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I first heard P. G. Mathew preach about fifteen years ago. I was not a Christian then and I did not think it was possible for anyone to really know for sure that God exists, let alone to know God personally. So his words angered me; he spoke as though he knew God, and he made it clear that it was not just his opinion, it was the truth. Hi uncompromising preaching shook me out of my complacent agnosticism and launched me on a personal quest to find the truth, which ended about a year later when I committed my life to Christ. Since that time I have had the blessing of having Pastor Mathew as my pastor. He is not just a biblical scholar, although he is that; he is also a devout man of God. He never fails to preach the word of God with clarity, power, love for people, and without fear of man. His life is a great model of a holy Christian life; he loves God and others, and possesses an unyielding commitment to the truth. Because I know Pastor Mathew well, I can recommend this book to you with great enthusiasm. The scholar in Pastor Mathew helps the reader understand the language, history and systematic theology of the book of Joshua; the pastor in him lovingly but firmly points out how that understanding should affect the way we live. His treatment of Joshua is a lucid presentation of the grand themes of the book and a compassionate guide to help us apply those themes to our own lives. In the book of Joshua we see the unchanging God of love, power, judgment, and mercy in covenant relationship with man the creature. We behold the grace and blessings of God given to those who repent; the stern judgment and wrath of God poured out on those who refuse to repent; the victory God grants to those who go out and fight the battles he wants them to fight; man's sinful tendency to lean on his own understanding rather than seek the Lord; and the absolute need for the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse us from our sins. While guiding us through Joshua, Pastor Mathew inspires us with the great promises, faithfulness, and love of our covenant God. He confronts us with our sin and challenges us to repent of it, forsake it, and obediently follow Christ. He does what a good biblical scholar and pastor should do; he helps us understand and apply the word of God so that we can lead lives that are pleasing to God. He does not add to or subtract from the word but, by carefully exegeting the text, he lifts us up so that we can see reality more clearly. The richest of fare awaits you. So take out your Bible, find a comfortable chair, a quiet place to read, and embark on a journey through Joshua. If you meditate on the word of God using this book as a guide, I promise that you will be richly rewarded. May God bless your reading! Richard Spencer, PhD Richard Spencer is a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Davis, California.
Foreword The book of Joshua is the divinely inspired historical account of God’s leading the Israelites to conquer and possess the promised land of Canaan. Five hundred years earlier, the Lord had commanded Abraham, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you” (Gen. 12:1). He led Abraham to Canaan and made a covenant with him, promising that, although his descendants would be enslaved in another country for four hundred years, one day they would return and possess the land (Gen. 15). The Lord repeated this promise to Abraham’s son Isaac (Gen. 26:2–4) and then to Isaac’s son Jacob (Gen. 28:10–15). The patriarchs never lost sight of God’s covenant promise. At the end of his life, Jacob spoke to his son Joseph in Egypt: “I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers” (Gen. 48:21). In turn, Joseph reassured his brothers, “I am about to die. But God will surely come to your aid and take you up out of this land to the land he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob” (Gen. 50:24). Through God’s powerful deeds, Moses brought Israel out of Egypt through the Red Sea into the wilderness. God made a covenant with his people on Mount Sinai and Israel promised to obey their covenant Lord of grace. Yet they rebelled against the Lord and were killed. But God’s purpose to bring his people to Canaan could not be frustrated. He would fulfill his covenant with Abraham through Joshua son of Nun. As the commander of the army of the Lord, the angel of the Lord with his drawn sword defeated the Amorites through his servant Joshua and gave his people the rest of Canaan. But the rest Joshua gave proved to be temporary. Israel became wicked and God threw them out to Assyria and Babylon. The rest Joshua gave was pointing to a greater rest—the rest of victory over sin, death, the devil, and the world. The author of Hebrews declares that Joshua son of Nun did not give the Israelites the rest of forgiveness of sins and liberation from the fear of death. So God sent us another deliverer, Joshua the son of Mary, God-man, Jesus Christ, the sinless One who, through his perfect life and death on the cross, defeated the devil and canceled the penalty and power of sin. This Jesus has given us everlasting rest and has made us triumphant over all our enemies in his triumph: He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col. 2:13b–15). But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him (2 Cor. 2:14). “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:55–57). Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matt. 11:28). Satan our enemy is still moving about like a roaring lion seeking to swallow us up. But by faith in the victory of Christ, we resist the devil and he flees from us. Thus we enjoy victory daily. The victory of Jesus is ours. He truly leads us in triumph always. So “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God” (Eph. 6:10–11) and overcome the devil daily by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony (Rev. 12:11). In Jesus we are all overcomers. Victory in Jesus forever! I wish to thank the members of Grace Valley Christian Center in California, where these sermons were first preached between January and May 2005. I would like to thank my wife Gladys, as well as Mr. Marc Roby, Dr. Lisa Case, Mr. Gregory Perry, Mrs. Sally Lischeske, and my personal secretary, Mrs. Margaret Killeen, for their help in preparing the manuscript for publication. Soli Deo Gloria! P. G. MATHEW
Foreword
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