20140128 Tuesday, January 28 2014
Joshua 01: Joshua's Commission

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them"

Joshua was the closest and most-trustworthy friend and ally of Moses for the entire forty years in the Sinai (see Deuteronomy 2: The Israelite Wanderland). At the very start, it was Joshua alone who had accompanied Moses onto Mount Sinai (see Exodus 19: Arrival At Mount Sinai, Exodus 20: The Ten Commandments and Exodus 32: The Mount Sinai Riot).

When most of the Israelites refused to enter the Promised Land, at their first opportunity only about fourteen months after the Exodus (see Numbers 13: The Exploration Of The Promised Land), it caused the entry into the Promised Land to be delayed by forty years (see Numbers 14: Why 40 Years In The Sinai?). One of the many results of that (see the detailed list at Deuteronomy 1: Why A Book Of Deuteronomy In The Bible?) was that Joshua, not Moses, led the Israelites (the children and grandchildren of the Exodus generation) home.

"1:1 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, 1:2 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. 1:3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 1:4 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. 1:5 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." (Joshua 1:1-5 KJV)

Joshua had the same strength of character as Moses. Fortunately for Joshua, the later generation of Israelites in the leadership time of Joshua did not have the same liberal weakness of character as the Exodus generation (see Deuteronomy 24: How Long Were They Slaves?) who failed Moses by demanding to return to their slavery rather than enter the Promised land (see Exodus 13: Liberation, Not Liberal-ation).

"1:6 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. 1:7 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. 1:8 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. 1:9 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." (Joshua 1:6-9 KJV)

The other major difference was that Israel was originally intended to have entered the Promised Land from the south, through the Negev Desert (see the Fact Finder question below). In the time of Joshua, they were to enter the Promised Land from the east, by crossing the Jordan River. By that time also, the Israelites had won territory east of the Jordan - that would not have been Israelite territory if they had entered through the Negev Desert (see Numbers 32: The Israel Of East Jordan).

"1:10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 1:11 Pass 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. 1:12 And to the Reubenites, and to the Gadites, and to half the tribe of Manasseh, spake Joshua, saying, 1:13 Remember the word which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, The LORD your God hath given you rest, and hath given you this land. 1:14 Your wives, your little ones, and your cattle, shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side Jordan; but ye shall pass before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of valour, and help them; 1:15 Until the LORD have given your brethren rest, as he hath given you, and they also have possessed the land which the LORD your God giveth them: then ye shall return unto the land of your possession, and enjoy it, which Moses the LORD'S servant gave you on this side Jordan toward the sunrising." (Joshua 1:10-15 KJV)

Unlike the generation that refused to follow Moses into the Promised Land, the Israelites under Joshua forty years later declared "All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go."

"1:16 And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go. 1:17 According as we hearkened unto Moses in all things, so will we hearken unto thee: only the LORD thy God be with thee, as he was with Moses. 1:18 Whosoever he be that doth rebel against thy commandment, and will not hearken unto thy words in all that thou commandest him, he shall be put to death: only be strong and of a good courage." (Joshua 1:16-18 KJV)

Fact Finder: What events of Israelite history happened in the Negev Desert?
See The Negev Of Israel