Golden Text.— “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.”
—Josh. 1:22Moses 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. (Joshua 1:2). Read Josh. 1:1111Pass through the host, and command the people, saying, Prepare you victuals; for within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land, which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it. (Joshua 1:11)
God’s Encouragement of Joshua.
1, 2. “The Lord spake unto Joshua, the son of Nun, Moses’ minister.” The Lord hath spoken. Note the thrilling words in Isa. 1:22Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. (Isaiah 1:2), “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken.” Compare Deut. 32:11Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. (Deuteronomy 32:1); Ps. 50:1; Heb. 1:1, 21God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1‑2). Reiterating the assurance that He had given the land to Israel, He bids Joshua, as their leader, to arise and cross over Jordan. God is their leader, Joshua His servant.
3, 4· “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses.”—And again He defines the boundary, as in Gen. 15:1818In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: (Genesis 15:18). The purposes of God are, like Himself, eternal.
5· “As I was with Moses so I will be with thee. I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.” Joshua had seen, as Moses’ minister, some of the Lords dealings with him, and he would doubtless feel that this gracious assurance covered all he could possibly need or desire. Unto all Israel and to Joshua Moses had given very similar words of encouragement (Deut. 31:6-86Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 7And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. 8And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. (Deuteronomy 31:6‑8)), but now God Himself speaks to His servant Joshua as He had previously spoken to him by Moses.
6, 7. “Only be thou strong and very courageous.” See this command repeated in each of these verses, with the assurance that what God had sworn to do He would accomplish through Joshua. So there was nothing for Joshua to do but to believe and go obediently forward.
8. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.” The first two Psalms—which form a preface to the whole book of Psalms, or, rather, to the five books of Psalms—begin with “Blessed is the man” and end with “Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.”
9· “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 assurance that God sends us and that He is with us covers everything. It is the greatest that mortals can have. It was God’s encouragement to Moses, and now to Joshua, and later to Gideon and to Jeremiah. If we believe His words, we shall neither be afraid nor dismayed nor discouraged.
10, 11. “Within three days ye shall pass over this Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God giveth you to possess it.” Thus Joshua commanded the officers of the people, for he believed God. The land was theirs as a free gift from God, but they had to enter into it and appropriate it. Jordan was before them to be crossed, and the walled cities and the giants were still there. But there are no difficulties to God or to those who, like Joshua and Caleb, see God only. In our own case, as believers in Jesus Christ. redeemed by His blood, it is our privilege to appropriate His promises and by faith in Him live lives of victory over self and sin to His glory. May the encouraging words of our lesson come home to each of us in the power of the Spirit.
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“CLING to the Bible!—this jewel and treasure
Brings life eternal, and saves fallen man;
Surely its value no mortal can measure;
Seek for its blessing, O soul, while you can!”