1 Timothy

Introduction

I’ve always enjoyed studying the book of Joshua. Partly because in a regular reading of the Bible, Joshua is somewhat of a fresh relief to reading Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Genesis and Exodus are bad but the last three get a little tedious.

Plus, I’ve always like Joshua. You may or may not realize this but Joshua was Moses’ right-hand man. When the Children of Israel were invited into the presence of God, they told Moses, you go ahead; you talk to God and then tell us what God said. But not Joshua, many times Joshua was right there with Moses in the very presence of God. Joshua had heard it and he’s seen it. Joshua had first-hand experience with Moses and knew everything that Moses went through as the leader of the Children of Israel.

Do you think Joshua had reason for a little concern and needed to be encouraged?

The Book of Joshua covers approximately twenty-five years of Israel’s history under the leadership of Joshua, Moses’ assistant and successor.

The book opens with the Children of Israel preparing to enter into Canaan. Politically, Canaan was divided into many of what we would call Cities and States; Each had their own form of government and all were at war with each other. Morally, the people were depraved; lawlessness and brutality were commonplace. Canaanite religion emphasized fertility and sex, serpent worship, and child sacrifice. You might say that the stage was set and the land was ripe for conquest.

Do the people of Canaan sound a little bit like the people today?

By contrast, the people of Israel had been without a homeland for four hundred years. They had lived in bondage to Egyptian pharaohs, then had wandered aimlessly in the desert for over forty years. Yet they remained faithful, although imperfectly, to the one true God and believed the promise God had made to their forefather, Abraham. Centuries before, God had promised to make Abraham and his descendants into a great nation and to give them Canaan as a homeland on the condition that they remain faithful and obedient to Him. Now, they were at the threshold of experiencing the fulfillment of that promise.

I was thinking about what I put in my notes here - they remained faithful, although imperfectly, to the one true God.

Does that sound like our lives? We are not perfect even though we may think we are and we would like for others to think we are. But they still believed.

Personal Application

The Book of Joshua teaches that the fulfillment of God’s promises of blessing to Israel depend on their cooperation. The blessings of victory, inheritance, abundant provision, peace, and rest all came to the people of God as they obeyed Him. Faithful meditation on His Word and faithful obedience to His commands are the key to blessing and abundance. Near the end of this book, Joshua called the people to a life of obedience and faith.

What does it mean to meditate?

Today, this abiding trust provides a clear foundation for our growth and blessing. As surely as blessing follows obedience, judgment follows disobedience. Many times in God’s Word the disobedience of one effects the lives of many. God hates sin and is just as faithful to punish the disobedient as He is to bless those that are faithful. Joshua’s life and leadership demonstrated that spiritual maturity is not independence from God, but responsive dependence on God. To be victorious, we must surrender to Him; to lead others, we must follow Him.

The Book of Joshua provides other valuable lessons: attitudes essential for God-given victory; principles of leadership; the fatal result of pride; God’s faithfulness to His Word; and examples of His miracle power.

Joshua 1:1–2 NKJV

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.

This Jordan: Most of the year this river was about 100 feet wide, tame, shallow, and easy to cross. In the spring, the Jordan swelled to roughly a mile wide and became a raging impossibility to cross.

Joshua 1:3–5 NKJV

3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and 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; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.

In verse 5, I will not leave you nor forsake you - this is God’s guarantee of success because of His presence and help. He will not allow Joshua to sink or fail.

Joshua 1:6 NKJV

6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

Be strong and of good courage: This phrase occurs four times in this chapter (vv. 6, 7, 9, 18) and is God’s encouragement to Joshua concerning his future tasks. Moses had previously received a command from God to encourage Joshua (Deuteronomy 1:38; 3:28).

Joshua 1:7–8 NKJV

7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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.

In verse 8, the Word says Meditate: The Hebrew word actually meant an active recitation, a re-speaking of God’s words; they shall not depart from your mouth - in other words never stop re-speaking God’s words.

Growing in godliness through knowing and applying God’s Word in Joshua. Simply knowing God’s Word is not enough. We must know God’s Word well enough to apply it to life’s situations. God promises that this kind of faithfulness to His Word will result in a successful and prosperous life.

We should practice regular Scripture memorization and meditation. Then determine beforehand to put it into practice.

Joshua 1:9–11 NKJV

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”

In verse 11, Prepare: To this point, God’s people had been provided for and had survived totally by His hand. Now God was developing in His people a mentality of personal responsibility, for the manna would soon cease.

Joshua 1:12–18 NKJV

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.” 16 So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”

The land that they were to enter and conquer would only be conquered by a united Israel.

God told the Israelites that there was to be a strict discipline during this period of time. Those who violated orders or were disloyal to Joshua were to be subject to severe punishment, even death.