Overcome Your Fears
Week of May 1, 2011
Bible Verses: Joshua
1:11, 16-18.
Lesson Focus: This
lesson is about identifying and overcoming the fears that prevent us from being
the spiritual leaders God wants us to be.
Accept Your Responsibility:
Joshua 1:1-5.
[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. [ESV]
[1] Moses’ death was an important
event in the life of the new nation of Israel. Yet his death should not cripple
the nation. The Lord was faithful in all ages, and He would be in this instance
as well. Joshua was designated as Moses’ successor, and the people were to
carry on under him. The Book of Joshua is concerned with showing how God’s
earlier promises were now in process of being fulfilled and with how God’s
commands were being carried out. Many of these promises and commands were spoken
by Moses, who is depicted in this book as the Lord’s special servant. Joshua’s
name means “Yahweh saves or delivers.” He was given this name by Moses in the
Numbers 13 passage. Joshua is the first person in the Bible to be explicitly
given a name that incorporates God’s holy, personal name, “Yahweh.” Verse 1
tells us that Joshua was Moses’
assistant. Joshua is distinguished from Moses in that he is not called the servant of the Lord. A question
throughout the book is whether Joshua would be worthy of filling Moses’ shoes.
The Book of Joshua carefully refrains from calling Joshua by this honorific
title until the very last chapter when Joshua dies [24:29]. In contrast, Moses
is called by this title seventeen times in the book.
[2-5] The initial portion of God’s
charge to Joshua is concerned with (1) the land that God had promised to
Israel, (2) God’s encouragement of Joshua in his new role as Moses’ successor,
and (3) God’s promise to be Israel’s strong protector. In verses 2-4, God
addressed not merely Joshua, but all of the Israelites; in verse 5, Joshua
himself is addressed. Portions of these verses are very similar to Deuteronomy
11:24-25, where Moses promised the Israelites the land and God’s protection.
Such careful repetitions assure us that God was indeed committed to keeping His
promises. The very same words He had uttered earlier through His servant Moses
indicate that there was no reneging on the promises and no revising of them.
Both of these passages hark back to earlier promises of God, beginning with the
promises to Abraham [Gen. 12:7; 15:18-20]. Why did the people enter the promise
land by crossing the Jordan River? The most direct route from Egypt to the land
of Canaan would not involve crossing the Jordan River. However, the Israelites
had earlier forfeited their right to enter the land directly when they embraced
the spies’ discouraging report about the impossibility of taking the land
[Numbers 13-14]. God sentenced the people to wander in the wilderness for forty
years, during which time the generation that came out of Egypt would die. In
spite of God’s sentence, the Israelites attempted an entrance directly into the
land from the south, but they were rebuffed by the Canaanites there [Num.
14:40-45]. Consequently, they wandered in the wilderness for the forty years
and arrived at the entrance to the land of Canaan at a different spot, this
time east of the Jordan River, on the plains of Moab. This is where the Book of
Joshua begins.
God stated in verse
2 that He is giving to them the
land. According to verse 3, He has given
the land to the Israelites. In both verses the pronouns are plural, embracing
not just Joshua, but all Israel. Also in these verses, the two forms of the
verb “give” are different in Hebrew, and their use here reflects two
significant truths about God’s giving of the land to His people. In one sense
God was still in process of giving Israel the land. After all, Israel had not
yet even crossed the Jordan River, and only the land east of the Jordan
actually had been taken by Israel. Most of the land remained to be taken. But
in another sense God had already given Israel the land. It is as though Israel
already possessed legal title to the land ever since Abraham’s day, but they
were awaiting God’s timing for the actual possession. In Genesis 15:16 God
promised Abraham that it would be several generations before his descendants
would actually possess the land. Verse 3 ends by stating that this gift of the
land was in fulfillment of God’s promise to Moses. The giving of the promised
land to Israel is an important theme in the Book of Joshua, and it is viewed
from several different perspectives. Each of these contributes something
important to our overall understanding of the theme. For example, the land was
Israel’s inheritance or possession, promised to Israel many years earlier. It
was God’s gift to Israel. Yet, another perspective shows that it was taken by
Israel. The extent of the land that God was giving Israel is detailed in verse
4. The description is general, giving the southern and northern boundaries
first. After the general north-south boundaries are given, the east-west ones
are given. The intent here is not to give the specific boundaries of the land.
Rather, it is a general summary painted with broad brush strokes. The details
will come later. Verse 5 is the spiritual climax and highlight of the first
part of God’s charge to Joshua. It is a heart-warming promise to Joshua himself
that (1) his and the Israelites’ efforts would succeed and (2) God would never
leave him. It is doubly encouraging when we see that God promised to be with
Joshua in the same way that he was with Moses. The words in the first part of
the verse are identical to those in God’s promise to Moses in Deuteronomy 7:24.
