God Has Expectations
Joshua 1:7-16
SS Lesson for 06/12/2011
Devotional Scripture: Eccl 12:13; Micah 6:8
The concept of thelesson outline came from the Bible Expositor and Illumninator. This week's lesson describes how God Has Expectations. The study's aim is to teach that God expects us to do our part in working with Him. The study's application is to experience that when we do our part, God blesses us by bringing His promises to fulfillment.
Boot Camp
The phrase boot camp is associated with the first weeks of training in a branch of the military. One purpose of boot camp is to condition trainees to respond with immediate obedience to legal commands. It is absolutely essential that legal orders be obeyed without argument. A father is said to have asked his son what he learned in boot camp, and the son replied that he had learned what the word now means! Being a follower of Jesus also has expectations of obedience. Jesus says that the person who loves him will obey what he commands (John 14:15). In the latter part of the Great Commission, Jesus states that disciples are to be taught to obey everything that he commands (Matthew 28:20). Peter affirms that the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey him (Acts 5:32). Paul states that Jesus will punish those who do not obey him (2 Thessalonians 1:8). Even “the apostle of love,” John, writes that love is perfected by keeping or obeying the word of Christ (1 John 2:4, 5). Perhaps it would be a good idea to have a boot camp for new Christians—just to help them realize that there are important obligations in living for Christ. The training might even include the meaning of the word now!
Lesson Background
The previous lesson developed, in part, Joshua 1:1–6. Today’s lesson considers the remaining verses of Joshua 1, thus the historical background for this lesson is the same as that of last week. Therefore a different emphasis is given to help the student understand the mind-set of the Israelites as they prepared to enter Canaan. The Israelites had been in Egypt for 430 years (Exodus 12:40, 41). During that time, the favored family of Jacob ended up becoming a slave nation, with all that pertains to that status. They endured severe hardships under Egypt’s taskmasters. As the Israelites left Egypt, this new nation under God experienced freedom from servitude. History demonstrates that with freedom can come a tendency to abuse it, as some people come to think that they may do as they wish, without restraint. Israel had witnessed mighty miracles and the plagues on the Egyptians, and it had the leadership of Moses. These factors should have combined to produce a grateful, obedient people. Instead they become experts in defiance and disobedience. They are accused of rebelling 10 times—perhaps a figure of speech meaning “many times” (Numbers 14:22). The Israelites who left Egypt did not go directly to the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead they had a stopover at Mount Sinai, the place where Moses had witnessed the burning bush. That was where God had promised that he would bring the Israelites to worship (Exodus 3:12). While there, they received the law and constructed the tabernacle as the center of their worship (Exodus 19–27). Early in the second year after leaving Egypt, the Israelites departed from Sinai and moved toward the southern edge of Canaan (Numbers 10:11, 12). Moses then sent 12 spies into the land. They were gone 40 days (13:25), a number that became very significant. Ten of the spies demonstrated a lack of trust in God to lead them successfully to conquer Canaan, and the people sided with them. The result was punishment by God. First, they had to spend 40 years in the wilderness, a year for each day the spies were gone (Numbers 14:34). Second, out of the 603,550 men of war, only Joshua and Caleb, the 2 “good” spies, lived to enter Canaan (1:46; 2:32; 14:30). This means that an average of about 43 men died each day for the remaining 38 years of the 40-year sentence (Deuteronomy 2:14). Every death served as a reminder of the disobedience of the first generation.
One sarcastic maxim is that the only thing you learn from history is that no one learns from history. Each generation seems determined to make its own mistakes. The second generation in Israel, however, was different. When it came time to advance into Canaan under Joshua, the men of war pledged their support. Their commitment was different from that of the previous generation.
If you have ever been mentored to step into a new position of authority, you can relate somewhat to the role of Joshua, who took over the leadership of Israel after Moses' death. He had been Moses' assistant for many years, and there is a good bit of evidence in the Scriptures that Moses mentored him throughout those years in preparation for leading the nation of Israel. At God's direction, Moses officially appointed him to the position (Deut. 31:23); immediately upon Moses' death (34:5-8), Joshua took over (vs. 9). In the opening of Joshua, God gave clear assurance to the new leader. Wherever Joshua took his army, God would give him that land (1:3). Boundaries were defined (vs. 4), and no one would be able to stand against Joshua (vs. 5). It was in the strength of the Lord that Joshua would conquer the land. Last week we saw how God keeps His promises and how Joshua and the people of God were able to conquer their enemies in fulfillment of His promise. This week we look at the fact that our God has certain expectations of us as well. It is always interesting to see how God works in our lives. All of us have been through difficult times when we had no other recourse except to trust Him. But looking back now, is it not fascinating to see how God opened doors for us to do our part in it all? God wants us to see that He is there for us, but He also wants us to work alongside Him in resolving our issues. We are partners with the almighty God. Our loving God allows us to work with Him.
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe 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 of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter — when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
22 But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. 18 But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands.
3 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, 2 for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.
7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him.
23 but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
14 The Lord replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.
11 You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.
15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.
5 The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it.
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying,
11 "Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, 'Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.'"
12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying,
13 "Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, 'The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.'
14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them,
15 until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord's servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise."
16 So they answered Joshua, saying, "All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.
25 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.
13 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
5 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers — not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.
26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
2 The fear and dread of you will fall upon all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.
11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
7 Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless — not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.
7 In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.
8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you — guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.
