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5/30 Reading Portions: Deuteronomy 3; Psalm 85; Isaiah 31; Revelation 1
Deuteronomy 3:28
‘But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.’
ENCOURAGED
Joshua was a type and figure of Jesus Christ. Moses was a type and figure of God’s Law. The Promised Land was a type and figure of gospel salvation in Christ. As perfect Man, Jesus of Nazareth is the only human being who could ever keep the entire charge of God’s Word revealed in the Law and Prophets. All others before Him have failed; and all those since, have and will fail. He alone has kept the commands of God perfectly in thought, word, and deed. Moreover, Jesus was the only Man who could ever be encouraged and strengthened by the Law of God. Why? Because He was perfect and sinless in His humanity. From a child, Jesus was nurtured by the truth of the Scriptures with an understanding unhindered by those corruptions plaguing every earthly and fallen descendant of Adam. Jesus was encouraged in the Law and by the Law because its truth was the holy standard demanded of His heavenly Father. Jesus was strengthened in and by the Law of Moses because each moment He fulfilled the smallest jot and the least tittle of the Law, He was moved with joy in His spirit for the pleasure He knew His heavenly Father received in Him. Just as Moses could not lead the people into the Promised Land, the Law cannot lead us into salvation. We cannot be justified before God by the works of our flesh. Faith in Christ Jesus alone, in the only One who kept the Law’s charge and was encouraged and strengthened by the Law’s commands, is what brings us salvation in Christ. And now that we are saved by God’s grace, the Law is now our possession— which leads us to Christ (Gal 3:24), who leads us always back to the cross and His salvation by it. Hallelujah! What a Savior!
As Christ was strengthen’d in the Law,
He fulfill’d ev’ry part;
For we cannot— our sins and flaws
Have stain’d our fallen hearts.
Excellent. Praise God for the obedience of Christ!