Follow the Leader!
CBC Joshua Series #5
Joshua 1:10-18
REVIEW:
Introduction:
Before moving into the text, where Joshua and Caleb and the Israelites will enter the land, let us not forget that Moses and all Israelites who had been over 20 years old at the Exodus will not enter the land. In fact, they are all dead!
1. Why Moses didn’t go in.
• Failure to glorify God.
• Must “We” fetch you water.
• Should have been “He.”
• So there is a solemn warning to the minister.
• One that I take seriously!
• But there is also a serious warning to the laity here!
2. Why Majority didn’t go in.
• Failure to honor & obey leadership.
• Failure to follow the vision that God gave to the leaders.
• Listening to the negative crowd!
• Murmuring
• When you fight God’s man, with God’s plan, then you are fighting God’s plan.
QUOTE: “Leadership is the activity of influencing people to cooperate toward some goal which they COME TO FIND desirable.” (Ordway Tead)
I. Jehovah Speaks to The Leader (1-9)
Joshua 1:1 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,
• The command is to Joshua & is to be obeyed by the people.
• God speaks to the leader.
• He demands obedience from the people even though He does not speak to them directly.
A. The Commands (2)
[2] 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.
1. Enter the Land (Chapters 1-5)
2. Conquer the Land (Chapters 6-12)
3. Divide the Land (Chapters 13-22)
B. The Conditions (7-9)
1. Obedience to God’s Word
[7] Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
• Observe to do “all the law.” (7)
• Turn not from it to right hand or to the left.(7)
• We are to “do according to all that is written therein.” (8)
• If we are to prosper, we must obey the Word. ALL the Word.
2. Meditation on God’s Word
[8] 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.
3. Trust in God’s Word
[9] 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.
a. FOUR REQUIREMENTS HERE!
b. ONE REMINDER - The Lord thy God is with thee!
C. The Comfort (3-6)
• 1 promise for each command.
• What God demands from us He helps us with.
• We have the Comforter!
1. I will help you enter (3,4)
[3] Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. [4] From the wilderness and this Lebanon [mountain range] even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast.
2. I will help you conquer (5)
[5] There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
3. I will help you divide (6)
[6] Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.
NEW MATERIAL BEGINS HERE.
II. Joshua Speaks to the Leaders
Joshua 1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
Officers: Scribes. An organized structure of officials with authority to communicate. Military heralds.
A. The Requirements (11-15)
1. To the 12 Tribes (11)
[11] Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it.
• They were to strengthen themselves for an extended campaign.
• At this point, the manna is still falling, but will soon stop.
• It is interesting that Joshua does not command that boats be built!
• He saw God open the Red Sea!
• Jordan? Piece of cake!
2. To the 2 1/2 Tribes (12-15)
a. A Reminder (12,13)
[12] And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, [13] Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, The Lord your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land.
• I encourage you to read the full story of this agreement in Numbers 32.
• It would make a wonderful Sunday afternoon devotional read.
• These tribes wanted to stay on the wrong side of Jordan.
• Moses feared that this would again discourage the people from going in.
• He reminds them of the tragic story of their dead ancestors.
• They promise that they will go in and fight.
• Moses reluctantly agreed.
• Now Joshua reminds them of their responsibility.
b. A Responsibility (14,15a)
[14] Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; [15] Until the Lord have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the Lord your God giveth them:
• The responsibility is to stand united with God’s people and work together!
• Keyword, Unity!
c. A Reward (15b)
[15b] then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising.
• We should keep our agreements.
• Joshua will honor the agreement of Moses.
ILLUS: A company should honor the word of anyone wearing the company name badge.
B. The Response (16-18)
1. Their Promise
a. Complete Obedience
[16] And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go.
• They had seen the consequences of their forefathers’ disobedience.
• They do not question the messenger or the message.
• They will not repeat the mistake at Kadesh-Barnea 40 years earlier.
QUOTE: Definition of a fool. One who does the same thing over and over, while expecting different results.
• They had learned two lessons:
1) When the People rebel against God’s man, the ministry runs in circles, going nowhere for 40 years!
2) When the People rebel against God’s man, people are going to die!
b. Compared Obedience
[17a] According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee:
HUMOR: This may have worried Joshua. They hadn’t always obeyed Moses! Of course, the following statement shows that they were not just using double-talk!
c. Consequential Obedience
[18a] Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death:
QUOTE: Warren Wiersbe, Be Strong. (p. 30)
It is unfortunate but true that sometimes the only way a ministry can move forward is by conducting a few funerals. A pastor friend of mine pleaded with his church board to build a new educational [building] to house an exploding Sunday School. One of the long time members of the board, a prominent businessman in the city, said to him, “You’ll do this over my dead body.” And they did! A few days later that officer had a heart attack and died; and the church moved ahead and built the much needed educational [building].
• It is only half the picture for leadership to obey the leader themselves.
• They must step in actively fighting for right when others challenge leadership.
• THIS IS A BIBLICAL PRINCIPLE THAT YOU CANNOT MISS IN THIS TEXT.
2. Their Prayer
[17b] only the Lord thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses.
3. Their Pointing (to the Word - “Be Strong”)
[18b] only be strong and of a good courage.
• Joshua, you focus on what God tells you to do.
• We will be with you.
• We will do as you ask.
• No leader can expect more than this.
CONCLUSION:
• We have a great work to do here at Calvary.
• God has given me many visions for this ministry.
• The question is will you follow?
• Your Bible has shown you today that it is a dangerous thing not to do so!
• Let us not forget that Joshua’s God is our God.
• The writer of Hebrews, quoting Joshua 1:5, reminds us that the promise to Joshua applies to us today.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
• The first book of the NT begins by telling us about Immanuel, God with us!
Matthew 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
• And that same book ends with the promise:
Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
