Have not I Commanded Thee?

There is a great imperative in our passage this morning. It’s not optional. It’s not debatable. It’s necessary.

The mandate is given— arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give them, even to the children of Israel.

BUT WHAT IS THIS CANAAN LAND? It is not the life you also wanted; how could you want what you never knew existed?

Canaan is the life that God always wanted you to have. It is all of the spiritual blessings intended for you in Christ, which you can only claim by faith.

As we see in this book, sometimes, you claim them by faith in walking over the Jordan. Sometimes, you claim them by faith through fighting and trusting God for victory. And we notice that sin and compromise and worldliness keep Joshua and his nation from fully realizing what was theirs in Christ.

Canaan is not accessed by keeping the law. Doing more. Praying more. Reading more. Serving more. Trying harder in hopes of earning God’s favor. It is not accessed through Moses. It is accessed through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who has already reserved these spiritual blessings for you.

Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:”

In the New Testament sense, Paul exemplifies this Canaan mindset, when after knowing Christ for many years, exclaims in Philippians 3:10: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”

If there is a hunger in your soul— a vision that God has something more for you— be of good cheer. The Lord Jesus has awakened in you the Promise of Canaan. And I say to this church this day: Now, therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people!

Joshua 1:1–9

Now after the death of Moses the servant of the Lord it came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The Commission of Joshua by God’s Word

Phillip Keller noted, “To his unbounded credit, Moses did not choose or appoint the man to follow himself in the line of Israel’s leadership. With resolute wisdom and keen spiritual perception he left this responsibility to God.

However, this does not reflect the biblical narrative. Notice, Moses has nothing to do with this. It appears that it is all the work of God’s sovereignty and wisdom. When Moses sinned in smiting the rock, God made plans to replace him.

Deuteronomy 3:26–29

But the Lord was wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto me of this matter. Get thee up into the top of Pisgah, and lift up thine eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold it with thine eyes: for thou shalt not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage him, and strengthen him: for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see. So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor.

Numbers 27:18–23

And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him; And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight. And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient. And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall ask counsel for him after the judgment of Urim before the Lord: at his word shall they go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he, and all the children of Israel with him, even all the congregation. And Moses did as the Lord commanded him: and he took Joshua, and set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation: And he laid his hands upon him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses.

Notice how the Lord calls Joshua and commissions him. And notice how the Word of the Lord to Joshua in chapter 1 is the same word from Moses in Deuteronomy 31

Deu 1:38, Deu 31:3, Deu 31:7, Deuteronomy 31:23: “And he gave Joshua the son of Nun a charge, and said, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou shalt bring the children of Israel into the land which I sware unto them: and I will be with thee.”

Think of how amazing this is--

It is akin to Paul sitting on the bench while Timothy pens the book of Romans

…like John the Beloved being replaced by John Mark to write the Revelation...

…like George Washington being replaced by General Gates..

Great men, all…but Moses? Yes!

However, if the commission is personal, it is powerful. When you make your calling and election sure, you will not fail as others who have not the same divine commission.

2 Peter 1:10 KJV 1900

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

WHOM GOD CALLS, HE EQUIPS.

Someone noted, “When God calls you, He will equip and prepare you to effectively complete your assignment on time. He will use every aspect of who you are and where you came from to bring about His will in your life. He factors in your background, your level of education, your past occupations, and everything else you’ve accumulated from your life experiences.”

You think that God might use you IN SPITE OF all the baggage you brought to him, but just know that our junk is God’s treasure. He delights in mercy and grace and goodness— and everything in your life is a tributary flowing into God’s river of blessings when you fully surrender to Him!

The Fellowship of God’s Words

The fact of the matter is that there are two types of verbs in Joshua’s commission. There are God’s verbs and there are Joshua’s verbs. You cannot misunderstand these. You cannot appropriate God’s verbs to yourself. God will not fulfill your verbs, either.

JOSHUA’S VERBS

go over this Jordan (1:2)

your feet shall tread (1:3)

be strong (1:6, 7, 9)- it means to grow; to harden; to take hold of; to repair; to strengthen

be of good courage (1:6, 7, 9)- אָמַץ- has the idea of being strong and increasing in strength- intestinal

you shall divide the inheritance (1:6)

observe to do all that is written in the law (1:7, 8)- to keep; to take heed; to beware and preserve

turn not from the law to the right or to the left (1:7)- to deviate; to depart

meditate upon the scriptures (1:8) - to coo or to growl

Isaiah 31:4: “For thus hath the Lord spoken unto me, Like as the lion and the young lion roaring on his prey, When a multitude of shepherds is called forth against him, He will not be afraid of their voice...

be not afraid or dismayed (1:9)- terrified; shake; dismayed- shattered or broken down

GOD’S VERBS

I will give you the land (1:2, 3)

I will be with you (1:5, 9)

I will not fail you or forsake you (1:5)

I will divide the inheritance to you (1:5)

I swore unto you (1:6)- this is a word of covenant- God entered into covenant with us- UNDER WHICH COVENANT DID GOD ENTER REGARDING US? We as New Testament believers have more than His word: we have His blood!

His oath, His covenant, His blood, support me in the whelming flood…when all around my souls gives way, He then is all my hope and stay— ON CHRIST THE SOLID ROCK I STAND, ALL OTHER GROUND IS SINKING SAND!!!!

you will prosper and have good success (1:7, 8)- the tense of the verbs here is clear- this is not up to you. The idea here is that you will be made to be prosperous.

you will be prosperous (1:8)

SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY ARE FULLY RELATED TO THE SCRIPTURES.

The Power of God’s Words

We must not assume that God will do our part. We must have an active faith.

We must not assume that we are alone in doing our part.

Where does faith come from to cross over? Where does vision to tread upon our inheritance come from? Strength? Courage? Perception to know, understand and do His will? How could we meditate without the Bible? How can we keep from being depressed and dismayed? The Lord is with us…through us…and in us!

Romans 11:36 “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”

We must not seek for success or prosperity. We must seek Christ. Success is a byproduct of abiding in Christ!