Look at verse 1. We read, “...Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.”
When we consider Joshua’s age, we need to consider TWO things.
(1) Look at the phrase, “...stricken in age.” Today it seems many folks are fighting a battle with old age.
Illus: One man in Missouri said, “It is rough getting old alone. My wife has not had a birthday in years.”
Illus: Someone said, “The three ages of man are youth, middle age and, ‘My, but you are looking well today.’”
From the time we are born it is only a matter of time before the evidence of old age will strike. It can be seen in our eyesight, hearing, skin, teeth, and hair density and color.
Illus: you can look at the youngest baby in this congregation and not find any wrinkles in its face whatsoever, but if that child lives long enough he will lose the battle against aging and will look like a dried up prune.
Notice that the Bible, in Joshua 23:1, states that Joshua “...waxed old and stricken in age.”
(2) Look at the words, “waxed old.” What does this mean? Why did God not just tell us that he was “stricken in age” and leave it at that? God’s Word does not stop there because everyone advances in years, but not everyone “waxes old.”
The word “wax” makes us think of what a person puts on his car. For example,
Illus: A young man may be driving down the road and may see an old car that has been sitting in the weather for years. He may stop and inquire if it is for sale. He finds it is and he buys it. He then takes it home, washes it, spends hours waxing it and guess what -- that car shines like a new car. In fact, it shines so brightly that it looks like it has not been marred by the fierce weather it sat in for years in the slightest. As he drives down the road, men and women point at it and say, “Wow, look at that car! Look how it shines.” They would never guess it had been out in the weather for years.
The Bible tells us this was the way Joshua grew old -- he “waxed old.” He was not marred in the slightest by all the storms of life he had “weathered.”
Before Joshua was to leave this life, he wanted to give the children of Israel some priceless information that would help them long after he was gone. Because of his age and experience, he was qualified to give such advice as they needed from the Lord!
Illus: When Goldameyer was prime minister of Israel, the nation suffered hard times at the hands of their Arab neighbors. Goldameyer turned to President Nixon for some military assistance and President Nixon said, “I will be glad to send two of our greatest generals to see you through this ordeal.” He asked her which two generals she wanted. Facetiously she answered, “If I can have my choice of all the generals the U. S. has, I would like to have General Electric, and General Motors. Those are two of the greatest generals that America has.”
Seriously, one of the greatest generals that Israel had was JOSHUA! When Joshua was “...stricken with age,” he gave Israel some very sound advice and if they would have heeded that advice they would not have suffered the MANY DEFEATS and THE DISGRACE they suffered as a nation. However, before we can APPRECIATE THE SOUND ADVICE HE GAVE THEM, we FIRST have to APPRECIATE THE MAN WHO GAVE THE ADVICE. To help you do this we will take you back in time to when Joshua was a young man.
Remember, Joshua had been one of the young men who had served Moses at the time Moses was Israel’s leader. Moses commissioned Joshua, along with some eleven other men, to go spy out Canaan. A man had been selected from each of the twelve tribes of Israel and Joshua was the one chosen from his tribe. They were to look things over and come back after forty days and give a report about several things (Num. 13:17-20). They did exactly as they were told.
THE MAJORITY came back saying it would be impossible to go in and possess the land.
Look at Numbers 13:27-29; 31-33. We read, “And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.... But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
They said, “...and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”
They gave a negative report: “We can’t! We can’t! We can’t!”
Today we have the general idea that the majority is always right, but the fact is: many times the majority is wrong!
THE MINORITY, only two men, came back with an optimistic report.
Look at Numbers 13:30. We read, “And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.”
They gave the report, “We can! We can! We can.”
Evidently they had good memories. God had miraculously delivered Israel before and He would do it again!
Aren’t you glad God has placed some OPTIMISTIC men in the church? How refreshing it is to hear, “WITH GOD’S HELP WE CAN! WE CAN! WE CAN, do those things God has instructed us to do!”
Illus: Many different men tried to climb Mt. Everest. When they were asked this familiar question, “Do you think you can make it to the top?” some replied:
• “I will do my best.”
• ”I hope so.”
Then a young man by the name of Jim Whitaker came along. Like the others he aspired to be the first American to climb Mt. Everest. He was asked that same question and he replied a firm, “Yes, I will,” AND HE DID!
