Hebrews - Claim Your Inheritance

By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were compassed about seven days. Now, we're going to learn from Joshua and the people of Israel some fundamental truths about faith. You'll notice between Hebrews 11:29 and Hebrews 11:30, there is no mention of forty years wandering in the wilderness, because Hebrews 11 is focusing on faith, not on unbelief. Because the nation of Israel did not believe God's promise, they had to be disciplined, and that whole generation of doubters died. Faith always leads us into victory, but unbelief leads us into defeat.

Truth number one: God brings us out that He might bring us in. There is an important verse that teaches this, Deuteronomy 6:23. Moses is speaking to the people and he speaks about God and says, "And he, God, brought us out from thence that he might bring us in, to give us the land which he sware unto our fathers." He brought us out that He might bring us in.

This is why in Hebrews 12:2, the writer says, "looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." The Lord Jesus Christ begins the good work and He completes it, Philippians 1:6. Israel was brought out from Egypt that they might be brought in to Canaan.

Now, most of you are good Bible students and you already know that Bible geography is very important. For example, whenever you go to Jerusalem in the Bible, you always go up. Whenever you go to Egypt, you always go down. Jerusalem symbolizes the spiritual life, the heavenly city. Egypt symbolizes the world. Israel was in bondage in Egypt; it's a picture of what it was like when I was an unsaved person, when you were an unsaved person. Quite a contrast.

Egypt is a picture of the world. Canaan land is a picture of your inheritance in Christ. All that God has prepared for you in this life and in the life to come, and you can claim that inheritance now. God brought you out that He might bring us in.

Now, the wilderness in between Egypt and Canaan is a picture of where too many Christians are living. They are betweeners. Oh, they've been delivered from Egypt, but they've never really claimed their inheritance, and they're wandering around in unbelief, and they're not really getting God's best in their lives. They're in between Egypt and Canaan. They're in between Good Friday and Easter. Oh, they believe that Jesus died for their sins, but they've never really entered into resurrection reality. They are in between salvation and dedication, really claiming their inheritance.

Now, you will notice it was not Moses who brought the people in to their inheritance; it was Joshua. Moses represents the Law. The Law made nothing perfect. Moses was the deliverer, but he was not the one who led them into the inheritance. Joshua did that. The name Joshua means Jehovah is salvation. Joshua led the people in to claim their inheritance.

What does it mean to cross the Jordan River and enter into Canaan? What he's talking about is that spiritual experience of dying to the old life, by faith saying no to the world and the flesh and the devil and claiming our inheritance in Jesus Christ. God brings us out that He might bring us in. Let me ask you, have you begun to claim your inheritance? Don't live between Egypt and Canaan. It's a miserable way to live.

Truth number two: God brings us in that we might overcome. God led the people across the Jordan River and into Canaan land, into a land of battles and blessings, battles and blessings.

Now, let me read you what Joshua went through before they claimed Jericho. I'm reading Joshua 5:13, "And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant? And the captain of the Lord's host"—this is the Lord Jesus, isn't it?—"said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so."

And the Lord said unto Joshua, Joshua 6:2, "See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valor." Not I will, but I have. You see, Jesus Christ had already conquered. Joshua discovered he was second in command. He was not first in command; he was second in command. And when Joshua fell at Jesus' feet, he won the victory. Public victories are won through private devotion and dedication.

Now, the Lord Jesus Christ has already defeated all of your enemies. He's defeated the world, Galatians 6:14, "But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

He has defeated the flesh, Galatians 5:24, "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

He's defeated the devil, John 12:31, "Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out."

He has defeated death, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.

God brings us out that He might bring us in. God brings us in that we might overcome our enemies. Truth number three: We overcome that we might claim our inheritance. It's interesting to see how much the book of Hebrews has to say about inheritance. Hebrews 1:2, "God hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds."

