WEEKEND Edition 5/6 March 2022 “What’s Next?” Deuteronomy 34:9-12

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Hello my “Walking with Jesus” friends,

I wonder if you’ve ever RECEIVED the mantle of significant leadership passed to YOU? Do you remember the feelings, the sense of responsibility and perhaps inadequacy as the former leader walked away, retired or died, and you assumed the role of “Leader”? Down through history, all over the world, we have many, many accounts of leadership transition, but I wonder, is there any other like the Moses to Joshua transition?

Today let’s step right into the middle of this historic event, and look very closely to see what lessons we can learn? Yesterday I left you on Mount Nebo, watching Moses die, after a long and illustrious life. Now let’s watch Joshua and see what happened next. The record says: “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to Joshua and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.” (Deut. 34:9) Sometimes I’m asked if the Holy Spirit of God is seen in the Old Testament. Well, here’s one great example. Clearly the Spirit of God had been upon Moses as he followed God carefully in leading the people. The transfer of leadership had included a spiritual component of the ceremonies in which God had clearly identified Joshua as HIS selection for the next leader, (Deut. 31:1-8, 14-23) and Moses commissioned Joshua with a blessing and challenge from God. We can easily imagine Moses’ hands upon the shoulders of Joshua, and praying a prayer of blessing and commission over him. Evidently in that moment the Holy Spirit of God, came upon Joshua with an anointing of wisdom.

I wonder, my ‘Walking with Jesus” friends, if you remember the account of Solomon succeeding his father David to the throne of the kingdom of Israel about 450 years after this Moses-Joshua transition? 1 Chronicles 28 gives us a detailed look at this very significant moment in Israel’s history. Among other things King David commissioned his son Solomon with these words: “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you…” (1 Chron. 28:20)

And then as King Solomon received the mantle of leadership, one of the first things he did was to go to the Tent of Meeting and worship God. In that inauguration worship, Solomon begged God for WISDOM… “Give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may lead this people, for who is able to govern this great people of Yours, O God?” (2 Chronicles 1:10) And the record shows us God poured out His Spirit of wisdom on Solomon unlike any other person in history. In fact this one summary statement says it all: “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth. The whole world sought audience with Solomon to hear the wisdom God had put in his heart…” (1 Kings 10:23,24) I think it’s safe for us to assume the reason the leadership transition record says “So the Israelites listened to Joshua…” is because they had recognized the anointing of God on Moses and they now anticipated it would be the same with Joshua.

That raises an important question for all of us in 2022. Who are the leaders in your part of the world who you trust and respect primarily because you see the evidence of the Spirit of God in wisdom in those leaders? If you are in any leadership role, do those words describe your life? The record continues with this remarkable, almost unbelievable summary of Moses’ life: “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt… For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.” (Deut. 34:10-12) Do you see very significant descriptor statements about Moses in these two verses?

Moses is called a “prophet“! May I suggest Moses and Samuel stand as distinctive from all other leaders in history? Both set apart by God from birth for unique leadership roles with God’s people. Both called by God through a miraculous, verbal encounter with God, into a profound, personal relationship with God. I see that in Exodus 3 & 1 Samuel 3. Both are called ‘prophets‘ because they frequently met with God to hear God’s instructions for His people, and then relayed those instructions to the people clearly, accurately and often without commentary. Both were the unquestioned leader of the people of Israel during very important times in Israel’s history, and both were judges of God’s people, hearing and giving God’s wisdom in deciding important cases for the people. Both were led by God to pass the mantle of leadership to someone God selected who was not their son. Both left a remarkable legacy of God anointing leadership.

Do you see Moses is described as one who uniquely “…knew the LORD face to face…”. It’s true, in Moses’ many encounters with God in the cloud of His Presence, either up Mount Sinai or in the little “Tent of Meeting”, Moses and God were described as speaking with each other “face to face as a man speaks with his friend.” (Ex. 33:11) It’s also true that in Israel’s history, while we have Elijah and Elisha greatly empowered by God to be part of amazing, miraculous events, no one in history has ever been used of God to be part of the type of outrageous miracles which Moses experienced in the exodus rescue of the Hebrew slaves from Egyptian bondage! Yes, Moses was a unique man of God in all human history!

It’s very likely Joshua wrote chapter 34 of Deuteronomy, thus I can well imagine him nodding his head in agreement as he pens these words, as inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. Joshua knew the truth of these words first hand. He’d seen them with his own eyes! And then Joshua laid down the writing stylus, rolled up the scroll and gave it to Eleazar the priest, to put alongside the other scrolls Moses had written, in the sacred place Moses had instructed… right beside the Ark of the Covenant, in the Most Holy Place of the Tent of Meeting.

The leadership transition from Moses to Joshua was complete. And for 30 days the 1 million Hebrews mourned the passing of Moses. But I think what tears may have flowed were tears of profound thanksgiving to God for the privilege of having lived during the time of human history when Moses was their leader, their prophet, their judge, and for many of them, their friend!

Let’s pause right here my friends, and along with these people let’s reflect on Moses’ life. You and I have spent several weeks with Moses and these people… what have you learned in the process? How does Moses’ life challenge you to live a more God honoring life? Are you making some significant life changing decisions? Let’s talk with God about this right now my friends, and seek to be the man or the woman that God has designed you to be, just as God led Moses to be…

Today’s Scripture is Deuteronomy 34:9-12.

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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.

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Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)

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