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Dr. Howard, Just finished listening to your Survey of Joshua in the process of working through my BA with Andersonville. I thoroughly enjoyed it! I especially liked your emphasis on developing a "whole-Bible" theology for ourselves, rather than focusing on just the New Testament, or even on just a few of the epistles. The unity and continuity between the Old and New Covenants is a growing conviction of mine and I was "amen-ing" you loudly with my headphones on! I thought as you were preaching this particular message you would surely point to Jesus' own words in Matthew 5:17-19. Your references were fine, though! Don't get me wrong. Also, I think that II Timothy 3:16, written to a Gentile Christian, by the way, is very instructive. The "all Scripture" Paul's talking about had to have been the Old Testament, since the New was still in process! The only question I had about your lectures was right at the first when you cautioned Christians about appropriating the call of Joshua to themselves without warrant. I believe you said, that unlike Joshua, "Christians have been promised no land." I agree in that God has not set out a certain geographical area for us to call our own, to seek to live in, etc. But don't you think that Jesus Christ certainly has been promised a land? Specifically, hasn't He been promised ALL the land on the whole earth? (Psalm 2:8 for example) Wouldn't you agree that this specific promise of the whole earth to the Messiah is the foundational reason behind the Great Commission? In that sense, then, as we abide in Christ and seek the righteousness of His Kingdom, shouldn't our expectation be that Satan, a defeated foe, will be kicked out just as surely as the Canaanites fell before Joshua? In that sense, isn't the whole earth our Promised Land? Well, I am sorry. I know you don't have time to answer little questions like this from everyone who writes to you. Keep up the good work. I look forward to being able to take some more of your courses during my time with Andersonville. God bless you and keep you, Gordan Runyan |
