Have I Not Commanded?

Today we begin a new series on Joshua. Along the way, we’ll address some of the questions people raise with regard to the conquest of Canaan, such as, God’s justice and judgment and whether or not he commanded ethnic cleansing and what that might all mean. But we’ll get to those issues later.

This morning, we’re going to focus our attention on God and his plan for Israel and for Joshua. We will take note of a few things that pertained to those people, and how they pertain to us as well.

A unique aspect of the Bible is its bluntness. God pulls no punches. He tells it straight up. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, he confronted them. He showed grace and mercy (he didn’t condemn them to immediate death) knowing that their very salvation would come through one of their own descendants. Nor did God sweep things under the rug. He meted out his justice and they paid for it, as all of us have been doing since.

Transition

Similarly, the Bible transitions from Deuteronomy to Judges in a very plain, factual way. “Joshua, this is the Lord. Moses is dead. I have chosen you to lead my people.” Joshua knew this was going to happen, of course. He was groomed for the job for a long time. But again, the Lord doesn’t wait. “Joshua, Moses is dead. It is time for you to lead.”

At this point, Joshua was feeling the weight of this responsibility. Joshua together with Caleb, were the only men of their generation who survived the 40 years in the wilderness. All the men their age and older, were forbidden to enter the Promised Land because they hadn’t trusted God. Now, some 40 years later, the moment has arrived. Joshua’s character is tested again.

Trust in God

Immediately God reminds Joshua to trust him. God is trustworthy. Joshua was right to trust in God all those years ago. Remember, after God spectacularly rescued Israel from Egypt, the Lord brought them to the edge of the Promised Land. Moses sent twelve spies to check out the people. They came back with glowing reports about the land. The food was delicious and plentiful. They could live without having to do hardly anything. But there’s a catch. The people were giants. Israel was no match for them. Ten out of the twelve said they should give up and go right back to Egypt. This always makes me stop and reconsider the idea that the majority rules. Passages like this highlight some of the problems with voting systems.

However, two spies said, “No, we can trust in God.” Those men were Joshua and Caleb. Here Joshua faced the challenge again. Could he trust God again? God certainly proved his faithfulness providing food and clothes that didn’t wear out at all. Though can you imagine having 40 years of 70’s or 80’s fashion?

What had happened in the Promised Land over the forty years? Surely, news of the Israelites would have reached these people. Would they be even more fortified? Would they be even harder to defeat? Would the people really follow Joshua as they had followed Moses?

God’s Promise to Joshua

The Lord knew Joshua’s inner doubts. So he sought to encourage him with great and amazing promises and commandments. First up, the coming battles. “Don’t worry about them, Joshua. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. You know how I was with Moses in a real and powerful way. I will be with you also. I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Those words must have been greatly encouraging to Joshua. God knew all his doubts. God knew all his fears. And in two simple sentences, he laid them to rest.

God knew that Joshua’s doubts would come back again. That’s the way of life, and that’s the weapon of the devil. So God continued to give assurance: “You’re my chosen leader. I’ve made a promise; I’m fulfilling that promise through you. Be strong and very courageous.”

Then God gave Joshua the very tools he needed to maintain his confidence in God. “Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.” This is a very important lesson for Joshua. In order to remain confident in God, he needed to spend time reading God’s word, God’s commandments, basically, the first five books of the Bible. In them, all of God’s mighty deeds are recorded. They contain years of God’s promises given and then fulfilled. Joshua was to study these books in order to study God’s character, his love, his mercy, his judgement and righteousness.

By meditating on them, he’d be able to quote from them at any given moment. He’d be so sure of God, that had anyone asked him, “Who do you believe in?” He’d simply reply something like this, “I believe in the Lord my God, who brought me out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, there is no other god anywhere like him.” This meant also, that public opinion wouldn’t easily mislead Joshua. He knew the truth and be able to spot a lie a mile away. Futhermore, God was with him, the God had saved him and all the Israelites from Egypt, the God who promised to lead him throughout his life and work.

And yet, like any person, Joshua’s doubts would come up, as doubts always do. So God said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.” Be strong and courageous because I called you. I’ve given you this task because I want this task done. I’m going to make sure you get it done. Trust me to do the work in and through you! Don’t worry, don’t be afraid, and don’t let your heart get troubled. I’m with you wherever you go. I’m sovereign, I’m everywhere, and everything belongs to me.

Joshua obeys, he commands the people to get ready, and low and behold, they all listen! They all follow his orders! Even the 2 ½ tribes obey. They tell him, “Joshua, you are as Moses to us. We’ll do everything you say. If anyone disobeys you, we’ll put them to death.”

God’s Promise to Us

God our Father has this same message for us today. No, we’re not going to go out and take over Bradford or Bond Head, or Tottenham. Our enemies are spiritual. Nevertheless, God wants us to be just as confident in him as Joshua was. God wants us to know, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you!” God is with you; yes you! Be strong and courageous!

God is speaking to me and to the elders and deacons, and all who serve this awesome gathering of God’s people. “Trust me. Be bold and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law and the prophets.” Jesus said the same thing to his disciples. If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Keeping the commandments means knowing what they are. As council members, as leaders, servants, we especially need to meditate on God’s Word. We need to study it regularly. We need to dive into it, seek to understand God better and better by reading it thoroughly.

We also need to obey it. We need to understand how the commandments reveal God’s character and how we ought to reflect them in our character. God created us in his image, to do exactly that. Also, because of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit in us, making God’s character more and more prevalent within us. We have everything we need to do all of this; we must trust God to do it.

We also suffer from doubts. This is normal. Satan plays to them; he’s constantly accusing us of failing to live up to God’s standards. And he’s right, sort of. We’ll never be perfect this side of the grave, or the second coming. But God looks at Jesus who is perfect and sees only Christ’s righteousness.

God has commanded us. He wouldn’t ask us to do something we couldn’t do. Joshua might not have been super confident in himself, and yet, look what God accomplished through him. Trust in God, he’s commanded us; he will do the work in and through us. But we must be bold and courageous in our trusting. We can’t sit on the sidelines. Israel had to step out in faith, crossing the river, marching around Jericho, following God each step of the way. We can’t sit back and watch what other people are doing. We must do the work God’s called us to do: bring hope into a world that is dying to hear hope and good news!

I have been reflecting on these words for quite some time already. I’ll be honest; I don’t feel like I’m up to the task at all. You are a truly fantastic congregation, whom I don’t deserve to lead. But God has commanded me. Because he has, I will be strong and courageous. I won’t be terrified, or I’ll suppress my terror, at any rate. I will not be discouraged, because my trust is not in me, it is not in council, or in the admin committee, or in you who are so incredibly generous toward God and have been very generous to my family and me. I will trust God; I will take him at his word, for “He is with me wherever I go.”

It is my prayer that we will follow the true Joshua, Jesus and that we would follow Jesus together. That we would say to him, our true leader, our one and only true senior pastor, “Just as we’ve fully obeyed your servants, so we will obey you. We know that the Lord our God is you, Jesus. Whoever rebels against you will suffer your consequences. Only be strong and courageous in us!

Brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow servants and ministers, be bold and courageous. God is with you. God goes with you, from this building, into the rest of your day, your night, your Monday with all its challenges, and blessings. God has commanded you. Be bold and very courageous! Amen.