Thy Strong Word From Kfuo Radio

Rev. George Murdaugh, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Douglasville, Georgia, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Haggai 2. Although the date 07/21/02 might not catch our eyes, Haggai speaks God’s Word on a very important festival day—very appropriate for the name Haggai. Although his words would come true when Ezra arrived with the next wave of returning exiles, “the glory of this house” would not be seen again until the Mount of Transfiguration. God asks the people to “be strong,” to resolutely cling to His Word in faith. When they sow seeds for the new crop, they must do so trusting that God will bless them this year. The Church must also not abandon God’s Word in discouragement, but with resolve trust that God’s blessing will overcome our circumstances. Christ is our temple and sure foundation, the ultimate heir of Zerubbabel the LORD’s “signet ring” and chosen one.

Rev. Steven Theiss, Retired pastor in Frohna, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Haggai 1. This “minor prophet” says so much with so little. In chapter one he gives us the date in terms of Israel’s leaders: Darius the king, Zerubbabel the governor, and Joshua the high priest. Through names and ancestry, the last two figures point ahead to Jesus the Christ. Yet through the first name, we already know that things are not what they should be! God has sent a drought over the land so that His people would take stock of their priorities. Busily focused on themselves, they have left God’s temple a pile of ruins for fifteen years! Life is desolate when we leave the things of God a desolation. Yet God’s Word changes everything: when we “listen” by the power of the Word, God stirs up our spirits to action as the body Christ.

Rev. Dr. Steve Schave, Director of Urban and Inner City Mission and Cahurch Planting with the LCMS Office of National Mission, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 24. Hear Dr. Schave on on the monthly Mission Field: USA podcast on church planting. Find episodes at kfuo.org/missionfieldusa or on your podcast app. “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua’s famous words from this final chapter speak not to Joshua’s bravery or resolve, but the faithfulness of Yahweh. The heads of Israel’s houses assemble at Shechem between Mt. Ebal and Mt. Gerazim, just as Moses instructed. From Abraham to Moses to Joshua, God has faithfully and miraculously blessed Israel. When Israel “sees” God’s grace (23:4), they can do no other. When Joshua speaks on behalf of his house, he simply accepts the fear and service that God has put him into. “Choosing” for ourselves among the foreign gods leads only to disaster. The final event is Joshua’s death, pointing ahead to the resurrection of the greater Joshua wh

Rev. Dennis McFadden, pastor of Emanuel Lutheran Church in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 23. Perhaps as many as 25 years later, God gave Israel another brief rest from battle. In chapter 23, Joshua—110 years old—takes the opportunity to summon the leaders of the twelve tribes. He preaches gospel and law, preparing them for the covenant renewal ceremony of the final chapter. His warning is stark: if Israel turns away from God, they will “perish quickly from off the good land”—a swift and certain end “when” they should do so. Joshua compares idolatry to adultery. Yahweh is the only reason for their victory and ultimately their life. If they cut themselves off from Him, nothing good remains. The same is true for us. As the disciples said to Christ: “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

Rev. Nathan Meador, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 23. “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” These famous words of Psalm 23 are so easy to misunderstand. Written by David, they point to how a shepherd boy was made shepherd over the whole kingdom of Israel. Time and again, God not only aided David, but He also blessed Him richly: green pastures, still waters, and a renewed soul. So the psalm isn’t about us, but David. And it wasn’t about David’s present observations, but David’s future confidence. Yet baptism makes us part of Christ the true David, so the words become ours. So we too are confident—not to “dwell in”—but rather to “return to” God’s house for the rest of our lives. In Christ, we know the shepherd’s arms are always wide open to receive us in forgiveness.

Rev. Doug Minton, pastor in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 22. Joshua sends the troops back home; God has given them rest from war. But in chapter 22, that seems far from obvious. This rest is only a temporary respite, with powerful enemies remaining in most of the tribes’ allotments. And peacetime begins to look truly fleeting when the western tribes decide to march against the eastern tribes! In the confrontation that follows, it becomes clear that the western tribes are full of bias, fear, and suspicion. They are inclined to think that only their side is truly “God’s country.” Crisis is averted in the end, but we too often fall into such traps, labeling ourselves and our fellow Christians with divisive thoughts & words. We need an altar that testifies to unity, which prefigures the Sacrament of our Lord Jesus.

