THE LORD GOD SAID AS I WAS WITH MOSES SO I WILL BE WITH YOU

PROCLAMATION

“Now after the death of Moses the servant of The Lord it came to pass, that The Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ minister, saying, ‘Moses My servant is dead;  Now arise, go over this Jordan … As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee;  I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”  Joshua 1:1-5 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These are the words of God which were revealed to and written by Joshua under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  The Lord God allowed Moses to climb to the top of Mount Nebo and to see the promised land, but He did not allow him to cross over into it. (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)  Moses died in Moab and The Lord God buried him at some unknown location in the valley. (Deuteronomy 34:5-7)  Joshua was filled with The Spirit because Moses had laid hands on him. (Deuteronomy 34:9)  After the Israelites had grieved for Moses for thirty days, (Deuteronomy 34:8) The Lord God spoke to Joshua and told him that he would lead the people into the promised land. (Joshua 1:1-6)  The Lord God also told Joshua to be strong and courageous, and to obey the law which Moses had given to them. (Joshua 1:7-9)  Joshua told the people that in three days they would cross the Jordan river and take possession of the land which God had promised them. (Joshua 1:10)  They responded to Joshua saying, as we obeyed Moses, so will we obey you. (Joshua 1:17-18)  There were no written Scriptures available to Moses, The Lord God spoke to him directly.  However, Moses had faithfully written down all that The Lord God had spoken to him so the first five Books of the Bible were written and available to Joshua.

 

APPLICATION

Moses was clearly a man of God, and so was Joshua.  Both of them were leaders of God’s people.  The Lord God was with them to counsel and advise them, to guide and direct them, and to protect and defend them.  The same is true today for the men of God who are leading God’s people.  However, this also applies to all of the leaders of God’s people who are believers.  That also includes the patriarchs and matriarchs who are believers and leaders of our families today.  When they die, it passes on to us to obey The Word of God and to lead our families.  As leaders of God’s people, even if we only lead or influence a few of them, we must also obey The Lord God.  If we will obey His Holy Word, then He will be with us as He was with Moses and Joshua.  He will never leave us nor forsake us. (Joshua 1:5 and Hebrews 13:5)