Adam, Joseph, Joshua, and Jesus
I've been finishing up the book of Joshua in my recent devotional times; coming to Chapter 24 today, some interesting parallels have come to mind. (I don't claim any of these as original--I've probably heard some of them, all of them, or some combination of them before. It just takes awhile for things to sink through my extra-thick calvarium.) We know, to begin with, that the names "Joshua" and "Jesus" are equivalents of a sort; so, right off, the Lord wants us to make some kind of connection in our study. The question that comes to mind at the end of Joshua, though, is this: Why does the author finish the book with the seemingly-random bit of information about the burial of the bones of Joseph?
First, it is important to note that these bones were buried in the same place at which Joshua celebrated the renewal of the covenant between Israel and Yahweh, Sechem. This was also the very place at which Yahweh appeared to Abram in Genesis 12. Now, Joseph spends a great deal of time in Chapter 24 detailing some of the events of redemptive history to that point, namely the calling of Abraham and Moses, as representatives, from a land of paganism "on the other side of the flood." Why would he do that at this point in time? Furthermore, in the process of telling the story, Joshua also adds the fact that Yahweh has now brought them to "a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not . . . vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat" (24:13). He then calls upon them to put away false gods and serve and fear Yahweh (24:14-15). What is the significance of all this?
I think we are being asked to make some connections here--there are parallel pictures being pained and refined before our eyes by the Lord, using the brushstrokes of redemptive history. First, there is a connection between Adam and conquering Israel (under Joshua). Both were graciously placed in a land not of their making; both were objects of the undeserved favor of the Lord. Both were called upon to have "dominion" over their land, to cultivate it, to guard it against enemies. And both were called upon to remain faithful to Yahweh. Both would fall, too--but fall with the larger view of redemption in mind. Adam fell (throwing the entire race into sin with him) that the Second Adam might come, bringing glory upon glory to the Lord in the process; Israel would fall, over the course of years, and eventually die, too, finally being removed from the "garden" of God's favor by the Roman Legions in A.D. 70--but, again, that she might, as the Bride of Christ, experience redemption and resurrection, and again bringing glory to the Lord. The fall of the race of Israel is an Adamic fall--and her resurrection united with Christ is a "Second-Adamic" resurrection.
Second of all, there are connections between Joseph and Adam. In a way, Joseph accomplished (at least in type) what Adam did not. Joseph entered a strange land as a servant/slave, and eventually rose to a position of power and influence unparalleled in the world at that time. Joseph, through humility and servanthood, assumed more and more dominion over the greatest empire in the world at that time, all the while serving the monarch, pharaoh. Joseph accomplished, in a way, what Adam was asked to accomplish, but did not--he was fruitful and multiplied, he filled "the earth" as he knew it with his influence (and Yahweh's). He served his master as Adam should have served Yahweh. But even his accomplishments required development in the eschaton--the Abrahamic promise was not completely fulfilled, in that, even in all his dominion, Joseph was still in a strange land. And that brings us to Joshua ("Jesus").
Joshua had completed the conquest of the land of Promise, and was now calling Yahweh's people to remember what that Promise was. He brought them back to the place where the original promise was made, and called them to renew their devotion to Yahweh. He had, in a way, fulfilled (or Yahweh fulfilled through him) the Promise made to Abraham. But again, the accomplishment would need further development in the eschaton. The bones of Joseph--a type of the Second Adam, who accomplished, in type, what the first Adam did not--were buried in the place of promise and covenant renewal. This second Adam was dead--there was a need for a new and more complete Second Adam in the future. Joshua, also a type of the Second Adam to come, was also dying--but he had matured the fulfillment of the Promise to another level. Land was now a reality--but the eschaton was still ahead. Two "second Adams" would perish in this place of Promise, showing the people (and us) that the real Fulfillment of the Promise was still ahead.
Jesus, the Second Adam, would come--He would be the true Adam, fulfilling covenant obligations, protecting and defending the Garden, multiplying his seed through his Bride. He would be the true Joseph, entering the land as a servant/slave, rising to dominion under His Father's authority, being buried in the Land of Promise in order to rise again and complete the Promise in the eschaton. He would be the true Joshua, leading the conquest of the "land of Promise"--which is, for Jesus, the nations (Psalm 2:8, and Psalm 110)--and calling people to return in faith and repentance to their covenant-keeping God. He would complete what those before Him did not. These are the "riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and . . . the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ" (Eph 1:18-20). Praise be to God!