Rev. Thomas Eckstein, pastor of Concordia Lutheran Church in Jamestown, North Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 21. Everything unfolds according to plan in Joshua 21. Eleazor & Joshua make good on the promises given through Moses and Jacob: the Levites are given cities, scattered throughout Israel. Yet even while Levi is punished like Simeon, God mercifully allows each Levitical order to live within certain regions with the rest of their relatives. As He does so, He ensures that no Israelite is left without nearby spiritual shepherds. He also shapes the whole land of Israel into a giant tabernacle that points ahead to Christ our incarnate Lord. This peculiar shape and its fuzzy borders teach us: Love is far greater than rights—we are merely caretakers of what ultimately belongs to Him, not us.

Rev. John Shank, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Edwardsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 20. God speaks, and more promises are fulfilled as Joshua 20 begins the final section of the book. The inheritance has been divided up—but will it remain holy, or will it fall into pollution? God uses the cities of refuge to restrain humanity’s thirst for violence and vengeance. These Levitical cities would ensure that cases of manslaughter were given a fair and unbiased trial. These cities showed God’s mercy and orderliness, embodied in our pastors and elders today. But even if an accidental killing didn’t qualify as murder, punishment was still necessary, and these cities served as places of exile. Innocent blood had to be atoned for, and that only happened with the blood of the high priest, foreshadowing our Lord Jesus, whose blood sets us free from exile.

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 19. In rapid succession, all the remaining tribes receive their inheritance in Joshua 19. Although the territories are assigned by lot, the process is not up to fate, but the will of God. As these historical events are narrated, God reveals His purposes and keeps His promises. Connections to Jacob’s blessing from Genesis 49 abound: Simeon is “scattered” among cities in Judah, and Zebulun ends up along the Mediterranean on a major trade route. In the case of Dan however, we have a picture of what happens when God’s people forfeit their inheritance and try to stake their own claim. Faith receives whatever God would give us, as impossible as it might seem. In faith, we receive the inheritance prepared for us by our Lord Jesus, just as the prophets foretold.

Rev. Doug Nicely, pastor of Jerusalem Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 18. For the first time in Joshua, the Tabernacle and the Ephraimite city of Shiloh are mentioned here in chapter 18. The image is the partial fulfillment of creation, when God’s holy presence commanded His people to subdue the earth. The casting of lots is deep with meaning. Although God sometimes brings about extraordinary reversals, He often works through ordinary means, like Judah and Joseph receiving the firstborn inheritances. The rest of the tribes draw lots, with Benjamin’s lot coming up first. This fulfills God’s promise given through Moses, that Benjamin would be protected by his brothers and that God would dwell with him at the future site of the Jerusalem Temple. All these acts of grace point ahead to the church, in which we have received God’s future promises in the midst of His presence.

Rev. Nabil Nour, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hartford, South Dakota, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 17. God does not show partiality. As Ephraim showed in the last chapter, God’s love and mercy and are not restricted by birth order. Neither are they restricted by gender, as Manasseh shows here in Joshua 17. Even Joshua, God’s representative, shows no partiality towards his fellow descendents of Joseph. Even though Manasseh’s holdings end up embarrassingly huge, God does not fail to bless Machir or Zelophehad’s daughters, who in faith asked for God’s help. The unfailing Scriptures however also show that the tribe of Dan was not forgotten or neglected in the midst of Joseph’s bounty, with Ephraim’s territory firmly restricted to the south fork of the Kanah. Through all this, Manasseh points to Jesus Christ, who blessed the faith of the least, making us forget our travails through His salvation.

Rev. Rolf Preus, pastor of Trinity-Sidney and St. John-Fairview, Montana, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 16. This short little chapter about Ephraim says so much about God. Joshua 16 says that after the tribe of Judah, the lot fell to the people of Joseph. By God’s providence, a seemingly random process unfolds according to His will, abundantly blessing Joseph as promised by his father Jacob. Also according to Jacob however is the reversal of Ephraim and Manasseh. God surprises us time and again by favoring the second-born and the second-class, revealing His deep mercy and our great need for humility. Like his grandfather Jacob, Ephraim is mercifully blessed by God for the sake of Christ. Joshua of Ephraim prefigures the salvation of our Lord Jesus, and the royal house of Ephraim in the North points to Christ’s universal reign.

Rev. Kevin Martin, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 15. Like the apostles who testified to the resurrection, Caleb & Joshua were God’s witnesses who testified to the conquest of Canaan: God was giving them the same land they saw 45 years ago. In chapter 15, the names of the borders and cities are like the nail marks and spear wound of the Lord Jesus. Zin was the extreme southern edge where Israel sojourned and where David would run for his life. The Valley of Achor marked the place where Israel came under judgment on account of Achon. And certain cities would remain unconquered for some time, most notably Jerusalem. Only the true Messiah truly delivers Jerusalem, with resurrection and salvation “prepared in the sight of every people.”

