Joshua 1 – 9

Yahweh Elohim Shaddai, the LORD God Almighty, clearly orchestrated the transition from Moses to Joshua. Joshua was well prepared by his mentor and by years of service by his side as well as leading the military of Israel. As they crossed over the Jordan to conquer the land and her inhabitants, leadership lay in the capable hands of a warrior. Joshua proved faithful (along with Caleb) as a spy in the land 40 years earlier. Surely in his mind he had prepared his tactics and strategy for the coming campaign in Canaan. Would it be enough?

The people supported him. Popularity is fleeting, but the Israelites were truly behind him.

And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy 34:9

Fortitude, bravery and the people of a nation united behind him equipped Joshua for the task of conquest. Would it be enough?

Simply put, “no” it is NOT enough. Three times in the opening verses of the book of Joshua, Yahweh tells His chosen man, “Be strong and courageous”. We love to quote these words and even sing songs filled with this encouragement from God as lyrics. Was God giving Joshua false hope? Or, did The Almighty God know better?

Intertwined with the admonitions to be strong and courageous, the LORD showed He truly does know that no amount of training and personal preparation is sufficient for carrying out His plans. Personal integrity and sincerity are crucial to the LORD’s work. These, likewise, are not enough. Far too often we grab our good intentions to fuel our own strength and set out to “conquer” our day “in the name of the LORD”. Look closely at all of what God said to Joshua.

First of all notice that the task at hand was the conquest of the land that God would give to them. Yes, they must go. Yes, they must fight. In all respects, it is the LORD’s planning and purpose. We do not go our own way, unless we choose to leave His way. As we go forth to conquer each day, let us never forget we are servant of a Master who knows the beginning from the end and holds our destiny in His hands.

Second, notice the land that would be their inheritance was a gift. The Israelites had not earned it. They were not special in the sense that God needed to honor them with the gift of a homeland. As we go forth to conquer each day, let us never forget we are servants of a Master who gives all good and perfect gifts. He is a God of grace and blessings.

Third, we can see how this all is flowing from the great and precious promises of Almighty God, the One bound by His word. He promised this place to Abraham. He promised this place to Isaac. He promised this place to Jacob. Joseph believed these promises to the extreme that his dying request was for his descendants to carry his bones from Egypt to Canaan when the time came. The time was now, just as God had promised Moses. As we go forth to conquer each day, let us always remember the great and precious promises by which we escape the world (like the Israelites escaping Egypt) which lead us to the place of promise (2 Peter 1:3-11), made by Yahweh Elohim who is faithful and will never leave or forsake His people (Hebrews 13:5b-6).

Fourth, we serve a God who clearly communicates His will and His purpose for us to follow. Joshua and the Israelites would need to meditate on the Word of God and be careful to do all as commanded. At the same time, in their carefulness they needed to be accurate with the Word so they would not deviate to the right or left. THEN (Joshua 1:8) success would come. As we go forth to conquer each day, let us never forget His divine instruction illuminating our path.

Now it was time to cross rivers and take cities. Jericho – the most heavily fortified city of its time – awaited an army without siege weapons and war machines.  What would they do?

The Israelite men were circumcised. In so doing, they displayed an obedient faith and symbolically separated the flesh from the spirit. They must be separate from the world.

The Israelite nation celebrated Passover. Armed with the Word, the Promises, the Plans, and the Presence of God, they paused to obey this commanded festival and remember what God had accomplished for them in the past. Now they were ready for their future as His children.

Then, the manna stopped. Most of the people had never worked a field or harvested a crop. Food was never an issue, because manna miraculously appeared 6 days each week and fed them for all 7 days. Now it stopped. This was no coincidence, and it was not a bad thing. It happened the day after the people ate from the produce of the land of milk and honey. Yahweh-Yireh would provide for them, but now it would be with the natural processes He created and not the miraculous ways in the wilderness. God does not accomplish with the supernatural, that which He can accomplish by the natural through people of faith.

Jericho would fall. Victory would follow defeat at Ai when sin was removed from the camp. The covenant between the people and God would be renewed. Joshua would momentarily trust himself and foolishly make a covenant with the Gibeonites. In spite of flawed people, the purpose of God moves on and conquers. Our courage and strength combine with our obedience and willingness to be used by God in faith. Yet, it is God’s purpose, God’s power and God’s victory.

Struggles come as we walk with God in faith and we overcome. Defeat comes when we choose to walk apart from God.

Consider His nature. Consider His ways. Strive to love Him more!