THE CALL TO 'GET READY'

Passage: Joshua 1:1-18

Key verse: 2

NIV

Joshua Installed as Leader

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord,(A) the Lord said to Joshua(B) son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River(C) into the land(D) I am about to give to them(E)—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot,(F) as I promised Moses.(G) 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon,(H) and from the great river, the Euphrates(I)—all the Hittite(J) country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.(K) 5 No one will be able to stand against you(L) all the days of your life. As I was with(M) Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake(N) you. 6 Be strong(O) and courageous,(P) because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors(Q) to give them.

7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey(R) all the law(S) my servant Moses(T) gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left,(U) that you may be successful wherever you go.(V) 8 Keep this Book of the Law(W) always on your lips;(X) meditate(Y) on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.(Z) 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;(AA) do not be discouraged,(AB) for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”(AC)

10 So Joshua ordered the officers of the people:(AD) 11 “Go through the camp(AE) and tell the people, ‘Get your provisions(AF) ready. Three days(AG) from now you will cross the Jordan(AH) here to go in and take possession(AI) of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own.’”

12 But to the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh,(AJ) Joshua said, 13 “Remember the command that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you after he said, ‘The Lord your God will give you rest(AK) by giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives,(AL) your children and your livestock may stay in the land(AM) that Moses gave you east of the Jordan, but all your fighting men, ready for battle,(AN) must cross over ahead of your fellow Israelites.(AO) You are to help them 15 until the Lord gives them rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the land the Lord your God is giving them. After that, you may go back and occupy your own land, which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you east of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”(AP)

16 Then they answered Joshua, “Whatever you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go.(AQ) 17 Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you.(AR) Only may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your word and does not obey(AS) it, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Only be strong and courageous!(AT)”

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

God Commissions Joshua

1 After the death of Moses the (A)servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' (B)assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 (C)Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 (D)From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 (E)No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just (F)as I was with Moses, so (G)I will be with you. (H)I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 (I)Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and (J)very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law (K)that Moses my servant commanded you. (L)Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success[a] wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but (M)you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? (N)Be strong and courageous. (O)Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Joshua Assumes Command

10 And Joshua commanded the (P)officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for (Q)within three days (R)you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’”

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that (S)Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 (T)until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. (U)Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

16 And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God (V)be with you, as he was with Moses! 18 Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. (W)Only be strong and courageous.”

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Footnotes
  1. Joshua 1:7 Or may act wisely
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF JOSHUA Joshua, the sixth book of the Bible, covers the period from the death of Moses to the conquest of the Promised Land. The beginning of the conquest was in 14 6 B.C., forty years after the Exodus. The conquest lasted seven years, until 1399 B.C. A new generation of God's people were trained by God in faith and obedience. The historical fulfillment of God's promises to the patriarchs and to Moses occurs in this book in very dramatic fashion. There are three sections: 1. Entering the Promised Land (1:1-5:12) 2. Conquering the Promised Land (5:13-12:24) 3. Dividing the Promised Land (13:1-24:33) In part one, Joshua accepts his call and demonstrates his faith in God as he led the nation. The Israelites reaffirmed their commitment to God. They were committed to obey him and follow him into battle to possess the land. In part two, Joshua and his army fought from city to city, as God brought them into their inheritance. In part three, Joshua urged the Israelites to always follow the Lord and to love and worship him exclusively if they were ever going to find rest from war and take root in the land. The teaching of this book is very applicable to us today. There are amazing accounts of courage, born of peoples' faith in God. The conquest involved faith, obedience, love for God and dependence on God, who faithfully led his people to victory and into their inheritance. Every believer today can find hope and encouragement in Joshua. THE CALL TO 'GET READY' 1. God issued the call to get ready (1-15) The Israelites were poised to enter the Promised Land. God appointed Joshua as their leader. He told Joshua and the nation to get ready. Despite the impossibility of leading millions of Israelites into the Promised Land, God had a plan. Joshua could get ready by hearing God's call (1,2); holding onto his promises (3-4); trusting in God's protection (5); determining to be strong and courageous (6-7a); obeying the word of God (7b); meditating on God's word (8) and embracing the call practically (1 -15). 2. Getting ready brings unity (16-18) The Israelites had rallied around the Lord and his chosen leader. A spirit of unity grew among them. When people answer the call to "get ready", God works powerfully and draws them together. He will keep them unified and their hearts impassioned.

Prayer: Lord, help me to hold onto your word and your promises. Help me to be strong and courageous so that through me, your name may be glorified.

One Word: Answer the call to get ready