshua 1:1-9
Title: Jordan River Crossing by Faith!
In front of the Israelites who had escaped from Egypt, they had to pass through two great obstacles to enter the land of Canaan. First, they had to cross the great sea called the Red Sea, and then they had to pass through an obstacle called the Jordan River to enter the land of Canaan through Jericho. However, as we know, the Israelites who escaped from Egypt were able to cross the Red Sea safely without a single person left behind until they crossed the Red Sea. The first generation all fell on their faces and died in the wilderness. Thus, after 40 years of living in the wilderness, the second generation born there barely survived and crossed the Jordan River.
What we need to realize here is that the process of the Israelites at that time escaping from Egypt, crossing the Red Sea, crossing the Jordan River, and entering the land of Canaan is no different from our religious life today. The only thing that has changed is that they crossed the Red Sea as they crossed the Red Sea. It is only a little different from them in that they have to do everything in their hearts because it is the age of spiritual life. At the time of Jesus, the Jews did not fully understand this part (the path their ancestors walked) and did not believe in Jesus. Therefore, if we today do not fully understand this part, like the Jews, we will all have no choice but to go down that path.
At that time, Egypt meant this world, and the land of Canaan at that time meant heaven. However, compared to today, there are no people today who know so little about the spiritual Red Sea, spiritual wilderness life, spiritual Jordan River, spiritual Jericho, spiritual 7 Amorites, and spiritual land of Canaan. Because such a spiritual interpretation is not possible, everyone today is leading the saints in the wrong way.
Now, let's take a look at the situation by comparing the lives of the Israelites who left Egypt at that time with the Christian life of today!
Gentiles (Israel) who were slaves in the world today (Egypt) believe in Jesus (Moses) who came to the land of Israel and start as spiritual Israelites. It is the process of escaping and crossing the Red Sea. The Israelites, who followed Moses safely through the Red Sea, passed through the Wilderness of Paran (some trials and tribulations) and arrived at Mount Sinai to receive the Law. It is the experience of the Holy Spirit that we repent and receive.
Just as the people of Israel who received the law were given the duty to live by keeping the law completely, the spiritual Israelites are also given the duty to live according to the Holy Spirit when they have received the Holy Spirit. From this point on, the two groups of Israelites were given a full-fledged life of faith. For those who are under the law, living by keeping the law completely acts as faith in God, and for those who live under the Spirit, living according to the will of the Holy Spirit is a life of faith. However, for the first time there may be some who live according to the law or the Holy Spirit, but after a while, they will return to their old life, longing for Egypt and longing for the world, leading to distance from God. This is one of the biggest reasons why the first generation will fail.
Even after receiving the law given through Moses, the carnal people of Israel still did not believe in God and Moses, so they constantly complained that they had to go back to Egypt, telling them to eat in the wilderness. All but two people fell on their faces in the wilderness. died Likewise, these complaints continue today. The spiritual Israelites, who believed in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit, could not cut off the world (Egypt) at once, but continued to long for Egypt and want to live in harmony with the world. As a result, those who are weak in material things cannot withstand the tests that come with material things and become the food of Satan; those who are weak in affection (love, emotion, recognition) fall down because they cannot withstand the tests that come with affection, and those who love honor are Satan?셲 food. By encouraging this honor, they are destroying all the spiritual people with it. None of the spiritual people today is not caught in this snare. But among these, only those like Caleb and Joshua will survive and tread the land of Canaan together with the second generation.
The Israelites who escaped from Egypt at that time, the spiritual Israelites who believed in Jesus and received the Holy Spirit today (now Christians), and the first generation are bound to be unhappy. Their biggest weakness is that they could not easily shake off the world (Egypt). Now, after the first generation has come to an end, a spiritual leader who will lead the second generation will emerge. This is Joshua who will cross the Jordan River and destroy the city of Jericho, arrive in the land of Canaan, and defeat the 7 Amorites. Today, he is the Son of God who comes spiritually. The second generation must immediately follow him and enter the land of Canaan. Otherwise, no one can safely enter the land of Canaan.
Unlike Moses, Joshua was given the power to solve everything through faith. Moses performed various miracles and wonders by the power of God to get the Israelites to see and believe so that they escaped from Egypt, but Joshua starts with faith. Therefore, those who followed Joshua must cross the Jordan River with faith, destroy the city of Jericho with faith, and the 7 Amorites must also rely on Joshua to defeat them all with faith. This is a new method of how today's spiritual people can safely enter the land of Canaan (eternal life). Except in this way, no one can set foot on the new heavens and the new earth. This is the way to the new salvation that God has given to the second generation.
Until now, Christians had to see and believe through various signs and wonders with the gift of the Holy Spirit, but from now on, they must follow the Son of God and accomplish everything by faith. Seeing and believing is something that anyone can easily do, but it is by no means easy to do what is invisible by faith. Therefore, the second generation must never act on their own, but must listen to the Son of God and act immediately. If Joshua gives an order and the enemy is afraid, or if he sits still because he is lazy and lazy, he will eventually give up his seat to the enemy. We must be reminded why the Dan tribe did not possess the land that was distributed to them.