The
Scriptures have much to say about the preparation of New Covenant
Believers, and how we are to prepare to "enter in" to the Promised
Land. Perhaps one of the greatest illustrations in the Bible
for our learning is the Israelites' experience in the
Wilderness. Although all of Israel was brought out of Egypt
by the Blood of the Lamb, only Joshua and Caleb of that original
generation were
allowed entry into the Promised Land!
We
are told in Scripture that out of the multitudes of the original
generation that came out of Egypt, only Joshua and Caleb entered into
the Promised Land (Num 14:29-30; Num 26:64-65; Num
32:11-12).
Together, Joshua
and Caleb paint a "prophetic" picture for us today that tells us who
will be allowed to "enter in" to the "Promised land," and how we might
be among those who enter in. This example is very important for our
learning and instruction, so let's look into this.
In
order to learn from Joshua and Caleb, it is important to notice two
things:
1) Why were the rest of that generation
not allowed to enter in; and
2) Why were Joshua
and Caleb allowed to enter in.
The first item above,
the reason the rest of that generation were not allowed to enter in,
has been discussed in
The Way of Salvation: Part 2- Israel as Our
Example. So in this writing,
we will look at Joshua and Caleb, and see why they entered in.
To
begin, we must ask, "Why were Joshua and Caleb allowed to
enter in?" And why were they the only ones from that original
generation to enter in? To answer these questions, let's look
at their names and other characteristics, to see how they describe, and
define, the characteristics of those who will enter in today.
Who
is Caleb?
The
name 'Caleb' in Hebrew means "a dog."
The name is the Hebrew Strong's number <03612>, and is
used 35 times. The number "35" in Scripture speaks of
"Repentance," and is the same as "7 x 5," which speaks of
complete preparation of the Bride. Caleb the "dog" speaks of you and I
and everyone who, without Messiah, must remain outside the City
(Rev 22:15). Caleb the "repentant"
dog is he who will enter, together with Joshua.
Next, we notice
Caleb is called "the son of Jephunneh." This name
'Jephunneh' is a
Hebrew word, whose derivative root word means "turn around, look, and
prepare." The phrase "son of" has the prophetic meaning of
"having the characteristics of." The phrase "Caleb the son of
Jephunneh" occurs 15 times, which number speaks of "entering His Rest"
and of "Yahuweh's Sabbaths" (Not "Jewish" sabbaths, but "MY" Sabbaths –
His annual Biblical Festivals).
Taken together, the
phrase "Caleb the son of Jephunneh" reveals to us one of the main
characteristics of the "preparing" of the Bride is to "Repent" – to
turn around, and begin to walk in Yahuweh's statutes, precepts, and
commandments, and begin to Honour His Sabbaths. Searching out
and Finding these Truths in Scripture, and practicing them according to
the New Covenant provisions laid out in Scripture, requires much
labour. However, the fruit of this labour is the very essence
of "Entering His Rest."
The Bible
character of Caleb aptly describes those who will enter in.
However, no matter how well Caleb does, he may NOT enter in without
Joshua, according to the New Covenant. Let us see why this is
true.
Who is Joshua?
Joshua, who
was originally called "Hoshea" and "Oshea," was re-named by Moses to
become "Yehoshua," or what the Bible alternatively calls "Joshua" (Num
13:16) and "Jeshua" (Neh 8:17). The names 'Oshea' and
'Hoshea' in Hebrew mean "Salvation," and the new name
'Joshua'
(pronounced "Yahoshua"), means "Yah is
Salvation."
Joshua
is called the "son of Nun" a total of 29 times. The prophetic meaning of the phrase
'son of Nun'
is "having the characteristics of Nun." The word
'Nun' means "fish," and has a
derivative Hebrew root word that means "increase or multiply or
propagate." This reference to
Nun, and
fish, and
multiply is
a message to the Bride, calling out Joshua's prophetic identity, and
refers to the sign of the Feeding of the 5,000, and to other
Bridegroom signs that identify the Bridegroom.
Joshua
("Yahushua") is a prophetic picture of Yahushua our Messiah. Notice that Caleb did
not enter in alone. Caleb entered in with Joshua, and so in the
same way,
we must enter in with our "Joshua." No matter how
"right" we may be, no
matter how "well" we may do, we will not enter in without
"Yahushua-in-us" to make it happen.
So let's now look at a
few Scripture passages, to see why Joshua and Caleb entered in to the
Promised Land in that day. Perhaps we may see how Joshua and
Caleb will enter in, in our day!
Why Did
Joshua and
Caleb Enter In?
Scripture tells us in many ways why
Joshua and Caleb entered in. Here are a few of
these. Let's notice the following Scripture passages:
Surely
none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and
upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and
unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: Save Caleb the
son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have
wholly followed the LORD. (Numbers 32:11-12)
Surely
there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good
land, which I sware to give unto your fathers, Save Caleb the son of
Jephunneh; he shall see it, and to him will I give the land that he
hath trodden upon, and to his children, because he hath wholly followed
the LORD. (Deuteronomy 1:35-36)
And
Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have
trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever,
because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God.
(Joshua 14:9)The first item that stands out
is that
Joshua and Caleb, wholly and completely, followed Yahuweh.
Notice this is Yahuweh's testimony of these men, and it reveals an
important quality necessary for one to enter in – of following Yahuweh
completely.
