1

SundayNightMessageOctober15,2017Joshua1–TheLeadershipQualitiesofJoshuaSeries–JoshuaText–Joshua1:6-9;18;24:15-16

IntroductiontotheBookofJoshua

Joshua is the first of the twelve historical Books of the Bible. The breakdown of the OldTestamentisasfollows:

5BooksoftheLaw(Genesis–Numbers;alsoknownasTheBooksofMoses;Pentateuch) 12BooksofHistory(Joshua–Esther) 5BooksofPoetry(Job–SongofSolomon) 5MajorProphets(Isaiah–Daniel) 12MinorProphets(HoseatoMalachi)

39OldTestamentBooksTotal

The name Joshua means “Jehovah is salvation”. It is the Hebrew equivalent of the name,“Jesus”.

Joshuawas“thesonofNun”fromtheTribeofEphraim.(Numbers13:8)JoshuawasmostlikelyborninEgyptianslavery.HeservedasMosesminister(Exodus24:13;Joshua1:1)Heremainedseparated from the apostate congregation of IsraelwhenMoseswas up on themountwithGod. (Exodus32:7–18)HeandCalebbroughtbackagood reportafter spyingout the land,whereastheothertenspiesbroughtbackanevilreport.(Numbers13:1–14:9)Twice,GodsaidofJoshuathathehad“thespirit”:

"AndtheLORDsaiduntoMoses,TaketheeJoshuathesonofNun,amaninwhomisthespirit,andlaythinehanduponhim;"(Numbers27:18)

"AndJoshuathesonofNunwasfullofthespiritofwisdom;forMoseshadlaidhishandsuponhim:andthechildrenofIsraelhearkeneduntohim,anddidastheLORDcommandedMoses."

(Deuteronomy34:9)

ItisbelievedthatthisBookwaswrittenaround1400B.C.byJoshua(seeJoshua24:26),thoughsomepartsoftheBookcouldnothavebeenwrittenbyhim.(Joshua24:29–31)Theauthorhadtobeaneyewitnessoftherecordedevents.(Joshua5:1–“we”;5:6–“us”)Rahabtheharlothidtwospies inchapter2,andwasstillalivewhentheBookof Joshuawaswritten,so it is likelythatJoshuawaswrittenshortlyaftertheeventsrecordedintheBook:

2

"AndJoshuasavedRahabtheharlotalive,andherfather'shousehold,andallthatshehad;andshedwellethinIsraelevenuntothisday;becauseshehidthemessengers,whichJoshuasentto

spyoutJericho."(Joshua6:25)

TheBookhadtohavebeenwrittenbeforethereignofDavid.Joshuarecords:

"AsfortheJebusitestheinhabitantsofJerusalem,thechildrenofJudahcouldnotdrivethemout:buttheJebusitesdwellwiththechildrenofJudahatJerusalemuntothisday."(Joshua

15:63)

2Samuel5:5–9recordsthatDavideliminatedtheJebusitesfromJerusalem.

The context of this Bookprimarily dealswith the entering in of the People of Israel into thePromisedLandofCanaan.ThisBookpicksupwhereDeuteronomyleavesoff.GodtoldMosestochooseMosesforhisreplacement.(SeeNumbers27:12–23;Deuteronomy31:7-15)

AccordingtoRyrie:

ThebookdescribestheconquestanddivisionofthelandofCanaanandissetagainstthebackgroundofthe corrupt and brutal features of Canaanite religion, depicted clearly in the Ras Shamra Tablets.Prostitutionof both sexes, infant sacrifice, and religious syncretismwere someof the evils forwhichGod commanded the Israelites to exterminate the inhabitants of Canaan.Much of the later spiritualdeclensioninIsraelwasduetothefactthattheCanaaniteswerenotcompletelydestroyed.Asaresult,theirreligionwastoleratedandfrequentlyabsorbedbytheIsraelites.1

TheemphasisoftheBookisonthefaithfulnessofGodinkeepingHispromisetotheChildrenofIsrael;theholinessofGodinjudgingtheCanaanites,andtheimportanceoftheWordofGod.

