RPG Adults
JOSHUA SHOWED HIS AUTHORITY
LORD’S DAY, OCTOBER 8
Joshua 1:10-18
Numbers 32:25-28
“But thy servants will pass over,
every man armed for war,
before the LORD…”
JOSHUA SHOWED HIS AUTHORITY
The supply of manna continued and they gathered manna every morning. In addition, their clothes and shoes did not wear out all those years since they left Egypt. God faithfully supplied those needs. This was also a constant reminder that their journey was ordered by God.
Israel had to obey the servants whom God had appointed to lead them. Joshua had witnessed some of the rebellions against God and Moses during the Exodus. He was cautious of a possibility of another rebellion, so he had to do everything to stamp his authority. He gave the commands to the officers, and his orders were obeyed. He needed to do everything as God had charged him. Joshua was thus prepared.
Joshua Ordered the Tribes East of River Jordan: Joshua took over from where Moses had left. The arrangement with the two-and-a-half tribes that were to occupy the land east of River Jordan was to continue. Joshua had to give a special command to them that they should do their part as they had promised Moses in the presence of Joshua and Eleazar the priest. It was a pledge that they had no right to turn away from obeying. When Joshua gave orders for the preparation to cross River Jordan, his message to those tribes was that the time had come for them to fulfil their pledge. The order primarily was to the men of war who were able-bodied to go and fight. Joshua, in giving to them the orders, was in fact announcing the commencement of war. It was God who had ordered them to go to Canaan and they would go to war at God’s orders.
When God told them to get out of Egypt, they did not have an organised army. Moses had no experience in war, nor in leading the people and defeating the Egyptians. He simply became an instrument because God was the One who fought for them. Israel had seen the powerful Egyptian army drown in the Red Sea. Hebrews 11, in recalling these events, attributed them to faith.
THOUGHT: Courage and righteousness fortify any leadership.
PRAYER: Father, give me courage as I perform my duties for Thee.