Joshua 1:1 – After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant...
The death of Moses is recorded at the end of the book of Deuteronomy (Deuteronomy 34:5-8). Because of a sin he committed, Moses never had the privilege of setting foot in the Promised Land himself.
However, the death of Moses did not change God's plans. He still fully intended to lead the nation of Israel into the inheritance he promised to Abraham (Genesis 12:7, Genesis 13:14-17). He would now accomplish his purposes through Joshua, son of Nun.
Joshua had already been publicly named as the successor to Moses. You can read about the ceremony in Numbers 27:12-23, but the gist is that God publicly confirmed Joshua as the next leader of Israel, before the death of Moses. In fact, Moses was the one who transferred authority to Joshua by the laying on of hands:
Numbers 27:18-20 – So the Lord said to Moses, "Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey."
Now that it is time for Joshua to fully assume the mantle of leadership/power, we find that God begins the process by speaking directly to him. This personal message was no doubt a much-welcomed confirmation for Joshua.
Some scholars believe God spoke to him in a dream or vision. Others think God spoke to him out of the tabernacle of the congregation (tent of meeting), as he often did with Moses (Leviticus 1:1). In either case, Joshua was now ready to assume the role as leader of the nation.
This was a job he had been specially prepared and trained for. Not only was he filled with the Spirit, he had also spent years and years as Moses' right-hand man. He observed how Moses evaluated problems, asked advice from God and then deal with the people. He would now be taking Moses' place as the mediator between God and Israel.
The sequence of events went something like this: after Moses died, Israel spent 30 days in mourning. During this time, there was a pause in all public councils/plans. Israel needed this time to mourn the loss of their great leader and perhaps to repent of their disobedience and obstinance under his rule. But now the time of mourning is past. God is ready to move forward, and he calls Joshua to step up as leader of his people.
Joshua 1:2 – "Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel."
The death of Moses was probably a tough thing for Israel. He was the one who led them out of captivity. He was the one who led them during their failed attempt to take the Promised Land, and subsequently he led them for 40 years in the desert. In fact, he was the only leader the current generation knew; the older generation had perished in the wilderness.
However, as God points out to Joshua, Moses was simply his servant. He was the liaison between God and the Israelites; he led the people as God directed. Joshua would now have the exact same role and the exact same authority – servant of the Lord, and leader of God's chosen people. The reassuring part is that no matter what, God is still in charge.
And God declared that it was now time to lead those people across the Jordan river and into the Promised Land which he swore to give to Abraham and his descendants forever. The accomplishment of all that God had promised was now about to take place! What an exciting day for Israel!
But what was exciting for Israel, was a test of faith for Joshua. Passing over the river Jordan was not a matter of simply crossing a shallow creek bed. The Jordan was a major river, currently flowing at flood stage. It was deep and wide with a swift current.
Joshua has no boats, no bridges and no pontoons. In short, he has absolutely no possible way in the natural realm to get a million plus people with all their livestock and possessions safely across the river. His only option was to trust in God when he did not see a way over, around or through this problem. It was an act of faith on his part to even order the people to get ready to cross.
How can we apply this lesson to our own lives? Has God made you a promise, but the fulfillment of it looks impossible? If so, follow Joshua's example and step out in faith. You can be confident that what God has promised, he will do! Even when we don't see a way for that promise to be fulfilled, God has a way!
One other thought: You may not agree with me, but I personally see some parallels between the children of Israel taking the Promised Land and the church taking back America.
Through his prophets, God has promised to save America and bring an unprecedented revival in our midst. When we look around at the world today, we may wonder how that could ever happen! But let's choose to be strong and courageous. If God has promised it, he will bring it to pass.
Joshua 1:3 –"Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses."
The phraseology in this verse is just amazing! In God's prior dealings with Israel, he always promised, 'I WILL give you the land'; it was referred to as a future promise:
Genesis 17:8 - And I will give unto you, and to your descendants after you, the land in which you are a sojourner, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
But now, God speaks as if the event has already occurred; he clearly says, 'I HAVE given to you'. In God's eyes, the land is already theirs, even though they had not yet even crossed the river!
Notice that even though God called the land theirs, they still had to do their part. By faith they had to believe the promise of God and take appropriate action - they had to rise up, cross the river and engage the enemy in order to take the land.
The same is true for us as New Testament believers. We receive the promises of God by faith.
For instance, think back to the day you received your salvation. How did you get it? You believed that you needed forgiveness for sin and that Christ was willing to do that for you. Then, you simply reached out to him in faith and accepted it by saying a prayer or raising your hands or something similar.
How did you receive the baptism of Holy Spirit and your new prayer language? You read the scriptures that promised it to you, you believed it, you asked for it, then you opened up your mouth and in faith you began to speak. In other words, you received it by faith.
Faith is the channel for receiving all the blessings of God. What do you need or want today? I encourage you to dig into the scriptures, to enter your prayer closet with Holy Spirit and to discover the promises God has in store for you. Then, receive them by faith!
As for the particular case found in the first chapter of Joshua, God has promised the land to Israel. Specifically, he says that 'every place the sole of their foot treads upon' will be theirs. What does that mean?
