Joshua 1:10-18

Hey, hey, good morning, good morning. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This morning we are at Joshua 1, verses 18, or sorry, no, verses 10 through 18. Joshua 1, verses 10 through 18. We're going to be talking about the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh joining to cross over the river. And so we're going to have some coffee, we'll pray, and we'll get into God's Word.
Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this day. We thank you for your word in the language we can understand. We thank you for those who have faithfully translated it for us. Lord, we are blessed to have a multitude of different translations that we could use and that we can understand in our own language. So Father, we pray now that we wouldn't just read these words, but your Holy Spirit would apply them to our lives and that we would hear and believe and live in Jesus' name. Amen.
Joshua 1, beginning at verse 10. Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, Prepare provisions for yourselves. For within three days you will cross over this Jordan to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess. And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua spoke, saying, Remember the word which Moses, the servant of the Lord, commanded you, saying, The Lord your God is giving you rest, and is giving you this land. Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as he gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side of the Jordan towards the sunrise. So they answered Joshua, saying, All that you command us, we will do, and wherever you send us, we will go, just as we heeded Moses in all things.
So we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words in all that you command shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage." Well, we need to ask ourselves, A, what's this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize this? And C, what are we called to do?
Joshua was commissioned in verses 1 through 9, like we saw yesterday. God promised him they were going to cross over the Jordan River, he was going to be with them, he needed to meditate on God's word day and night, but he was not going to leave nor forsake Joshua. He was going to take the place of Moses leading the people, and now's the first test.
Before they cross over the river, he has to gather the forces. Remember, there's two and a half tribes on the Transjordan side. They're about to be at the Acacia Grove on the other side of the Jordan on the east side. They need to cross over, but he needs to get those other two and a half tribes. Moses is gone. Are they gonna listen? That's what's going on here.
So Joshua commanded the officers of the people. He says, get ready for war, guys. In three days you're gonna cross over the Jordan. You're gonna possess this land. He's gathering up the troops. Here we go, guys, it's about time. And then he goes to those two and a half tribes and he says, hey, remember what you said to Moses. Remember what was going to happen, that you were going to leave your women and your children on this side of the Jordan. You men were gonna come and you were gonna fight.
Now you gotta do what you promised Moses. And you can imagine that the Paws possibly, would they listen? Would they stay faithful to their word? They had their houses, they had their farms, they had the grazing land for their animals. Would they possibly risk their lives now for their brethren? And the amazing thing is that they do. Now they do.
So they answered Joshua saying, all that you command us, we will do. And wherever you send us, we will go just as with Moses. God had given Joshua this commission. He had, God had put the rank of the commander of the army on Joshua. And he had said he was going to be with him like he was with Moses. And now the people are saying, we are going to be with you. Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. What's the only condition though? Is it because Joshua is so great? Is it because Joshua is so grand? Is it because Joshua is so amazing? No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Hold on. Notice what they say. Only the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. only be strong and have good courage.
If nobody obeys anything you say, right? If they try to commit mutiny or go AWOL, whatever, disobey your commands, we'll take care of it. We'll put them to death, right? This is martial law here. It may not be good with our modern sensibilities, but it is true that when you're in warfare, somebody doesn't listen to your commands. That's life and death type thing. So they said they'll put them to death.
So what's this whole section about? The Lord had promised he was going to be with Joshua, but Joshua still needs to muster the troops, and the two-and-a-half tribes on the Transjordan say, yes, we will follow you, only God be with you. We see that God is moving in the people's hearts, that they start listening to Joshua like they had to Moses, only that God would be with them. and that Joshua would be strong and have good courage, that their commander of the armies would lead them across the Jordan River.
So what's the best verse to summarize this section? Well, in my Bible, I have verse 17 and 18 underlined. I think that's the mirror to what happened in verse 4, sorry, verse 5 and 6 in the first part of the chapter. So that's what I have underlined as best verse. Seek calling. What are we called to do?
How does this show Jesus Christ or the covenant? Well, God is the covenant king, right? Remember in all this, Joshua is not the king. Joshua is not the leader or the ruler of the people. It is God himself who's the covenant king. That's the right he earned when he redeemed them out of Egypt. This is why he gave them his law, because he is the covenant king over this people. Joshua is the commander of the armies, and so he's leading them there. And so, where does this lead us to? Well, I think this, again, leads us to Christ. I told you yesterday, Jesus' name is Joshua, Yeshua. And I think that, right, this is no just coincidence. I think Jesus really did lead his people. He really did lead them into the promised land, into the inheritance. And he was the one who was strong. He was the one who was courageous.
And so the question we often have to ask ourselves is, will we listen to him? A phrase comes to mind as you think about Jesus when he's speaking to Pontius Pilate, and he said he could command a legion of angels. Jesus is that commander, even of the heavenly army. He is Adonai Sabaoth. He is the Lord of hosts. Jesus is the one who is able to lead his people. So the question is, do you trust the promises? The question is, does he lead you into your inheritance? Is Jesus the one who leads you into the promised rest that God has promised to us?
I hope that you, like the two and a half tribes, will listen, because one far greater than Moses has come, and his name is Jesus. Let's pray. Father, we pray that you would please teach us to follow your Son, our Commander-in-Chief, our High Priest, our King of Kings, our Lord of Lords, Jesus Christ himself. Lord, we pray that you would please help us. Help us, Lord, to follow you, trust in you. Lord, we thank you that our inheritance has been granted to us, is kept secure in heaven, ready for us. Lord, we pray that you would please now teach us to follow in the ways of Jesus, trusting in you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Well, may the Lord bless you. May the King of Righteousness encourage your heart and may you follow Him all your life. I'll see you next time. Bye.