Joshua 1 "After the Death of Moses"



Deuteronomy ends with the death of Moses.

But Moses' work is only half finished.

He has brought Israel out of Egypt,

but he has not yet brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey

(Ex. 3:8)

The promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has not yet been fulfilled.

The children of Israel have not yet received their inheritance.



In Deuteronomy we hear both the promise and warning (the two sides of the covenant)

God promises that he will bring the people into the land and give them an inheritance.

Joshua is the fulfillment of the promise of Deuteronomy.

(Judges is the fulfillment of the warnings!

Though even within Joshua there are clear signals that the unconditional promise

is still conditioned on faithfulness.)



Many commentators have seen a tension between the rosy picture of the conquest-

God was with Israel and they defeated all their enemies-

and the occasional glimpses in Joshua of the incomplete work of the conquest.

Liberals have proposed a solution:

They say Joshua was composed by different authors with opposing theological visions.

Then, later editors compiled the book out of these contradictory elements.

(liberals tend to think of ancient Israelites as simple-minded-

It's sometimes called "the stupid Semite theory!")



The tension in Joshua is not rooted in contradictory editors

but in the two sides of the covenant.

In Joshua we have a unified narrative that is deeply rooted in the tension already stated in Dt.

between covenant faithfulness and rebellion.

"The dynamics that would eventually lead to exile are already in place in Joshua"

(Just think of Jericho and Ai)



Not surprisingly, covenant is a central theological theme in Joshua,

and not surprisingly, so is inheritance.

Joshua is a crystal clear example of the interrelation of covenant and sonship-

how the covenant is defined in filial language.



Other themes that we will touch upon include

Leadership (Dt 17 and Joshua-later Gideon and Abimelech)

along with Holy War, and the Unity of Israel.





There are four parts of Joshua:

"Going over" (1:1-5:12) abar -- used 29 times in the first 5 chapters (29 times in the next 19 chapters)

"Taking" (5:13-12:24) laqach - used 13 times in these 7 chapters (9 times in the other 17)

"Dividing (13:1-21:45) chalaq - used 6 times in these 9 chapters (once elsewhere)

"Worshiping" (22:1-24:33) abad - used 20 times in these three chapters (once elsewhere)



Brief note on authorship and date:

No author is named.

No date is stated.

The basic structure almost certainly predates the writing of the book of Judges

(The context of Judges suggests a Davidic date).

The language of "to this day" suggests some distance from the events

(4:9; 5:9; 6:25; 7:26, etc.)

But it must be read as a part of the whole narrative from Joshua through Josiah.

It is likely that an Exilic editor brought Joshua-Judges together with Samuel-Kings





1. Joshua and Moses

Joshua begins with the words, "After the death of Moses...."

making it clear that the author expects that the reader has already read Deuteronomy.

Chapter 1 of Joshua serves as a bridge backwards.

How could you know about "the book of the law" if you don't know the Pentateuch?

But Joshua should be considered the sequel of Deuteronomy.



(Judges will begin with the words, "After the death of Joshua..."

making it clear that Judges should be considered the sequel of Joshua).

But it is useful for us to consider this connection more carefully.

Joshua is identified as "the son of Nun, Moses' assistant."

We first meet Joshua in Exodus 17:9-10 as the general who leads the people in battle,

as Moses holds the staff of God over the field of battle.

So, from the start, Joshua is the one who leads the armies in the field.

Indeed, in Exodus 17:14, after the victory God declares,

"Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua,

that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven."

Joshua is to learn that God accomplishes what he promises.



In Ex 24:13, we are told that Moses took Joshua with him up the mountain,

and in 33:11 we hear that when Moses returned to the camp

from the tent of meeting, Joshua would remain in the tent.

Plainly, Joshua was being prepared for service-groomed as Moses' successor.

(And there is an interesting parallel between Joshua's devotion to the tent of God

and Jesus' devotion to the house of God even in his youth.)

In Numbers 13-14 Joshua is one of the 12 spies that scouted the land-

and one of only two that believed God's promises

and called the people to faithful obedience.

In Numbers 27, God declares that Moses will not lead the people into the land,

due to his sin,

but that Joshua will be the one who leads the people.

Joshua is described as "a man in whom is the Spirit,"

and Moses lays hands on him and commissions him,

investing him with Moses' own authority,

so that Israel might follow Joshua as well.

Deuteronomy 31 then recounts the commissioning of Joshua.

Read 31:1-8

Verse 23 even speaks of Yahweh's own commission to Joshua.

Then after God teaches Moses the song of chapter 32,

we hear in 32:45-47.



Notice the repetition: "be strong and courageous."

It is entirely misleading to suggest that Joshua had a personality trait,

leading him to be bashful or timid.

There is nothing in the text that suggests that.

On the contrary, he speaks boldly and forcefully in Numbers 14,

and had led the people into battle in his youth, 40 years before, in Ex 17.

Rather than treat this psychologically, look at it redemptive-historically.

Remember what you have seen.

Because the day is coming when Moses will no longer be there.

The pillar of cloud and fire will no longer go before you.

The manna-the bread from heaven-will no longer appear with the dew.

