Golden Text.— “Moses 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.”
—Josh. 1:2. Read Josh. 1:11
God’s Encouragement of Joshua.
1, 2. “The Lord spake unto Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses’ minister.” The Lord hath spoken. Note the thrilling words in Isa. 1:2, “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken.” Compare Deut. 32:1; Ps. 50:1; Heb. 1:1, 2. Reiterating the assurance that He had given the land to Israel, He bids Joshua, as their leader, to arise and cross over Jordan. God is their leader, Joshua His servant.
3, 4· “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”—And again He defines the boundary, as in Gen. 15:18. The purposes of God are, like Himself, eternal.
5· “As I was with Moses so I will be with thee. I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.” Joshua had seen, as Moses’ minister, some of the Lords dealings with him, and he would doubtless feel that this gracious assurance covered all he could possibly need or desire. Unto all Israel and to Joshua Moses had given very similar words of encouragement (Deut. 31:6-8), but now God Himself speaks to His servant Joshua as He had previously spoken to him by Moses.
6, 7. “Only be thou strong and very courageous.” See this command repeated in each of these verses, with the assurance that what God had sworn to do He would accomplish through Joshua. So there was nothing for Joshua to do but to believe and go obediently forward.
8. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.” The first two Psalms—which form a preface to the whole book of Psalms, or, rather, to the five books of Psalms—begin with “Blessed is the man” and end with “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.”
9· “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage. Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” The assurance that God sends us and that He is with us covers everything. It is the greatest that mortals can have. It was God’s encouragement to Moses, and now to Joshua, and later to Gideon and to Jeremiah. If we believe His words, we shall neither be afraid nor dismayed nor discouraged.
10, 11. “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.” Thus Joshua commanded the officers of the people, for he believed God. The land was theirs as a free gift from God, but they had to enter into it and appropriate it. Jordan was before them to be crossed, and the walled cities and the giants were still there. But there are no difficulties to God or to those who, like Joshua and Caleb, see God only. In our own case, as believers in Jesus Christ. redeemed by His blood, it is our privilege to appropriate His promises and by faith in Him live lives of victory over self and sin to His glory. May the encouraging words of our lesson come home to each of us in the power of the Spirit.
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“CLING to the Bible!—this jewel and treasure
Brings life eternal, and saves fallen man;
Surely its value no mortal can measure;
Seek for its blessing, O soul, while you can!”