Joshua 1
Three times in this chapter the Lord encourages Joshua-“Be strong, and of a good courage.” No doubt it was because fear had prevented them from going into the land before. They were afraid of the giants, and afraid of the way. It was a new way to them, and there was plenty to terrify them. If they looked at the Jordan overflowing its banks, they might feel afraid of death. But if they were keeping the word of God they could say, “But we passed through the Red Sea, and it only drowned our enemies; and we sang the song of redemption on the other side.”
Again, if they thought of the enemies of the land, they might well feel afraid. But if they had God’s Word in their hearts they might say, “Oh, but God destroyed Sihon and Og that great giant, and He will destroy all our enemies if we only trust in Him.”
“Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded thee.” There are adversaries, but the word is, “In nothing terrified by your adversaries” (Phil. 1:2828And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God. (Philippians 1:28)). There may be giants and we as grasshoppers in our sight, and the cities walled up to heaven; but that is no matter. The greater and higher they are the greater their fall, and the more complete the proof of what God’s power can accomplish by those who walk in obedience to His Word.
We need courage and strength to obey. We will prove God’s strength to be with us when walking in the path of His will, but not out of it, and we need courage to do His will in this evil world. Many a young Christian has found that to have God’s Word as the standard of conduct, dress and associations bring reproach from the world. Men will say that times have changed, but in a scene where all is fast slipping morally and spiritually, going down to judgment, how thankful we can be that there is that which changes not and to which faith can ever cling God and the Word of His grace, “which liveth and abideth forever.”
We need courage with self to obey the Word. Who is not conscious of the unsubmissive will of the flesh in us that which is not subject to the will of God, neither indeed can be? Also we need special courage with self to do His bidding, and this is the only path of happiness. Then we need courage one with another, with the world, with our friends, our relations, and with all.
God sees the future, the end from the beginning, and He has given His Word in view of all. When looking at the enemy, He tells us to “Be strong and of good courage.” When He looks at ourselves, He says, “Be thou strong and very courageous... Turn not from it (the word) to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”
In the end of the chapter the two and a half tribes who settled on the east side of Jordan seemed to be impressed with the Word of the Lord to Joshua and went to war with their brethren to help them gain their possessions. They left their wives and little ones behind. The Lord takes care of the loved ones of those who serve Him in helping their brethren.
On the other hand, the wives and little ones left behind here never saw that good land. What a lesson for Christian parents here! May we not “fall short,” content to bring our children only halfway, as it were, but seek to lead them into the enjoyment of those heavenly joys and blessings which are theirs in Christ, the risen and glorified One.
ML-02/20/1977