JOSHUA 1:1-9 – GOD DRAFTS AND DEPLOYS
#2 of 5 of D. O. G. (Depend on God) Days
Of course God drafts and deploys his servants throughout the world today.
God drafts pastors, Sunday School Teachers, board members, missionaries, Christian School teachers and a host of others to do his bidding. When God drafts people into His service he deploys them, giving them specific assignments.
We have already seen that one of the most important things God wants us to do is to trust Him. Hebrews 11:6
We have been talking about D. O. G. (Depend on God) days. Last week we began to show reasons why God can be trusted. We saw last week that God Delivers, as God delivered the Children of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt and defeated Pharaoh at the Red Sea.
This week we want to see that GOD DRAFTS AND DEPLOYS.
God can be trusted because He not only enlists people to do His work, but He also deploys them to get the job done. This morning we want to look at Moses’ successor, Joshua.
After 40 years of wandering, the children of Israel were ready to enter into the Promised Land. Moses disqualified himself from leading the entrance into Israel’s new home.
Joshua was drafted to do it instead, and in Joshua 1:1-9 we see his actual deployment for getting the job done.
God has work to be done.
If you are a Christian you have a job to do: Luke 9:23, John 15:16, Ephesians 2:10
There are three things that Joshua needed to know as he was drafted into service and deployed by God to get the job done.
These are same three things that you will need to realize when God drafts and deploys you!
REALITY – THE JOB IS MINE Vss. 1-2
Vs. 1 – Moses is called the “Servant of The Lord”.
That is a title that Moses deserved.
It was a tittle of high honor.
Moses, by the end of his life, was well respected by his people.
He had done a good job leading.
No one, not even Joshua, could be another Moses.
For as much as Joshua is told to be “strong and of good courage” in these verses, I personally think that Joshua was scared to death.
He was probably apprehensive about filling the shoes of a great man.
He was probably apprehensive about the people.
He remembered how stubborn their parents were!
He was probably apprehensive about crossing the Jordan during flood stage.
He was probably apprehensive about the wars that faced him in the Promised Land.
And, he was probably apprehensive about his own ability to lead.
You have probably been called upon at one time or another to do a job for the Lord. If you haven’t, you will. You will have a tendency to have the same type fears that Joshua had.
Filling the shoes of a great predecessor, looking at the situation and doubting your own abilities, and wondering how you will ever be able to lead people who are stubborn.
Vs. 2 – God speaks to Moses, and you might say that God uses “shock therapy.”
God says to Joshua, “Moses my servant is dead.”
God is saying to Joshua, “Wake up and face reality.”
Moses is dead and gone. He’s not coming back.
It has been said, “God buries his workmen, but not his work.”
“Moses is gone Joshua. He’s not coming back.
You are the new leader, Joshua, get up and take Israel across to the Promised Land.”
God did not ask Joshua to be a Moses.
God asked Joshua to be Joshua, leading the people of God.
He did not have to fill Moses’ shoes or be as good as Moses. He simply had to do what God called Joshua to do!
There will be times when God will call you to do something that someone else has been doing. God will call you to take on a responsibility.
God might say to you, “So and So is dead,” or “so and so has left,” or “This new job needs to be done and I want you to do it!”
You might say, “I’m not qualified.” or “I’m not as good as he or she was.” That’s not the point. If God calls you to do something, you need to do it!
And folks, remember this. God does not change. Even when leadership or personnel change, God remains the same!
REASSURANCE – GOD IS WITH ME Vss. 3-5
Vss. 3-4 – God had promised Moses and Israel a vast territory. God now says that the promises He made to Moses were good for Joshua.
Here is a great truth which you and I must grasp.
God’s promises do not change.
God maintains His promises to each and every generation. Psalm 119:89, Mark 13:31
One of the reasons we should read the Bible for ourselves is so that we can discover the great promises found in the Scriptures.
Vs. 5 – There are great promises here:
- “No man can stand before you.”
We might say, “God plus one man = a majority!”
- “As I was with Moses, so will I be with you.”
