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Joshua

Joshua 1

Joshua is commissioned by God

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them-the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. (see Matthew 28:20)  Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

As the book of Joshua starts the Israelites are camped at Shittim and getting ready to go east and cross the Jordan into Canaan.  Moses (representing the law) could only take them so far, he could only take them to the border of the Promised Land.  Joshua (type of Jesus) took up where the law left off and He would lead them, by faith, into the Promised Land.  Joshua is the son of Nun.  Nun means 'eternal'.  Joshua means 'savior'.  So we see Joshua is "Yeshua, son of eternal".  

The Promised Land had little value if they didn't possess it.  They had a great promise and they could look across the Jordan at it, but if they didn't step in faith to receive what God promised then the promise had no value.  Like any gift from God, we must receive it or it has no value.  And to receive requires faith.  How many gifts have we passed on because we lacked faith or were overcome with fear? 

Joshua receives direction and encouragement from the Lord.  Three times he is told to be strong and courageous.  Joshua receives some awesome promises.  We also have similar promises in Hebrews 13:5-6; Romans 8:37; Matthew 28:19; 1 John 4:4.

They are not to let the book of the Law depart from their mouth and they will be prosperous and successful.  The God of the universe tells us if we keep his commandments we will be successful and prosperous.  When our eyes are on Him we define successful and prosperous differently than the world.  

Joshua's recipe was:

  1. Be strong and courageous.
  2. Obey God's law.
  3. Read and study God's law.

 

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 "Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.' "

We can imagine how fear could run rampant among a few million people stepping into what seemed like the unknown.  To look with their eyes and use the logic of the world, this was crazy!

Romans 8:36-37

"For Your sake we are killed all day long;

We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

This was the job of the leader; to instill boldness and confidence, to train them to trust in the promises of God and not what they saw or felt. 

 

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 "Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, 'The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.' 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise."

16 So they answered Joshua, saying, "All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage."

Reuben, Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh were already settled on the east side of the Jordan (Numbers 34:14).  They were allowed to settle here with the understanding that they would help the other tribes cross over and take the land when the time came.  Joshua is reminding them and reaffirming the deal that was made.  Their ability to settle in the land and enjoy it was tied to fulfilling their commitment.

Note that Joshua's command to the people was that they would be crossing and would be taking the land that God gave them.  There wasn't any wishy-washy we'll try, maybe, hoping for a good outcome, etc.  This was done and they were simply to possess what was already given.  We can apply this same thought to the Christian life.  The promises are true, the work done, all we have to do is possess this power, this life and promise.

It's interesting that the Israelites never took all that God had given to them.  They were given the land all the way to the Euphrates, but never put their foot down there. 

In our lives, born of great promise, why do we hesitate?  Why do we fail to completely claim the full promise that He has made for us?  We need to press in and press on into the full promise.  We stop in the shallow end and never get in over our head.

Joshua was allowed to take them into the land but he could not deliver them into their rest.  That could only be done by Jesus Christ.

©2015 Doug Ford