Skip to main content

Joshua: Courageous Obedience

 Imagine having to fill the shoes of one of the greatest leaders in history and lead a vast nation into a foreign land occupied by fortified cities full of giants. How would you feel? Scared? Inadequate? Discouraged? How about if the God of the universe commanded you to be strong and courageous, and promised you victory? This is what we see in the story of Joshua. His life was one of courage, fidelity, and perseverance. Let’s take a look at this man of courage.

Before the wilderness wandering, Joshua was one of the twelve spies sent out by Moses to scout out the land. He and Caleb were the only ones who brought back a good report, the only ones with confidence in God. Because of the rebellion of the people, Joshua and Caleb, though faithful, had to endure forty years of wilderness wandering with the rest of the unfaithful nation. Forty years later, after the death of Moses, Joshua is called by God to lead the Israelite nation through the Jordan river and into the land of promise. Now is his opportunity to go back into that land he saw forty years ago and conquer for God. Right from the beginning, God commands Joshua to “be strong and courageous” as he leads the people against the peoples of the land. God promises them victory and assures them of His presence. We see that Joshua does not shrink back from this hefty responsibility, but gains the respect of the people and confidently begins plans for conquest. He sent spies to scout the land, only to find out that the nations were afraid of them. They needed to cross the flooded Jordan river, so they walked into the water by faith with the Ark of the Covenant, and God worked a miracle to cause the water to be withheld so that they could safely pass. God called them to conquer Jericho, and through Joshua’s leadership, they followed God’s plan of victory and the walls could not stand against them. 

Throughout this history we see victory after victory for the people of Israel under the leadership of Joshua; yet there are a few exception to this trend, which give insight into the key of their victory. When they tried to conquer Ai, they are put to shame. Why? One of the Israelites, Achan, had stolen from Jericho. They could not have God’s blessing of victory when they were not living in obedience. Another instance of failure was when Joshua made an alliance with the Gibeonites without consulting God. Joshua did not seek God’s will first, but rather acted hastily and saw himself as competent enough in his own wisdom and strength to make this decision. Here we see the two key principles for success or failure in this story. Joshua and the Israelites did great things when they were obedient to God, and when they had confidence in Him, not in themselves. When they were disobedient and put confidence in themselves over God, they experienced failure and defeat.

This story is full of lessons for us today. We too have a calling from God to go and conquer, to make disciples of all nations; we too are commanded to be strong and courageous as we serve God; we too have difficulties and trials, rivers to cross and cities to conquer; and for us too, our success or defeat will depend on our faithful obedience and humble confidence in God. We too can be like Joshua, leading those around us into the land of promise. It will not be easy, but we cannot fail when we depend upon God and walk according to His commands and promises. Will you go forth and conquer for Jesus? Will you be courageous and obedient today?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nadab & Abihu: Reckless Irreverence

  What comes to mind when I say the word ‘sacred?’ What about the word ‘holy?’ Usually these words come with a sense of caution, humility, and reverence. Sacred things are special, set apart, held in high regard, different from normal things. How is it seen when someone blatantly disregards or defiles something sacred? When someone does something unseemly or gross in a special place, like a church? It shows a lack of respect, a lack of sense, an unwarranted boldness. In the Bible we have a startling story in relation to this topic, where something sacred was treated without due reverence and caution. This is the story of Nadab and Abihu.  Nadab and Abihu were the sons of Aaron, the priest, and they were chosen to minister in the sanctuary service before the Lord with their father. God had just specified all of the exact particulars in which He was to be served and worshiped, and it was their ‘first day on the job,’ so to speak. The Bible describes how Aaron performed all of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Christianity 101: Repentance

  Repentance is a central theme in the Bible, and, more importantly, it is a prerequisite of salvation. With that being said, what is repentance? Well, the biblical term literally means, “to change one’s mind.” It is frequently used in the Bible to signify a decision made by an individual or nation to change their allegiance from serving self and sin, to serving God. But, if it is so important, we want to make sure we do it right. The Bible warns us about the difference between genuine and false repentance. So then, what does this genuine repentance look like practically? Well I’m glad you asked. This article will look at the steps involved in genuine repentance: Deep Sorrow for Sin True repentance involves a deep sorrow for sin, realizing that we have despised the Holy One, our Father, and dishonored Him. We have been unfaithful, like an adulterer, and sought for fulfillment in something other than Him. We have broken His heart, caused Him pain and suffering, and ultimately the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Caleb: Enduring Confidence

  Have you ever had to suffer for the shortcomings of someone else? Have you ever looked forward to something good in anticipation only to have an unexpected delay? Have you ever felt like those around you didn’t see what you saw, and just weren’t on the same page as you; like they ignored what you had to say and went against you? Well, someone in the Bible dealt with all of these things, and handled it with patience and nobility. This man was Caleb. He was one out of only two of the original generation of Israelites that came out from the land of Egypt who survived the wilderness to enter the promised land. With such a record, it seems wise to see what we can learn from his example. As was mentioned, Caleb was one of the Israelites who was born as a slave in Egypt, and came out during the Exodus under the leadership of Moses and the power of God. He, like all the Israelites, went through the Red Sea, saw the majesty of God at Sinai, and knew something of the character and purposes...
Post a Comment
Read more