Joshua 1:7-9 - Encouragement From God's Written Word

Joshua 1 is an exciting chapter where God has given a new leader to the nation of Israel, to lead them into a new land, and to let them experience a new life of blessing and victory. For Joshua to accomplish his new task he needed encouragement, so God gave him at three specific encouragements and three promises to enable him with confidence to by faith trust the LORD on this journey. First Joshua was assured that God had called and commissioned him to be the leader of Israel. God then promised Joshua that He would be with him (vv.5, 9), that he would be victorious over all their enemies (v. 5), and that he would apportion the land to each tribe as its inheritance (v. 6).  Joshua must have been greatly encouraged by his specific calling from God and by these three great promises of His presence and victory over the enemy. But maybe the greatest encouragement that Joshua received was from God’s written Word! (vv. 7-9). It's one thing to say to a leader, "Be strong! Be very courageous!" and quite something else to enable him to do it. Joshua's strength and courage would come from meditating on the Word of God, believing its promises, and obeying its precepts. This was the counsel Moses had given to all the people (Deut. 11:1-9), and now God was applying it specifically to Joshua.  During the years of his leadership, Moses kept a written record of God's words and acts and committed this record to the care of the priests (Deuteronomy 31:9). The "Book of the Law" included "the Book of the Covenant" (Deut. 24:4, 7), a record of the journeys of the people from Egypt to Canaan (Numbers 33:2), special regulations dealing with inheritance (Numbers 36:13), and also the song that Moses taught the people (Deuteronomy 31:19). In Deuteronomy 31:23-26, we read Moses closing words to the nation of Israel just before he died: “Then He inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, "Be strong and of good courage; for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I swore to them, and I will be with you." So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished..." We have reason to believe the entire five Books of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy) comprised "the Book of the Law," the greatest legacy Moses could leave to his successor.   But it wasn't enough for the priests to carry and guard this precious book; Joshua had to take time to read it daily and make it a part of his inner person by meditating on it (Ps. 1:2; 119:97; see Deut. 17:18-20). The Hebrew word translated "meditate" means "to mutter." It was the practice of the Jews to read Scripture aloud (Acts 8:26-40) and talk about it to themselves and to one another (Deut. 6:6-9). This explains why God warned Joshua that the Book of the Law was not to depart out of his mouth (Joshua 1:8).   In the life of the Christian believer, prosperity and success aren't to be measured by the standards of the world. These blessings are the by-products of a life devoted to God and His Word. If you set out on your own to become prosperous and successful, you may achieve your goal and live to regret it. The questions God's people need to ask are: Did we obey the will of God? Were we empowered by the Spirit of God? Did we serve to the glory of God? If we can answer yes to these questions, then our ministry has been successful in God's eyes, no matter what people may think.   David began with Book of Psalms telling us that the “blessed” person will be the one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper” (Psalm 1:2-3). David might have been meditating on Joshua chapter one when he wrote this!   God bless!