God’s impressive promise to Joshua in the second half of the verse that He
would be with him just as He was with Moses begins to answer the question
whether Joshua would be able to fill Moses’ shoes as a leader. The words I will be with you recall identical
promises made to Isaac [Gen. 26:3], Jacob [Gen. 31:3], Moses [Ex. 3:12], and
Joshua himself [Deut. 31:8,23]. The promise to Moses in Exodus 3:12 is
especially significant, since it is tied in with the revelation of God’s very
name, Yahweh. This God whose name was Yahweh promised Moses that He would be
with him; indeed, His name was inextricably tied in with this idea of His
keeping covenant to be with His people. In the last clause of the verse, God
expands on this promise to Joshua of His presence: He would never leave nor
forsake him.
Hear God’s Command:
Joshua 1:6-9.
[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." [ESV]
[6] The second part of God’s charge
to Joshua consists of His instructions and encouragement. Three things stand
out prominently here. First, as in the first section, much of the language
derives from God’s earlier instructions and encouragement. Second, the
threefold command to be strong and
courageous [6,7,9] is important, and it also helps to give structure to the
section. Third, the emphasis on Joshua’s keeping of the law in order to succeed
in his responsibilities [7-8] is significant. The command to be strong and courageous brackets this
paragraph, introducing it and bringing it to a close [6,9]. The middle
occurrence of this command is highlighted by the addition of the modifier very. This introduces the heart of the
paragraph, God’s instructions about Joshua’s keeping the law [7-8]. The verb be strong is common in Hebrew occurring
almost three hundred times, but the verb be
courageous occurs only forty-one times. Both words are actually similar in
meaning. The need for Joshua to be strong and courageous was acute because he
was the instrument for the people to inherit the land.
[7-9] The heart of God’s instructions
to Joshua is introduced by a variant of the command in verses 6 and 9, adding
the word very, which highlights the
instructions here about keeping the law which would be key to Joshua’s success.
It is striking that God’s instructions here to Joshua are not about military
matters, given that Joshua and the Israelites faced many battles ahead. However,
the keys to his success were spiritual, directly related to the degree of his
obedience to God. The keys to Joshua’s success were the same as those for a
king: being rooted in God’s word rather than depending upon military might. The
command in verse 7 to be strong and very
courageous is to ensure Joshua’s scrupulous obedience to the law of Moses.
The importance of obedience to the law as the key to Joshua’s success cannot be
overestimated. This is emphasized over and over in these two verses. (1) Joshua
was to be careful to do according to all the law. (2) It was all the law that
was to be obeyed. (3) Joshua was not to deviate from it even slightly, neither
to the right nor to the left. (4) The Book of the Law was not to depart from
Joshua’s mouth, since he was to meditate upon it by day and by night. The idea
of meditating here is not the one commonly familiar in our day, namely, of
emptying the mind and concentrating on nothing or on self or on visualizations
of various types; much of this type of meditation is indebted to Eastern mystic
religions. Rather, the Old Testament concept of meditation involves two things:
first, a focus upon God Himself, His works, or His law; and second, an activity
that was done aloud. This is why God told Joshua that this law book should not
leave his mouth (as opposed to his heart or his mind). (5) Joshua was to be careful to do according to all that is
written in it. This represents something permanent, since it was written
down. The result of Joshua’s keeping the law was that his way would prosper and
be successful. Joshua’s obedience to God’s will [7-8] and God’s presence with
him [9] guaranteed this. Many Christians make much of passages such as this in
the Old Testament that speak of prosperity and success. They read these
passages as guarantees that all Christians will succeed in every venture they
undertake and that they will prosper financially if they are truly following
God. Christians who do not succeed, or who are not financially well off, are
condemned as living in some persistent sin or lacking in proper faith. But the
two words (prosperous … success) are
almost never used in the Old Testament to speak of financial success. Rather,
they speak of succeeding in life’s proper endeavors. This happens when people’s
lives are focused entirely on God and obedience to Him. The focus of people’s
endeavors is not to be prosperity and success but rather holiness and
obedience. A believer’s consuming obsession should be holiness, for God Himself
is holy, to love God with one’s entire being, to keep His word with the same
fervor, and to fear God and keep His commandments. When this happens, then God
does bless, although not always in exactly the ways we might like Him to bless
us. In this, the Old Testament has the same message that Jesus spoke when He
said, seek first the kingdom of God and
his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you [Matt. 6:33].
Our priority is to seek God. The context here in Joshua is very clear about
what is to be the key to Joshua’s success [7-8]: he is to be careful to obey
all the law; he is not to turn from it to the right or the left; he is to have
it constantly on his lips and to meditate on it at all times; and he is
carefully to do everything written in it. His focus is to be upon God’s word
and will; then, as he leads Israel in taking the land of Canaan, success will
come to him. Nothing at all is said here about financial success. Thus, in the
Old Testament prosperity is not financial in its primary orientation, if at
all. Rather, it refers to succeeding in proper endeavors. Also, it comes only
when it is not the focus of one’s efforts in any case. It comes when one’s
focus is on God and one’s relationship with Him. The success is granted by God,
not attained by human achievement. Here in Joshua 1:8 is the only place in the
entire Old Testament that these two words (prosperous
… success) are found together. Their use in this fashion underscores the
importance of Joshua’s mission in leading Israel in taking possession of the
land of Canaan, particularly the importance of his obedience and faithfulness
to God. The same, it can safely be said, would be the case today: the keys to
success in life lie in being intensely focused upon God and in consistent
faithfulness to Him and His revealed word. God’s charge to Joshua ends by
reiterating words of encouragement and commitment. Joshua was not to fear or be
discouraged precisely because the Almighty God promised him His presence.
