Following God’s Plan
Joshua 1:1-9 (ESV)
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant,
2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success[a] wherever you go.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
I heard a story about a young boy standing at a street corner, waiting for the bus. An older person who had been watching him for some time approached and asked, "what are you doing here?" “Oh, I’m here waiting for the next bus to come,” the boy replied. Then the older person said, “The bus does not stop here. It usually stops at the corner of Second Street down the road.” “No,” the boy insisted, "the bus would regularly pick me up here." But the older person said again, “But the bus stop is not here, it’s at the corner of Second Street." “I definitely know the bus will stop here,” the boy said. Sure enough, when the next bus arrived, it stopped right where the boy was. As the boy was climbing aboard, he turned to the older person and said, “I knew my father would surely stop where he told me to wait.”
This story clearly illustrates that the boy’s confidence was justified because he knew his father would definitely follow through with his plan to pick him up at that location. His strong relationship with his dad was definitely the foundation of his unwavering trust in his plans. This morning, as we begin our new sermon series on the Book of Joshua, we see the Lord challenging Joshua and the nation of Israel to put their wholehearted trust in His plans for their future. The Book of Joshua is truly powerful and inspiring. I’m excited about it because it is a story of victory. But it’s not just about the victory that Joshua and God’s people achieved; it’s about the victory that God has secured for His people. As we study the book together, we will also discover how you and I can experience victory in our lives today through Him.
This morning, for our first sermon, we will examine Joshua's new role as the leader of Israel as they conquer the land that God Himself has promised as their inheritance. If you're familiar with Israel's history, you know this appointment will be tough and will require great courage from Joshua. Therefore, in this first chapter, God takes time to encourage him to fully trust in Him. To help us understand better, the background of the book is: first, Israel wandered for forty years after being delivered from Egypt. Now, Moses is dead, and the nation stands on the plains of Moab, right at the edge of the Promised Land. To explore our theme, let’s focus on at least three key sub-topics.
I GOD’S PLACEMENT TO JOSHUA (vs. 1-4)
As we read the first four verses, we see the Lord appointing Joshua to the same position that Moses once held as the leader of Israel. Although the text does not explicitly say that Joshua had reservations about accepting this role, we can understand why he might have had fears about it. Here are some possible reasons:
He was filling in for Moses.
Replacing a great leader like Moses is definitely intimidating. Not only was he trained as a prince in Egypt, but the Bible also describes him as being powerful in words and deeds. Listen to Acts 7:22:
22 And Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was mighty in his words and deeds.
So, Joshua was tasked with filling the shoes of a dynamic leader who led Israel for 40 years. That’s not going to be easy because people can always compare him with Moses.
Israel was a difficult nation to lead.
One passage that demonstrates how difficult it is to lead the nation of Israel is Exodus 16. Here are some verses:
Exodus 16:1-4 (ESV)
1 They set out from Elim, and all the congregation of the people of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt.
2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,
3 and the people of Israel said to them, “Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”
4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not.
Here, we find one of the incidents in the wilderness when Israel complained to Moses and Aaron about their lack of food. So, God responded by giving them Manna. However, once they received this provision, they complained again about lacking meat in their diet. So, God told them in verses 11-12:
11 And the Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel. Say to them, ‘At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’”
Do you know how this chapter ends? Let’s read verses 32-36:
32 Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, so that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
33 And Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord to be kept throughout your generations.”
34 As the Lord commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the testimony to be kept.
35 The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan. 36 (An omer is the tenth part of an ephah.)
After these incidents of God’s faithful provision of their needs, God instructed Moses to place some Manna in a jar to be kept as a constant reminder of His provision for the nation during their wilderness journey. Eventually, this jar of Manna would be put at the Ark of the Covenant as a symbol of God’s presence with His people. Why is this important? It is because God’s people tend to forget, and when they do, they complain and rebel against God. How about you? How do you remind yourself of God’s faithful provisions for you and your family? We should have one, right? I believe that is why we observe the Lord’s Supper in our church today. It was established to remind us of God’s provision for our deepest spiritual need—salvation—which Jesus Christ fulfilled for us.
The territory they have to conquer.
Listen to these words in verse 4 – “From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory.” Do you know the significance of these territories? They were included in the covenant promised by the Lord to Abraham found in Genesis 15:18-19:
18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,
19 the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites,
So, God, faithful to His promises, is about to lead them in conquering the territories promised to their forefather, Abraham. However, these lands were inhabited by very corrupt nations that violently abused their most vulnerable people, such as children. God’s plan was to punish them by removing them from their lands. Part of this plan was to use Israel as His instrument to accomplish this. So, Joshua had to lead Israel in great battles to carry out God’s plan.