I TheCommissionofJoshua(vs.1–4)

God promises to give to Israel the land thatHe had previously promisedMoses. The land isdescribedasextendingnorthwardtoLebanon,westwardtotheEuphratesRiver,southwardtothewilderness,andeastwardtoMediterraneanSea.(SeeMap)

II TheCourageandQualificationsNeededfortheJob(vs.5–9)

FourtimesinJoshuachapterone,GodadmonishesJoshuatobestrongandcourageous.Joshuahadaverydifficulttaskaheadofhim:hewastotakeoverforperhapsthegreatestleadertheworld had ever seen – Moses. He was to bring the congregation of Israel into the land ofpromise,andhewastoleadtheminbattleagainstalloftheinhabitantsoftheland.Thiswasahuge job foranyman,andGodwanted tomake sure that Joshuawasmentallyprepared forwhatlayaheadforhim.WhenwegettotheendoftheBookofJoshuaandtheendofJoshua’slife,weseethatJoshuaisstillagoodman;heisstillstandingfortheLord,andheisleadinghis1Ryrie,C.C.(1994).RyriestudyBible:KingJamesVersion(Expandeded.,p.335).Chicago:MoodyPress.

3

house,hisfamily,hischildrentodothesame.

JoshuahaddemonstratedcourageandstrengthinhislifepriortohisbeinggiventhepositionastheleaderofthenationofIsrael,andcontinuedtomanifesttheseattributesthroughouthislifeasheledthepeopleofGod.ConsiderthethreequalitiesthatJoshuapossessedastheleaderofIsrael,andalsoastheleaderofhisfamily:

1 HeWasWillingtoServe.BeforehewasIsrael’sleader,hewas“Mosesminister”.Ittakesa strong and secureman to serve anotherman faithfully. Joshuawas the “behind thescenes guy” inmuch of the first five books of the Bible, butwe never read of JoshuamurmuringorrebellinginanywayagainsttheleadershipofMoses.HeservedMosesfor40yearsastheywanderedthroughthewilderness.

Thewordministermeanstoserve. Inordertoservesomeone,youneedtobehumble.Pridedemandstobeserved;pridedemandsthespotlight.Ittakesahumble,yetsecuremantoserve–mostofthetimesbehindthescenes,notreceivingthecredit.

"Butyeknowtheproofofhim,that,asasonwiththefather,hehathservedwithmeinthegospel."-(Philippians2:22)

"ForDavid,afterhehadservedhisowngenerationbythewillofGod,fellonsleep,andwaslaiduntohisfathers,andsawcorruption:"-(Acts13:36)

"ServetheLORDwithgladness:comebeforehispresencewithsinging."-(Psalm100:2)

Inordertoservesomeone,youwillalsoneedtobewillingtowork.TheBiblesaysthatifamandesirestheofficeofabishop,hedesiresagoodwork.Ifamanisgoingtoservehisfamily,hewill have to bewilling towork. Paul told themen at the church at Thessalonica that if theywouldnotwork,theyshouldnoteat.

2 HeWasaStudentoftheWordofGod.HewasanexpertintheLawthatGodhadgivenMoses.Godstatedthat the“Bookof theLaw”was inhismouth. (Joshua1:8)HeknewtheBible.HehadstudiedtheScriptureswithhismentorfor40years.

InorderformentoserveGod,wemustknowwhatGodexpectsofus.Wearebombardeddailywiththephilosophiesoftheworldsystemthatsurroundsus.MostofthesephilosophiesareincompletecontradictiontotheprinciplescontainedintheWordofGod.Wespendfartoomuchtimebeinginfluencedbytheworld,andnotenoughtimeallowingthewordofGodtoinfluenceus.

"Blessedisthemanthatwalkethnotinthecounseloftheungodly,norstandethinthewayofsinners,norsittethintheseatofthescornful.ButhisdelightisinthelawoftheLORD;andinhis

4

lawdothhemeditatedayandnight.Andheshallbelikeatreeplantedbytheriversofwater,thatbringethforthhisfruitinhisseason;hisleafalsoshallnotwither;andwhatsoeverhedoeth

shallprosper.Theungodlyarenotso:butarelikethechaffwhichthewinddrivethaway.Thereforetheungodlyshallnotstandinthejudgment,norsinnersinthecongregationoftherighteous.FortheLORDknoweththewayoftherighteous:butthewayoftheungodlyshall

perish."-(Psalm1:1-6)

"Andthesewords,whichIcommandtheethisday,shallbeinthineheart:Andthoushaltteachthemdiligentlyuntothychildren,andshalttalkofthemwhenthousittestinthinehouse,andwhenthouwalkestbytheway,andwhenthouliestdown,andwhenthourisestup.Andthoushaltbindthemforasignuponthinehand,andtheyshallbeasfrontletsbetweenthineeyes.Andthoushaltwritethemuponthepostsofthyhouse,andonthygates."-(Deuteronomy6:6-

9)

Joshua’ssourceofstrengthwastheWordofGod:

"ForthewordofGodisquick,andpowerful,andsharperthananytwoedgedsword,piercingeventothedividingasunderofsoulandspirit,andofthejointsandmarrow,andisadiscerner

ofthethoughtsandintentsoftheheart."-(Hebrews4:12)