Rev. Dr. Alfonso Espinosa, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irvine, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 14. Did you know that Joshua and Caleb were old men during the wars of Canaan? Caleb was 85 years old after the northern campaign, and yet he says “I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me.” In both confidence and humility, he asks for Joshua’s blessing to take possession of Judah’s inheritance by doing battle with the giant Anakim. Chapter 14 takes a step back to appreciate the faithfulness of God. God had mercifully spared Caleb and Joshua, keeping them strong to bless the next generation. God is always faithful, whether or not we faithlessly forfeit what He has promised. Caleb of Judah foreshadows our Lord Jesus of the same tribe, who defeated Satan in battle, was blessed with resurrection, and comes again to bring resurrection and peace to the earth.

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in North St. Louis County, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Psalm 24. David was a celebrated warrior and commander. He was king over both Judah’s territory in the South and over the people of the northern tribes. But in Psalm 24, He gives all the glory to Yahweh, saying that the whole world and all people belong to Him, and that He is the true warrior and king. Yet David especially celebrates the people of Jacob, cleansed and purified by God. Among them the King of Glory makes a special entrance. When our Lord Jesus entered His temple at 40 days old, Simeon celebrated Him as “the glory” of God’s people, the Christ who brings Israel vindication “in the sight of every people.”

Rev. Lucas Witt, pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Baltimore, Maryland, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 13. Chapter 13 begins with a problem: the land is still full of enemies to defeat, but Joshua is old—really old. What’s God’s solution? “I myself with drive them out from before the people of Israel.” Does that mean that Joshua’s work is done here? It may seem odd to us, but God says the most important thing left for Joshua to do is to ratify each tribe’s inheritance. We begin by reviewing Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh (a.k.a. “East Manasseh”—Ephraim & Manasseh were two full tribes). The focus is on the land, even if Israel still hadn’t taken full possession of it. Similarly, even though we won’t take full possession of our inheritance until the resurrection, our Lord Jesus has guaranteed it in His gospel and sacraments.

Rev. Marcus Zill, Chancellor of LCMS U (lcms.org/lcmsu), joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 12. After conquering the bulk of Canaan, Israel takes a moment to recount the faithfulness of God. God has blessed them with a massive amount of land, so much that chapter 12 breaks it down into two: the land to the east of the Jordan river, conquered by Moses, and the land to its west, conquered by Joshua. The fact that both leaders are mentioned this way points back to the continuity between Deuteronomy and Joshua; it’s all one story of how God gave rest to His people by giving them this good land. The pair of victories He gave through Moses paved the way for the invasion of Jericho, spreading the word about the mighty God of Israel. Joshua then made good on his name—”Yahweh is victory”—conquering the territory of 31 kings. We too count victory after victory as Christ has established His church among countless peoples and languages.

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Irvine, California, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 11. Joshua’s worst fear has been realized: the northern Canaanites have entered into a powerful alliance, and they muster a force of chariots and mounted warriors to confront Israel at Merom. God had spared them thus far, but now He finally answers their prayer with a “No” in order to grow their faith. This fits the pattern of Moses & Pharaoh, our Lord Jesus & the Judean authorities, and even us today. We however thank God that our Lord Jesus has bound Satan, and that the church need not engage the demons in battle as Joshua did. Even then however, God directed them not to trust in chariots and offensive might, but to defensively rely on the goodness of the Creator.

Rev. John Lukomski, retired LCMS pastor, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 10. “Thus the LORD will do to all your enemies!” With that, Joshua executed the five kings that had conspired against Israel. Joshua 10 seems like a brutal chapter of the Old Testament, but it’s important to understand that violence is not at the center of God’s purpose here. God wants there to be peace in the land, but that will only come through “devotion” to Him. Our Lord Jesus Christ devoted Himself to God by allowing Himself to be destroyed. Like the five kings, He was struck, hanged on a tree, and buried in a cave behind a great stone. But unlike them, the true king and the true Joshua did not stay dead, because God’s grace for all prevails over His wrath.

Rev. David Boisclair, pastor of Faith and Bethesda Lutheran Churches in North St. Louis County, Missouri, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Joshua 9. Has the total destruction of Ai backfired? In chapter 9, the Canaanites unite in their refusal to make peace with Israel. That is, except for the Gibeonites. They dress up like poor foreigners from a distant land, and they fool Joshua into making a treaty with them so that they won’t get wiped out. We sympathize with the Gibeonites, who made the best of their situation, but is their deception justified? And was it really so bad for Israel to spare them? It’s in our nature to sweep sin under the rug, but God actually deals with it. Joshua prefigures our Lord Jesus as he demonstrates that God’s mercy is so abundant that even His curses and punishments are blessings.