Title Toward Canaan (Joshua 01:1-9)
Perhaps Joshua felt the same way right after he succeeded Moses. After Moses died, God told Joshua to lead the people.
(1-2) When he received the command, on the one hand, he had a heart full of hope that he would soon occupy Canaan, and at the same time, Joshua was anxious about whether I would be able to lead this people to conquer the Promised Land. that you have
At this time of a promising new year, while pondering what God said to Joshua, I hope that you will surely enjoy the blessings of Canaan, flowing with milk and honey this year. Let us all take a strong step toward Canaan.
1. Who is Joshua?
Joshua, who succeeded Moses, is the son of Nu, and the meaning of his name is salvation. Or he was called Hosea (Numbers 13:8). He first appeared in the Bible in Exodus 17:8-19 as an Israeli general in the battle against Amalek. After that, he served as Moses' servant (deputy) in Exodus 24:13 and 32:17 and served in the tent of meeting, and in Numbers 13:8, he participated as the representative of the tribe of Ephraim among the 12 men who spyed on the land of Canaan and had a positive attitude like Caleb. He was a proponent of the theory of conquest. His appointment as Moses' successor is recorded in Numbers 27:18 and Deuteronomy 31:7.
After Moses died, Joshua was given the mission to conquer Canaan, and God made two commands and one promise. Just as these commands and promises were necessary for Joshua's new start, these are the words we need to start the new year today.
2. First, it is a command to strengthen our hearts (verse 6).
Why did God give this command? This command gives us an idea of the state of Joshua's heart now. In fact, Joshua was gripped with fear. Because he was too short compared to Moses, he was young and had no experience, and he was too daunting to lead the 2.5 million people of Israel by his own strength. Because I didn't have the confidence to do it. So, knowing Joshua's heart, God repeated the command to be strong and courageous (verses 6, 7, 8). He said that He would fulfill it (verses 5 and 6, the second half). That is, believe in God's promises and move forward with strength and courage.
Today, we stand at the beginning of a new year, with no knowledge of tomorrow. What we need the most is a strong and courageous heart and strong faith that God will surely fulfill the promise of conquering Canaan this year.
Of course, the environment in which we live is not conducive to optimism.
Not only politically and economically, but disbelief and moral depravity darken and disturb our minds. We have to walk towards an uncertain tomorrow. However, what is clear is that if we have strong and courageous faith, we can move forward powerfully toward Canaan. Let's start the year with a faith that transforms, overcomes the environment without being suffocated by the external environment, without weakening our hearts and faith.
When we see with faith, think with faith, and act with faith, we can obtain Canaan.
3. This is a command not to lean to the left or to the right. (Verses 7-8)
Even when Moses departed, he commanded that God's law should be carefully observed. Keeping the law and keeping it from your mouth means keeping the law in your thoughts and actions.
This command is already one of Moses' last requests. In Deuteronomy 30-31, he spoke about living a life of distinction as the chosen people and God's law as the standard of that life. This means that even after entering the land of Canaan, do not follow the principle of life in which the Gentiles in the land of Canaan live, but inherit and obey the word given to the chosen people.
This command is not only in Joshua's own life but also when he governs Israel, centering on the law and not leaning toward the left or the right.
The meaning of this day is not to lean to the left or to the right as the Word of God is the standard of our faith and all our conduct. What is our standard of living Unbelievers have their own principles of life. How are the saints different from them? What is the standard of our faith? Is it this book, or is it your own mystical experience or life experience? Our faith is based on the Word of God, so we must not deviate from it either to the left or to the right. will be
One of the hallmarks of this era is chaos. The religious world is becoming more confused, the ideological world is becoming more confused, and the ethical and moral life is also getting more confused. In times like these, believers should not follow the trends of the world and should firmly rescue the attitude of the believer in the Word-centered attitude.
In this year, let's not lean left or right centering on the Word. Let's go straight ahead.
4. It is a promise that I will be with you. (Verses 5, 9)
In verse 5, he said, ?쏧 will never leave you nor forsake you?╈?And in verse 9, it says, ?쏻herever you go, the Lord your God is with you?╈?
This is the so-called Immanuel promise. He was saying that God would be with you if you go to Canaan with a strong and courageous heart and do not lean to the left or right.
What a powerful promise. I hope this year will be the year of Emmanuel where God is with you from the beginning of this year.
This promise of Immanuel is that I will be with Moses to sustain him, strengthen him, keep him, prosper him, and lead him through the wilderness, so that I may be with you to gain the land of Canaan.
Because Moses was great, it was not that he went through the history of the Exodus from Egypt or through the wilderness, but because God was with him. Of course, Moses was excellent. But if God had not been with him, he would not have been able to do anything. Many amazing works such as the parting of the Red Sea, the falling of manna, and living water coming out of the rock were accomplished through Moses, but it was not the power of Moses, but the work of God Emmanuel. That same God promised that just as I was with Moses and accomplished great works, so I will be with you to accomplish the conquest of Canaan.
Anyone who is with God wins, but when God leaves, he becomes Samson with his hair cut.
There are many blessings God has given us, but the greatest grace and blessing among them is that Emmanuel, or God, is with me.
In Genesis 28, Jacob was alone in the field and the road ahead was difficult, but he was strengthened by hearing the promise that God was with him.
God is with you. You are with me and you are with me in my home. There is no greater reassurance and blessing than that. Why? When God is with us, we receive the blessing of protection first. To the Israelites walking in the wilderness, God Emmanuel guided and protected them with a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. Also, if God is with us, we will receive the blessing of victory.
Israel's victory over the Amalekites in Exodus 17 was because God was with them. Also, because God was with us, we were able to enjoy the victory of crossing the Jordan River and occupying the city of Jericho. Also, if God is with you, you will receive the blessing of prosperity. He said that he will prosper many times in the text.
That's right. The problem is not my wisdom, plan, or ability, but whether God is really with me.
If God is with us, the conquest of Canaan will not be a problem. Therefore, one important thing in the earnest prayers of the saints is to pray for the Lord to be with me every day, every moment, this year, and in my life.
We are now standing at a starting line in the history of 1992. No one knows what will happen to my personal life, to my family, or to my community during this year. But we must keep moving forward toward God's promised Canaan.
How are you going to spend this year? Let's live with great and strong faith. In any case, let's live centered on the Word without being biased to the left or right. Then God will be with me and grant the blessing of Canaan.
By doing so, I hope that this year will be the most blessed year of any previous year.