Closer To Heaven
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On November 8, 2025, Adventist Today and Spectrum Magazine partnered with Loma Linda University Church to host a discussion on the banned book “Reclaiming the Prophet”. The event featured a distinguished lineup of panelists—all contributors to the book: Terrie Dopp Aamodt, Niels-Erik Andreasen, Jonathan Butler, Lawrence T. Geraty, Ronald D. Graybill, and Gilbert M. Valentine. […] Source: https://atoday.org/adventinnovate-reclaiming-the-prophet-special-event/
LESSONS OF FAITH FROM JOSHUA
Lesson 10 : The True Joshua
10.3 Joshua, the Type 
Moses, Joshua – and the True Redeemer: Christ as the Fulfillment of God’s Plan
IntroductionIn the biblical story, Joshua is not only the successor of Moses, but a meaningful type of Jesus Christ. His life, shaped by God’s guidance, parallels with Moses, and symbolic actions, makes him an important reflection of the Messiah. The parallels between Joshua and Moses are no accident—they point to the One who was to come to fulfill God’s final plan: Jesus Christ.
This week we dive into the typological significance of Joshua, his role in Israel’s history, and how he prophetically points to Christ. By the end of this lesson it should be clear: only in Jesus is fulfilled everything that Joshua could only foreshadow.
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BIBLE STUDY
Parallels between Moses and Joshua – Typology in the BibleThe Bible shows that God’s story with His people often follows certain patterns. The similarity between the life of Moses and that of Joshua is particularly striking. These similarities are not random—they serve in biblical typology as signposts pointing to a greater reality: to Jesus Christ.
Exodus 3:1–2 / Joshua 1:1–3:
Both men are directly commissioned by God. Moses encounters God in the burning bush, Joshua receives his calling after Moses’ death. God promises both to be with them and to lead them.
Numbers 13:1–2 / Joshua 2:1:
Both send spies into the land of Canaan. With Moses there are twelve, with Joshua two—with the difference that Joshua’s messengers return in faith. This shows the maturity of the people under Joshua’s leadership.
Exodus 3:5 / Joshua 5:15:
In both cases God asks His servants to take off their shoes—a sign that they stand on holy ground. This underscores the divine authority with which they were called.
More parallels:
Moses leads Israel through the Red Sea, Joshua through the Jordan.
Both experience a Passover feast: Moses institutes it, Joshua celebrates it in the promised land.
Manna begins with Moses, ends with Joshua.
Both stretch out their hands as a sign of divine victory.
The prophecy of Deuteronomy 18:15–19 and its fulfillmentGod announces through Moses a future prophet “like you,” whom the people are to listen to. This promise was partially fulfilled in Joshua, for he was Moses’ immediate successor and continued his work.
But according to Acts 3:22–26 and John 1:21, this prophecy was fully fulfilled only in Jesus. Jesus not only brings God’s Word, He is the Word of God (John 1:14). He knows the Father perfectly (Luke 10:22), and speaks only what the Father has given Him (John 14:24).
Jesus as the center of spiritual lifeJesus is the fulfillment of all that was prepared through Moses and Joshua. He is not just a leader, but the Redeemer. Without Him there is no salvation, no true life with God. That’s why He must be the foundation of every Christian life (John 14:6).
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Answers to the Questions
Question 1: What significance do the many parallels between the lives of Moses and Joshua have in light of biblical typology? (See Exodus 3:1–2; Joshua 1:1–3; Numbers 13:1–2; Joshua 2:1; Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15.)The many parallels between Moses and Joshua show that God works consistently and continues His plans through different people. Joshua is a type (a foreshadowing) of Jesus Christ. Both leaders stand for transitions: Moses from slavery to freedom, Joshua from wandering to the promised land.
In typology this indicates that Jesus is the perfect leader who not only frees us from slavery to sin, but also brings us into the heavenly Canaan. The parallels make clear: God writes history with meaning and purpose.
Question 2: Study Deuteronomy 18:15–19; 34:10–12; John 1:21; Acts 3:22–26; 7:37. Who fulfills Moses’ prophecy about a prophet like himself? How does Joshua fit into the picture?Joshua only partially fulfills the prophecy of Deuteronomy 18. He was a faithful leader, a mouthpiece of God, and acted in the spirit of Moses. But he could not fully fulfill the prophecy because he was not the Messiah.
