Joshua A Journey of Jubilation (2)

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Joshua 1.1-9

The Call, The Commission, The Command

Introduction

Read Chapter 1:1-9

A time of transition for the Hebrew nation. Moses God’s servant who had led the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and bondage was on their way to the promised land had died. He died in Moab on the top Pisgah and God buried Moses in the valley in the land of Moab. The location of Pisgah carries a very important meaning, it signifies both a fulfillment and a denial. God long ago had promised and sworn this land to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give it to their descendents. Moses was only allowed to see it with his own eyes, but could go into or cross over into it. This was because Moses getting angry with the people and not treating God as holy before the people. Ministry can become frustrating and cause you shift your focus away from God and on the sins of the people. That is what happened to Moses, he lost focus on God and got angry with the people and their sins and it cost him entrance into the promised land. Num. 20.8-12

Experiencing God Day by Day May

Moses allowed his attention to shift to the behavior of others rather than focusing on the activity of God.

Experiencing God Day by Day May

If you concentrate on people, their weaknesses, their disobedience, their lack of faith, and their stubbornness will quickly frustrate you. You may, like Moses, commit the very sins you are condemning. If, however, your eyes are fixed on holy God, you will become more like Him—gracious, forgiving, long-suffering, and righteous.

In all my years of pastoring what has kept me from frustration by the grace of God is not concentrating of peoples weaknesses, their disobedience, lack of faith, and their stubbornness, because everything that I can accuse them of that is me also, but God has still bee gracious, merciful, loving, kind, patient towards me, and righteous. In ministry do not allow the people to frustrate you to the point that you sin and perhaps miss a promise God has for you. Remember God will keep you in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him, because he trusts in the Lord. Just remember this: “Do not let temporary frustrations create lasting damages!”

So now come Joshua and let me digress a little to remind us of who Joshua is.

Who is Joshua The servant

Named after Joshua the son on Nun, Moses successor and one of the greatest military leaders of the OT.

He is called “Hoshea in Numbers 13:8, and 16. and Joshua in Exodus 17.14. by Moses. So in case you are wondering why the renaming by Moses? Moses renamed the man originally called Hoshea to Joshua, transforming a name meaning “salvation” into one declaring “Yahweh saves”—a prophetic act marking Joshua as the one through whom God would deliver Israel into the promised land. By giving Joshua the first name to incorporate God’s holy name, Moses signaled that all of Joshua’s victories would flow from God’s power, not his own strength.

Joshua’s Preparation and Calling

Joshua’s first responsibility- Exodus 17:9 “9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.””

Joshua followed instructions- Exodus 17:10 “10 Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought against Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.”

Joshua a great warrior- Exodus 17:13 “13 So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

Joshua is entrusted with the word- Exodus 17:14 “14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this in a book as a memorial and recite it to Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven.””

Joshua a worthy servant- Exodus 24:12–14 “12 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” 13 So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14 But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them.””

Joshua wanted intimacy with God like Moses- Exodus 33:9–11 “9 Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses. 10 When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.”

Joshua believed God and was fearless- Numbers 14:6–9 “6 Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the sons of Israel, saying, “The land which we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. 9 “Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fear them.””

Joshua anointed and appointed to succeed Moses- Numbers 27:15–23 “15 Then Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “May the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation, 17 who will go out and come in before them, and who will lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the Lord will not be like sheep which have no shepherd.” 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; 19 and have him stand before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation, and commission him in their sight. 20 “You shall put some of your authority on him, in order that all the congregation of the sons of Israel may obey him. 21 “Moreover, he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his command they shall go out and at his command they shall come in, both he and the sons of Israel with him, even all the congregation.” 22 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him; and he took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.”

After the death of God’s servant Moses the leadership and government fell and rested on Joshua.

The settlement of the nation under him, the conquering and the divisions of land in Canaan.

Main Points

Chapter 1 vs1 was the very first time that God had spoke directly to Joshua. When was the first time you heard God’s voice or have you heard his voice lately speaking to you? In these nine verses we have Joshua’s Call, Joshua’s Commission, and Joshua’s Command.