Joshua built his life on the POSITIVE, NOT on the NEGATIVE. If he had lived in New Testament times, his theme verse would have been Phil. 4:13, “I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME.”
Joshua and Caleb came back from their tour of spying out Canaan and it was stated, “Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome (occupy) it.” (Numbers 13:30b)
Joshua’s whole life had been built around faith and God had given him victory after victory. He had lived a very successful life and then, in the golden years of his life, before he WAS TO DEPART from this life, he wanted to IMPART some valuable information to them that would be of help to them. How did he do that? Let’s learn as...
I. HE SHOWS THEM THEIR PAST.
Look at Joshua 23:2-5. We read, “And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you. Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.”
Look at the words in verse 3, “And YE HAVE SEEN ALL THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD HATH DONE unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you.”
This is a KEY VERSE. In it Joshua tells the people of Israel two very important things.
A. “...ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done...”
Notice, he used the words “have seen.” What Joshua was telling them was not something they had to take his word for. THE ISRAELITES HAD PERSONALLY SEEN WHAT THE LORD HAD DONE! THEIR FATHERS HAD WITNESSED THE GREAT THINGS AND HAD TOLD THEIR CHILDREN OF THEM.
Today people are asked to accept too many things without any documentation.
Illus: On one television program the viewers were being warned about “scam” operations. When asked who were the most vulnerable, one of the pundits replied, “The most vulnerable are those who are looking for a way to get rich fast. Because of their strong desire to get rich fast they are willing to believe anything that sounds good to them. Without any documentation they will believe anything they hear.”
He then gave the example of a fast-talking real estate man who had been reasonably successful at buying property at a low price and selling it at a premium price, but who had made most of his wealth by being on television telling people they could become millionaires within a year if they would send for his course on real estate for the low cost of $495.00.
Those who wanted to get rich quick liked what they heard and sent for those tapes. Not very many of them had much success, but the author of the course became quite wealthy.
Notice, Joshua did not expect people to build their lives on what others told them. He drew from their own personal knowledge -- “And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done...”
They did not have to take the word of someone who painted a rosy picture. They had seen the work of God’s hand for themselves.
Illus: Joshua reminded them that they had seen God work many mighty miracles. They had seen the miracles of Enoch, who walked with God, and was not for God, took him, of Noah’s flood, of the tower of Babel, of the plagues that plagued Pharaoh, of Sarah’s bearing a child when she was 90 years old, of God’s sending fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorrah, of Lot’s wife turning into a pillar of salt, of the burning bush before Moses, of the rod turning into a snake, of the cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, of the parting of the red sea, of manna being sent from heaven, of water coming from the smitten rock and the miracle of Balaam’s ass that spoke like a human.
Joshua said, “And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done...”
What overwhelming proofs they had seen that God was able to do the miraculous. Joshua knew it was important to remind them of the things THEY HAD SEEN, but it was EQUALLY IMPORTANT that they KNOW WHY God had done those things. Look at verse 3.
B. “...see all...God hath done unto all these nations BECAUSE OF YOU.”
God had defeated all the wicked nations BECAUSE OF HIS PEOPLE, ISRAEL. In other words, Joshua was telling them, “You are the apple of God’s eye.”
Most Christians cannot comprehend the depth of God’s love for them. There are several reasons for this:
(1) First, they have never loved anyone, nor has anyone ever loved them the way God loves them. They have nothing to which to compare His love.
(2) Secondly, they base what they know of God’s love on their love. Since they do not love God with ALL THEIR HEART they conclude that God does not love them with ALL HIS HEART.
Illus: A gentleman by the name of Bill was taken seriously ill. He professed to be saved. He sent for his pastor because he wanted to talk to him because he knew his illness would soon rob him of his life. When the pastor arrived, Bill said, “Pastor, thanks for coming. I have something I want to talk to you about.” The pastor told him he was glad to come and asked what it was that he wanted to talk to him about. Bill said, “Pastor, I have something that is heavy on my heart. I know it will not be very long before I stand before my Master and the thing that is bothering me so much is this, I HAVE SUCH LITTLE LOVE IN MY HEART FOR GOD. Do not get me wrong. I am not saying that I do not love the Lord. I am disturbed because the love I have had, as I look back at my life, seems so small compared to God’s love for me.”
