You have never been this way before. (Joshua 3:4)These are some packed chapters! Be strong and courageous. (1:7)
Do everything written in it [the Book of the Law]. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (1:8) This is sometimes referred to as Deuteronomic Retribution Theology and again goes right back to Deuteronomy 30. When we get to Proverbs you might notice the same sentiments there.
Remember when the 12 men spied out the Promised Land 40 years ago?... sort of? We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them. (Numbers 13:33) The fear that overwhelmed the 10 faithless spies was not from God. Here, the tables are turned because after all their years in the wilderness, the people of Israel are finally ready to take what God has promised them. The truth is expressed by Rahab: A great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. (2:9)
And in Chapter 3, Joshua's encouragement to follow the Ark of the Covenant because they were about to go where no man had gone before... well, at least where no Israelite had gone in the last 400 years. This is good advice. Trust God to raise up a leader, and then trust that leader. Truer words have seldom been spoken. You have never been this way before.
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Have you ever had to trust God to guide you into unknown territory?
Be strong and courageous -- this was said to Joshua 3 times by God (vs 6, 7, and 9), and then repeated again back to him from the people (vs 18). I wonder if this is because Moses and had just died and Joshua had some big shoes to fill and might have been intimidated by the responsibility of having to lead this mass of rebellious people? Or maybe just reassurance from God that he would be with him all the way. Maybe both? I was also wondering if this could be one of the times God repeated something 3 times to give it special meaning?
ReplyDeleteI still hear that verse in Michael W. Smith's voice. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe were just reading over this recently in our Sunday School lesson, the whole thing with Jericho and Rahab etc. - nice to have that reinforcement.
I'm completely with what Merry is saying here, the repetition and emphasis on not being afraid was most likely really, really needed.
The fear gripping the people of Jericho seems evident by how quickly they learned spies from the Israelites where in their city. Joshua sent them out in secret, so an effort was made on that end to keep it quiet, but still the people in Jericho seemed to learn they were there right away.
ReplyDeleteThe story of Rahab is amazing, especially in light of her being in the lineage of Christ.