Joshua 1:1-18 - Do All You are Commanded!

Joshua 1:1-18

God’s Commission to Joshua

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and 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; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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 of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

The Order to Cross the Jordan

10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.’”

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, ‘The LORD your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”

After the death of God’s servant Moses, ‘General’ Joshua was ordered by the LORD to cross the Jordan with the armies of the LORD and claim the land promised to Abraham and his descendants long before this momentous occasion.  Everything they set foot on would be theirs as an inheritance realized at last and all opposition would be defeated by Him.  He promised never to leave or forsake them.  Not ever.  This is our eternal promise of an inheritance far greater than an earthly one promised all by faith in Christ Jesus as God will defeat the adversary once and forever and bring us across the river of death into a kingdom that does not fade away (1 Peter 1:3-5, 10, Matthew 25:34), reserved for us forever.  What a blessed hope we have been given by grace to inherit such a great and precious promise!  Like Israel before us, we must be strong and courageous in the good fight of the gospel as we journey there to ford the river of death and enter into the Celestial City of heaven’s promised Kingdom at last.  We are not to be afraid or discouraged along life’s narrow way, but lean on the arm of God’s might in Christ that we might be successful in our victory (1 Corinthians 15:57) over the devil to win souls in the armor of Christ donned for and in our Lord.  He is always with us to lead us to triumph in the battles until the final one when Jesus rides on his pure white steed to vanquish the enemy for all time.  As Joshua prepared the people of God to enter the promised land to possess it, so we must equip ourselves by knowing our acceptance in the Beloved and live acceptable lives as we don the armor of faith and God’s word as we read in the letter of the Ephesians and to we who follow them into battle even now.  Be of good courage and thing in His might.  All that He commands us, we will do!