THE WAY (TO HEAVEN), PART 1

(Part one of perhaps several parts)

07-19-09

(Josh 3:1) And Joshua rose early in the morning[“the Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings” Mal 4:2]; and they removed from Shittim, and came to Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there[for their final purification: the Great Tribulation]before they passed over [into the Promised Land].

  1. Joshua = Heb: #3091. Jesus = Heb: of Heb. or. #3091
  2. Shittim = Heb: acacia trees /// sticks of wood; the acacia (from its scourging thorns). [men are symbolized by trees, e.g., “he shall be like a tree” Psa 1:3; “trees of righteousness” Isa 61:3]
  3. Jordan = Heb: the descender /// to descend (lit. to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region); to bring down:-- X abundantly, bring down, cast down, subdue. [the river Jordan is a symbol of the Holy Spirit]
  4. “the waters of Merom” (Josh 11:5,7) [Heb: high place, height /// elevated place, fig. elation: far above, dignity, (most, on) high (one, place), loftily].
  5. “the sea of Galilee” (Mat 4:18) [Gk: the heathen circle]
  6. “the salt sea” (Gen 14:3) Commentary: The southernmost of the three waters, the salt sea is the largest body of water extending 46 miles long by 10 miles wide, and now known as the Dead Sea. Because of its exceedingly high salt mineral content, no life exists in the Dead Sea. Further, the Dead Sea has no outlets, and it is also remarkable insofar that it is the lowest water surface on the face of the earth.
  7. Commentary: the people removed their encampment from Shittim (Heb: sticks of wood) to encamp along the river Jordan, from whence they crossed over to next pitch their tents at Gilgal (Heb: wheel) in the Promised Land. They crossed over the river Jordan (fig. the gate of Heaven) following “Jesus,” and entered into the Promised Land (fig. Heaven), i.e., metaphorically the people were transformed (Rom 12:2) from individual scattered “sticks of wood” (as a child, did you ever play “pick up sticks”?) and assembled into a “wheel;” they were transformed from chaos into order. A “wheel” is a representation of the Holy Spirit (refer on our Internet site to messages preached 08-14-05 and 03-12-06; use the search word “wagons”).

(Josh 3:2,3) And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see[Heb: discern] the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it[analogous to bearing the cross], then ye shall remove[Heb: to pull up, espec. the tent-pins, i.e. start on a journey]from your place[Heb: standing, i.e. a spot], and go after it[Heb: follow].

  1. Commentary: “after three days” is a phrase with strong referents to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The phrase is herein employed to officially validate the fact, as a seal, that the penalty price of the transgressions (sins) of all the chosen people was paid in full by Jesus Christ prior to their entrance into Heaven, i.e., we are now both entitled and authorized to enter into Heaven.
  2. Commentary: “the officers” in context would seem to represent the angels (Heb: messengers) of God.
  3. Commentary: “When ye see” Only born-again (imputed for righteousness) people who have their spiritual eyes opened can “see”, i.e., discern, the ark of the covenant, and “see” the “priests and Levites” (pastors and elders of the church) “bearing it” on their backs, i.e., visibly manifesting the weight of the invisible ark of the covenant (the New Testament cross) by their changed lives.
  4. Commentary: Having figuratively donned the whole armor of God (“When ye see”), the people are finally (at this end-time point) commanded to “remove from your place,” the place where they were heretofore commanded to “stand” (Eph 6:13,14), “and go after it,” i.e., to overtly move forward, and ultimately to attack and purge the unholy denizens dwelling in the Promised Land.
  5. Commentary: The people were commanded to follow “the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God” which is the throne over which the presence of God appears at His good pleasure. Residing within the physical wooden ark structure of God’s throne is the actual spiritual composite of God’s throne: the two stone tables consisting of the testimony of the Ten Commandments symbolizing God the Father, the golden pot of Manna symbolizing God the Son, and Aaron’s rod (originally Moses’ rod: Exo 4:2) that miraculously budded symbolizing God the Holy Spirit. Now that the people can spiritually “see,” they are commanded to follow the invisiblespiritual composite of God’s throne, rather than the visible physical structure of the ark. This is “the way.”
  6. (John 4:23) But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father[“the invisible God” Col 1:15]in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
  7. (John 14:6) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the [eternal] life: no man cometh unto the Father [in Heaven], but by me.

(Josh 3:4) Yet there shall be a space between you and it [the ark], about two thousand cubits by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

  1. Commentary: This verse is entirely enigmatic. Realizing this, and with the help of the Holy Spirit, we shall attempt to work our way through it. A biblical cubit is not a precise measure but connotes the distance from the elbow to the fingertip, usually of about 18 inches. But just as the distance between various elbows and fingertips differ, so too do scholars differ in their estimation of the length of a cubit, ranging from 15 inches to 24 inches. So then, a cubit is a general but indefinite measure. However, the text reads “about two thousand cubits by measure,” with “about” (indicating generality) prefacing two thousand cubits and “by measure” (indicating exactitude) immediately following. ????? What does this mean? Well, what exactly are we measuring? It is quite evident that the distance set between the ark of the covenant (the throne of God) and the people is not at all arbitrary. Therefore, the two thousand cubits has meaning. Let us therefore set forth the hypothesis that the cubit, a somewhat controversial measure, can be both a linear measure, and a spatial measure; it is both literal and prophetic. If we then substitute the word “years” for cubits, what would be the prophetic meaning of this phrase? The prophetic meaning would be: (about is a general measure) abouttwo thousand //// yearsby measure (years are an exact measure) will pass before we will follow Joshua (Jesus) into Heaven (Acts 1:9). Does the thought in this phrase correlate with current events? Isn’t that wonderful?
  2. Commentary: “Yet there shall be a space [Heb: place or time] between you and it[the ark]” Having completed the latter commentary, we went back to re-examine the verse for the last time and now noted something heretofore not noted in the Strong’s Concordance Hebrew definitions, namely that our Lord employed the word “space” in this verse which holds the alternate meanings of “place” or “time.” Utilization of “place” endorses the literal interpretation (linear measure), and utilization of “time” endorses the prophetic interpretation (chronological measure). Hallelujah!

(Rev 19:11-13) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. [The Word of God is Faithful and True]

Amen