Timmy Benedict Lao Uy
March 3, 2024
THE JOSHUA GENERATION Part 1 Move Ahead and Step Out
Joshua 1:1-2a – “1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead… (NIV).” God broke the news that Moses was dead—the same Moses who confronted Pharaoh, called down the plagues, parted the Red Sea, met God on Mt. Sinai, and led the people through the wilderness. In Joshua’s mind, he might have been thinking: What should we do? Who would lead us? But God had already made a plan. God said: Joshua 1:2b-3 – “2… Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.” (NIV)
FROM ASSISTANT TO LEADER
You have to be ready at all times because you never know when your name will be called. Joshua was God’s next leader. Whenever God brings a new beginning, He raises up new leadership to start it. We begin by making plans and strategies when we want to accomplish something. We often look for a new method – a new way of doing it, to try to make it better than before. But When God has something new and powerful that He wants to be done, He always raises up people – a new breed of people.
Just imagine: Joshua was mentored by Moses, one of the greatest leaders ever to live. He had been Moses’ personal assistant. Every day, he walked alongside and followed a devoted leader who heard from God. By staying loyal to Moses and God, Joshua got promoted and made ready for the transfer of leadership. God chose Joshua to bring the Israelites into the promised land—not Moses. And as He did for Joshua, God has a special calling for each of us. No two people have the same calling. It’s important to listen to what God wants you to do and stick to it faithfully!
We only know a few simple things about Joshua’s background. He’s called the “son of Nun,” and he’s from the tribe of Ephraim. In Hebrew, his name means “Jehovah saves.” He spent forty years as Moses’ #1 assistant. He and Caleb were the two spies who brought back a good report when Moses sent out 12 spies at Kadesh-Barnea. Caleb was 40 at the time, so Joshua was likely around the same age or a bit younger. That means he was at least 65 when this story began. So, Our age doesn’t define our capability to fulfill the tasks God has set before us. God’s call knows no bounds, and as long as we have breath in our lungs, we have a purpose to pursue. Let’s Step boldly into His plans, regardless of our age, knowing that He equips us for every good work.
Not only was Joshua a loyal follower, but he was also a good soldier. He knew how to lead, how to fight, and how to win. He must have been a brilliant tactician because he led the Jews to a long series of victories over the Canaanites, starting with the clever attack on Jericho. He was not as famous as Moses, but that is no criticism because he served God just as Moses did. Moses walked with God in a way Joshua didn’t, but Joshua won battles Moses could not fight.
Leaders are flexible. Joshua went from being a slave in Egypt to leading God’s people into their promised land. With all the deep struggles that come with slavery, he knew what it meant to be rejected and to feel inferior. God used his experiences as a slave to make him the mighty man of God that he became.
“What will happen now?” That is the big question the people of God asked. Moses is dead. Behind that question lies a bigger religious issue: Can God be trusted once our leaders are gone? We all face that question sooner or later. Each generation must answer the same questions: Can we trust God in this new situation? Can we trust God when so much has changed? Can we trust God when our leaders have left us? Each generation must find the answer to the question, can we still trust God today? With that in mind, let’s see What We Can Learn About The Future from the first few verses of Joshua 1.
- Let Go Of The Past
Joshua 1:2 – “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River (NIV).” Is it a bad thing that Moses is dead? No! He served God in his generation, and when his work was done, God took him home. No one lives forever. Some leaders must go so that others may arise. It’s okay to remember the past, but don’t miss the present just because you’re living in the past. I can’t go back. I can’t stay here. I must move forward.
You can’t go back to the past to relive happy moments or fix mistakes. But you can’t stay stuck where you are either. Life keeps moving forward like a river that never stops flowing. Whether you’re content with your life now or you want to change it, you can’t stay the same forever. The only way to go is to move ahead. When you feel hopeless, remember: you can’t go back, you can’t stay where you are, but by God’s grace, you can move forward one step at a time.
