1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’”
12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
After Moses died, God commissioned Joshua to lead His people. Joshua was one of the twelve spies who scouted out the promised land but only he and Caleb had the faith to believe that God would give the land to Israel as He had promised (Num 13:1-16). The other ten were too afraid of the large people who lived in the land. While God was going to give them the land, it would need to be conquered through marching and hard fighting. God would go before them but they needed to be strong and courageous trusting that God would do as He promised. God promised never to leave or abandon Joshua. God never turns back on a promise.
Joshua also had to be strong and very courageous to obey God’s word faithfully. The Book of the Law was possibly Genesis through Deuteronomy but at the very least it was all the commands and laws God had given Moses. Joshua was to keep on talking about God’s word (Deu 6:7), meditate on it continually (Ps 1:2) and obey everything it commanded (Ez 7:10; Jas 1:22). Joshua had a huge and daunting task ahead of him but if he did things God’s way, he would be successful. Again God told Joshua to be strong and courageous because He would be with him wherever he would go.
We too can be strong and courageous to tackle life challenges if we trust in God’s promise, access God’s power (through obedience to His Word) and abide in God’s presence.
Joshua did as God commanded. He assumed command over Israel and prepared them to cross the Jordan and take possession of the land God had promised them. He rallied the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh who had already settled in their inheritance this side of the Jordan but had promised to cross the Jordan and fight for their fellow countrymen. Their response shows that they had not forgotten their promise and were ready and willing to lead the charge. Everyone united behind their new leader Joshua and committed to obey him as they had obeyed Moses. They even encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous.
Major Stories of the Bible Reading Plan
The Passover and the Exodus: Exodus 11-12