Now, if you belong to Jesus Christ, then in Him you have inherited all things. We are the heirs of salvation, Hebrews 1:14, "Are they," the angels, "not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

We are the heirs of promise, Hebrews 6:17, "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath." And so you are the heir of salvation if you're a Christian; you are the heirs of promise.

Now, this inheritance we have is an eternal inheritance, Hebrews 9:15, "they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." Peter tells us that we have an inheritance that is undefiled, that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. Now, Hebrews is saying: claim your inheritance. Don't be like the Jewish nation that went back, and they wandered all those years and did not enter into their rest.

In Hebrews 4:1-5, the writer tells us how important it is to step out by faith and claim the inheritance. Noah did this in Hebrews 11:7; he became the heir of righteousness, of the righteousness which is by faith. He claimed his inheritance. Abraham did not receive the inheritance, but later on his people did; the nation of Israel got their land.

We are so rich in Jesus Christ, Ephesians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." We're told in the word of God that we have an inheritance in Him, Ephesians 1:11, "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will."

And so you today have an inheritance. Now, how do we claim the inheritance? Hebrews 6:12 tells us, "that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." Faith and patience, faith and endurance. Moses endured because of his faith. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah—all of these great people of faith endured, they claimed the inheritance by faith, and they showed their faith by their patience.

Now, when you do this, you're going to have to fight some battles. You're going to have to say no to some things. But you know, it's a wonderful thing to live in this inheritance that you have in Christ. Enter into your inheritance in dedication. Cross the river. Burn your bridges behind you. Say no to the world, the flesh, and the devil. Claim the victory you have in Jesus Christ.

You are the heir of salvation. You are the heir of promise. You have an eternal inheritance. You are rich right now in Jesus Christ, and every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, says the Lord, that I have given unto you.

When you think of the city of Jericho, two names come to your mind: a man, Joshua, and a woman, Rahab. So important is Rahab in Bible history that she's mentioned three times in the New Testament: in Matthew, in Hebrews, and in James. Hebrews 11:31 reads like this, "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." When you examine the life of Rahab, you learn four vital lessons about saving faith.

First of all, the importance of saving faith. Well, it's found in one word: condemnation. She lived in a condemned city. She lived in Jericho. God had given directions to Joshua to completely destroy Jericho, and when God says destroy, He means destroy. Several times in the book of Deuteronomy God repeats this: "Now when you go in to conquer, remember, these people are condemned. I have given them centuries to repent of their sin; they have refused to repent. Now, judgment is coming."

Oh, they had big walls around Jericho. Jericho was a prosperous city. And daily life went on as always. The Jewish nation showed up on the other side of the Jordan River, and the people stood on the walls and said, "Who are those people?" Well, they knew who they were.

The message had come from years before that Israel had been delivered from Egypt. Israel had conquered the Moabites and the other nations that were there in the land. Israel was now about to come into Canaan. But they felt secure. Life went on as always. People married and were given in marriage, and they ate and drank and they did their work, and yet they were under condemnation.

Now, people today are under condemnation if they don't know Jesus Christ as their Savior. "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,"—not at some future time, already—"because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

Whether you feel it, whether you believe it, God has said all flesh is under condemnation. If you've never exercised saving faith in Jesus Christ, you are under condemnation.

Secondly, the nature of saving faith. It's amazing how confused people are about saving faith. There are people who have faith in faith. "Oh, as long as you believe anything, just believe and things are going to work out." Try that out on your banker. "I believe this check is worth a hundred dollars." "Oh, but it only says ten dollars, so I'm only going to give you ten dollars." Faith in faith.

Try that out on your doctor. "Well, I believe that regardless of what medicine I take, I'll get well." He'll say, "No, you take the wrong medicine, it could kill you." So we aren't saved by a blind faith in some kind of a nebulous far away God. People say, "Oh yes, I believe in God." Well, the demons believe that there is a God, and they tremble.

You know, Rahab could have said, "Well, I have a religion, we have lots of religion here in Canaan, in Jericho. And so if I just believe something and believe it strong enough, I'll be saved." Oh no, she was condemned if she did not have the right kind of saving faith.

