Part 1 Joshua 1:1-18

August 27, 2025

FBC Baxley

Part One Joshua 1:1-18

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant,

2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.

3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.

4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites 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. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful 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 courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people,

11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said,

13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’

14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them,

15 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.

17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses!

18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

-Pray

Bible Study: The Call to Courageous Leadership

Memory Verse: Joshua 1:8

Opening Story: A Leadership Transition at a Crossroads

In 1945, when Franklin D. Roosevelt died, the nation was at war.

His vice president, Harry Truman, was suddenly thrust into the Oval Office.

He had not been in Roosevelt’s inner circle and had little preparation for the atomic age he was about to face.

Reporters described him as looking stunned, but he famously said, “I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.”

That’s a picture of Joshua in Joshua 1.

His mentor Moses — the man who confronted Pharaoh, split the Red Sea, and spoke with God face to face — was gone.

Now the mantle of leadership fell on Joshua.

The weight must have felt unbearable. But God’s word to Joshua is the same word to us in seasons of fear, change, and responsibility: “Be strong and courageous, for I am with you.”

Verse-by-Verse

1:1–2 — God’s Appointment in Transitions

“After the death of Moses … the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise…’”

Moses is called “my servant” — a title of honor.

But the story doesn’t end with Moses.

God’s work is always bigger than one person.

Leaders die; God’s mission continues.

The verb qum (“arise”) is urgent.

Joshua cannot linger in grief.

Leadership requires courage to move forward when circumstances are uncertain.

Illustration:

In a relay race, when the baton passes, hesitation can cost the team the race.

Joshua had to take the baton and run his leg faithfully.

In the same way, we are sometimes called to step into shoes we feel unworthy to fill — yet God has appointed the moment.

NICOT Insight:

The commentary notes that Joshua’s identity as “Moses’ assistant” reminds us that good leaders first learn to serve.

Joshua was faithful in the shadows before he was entrusted with leadership in the light.

1:3–5 — The Promise Reaffirmed

“Every place the sole of your foot treads…”

This is covenant language echoing Abraham (Gen. 12:7).

The Hebrew construction stresses certainty: wherever Joshua leads the people in obedience, God has already given the land.

Verse 5 — “I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”

The verb for “forsake” (azab) means to abandon, leave behind.

God assures Joshua that unlike human leaders who come and go, He will never drop His people.

Illustration:

Think of explorers mapping new territory.

To them, it feels like discovery.

But in God’s eyes, it’s already promised ground.

Joshua didn’t “win” the land; he simply walked into what God had already declared.

Quote: W.A. Criswell once said, “The geography of faith is measured not by maps but by footsteps.”

God’s promises are real, but we must step forward in faith to experience them.

1:6–9 — The Call to Courage

Three times God commands: “Be strong and courageous.”

Chazaq (חָזַק): “to strengthen, to be firm, to seize hold of.”

Amats (אָמַץ): “to be bold, to be alert, to prevail.”

Together, these words call Joshua not just to grit his teeth but to actively lean on God’s strength.

The ground of courage is v. 9: “For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Illustration:

A child walking in the dark may tremble, but if holding a father’s hand, fear loses its power. (Song-Silent Strength)

That’s the picture here: courage doesn’t come from an absence of fear but from the presence of a faithful God.

NICOT Insight:

The commentary highlights that this refrain of “be strong and courageous” serves as a hinge between Moses and Joshua.

What made Moses great was God’s presence — and what will make Joshua great is the same.

Quote: Adrian Rogers said, “Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the presence of the Lord in the midst of fear.”

1:8 — The Secret to Success

This verse sits at the heart of the chapter:

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate (hagah) on it day and night…”

Hagah (הָגָה): not silent pondering but murmuring, muttering, reciting.

Ancient meditation involved speaking the Word aloud so it saturated memory and heart.

Success here is not measured by military conquest but by obedience.

Hawkins: “Speak it, meditate on it, obey it — this is God’s threefold plan for success.”

Illustration:

Farmers talk about “chewing the cud.”

Cows digest by bringing food back up to chew again and again.

That’s what biblical meditation is: chewing God’s Word until its nourishment becomes part of us.

Cross-References:

Psalm 1:2 — The blessed man meditates day and night.

Philippians 4:13 — True strength comes through Christ.

1:10–18 — The Response of the People

Joshua commands the officers, and the people respond with unity: “All that you have commanded us we will do.”

This is noteworthy because Israel’s history was often marked by disobedience.

Now, under Joshua’s leadership and God’s clear word, they display loyalty and commitment.

NICOT Insight:

The commentary notes that Joshua’s leadership style is corporate — he involves officers and tribes, reminding us that godly leadership is shared, not dictatorial.

Illustration:

When Winston Churchill became Prime Minister in 1940, his speech was not one of comfort but courage: “I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.”

The people rallied because they believed in the cause.

Joshua called the people to unity around God’s mission, not personal convenience.

Life Applications

Embrace God’s Appointments.

Transitions — a new role, a season of loss, or an unexpected challenge — are not random.

God places us where He wants us. Don’t step back; arise and walk into His calling.

Anchor in God’s Presence.

Real courage doesn’t come from motivational speeches or inner willpower.

It comes from knowing God says, “I will not fail you or forsake you.”

When you feel overwhelmed, seek His presence.

Meditate and Speak the Word.

Start your day by audibly declaring Scripture.

Let God’s Word be the first word in your morning and the last word at night.

As Psalm 1 teaches, a life saturated with God’s Word becomes fruitful and unshakable.

Closing Challenge: Joshua faced the impossible — leading a nation into enemy territory.

Yet God’s word gave him courage.

What “impossible” situation are you facing?

Remember this: God’s presence is enough, His promises are sure, and His Word is sufficient.