Moses has died and it is time for the Israelites to move to take possession of the promised land. Reading Joshua makes me excited because I am back to reading a narrative story about the people of Israel instead of the law which was detailed thoroughly in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. How will the people honor and follow God’s command to obey Him? Will Joshua be an effective leader and instill dependance upon God? I am looking forward to seeing how these questions and others are answered in Joshua.
In the first chapter of Joshua God reaffirms the leadership of Joshua and His desire to bless the Israelites. God details all the lands that will become a possession of the Israelites. God promises that, “no man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 1:5) The people living in the promised land were filled with a sense of fear, dismay, and dread over the coming of the Israelites. The signs and wonders that God performed for the Israelites were known far and wide and increased the fear of Israel because He was their God.
Joshua chapter 1 encourages me to be strong and courageous. The leadership of Israel had changed and the people needed to know they could trust the leadership of Joshua. Their benchmark for a great leader was Moses so the people desired to follow Joshua but they wanted to be assured that God would be with Joshua as He was with Moses and that Joshua would be strong and courageous. What does it mean to be strong and courageous? I think source strength can be found in Deuteronomy 1:7,8 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from you 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 success.” The center of strength and courage is found when a person centers their life upon the Bible and the truths therein. Where do you place your hope for strength and courage? I know that my foundation of strength and courage is being built up on a consistent and daily basis as I seek to know Jesus Christ through the studying of scripture.
The narrative of Joshua starts in chapter 2 when spies enter into the promised land to spy on the cities of the land especially Jericho. The men were soon discovered and hidden by a woman named Rahab who hid them in her house. Have you heard this story before? Every wonder why she was able to hide these men so easily? Why did people not see a woman escorting men into her house? The key fact is that Rahab was a harlot and she commonly would have brought men into her house was key in her ability to hide these men. I am continually amazed that God will use the least people of this world in the greatest ways. We are too often feeling like we live in an exclusive club of the people that God only choose to uses. The fact that God used a prostitute to saves these men points to the truth that He looks at a persons heart and we all too often judge by outer appearance. Rahab knew that God was on Israel’s side and she sought protection for herself and her family from the men she hid. What an amazing trust she had by acknowledging that God was in control, that it was futile to fight against God’s will by alerting the city, and knowing her only salvation would come at the hand of God. This story sounds very much like my journey of faith with God. I acknowledge my helplessness, God’s power, and His authoring of salvation. Where do you trust to obtain salvation? Will you believe that Jesus Christ is the only way for you to find help?
