Joshua 1:1-2 - Joshua the Servant

The Book of Joshua is the story of how Joshua led the people of God to victory in the Promise Land. The great lesson we will learn from this book is that victory in our Christian life can only come by faith. We can only overcome the flesh, the world, and the devil on a daily basis as we live a life of faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6), and “this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).   We first met Joshua as a slave in Egypt who found deliverance and freedom by the blood of a lamb. Yesterday we talked about the next time we find Joshua was in Exodus 17, where he is a soldier leading the army of Israel against the Amalekites. Today we meet Joshua as the servant. In the very first verse of Joshua 1, Joshua is called “Moses’ assistant.”   In Exodus 24:13, Joshua is called Moses' servant ("minister"), which indicates that Joshua was now an official assistant to the leader of Israel. “So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.” Joshua accompanied Moses to the mount and went with him when he judged the people for making the golden calf (Exodus 32:17). It wasn't enough that Joshua be a good warrior; he also had to know the God of Israel and the holy laws God gave His people to obey. We shall discover that the secret of Joshua's victories was not his skill with the sword but his submission to the Word of God (Joshua 1:8) and to the God of the Word (Joshua 5:13-15).   During Israel's wilderness journey, Moses had a special tent set up outside the camp where he could meet with God. “So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle” (Exodus 33:7-11). It was Joshua's responsibility to stay at the tent and guard it. Not only was Joshua a warrior, but he was also a worshiper and knew how to live in the presence of God.   Joshua was jealous not only for the glory of God but also for the honor and authority of Moses. This is a good characteristic for a servant to have, and it showed up when God sent His Spirit upon the seventy elders Moses had chosen to assist him in his work (Num. 11:16-30). When the Spirit came upon Eldad and Medad in the camp, two men who had not assembled with the other elders at the tabernacle, Joshua protested and asked Moses to stop them from prophesying. It is also worth noting that when the inheritance was allotted after the conquest of the Promised Land, Joshua took his share last (Joshua 19:49-51).   The basic meaning of a servant is that he or she is one who is under the authority of another. Joshua as Moses’ assistant was under his authority. Moses himself was called the servant of the LORD more than any other title. Jesus made it clear to His disciples in Mark 10:42-43, that the one who would desire to be greatest must be the servant of all. Then Jesus said that He Himself “didn’t come to be served but to serve and to give His life for many”. (Mark 10:45)   The great Apostle Paul in his letters to the churches, most often referred to himself as a bondslave of Jesus Christ. In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul taught us that we should have the mind of Christ. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” The mind of Christ is one of humility and servanthood!   Living by faith means we are living as servants under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are obediently serving Him according to His Word! May the Lord help us to do this today!   God bless!