Considering these reasons, if you were Joshua, would you accept the appointment God was giving you? Do you understand the risks involved in accepting the role God was offering him? You see, there are many Christians today who settle in living mediocre lives because of their unwillingness to take some risks in life. I believe it was Mark Zuckerberg who said these powerful words:
“The biggest risk is not taking any risk. … In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”
So, the quickest way to fail in life is to choose a path where we avoid challenges and risks. What paths are you on right now? Will they lead to a fulfilling life? If there’s something to learn from this sermon, let me say clearly, God wants us to be willing to take some risks.
II GOD’S PROMISES TO JOSHUA (vs. 5-6, 9)
Now, examining verses 5-6 and verse 9, God will make some important promises to Joshua. These promises aim to shift Joshua's focus from the risks of his calling to the person of God who is giving him his assignment. Before examining these promises, let me first highlight the fact that three times God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous (vs. 6, 7, 9). This phrase suggests that there may be some apprehension on Joshua's part about taking the place of Moses. Based on this, God will offer him some significant promises. What are they?
Sure Triumph (v. 5) - “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life”
When you read these words, it's clear that he will face opposition and enemies as a leader, but none of them will succeed against him. Of course, his victories will happen not because of his natural gifts and talents, but because of the presence of God in him. Just as Paul claimed in Romans 8:31 (ESV) – “. . . If God is for us, who can be against us?” This leads us to God’s next promise to Joshua.
Strong Presence (v. 5) – “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.”
Joshua had a front-row view of Moses' leadership. He saw Moses achieve miraculous victories. Now, God is promising that the same power and presence will be with him in his leadership. How reassuring is that! Of course, if we think of the way God relates to us. We know that we have been given the very same promise in the New Testament:
Matthew 28:20 (ESV)
28 . . . behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)
5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
If you observe, the Lord has given the same promise of His presence to every believer today. The question now is: Are you truly living out the meaning of this promise? Could it be that fears are holding us back from achieving great things because we haven't fully embraced this promise? I trust and pray that we will always keep this promise before us.
Safe Guidance (v. 9) – “Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
There is also an additional blessing that comes from God’s constant presence: safety wherever they go because God promises to be with them. You see, we should never be afraid to go wherever He leads us because we are never to go there alone. As we often declare, “Safety is not about avoiding danger, but about being with the Lord.”
III GOD’S PRECEPTS TO JOSHUA (vs. 7-8)
Lastly, to experience God’s promises, Joshua and the nation of Israel must remain obedient to God’s will and ways revealed in His Word. Listen to these words - “Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”
If you notice, the conditions that God has set for Joshua’s success in his leadership depend on how he relates with God’s Word. He cannot ignore or deviate from God’s Word, according to verse 7 – “Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” Instead, he must make His Word a vital part of his life.
How does he do this? Verse 8 provides a clear description of how he should relate to God’s Word.
He must communicate God’s Word – “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth.”
The best way to make the Word of God a significant part of our lives is to take time to share what we have learned from it with others. The more we talk about it, the more it will influence our lives. Listen to these words of Jesus in John 6:63.
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Just like what Jesus said, God’s Word, when spoken, gives life. So, when we speak to others using God’s Word, we share the life that comes from God.
He must comprehend God’s Word – “but you shall meditate on it day and night”
The word “meditate” used in this verse depicts a cow chewing its food thoroughly so it can digest it. In other words, we must take the time to carefully and meticulously read the Bible, so we can understand and appreciate the truths it’s teaching us.
He must conform to God’s Word – “so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.”
Knowing God's Word is not enough; we must also realize that the main reason we learn it is so we can apply it. This truth aligns with what James said in James 1:22-24.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
God has already provided us with His complete revelation through the Bible. Joshua only had five books available. Today, we have 66 books to guide us. I trust we will connect with God’s Word the way He has instructed us through Joshua. Of course, besides the written Word, we also have the Living Word, Jesus Christ. Joshua’s name means “Jehovah saves.” This name is fulfilled when Jesus, the greater Joshua, came more than two thousand years ago. We must make Him a part of our lives.
Joshua's life serves as a strong example of what people can achieve when they fully entrust their lives and future to God. Yes, he could have allowed his fears to prevent him from becoming one of the most successful leaders for the nation of Israel. But he personally chose to obey the Lord and allow Him to lead him to a great future. Beloved, we all can be like Joshua; we can also experience a great life of success, but we won’t be able to do it on our own. We need to surrender our lives to God and allow Him to guide us through His Word today.