WHO’S IN CHARGE? (JOSHUA 3:1-17)
Famed Japanese director Akira Kurosawabest’s black and white movie “Ikiru” certainly makes one ponder about life’s meaning and purpose. The story is about the choices a dying man faced and made upon learning he had cancer. Kanji Watanabe, the Chief of the Citizens Section that entertain complaints from local residents, toiled meaninglessly for the last thirty years. Upon hearing he had cancer, he promptly gave up hope, quitting working and living until a carefree and young former employee, who toiled in a factory, captured his heart’s interest. Although the friendship blossomed for a while, the girl was increasingly tired of the boring old man who had no life except to spend more and more time with her. Unknown to her, Watanabe just wanted to know how live like her for just one day before his death. The silly girl remarked casually as she toyed innocently with a hopping mechanical rabbit her factory produced: “I can’t show you. I only eat and work. That’s all, really. I just make toys like this. I feel as if all the babies in Japan are my friends.”
The man got the point, rushed out with the toy rabbit and sought to complete some of the untouched office projects lying on his desk, specifically a mission to transform a swamp into a playground, which neighbors had petitioned to government departments, agencies and officers unsuccessfully for many months. He pestered the Public Works, the Sewerage Section, the Park Committee and even the Mayor’s Office but Watanabe died five months later, shortly before the park’s opening.
After the man’s death, the Deputy Mayor claimed credit for the completion of the project, incensing meddling reporters, disbelieving employees and the women’s association. An emotional, loyal employee insisted poignantly and defiantly, “Mr. Watanabe built that park, no matter what anyone says!”
What is the high point of your life? Graduating from college? Obtaining your citizenship? Marrying your sweetheart? Buying your home? Locking in promotion?
Crossing the Red Sea was Moses’ biggest event, his brightest moment and finest hour, but crossing the 200-mile Jordan was hardly the highlight of Joshua’s career and life. Joshua had been there and done that when he crossed the Red Sea. He had seen how the Lord divided the Red Sea, how the Israelites crossed the dry land, how the army of Pharaoh drowned in the sea and how the Lord had saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians. The impact was edged in Joshua’s memory (Ex 14: 31), but a longer lasting and more permanent impact awaited him. Joshua’s greatest triumph was the belief that God would do wondrous things through him all the days of his life. He believed that the Lord would do extraordinary, miraculous and wondrous things in the lives of those who have a right attitude, those with the right facts and those on the right track.
Refuse to Think Big
3:1 Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.” 6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them. (Josh 3:1-6)
A man was so excited about his promotion to Vice President of the company he worked for and kept bragging about it to his wife for weeks on end. Finally she couldn’t take it any longer, and told him, “Listen, it means nothing, they even have a vice president of peas at the grocery store!” “Really?” he said. Not sure if this was true or not, the man decided to call the grocery store. A clerk answered and Tom said, “Can I speak to the Vice president of peas?” The clerk replied, “Canned or frozen?”
Joshua told the people that the Lord Himself would do amazing things among them the next day (Josh 3:5).
When God first commissioned Moses, Moses had the knowledge, assurance and promise from God that He would perform wonders, stretch out His hand and strike the Egyptians if Pharaoh refused to let Israel go (Ex 3:19-20). Later, at Horeb, God reiterated to Moses that He would do wonders never before done in any nation in the world (Ex 34:10). Unlike Moses, Joshua did not have the inside information, iron-clad assurances or the constant update Moses had from God, yet he never thought of questioning God and did not mull over the obstacles or sought for more information, assurance or recognition.
Joshua, the optimistic-minded, level-headed and brave-hearted leader, deflected the attention from himself and credited the people and the Lord for the work rather than himself. He challenged the Israelites, saying, “Consecrate ‘yourselves’…the LORD will do amazing things ‘among you’” (Josh 3:5) and “Listen to the words of the LORD ‘your God.’ This is how ‘you’ will know that the living God is ‘among you’ and that ‘he’ will certainly drive out before ‘you’ the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of ‘you.’” (Josh 3:9-11)
When Joshua spoke to the Israelites, he lifted up the Lord, rallied the Israelites together but downplayed his part and leadership; in fact, denying his involvement and contribution. His attitude was similar to John the Baptist, who said, “He must become greater; I must become less.” (Jn 3:30) The second and third person pronouns “he” (v 9) and “you” (vv 3-5, 9-11) were always on Joshua’s mouth, but never the first person “I,” “me” or “myself.” In all, he used the Hebrew usage “you” or “your” four times in verse 3, four times in verse 4 (“Then you will know which way (you’re) to go, since ‘you’ have never been this way before,” and twice in verse 5. Joshua never wavered, hesitated or faltered in believing that God alone would do mighty things in Israel, and the new and humble servant leader dared not even suggest that God would do marvelous works through him. Serving God was a sufficient reward in itself; nothing else was necessary or suggested by him.
Refuse to Take Credit
9 Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God. 10 This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites. 11 See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you. 12 Now then, choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. 13 And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD-the Lord of all the earth-set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.” 14 So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. 15 Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. (Josh 3:9-17)
Who gets credit when things are turning round, doing well and going great? I read with humor how little credit or glory we give to God for the great things He has done:
WHY GOD NEVER RECEIVED TENURE AT ANY UNIVERSITY
He had only one major publication.