The perfect fulfillment of this prophecy is Jesus Christ, as Acts 3:22–26 confirms. Jesus is the final prophet, priest, and king. He not only proclaims God’s Word, He is God’s Word in the flesh. He not only brings people into a geographical land, but into eternal fellowship with God.
Question 3: How central is Jesus to your life with God? Why must Jesus and what He did for you be the foundation of your entire Christian life?Jesus is the center and foundation of my faith. Without Him there would be no connection to God, no grace, no new life. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).
What He did for me—dying on the cross and rising again—is the foundation of my identity as a Christian. Everything I believe, hope, and do has its origin in Him. If I lose Jesus, I lose everything. But with Him, I have everything.
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Spiritual PrinciplesGod’s story is filled with patterns that point to Christ:
The parallels between Moses, Joshua, and Jesus show that God reveals His plan of salvation step by step through typology. What Joshua did physically, Christ completed spiritually and eternally.
God’s callings are unique, but serve a greater purpose:
Moses and Joshua were specially equipped for their tasks. Yet both ultimately served God’s greater plan. Today we too are called to build God’s kingdom in our surroundings.
Faith requires obedience and courage:
Joshua took responsibility and moved forward despite uncertainties. He showed that whoever follows God’s calling can be strong and courageous—because God Himself goes with them.
Only in Jesus can true rest be found:
Joshua brought the people into the promised land, but not into perfect rest (Hebrews 4:8–9). This can only be given by Christ—internally, spiritually, eternally.
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Life ApplicationTake your calling seriously: Like Joshua, you are called to fulfill God’s mission. Maybe not as the leader of a nation, but as a light at your workplace, in your family, in your church.
Dare to take steps of faith: The Jordan will not part before you step in. Don’t wait for perfect conditions—God’s promises require active trust.
Keep Jesus at the center daily: Remind yourself regularly that Jesus is the center of your life. Start each day with Him—in prayer, in the Word, in trust.
Recognize types, confess Christ: See the line from Moses to Joshua to Jesus and share it with others. The Bible is not just history, but salvation history.
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ConclusionJoshua is a key figure in the Old Testament, not just because of his military leadership or his faithfulness, but above all because he is a picture of Jesus. His life points to the true “Savior” who gives not only land, but life. The typology of Joshua deepens our understanding of God’s great plan of redemption and shows us that the Bible is thoroughly Christ-centered.
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Thought of the Day“Joshua led the people through the Jordan – Jesus leads us through death into life.”
– Let Jesus be your Joshua: the leader who not only goes ahead but brings you safely to your destination.
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Illustration Chapter 1: The Wall03:11 a.m. Jonas sat on the windowsill of his Berlin attic apartment in the dim light, his forehead leaning against the cold glass. Below him the wet cobblestones flickered under the streetlights. He felt empty. Not depressed. Just… empty—as if life were paused.
He had quit the day before. Project manager in a tech company, excellent salary, team responsibility, growth opportunities. But inside he had not been there for a long time.
For weeks he had strange dreams. A wide, overgrown field. Children with no direction. Darkness. And a voice—calm but urgent:
“Get up. I have given you the land you will walk on.”
At first he dismissed it as overwork. But then came that Sunday, the sermon about Joshua:
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
Something had been ignited in him. Not a fire—rather a quiet call. But the longer he kept silent, the louder it became. Now he sat there at 03:11 a.m. and knew: his life had a direction. Only the destination was still blurry.
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Chapter 2: The Conversation“You’re crazy,” said Sarah, his sister, pushing a cup of tea across the kitchen table. “You just throw everything away because you had a dream?”
Jonas shook his head. “Not because of a dream. Because of a calling.”
“From God?” She raised an eyebrow. “The Jonas who hasn’t been to church in ten years?”
He smiled. “I wasn’t looking for God. But I think He called me.”
“And now you want… what? Start a school? An organization? With what money?”
“I don’t know. I have no plan. Just this inner pressure, this peace in the middle of uncertainty.”
Sarah became serious. “Listen, I don’t get this. But if it really is God… then He will open doors. Maybe you really are some kind of modern Joshua.”
Jonas nodded. He was not sure whether she wanted to encourage or warn him. Maybe both. But that was okay.
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Chapter 3: The CallIt was a gray January day when Jonas stood on the empty property, a former supermarket on the outskirts of Berlin. The concrete was cracked, graffiti covered the walls. It smelled of dust and the past.
