Scripture focus: Joshua 1:10-18
Disclaimer: Please forgive any typographical, grammatical, and/or content errors in the following notes. They are not meant to be an exact transcription, but rather a helpful guide for those who appreciate the written word along with the spoken word. If you have any questions on what was taught, feel free to reach out on our ‘Contact Us’ page.
What to name a child born into slavery? Perhaps a strong Egyptian name to give him favor among the people? No. What you have planned for evil, God has planned for good. This father knew these words of Joseph’s generations before. Now is not the time to lose hope. A lot of importance goes into a name. Joseph means “He will add.” One of the two tribes from Joseph, Ephriam, means “fruitful.” One of these Ephriamites was named Nun. His grandfather was named Ammihud “people of glory” and his father, Elishama, meaning “God hears.” Nun simply means “fish.” When Nun turned to name his son he knew that the people needed redemption and rescue.
The Bible gives us scenes of character development in Joshua where he plays a supporting role before we get to the book of Joshua itself:
- We know he was a slave born into a tribe of slaves. He witnessed the plagues and the splitting of the Red Sea.
- His first mention in scripture is against the Amalekites. In this battle, Joshua learned that winning or losing was not in his own strength but the Lord’s. He organized an army of millions of refugees in mere hours.
- Being an assistant to Moses he saw firsthand the results of faithlessness. He witnessed the slaughter of many of his people and a plague due to rebellion.
- We learn that Joshua never wanted to leave the tent of meeting.
- His name was changed by Moses before leaving with the 11 other spies from Hosea, meaning “salvation” to Joshua meaning “God is salvation.” The Hebrew school of thought is that Moses was afraid of what would happen to Joshua in enemy territory, but also from the hearts of the spies who weren’t wholly devoted to the Lord. Talmudic thought is that Moses wanted to offer some sort of divine protection in this name change.
- Joshua returned from spying out the land and he is recorded speaking for the first time in Scripture faithfully of the good land that God will give the people. The other spies rally in fear and God gives the consequence that his generation will pass away. Joshua, Caleb, and Eliazar will be the only ones to enter the Promised Land.
If you want to know a little about a person, look at how they spend their time, talent, and treasure. In looking back on these events we see Joshua using his time and talents to serve the Lord faithfully. As the book of Joshua opens, his immediate response to the Lord’s call was action. Joshua knew that delayed obedience is disobedience. At this point Joshua is probably around 80 years old, one of the oldest people in all Israel. He had been a spy, chief, and general. The people had learned to respond to his leadership and Moses had done a great job in helping the people for that transition. Joshua 1:16-18 says, “Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!”
Hebrews is an excellent New Testament book to read alongside Joshua. The definition of faith from Hebrews 11:1 is “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” This picture is of flipping on a switch. We expect that light will come when the flip is switched. Why should you have faith in God? Answering the question “Who is God?” makes the difference. The three omnis are 1) omnipotence – God is in total control of himself and his creation 2) omniscience – his ideas are always true and 3) omnipresence – God is present everywhere. They define God’s lordship and yield a rich understanding of creation, providence, and salvation. Can you imagine a reality of having this kind of power if God was not good or merciful or living or kind or just? Imagine if 93.7% of the time the light goes on when you flip the switch. What if the other 6.3% of the time the house explodes? That would be a terrifying thought and people would not be able to put their faith in that switch. God is immutable – unchanging. He is perfect in consistency. He is steadfast. There is no shadow of turning with thee! Exodus 3:13-15 was the first time God revealed His name: Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
Sp why place your faith in God? He is unchanging. He is the 100% fail-safe light switch. 2 Timothy 2:13 says, “…if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”
Faith is understanding that you have a purpose and that God doesn’t make mistakes. Our ultimate purpose is to reflect God to all of creation. That’s why we’ve been given this very short life. We are but a vapor in the light of eternity. Faith is knowing ultimately where you’re going but trusting the one who is giving you the directions step by step. It is a marriage between belief and action.
Joshua knew this. How he got to where we are now in the series can be summed up in Luke 16:10 – “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much” and Matthew 25:21 – “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”
Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” This is the difference between a Christian and the rest of the world.
Synonymous with faith is obedience. We need to be clear that this isn’t legalism. Pharisees are a great picture of legalism. They loved the law of God, but weren’t concerned with the heart or spirit of the law. They didn’t teach about the grace we rely on. Matthew 23:27 says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”
Do you want to see Christ demonstrating faith in the way he wants us to follow? He said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak.50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me” (John 12:44-50)
Living a life full of faith takes Jesus at his word – “whoever sees me, sees Him who sent me.” In Ephesians Paul says, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” He knew he was a man saved by grace through faith. This bold principle that says, “Do as I do” is exactly what we witnessed at the end of Joshua 1. Joshua is setting clear expectations for the people – be faithful as I am faithful. We need to reflect Yeshua the son of the living God John 14:12-26 – “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,[f] to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be[g] in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you.26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
How will God reveal himself to us? How do we know that God loves us and what he desires? We love because he first loved us. Read the Word and seek him and when the way is revealed be obedient. Church, I have bet my life on this truth and many others have to. Count the cost and don’t get caught up in an emotional decision. The Bible doesn’t ask for a blind faith. Ask God to show you the light. He is the way, the truth, and the life. God will meet you right where you are at!