It was in Hebrew.
It had no references.
It wasn’t published in a refereed journal.
Some even doubt he wrote it himself.
It may be true that he created the world, but what has he done since then?
His cooperative efforts have been quite limited.
The scientific community has had a hard time replicating his results.
He never applied to the Ethics Board for permission to use human subjects.
When one experiment went awry he tried to cover it up by drowning the subjects.
When subjects didn’t behave as predicted, he deleted them from the sample.
He rarely came to class, just told students to read the Book.
Some say he had his son teach the class.
He expelled his first two students for learning.
Although there were only ten requirements, most students failed his tests.
His office hours were infrequent and usually held on a mountaintop.
The humble Joshua hid himself pretty well behind the Lord. Personal credit was exiled from his mind, banished from the lips and never the intention of Israel’s latest leader. He had nothing but praise and glory for God, using the familiar phrase “The Lord your God” (v 3, 9) to remind Israel of her unique relationship with God. The phrase was as old as God’s first appearance to Moses and His initial instruction to him: “You will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians (Ex 6:7).
Joshua also addressed God as the living God (v 10) or the God of life, the God of the living or the God who is alive. Moses was dead, the old generation was gone, but the living God had not abandoned them. Joshua reminded Israel of God’s present, active and continual involvement in their lives after they have crossed Jordan: “For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over” (Josh 4:23). He assured them that God will certainly drive out the seven nations that were larger and stronger than Israel, as God had promised in Deuteronomy 7:1.
God is also the Lord of all the earth (v 13). While crossing the sea was a timeless history lesson for Israel, a new chapter was written of world history. The Lord is the Creator of the world, the God of the universe and the Lord of all the earth, all nations, Israelites and Gentiles. Joshua also added: “He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” (Josh 4:24)
Refuse to Turn Back
7 And the LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. 8 Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ’When you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.’“ (Josh 3:7-8)
14 That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses. (Josh 4:14)
A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small, desert like island. The two survivors, not knowing what else to do, agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God. However, to find out whose prayer was more powerful, they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island.
The first thing they prayed for was food. The next morning, the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land, and he was able to eat its fruit. The other man’s parcel of land remained barren. After a week, the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife. The next day, another ship was wrecked, and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land. On the other side of the island, there was nothing. Soon the first man prayed for a house, clothes, more food. The next day, like magic, all of these were given to him. However, the second man still had nothing. Finally, the first man prayed for a ship, so that he and his wife could leave the island. In the morning, he found a ship docked at his side of the island.
The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island. He considered the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings, since none of his prayers had been answered. As the ship was about to leave, the first man heard a voice from heaven booming, “Why are you leaving your companion on the island?” “My blessings are mine alone, since I was the one who prayed for them,” the first man answered. “His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything.” “You are mistaken!” the voice rebuked him. “He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would not have received any of my blessings.” “Tell me,” the first man asked the voice, “What did he pray for that I should owe him anything?” “He prayed that all your prayers be answered.”
Just as Joshua had trusted in the Lord and lifted Him up before Israel, the Lord had stood by Joshua and exalted him in the sight of all Israel. Before crossing Jordan God assured Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.” (vv 7-8) After Israel had crossed Jordan, God fulfilled his promise and more to Joshua: “That day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him ‘all the days of his life,’ just as they had revered Moses.” (Josh 4:14)
Greatness in one’s own eyes is narcissism and greatness in the eyes of the world is vanity, but true greatness is God-given and time-tested. True greatness cannot be sought, fought or bought. A person may have a good resume, an outstanding record and even strong references, but lasting honor comes from God.
Although Moses had handpicked, commissioned and encouraged Joshua in the sight of all Israel (Deut 31:7) and Israel revered Joshua the way they revered Moses (Josh 4:14), but the greatest honor undoubtedly was God’s exaltation and presence.
The phrase “all the days of his life” spoke volumes of Joshua’s life-long impact in Israel. No one brought more unity to the nation nor received more respect from the people than Joshua (Josh 1:5), nor was anyone close; not even Samuel the judge (1 Sam 7:15), David the king (1 Kings 15:5) or Solomon his son (1 Kings 11:34). Though the phrase “all the days of his life” apply to Samuel, David and Solomon, too, but the length of their impact, the quality of their lives and the content of their character paled in comparison to Joshua. Joshua’s bright light kept on shining the rest of his life: “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life,” (Josh 1:5) “Israel revered him all the days of his life,” (Josh 4:14) and “Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and even the elders who outlived him (Josh 24:31, Judg 2:7) and who had experienced everything the LORD had done for Israel.”
Conclusion: Hudson Taylor said, “I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help him. I ended up asking him to do his work through me.” There is no room for egos, excesses and exhibitionists in God’s team. Humility, harmony and honesty will achieve more in the long run. Is Jesus Christ the King of your life? Do you have a high view of God, take a fierce hold of Him and pledge a long service to Him? Is your service an instance of zeal or a lifetime of love? Are you striving to please God or to entertain man?
Victor Yap
Other sermons in the series and other sermon series:
www.epreaching.blogspot.com
