Friday, February 18, 2011 (top)
The Source of Courage
(Joshua 1:1-2:24)
"Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:7-9
The basis of Joshua's strength and courage was founded on that which is true for every believer. First, that God Himself is with us, and secondly, that we are living by a faith in God that enables us to know and do His will. However, knowing that God is with us is a great benefit only if we know Him for who He really is and obey Him. If we are not seeking to know God and obeying His Word, His "presence" will be primarily experienced in Him disciplining and resisting us, not in prospering and blessing us. Our relationship with his written Word and God's personal directives in our life determine which way our lives will go. We will see this throughout the account in Joshua.
At the beginning of Joshua's call to lead Israel into the Promised Land, God taught Joshua that his courage and strength to lead Israel comes from meditating upon and doing the will of God as discovered in His Word (1:6-9). This became the basis for the courage and strength to face the battles ahead.
The courage and strength God gives is not created in a vacuum. It comes from knowing who God is and what we can expect God to do. We must know that God keeps His promises and that He can do in a moment of time what we cannot do in a lifetime.
As Israel, through the leadership of Joshua, lived as examples of God's will to the world, God honored and empowered their efforts. Joshua was given clear evidence of this from the report he received through the two spies sent to Jericho. Their assessment of the situation was, "Truly the Lord had delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us" (2:24). Furthermore, God sovereignly placed them in contact with Rabah. She had already been prepared by God to protect these two spies and encourage them with this report.
You, too, can have the strength and courage it takes to accomplish great things for God. It all begins in knowing God and living in obedience to Him. Begin today and your tomorrows will prove it. Strength and courage will empower you to take God's "Promised Land" for own your life, just as Joshua did in his.
NKJV Bible Text
Joshua 1:1-2:24
God's Commission to Joshua
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, saying: 2 "Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and 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; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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 of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
| Introduction This is the first of 12 historical books that follow the five books of Moses. This book recounts the process of possessing the land of Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. Joshua had been Moses assistant and was chosen by God to take up Moses' place at his death. These events occurred in approximately 1400 B.C. There are many rich truths in these events as we discover how Joshua led the people to possess the Promised Land. Joshua's Call v. 1 Death of Moses – Moses was not allowed to go into the Promised Land as a judgment from God. This judgment was the result of Moses misrepresenting God before the Jewish people in an outburst of anger (Num. 20:7-13). Moses' Assistant – Joshua had been under Moses for 40 years by this time (Ex. 24:13, 33:11, Num. 11:28). v. 2 Arise, Go over the Jordan – This submission to the leadership of God was the basis by which Joshua was to lead the people. I am Giving – God's promise placed the initiative as coming from God rather than simply an idea within Joshua. This makes all the difference in the world when it comes to how faith works. Faith in God to fulfill what He has promised to do places the fulfillment solely on God, not on circumstances, people, or ourselves. It is not putting faith in ourselves to bring about something that is humanly impossible. v. 3 Feet will Tread – There is a balance in the way God fulfills His promises. He gives the assurance of the promise, but people must step out by faith and possess the promise. | v. 4 All the Land – The Jews never fully took the boundaries referred to here. However, the prophets of Israel later declared that the Messiah would bring about the complete and full possession of the land (Jer. 16: 14-16, Amos 9:11-15, Zech. 8:4-8). v. 5 As I was With Moses – God promised the same divine enabling and blessings to Joshua that Moses had needed to lead the people. God will always supply the resources needed to do what He has called us to do. v. 6 Be Strong – The strength and courage demanded of a good leader are sourced in what God said in 1:2-5. It is sourced in living out God's call, which will always be followed by His divine blessings. v. 7 That you May Prosper – The success of Joshua's leadership was directly linked to his courage built on a faithfulness to keep God's word. There are many temptations that seek to do God's work with fallen humanity's methods. It takes great strength and courage to do God's work God's way, no matter how much opposition and worldly advice we face. v. 8 Shall Meditate – This phrase means to not only read or hear the scripture, but to do so by thinking and praying through its essential meaning and implications. v. 9 Not Be Dismayed – This was the third time God called Joshua to have courage as he prepared to undertake this monumental task. Even though there were many natural reasons to be overwhelmed or dismayed, he was not to submit to those fears but look to God and His promises. |
The Order to Cross the Jordan
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 "Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you to possess.'"
12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 "Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, 'The LORD your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.' 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the LORD has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD's servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise."
16 So they answered Joshua, saying, "All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage."
| Preparing to Cross the Jordan v. 10 Then Joshua Commanded – Having been commanded by God, Joshua was now able to lead the people into what God would have them do. v. 11 Prepare Provisions – The Jews were not to think that practical preparation was an act of independence from their needed reliance on God. God often intermingles His divine interventions with the responsible actions of His people. v. 12 Reubenites – The three tribes mentioned here had chosen to receive their inheritance east of the Jordan. However, they had promised to help the rest of the tribes of Israel when God called them to go into the land west of the Jordan to possess it (Num. 32:16-32, Deut. 3:12-20). | v. 16 All that you Command – This was a bold statement of support for Joshua's leadership. However, it seems overstated as we see in verse 17, "Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses." They gave the impression that they had completely followed Moses in all things. Based on the many times they had rebelled against Moses during the wilderness journey, it is hard to imagine there was much encouragement that their loyalty offered Joshua. v. 17 Only the Lord – In general, this stipulation is a wise principle. People can only follow a spiritual leader as long as that leader is following God. v. 18 Only be Strong – The people admitted their need for strong leadership. It was essential for both the leader and those being led to appreciate the God-ordained role of leadership. |
Joshua 2
Rahab Hides the Spies
1 Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, "Go, view the land, especially Jericho."