Then the pastor said something very wise. “Bill, when I go home from here, I expect to take my baby on my knee and look into her sweet eyes because I love that child. --But, she loves me little.
• If my heart were breaking it would not disturb her sleep.
• If my body were racked with pain, it would not interrupt her play.
• If I were dead, she would forget me in a few days.
• She has never given me a penny, but she has been a constant expense to me.
Let me ask you something, DO I LOVE HER or DOES SHE LOVE ME.”
The dying man said, “Oh, I see. As God’s child, incapable of loving like God loves, I should concentrate on GOD’S LOVE FOR ME, NOT MY LOVE FOR GOD, because I could never match His love for me.”
A few weeks later Bill died, but in those few weeks he came to appreciate the love God had for him as he had never been able to appreciate it before.
Joshua reminded them of all they had seen God do and then he told them THE REASON why God had done all those things -- “...GOD HATH DONE UNTO ALL THESE NATIONS BECAUSE OF YOU...”
If people could realize just HOW MUCH GOD LOVES THEM, this one thing would cure all depressed people of their depression. Every day God sends their way many LARGE and SMALL blessings. Why? BECAUSE HE LOVES THEM. For example:
Illus: Margaret Frazer said it best in her little poem called, “God’s Extras.”
God could have made the sun to rise
Without such splendor in the skies;
He could have made the sun to set
Without a glory greater yet.
He could have made the corn to grow
Without the sunny, golden glow.
The fruits without those colors bright,
So pleasant to the taste and sight.
And caused the apple trees to bloom
Without the scent that doth perfume.
Those dainty blossoms, pink and white,
That fills our hearts with sheer delight.
He could have made the ocean roll
Without such music for the soul-
The mighty anthem, loud and strong-
And birds without their clear, sweet song.
The charm of kittens’ dainty grace,
The dimples in a baby’s face-
All these are “Extras” from his hand,
Whose loving we cannot understand.
The God who fashioned flowers and trees,
Delights to give us things that please,
And all his handiwork so fair
His glory and His love declare.
Yes, He Who made the earth and skies
Gave “extras” for our ears and eyes,
And while my heart with rapture sings,
I thank Him for the “extra things.”
God has done so many “EXTRA” things -- simply because He loves us!
Conclusion:
Illus: A grandfather was playing with his granddaughter that he loved dearly. He was asking her one day, “Who loves you the most?” She said what granddad wanted to hear -- “You do, grandpa.”
But the fact is, God’s love for that child is so much greater than that grandpa’s love that there is no comparison.
Illus: Years ago, in Brackenthwaite, England, an old man, William Dixon, had lost his wife. He was walking down the street and saw that his neighbor’s house was on fire. In the house was an elderly lady who had a young, adopted, son. The man was able to get in and save the lady and young child, but in his rescue efforts his hands were badly burned. Shortly after the fire, the elderly woman died so the adopted son was alone again.
The townspeople had to decide what to do with the child. Two volunteers appeared before the town council to take on the responsibility of raising the young lad.
• ONE WAS A FATHER who had lost his son and wanted to adopt him to be his son. He had the great resources to take care of him. He pleaded passionately that the son be given to him.
• THE OTHER WAS WILLIAM DIXON, who had rescued him from the fire. He also pleaded passionately for the opportunity to raise the young lad.
The members of the council were in a quandary. They did not know which one of the men to give the young lad to so they decided to ask the men to state why the child should be given to them.
The first man said, “I feel you should give me the young lad to raise because I have the resources to take care of him.”
They then asked Mr. Dixon. Mr. Dixon did not say a word. He just raised his hands. The members of the town council saw the scars which were evidence of the man’s love.
Without hesitation they awarded the child to Mr. Dixon.
The scars in Jesus’ hands are the ultimate evidence of God’s love for us. Joshua, this old man in the golden years of his life, wanted Israel to know that ALL THE THINGS THEY HAD SEEN GOD DO had been done BECAUSE OF THEM.
(Israel’s Greatest General #1 of 2)
I. HE SHOWS THEM THE PAST
(Israel’s Greatest General #2 of 2)
II. HE SHOWS THEM THE PLAN