Act Courageously:
Joshua 1:10-11, 16-18.
[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.'" [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]
[10-11] The officers here are more administrative officials than military
officers. Previously, God had appointed them to help Moses in his
administrative duties. They were respected leaders in Israel, who had the
Spirit of the Lord on them, and who had some judicial and/or religious duties.
A key word in chapter 1 is order or command, which occurs in
1:7,9,10,11,13,16,18. The word is especially important in the Pentateuch and in
Joshua, referring most often to God’s commands for His people. However, God
also delegated His authority to various representatives. Here, God commanded
Joshua [7,9], who in turn commanded the officials [10]. The officials were to
pass on Joshua’s commands to the people [11], and the people pledged to respond
in obedience to Joshua’s commands. This adds to the picture of Joshua’s
leadership painted in this book. In keeping with the nonmilitary instructions
that God gave to Joshua in verses 6-9, Joshua’s instructions to the people here
likewise concern not military strategy or equipment, but for breaking camp, for
readying food supplies for their journey. The possession of the land was, in
effect, an already-accomplished fact; the Israelites merely needed to load up
with supplies, since God would be giving the land into their hands. The purpose
of the Jordan crossing was that Israel might go in and actually take possession
of the land that the Lord their God was giving them as part of their
inheritance. Just as God’s giving of the land is important in Joshua, so also
are the related concepts of Israel’s inheriting and taking possession of the
land. Israel inherited the land that God gave and then had to take possession
of it.
[16-18] The people’s affirmation of
Joshua was warm and enthusiastic, and it echoed elements of God’s charge to
Joshua in verses 1-9. They blessed him with the statement about the Lord his
God being with him, just as He had been with Moses. Also in these verses is the
fourth and final occurrence of the exhortation to be strong and courageous,
which forms a fitting conclusion to this chapter, one that is full of
exhortations and encouragements. On the face of it, the people’s pledges of
obedience and loyalty to Joshua certainly must have been encouraging to this
new leader who was not yet worthy of being called the servant of the Lord. And
there is no indication in the text that the people were anything but sincere in
their words. However, the Israelites had been a very disobedient people over
the years, despite earlier promises to obey. So, we must wonder about the
people’s words here, if their promise was to obey Joshua in the same way they
had obeyed Moses, the prospects were not as bright as they might first appear,
since, of course, they did not fully obey Moses. And Israel did not fully
follow through on their obligations in Joshua’s day either. For example, it is
abundantly clear that the Israelites were to annihilate the Canaanites when
they entered the land. God had so informed Moses that Israel was to carry out
this complete destruction in Canaan [Deut. 7:2; 20:16-17], and Moses had so
instructed Joshua. And yet, Israel did not follow through on these instructions
in many instances. The most notorious incident of disobedience was Achan’s
taking of the spoils of Jericho when the explicit instructions were to the
contrary [6:17-19]. Furthermore, on several occasions the people as a whole did
not follow through on their obligations to drive out the land’s inhabitants.
Thus, a tension is introduced here between the people’s words and their
actions, one that simmers below the surface throughout the entire book. This
tension is evidenced by use of the adverb only,
which occurs in the middle of verse 17. Before an imperfect verb form, it
expresses something which either contradicts or varies from that which precedes
it. The question is, What is there in verses 16-17a that contrasts with what
follows in 17b? In light of the discussion immediately above, the answer should
be obvious: Joshua would not be able to rely on the people’s obedience –
despite their promises! Rather, his success would come from the Lord’s
presence, not from the people’s obedience (or lack of it). The people’s words
may have been well-intentioned, but their use of this word – and what follows –
makes it very clear where Joshua needed to look for help: not to their
obedience to him, but to God. The words in verse 18 echo the sentiments already
expressed several places in the chapter. Here, the next generation commits
itself, in word at least, to obeying Joshua’s commands and to imposing severe
sanctions (death) to anyone who would disobey.
Questions for
Discussion:
1. The opening verses of
Joshua describe a major turning point in the life of Israel. Their leader,
Moses, the servant of the Lord, had died. They were on the brink of finally
entering the land that God had promised to give to His people. And they had to
enter this land with a new leader. What qualifications did Joshua have to
become Israel’s new leader? Imagine how Joshua may have felt taking over for
someone like Moses at such a crucial time in the history of God’s people. Why
would verse 5 be so important for Joshua at this time in his life?
2. What commands does God
give to Joshua in 1:6-9? What promise does God give to Joshua? What does this
tell you about the key to Joshua’s success as a leader? Is this the same key to
success for every Christian leader?
3. Why do you think be
strong and courageous is repeated four times in 1:6-18? Three time these
words are spoken by God and once by the people; but all four times they are
directed towards Joshua. How was Joshua to be strong and courageous?
References:
The Book of Joshua, Marten Woudstra, Eerdmans.
Joshua, David Howard, Jr., NAC, Broadman.