God spoke to Moses face to face,

but he will only speak to Joshua through the Urim and Thummim.

And yet while you will no longer have these outward manifestations of God's presence,

that does not mean that God is absent.

No, indeed, God will still go before you.

Therefore, be strong and courageous.

Further, Joshua is going to face perils that Moses never did.

Moses spent 40 years wandering in the wilderness,

but only a few times did Israel go into battle.

Now they are going against nations mightier than they.

In Numbers 14, Joshua had said, let us not fear the nations!

Now the LORD speaks to Joshua and says, (1:2-5).



Therefore, be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land.

Joshua 1 consists of two parts:

God's address to Joshua,

and Joshua's address to the people-together with their response.



2. Joshua and the Law

Now a second time, God repeats these words, "Only be strong and very courageous,"

But this is not merely a courage in the face of military enemies.

Indeed, the hosts of their enemies are a very minor part of the dangers that Israel faces.

Their greatest enemy is always going to be themselves!

Therefore, "be careful to do according to all the law

that Moses my servant commanded you."

Taking possession of the land will depend upon his faithfulness to God's word.

Because this is not a command to Israel.

God is not saying that Israel's taking possession of the land depends upon their

faithfulness.

It is not "you" plural.

It is "you" singular.

You, Joshua, must be careful to do all that Moses commanded you!

You, Joshua, shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers.

Not Israel.

Not Moses.

Not some sovereign interposition of God apart from means.

You.



If Joshua fails, then Israel will not receive their inheritance.

If Joshua turns aside to the right or to the left,

then all the promises of God become null and void.

I don't care if Joshua was the boldest, most confident man who ever lived!

To know that the inheritance of the people of God depends solely upon you

is not something that any mortal could take lightly.

Joshua's great namesake-the one who was both human and divine-

trembled when he came to the final test as well.



And yet God declares, "Have I not commanded you?"

(You can almost hear Joshua's silent reply:

"Command what you will, O God, and give what you command!"

Perhaps Augustine was the first to use those words,

but surely he was not the first to think it!!)

But that is precisely what God assures Joshua:

"Be strong and courageous.

Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed,

for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go."

What had Joshua learned in his first battle in Exodus 17?

God will go with our armies if we have a righteous leader.

Why had Joshua been left in the tent with the glory of God?

Why had the Spirit come upon Moses' young assistant 40 years before?

Now he knows.

Only a Spirit-filled man who walks in the law of Moses faithfully

can bring the people of God into their inheritance.



And so, filled with the Spirit, commissioned by God at the Jordan River

by the hand of God's anointed servant,

he comes and speaks to the people.



You'd almost think we were talking about a guy named Jesus.



Oh, that's right.



We are. (Jesus is simply the Greek spelling of Joshua.)



3. Joshua and the People (Inheritance)

But Joshua comes to the officers and brings word to break camp and set forth.

To the two and a half tribes who had settled there on the east bank of the Jordan,

Joshua reminds them of the pledge they had given to Moses,

to assist in the conquest of the land,

"Until the LORD gives rest to your brothers as he has to you,

and they also take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them"

Their response is instructive:

"Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you."



Some of you may not be too impressed by that promise.

You may recall the wilderness wanderings,

where Israel was famous for their grumbling and complaining-

their constant rebellion against Moses!

But remember that God's judgment had already fallen against that generation.

They have all died in the wilderness.

These are their children-those who watched their parents die in the wilderness.

But they have remained faithful to Yahweh, and obeyed the voice of Moses.



And now they pledge themselves to serve Joshua as well:

(1:16-18)



They understand quite well that the inheritance depends upon Joshua.

They need a faithful leader, one like Moses, who will lead them in the way of the LORD.

Therefore they promise to obey Joshua,

urging him to be strong and courageous,

because they know that their salvation depends not upon themselves,

but upon the LORD's Anointed who goes before them.

If you, Joshua, are not strong and courageous,

then we're not going to last long against these Canaanites!



Israel takes possession of the land by faith.



They believe God's promises and so they follow Jesus.



Hebrews 3-4 is perhaps the most famous usage of Joshua in the NT.

and we'll be looking at it from time to time throughout our study,

but I'd like for you to consider a different NT parallel tonight.

1 Peter 1:3-5

The resurrection of Jesus is the triumph of the new Joshua.

Just as Joshua brought Israel into their inheritance

by overthrowing the armies of Canaan,

so Jesus brings us into our inheritance

by overthrowing the principalities and powers,

by destroying the power of sin, death and the devil,

through his resurrection from the dead.

And, like with Hebrews 3-4,

this time it is "an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading."

There is not going to be another exile!



Jesus is the faithful covenant keeper-

the one who obeyed Moses perfectly-

and through that obedience received the inheritance,

and gives it to those who believe in him.



And because Jesus has been strong and courageous,

and because he has demolished the foe,

taking captivity itself captive-

therefore we may rejoice and follow him cheerfully and obediently into battle,

knowing that our enemies have already been cast down.



When you are tempted by sin, or discouraged by foes,

remember, they have been overthrown.

By faith, remember that the Lord Joshua has already gone before you to bring you an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.