Joshua’s Call

Joshua 1:1–2 “1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying, 2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.”

God is saying Joshua it is your turn, I have prepared and equipped you for the task at hand. You have been mentored by my meek servant Moses. Moses had laid his hands on you and you are filled with the Spirit. You have been weeping and mourning for thirty day about the death of Moses, but now it is time to rise up from your weeping and mourning. It is perfectly normal and okay to weep and mourn when a precious loved one dies the pain and sorrow is real. But there will come a time when we must rise up because has a work for us to do. I rose up from the death of my father and called to follow and believe Jesus Christ to becoming by the grace of God and preacher and a pastor. In the the book of first Chronicles the first nine chapters is full of genealogies and most of us read will skip over them or just glance at the names because some may be familiar. However in first Chronicles 7 verses 20to 24 after the mourning of the murder of her two brothers Ezer and Elead, Sheerah their sister supervised the building of the Lower and Upper Beth Horon as well as Uzzen Sheerah. That was a very unusual position for a woman in that patriarchal society. Is there something that God is calling you to rise up from and walk the destination that He has ordained, prepared, and equipped you for?

The Commission

Joshua 1:2–5 “2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. 3 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. 4 “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. 5 “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.”

Cross over the Jordan, and leave all of your past, pain, problems, and pressures on the other side of the river. You cannot receive the new until you let go of the old. Come to the land I am giving you. You don’t have to buy it or work for it, I am Lord who is giving it to you. It is a gift not earned or deserved. That is symbolic of our salvation, we cross over from old way of life to a new life in Christ Jesus not earned or deserved. The Lord God gave to them because it is His and it belongs to the Lord. Psalm 24:1 “1 The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.”

The commission comes with three promises: verse 5.

No man will be able to stand before you!

Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you!

I will not fail you or forsake you!

The promised land was bigger than any other land they had been in and through This was a dramatic expansion of territories that they had previously lived in. Joshua may have been overwhelmed with the size of the land that God was giving them. So to give Joshua assurance that he could do it, God gave him those three promises. Like saying Joshua my servant, yes the task is great, but I AM a great and awesome God. Rest assured no man will be able to stand against you all the days of your life, and you saw how I was with Moses your mentor that has not changed I will be with you in the same way. I never failed or forsook Moses so I will not fail or forsake you. God was saying Joshua you got this, “JUST DO IT.” and Nike was not around then.

Visualize yourself as a new leader stepping into a new role, feeling overwhelmed and daunted by the responsibilities and tasks. Similar to Joshua who was appointed leader after Moses, as a new leader you can find courage knowing that God’s promise to be with you, as He was with Joshua, applies even today. Your strength does not come from within but from a divine source that never fails.

God’s Command to Joshua

Joshua 1:6–9 “6 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have 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 success. 9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

God gives Joshua the command three times to “strong and courageous” each time God stresses and emphasizes it more powerfully. God goes from “ be strong and courageous to vs. 7 only be strong and very courageous to in verse 9 “ have I not commanded you be strong and courageous do not tremble, or be dismayed.”

This is the reason for this escalating and intense progression of be strong. In verse 6, God commands Joshua to “be strong and courageous” as the foundation for giving Israel possession of the promised land. (Josh 1:6–9) Verse 7 intensifies this with “be strong and very courageous,” then adds a conditional element—Joshua must carefully obey the law of Moses to succeed. (Josh 1:6–9) By verse 9, God opens with a rhetorical challenge—“Have I not commanded you?”—before repeating “be strong and courageous,” then adds reassurance: “do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Josh 1:6–9) I want us to understand my beloved brothers and sisters this intense escalation operates on multiple levels. The adverb “very” in verse 7 amplifies the basic command itself. Then each iteration adds new dimensions: verse 6 connects courage to the mission, verse 7 links it to obedience, and verse 9 addresses the emotional resistance Joshua might feel—the trembling and dismay—by grounding courage in God’s presence.

