Teaching Notes

(Picture depicting the wall of Jericho)

                                                                                                                              Joshua: God's Servant Leader

Joshua 1:1-9

                                                                                                                               

1-9 After the death of Moses the servant of God, God spoke to Joshua, Moses' assistant: "Moses my servant is dead. Get going. Cross this Jordan River, you and all the people. Cross to the country I'm giving to the People of Israel. I'm giving you every square inch of the land you set your foot on—just as I promised Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon east to the Great River, the Euphrates River—all the Hittite country—and then west to the Great Sea. It's all yours. All your life, no one will be able to hold out against you. In the same way I was with Moses, I'll be with you. I won't give up on you; I won't leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don't get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you're going. And don't for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you'll get where you're going; then you'll succeed. Haven't I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don't be timid; don't get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take."

                                                                                                                       

Notes: Yesterday we talked about the requirements that Joshua had to meet as God's servant leader.  We finish off with that list and God's final remarks to Joshua in this section of scripture.

                                                                                                                       

Question: What was the final things God instructed Joshua to do?

                                                                                                                          

Answer: God tells Joshua, if he keeps God's commandments, it will help him to get where he is going and to be successful.  This is important for us to understand.  God's standard of success is different than what the world says.  We think of success as "gaining something".  God see success as us releasing something.  When we release ourselves into his hands and follow all that he commands, we are successful.  God's final message to Joshua is to be encouraged. He tells him not to be afraid and to know that he (God) would be with him every step of the way.  God started his message to Joshua to be encouraged and he ended it with the same message.  This was not an accident, God wanted Joshua to know he was with him and he was encouraging him for the journey ahead.  You and I can be encourage along our journey because we know that God is with us.  He will speak words to us that will help us to reach our destination.  Don't you want God to fulfill his purpose in you?

                                                                                                                          

Prayer: Lord, today we are thankful that you will encourage us on our journey.  We do not have to be afraid of what is before us because you will walk with us every step of the way.  You promise to lead us and guide us.