Joshua 1:2,5-72Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. (Joshua 1:2)
5There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:5‑7)
“Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give them, even to the children of Israel. ... As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest” (Josh. 1:2,5-72Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. (Joshua 1:2)
5There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:5‑7)).
Founded on Grace
It is an unfailing principle that Scripture exhortations are founded on grace. God is the God of all grace; therefore, what He exhorts His people to do, He gives them power to perform. Perhaps in no portion of God’s Word is greater grace to be found than in His exhortations, for the object of them is to bring His people nearer to Himself and to lead them more deeply into their privileges.
In the moving exhortation which we have just read, the basis is that the land belongs to Israel according to promise. Thus, because God had given them the land, He bids them “arise, and possess it.” When this exhortation was given, Israel was brought by sovereign grace and forbearing kindness to the very borders of the land of promise. Its glories spread themselves before their eyes — the wheat fields, olive groves, vineyards, and the mountains out of which they should “dig brass.” Already, by anticipation, the “brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills” were theirs, and one thing only was requisite to the enjoyment of their portion: They must “arise” and possess. It was harvesttime — the time of the year’s richest good — and Jordan (that is, the river of death or of judgment) threatened to bar their way, for “Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest” (Josh. 3:1515And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) (Joshua 3:15)). Yet faith would lay hold on the word of the living God and, regardless of the difficulty, obey that word immediately.
More Than Beholding the Land
Now, beholding the wheat fields was not eating the fruits, and gazing on the mountains was not digging out their wealth. The one condition which the Lord imposed upon the people was that they should enter and have a foothold on the land which He had given them.
How true it is, regarding spiritual possession, that no (what may be termed) geographical acquaintance with the truth of God, no ability to map out doctrines or dispensations, is of itself possession. Real possession becomes the portion of those who have, by individual contest, step by step, won ground; to them is the promise, “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given you” (Josh. 1:33Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. (Joshua 1:3)).
In order to stimulate His people to gain their possession, the Lord graciously promised His unfailing presence, strength and nearness to them in the conflict. The Lord had not forgotten their fears at Eschol. He knew that the sons of Anak trod the land still and that cities great and high, walled to heaven, filled the country. In His grace, He would so encourage His people that they should learn to measure the sons of Anak by Jehovah’s strength instead of by their own, and the walled cities by His power and not by the fitness of their weapons of war.
Be Strong in the Lord
The strength that Jehovah desired in His people was strength of hand for taking and firmly retaining, and strength of knees so that the wrestler should not be cast down. And we Christians are exhorted to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might,” “for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places,” which are to us like the hosts of Canaan were to Israel. Neither must we rest contented in the fact of overcoming a foe; “for having done all,” or as the margin reads, “having overcome all,” we are called upon “to stand” (Eph. 6:12-1312For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:12‑13)). The walled city may be taken, but like sentinels at their post, we must “stand,” if we hope to retain it.
God, by giving exhortation and encouragement, warns us of danger and difficulty. But if we shrink from the difficulty, let us remember that we shrink from the land of promise. What! Shall a Christian sit down on the wilderness side of Jordan because of Canaan’s giants? Again, the Lord calls upon His people for strength and for courage. And this time it is that they may obey all His Word. Not the slightest deviation is permitted. It is a straight road, and one step aside would lead astray altogether; “turn not from it to the right hand or to the left.” His Word was not to depart out of their mouth. “It is written” was to decide everything, and it was to be their meditation, both by day and by night — their continual study. Prosperity and success would be theirs as they obeyed God’s Word.
And here is a good occasion to be plain with ourselves. Why is one without full peace with God? Why has another leanness of soul? Why has another trouble instead of joy? The Word of God is not implicitly followed; the plain path of Scripture has been sidestepped.
Three Times: “Be Strong”
A third time we have the Lord saying, “Be strong and of a good courage.” The first time, because all is of His grace; the second, because the word is His Word; and now, because His own authority is our commission. Once let the Christian lay hold of the fact of the divine authority of the Word of God, and forthwith all that is human must bow.
With the promise, “The Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest,” the exhortation closes, for it would not be possible to obey His command unless blessed with His presence. Joshua had seen all that Moses did during the 40 years in the wilderness, and how he had trusted the Lord in every circumstance. He had seen more than once when Moses seemed to be overwhelmed with the burdens of his responsibilities, yet he had seen how the Lord had over and over again instructed Moses as to what to do. Most important of all, he had seen Moses’ love for the people and his desire to see blessing for them, in spite of their failure and, at times, their rebellion. It must have been a great comfort to Joshua to be told by the Lord, “As I was with Moses, so will I be with thee.” He had seen Moses count on the Lord time after time, and he realized that he too could count on Him.
So it is today. We have perhaps admired and respected those who have gone on before, and perhaps we covet their faith and godly walk. Let us each remember that the Lord is the same today and that faith can lay hold of Him and count on Him, just as the most faithful ones did in the past.
H. F. Witherby (adapted)