Israel Accepts Joshua’s Leadership
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
3/22/2020 PM
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Text:
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Joshua 1:10-18
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Psalters: |
174, 210, 299, 398 |
- Joshua’s acceptance.
- Joshua accepted God’s commission by immediately issuing order.
- Joshua “commanded” the officers, rightly exercising the authority God had given to Him to lead Israel.
- These officers were the men chosen to serve under Moses as leaders of the various tribes (cf. Deut. 1:9-18).
- Joshua’s first order was, not a military strategy, but to tell the people to make provisions to journey into Canaan (10,11).
- Notice Joshua’s high confidence in God to keep His promise to give them Canaan: “Jehovah your God giveth you to possess it” (11b) and “until Jehovah have given your brethren rest” (15a).
- Canaan (heaven) is ours, bought with Jesus’ precious blood, and is to be enjoyed now by faith.
- Then Joshua reminds the tribes of Reuben, Gad, ½ of Manasseh of the agreement to fight with their brethren (Num. 32:16-22)
- It was obedience to Moses that moved Joshua (7; Num. 32:28).
- Joshua did not take it for granted that they would carry out their agreement; he exhorts them to remember their commitment
- Israel would have to be united in order to defeat the peoples of Canaan (12-15).
- Joshua’s faithful response to God-given duties receive a rich blessing and encouragement from Jehovah (16-18).
- They expressed their unqualified readiness to accept Joshua as their leader, and their readiness to yield to his authority.
- And they express their strong support for Joshua in three ways.
- One, they assure him of their prayers that “Jehovah thy God be with thee as He was with Moses” (17b).
- Two, they declare their wish that anyone disloyal to Joshua be put to death as rightful punishment.
- Third, they use God’s word as their desire for Joshua: “only be thou strong and of a good courage” (18b).
- They declare that they would do nothing to weaken Joshua and they would do all in their power to make his work easier.