Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel(Josh. 1:1-2).
The Book of Joshua picks up immediately where the Book of Deuteronomy ends. Moses is dead, buried by the Lord in a secluded grave (Deut. 34:5-6). Joshua, who had long stood faithfully by Moses' side, is now charged with the responsibility of leading God’s people into the land of Canaan. Although God and Moses had been preparing Joshua for this ‘promotion,’ it is likely that he still felt overwhelmed and insecure when the moment arrived. After all, the only time that he had ever attempted to lead the Israelites, they had responded by wanting to stone him! And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land (Num. 14:6- 7). But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel (14:10). He must have wondered if it were possible for him to lead these volatile people. Did he have the strength and the skill necessary, or would he once again fail to get the people to understand the will of God?
Without even giving Joshua time to voice his concerns, God addressed them in such a manner that left no room for doubt. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest (Josh. 1:9). God made it clear that He had called Joshua, and that He was providing him with the necessary tools for success. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success (1:8). The book of the law that God had just given the people through His servant Moses was now to serve as a permanent guidebook for Joshua. The Lord promised him that as long as he faithfully followed the Word, he shalt have good success.
As we dedicate ourselves to the service to God, we may sometimes face challenging tasks that we doubt our ability to handle. The initial, fear-provoked response to such a challenge is usually to look backward at our past failures and drag them forward as examples of why it would be a mistake for us to try again. The thing is, God doesn’t care about our past failures. He is calling us NOW. If we find the courage to answer Him, He will give us all the necessary tools for the task at hand. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). We cannot effectively serve the Lord if we are looking to the past; only by arming ourselves with His Word and steadily moving forward will we achieve success.
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established(Prov. 16:3).
Thought for Today: Guilt and insecurity in the service of God expose a lack of confidence in ourselves and, by association, a lack of faith in God.
Christ Revealed:Through the scarlet line in the window that saved Rahab and her household – symbolic of the blood of Christ (Josh. 2:21; Heb. 11:31; James 2:25). The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin (I John 1:7).
Word Studies:1:1 minister = assistant; 1:4 coast = territory, boundary; 1:15 rest = peace; sunrising = east; 1:17 hearkened unto = obeyed; 2:17 blameless = free; swear = promise under oath; 2:19 on our head = our responsibility; 2:20 quit = free; 3:16 Salt Sea = Dead Sea; against = opposite.
Pray For:Bible Pathway Printer: Pollock Printing, Nashville, TN • Government Officials: Sen. John Hoeven (ND), Rep. Mike Carey (OH) • Country: Togo (7,351,374) Western Africa • Major Languages: French, Several African Languages • Religious Freedom • 29% Christian; 20% Muslim; 51% Indigenous Beliefs • Prayer Suggestion: Realize that your life is in God’s hands and ask Him to deliver you from all evil (Luke 11:4).
Optional Reading John 4