Theme: You will be Successful
Text: Joshua 1:1-9
Greetings: The Lord is good and His love endures forever.
Introduction:
Joshua was known as the soldier of the Lord and a successor of Moses. According to the Dictionary of the Bible: “Four theological themes appear in the descriptions of Joshua in the Pentateuch: Joshua's divine commission as leader of Israel, his military leadership, his allocation of the land, and his role in Israel's covenant with God. In each case, God's word and power lie behind Joshua. These same four themes reappear in the Book of Joshua”.
God told Joshua that ‘He will be successful’. A study on the life of Joshua reveals the following:
Joshua was a Submissive helper,
Joshua was a Successor of Moses, and Joshua was a successful Shepherd of the congregation. Let us meditate on those points.
1. Joshua was a Submissive helper (Joshua 1:1)
Moses named Hoshea (he has delivered) as Joshua (the Lord has delivered) to indicate the role of God in the life of Israel (Numbers13:16, Deuteronomy 32:44). He was the son of Nun of the Tribe of Ephraim (Numbers 13:8,16). Joshua was introduced in Exodus 17:9 as a young captain to lead the army of God to fight against the Amalekites. Moses told him that he would uphold Joshua in his prayers, and he did it (Exodus 17:10-11).
Many times, people promise to pray for us and others but forget. We promise to pray for the Church, which we often don’t do. We vouch to support missionary works through fervent prayer but we fail. Many spiritual programs, activities, and events are not fruitful, not successful, and never yield the targeted result, not because of lack of money and personnel but lack of sincere prayer warriors. We get people to stand on the frontline but not on the kneeling.
Here we read that Moses faithfully and sincerely carried out the ministry of prayer along with two other partners Aaron and Hur. There was a coordination between the praying and field ministries.
Joshua as a helper very submissive to Moses. He became an aide to Moses while he went up to Mount Zion for 40 days of prayers with God. He stayed on the mount till Moses return to him. Joshua joined Moses in the covenant-making process and in watching over its preservation (Exodus 24:13,18). While they returned from the mount after meeting God, Joshua was too young to identify the difference in sounds of the camp but Moses could because of his close walk with God. Our prayer life will help us to read the minds of the friends and enemies, people, and all (Exodus 32:17, 33:11, Number 11:28).
Joshua was presented to us as a diligent student of the Law of God, a Courageous Leader to lead the army of God. He was a faithful spy to bring an honest, positive possibility report to the leader and the congregation (Number 11:8,16,). He encouraged the community to trust in God and not to give up their hope of entering the promised land (Numbers 14:6-7,30).
Joshua stood as a singled-out significant leader. He was numbered as a man with uprightness and integrity with Caleb. He was certified that a man who followed God wholeheartedly and permitted to enter Canaan (Number 32:10-12). His submission to Moses made him be the successor of Moses to lead the camp to Canaan.
2. Joshua was a Successor of Moses (Joshua 1:2-5)
Joshua was commanded by the Lord to succeed Moses. Joshua was commissioned by Moses through ordination service and appointment by God. Joshua was chosen to lead the army. He proved to be a worthy leader. So, God allowed him to lead the community, and judge them. He became a chief Judge of the Supreme Court of the Israelites. He was given some of the authorities of Moses while he was alive (Numbers 27:12-23).
God raised him as a leader to assign the land to the tribes of Israel (Number 34:16-17). The Lord told Moses that Joshua your assistant will lead people (Deuteronomy 1:38). Moses was given the privilege of defeating two powerful Kings and that victory was cited as an example for Joshua to believe in God and have further leadership (Deuteronomy 3:21-22). Joshua was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him (Deuteronomy 34:9).
Joshua was another leader who received the promises made to the Patriarchs. God repeats the promise of Abraham and to Moses, now to Joshua, and told him that ‘He will give every place that he set his foot as I promise to Moses.” (Joshua 1:3). Also, God told Joshua that “He will never leave him nor forsake him” which will give him strength and power to oppose everyone (Joshua 1:5).
A few best examples are Elisha succeeded Elijah with double the power of his master. Jesus told his disciples that his disciples will do, perform greater than what Jesus could do on the earth. We worship and believe in a God who is always almighty in every generation and every age.
Joshua the servant of the Lord died at the age of 110 (Judges 2:8). He was introduced as a young man and died as the great leader of Israel. His curse had power on the people around him (1 Kings 16:34).
3. Joshua was a successful Leader(Joshua 1:6-9)
God repeatedly told Joshua and encouraged him to be. He told him to Be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6), Be strong and very courageous, and be careful to obey (Joshua 1:7), Be strong and Courageous (Joshua 1:9). Be successful (Joshua 1:7), be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8).
Moses already cautioned Joshua with his life experience to be strong and courageous to lead people (Deuteronomy 31:7). The words of encouragement of the man of God, and God are the same. After the death of Moses, Joshua was divinely installed by God to be the leader, and shepherd of His people (Joshua 1:1-9). To succeed in your endeavors, business, engagements, work, studies, and for all matters about your survival, seek God’s direction prayerfully, diligently study God’s word, and follow His footsteps on daily basis. Then success will be with you.
Joshua was successful because of his faith in God (Numbers 14:6-8), he had entirely consecrated his body, soul, and mind to the Lord (Numbers 32:12), he was a man of spiritual mindedness (Joshua 3:5, 8:30). He had a godly reverence (Joshua 5:14), He exhibited courage (Joshua 10:25), Obedience (Joshua 11:15). He had a strong decision to serve the Lord rather than any other gods and idols (Joshua 24:15).
Tradition could lead anybody to lethargy and draw near to fallacy and modern techniques and new inventions. His farewell speech was so powerful and noteworthy of his life events. He died leaving a significant role model to his followers.
He opened his new leadership carrier with supernatural events of Jordan divided into two at the overflowing season (Joshua 3:14-17). The angel of Jehovah appeared to Joshua outside the walls of Jericho to strengthen his hands (Joshua 5:13, 6:2-5). He learned the importance of absolute obedience after the heavy defeats by a simple nation Ai (Joshua 7). Then he steadily fought all the battles with more consecration of his army along with him. He defeated 31 enemy kings (Joshua 11:23, 12:24).
Like Joshua, we have a battle with the world, the flesh, and the devil (Ephesians 6:12). We need faith to overcome our battle with these forces (1 John 5:4). But soon all the enemies overtook them because the Israelites did not hold the values and commitment.
The inheritance of the Land refers to material wealth. It could be passed on from generation to generation as a means of preserving the wealth of the family and as a means of integrating the life, livelihood, and faith of each new generation with those preceding it (According to the Dictionary of the Bible).
Conclusion:
How could a loving God allow such slaughter, of idolatrous Canaanites and their innocent children? The complementary answer is the recognition of God and repentance from Sin gives escape and assures long life, ex., Rahab’s family and of the Gibeonites, who escaped divine wrath through confession of faith in Israel's God (Joshua 2:8-13, Joshua 9:9-10, 24-25).
We may face and have unfaithful leaders. But we need to submit to them because the Lord one who sees will exalt in his time. Joshua was submissive, successful because of his love and devotion to God. He stood by the side of the Word of God.