"Andthatfromachildthouhastknowntheholyscriptures,whichareabletomaketheewiseuntosalvationthroughfaithwhichisinChristJesus.AllscriptureisgivenbyinspirationofGod,andisprofitablefordoctrine,forreproof,forcorrection,forinstructioninrighteousness:ThatthemanofGodmaybeperfect,throughlyfurnisheduntoallgoodworks."-(2Timothy3:15-17)

"Thywordisalampuntomyfeet,andalightuntomypath."-(Psalm119:105)

"TrustintheLORDwithallthineheart;andleannotuntothineownunderstanding.Inallthywaysacknowledgehim,andheshalldirectthypaths."-(Proverbs3:5-6)

3 HeWas Faithful to Stand forGod. Back in Exodus,when the rest of the congregation,includingAaron,wasworshippingagoldencalf,Joshuawasseparatedfromthem,waitingpatientlyforthereturnofMoses.

When tenof thespiescamebackwithanevil reportafter spying the land, JoshuaandCalebcameback ready to fight.Theyknewthat theirGodwas far superior toanygiants thatwereopposingtheminthelandofCanaan.

Attheendofhislife,hewasabletosay,“Asformeandmyhouse,wewillservetheLord”.Hetoldhispeers,“Youdowhatyouwanttodo,butwearegoingtostandfortheLord”.

"WhereforetakeuntoyouthewholearmourofGod,thatyemaybeabletowithstandintheevil

5

day,andhavingdoneall,tostand.Standtherefore,havingyourloinsgirtaboutwithtruth,andhavingonthebreastplateofrighteousness;Andyourfeetshodwiththepreparationofthe

gospelofpeace;Aboveall,takingtheshieldoffaith,wherewithyeshallbeabletoquenchallthefierydartsofthewicked.Andtakethehelmetofsalvation,andtheswordoftheSpirit,whichisthewordofGod:PrayingalwayswithallprayerandsupplicationintheSpirit,andwatching

thereuntowithallperseveranceandsupplicationforallsaints;"-(Ephesians6:13-18)

Thosethreequalities–serving,studying,andstanding-arethe ingredientsofagreat leader,andtheingredientsofagreatdad.Joshuawassomeonewhoknewwhatwasrighttodo,andwasstrongandcourageousenoughtodoit,evenwhentherestofthecrowdwaspushinghimand pressuring him to move in the other direction. We could use some more Joshua’s inAmericatoday.Wecoulduseafewmoregoodmen(andwomen).Areyouwillingtobeone?

Wearelivinginverydarkdays–“periloustimes”–Godsaystoyouandmetoday“bestrongandcourageous”–servemypeople,studymyWord,andstandforwhatisright.

III TheCommnadmentofJoshuatothePeople(vs.10–15)

A TotheOfficers(vs.10–11)

B TotheReubenites,Gadites,andtothehalf-tribeofManasseh(vs.12–15)

SeeNumbers32forthebackgroundtothisstory.

IV TheCooperationofthePeople(vs.16–18)

The people of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh pledged complete obedience to Joshua. TheBackgroundtothisstorycanbefoundinNumbers32.[ThefollowingnotesweretakenfromamessageoriginalpreachedonMarch4,2012]

SundayMorningMessageMarch4,2012BeSureYourSinWillFindYouOutTopic–TheSinofDiscouragingText–Numbers32:1-23CongregationalReading–Numbers32:20-23

Introduction

Readv.23again

Explainhowthephrase“BeSureYourSinWillFindYouOut”iscommonlyused.

Examples:amanandwomancommittingadultery;achildcheatingona test (illustratewithsomeofthewayskidshavecheatedattheacademy(blueinkinaredbarrelpenat

6

thegradingstation;gradingkeystakenhome;textmessagingduringtests)

AnysinthatamancancommitcanbeapplicabletothisBiblicalprinciple.

"Benotdeceived;Godisnotmocked:forwhatsoeveramansoweth,thatshallhealsoreap."-(Galatians6:7)

"Forthereisnothingcovered,thatshallnotberevealed;neitherhid,thatshallnotbeknown.Thereforewhatsoeveryehavespokenindarknessshallbeheardinthelight;andthatwhichyehavespokenintheearinclosetsshallbeproclaimeduponthehousetops."-

(Luke12:2-3)

Wecan’thideanythingfromGod–Heseesitall

Wenevergetawaywithanything.

However,intheimmediatecontextofthispassagethephrase“besureyoursinwillfindyouout”isnotusedinreferencetosomeactofimmorality–itisreferringtoagroupofpeoplediscouraginganothergroupofpeoplefromthefulfillmentofthewillofGod.