34 "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
18 It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.
27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
Any structured society must have obedience to its governing precepts. Without that, anarchy will result. The concept of obedience is best learned early. Parents may use a variety of methods to enforce what is said. Each child is different, and the good parent will recognize the differences and guide each child accordingly. If a child does not learn to obey, he or she may develop disrespect for all who are in authority—teachers, employers, law enforcement officers, and even God. Some parents abdicate this responsibility. Perhaps they hope the child-care workers or the public schools will come to the rescue. Those who work in these areas are to be admired for the good things they accomplish, but learning to obey should begin early—in the home. The Israelites learned that disobedience brought tragedy. Obedience was vital for them; it still is for us.
Why did God find it necessary to admonish Joshua to be "strong and very courageous"? After all, Joshua was a tested military leader who had proved his courage in battle many times before over the preceding forty years. And as the nation was preparing to take possession of the Promised Land, Joshua had God's explicit promise of His presence and of the fact that no one would be able to stand up to him for as long as he lived (Josh. 1:5). One answer, of course, is that although the Lord would be constantly present with him, Joshua would not normally see or hear Him. Joshua would have to trust God's word that He was there, just as we trust the promise of Christ (cf. Matt. 28:20), sometimes against all visible evidence. It often requires courage, therefore, just to exercise faith in God's promise. And we must remember that the conquest of the land was above all else a faith venture. But that is not the reason given in verse 7 itself, although it directly applies to the preceding verse. God repeated the admonition for courage and stated very specifically why it was needed: "That thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee." If conquering a land full of enemies requires courage, staying true to God's revealed will in a position of leadership demands even more. Any leader of a large group of people can testify that the pressure to veer from the precepts of God's Word can be enormous. The temptation to let certain requirements fall by the wayside in order to please or placate various constituents can be terribly difficult to resist at times. That is why God told Joshua to be courageous and strong: so that he would be careful to adhere faithfully to all of the commands. Partial or selective obedience would not do. The law of God is not a static list of rules and regulations. It is, rather, a dynamic guide for life's journey, pointing out the path we are to follow. The path that God has called us to take is not an obvious one or a gentle one (cf. Matt. 7:14). It is easy to get sidetracked, to veer off to the right or the left, as the Lord cautioned Joshua. This is to be avoided at all costs, for it is only in staying on the true path that our lives will bear fruit, or "prosper." Where do we gain the strength and courage we need to remain faithful to God's precepts in the face of the pressures thrown at us by a hostile world? Joshua could do so only by remembering the promise just given to him of God's constant presence. We too must remember all of the Lord's promises to us and believe them. We must remember that if we know Christ and aim to serve Him, we are on a faith venture. Faith is not given to us to coddle us or to make us feel warm and fuzzy; it is poured out on us to give us the courage and determination to live for Him. As Hebrews 12:2-3 reminds us, we are to be looking to Jesus and considering what He went through so that we will not be weary or faint along the way.
1. God expects from His children the courage to fully obey His Word and rewards them for service (Josh. 1:7; cf. John 14:15)
2. Both God's Word within us and His presence with us should keep us from fear (Josh. 1:8-9)
3. True faith in God's Word must be evidenced by right action (Josh. 1:10-11;cf. Jas. 1:22-25)
4. Remembering the Word of God is the first step to one's obedience to it (Josh. 1:12-13)
5. Keeping one's commitments to God is both good and necessary (Josh. 1:14-15; cf. Eccles. 5:1-7)
6. We should follow our spiritual leaders as long as they follow God (Josh. 1:16;cf.vss. 17-18; Heb. 13:17)
Joshua had spent forty years as Moses' understudy. But it is one thing to study leadership; it is another to practice it. Many who would lead Israel in the years to come would be horrific failures. Joshua, however, exemplified the kind of godly leadership the Lord always wants for His people.
Leadership that is based on the charisma or talents of the leader will prove to be shallow. Those who lead God's people must base their decisions on God's clear word. The Lord spoke directly to Joshua, telling him again to be strong and courageous (Josh. 1:7; cf. vs. 6). But along with this, God commanded him to abide by God's law. This would be the key to his success in leading the nation. Joshua was to live it, talk about it, and think about (meditate on) it (vs. 8). Today we have the completed Scriptures, but the principle is the same. God's Word is the means of growth toward consistent obedience and conformity to Christ (I Pet. 2:2). Success in the biblical sense is living wisely so as to honor God. If we desire success in any endeavor, we must know, obey, and talk about God's Word. It would take great boldness and strength for Joshua to follow through on the formidable task before him, but he could do so with full assurance that the Lord was present with him (Josh. 1:9). Likewise, we can boldly follow the Lord regardless of the obstacles we face, for we know the One who commands us is also with us at all times.
There is no leadership without determined action. Joshua acted immediately on God's commands and promise. He first addressed the officers, telling them to prepare the people to cross the Jordan in three days, thus beginning the conquest of the Promised Land. He repeated the words of the Lord that He had given them this land to possess. Joshua then addressed the two and a half tribes who had already been given land east of the Jordan. They had been given this land on the condition that they aid their countrymen in the conquest of the land west of the Jordan (Num. 32). Joshua reminded them of the promise they had made to Moses (Josh. 1:12-13). Israel's leader had changed, but their promise remained; and Joshua was holding them to it. He would allow their wives and children and cattle to remain behind, along with some of the men. But the armed men of these tribes would accompany their brethren until all the Land of Promise came under Israel's control (vss. 14-15). Godly leaders rightly expect and demand that people uphold their commitments, especially their commitments to God.
Godly leaders do not "demand" but rather "command" respect. People are ready to follow a leader who stands for what is right and just and leads a life of integrity and commitment to God. It would not be easy for these Israelites to leave home and enter into battle. But Joshua was a man worthy of following, for he was following God. Thus, they readily agreed to honor their obligation and obey Joshua.