So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there. 2 And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the country."
3 So the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the country."
| Chapter 2 Rahab Hides the Spies v. 1 Sent Out Two Men – This is another example of Joshua's practical preparations. Even though God had promised him success in the conquering of Jericho, it did not minimize his sense of responsibility to do what he could to prepare them for the battle. Jericho – This means "the city of fragrance," a description that came from the fact that the city was built among palm trees. It was located on the main routes that went from the Valley of Jordan to the interior of Palestine, making it a vital location to begin the conquest of Palestine. | Harlot Named Rahab – It was likely that these two spies went to hide at a harlot's house because it would have raised the least questions as to why these men were visiting the city. Obviously, it was also by divine appointment because God had chosen to use this woman whose heart was open to the true and living God (v. 2-3). v. 2 Told the King – The spies were still detected even though they sought secrecy. Verses 2 and 3 make it clear that the King had been on high alert after learning that the Jews were encamped nearby on the other side of the Jordan. |
4 Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them." 6 (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) 7 Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.
8 Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, 9 and said to the men: "I know that the LORD has given you the land, that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you. 10 For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. 11 And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath. 12 Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token, 13 and spare my father, my mother, my brothers, my sisters, and all that they have, and deliver our lives from death."
| v. 4 I Do Not Know – The woman's lie, used to do good, was recorded not to sanction lying but to reveal the depths and process of grace. We will see in this account how God took her as she was by His grace and accepted her solely on her declared new faith in God (v. 9-11). We know that from everything else the scriptures teach that genuine faith in God will result in progressive steps of faith as one learns to do the will of God. v. 5 Men Went Out – She said they left at dark because she felt that would explain why the gatekeepers didn't observe two foreigners leaving. v. 6 Stalks of Flax – Flax stalks were taken at harvest time and then soaked in water for three to four weeks to separate their fibers. The fibers were then laid out on flat roofs in the city and left to dry in the sun. After drying, they were made into linen. v. 9 Lord Has Given You – Rahab revealed the depth of her newfound faith. By speaking as she does, she sees this victory as already accomplished. This is a key aspect of faith. As it says in Hebrews 11:1, faith is the evidence of something that you cannot yet see but for God who lives outside of time, it is already done. This same quality of faith is ascribed to Abraham in Romans 4:18-21. | Terror of You – This information confirmed what Joshua hoped to discover from these two spies and what God promised would happen (Ex. 23:27; Deut. 2:25). v. 10 Dried Up the Red Sea – This miracle God performed for the former generation of the Jews had become an irrefutable historical fact in the surrounding regions and brought great glory to God. You Utterly Destroyed – This was a recent success God had given the Jews as recorded in Numbers 21:21-35. v. 11 He Is God – Rahab further defined her faith in God as she proclaimed Him to be the one and only supreme God. It was an amazing revelation in light of the culture she was living in that was steeped in idolatry, fertility rites with temple prostitution, and the sacrificing of children to the god Molech. v. 12 I Beg You – Here Rahab acted on her faith, seeking to be identified with the Jews. Father's House – Her compassion and love demanded that she bring her family under the blessing of identifying with God's people. |
14 So the men answered her, "Our lives for yours, if none of you tell this business of ours. And it shall be, when the LORD has given us the land, that we will deal kindly and truly with you."
15 Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the city wall; she dwelt on the wall. 16 And she said to them, "Get to the mountain, lest the pursuers meet you. Hide there three days, until the pursuers have returned. Afterward you may go your way."
17 So the men said to her: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, 18 unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home. 19 So it shall be that whoever goes outside the doors of your house into the street, his blood shall be on his own head, and we will be guiltless. And whoever is with you in the house, his blood shall be on our head if a hand is laid on him. 20 And if you tell this business of ours, then we will be free from your oath which you made us swear."
21 Then she said, "According to your words, so be it." And she sent them away, and they departed. And she bound the scarlet cord in the window.
22 They departed and went to the mountain, and stayed there three days until the pursuers returned. The pursuers sought them all along the way, but did not find them. 23 So the two men returned, descended from the mountain, and crossed over; and they came to Joshua the son of Nun, and told him all that had befallen them. 24 And they said to Joshua, "Truly the LORD has delivered all the land into our hands, for indeed all the inhabitants of the country are fainthearted because of us."
| v. 14 Tell This Business – These two spies used practical wisdom to hold her accountable to the need for secrecy in this matter. v. 15 On the Wall – Walled cities were the most common form of defense against invading forces. Living quarters that had multiple levels were then built along the wall, thus benefiting from one wall of the house already being in place. v. 18 Scarlet Cord – This cord was seen each time the Jewish army marched around the city, giving the soldiers ample time to mentally locate this house. | v. 19 In the House – This place of protection became a graphic example of the safety any person has from judgment for their sin if he enters into a relationship with Jesus Christ. v. 24 The Lord Has Delivered – The news that the spies brought provided Joshua with a solid confirmation that would not only strengthen him but the people he had to lead into battle. |
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