Beginreadinginv.1andexplainthestorybehindthephrase.(Refertomaps)

Transition

TheBiblehasalottosayaboutdiscouragingpeople:

"Butwhososhalloffendoneoftheselittleoneswhichbelieveinme,itwerebetterforhimthatamillstonewerehangedabouthisneck,andthatheweredrownedinthedepthof

thesea."-(Matthew18:6)

"Fathers,provokenotyourchildrentoanger,lesttheybediscouraged."-(Colossians3:21)

DiscouragingothersfromfulfillingthewillofGodfortheirlifeisasin.GodwantsustoliftupandencourageoneanothertodothethingsthatHehaswilledustodo.

ThismorningIwanttoconsiderthreewaysthatyouandIcanencourageeachotherinthewillofGod.

I YourAttendance(YourPresence-JustBeingThere)

"Letusholdfasttheprofessionofourfaithwithoutwavering;(forheisfaithfulthatpromised;)Andletusconsideroneanothertoprovokeuntoloveandtogoodworks:Notforsakingtheassemblingofourselvestogether,asthemannerofsomeis;butexhortingoneanother:andsomuchthemore,asyeseethedayapproaching."-(Hebrews10:23-

25)

7

WehaverecentlystudiedinourWednesdayNightseriesonTheLifeandMinistryoftheLord Jesus Christ when our Lordwas about to be crucified, and then Hewas to soonascend intoHeaven.TheLordadmonished thedisciples tostick together– to loveoneanother–toassembletogether.

Yourpresencecanbeagreatencouragement.

Illustrate–churchplantersoftengetdiscouragedbecausetherearenotinitiallyalotofpeopleattendingtheirservices.

Illustrate–yesterdayagroupofuswentoutinthebusandknockedon159doors.

Illustrate–largeturnoutforMelissa’sfuneralwasanencouragementtotheStahls

II YourActions(YourParticipation)

As far as our corporate worship is concerned – when you come – participate in theservices.

1 SingthesongsofGod2 Greetpeople3 Lookforsomebodythatneedsencouragement4 Lookforvisitorsandhelpthemfeelcomfortable5 Bewillingtohelpout–nursery,ushers,greeters,juniorchurch,busworkers

anddrivers,soulwinners,disciplers,SSteachers,helpsetup,helpcleanup(Illustrate–BrotherBobF.helpedmecleanupafterthebanquet)

Getinvolvedinyourchurch–Yourparticipationisagreatwaytoencourageotherstogetinvolved–and themorepeopleweget involved– themorewewill beable towin toChrist,andthentraintowinothers.

III YourAttitude(YourPosition–BePositiveandSupportive)

The expression on your face can either be a source of encouragement or a source ofdiscouragementtothepeoplearoundyou.

Thewords that you saywill eitherpointpeople toChrist and thewill ofGod,orpointthemaway.

Youshouldnothavetomanufactureagoodattitudeartificially,either.Wehaveanawfullottobehappyabout.

LetyourfacebeanadvertisementforthegoodnessofGod.

Conclusion

8

Illustration–RayChaney–alwayshadakindwordtosay–nevergotinvolvedinthejunkgoingaroundinthechurch.

Letyourattendance(presence),youractions(yourparticipation),andyourattitude(yourpositiveposition)beasourceofencouragementtothosearoundyou.

Map1–WanderinginWilderness

Map2LandDivisions

9

10

Conclusion

AsweconcludeJoshuaChapterOne,let’sberemindedofwhatwehaveseen:

I TheCommissionofJoshua(vs.1–4)

II TheCourageandQualificationsNeededfortheJob(vs.5–9)

1 HeWasWillingtoServe.2 HeWasaStudentoftheWordofGod.3 HeWasFaithfultoStandforGod.

III III TheCommnadmentofJoshuatothePeople(vs.10–15)

A TotheOfficers(vs.10–11)

B TotheReubenites,Gadites,andtothehalf-tribeofManasseh(vs.12–15)

IV TheCooperationofthePeople(vs.16–18)

Asofnow,everythinglooksgoodforthepeopleofGod.

Israelhadnothingbutopportunityinfrontofthem.TheyhadaninvincibleGod,andawesomehumanleader,andwide-openlandbeforethem.AlltheyhadtodowastrustGodandobeyHim.Ifweweretostopreadingnow,wewouldbetemptedtothinkthateverythingwentaccordingtoplan.However,ourunderstandingofhumannatureandsinshouldhelpusrealizethatmanwouldlimittheunlimitedplanofGod.