What is the nature of saving faith? First of all, it involves the mind. When these spies came, Rahab took them in and risked her life to receive them. But notice she says in Joshua 2:9, and she said unto the men, "I know that the Lord hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt."

Joshua 2:11, "And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for the Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath. Now therefore, I pray you, swear unto me by the Lord, since I have shown you kindness, that ye will also show kindness unto my father's house, and give me a true token: and that ye will save alive my father, and my mother, and my brethren, and my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death."

Notice the nature of saving faith. First of all, it involves the mind. She heard the word. She said, "I know what God has done." She heard the word about basic historic facts. Now, that's where saving faith begins. "Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; he was buried; he arose again the third day according to the scriptures: and he was seen of witnesses," 1 Corinthians 15:3-5. These are historic facts.

Just as the word came to Rahab that God had delivered Israel from Egypt, now the word comes to you that God's Son has died on the cross for your sins. He's been raised from the dead. He's alive in heaven. And whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Saving faith involves the mind.

It also involves the emotions. "As soon as we heard these things," says Rahab, "our hearts did melt." There's just no more strength left in us. Fear came upon these people. I think one of the biggest problems we have today is that there's no fear of God before people's eyes today, Romans 3:18. People aren't afraid of God. There's going to be a judgment.

Now, what is the nature of saving faith? It begins with the mind; we get the facts. It moves to the emotions; we are stirred by these facts. And then it gets to the will. Rahab did not just simply give intellectual assent to all of this, she did something. What is faith? Faith is obeying God in spite of consequence and in spite of circumstance. She acted upon the truth that she knew, and she publicly confessed the God of Israel.

What are the evidences of saving faith? Well, one of them is assurance. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, there comes to your heart the witness of the Spirit of God and you know that you are God's child. One of the first things that Rahab says in Joshua 2:9, "I know." Not I think, I know that the Lord hath given you the land.

That's something those spies didn't believe forty years before. And here's a woman in an idolatrous city says, "I know. I know that what you've got is true. I know that what you believe is right." And she trusted the word of God and her faith saved her.

Now, she gave evidence of this saving faith by her works. James talks about this in James 2:25-26, "In like manner also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." She wasn't saved by her works, but her works gave indication that she was saved. And she was giving witness of her faith to her family.

What are the rewards of saving faith? Well, she was delivered from judgment. In Joshua 6:21-25, we're told that they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, man and woman, young and old, ox and sheep and ass with the edge of the sword. But Joshua said unto the two men that had spied out the country, "Go into the harlot's house, and bring out from thence the woman and all that she hath, as ye swore unto her." And so they did. They brought her outside the city and outside the camp, and she and her family were delivered from judgment.

Let me ask you a question: is there any fire in your future? If you don't know Jesus as your Savior, there is. Those of us who have trusted Christ as our Savior, like Rahab, we have been delivered from the fire of judgment. They burned the city of Jericho. They utterly destroyed it.

When the army was marching around, the people were marching around Jericho, Rahab and her family were enjoying fellowship in her house; they knew that they would be delivered from the wrath to come. That's the first reward of saving faith.

That's what Hebrews 11 tells us, doesn't it? "By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace." "He that believeth on him hath everlasting life." "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life," John 3:16.

A second reward: she helped to win others. That's a marvelous thing, to go through life helping to win others. She said, "Look, I am saved through my faith, but I want my father and my mother and my brothers and my sisters and all their family to know about this." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house," Acts 16:31. That doesn't mean your faith saves your family, but it means your faith can be contagious, and you can introduce your family to the Savior. So she helped to win others.

And the interesting thing is this: she married into Israel. In Matthew 1:5, Rahab is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus Christ. Apparently, Rahab married a Jewish man named Salmon, and she became a part of the family, the earthly family of the Lord Jesus Christ. Instead of wrath, there was a wedding. Instead of a funeral, there was a celebration. And she's listed with the family of the Lord Jesus.