August 9, 2020 Sermon

Preparation to lead

Joshua had the opportunity over nearly half a century to sit under and follow the leadership of Moses. He learned many lessons from following Moses.

Joshua also knew what it took to stand up for what was right even when it was unpopular. This stand for the right saved Joshua’s life and changed his future.

Now we are going to take a look at how Moses prepared Joshua for leadership. We are going to see how Moses did what He could to position Joshua in the sight of the people as their leader.

Sometimes it may feel like God is just throwing us into the role He has for us. Today I want you to see a little of the orderliness of God. I want you to see how God prepared Joshua for the role He was stepping into.

What I want each of us to see through this is the orderliness of God.

I believe it was Blaise Pascal, the scientist who explained that His faith in God was what drove him in part to look for order in the universe he studied. If a God of order created the world then it makes sense to find that order in what we don’t understand. In short we can hope to find answers to many of the natural mysteries of the world because we can expect to see the orderliness of God wherever we God.

Let’s step back into the story of the Israelites.

Remember last week they sent spies to find out what the land looked like. 10 brought a bad report and 2 believed that with God’s strength they could win the battles God was calling them to.

The result of the bad report of the 10 spies was two things. First of all the 10 spies died in a plague before God. Secondly, the entire nation was doomed to wander 40 years in the desert because they rebelled against God.

So the entire nation of Israel and all it’s families set out into the Sinai Peninsula to wander as a home-less people. 40 years later they returned to the border of the Promised Land.

Now about this time God told Moses he wasn’t allowed to enter into the promised land. This was another story but Moses had lead Israel for nearly 50 years by this time. It was time to pass the baton to the man prepared to take over. It was time for Joshua to lead.

So God gave Moses some specific directions about how to pass on the role of leadership.

Numbers 27:18–23 ESV

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 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in their sight. 20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” 22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, 23 and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses.

Moses visibly and publicly called Joshua to lead.

In front of all the people God had Moses commission Joshua to lead. God wanted everyone to know who would lead on the next step. God wanted Joshua to know He was called to lead.

Moses gave some authority to Joshua

Moses wasn’t gone yet but God wanted Him to give Joshua some authority. He wanted Joshua to understand at least a little bit how to handle authority before becoming leader of an entire country.

Moses kept the attention on God.

The most important thing wasn’t making sure Joshua was a strong leader with authority. The most important thing was Joshua, Moses, and the people understood that God was in charge. Joshua wasn’t talking directly to God like Moses did. Joshua went to the priest and the priest talked to God. This way Joshua understood his authority came from God and was never tempted to think he led because he was special.

Next Moses Charged Joshua to the position he was taking.

Deuteronomy 31:7–8 ESV

7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. 8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”