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.

Teaching Notes

Joshua had to keep all that God's word commanded in order to be the Servant Leader God called him to be.

                                                                                                                                          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: God is continuing to give Joshua instructions on how to be his leader. God speaks to Joshua about how to stay in the right place as the leader of the Children of Israel.
 
                                                                                                                                           Question: What are some of the things God tells Joshua to be careful about?
 
                                                                                                                                       Answer: First he tells him to carry out every revelation that Moses has shown him, every last one of them.  In other words, God is telling Joshua that what you were taught you need to make sure you honor it and carry it out to the glory of God.  Secondly, he tells him not to venture to the left or the right, but to keep on course and to reach his destination.  In other words, God is telling Joshua allow me to fulfill my plan in your life, stay true to what you were called to do. The third thing he tells him is do not let the truth of the word get away from you.  Medicate on it day and night so that you will remember what is my will.  When we do these things we too can become God's leaders.  We can lead God's people to reach what he has for them if we keep God in front of everything we do.
 
                                                                                                                                          

Prayer: Lord, help us to become the leaders you have for us to be.  Help us to learn what is needed for us to carry out your assignment for our lives.

Teaching Notes

Joshua had the promise of God that he would walk with him every step of the way.  What a promise to know that you do not walk alone.

                                                                              

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: After God gives Joshua the promise of giving him all the land he steps foot on, he also gives him another promise that is given as an encouragement to Joshua.

                                                                                                                                        Question: What was the promises that God gave to Joshua that was an encouragement?

                                                                                                                                          Answer: God told Joshua he would never give up on him. He promises to lead him.  He also tells him to have strength and courage.  God tells Joshua that he will help him to lead these great people into the land that was promised to their ancestor.  He promises him to be with him and that he will give him strength and courage for the job ahead.  What an encouragement to know that God will not give up on you.  You can do whatever God says you can because he will give you the strength and the courage to carry through.  He will help you accomplish all that is set before you.

                                                                                                                                            Prayer: Today, Lord help us to find comfort in your promises.  You said you would not leave Joshua alone to fight his battle, so we can trust that if we trust in you, you will not leave us alone either.  Be with us as we face all the things before us.

Teaching Notes

While we understand that Joshua's footprints did not look quite like this, simply image however, that every place he put his foot, God promised it to him?

                                                                                                                                          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: We will continue today about the life of Joshua. God gives Joshua some promises that he had also promised to Moses.

                                                                                                                                         Question: What were the promises?

                                                                                                                                            Answer: God told Joshua that every step he took, that land would be given unto him.  God would remove the other nations from the land and would give it to the Israelites. He promises him that all the days of his life, no nation would be able to hold out against him.  The promises of God are true, we simply have to obey what he requires of us so that we can have access to those promises.

                                                                                                                                               Prayer: Lord today, we are thankful that just as you promises Joshua, you also promise us that we can have success in claiming the "land" for you.  You will keep every enemy back from taking us over as long as we trust and stand in you.

Teaching Notes

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: Moses has died after leading the people of Israel from Egypt and wondering in the desert for forty years.  Now God is changing the leadership.  He is calling Joshua who has been with Moses as his assistant.

                                                                                                                                    Question: Why do you think God called Joshua?

                                                                                                                                         Answer: God had been preparing Joshua to take Moses' place.  He was allowing Moses to train Joshua and Joshua was submitting himself under Moses to learn from him.  One of the first steps to being a great leader is having a willingness to learn.  Joshua was blessed because Moses was a great leader/teacher.  However, you can still become a great leader, even if you do not have a great leader/teacher.  You can gain wisdom on "what not to do".  Yet, God when he wants to prepare you for something will ensure that you get the training that you need.  That is what he did for Joshua.  So when it was time for him to take the position of leader, he was ready to do so.

                                                                                                                                          Prayer: Lord, we thank you today that you prepare us to lead, by first training us through following.  Help us to follow your ways with a committed heart.