He had gotten the key from an older pastor. “Nobody knows what to do with the building,” he had said. “But when I heard your dream… I thought of it.”
Jonas stepped through the broken entrance. It was cold and bleak—and yet: he could see it before him. Chairs. Children. Hope.
“Lord,” he whispered, “if you want me to start here—show me the next step.”
At that moment his phone vibrated. A text message from an old college friend, a social worker:
“Hey, I don’t know why, but I suddenly thought of you. If you ever need help with a project—I’d be interested.”
Jonas smiled. Maybe this was the beginning.
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Chapter 4: The Resistance“What you’re trying is madness,” said Jan, his former coworker, as they met in the café. “You quit your career—for an idea without a concept, without money, without security?”
“I quit because God is calling. And when He calls, He also provides.”
“You sound like a prophet. But this is not Canaan. This is Berlin.”
“Maybe this is my Jordan today. And God is just waiting for me to put my foot in.”
“And what if the water swallows you?”
Jonas looked at him calmly. “Then I’ll know that at least I didn’t stand still.”
He knew that doubts would come. Also from within. But something inside him was stronger: that peace that didn’t depend on security, but on trust.
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Chapter 5: The BreakthroughOne year later.
The old supermarket was hardly recognizable. Provisionally renovated, brightly painted, filled with voices, laughter, sometimes tears. Ten teenagers came regularly—from difficult backgrounds, many with no clear perspective.
The project was named “JordanLife”—after the river Joshua had crossed with the people.
One day a boy stayed after class. Rafi, 14, quiet, mistrustful.
“I don’t know why you do this,” he said softly. “But somehow… for the first time I think I’m not alone.”
Jonas fought back tears. He remembered the dreams. The voice. The emptiness at 03:11 a.m.
Now he understood: God had not looked for an easy way—but for one that changed lives.
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Chapter 6: The LegacyMany years later. The work had grown. Several groups. New staff. Support from the city. Hundreds of teenagers had gone through the program.
Now Jonas stood in the same hall as years before—at the closing ceremony of his last project, before retiring.
He watched the stage where a former student—now a teacher at JordanLife—took the microphone.
“What Jonas gave us was not just education. It was courage. Faith. Dignity.”
Then Jonas stepped forward and spoke his last words as leader:
“I never had the perfect plan. But I had a calling. Like Joshua. And at the end of my journey I can tell you only one thing:
God is faithful. He leads. Even today.
If He calls you—don’t hesitate. The promised land does not wait for the timid.”
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Epilogue
And so a man with doubts and no plan became a pioneer for many. Not through power. Not through strategy. But through obedience.
Because the true Joshua—Jesus—led him. And He will lead you too.
2 December 2025
Daniel – Strong in Faith. Faithful in the Fire
3. Steadfast in the Small Things – Faithfulness Begins in Everyday Life
Daily Verse“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.”
Luke 16:10
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Introduction: The small things say everythingThe small things say everything
We often imagine faith as something big – bold actions, public confessions, supernatural miracles.
But in reality, faithfulness begins in hidden places.
In moments no one notices.
In the decision not to go along where everyone else does.
In a choice that seems small, but carries real weight inside.
Before Daniel ever stood before kings or was thrown into the lions’ den, he made quiet decisions.
Many people would not have noticed them.
But God did – and that is what He built on.
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Devotion: How faithfulness grows in the hiddenSometimes we picture Daniel as a fully formed hero of faith – brave, unshakeable, almost more than human.
But if you look more closely, you see something remarkable:
His strength was not born in the fire.
It was formed in everyday life.
Daniel came to Babylon with no security, no role models, no temple.
No priest to guide him.
No father to encourage him.
No home to remind him of God.
If there was ever a moment when compromise would have seemed understandable, it was this one.
No one would have blamed him.
No one would have noticed.
And yet – in this environment with no supervision, no control, no external pressure –
Daniel quietly chose faithfulness.
He sat at the king’s table.
Shining goblets, golden plates, rich meat, fine desserts.
Everything that looked like success.
Everything that symbolised power.
And right there, his first invisible battle took place.
“It’s only food,” you might think.
But Daniel saw deeper.
The food meant belonging.
Adaptation.
Loyalty to a king who was not his king.
It was a slow path away from God –
not through open hostility,
but through familiarity.
A gentle sliding.
A small “yes” that would redirect the heart.
Daniel chose a “no”.
