Jesus is Joshua in Hebrew, and Joshua means “Yahweh is salvation.” Joshua succeeded Moses and led the Israelites to Canaan, the Promised Land. He was only a representative of God in winning the war against the Canaanites, who were larger and stronger than the Israelites. Jesus is the new Joshua who waged war against Satan, became victorious, and led his people to the new Promised Land, heaven. He is also Emmanuel, as Isaiah had prophesied, God, who dwelt among us in the flesh.
Like Joshua of the Old Testament, who led the Israelites through River Jordan to the promised land defeating the Canaanites, Jesus saved the people from their bondage of sin and lead them through baptism to the lost Garden of Eden. According to Psalm 130:8, “He will deliver Israel from all its sins.” So, God’s promised deliverance through the Messiah was not from the Roman rule, but from Satan, who persuades people to sin and thus blocks their entry to heaven.
REFLECTION
Jesus is our salvation from the bondage of sin to the freedom and joy in heaven. Like Moses liberated the Israelites from Egypt, Jesus freed us from the original sin. Joshua, the successor of Moses, waged war against the Canaanites and occupied the promised land. Similarly, the new Joshua, Jesus, waged war against the evil and opened up the gates of the lost paradise for us. Let us join the team of Jesus and his church to achieve our entry in heaven.