Commission Joshua 1:1-6
Joshua was the leader. He has served as Moses assistant for 40 years. Very early in the wilderness wanderings,
Joshua was thrust into the role of military leader(Exo. 17:8-13). This happened even before the Israelite reached
Mount Sinai. Joshua was with Moses when he ascended the mount to receive the Law(24:13;32:15-19), and Joshua probably
saw tablets of the commandments(32:19).
God was ready for His people to begin the conquest of Canaan. The year was about 1407BC. This means it had been almost
700years since God first promised the land to Abram's (Abraham's) descendants(Gen. 12:7). God fulfilled His promise, but
the period seemed unusually long for today's "instant gratification" generation. The apostle Peter reminds us, however,
that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Pet. 3:6-10). God is not in a hurry.
He also has promised a judgement when the earth will be burned, and that is still pending.
The command of God about crossing the Jordan River might cause Joshua to wonder about God's timing. Such a crossing would
be relatively simple at the end of the dry season, when the Jordan was a quiet stream. it was the end of the rainy season,
in March (Josh. 3:19). The rains and melting snows meant that the Jordan was in flood stage. Yet God would make the crossing
possible, and this miracle would validate Joshua as the leader.
Joshua, whose name means "the Lord is salvation" or salvation is of the Lord" received God's assurance that he would continue
to be successful as a military leader for Israel.
The land did not yet belong to Israel. but to receive such as promise from God
was almost the same as possessing it. There will be battles ahead, but the victory belongs to the Lord and His people. When Moses
died Joshua needed to receive the special assurance that the Lord would be with him just as He was with Moses. This affirmation
was strengthened by the phrase that was recorded in verse 6. The dictionaries have several difinitions of courage. A summary of them
would be "the quality of mind that enables one to meet danger and difficulties with firmness or valour, perhaps with the casting aside of fear."
2. Mission: JOSHUA 11:16-23
Many things happened between chapters 1 and 11. This included the glorious victory at Jericho(chapter 6) and the defeat at Ai (chapter 7).
Ai ultimately fell (chapter 8) etc.
The conquered territories are described in topographical terms. This summary makes to sound so simple. But the ones who participated in
the travels and the battles could testify of the toils and weariness they experienced. Negev literally means "south." Joshua was one of the
two "good" spies sent into Canaan years before; the other one was Caleb (Num. 14:6-9). It was Caleb who provided the information that
defined the long time of this conquest period: it was six years according to his statement in Joshua 14:7-12.
That passage noted that Caleb was 40 years old when he went to spy out the land, and that he was 85 when he made his request to receive
the area of Hebron as his inheritance. The sending of the original 12 spies occurred slightly over a year after Israel had left Egypt, so Caleb was
39 at the time of the exodus. The 40 years in the wilderness put him at 79 at the end of the period. He was 85, so it was 6 years later.
To read the account in the book of Joshua can leave the impression that the battles took place in one summer, but that was not the case.
The conquest began with a central thrust into the land, when Jericho and Ai were captured and burned. That was followed by a southern campaign.
The spies that Joshua had sent to Jericho brought back the report of people's fear (Joshua 2:24). The inhabitants were however, fighting for
their homes and their lives, and it was because of the lord Himself that they resisted the invasion. (Gen. 15:16). The Archaeological findings
showed that the people of Canaan were grossly immoral. God's justice demanded that judgement be released on them.
The Ana-kites deserved special attention, For they gave the "grasshopper complex" to the Israelite when the 12 spies investigated the land (Num.13:33).
The faith of Joshua and Caleb at that time was fully justified, for Israel destroyed them. The only exceptions were the few who escaped to the Philistine towns.
The military operation against Canaan was successful. The Lord kept His promises, and Joshua took the entire land of Canaan with His help.
The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses came to fruition. This new nation under God had its own land, THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
CONCLUSION:
Do we treat our new covenant with Jesus with all the seriousness it deserves? Becoming a Christian should be considered a lifelong commitment of the highest
priority. Jesus is to be the center of a person's life in all the decisions that are made. Never should we lessen our commitment to the Lord on the basis that we have
not received the promise he made to us. If He had actually promised a thing, ours is to trust and obey Him as He leads the way; He will surely do what He had promised
no matter the number of years that have passed.
