Seek This Jesus

“The Book of Joshua is one of the most important writings in the old covenant, and should never be separated from the Pentateuch, of which it is at once both the continuation and completion. Between this Book and the five Books of Moses , there is the same analogy as between the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles . The Pentateuch contains a history of the Acts of the great Jewish legislator, and the Laws on which the Jewish Church should be established. The Book of Joshua gives an account of the establishment of that Church in the Land of Canaan, according to the oft-repeated promises and declarations of God. The Gospels give an account of the transactions of Jesus Christ, the great Christian legislator , and of those Laws on which his Church should be established, and by which it should be governed. The Acts of the Apostles gives an account of the actual establishment of that Church, according to the predictions and promises of its great founder. Thus, then, the Pentateuch bears as pointed a relation to the Gospels as the Book of Joshua does to the Acts of the Apostles .” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:4.)

Clarke called the Old Testament the Jewish Church, meaning the organization founded by Jehovah among the early Israelites. But Latter-day Saints know that Jehovah was the premortal Christ. This fact explains the remarkable parallels. Both Churches were the Church of Jesus Christ, given in different circumstances and with different priesthood emphasis. But in both cases baptisms were performed, and the principles of righteous living and faith in God were clearly taught.

These parallels suggest that the book of Joshua may continue the typology, or symbolism, of Christ, just as did the law of Moses. Indeed, Latter-day Saints are taught that Moses was “in the similitude of [the] Only Begotten” (Moses 1:6 ; see also McConkie, The Promised Messiah, pp. 442–48). Just as Moses, in his role as prophet, lawgiver, mediator, and deliverer, was a type of Jesus Christ, so Joshua, who led Israel into the promised land, was also a type of Jesus, who leads all the faithful into the ultimate land of promise, the celestial kingdom. (See Alma’s comparison of the promised land to eternal life in Alma 37:45)

“Joshua, the son of Nun, of the tribe of Ephraim, was first called Oshea or Hoshea , . . . (Numbers 13:16), which signifies saved, a saviour, or salvation; but afterwards Moses, guided no doubt by a prophetic spirit, changed his name into . . . Yehoshua or Joshua, which signifies he shall save, or the salvation of Jehovah; referring, no doubt, to his being God’s instrument in saving the people from the hands of their enemies, and leading them from victory to victory over the different Canaanitish nations, till he put them in possession of the promised land. . . . By the Septuagint he is called . . . , Jesus Naue, or Jesus son of Nave: and in the New Testament he is expressly called . . . Jesus; (see Acts 7:45 ; Hebrews 4:8)” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:3.) In other words, in the original Hebrew both Joshua and Jesus were the same name.

There are further analogies between organizations of the old and new covenants: “On this very ground of analogy Christ obviously founded the Christian Church; hence he had his twelve disciples , from whom the Christian Church was to spring, as the Jewish Church or twelve tribes sprang from the twelve sons of Jacob . He had his seventy or seventy-two disciples , in reference to the seventy-two elders , six chosen out of each of the twelve tribes, who were united with Moses and Aaron in the administration of justice, &c., among the people. Christ united in his person the characters both of Moses and Aaron, or legislator and high priest; hence he ever considers himself , and is considered by his apostles and followers , the same in the Christian Church that Moses and Aaron were in the Jewish. As a rite of initiation into his Church, he instituted baptism in the place of circumcision , both being types of the purification of the heart and holiness of life; and as a rite of establishment and confirmation , the holy eucharist [the Lord’s Supper] in place of the paschal lamb , both being intended to commemorate the atonement made to God for the sins of the people. The analogies are so abundant , and indeed universal , that time would fail to enumerate them. On this very principle it would be a matter of high utility to read these Old Testament and the New Testament books together , as they reflect a strong and mutual light on each other, bear the most decided testimony to the words and truth of prophecy, and show the ample fulfillment of all the ancient and gracious designs of God.” (Clarke, Bible Commentary, 2:5.)