MAY THE LORD APPOINT SOMEONE

Passage: Numbers 27:12-23

Key verse: 15

NIV

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go up this mountain(A) in the Abarim Range(B) and see the land(C) I have given the Israelites.(D) 13 After you have seen it, you too will be gathered to your people,(E) as your brother Aaron(F) was, 14 for when the community rebelled at the waters in the Desert of Zin,(G) both of you disobeyed my command to honor me as holy(H) before their eyes.” (These were the waters of Meribah(I) Kadesh, in the Desert of Zin.)

15 Moses said to the Lord, 16 “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things,(J) appoint someone over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.”(K)

18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit of leadership,[a](L) and lay your hand on him.(M) 19 Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him(N) in their presence.(O) 20 Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.(P) 21 He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring(Q) of the Urim(R) before the Lord. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.”

22 Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole assembly. 23 Then he laid his hands on him and commissioned him,(S) as the Lord instructed through Moses.

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Footnotes
  1. Numbers 27:18 Or the Spirit
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Joshua to Succeed Moses

12 The Lord said to Moses, “Go up into (A)this mountain of Abarim and see the land that I have given to the people of Israel. 13 When you have seen it, you also (B)shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, 14 (C)because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarreled, failing (D)to uphold me as holy at the waters before their eyes.” (These are (E)the waters of Meribah of Kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) 15 Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, 16 “Let the Lord, (F)the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation 17 who (G)shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be (H)as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18 So the Lord said to Moses, “Take (I)Joshua the son of Nun, a man (J)in whom is the Spirit, and (K)lay your hand on him. 19 Make him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and you shall (L)commission him in their sight. 20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, (M)that all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. 21 And he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him (N)by the judgment of the Urim before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole congregation.” 22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation, 23 and he laid his hands on him and (O)commissioned him as the Lord directed through Moses.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

As the Israelites were now very near to the Promised Land, God instructed Moses about the end of his life. Moses would see the beautiful land God gave to Israel. Moses and Aaron had not trusted in God at the waters of Meribah Kadesh (2

:1-13) and as a result, they were not allowed to enter the Promised Land. God expects leaders to honor God as holy before the eyes of his people.

Moses’ task was now done. But the story of the Israelites would go on. There was still much to do! Moses prayed to God: “Appoint someone over this community...so the LORD’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” Moses’ prayer reminds us of Jesus’ prayer for his disciples and the generations that would follow (John 17).

God heard Moses’ prayer and had already prepared Joshua to succeed him. Before Moses died, Joshua was commissioned with some of Moses’ authority to lead the community. Moses and Joshua served in their generations, as God appointed them. Ultimately, God is our shepherd. Every generation is cared for and led by our Good Shepherd Jesus.

Prayer: Father, thank you for shepherding every generation by your grace and power. Please help us care and pray for the next generation. Appoint shepherds so that the next generation may not be like sheep without a shepherd.

One Word: Jesus is our Good Shepherd.