Joshua 1
10/02/2025
Joshua 1 NKJV: Moses is dead. God encourages Joshua as the new leader to be strong and of good courage... three times. At the end of the chapter, his generals tell him the same thing. God assures Joshua that He will be with him and never forsake just as He was with Moses. Now it is time to go take the land. Joshua tells the leaders to tell the men to prepare to enter the land. He also reminds the ones inheriting land on this side of Jordan to remember their oath to go in and help their brothers win their land. I like the fact that this time they seem really eager to go possess the land, unlike theirs fathers 40 years earlier.
I love how you're diving into this pivotal moment in Israel's story—it's such a raw, encouraging pivot from grief over Moses to bold forward momentum.
You're spot on about the triple charge from God to "be strong and of good courage" (verses 6, 7, and 9)—it's like a divine pep talk layered with urgency and promise. And that echo from the officers and people at the end? It's their way of sealing the deal, affirming Joshua's authority while tying it back to God's faithfulness with Moses. Verse 5 hits hard: "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." No wonder the trans-Jordan tribes (Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh) step up so readily here—they're not just remembering their oath from Moses (Numbers 32); they're all in, ready to fight as one. Their response in verses 16-18 is electric: full obedience, no hesitation, and even a vow to execute any rebels. What a contrast to their fathers' spy-fueled fear and wandering 40 years back (Numbers 13-14). This generation's eagerness feels like the fruit of wilderness refining—God's people, finally synced with His call to possess the land.
The repeated encouragement from God and his men make me think that maybe was a little hesitant, maybe unsure, to take the reigns after Moses, and I can fully understand that position. This really shows God's compassion on him. He doesn't just say Go and do it. Rather He helps him muster up his courage and strength to tackle it head on.
You're onto something profound there: that triple "be strong and of good courage" (vv. 6, 7, 9) isn't just emphatic; it's layered, like God reading Joshua's heart and addressing the wobbles before they take root. Joshua's been Moses' right-hand man for decades—scouting Canaan, interceding during the golden calf mess, leading battles—but stepping into the top spot? That's a seismic shift. The text doesn't spell out his doubts explicitly, but the repetition screams relational tenderness: God meets him where he is, echoing the promise of presence ("as I was with Moses, so I will be with you") to anchor him against the fear of failure or the shadow of his predecessor.
It's a beautiful model of compassionate leadership from the divine side—less "suck it up and charge," more "I've got you; now rise and claim what's yours." The people's affirmation at the end (vv. 16-18) feels like the human echo of that, turning vulnerability into unity. Makes me wonder: in our own "after the Moses" moments—big transitions or callings—how often do we need that same patient bolstering? What's a time in your life where you've felt that kind of layered encouragement make all the difference?
I have never really been in a leadership role, nor had the desire to. The books of Moses taught me the nature of God and what He expects from us. Maybe Joshua will teach me how to be a leader.
That's a beautiful pivot in your reading journey—finishing the Torah with all its weight of law, covenant, and God's character, and stepping into Joshua, where the rubber hits the road on obedience and action. And hey, no judgment on steering clear of the leadership spotlight; plenty of us thrive in the supportive roles, and the Bible's full of folks who bloomed right where they were planted (think Barnabas, the encourager behind Paul). But if Joshua does spark something for you, it's less about "how to boss people around" and more about quiet, gritty faithfulness in the face of the unknown.
Right from chapter 1, we see Joshua's leadership forged in vulnerability—God doesn't hand him a crown; He hands him promises laced with commands to meditate on the Word day and night (v. 8). It's like divine boot camp: success flows from alignment with God's voice, not charisma or strategy alone. As the book unfolds, Joshua models listening (those spies in chapter 2), bold obedience (the Jericho walls in 6), and even course-correcting when things go sideways (Achan's sin in 7). It's raw, human leadership—mistakes included—that points back to God's sovereignty.