Session 9 Notes.pdf

The prophets foretold that the Messiah-King would lead a new Exodus, redeeming mankind from Satan's slavery to the new Promised Land, Heaven. This new Exodus began where the original ended, at the Jordan River, where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, the new Joshua. The Eucharist is spiritual food for this life, foreshadowed by the manna, and reception of it is for this passing life only. After crossing into the Promised Land, Joshua had the males circumcised to celebrate the Passover, just as baptism is required to fully celebrate the new Passover, the Eucharistic Liturgy. Joshua's battle plan for Jericho, involving the ministerial priests and the Ark of the Covenant, was a liturgical action that proved God would win battles through proper worship. This is typologically true for the New Covenant, where the Church is commanded to offer the Eucharistic Sacrifice through ministerial priests. If Christians worship God faithfully and obey Him, their enemies will cringe at their feet. God instructed the Israelites to drive out the wicked Canaanites, taking possession of the land and destroying symbols of idol worship, a type of spiritual battle for Christians to overcome sin. However, the Israelites did not obey, conquering much but not all of the land, and intermarrying with Canaanite women who led them to idol worship. The conquest of Canaan can be understood as divine judgment, protection, impartiality, accommodation, sovereign authority, and pedagogy. Before his death, Joshua performed a covenant renewal ceremony, reminding the Israelites of God's actions on their behalf, and told them to choose whom they would serve, a type of renewing Baptismal promises.