Joshua was the leader. He has served as Moses assistant for 40 years. Very early in the wilderness wanderings,
Joshua was thrust into the role of military leader(Exo. 17:8-13). This happened even before the Israelite reached
Mount Sinai. Joshua was with Moses when he ascended the mount to receive the Law(24:13;32:15-19), and Joshua probably
saw tablets of the commandments(32:19).
God was ready for His people to begin the conquest of Canaan. The year was about 1407BC. This means it had been almost
700years since God first promised the land to Abram's (Abraham's) descendants(Gen. 12:7). God fulfilled His promise, but
the period seemed unusually long for today's "instant gratification" generation. The apostle Peter reminds us, however,
that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day (2 Pet. 3:6-10). God is not in a hurry.
He also has promised a judgement when the earth will be burned, and that is still pending.
The command of God about crossing the Jordan River might cause Joshua to wonder about God's timing. Such a crossing would
be relatively simple at the end of the dry season, when the Jordan was a quiet stream. it was the end of the rainy season,
in March (Josh. 3:19). The rains and melting snows meant that the Jordan was in flood stage. Yet God would make the crossing
possible, and this miracle would validate Joshua as the leader.
Joshua, whose name means "the Lord is salvation" or salvation is of the Lord" received God's assurance that he would continue
to be successful as a military leader for Israel.
The land did not yet belong to Israel. but to receive such as promise from God
was almost the same as possessing it. There will be battles ahead, but the victory belongs to the Lord and His people. When Moses
died Joshua needed to receive the special assurance that the Lord would be with him just as He was with Moses. This affirmation
was strengthened by the phrase that was recorded in verse 6. The dictionaries have several difinitions of courage. A summary of them
would be "the quality of mind that enables one to meet danger and difficulties with firmness or valour, perhaps with the casting aside of fear."
2. Mission: JOSHUA 11:16-23
Many things happened between chapters 1 and 11. This included the glorious victory at Jericho(chapter 6) and the defeat at Ai (chapter 7).
Ai ultimately fell (chapter 8) etc.
The conquered territories are described in topographical terms. This summary makes to sound so simple. But the ones who participated in
the travels and the battles could testify of the toils and weariness they experienced. Negev literally means "south." Joshua was one of the
two "good" spies sent into Canaan years before; the other one was Caleb (Num. 14:6-9). It was Caleb who provided the information that
defined the long time of this conquest period: it was six years according to his statement in Joshua 14:7-12.
That passage noted that Caleb was 40 years old when he went to spy out the land, and that he was 85 when he made his request to receive
the area of Hebron as his inheritance. The sending of the original 12 spies occurred slightly over a year after Israel had left Egypt, so Caleb was
39 at the time of the exodus. The 40 years in the wilderness put him at 79 at the end of the period. He was 85, so it was 6 years later.
To read the account in the book of Joshua can leave the impression that the battles took place in one summer, but that was not the case.
The conquest began with a central thrust into the land, when Jericho and Ai were captured and burned. That was followed by a southern campaign.
The spies that Joshua had sent to Jericho brought back the report of people's fear (Joshua 2:24). The inhabitants were however, fighting for
their homes and their lives, and it was because of the lord Himself that they resisted the invasion. (Gen. 15:16). The Archaeological findings
showed that the people of Canaan were grossly immoral. God's justice demanded that judgement be released on them.
The Ana-kites deserved special attention, For they gave the "grasshopper complex" to the Israelite when the 12 spies investigated the land (Num.13:33).
The faith of Joshua and Caleb at that time was fully justified, for Israel destroyed them. The only exceptions were the few who escaped to the Philistine towns.
The military operation against Canaan was successful. The Lord kept His promises, and Joshua took the entire land of Canaan with His help.
The promises made to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses came to fruition. This new nation under God had its own land, THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
CONCLUSION:
Do we treat our new covenant with Jesus with all the seriousness it deserves? Becoming a Christian should be considered a lifelong commitment of the highest
priority. Jesus is to be the center of a person's life in all the decisions that are made. Never should we lessen our commitment to the Lord on the basis that we have
not received the promise he made to us. If He had actually promised a thing, ours is to trust and obey Him as He leads the way; He will surely do what He had promised
no matter the number of years that have passed.
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