This threefold pattern mirrors earlier commissioning's. In Deuteronomy 31:23, God tells Joshua to “be strong and courageous” as He commissions him to lead Israel into the promised land. The repetition across these three moments in Joshua 1 suggests Joshua needed reinforcement—perhaps reflecting the weight of his new responsibility or his natural anxiety about the task ahead. Each one of these restatement doesn’t merely repeat the command; it deepens Joshua’s understanding of what courage means and why he can sustain it.

When Paul received his call to preach the gospel, he faced imprisonment, persecution, and numerous trials. Yet, God reinforced His command by providing visions and reassurance, as seen in Acts 18:9-10, where God says, 'Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.' This illustrates that in our significant assignments, God empowers us with divine guidance and strength to persist, even when the road ahead seems fraught with obstacles.

Between the three commands to be strong and courageous in verse 8 God gives Joshua three commands so that he will be prosperous and have success.

The book of the law is never to depart from your mouth.

Meditate on in day and night.

Do all that is written in the book of the law.

Joshua was to never stop speaking about the book of the law. Do not ever stop speaking to the people about and from the book of law that God gave Moses. Not only speak it but meditate on in day and night. The word meditate is a very interesting word in the Hebrew. It is deeper than just to think deeply about and over a verse or word in the holy Scriptures. It means to coo (like a morning dove) to growl, mutter, moan, utter, speak, sing it, say the word or verses. Romans 10:17 “17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”

Psalm 37:30 “30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, And his tongue speaks justice.”

Job 27:4 “4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit.”

Isaiah 59:11 “11 All of us growl like bears, And moan sadly like doves; We hope for justice, but there is none, For salvation, but it is far from us.”

Psalm 77:12 “12 I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds.”

Proverbs 15:28 “28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.”

As you navigate through public life in the workplaces, market places, social places and platforms, and private places, you might encounter challenges in maintaining a positive attitude in the workplace. Consider carrying a verse you find uplifting, such as Romans 12:2, which encourages you to transform by the renewing of your mind. Whenever you feel negativity creeping in, take a moment to silently recite the verse and reflect on how God can help renew your thoughts. This simple act can shift your perspective and inspire positivity in your interactions, impacting not only your attitude but also those around you.

Conclusion/Applications

I will give a conclusion and three application for this sermon. The message, sermon from Joshua 1:1-9 reminded or revealed to us and emphasizes the importance of focusing on God, rising up to fulfill our callings, and being courageous and obedient in following God's commands. Just as God called Joshua to lead the Israelites into the promised land after Moses' death, God calls each of us to rise above challenges, trust in His promises, and courageously obey His word. Three Applications:

Focus on God, not on the faults of others: Just as Moses lost sight of God's holiness and succumbed to frustration, we must not allow the actions or shortcomings of others to distract us from our God-given tasks. By fixing our eyes on God's character and grace, we can exhibit patience, forgiveness, and righteousness in our interactions with others.

Rise up to fulfill your calling: Like Joshua, we are called to rise up from our mourning and step into the destinies that God has prepared for us. Whether it be in ministry, the workplace, or personal life, we must remember that God equips and empowers us for the tasks at hand. Trusting in God's leading, we can confidently walk into new opportunities and challenges.

Be strong, courageous, and obedient: God's command to Joshua to be strong and courageous is reiterated multiple times, emphasizing the need for unwavering courage and obedience. In our own lives, we are called to be courageous in the face of challenges, obedient in following God's word, and unwavering in our faith. By meditating on God's word, speaking His truths, and trusting in His promises, we can walk confidently in His will and experience His blessings and success in all areas of our lives.

Next Steps

Wall of Celebration

Day of salvation 2 Corinthians 6:2 “2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, And on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”—”

Repent and Return: Revelation 2:4–5 “4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”

Altar Prayer Warriors

Mark 11:22–24 “22 And Jesus answered saying to them, “Have faith in God. 23 “Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. 24 “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.”