The Commissioning of Joshua
Joshua 1:1-9
Who is God? He is a faithful God.
How is He revealed in this text? In order to successfully settle in the promised land, God required Joshua and the people to obey His commands with strength and courage by putting their faith in His promises.
I. Introduction
A. Scripture: Joshua 1:1-9
Felt Need: Fear of doing God’s will
Deep Need: In order to successfully inherit the blessing of the Christian life, God requires believers to conquer the enemies of the soul with strength and courage by believing in His promises.
B. Outline
1. Joshua’s Kairos Event (1-2)
2. The Promises (3-5)
3. The Precepts (6-9)
D. Background
1. Joshua is about God’s faithfulness to His promises
This first section sets out the promises.
Read 21:45
2. I would reentitle this book “The Conquest of Joshua.”
God doesn’t just use him; He changes him.
There is an amazing climax in chapter 10 where we see a change in Joshua.
3. The entire book is a metaphor for us.
Joshua represents generally a man like us with typical struggles.
The conquest represents the struggle of believers to win the war against the enemies of our soul
The land represents, not heaven as so many gospel songs have told us, but spiritual rest, blessing, inheritance, the experi-encing of the goodness of God contained in His promises.
II. The Power of God’s Promises and Precepts
A. Joshua’s Kairos Event (1-2)
A "kairos" event is an event God uses to get our attention.
Joshua was a leader, and had a specific commissioning
Much of what is written here is for leaders
But in a broad sense, we’re all leaders in various parts of our lives.
1. Joshua’s Bio
Joshua’s given name was Hoshea; he was renamed by Moses.
Hoshea meant “deliverance.”
Joshua means “Jehovah delivers.”
He was Moses assistant from his youth (Numbers 11:28).
He was a mighty warrior (Exodus 17:8-16)
He defeated Amalek under Moses.
He had faith in God’s promises.
"And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes and said to all the congregation of the people of Israel, ’The land, which we passed through to spy it out, is an exceedingly good land. If the Lord delights in us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord’" (Numbers 14:6-9, ESV)
He wholly followed the Lord (Numbers 32:12).
But he seems to be in need of strength and courage at the beginning of Joshua.
Three times (verses 6, 7 and 9) God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous.
Is this just a greeting, like “Live long and prosper?”
The people encourage him as well (verse 18).
What happened in the interim?
2. Israel’s Situation: “Moses is dead!”
Why did God say this?
"And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, 12 and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel."
“Joshua, repent of your dismay and fear”
The time of mourning for Moses was turning into insecurity and fear.
3. God’s Vision
The land: inheritance, blessing, provision, goodness, delight.
21st Century Truth #1: Weakness, fear and dependency on human institutions and people will prevent us from appropriating God’s inheritance and blessing .
The things that hinder us from appropriating the inheritance God has for us are:
Our understanding of our own limitations: weakness and fear.
It’s actually a form of reverse pride if we say that we’re no good, that God can’t use us.
This is not humility.
However, we don’t overcome our weakness and fear with our own ability.
Our perception of our circumstances.
No one is God; even Moses failed, which is why he didn’t cross the Jordan.
We become dependent on others, or on our circumstances.
Increasing Absorption—Ronald Rottschafer, The Search for Satisfaction, p. 195
"Certainly in our stressful world we need to know where our safe harbors lie. But it is unsatisfying to remain in peaceful havens, sheltered from the excitement of the open sea. To remain too dependently attached to old habits and beliefs is to avoid life’s important adventures. People who are preoccupied with the tried and true often reject new experiences that could have developed their inner fiber. They restrict their ability to grow and cannot trust others or themselves—simply because they do not summon the courage to push on, despite their fears."
This can be a friend who is always there for us and is suddenly removed, a significant family member, a Bible study group, a pastor.
We need to balance this with the need of all humans to have some stability in their lives.
B. Believe the Promises (3-5, 9)
1. The Land (3)
This represented blessing, inheritance, provision, satisfaction, delight.
2. Success in Battle (4)
Supernatural victory over the inhabitants of the land included God’s victory over their gods.
3. God’s Presence and Power (5, 9)
The antidote for Joshua’s fear and weakness was God’s promises.
21st Century Truth #2: We overcome our weakness and fear by believing in the promises of God.
Taking the Plunge—Readers’ Digest Online, As Kids See It, Stephen McCormack, St. Joachim, ON, 1997
"To my five-year-old son, Alex, jumping off the diving board that first time seemed an insurmountable challenge. He was too timid to manage it that day. On the drive home I tried to bolster his courage with a personal confession.’When I was a little boy,’ I began, ’there was a huge slide in the park beside my house. The first time I tried it, I was so scared that my father had to rescue me from the top. But the next time, I slid down, and each time after that, I had more and more fun. Do you know what I’m saying?’ Alex nodded with enthusiasm. At his next lesson, Alex approached the board with a new confidence. He strode purposefully to the end, then stopped. He tried again, and again pulled up short. Finally he turned and made a beeline for where I was standing. ’Dad,’ he asked urgently, ’do you know any other stories that might work?’"
We have these same promises:
"In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who ac-complishes all things according to his counsel and will…" (Ephesians 1:11, NRSV)
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" (James 4:7-8, ESV)
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NIV)
C. Obey the Precepts (6-8)
1. Be strong and courageous; don’t tremble or be dis-mayed (6, 7, 9)
Discouragement and depression look backwards, arise from a sense of loss: Moses.
Anxiety and fear face the future, and arise from threat, danger.
Joshua is to turn away from fear, which saps strength, and discouragement, which saps courage.
Scripture accomplishes this.
2. Practice what Scripture says, without turning to the left or right (7)
This leads to success in doing God’s will, and prosperity.
Significantly, God doesn’t tell Joshua to study up his military strategy, but to maintain His obedient relationship.
A repeated theme in Joshua is “the battle belongs to the Lord.”
These two words do not have to do with financial prosperity.
They have to do with succeeding in the higher endeavors of life.
3. Meditate on Scripture (8)
Literally means to mutter to oneself; the growling of a lion over its prey.
This facilitates practicing what Scripture says.
Desiring God’s righteousness and treasuring His law is the basis for participating in His purposes.
21st Century Truth #3: We overcome weakness and fear, and experience success in doing God’s will, by pursuing holiness and obedience.
“Success” does not refer to success and prosperity as the world defines it.
What does the Preacher of Hebrews say in the context of his quote from Joshua 1?
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ’Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6, NIV)
The love of money is one of the evil inhabitants of the land that must be conquered.
III. Responses
What natural inclinations resist these truths? Weak-ness, fear.
Fear is one of the overarching motivations we have.
It causes us to disobey God and to hurt others.
Speak God’s promises to yourself.
This leads to practicing the Word of God, which leads to prosperity and success.
