Who led the Israelites into the Promised Land?

Moses, bringing Israel out of the land of Egypt, typifies the Lord Jesus bringing His people out of this world which lies under judgment; Moses, the mediator, and Aaron, the high priest, typify Him leading His people through this wilderness world. Joshua, bringing Israel into Canaan, typifies Christ risen from the dead, leading His people in spirit into the land of glory, and in conflict with the enemy in the heavenly places.

Moses having died, Joshua was immediately instructed to pass over Jordan, with the people of Israel, to take possession of the land which the Lord had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their inheritance could not in any wise be of the law, and thus Moses, as the mediator of the legal system, apart from his own personal failure, could not lead the people over Jordan. It was typically impossible; and hence when he pleaded to be allowed to go over and see the good land that is beyond Jordan, that goodly mountain and Lebanon, the Lord replied, "Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter." Joshua - Israel's saviour in this sense - was the chosen vessel for the accomplishment of God's purpose; Joshua, type of Christ in spirit as the Leader of His people in their conflicts. And surely we may say that Joshua, just because he thus prefigured Christ, sets forth also that God's conflicts cannot be waged, nor the inheritance possessed, except in the power of resurrection. All the blessings of God's people are on the other side of death, and consequently he who would enjoy them must eat the flesh and drink the blood (appropriate the death) of the Son of Man.

Moses and Joshua, as we have elsewhere seen, both speak of Christ: Moses, of Christ down here in the world, living among men; Joshua, of Christ (in spirit, not in person,) acting by the Holy Ghost in His people. Thus Joshua it is who leads into the land; and while Moses is the "servant of the Lord," the picture of Jehovah's perfect Servant as given in the prophet (Isa. 52:13), Joshua is "Moses minister," waiting upon and representing this personal Christ.

At the end of the book of Deuteronomy (Deut. 31, Deut. 34), Joshua is named as the successor to Moses, who should bring in the people to possess the land of Canaan. Moses went near to the Jordan, figure of death: it is Joshua that leads the people into the enjoyment of their privileges.

I am going to look through the decline and ruin of Israel under every form of its government, from the time of the entry into the land of Canaan. It was Joshua who led them. The book of this name is the history of the victories of Israel over the Canaanites - the history of the faithfulness of God in the accomplishment of all that He had promised to His people. The Judges and Samuel are the history of the failure of Israel in the land of Canaan until David; but, at the same time, of the patience of God. First, then, how does Joshua describe the Israelites - their condition and character?

In a lesser way Joshua was attested as leader in the miracle of the falling down of the walls of Jericho. Joshua was on the threshold of a new beginning, viz., leading the people of God into the promised land.

At the moment when this new stage of Israel's history begins, Joshua is called to take the leadership of the people. This remarkable man appears for the first time in Exodus 17, at the time of the war against Amalek, and this gives us the key to his typical character. Whilst Moses, type here of divine authority intimately associated with the heavenly priesthood and the righteousness of Christ, stands on the top of the hill during the combat, there is a man down in the plain associated with the people whom he leads, a man "in whom is the spirit," as the Lord said to Moses (Num. 27:18), and who conducts the battle of the Lord. This Joshua is Christ, but Christ in us, or amongst us down here, in the power of the Holy Ghost. Moses, as their leader, had been inseparable from Israel in the desert, and so it will be with Joshua as leader of the people in Canaan. It is said of this last: a man "which may go out before them … and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd … And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient." (Num. 27:17, 20)

Since Moses had passed off the scene, the Lord now speaks directly to Joshua. Joshua had been prepared for leadership by his close association with Moses for many years. Never is there any indication that he aspired to this place of honor, but in God's time he was able to fit into this place because he was God's choice for it.

Joshua (his name means "Jehovah is salvation") was well qualified for becoming Moses' successor in the land of Canaan. When still a young man Joshua stood by the side of Moses, fought with Amalek (Ex. 17:9), went up to Mount Horeb with Moses (Ex. 24:13), went to Canaan as one of the twelve spies (Num. 13) and was finally called to be Moses' successor by Divine appointment (Num. 27:18ff; Deut. 31:1-8).

We meet him again in Num. 11:27-29. In Num. 13:8, 16 we find him as one of the spies sent to Canaan. With Caleb he had confidence in God and His promises, and bravely exhorted the people to trust the Lord and go forward. His name, however, is not given at all during the thirty-eight years' wandering in the wilderness. In Deuteronomy he is divinely pointed out as Moses' successor. Moses and Joshua presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation, and after the Lord had announced the approaching death of Moses, Joshua hears the charge from the lips of the passing leader of God's people. "Be strong and of a good courage; for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land, which I sware unto them; and I will be with thee" (Deut. 31:23). In the analysis and annotations of the book itself we shall have abundant occasion to study the character of Joshua more fully.