- When Moses spoke for God, God backed him up.
- When Moses needed guidance, God gave guidance.
- When Moses needed strength, God gave strength.
- God stuck with Moses through thick and thin.
- God tells Joshua, “I will do the same for you, as I did for Moses.”
Let us remember that God will do for us, what He has done for other Christians.
- “I will not fail thee or forsake thee.”
RESPONSIBILITY – DO AS GOD SAYS Vss. 6-9
If Joshua was going to be successful in his new role as leader he had to be obedient. I think that we forget just how important obedience is.
We can make all sorts of sacrifices for the Lord, but if we don’t do as we are told by Him what good are our efforts?
We can spend all sorts of money on the Lord’s work, but if it is a “peace offering” because we are not doing what we are told, what good is it?
We can spend all our time attending church and listening to or watching religious programs, but if we don’t what we are told by Him what good is it?
1 Samuel 15:22-23 – …Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry…
In verses Joshua is told three times to be strong and courageous or of good courage. When I repeat myself, I want a point to sink in. When God repeats Himself, He wants the point to sink in.
Actually in these verses there are three reasons to be strong and courageous.
Vs. 6 – BE STRONG BECAUSE OF GOD’S PROMISE.
As mentioned before, God had promised that He would give Israel the Promised Land. He could be strong and courageous because of this promise.
We’ve already talked about us having the promises of God. As we believe them and obey the conditions for the promises, we can be strong and courageous because we know that God keeps His promises.
Vs. 7 – BE STRONG BECAUSE OF GOD’S PRECEPTS.
It will take strength and courage to obey the Word of God.
But true success will only come as we do exactly as God says, not going off to the right or the left.
Vs. 9 – BE STRONG BECAUSE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
God is saying, “Joshua, are you going to the Promised Land? So am I!”
Joshua could be strong and courageous because He wasn’t going anywhere without God, especially when God was the one sending Him.
When Jesus was with the disciples in the middle of a storm out on the Sea of Galilee, Jesus didn’t expect them to be afraid for two reasons. First, it was Jesus who had led them out into the sea that night. Second, Jesus went with them. And, of course, it was Jesus who calmed the storm.
My friend, as long as you follow the will of God, you can be assured of His presence to help and strengthen you.
We want to obey God, by being strong and courageous, but how do we go about doing so?
Vs. 8 – Here is the answer. We become strong and courageous as we do as we are told in this verse.
First of all, “this book of the law”, or God’s Word, is not to depart from our mouths. In other words, God’s Word should be talked about, referred to, and discussed. If the Word of God is the topic of our conversation, we are more likely to do as it says.
But a word of warning, what comes out of your mouth is a direct result of what is in your heart. Luke 6:45
So how do we get the Word of God on our lips? It must be in our hearts first. How do we get the Word of God in our hearts? By meditating on God’s Word.
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night…
Psalm 1:2 – But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psalm 119:15-16 – I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. [16] I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Psalm 119:97 – O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
To meditate is to think upon or dwell upon something. You already meditate on a lot of topics including your job, your family, your problems and your daydreams.
In order to effectively meditate on God’s Word I believe we need to memorize it. That will take effort. And don’t say you can’t memorize!
You can memorize at least one verse a month, and probably one a week or more. And you will need to review your verses. I place my verses on 3×5 cards.
Joshua 1:8 gives us the purpose for meditation on God’s Word. that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
The whole purpose of meditating on God’s Word is so that we will be obedient.
Psalm 119:11 – Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
And what is the result of obedience to God’s Word?
Joshua 1:8 – This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.
True prosperity and success are the results.
REALITY – THE JOB IS MINE, Vss, 1-2
REASSURANCE – GOD IS WITH ME Vss. 3-5
RESPONSIBILITY – DO AS GOD SAYS Vss. 6-9
We are to be strong and courageous.
BE STRONG BECAUSE OF GOD’S PROMISE
BE STRONG BECAUSE OF GOD’S PRECEPTS.
BE STRONG BECAUSE OF GOD’S PRESENCE
We become strong as we meditate in the Word of God.
