Beginning Joshua

Joshua 1:1 "Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister.saying."

It is a good saying that to be a leader, one must be willing to serve first. Joshua was such a man. You will see him often along side Moses. He usually does not speak. He was one of the spies originally sent into the land of Canaan and was one of two who returned with word that they could possess the land. He is younger than Moses but not by a lot. He dies later at 110. The book of Joshua covers about 20 years, so that would make Joshua about 90 years old when he led Israel into Canaan.

CI Scofield divides the book of Joshua into four parts: 1) conquest 2)partition of inheritance 3) beginning of discord 4)Joshua's last counsels and death.

The book starts off in chapter one with the repeated phrase "Be strong and of a good courage."

If you have followed along, you will remember that the congregation has already been divided into tribes and formations and have been trained in the signals of the trumpet. They know who will lead the charge and who is in charge of the ark and tabernacle. They are ready for battle.

After 40 years of walking in the wilderness and listening to the law and learning it. After, experiencing miracles at the hand of God and hearing of the land they would possess. This is it. They are going in. Joshua takes command with this verse.

v11 "Pass through the host, (he tells his officers) and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals: for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the LORD your God giveth you to possess it."

He goes on to remind those who have taken land on this side of Jordan of their promise to Moses that they would fight along side their brothers to secure Canaan. v12-13.

Verse 16 lets us know that Joshua's position as leader has been accepted:

v16 "And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whitersoever thou sendest us, we will go."

In verse 18 they go on to tell Joshua that anyone who will not do as the above verse says will be killed by their own hand. A non-military man would not understand that statement. In the end, a military man is a servant of civilians. They will not tolerate weakness in themselves, insubordination being one of those weaknesses, neither will they tolerate it in others. You have to have been there to understand the mind of a military mind.

Israel is a military machine at this point in history. They are going to war and it is serious business. "Be strong and of good courage" is their battle cry.

Psalms 18:14 "Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them."

Israel, Bible Study, Joshua, milton southerland, Old Testament