Not a loud, rebellious one.
Not a defiant one.
A quiet, honest “no”.
A “no” that came from inner conviction:
“I belong to God, not to this system.”
This decision did not make him popular.
It did not make him look strong.
But it made him genuine.
And God saw it.
Maybe no one at the court noticed the difference –
but in heaven, history was being written.
Because God does not start forming heroes when they stand in the fire,
but when they choose, in the quiet, to be faithful to Him.
Many years later, when Daniel stood before kings,
when dreams needed to be interpreted,
when death threats were in the air,
he was already prepared on the inside.
His strength did not come from sudden courage,
but from years of small faithfulness.
From many unseen decisions.
From a heart that had bound itself step by step to God’s truth.
This is how character grows:
quietly, consistently, without spectacle.
Faithfulness is not created in the spotlight –
it is only revealed there.
There are days when no one sees your struggle.
No one hears how you decide.
No one applauds when you stand firm.
But God sees it.
And in those moments, He is shaping the future.
Daniel was an ordinary young man –
until an extraordinarily faithful heart had grown in him.
The lions’ den was not his first battle.
It was only the biggest one.
And he did not win it because of a spontaneous burst of courage,
but because long beforehand he had learned to be faithful in the small things.
Faithfulness grows like a tree – unseen before it becomes visible.
First roots,
then strength,
then stability in the storm.
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What does this mean for us?We all face small decisions every day.
Not in a palace, not before lions – but in everyday life.
A glance, a click, a sentence.
A boundary we know.
A quiet compromise that slowly sneaks in.
Faithfulness does not begin when pressure comes.
Faithfulness shows itself before it comes.
Whoever lives consciously today will be stable tomorrow.
Whoever is faithful in small things will not have to search for who they are when the big tests come.
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What we can learn from Daniel• Character is formed every day – not just in exceptional situations.
• Whoever is shaped in the hidden places will stand firm when they are seen.
• “Small” does not mean insignificant – it is seed for what is to come.
• Not every offer is a gain – sometimes it is a disguised invitation to compromise.
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Practical steps for todayChoose one small area today where you want to be consciously faithful.
Measure your decisions not by benefit, but by identity.
Say a clear “no” to what is not good inside – even if no one notices.
Thank God for small opportunities to be faithful – they are preparation.
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Questions for reflection• Which of my decisions do I make just because they are easier?
• Where can I stand more consciously in everyday life – quietly, but firmly?
• Which habit is shaping me in the long run – and where is it leading me?
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PrayerLord,
help me to pay attention to you in my everyday life.
Make me faithful in the small moments that no one else sees.
Keep me from thinking that unseen things are unimportant.
Form in me attitude, clarity, and character – like you did in Daniel.
Amen.
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Key thought of the dayThe battle in the big moments is won long before it begins – in the small ones.
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LumenCorde | Daily light for a living soul.
Daily Lesson for Tuesday 2nd of December 2025
As we discovered in the first week, Joshua was presented as a new Moses who, in the life of the second generation, repeated the most significant steps of the Exodus from Egypt. Just as Moses was, Joshua was commissioned by a personal encounter with the Lord. Under the leadership of both Moses and Joshua, Israel’s fame among the nations inspired fear.
Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com
Moses led Israel in crossing the Red Sea, and Joshua led Israel in a miraculous crossing of the Jordan. Both leaders were reminded of the necessity of circumcision and the importance of the Passover. Manna began to fall in the time of Moses, and it ended with Joshua. Both were commanded to take off their sandals. The outstretched hand of both signaled victory for Israel. Moses gave instructions for the division of the land and the institution of cities of refuge. Joshua fulfilled the instructions. Both gave a farewell address to the nation and renewed the covenant for the people at the end of their ministry.
Joshua’s life was a partial fulfillment of the prophecy made by Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15,18). However, the prophecy made by Moses was not fulfilled in its ultimate sense. In its ultimate sense, the prophecy could be accomplished (or fulfilled) only by the Messiah. The Messiah knew the Father intimately (John 1:14,18); He was true and revealed God truthfully (Luke 10:22, John 14:6, Matthew 22:16). God indeed put His words in His mouth (John 14:24). So, both the life of Moses and that of Joshua become types of the coming Messiah, Jesus.
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How central is Jesus to your own walk with the Lord? Why must Jesus, and what He has done for you, be the foundation of your whole Christian experience? |
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