Yehoshua 13: Advanced Age

“Joshua was now old, advanced in years. The LORD said to him, “You have grown old, you are advanced in years; and very much of the land still remains to be taken possession of” (Verse 1). The end of last chapter ended on a positive note with the list of defeated kings. Chapter 13 opens with a very different message. God is upset that the people have not conquered more land. Joshua is described as “grown old and advanced in years.” This phrase has been used to describe two other people- Avraham and Sarah. “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years; Sarah had stopped menstruating” (Genesis 18:11) and “Abraham was now old, advanced in years, and God blessed with everything” (Genesis 24:1). The first verse is when Avraham and Sarah are told that they will have a child- Yitzchak. The second verse is right before Avraham sends Eliezer to go find a wife for Yitzchak. The first verse is all about Sarah and Avraham not believing that God could provide them with a child because they were so old. And yet, God did provide. Joshua may have thought that he could not conquer the land anymore because he was getting older, but by describing him the same way God described Avraham and Sarah, God sent the message that anything was still possible. The second verse described Avraham’s concern that his legacy would not be complete before he died. He had a son, but needed to know that his son had a wife to continue the family. Here too, Joshua is nearing death. He charge was to conquer the land that God gave to Avraham. After hundreds of years, these promises are about to be a reality. God is reminding Joshua that Avraham did not give up on the fulfillment of his legacy even after he was getting old. So too Joshua needs to redouble his efforts to secure his, and Avraham’s, legacy no matter his age.