Summary:
Moses appointed those “officers” (v.10 cf. Deut.1:3,15) but they recognized Joshua was their new commander. “Victuals” (v.11) are food (cf.Mt.14:15,16). They couldn’t pre-pare manna for a trip (Ex.16:19,20), but the manna ceased when they reached the border of Canaan (Ex.16:35), a land inhabited because there was food that would keep for a trip.
Just as God later parted the Jordan so the Jews could enter Canaan, He’ll part it again so saved Jews can enter the kingdom in Israel (Isa.11:15,16). They crossed the Jordan to “possess” the land (Josh.1:11) that was already possessed by giants. That’s a type of how Israel will dispossess giants in the future Tribulation to enter the kingdom in the land.
Joshua will lead Israel into battle against those giants, just as Christ will lead the “saints” in future Israel against the future giants (Ps.149:2,5-7,9)—including angelic saints (Jude 1:14, 15cf. Deut.33:2) and Old Testament saints raised from the “beds” (Ps.149:5) of their graves (cf.Ezek.32:25). This will happen “after two days” (Hosea 6:2) of a thousand years each (cf.IIPet.3:8). We see that pictured here when the officers told the people they’d cross Jordan to enter Canaan “within three days” (Josh.1:11). And since it happens before they engage the Canaanites, that suggests Israel’s resurrection will take place before she engages Antichrist’s giants.
In exhorting Israel to prepare for the trip, Joshua singled out 2 ½ of her tribes (v.12) because they would have been tempted to not prepare to cross Jordan. They were cattlemen, and the land on that side of Jordan was conducive to raising cattle, so they’d asked Moses if they didn’t have to cross Jordan (Num.32:1,2,4,5). Moses told them that Israel needed them to defeat the giants (Num.32:6,7), so they agreed to lead the charge, then return home (32:16,17). Moses agreed (32:33), and now that it’s time to defeat them, Joshua reminds those 2 ½ tribes of their promise (Josh.1:13-15).
The “rest” that the 2½ tribes already had (v.13), and the others had to get (v.15cf.Deut.3:16-20), was rest from their enemies (Deut.12:10) when they conquered them (Josh.14: 15). But the Bible also speaks of the rest of death (Job.3:11, 13,17), rest you get in grave “beds” (Is.57:1,2). In that sense, all 12 tribes already have their rest, even though they haven’t yet risen from the dead to get their rest in the kingdom.
But they’ve got some brethren who’ll be alive in the Tribulation, and all 12 tribes will rise someday to help them conquer the Beast and his giants so their brethren can get their rest in the kingdom—just as we’ll see in Joshua when all 12 tribes cross the Jordan on the third day to help their brethren get their rest in Canaan. They couldn’t “enjoy” their rest (Josh.1:15) till the 9 ½ tribes got theirs, and Old Testament saints can’t enjoy their rest till Tribulation Jews get theirs.
The 2 ½ tribes typify the Old Testament saints who will lead the charge against Antichrist. Who better than men who’ve died and can’t die again? And when the 2 ½ tribe minority in Israel helped the 9 ½ tribe majority get their rest, that typifies how the Old Testament saints will be the minority (cf.Isa.1:9) compared to the vast numbers saved in the Tribulation under the kingdom program (Rev.7:9,14).
The 2 ½ tribes kept their promise (Josh.1:16,17). That’s a type of how New Testament Jews should have said to the Lord, “We followed Moses, now we’ll follow You.” But they stuck with Moses instead (John 9:28). The 2½ tribes quoted Moses’ warning of what would happen if they didn’t follow Joshua (Josh.1:18), a type of what happened to those Jews who didn’t follow the Lord (Deut.18:18,19).
What are you doing with the rest God has given you in Christ? God gave David rest (IISam.7:1), but he refused to enjoy it till God had a temple in which to rest (Ps.132:1-5), a house that would glorify Him. He wants you to build Him a life that will glorify Him—your life. Don’t rest till you do.
