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Good morning friends who are on the ‘walking with Jesus’ together, with me.
Yesterday we concluded our journey with Moses, but as we’ve all learned… life goes on doesn’t it?
For that reason, we’re going to take a few more days to follow the ongoing story of these traveling Hebrews, in the Bible book of Joshua. WHY, you might ask?
Think for a moment about the number of ‘endings’ in the normal course of life, at least in American culture, that really are not endings, but are transitions. I’ll name a few…you add to the list, OK?
Birth…
Retirement…
Graduations…
Weddings…
Divorce…
Moving or relocation…
New Job…
and of course… Death
Now think about what phase or ‘reality’ was ENDING with each of those words, and the new season of ‘what’s next”, which was beginning!?
If Joshua climbed Mount Nebo with Moses in Deuteronomy 34, as I suggested was a possibility, then Joshua’s descent was significantly different from his ascent. Going up, he was still Moses’ aide, coming down, Joshua was now the new leader of this huge traveling city of people, who had been following the cloud of God’s Presence, moving toward the ‘promised land’.
Deuteronomy 34:8 tells us the people spent 30 days mourning, remembering, honoring Moses…
Joshua 1 is perhaps one of the most inspiring chapters of the Bible, for anyone stepping into a new season of life. Missionaries often dig deep roots into this chapter! Dawn and I sure did!! May I invite us to do the same, regardless of what season of life you are in…what transition is before you…or what you see ahead in your future, even if your future is uncertain to you?
“After the death of Moses, the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses’ aide: ‘Moses My servant is dead. Now then you and all these people get ready to cross the Jordan River, into the land I am about to give to them. I will give you every place you set your foot, as I promised Moses…” (Joshua 1:1-3.) When exactly God said his to Joshua, we’re not sure, but I suspect it might have been during that 30 days of mourning.
I wonder what you hear? I mean down deep in your soul, what’s God saying to you…about YOU, and the transitions you’ve made in your life… and the journey of life remaining out ahead of you? What’s God saying about those who’ve gone before you and passed your heritage to you?
Sometimes God can be just plain blunt, do you agree? “Moses My servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people get ready…”
In a few, powerful, blunt words, God is challenging Joshua to understand that God’s global plan & purpose is a continuum. It began in eternity past, and will continue into eternity future. Along the way, any moment in time is building on the past, and preparing for the future. Listen to this: “The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.” (Ps. 33:11)
The 120 year journey of God and Moses together was amazing, remarkable, staggering, breathtaking sometimes, and it touched millions of people then, and billions of people since. But, that 120 year season came to an end, up on Mount Nebo, and Joshua became God’s partner for continuing to write the story of the Hebrews, at a strategic moment in history.
This is hugely important my fiends. No matter the significance of the transition moment… God’s great plan & purpose goes on, and God invites all who are living, to join with Him in the journey! Joshua is staggered, awed, by the new load of leadership responsibility he has inherited. But EVERY single person in that 2 million or more traveling city, is about to go through life changing transition, as they leave 40 years of desert wandering behind and move forward toward the land of God’s promise. No one, not one living person of those 2 million plus, is exempt. To go with God, they will have to leave the past in the past, cross the Jordan, and move into a place they’ve never seen. It will require HUGE courage, faith, and step by step obedience to God’s leading.
As you read Joshua 1, look carefully for God’s great promises to Joshua and the people, which you and I can claim for ourselves today, no matter what the transition challenge you face, anywhere in the world. I’ll point out one or two… you dig more deeply, OK?
Look at vs 5 “No one will be able to stand up against you, all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”!! And from the far corners of the world, from the jungles of Papua, Indonesia or the Amazon in Brazil. From the desert heat of the Chad or Mali or Ethiopia in Africa. From frozen Siberia or the high mountains of the Andes, I hear “AMEN”, from men and women who have followed God’s call, as they braved leaving what was familiar and even family, to go and bring the Gospel of Jesus, to people who did not know, the Name above all names.
But I hear it also from you…many of you my dear friends, in the Dakota’s, and NJ & NY and Wisconsin & IL and Florida and lots of other places… you’ve stepped out in great faith and courage, and you’ve found God faithful, haven’t you! And Dawn and I celebrate with you!!
And then God was very clear in Joshua 1… along with His promises, came His challenge to be careful: “Be careful to obey the law My servant gave you. [Be careful] Do not turn from it to the right or to the left…Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it…” (Joshua 1:7,8.)
OH my friends, we have to get this right. As we take great faith steps with God, He provides resources to help us, especially His inspired, powerful Word, the Bible. To disregard that is disaster. He provides His indwelling, powerful Holy Spirit. To grieve the Spirit with our pride, our sin dabbling, our ignoring of His leading us, is disaster.
Do you see how many times God said to Joshua, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid… Do not be discouraged… do not be terrified…” I see it in verse 6 and 9 especially. God knows life can be frightening, overwhelming, terrifying… especially in times of transition. In transition we leave a familiar path, and step out into an uncharted future. What picture do you prefer? Cutting your way through the jungle; or snowshoeing across a glacier; or paddling down a winding river with the roar of the rapids ahead? It’s the terrifying reality of stepping into the unknown.
But do you also hear God in Joshua 1 saying “I will be with you. I will never leave you or forsake you.”? And with that promise, the unknown around the next bend of life is of little concern, because God already knows it fully and is promising to walk with us into it! And that’s why Joshua could send out the word through the camp… “Get ready…three days from now we will cross the Jordan river here, to go in and take possession of the land the LORD our God is giving to us…”!
May I point out one more thing in Joshua 1:12-18? It links back to Numbers chapter 32. Near the end of their 40 year desert wandering, the traveling city came to a place on the eastern side of the Jordan river, which had good grazing land, and 2 of the tribes, who had lots of flocks and herds, liked it there, so they made a remarkable request of Moses. They asked if when the Cloud of God’s Presence led the people into the new promised land, could they please stay behind, right here, in these nice, lush meadows.
Moses was shocked and went to meet with God. Once again God did not force them… if some of the people wanted to break away, and stay outside the land of God’s promise, because the grass seemed greener there…that was a very unfortunate choice, but God would not force them. So the tribes of Reuben, Gad and 1/2 the tribe of Manasseh, made a pact with Moses. In exchange for being permitted to separate from the rest of the Hebrews, they would send some of their men to travel into the promised land, as fellow warriors, fighting to conquer the land. So now here in Joshua 1, Joshua is reminding them of their promise.
Oh my friends, so many important lessons in Joshua chapter 1. May I urge you to take your time in reading it. Who of you, or your family members, are in times of great transition, and need to hold on to the powerful promises of God, – and life lessons found here?
Click to read today’s chapter: Joshua 1. (At the top you can choose a different translation.)
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
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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