The Character Of Joshua Series

Joshua 1:1-9

Intro: O.T. often not understood because of structure, etc. Primary theme of the O.T. - scarlet thread of redemption woven throughout the fabric of the whole, in the person of the promised Messiah.

Gen. 3:15 - 1st promise of Messiah, called the protoevangelum.

Sets stage for conflict between God and Satan throughout O.T. Story of the O.T. is one of spiritual conflict as Satan seeks to keep the promise of Gen. 3:15 from coming to pass. He uses people and nations to try to hinder God’s plan, but God is always victorious.

Sub-plot: God works with His chosen people, Israel, and uses them as the people through whom Messiah would come. God continually, in His infinite patience, pleads with Israel as they continually fail to obey and turn away from Him.

Understanding structure of O.T.: Entire chronological content of O.T. covered from Gen. to Neh. and Malachi. Creation to 400 B.C. The other 22 books of the O.T. fit chronologically within those.

Gen. - Deut. (Pentateuch) Creation, fall of man, flood, God chooses Abraham. Lives of A, Isaac, and Jacob, Egyptian captivity, Moses leads out of captivity, rebellion and wandering in the wilderness.

As we come to the book of Joshua, Moses has just died (Deut. 34:5) Moses had led the people out of Egypt, and through the wilderness, but couldn’t lead the people into the promised land because of his sin in striking the rock twice at Meribah. Now it was up to Joshua to lead the people into the promised land.

Moses, under the direction of God had chosen Joshua as his successor as the next leader of Israel. Ex. 17:14; Num. 27:18-20; Deut. 1:38;

Deut. 31:3,7,14,23; 34:9

THE CHARACTER OF JOSHUA

I. His position. Josh. 1:1 "Moses’ minister"

Ex. 33:11 "…his servant, Joshua"

Not one of the 70 elders, not a priest, not the head of a tribe or clan, just

a servant!

He served the servant of God and God made him a leader.

II. His Character - What was it about this servant that God chose him to lead the people instead of one of the elders or priests?

A. Joshua was a man of initiative. Ex. 17:8-10

He was able to take instructions and follow through.

Fought the battle and took the heat while M. stood before God.

ILLUS: An American army of 2. Rebecca and Abigail Bates Scituate, Mass. - father keeper of lighthouse. Parents gone - strange ship, 2 boats. British. Too far to village. Rebecca has idea. Drum and fife.

B. Joshua was a man of patience. Ex. 24:13,18;32:17

We know what happened on the mount - God spoke to Moses.

We know what happened in the camp - the people rebelled, Aaron and the elders cooperating.

Joshua waited.

Ps. 27:14 "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."

Ps. 37:9 "For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth."

Is. 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their

strength; they shall mount up with wings a eagles; they shall run and

not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."

C. Joshua was a man of dedication to duty. Ex. 33:7-11

ILLUS: Charge of the Light Brigade. Battle of Balaklava, Oct. 25, 1854. Crimean War. British cavalry disastrous charge against Russian artillery. After the attack only 195 of 673 survived.

Immortalized by Tennyson in his poem

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"

Was there a man dismayed?

Not though the soldiers knew

Someone had blundered:

Theirs not to make reply,

Theirs not to reason why,

Theirs but to do or die:

Into the valley of death

Rode the six hundred.

Luke 16:10 "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."

ILLUS: Washington and Corporal cutting logs for bridge.

D. Joshua was a man of loyalty. Num. 11:26-29

ILLUS: Penelope waiting for Ulysses 20 years. Spinning web for shroud for Laertes.

Argos - dog; Telemachus; Eumaus - servant

E. Joshua was a man of courage. Num. 14:6

One man with courage makes a majority. ANDREW JACKSON (1767-1845

ILLUS. HORATIUS AT THE BRIDGE - 6TH CENTURY B.C. ETRUSCANS

PORSENA

The coward seeks release from pressure. The courageous pray for strength. FRANCES J. ROBERTS

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT (1858-1919)

F. Joshua was a man of respect. Num. 32:28

Lev. 19:32

Concl. Joshua outlived all his generation, Joshua led the people in the