In order to follow Yahuweh
fully and completely, one must remove all "leavened" teaching and
practice from his life. Indeed, one must remove all religious practices
which are based not on Scripture, but on the traditions of men, and the
doctrines and commandments of men; and fables, and Lies, all of which
"turn" men from (turn men from being "do-ers" of) the truth (Mat
15:8-9; Mark 7:7-10; 2 Tim 4:4; Titus 1:14).
It
is "Messiah" that brought us out of Bondage of Sin and death, by His
Grace, by the death and the Blood of the Lamb. It is likewise
"Messiah-in-us" who provides the day-by-day 'Grace' to us from within,
when we allow Him-in-us to live in obedience to the Father. In order to
allow Him-in-us to walk in obedience, however, we must examine
ourselves, to see whether we are "in the Faith," or practicing
Doctrines of Men.
If we persist in
practicing Lies, we actually prevent Yahushua from obeying His, and our,
Father. Do we persist in keeping non-Biblical Holidays of pagan-origin,
and continue to refuse Messiah's Feasts? Do we continue to believe men
– or are we believing Scriptures – about Yahuweh's eternal Torah He
wants to write on our hearts? To what extent are we willing
to continue practicing "Lies?" It is only by walking
together, in obedience, day-by-day, that we will "enter in" to the
"Promised Land."
Joshua
and Caleb going in together pictures the only way each of us, as New
Testament Believers, may enter in to the Promised Land: only as "You" –
along with "Messiah-in-you." You and I are Caleb, a "repentant"
dog.
However, "Caleb" is not allowed to enter in alone. But if
"Joshua" ("Yahushua-in-us"
or "Messiah-in-you") is present, then we too may enter in.
Indeed, "Messiah in you" is our
only hope of entering in to His Glory.
A Warning!
However,
the question remains: Do we allow Him to live and walk in us, in
obedience, or do we prevent Him from doing so by our "Doctrines of Men"
that we have learned, and continue to practice? Can two walk
together, except they be agreed?
Most
of what 20th Century
"Churchianity" consists of bears NO resemblance to the early
first-Century Faith of Yahushua. For those who truly desire to
enter in, one must come out from the Doctrines and Commandments of
Men, and the pagan religious practices, and embrace the Word of
Scriptures only.
Joshua
and Caleb at Gilgal
When Joshua and Caleb and the
rest of Israel's new generation entered the Promised Land, we are told:
And
the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month,
and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho. (Joshua
4:19) Notice that "the people came up
out of Jordan...." The phrase "came up" is the Hebrew word
<05927>, meaning "ascended" – giving us a clue that
Gilgal is prophetically a very significant word. The Hebrew word for
Gilgal has a derivative root meaning is "whirlwind," which forms the
root basis of the word "barley," and denotes the firstfruit of the
harvest.
The word
'Gilgal' is mentioned 41
times in Scripture. The 13th mention of
<01537> is in Joshua 14:6, the only verse where Joshua and
Caleb are mentioned along with Gilgal. The number "13" is a
strong Bride characteristic number, whose primary meaning is
agape-Love, and whose secondary and opposite meaning is
rebellion. The association of Joshua, Caleb, and "Gilgal," all
together in the 13th occurrence of the word, tells us a message that
Joshua and Caleb together form a prophetic picture of the Bride, who
will be a part of the firstfruit resurrection – simply by allowing
Messiah-in-you to provide the Grace to enter in.
Joshua
and Gilgal are mentioned together 9 times, the 9th of which includes
Caleb. The number 9 attribute speaks of fruit, implying that
Joshua and Caleb "together" signifies the "fruit" of the
Harvest-resurrection, and fruitfulness in general. Now to see a prophetic word of warning
for us today, let's notice the following passage:
And,
behold, ye are risen up in your fathers' stead, an increase of sinful
men, to augment yet the fierce anger of the LORD toward Israel. For if
ye turn away from after him, he will yet again leave them in the
wilderness; and ye shall destroy all this people.
(Numbers 32:14-15)Notice these passages begin with
the word "Behold." Wherever we see the word "Behold" in Scripture, we
are seeing a "prophetic" reference tag for our generation, indicating a
passage that contains a very important "prophetic" message for the
Bride. The phrase "yet again" speaks of our time, and a warning of not
"entering in" because of turning away from following after Yahuweh. Brethren, this is a warning to
us!
Let us follow Yahuweh fully, as did Joshua and Caleb! To
observe a few things our "Joshua" (Yahushua) did to completely follow
Yahuweh, as our example, see
WWYD? What Would Yahushua Do?.
Conclusion
We
saw that Joshua in the Bible is a prophetic picture of Yahushua, and all
that will "enter in" may enter only together with Yahushua.
We saw that Caleb
("a dog") is prophetic of each of us today. Together, Joshua
and Caleb reveal to us "The Way" – the only way – that we, in our
generation, may enter in!
Yahushua has
told us "I am the Way" (John 14:6). Yahushua's death and redemption, and
then His life-in-us, is the only way to the Father! The
apostle Paul tells us (Rom 5:9-10) that although we were redeemed by
His death, by His blood (the "come-out" phase of salvation) – it is by
His "Life" (His Life-in-us) that we will be "saved" (the "enter-in"
phase of Salvation). Thus we must allow Him-in-us to live His
Life-in-us in full obedience!
Yahushua's Life-in-us
is our
only hope of "Glory" – of entering in to the Promised Land, and
of being called by Yahuweh's intimate nickname He has given His people:
"MY GLORY."
Caleb's only hope of
entering in, is "
together" with Joshua – with Yahushua-in-Him! So once again, we see that "Joshua and Caleb" together, are the only ones who
will enter in.
"...this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory..."
(Colossians 1:27b)