Joshua, a Foreshadow of Jesus

The fall of the walls at Jericho is the perhaps the most memorable event in the book of Joshua. However, it is easy to miss how Joshua and the events that surround him and the Israelites actually foreshadow Jesus and His second coming. Let's dig into this!

First, the names of Joshua and Jesus both mean "Yahweh Saves" or "God is Salvation". The name Joshua comes from the Hebrew name "Yehoshua" and the shortened form is "Yeshua" which is the Hebrew name for Jesus.

It was no accident that Joshua was the one chosen by God in Deuteronomy 31 to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land which is a foreshadow of Jesus leading us into the Eternal Promised Land.

Second, let's look at the battle of Jericho. As we see in Joshua 6, God instructed Joshua to march around the city once with all the armed men led by seven priests blowing trumpets. They were to do this for 6 days. Then, on the 7th day, they were to march around the city 7 times and at the sound of the long trumpet blast, they were to shout and the walls would come down.

This event foreshadows the moment when Christ will return with a loud command AND with the trumpet call of God as we read in I Thessalonians 4:16-17,

“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. ”

Upon Christ’s return, the walls of blindness will come down just like the walls of Jericho as we read in Revelation 1:7,

“Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”

The next prophetic event is found in Joshua 7 when the Israelites were unfaithful. One man, Achan, sinned by taking “devoted things” out of Jericho against the command of God. As a result, God said He would no longer be with Israel in their battles unless they removed the sin among them. Joshua interceded for Israel and had Achan pay for his sin through death. The Lord turned from his anger and no longer separated Himself from the nation.

This event foreshadows the day with Christ will intercede for the nation of Israel upon His return and will wipe away their sins as we read in Hebrews 8:8-12,

“The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not remain faithful to my covenant, and I turned away from them, declares the Lord. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins NO more.”

As a result, all of Israel will be saved as we read in Romans 11:25-27,

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way ALL Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

The next significant event we will discuss is the distribution of each tribes’ inheritance of land found in Joshua 13-22. This foreshadows when Israel will finally receive Messiah as their inheritance and are, thus, set free from the first covenant as we read in Hebrews 9:15,

“Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance – now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.”

And God will tabernacle with Israel and with all of mankind as we read in Revelation 21:3,

“Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.”

One final amazing connection between the book of Joshua and God’s plan for mankind is that it is all outlined in the Lord’s Appointed Festivals found in Leviticus 23. God instituted these festivals with Israel as a reminder of what He had done for them. However, these Festivals also possess a deep prophetic significance to us today as they foreshadow Jesus Christ and God’s plan for ALL of mankind.

The spring festivals include Passover, Days of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost. These spring biblical festivals were prophetically fulfilled at the first coming of Jesus through his death, resurrection and giving of the Holy Spirit. The next set of God’s festivals occur in the autumn season and are awaiting their fulfillment with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. They include the Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles. Do these bring to mind the events we explored in the book of Joshua? Let us review...

The trumpet blasts at Jericho’s walls parallels the Feast of Trumpets. This festival’s prophetic fulfillment is the return of Christ at the sound of the trumpet.

Joshua intervening for the unfaithfulness of Israel parallels the Day of Atonement. The prophetic fulfillment is Jesus intervening for the sins of Israel and bringing them salvation.

Israel finally receiving its land inheritance parallels the Feast of Tabernacles. The prophetic fulfillment is Israel when finally receives its inheritance of Messiah and God tabernacles with them.

God’s Word is amazing! He has woven His plan for Israel and all of mankind throughout the bible from Genesis to Revelation. He wants to make sure we don’t miss it through repeated patterns of events and people. This shows how important it is that we pay attention to His Word and get to know His Word. Because when we do, we see His everlasting love, mercy and compassion for all His children.

Let us finish with Romans 11:28-36,

“...as far as election is concerned, they (Israel) are loved on account of the patriarchs, [29] for God’s gifts and his call ARE IRREVOCABLE. [30] Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, [31] so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. [32] For God has bound EVERYONE over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them ALL.

[33] Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! [34] “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” [35] “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” [36] For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
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