First, it is important to note that these bones were buried in the same place at which Joshua celebrated the renewal of the covenant between Israel and Yahweh, Sechem. This was also the very place at which Yahweh appeared to Abram in Genesis 12. Now, Joseph spends a great deal of time in Chapter 24 detailing some of the events of redemptive history to that point, namely the calling of Abraham and Moses, as representatives, from a land of paganism "on the other side of the flood." Why would he do that at this point in time? Furthermore, in the process of telling the story, Joshua also adds the fact that Yahweh has now brought them to "a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not . . . vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat" (24:13). He then calls upon them to put away false gods and serve and fear Yahweh (24:14-15). What is the significance of all this?
I think we are being asked to make some connections here--there are parallel pictures being pained and refined before our eyes by the Lord, using the brushstrokes of redemptive history. First, there is a connection between Adam and conquering Israel (under Joshua). Both were graciously placed in a land not of their making; both were objects of the undeserved favor of the Lord. Both were called upon to have "dominion" over their land, to cultivate it, to guard it against enemies. And both were called upon to remain faithful to Yahweh. Both would fall, too--but fall with the larger view of redemption in mind. Adam fell (throwing the entire race into sin with him) that the Second Adam might come, bringing glory upon glory to the Lord in the process; Israel would fall, over the course of years, and eventually die, too, finally being removed from the "garden" of God's favor by the Roman Legions in A.D. 70--but, again, that she might, as the Bride of Christ, experience redemption and resurrection, and again bringing glory to the Lord. The fall of the race of Israel is an Adamic fall--and her resurrection united with Christ is a "Second-Adamic" resurrection.
Second of all, there are connections between Joseph and Adam. In a way, Joseph accomplished (at least in type) what Adam did not. Joseph entered a strange land as a servant/slave, and eventually rose to a position of power and influence unparalleled in the world at that time. Joseph, through humility and servanthood, assumed more and more dominion over the greatest empire in the world at that time, all the while serving the monarch, pharaoh. Joseph accomplished, in a way, what Adam was asked to accomplish, but did not--he was fruitful and multiplied, he filled "the earth" as he knew it with his influence (and Yahweh's). He served his master as Adam should have served Yahweh. But even his accomplishments required development in the eschaton--the Abrahamic promise was not completely fulfilled, in that, even in all his dominion, Joseph was still in a strange land. And that brings us to Joshua ("Jesus").
Joshua had completed the conquest of the land of Promise, and was now calling Yahweh's people to remember what that Promise was. He brought them back to the place where the original promise was made, and called them to renew their devotion to Yahweh. He had, in a way, fulfilled (or Yahweh fulfilled through him) the Promise made to Abraham. But again, the accomplishment would need further development in the eschaton. The bones of Joseph--a type of the Second Adam, who accomplished, in type, what the first Adam did not--were buried in the place of promise and covenant renewal. This second Adam was dead--there was a need for a new and more complete Second Adam in the future. Joshua, also a type of the Second Adam to come, was also dying--but he had matured the fulfillment of the Promise to another level. Land was now a reality--but the eschaton was still ahead. Two "second Adams" would perish in this place of Promise, showing the people (and us) that the real Fulfillment of the Promise was still ahead.
Jesus, the Second Adam, would come--He would be the true Adam, fulfilling covenant obligations, protecting and defending the Garden, multiplying his seed through his Bride. He would be the true Joseph, entering the land as a servant/slave, rising to dominion under His Father's authority, being buried in the Land of Promise in order to rise again and complete the Promise in the eschaton. He would be the true Joshua, leading the conquest of the "land of Promise"--which is, for Jesus, the nations (Psalm 2:8, and Psalm 110)--and calling people to return in faith and repentance to their covenant-keeping God. He would complete what those before Him did not. These are the "riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and . . . the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ" (Eph 1:18-20). Praise be to God!
posted by Baumbach at 7:12 AM
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