First of all, we want to understand that Israel was not creating the borders of their future nation. Those had already been pre-determined by God, just as he determines the boundaries of every nation (Deuteronomy 34:1-4).
Some people think the phrase refers to the ease with which Israel was going to take the land. They refer to the conquest of Jericho, in which Israel simply marched around the walls and they fell.
But we might point out after reading this book that the conquest was anything but simple and easy. However, proponents of this theory contend that it was only the unfaithfulness of Israel that made the conquest a difficult matter. Perhaps they are right. What do you think?
Another interpretation sees that phrase as referring to the responsibility of each individual tribe/person in the taking of the land. Let me explain.
Joshua was clearly God's chosen military leader for Israel, and God himself certainly fought for his people. But the actual conquest of Canaan was a limited conquest. Joshua took a specific, limited number of strongholds throughout the country, utterly crushing the armies that came against Israel. He then established Israel in those places, and divided the land, conquered and unconquered, among the tribes of Israel (Joshua 13:1-7). At that point, it was the responsibility of each individual tribe/person to finish the job.
Thus, they had to fight/battle in order to gain all the land that they 'tread upon with the sole of their foot'. For example, God 'gave' Caleb the region of Hebron, but he still had to fight claim that promise:
Joshua 15:13-14 – According to the commandment of the Lord to Joshua, he gave to Caleb the son of Jephunneh Kiriath-arba, that is, Hebron. And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak, Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai, the descendants of Anak.
By the same token, if Israel did not engage the enemy at all or if they did not persevere to victory, they would not gain the territory. We have clear evidence that there were parts of the Promised Land that Israel failed to take from the Canaanites:
Joshua 17:12 - Yet the children of Manasseh could not drive out the inhabitants of those cities; but the Canaanites would persist to dwell in that land.
(See also Joshua 16:10, 17:15-18, etc.) Although God promised victory, gave them a strong competent leader and assisted them in battle, Israel had to fight for what she wanted! We might say the people had 'skin in the game'.
What territory do you want to take for the kingdom of heaven? Your neighborhood or the people surrounding your church? The neighborhood in which you live and/or worship is a stronghold that God has given you. But you will need to take action if you want to win that community to Christ. How might this understanding change the way your church relates to the surrounding community? How does it change the way you view your street or your neighborhood?
Joshua 1:4 – "From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory."
This text describes the boundaries of the land. The 'wilderness' refers to the Desert of Arabia, which was the southern boundary. Lebanon was the northern limit with the east and west boundaries being the 'great sea' (Mediterranean Sea) and the Euphrates River. 'All the land of the Hittites' seems to refer to the complete territory in general.
The Israelites under Joshua never fully ruled/dominated this entire tract of land. They had the power and ability to possess it in due time, but they failed to do so. This was not a reflection of the inability of God to deliver his promise; it was due to the cowardice, laziness and disobedience of the Israelites.
Again, we must ask ourselves this: What areas has God given the church to possess? Are we looking to him to lead us in battle to take those areas, or are we satisfied having Satan as our next-door neighbor?
Joshua 1:5 – "No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you."
Put yourself in Joshua's place for just a moment. You are now the leader of a nation who is tasked with defeating some very strong military opponents.
The nations Israel was to subdue were highly trained in war, well supplied, well-armed and physically bigger than the Israelites. Their towns and cities were well fortified and they had political alliances which would provide further assistance in any war against Joshua and the Israelites.
As if that were not enough, they had advanced warning that Israel was on its way, so they had been busy making every possible preparation for war or for a siege. They were determined to defeat Israel and save their country, or to lose their lives trying. They were very formidable enemies.
Joshua can't help but remember that in the past, the people failed to fully trust the Lord, which resulted in 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. Furthermore, there was no guarantee they would fully trust God this time either. Given the entire set of circumstances, do you think Joshua might have had some feelings of fear or anxiety?
I don't see how he couldn't have had those feelings! But obviously, God had already taken that into account. As part of his instructions to Joshua to move forward, he steadfastly declares that no enemy will be able to defeat him for the rest of his life. In other words, there would not be a repeat of Israel's past failure.
God gives him further tangible assurance of victory with the statement 'As I was with Moses, so I will be with you'.
Remember, Joshua had been the assistant of Moses for a long time. He saw how God strengthened him, directed him, and gave him success in the great undertaking of bringing Israel out from Egypt.
In the same practical ways, God would be with Joshua guaranteeing him victory in bringing the people into their inheritance. God also guaranteed never to leave or forsake Joshua all the days of his life, no matter what situation he faced. This was a reiteration of the promise he had already been given by Moses:
Deuteronomy 31:8 - It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.
The promise of God was enough to suppress any fear or anxiety that tried to overwhelm Joshua. God would be with him continually assisting him against the enemies of Israel as well as the difficulties he faced in governing a somewhat fickle and rebellious people.
God gives us the same assurances of help and victory in our lives today (Hebrews 13:5). Though the forces against us may be strong and numerous, we know that if God be for us, it doesn't matter who is against us (Romans 8:31)!
Joshua 1:6 – "Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them."
