Joshua opens with a baton pass. Moses is dead, Joshua steps in, and God makes it plain that the mission has not died with the man. God had barred Moses from leading Israel into the promised land because Moses broke faith at Meribah Kadesh. God still brought water from the rock, because God is always true to his promises, but Moses did not uphold God’s holiness, and God kept his word.
Joshua is not some random young upstart. God had Moses lay hands on him, and God gave him the word that anchors the whole thing, “Be strong and very courageous.” Joshua’s Hebrew name points forward to Jesus, and Joshua’s work of leading God’s people into the land mirrors a greater salvation still to come. Joshua enters the story as the new Moses, but the point is not Joshua’s greatness. The point is God’s continuing promise.
Joshua 1 through 5 shows God bringing Israel forward. The spies go into the land, Rahab turns toward the God of Israel, the Jordan parts like the Red Sea, the new generation is circumcised, and Passover is celebrated in the land. Then Joshua meets the commander of the Lord’s army and asks, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” The answer is “neither,” because the real question is not whether God is on Israel’s side. The real question is whether Israel is lined up with God’s battle.
God’s prosperity is not cheap comfort, easy money, or a life with no pain. Biblical prosperity is realizing God’s promises for life. Canaan represents the promises of God becoming real and active, not just talked about from a distance. Egypt pictures bondage, the wilderness pictures saved people still stuck in old habits, and Canaan pictures freedom, fruitfulness, and fullness.
God’s plan calls his people out of the desert diet and into the land already given. Joshua 1:3 does not say God will give the land someday. God says, “I have given it to you.” Jesus’ death and resurrection already defeated the prince of this world, so believers do not have to pray for victory like it has not been won. The victory has already been provided, and the call is to claim it and live in its fullness.
God’s provision includes conquering power, constant presence, and a continuing promise. God says, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” That promise did not die with Moses, and God renews it for every generation. God’s prosperity also requires obedience. The word must be spoken, pondered like a tune stuck in the mind, and practiced. Fear keeps obedience from starting, discouragement keeps obedience from continuing, but God’s power gives courage and commitment. The River Jordan image calls One Church to trust God’s guidance, stay on mission, and row the boat together.
Key Takeaways
- 1. God’s promise outlives leaders. God announces, “Moses my servant is dead,” but God’s promise does not get buried with Moses. Joshua’s weakness does not cancel God’s faithfulness, and a new leader does not mean a new mission. The quickest road to defeat is staring at impossible circumstances instead of the continuing promise of God. [49:33]
- 2. Prosperity means realized promises. Biblical prosperity is not just money, ease, or freedom from pain. God’s people can have grief, difficulty, and pressure, and still be brought into the place where God’s promises become real and active. Canaan becomes a picture of the life where God’s word is not admired from a distance, but possessed under his rule. [36:04]
- 3. The ticket already includes everything. The man on the ship almost starved because he did not know what his ticket included. Salvation in Christ is not bare permission to survive the trip, but entrance into all that God has provided through the blood of Jesus. The enemy works hard to keep believers from possessing their possessions. [43:20]
- 4. Obedience receives God’s prosperity. Joshua’s success depends completely on God, yet God’s prosperity is not detached from Joshua’s obedience. The word must stay in the mouth, stay in the mind, and show up in practice. Hearing without doing only creates self-deception, but obedience turns promise into lived reality. [52:35]
- 5. Fear stalls, discouragement drains. Fear keeps a person from getting started, and discouragement keeps a person from continuing. God’s command to be strong and courageous is not a demand to feel fearless, but a call to move ahead because God is present. Courage grows where God’s power becomes more decisive than the desert’s threats. [59:23]
Youtube Chapters
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [17:54] - Opening Worship And Greeting
- [20:25] - A New Day At One Church
- [23:22] - Joshua, Walking By Faith
- [25:00] - Passing The Baton
- [26:54] - Why Moses Could Not Enter
- [27:53] - Who Joshua Was
- [29:23] - Joshua As The New Moses
- [30:28] - Crossing Into The Land
- [31:24] - God’s Battle, Not Man’s
- [32:39] - What Biblical Prosperity Means
- [36:56] - God’s Plan, Provisions, Principles, Power
- [42:01] - Possessing What Is Already Paid For
- [52:35] - Obedience And The Word Of God
- [59:23] - Fear, Discouragement, And Courage
- [61:27] - One Church At The Jordan
- [64:21] - Communion And Closing Worship