Joshua 1

Date: Sunday, November 8, 2009
Study #10: God helps us accomplish His plans.
Bible Study: Joshua Becomes Leader of Israel

REVIEW:
Wandering .. battling .. learning . . . and now they are finally ready to go into the Promised Land!
Moses died.

Joshua is the history of Israel's passing into the land of Canaan:
conquering and dividing it under the command of Joshua
the power and truth of God in
fulfilling his promises to Israel
executing his justly threatened vengeance on the Canaanites

God encourages Joshua and introduces and initiates the nation into a new way of life. The wilderness journey is over.  They are no longer nomads of the desert, but dwellers in the land.


Background Who Was Joshua?

Joshua was born in the land of Egypt during the period of slavery. He was witness to the exodus from Egypt and with the Israelites during the 40 years of wandering in the desert. His name means "Yahweh delivered."

In the eyes of God, Joshua was the one to follow in the footsteps of Moses. He was the one whom God would use to actually bring the Israelites into the land promised to them. During his time under the leadership of Moses, Joshua served as general, leading Israel's armies. He was a general and also a servant to Moses. He was the only one to go onto the mountain of Sinai when Moses received the 10 Commandments. As well, he was one of the spies who went into the Promised Land (Number 13:8). Only he and Caleb came from the spying expedition with a vision for what God could do.

God had in mind for Joshua to be the next leader for Israel. They would need a military leader and Joshua was just the man to do the job--but not just for his military wit. He was a man of faith who knew to trust God in the battles and challenges he would face once the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River.

Joshua 1
The Lord appoints Joshua to succeed Moses  (vv  1-4)
 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.

·    Joshua had served Moses
·     Those who are best to lead have first learned to obey
·    Jesus came in the form of a servant
·    at this time the banks were overflowed
Joshua had no bridge or boats
he must believe that God would open a way.
Trust and Faith


God promises to assist Joshua   (vv  5-9)
 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.”

·    Proverbs 4:  25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,  And your eyelids look before you.   26 Ponder the path of your feet,  And let all your ways be established.   27 Do not turn to the right or the left;  Remove your foot from evil.
·    Psalm 1:1,2:   1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;    2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.

·    Joshua is to make the law of God his way of life
·    Joshua must himself be under the command of God
·    He is to encourage himself with the promise and presence of God.
·    we have reason to be strong and very bold .. for God is with us!

The Order to Cross the Jordan
Preparation to pass over Jordan   (vv  10-15)
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.’”

·    Joshua tells the people that they will cross the  Jordan river and take possession of  the land
·    We don’t need to be surprised at the promise of God


KEY WORD: Possession
Israel’s ownership was unconditional (Genesis 12:7; 15:18-21; 17:8).
Genesis 12:7
7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

Genesis 15:18-21
18 On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying:
“To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates— 19 the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, 20 the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21 the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.”

Genesis 17:8
8 Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”

Israel’s possession was conditional (Deuteronomy 29:9 — 30:20).
·    We must follow God and Love Him.

The Key word is not “victory” — God gets the victory .. Israel gets deliverance and possession.
Joshua 1:4 — Extent of Promised Land
300,000 sq. miles … versus 30,000