- Move Ahead and Step Out
Joshua 1:2-4 – “2 Get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. (NIV)
These verses are about the land God promised to his people. God didn’t want them to just have a small piece of land in the Middle East. He wanted them to build a nation that stretched from the desert to Lebanon and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. God promised them this huge area if they would go and claim it: “I will give you every place where you set your foot” in verse 3.
Let’s think about what they needed to do first. They had to cross the Jordan River. But what was on the other side? The Promised Land and their enemies. They crossed near Jericho, with its huge walls, which reminded them they’d have to fight for what God promised. Let me paraphrase what God told Joshua: Opportunities come with challenges.
You can stay where yu are, but the action is somewhere else. You can stay where you are, but the miracles start where God is leading you to go (in their case, at the Jordan River). You can stay where you are, but God wants you to move ahead and step out.
What God said to His people then, He says to us now. If we want to see God work, we must move forward by faith, even if we know that as we go through the open doors, challenges await us. Will we have the courage to go forward anyway?
- Affirm the Promise of God
Joshua 1:5 – “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (NIV)” As you think about this amazing promise, don’t overlook one little phrase: “As I was with Moses.” Joshua knew all about Moses because he had been his right-hand man for many years. He was there when Moses told Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” He was there when Pharaoh was rejecting all the requests of Moses.
Joshua was there when the people of God were trapped at the Red Sea and God parted the Red Sea. Miracle after miracle happened while Moses was alive and Joshua was there to witness them. Will God be with Joshua as He was with Moses? The answer is yes. Why? Because God said, “I will never leave you.” That’s a wonderful promise. Christians don’t have accidents; we only have incidents. What happened to you was an incident the Lord allowed in your life. That’s just a shorthand version of Romans 8:28. We always hear it: God is good. All the time. And all the time. God is good. We are witnesses of God’s sovereign power unfolding in our lives. In every situation, no matter what, God is good, all the time.
When God made a promise to Joshua in verse 5, it was not a promise of an easy road. It was not a promise of unlimited victory. It was not a promise of no tears. God assured Joshua, “You’ve got to fight for the land I am giving you. But I will go with you as you go.”
- Choose the Hard Road of Obedience
After promising to be with Joshua, the Lord now tells him what he must do in order to succeed. Joshua 1:6-9 – “6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. 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. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (NIV)
Three times God tells Joshua, “Be strong and courageous.” God reassured him, saying, “Don’t be afraid because I will be with you wherever you go.” But there’s a catch here. God’s promise comes with a condition. Joshua and the people must be careful to obey all the laws Moses had given them. Note the phrase “Be careful to obey” the law (v. 7). You could say it the other way too: “If we’re not careful to obey, we’ll find excuses not to.” Nobody becomes holy without trying. It’s like telling someone to stick to their diet because if they’re not careful, they’ll give it up right away. That’s just how people are, right? No one drifts into holiness by accident. But it’s not hard work or a big problem. If people are careful to obey, God promises they will succeed.
When Moses died, Joshua was ready because he had been preparing himself for years. When God called him, Joshua had no master plan, only a determination to obey. When he ordered the people to move out, he had no advance knowledge of the future, but he set out anyway. Joshua was a prepared man, a called man, and an obedient man. Did Joshua know how the walls of Jericho would come tumbling down? No, but he moved ahead anyway. As Joshua was leading the people into the land of Canaan, there would be many challenges and setbacks. Many battles would be won, while some would be lost. The challenge of getting across the Jordan River would be faced. The failure of the people or individuals would create problems. It would be easy to get discouraged and start to fear that God’s plan would never happen. But what Joshua did, any of us can do if we are willing to trust God and step out in faith.
LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION:
1) What fears or doubts do you face when stepping into new challenges or responsibilities, similar to Joshua taking on the leadership of the Israelites?
2) How can you apply the lessons from Joshua Chapter 1 to your own life?
3) How does obedience contribute to success and fulfillment in life? Think about the role of faith in overcoming obstacles in your own journey.