The command to 'be strong and courageous' is repeated again and again and again to Joshua. However strong and courageous he might naturally be, this was going to be a long and arduous task! He was going to need divine assistance to get the job done.
The command itself implies that the task assigned to him will contain multiple obstacles or problems. He will need strength and courage not only to deal with the problems that surface, but to continue in his mission day after day. He must be prepared to persevere in the struggles that are a part of bringing the people into their inheritance.
But Joshua can take comfort in the assurance of God that he will definitely be the one to get this job done!
The same is true for us. During the course of our time on earth, troubles and difficulties will surface. But we don't face them alone. We have the armor of God, the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and divine assistance when needed.
With that in mind, let's be committed to walking through any/all difficulties without thoughts of giving up. Let's continue to pray for the salvation of our loved ones, even if it seems they will never change. Let's continue to live holy lives and stand for righteousness in the face of opposition because if we persevere, we will gain the victory.
Joshua 1:7 – "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go."
Not only does God want his servant to be strong and courageous, he commands him to know the law of God and to abide by it. As Joshua well knew, Israel did not have the military might and experience to defeat her enemies in her own power; all victory would come through divine assistance. The condition of this divine assistance/victory was two-fold. One, they had to pick up arms and fight. Two, the nation must be faithful to the laws of God.
This verse plainly shows that God's promise of assistance was conditional. If Israel suddenly became full of pride and abandoned the laws/ways of God, their blessings, protection and victories would vanish. They needed to remain faithful to the covenant they made with God, serving and worshiping him only.
Sadly, in the book of the Judges, we find Israel failing in this regard. She sins, loses the blessing and protection of God, and becomes enslaved by her enemies. Then, when she eventually repents, God sends a deliverer to rescue her. This happens over and over again in the history of Israel.
As for us, let's take God's demand to heart – let us study his word and strive to live by its principles, just as God commands Joshua.
Joshua 1:8 – "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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."
Even though Joshua was a man of great power and authority, he himself is under the direct orders of God.
To start with, he must read and meditate on God's word. He must store it in his heart and mind, so that it pops to the surface when he needs it.
But mere knowledge is not enough; he must train himself to act, judge, lead and govern according to those same laws, without exception.
Part of being strong and courageous is to do exactly that – live one's life in accordance with the commands of God, even when they differ from popular culture or government regulation.
Joshua had already exemplified his ability to do this 40 years earlier when he disagreed with the 10 spies who claimed Israel could not take the Promised Land (Numbers 14:1-9). Nevertheless, God once again admonishes him to DAILY meditate on the law of God. Those who do will receive wisdom and understanding from the Lord. When we act on that wisdom, God will prosper us in all we do:
Psalms 1:1-3 – Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water in all that he does, he prospers.
As we all know, obedience to God's will is better than sacrifice! As Joshua endeavored to make his life and actions conform to God's word, God blessed and prospered him. What a privilege to be governed by such a leader! It would be wonderful if the leaders of our nation did the same. Perhaps we should consider that during the next election.
Joshua 1:9 – "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
In closing, God gives Joshua the absolute promise that he had commanded this work to be done and therefore it WOULD be done, no matter how great the difficulties/obstacles that were in the way.
Joshua's part in all of this was to meditate/act on God's word and to courageously move forward in battle. As he did so, God would bring the victory.
Let me offer you some encouragement:
The death of Moses was a sad loss for the Israelites; he was the only leader they knew and trusted. But it was important for the people to understand that Moses was not their real leader – God was!
We could say that God was the Shepherd of his people, and Moses was his under-shepherd who watched over the specific flock of Israel. Though the people dealt with Moses on a daily basis, it was God who was in control.
This is a good lesson for us as well. Sometimes a long-time leader dies or leaves a church/ministry. That can be an unsettling time for the group of Christians who followed him/her.
But be encouraged by this: Under-shepherds are subject to change, but the true Shepherd, God, never leaves us or forsakes us! We can also be encouraged that if God moves a particular under-shepherd, he has already prepared a new person to take that position. He will not leave his people without a leader to watch over them on a daily basis.
Let me offer you some relief:
God called Joshua to perform a seemingly impossible task – to lead Israel in the conquest of Canaan. But God did not just drop that responsibility on Joshua and leave. He promised to be with him all the days of his life, and to give him divine assistance in completing his task.
What has God called you to do in this world? Does it seem like an impossible task? If so, let me give you some relief – God will be with you all the days of your life too. If you lean on him and act on the wisdom/understanding he gives you, you too will be victorious!
Let me offer you some strength:
Not only does God command Joshua to be strong and courageous, he commands him to know the law of God and to abide by it. Knowing the word of God is one of the keys to a successful and blessed life, because it gives us the option of making decisions based on the wisdom and knowledge of God.
It's kind of like operating equipment according to the manufacturer's instructions – since they made it, they know the best way to use it. They know how you can get the optimum performance out of the product, so you should read and follow the manual.
Since God made us, we can be sure that acting according to his 'instruction manual' will be the best way to ensure success in our lives. Obeying his commands will bring us peace, joy, victory and fulfillment in this life.