The period of Israel’s history immediately following the death of Moses was filled with transition. Israel had to make the transition to a new leader and go into a new land, trusting God would deliver the inhabitants, the Canaanites, into their hands. Joshua was the successor of Moses (Josh. 1:5). He is first introduced in Exodus 17 where he fought the Amalekites at Rephidim. The book that bears his name relates the history of Israel in their conquest of Canaan, the land God promised to them. God’s people had their shortcomings, they often lacked faith, yet they were successful in major military campaigns against the people of Canaan because of their God (Josh. 12:1-24). Joshua displayed good leadership (Josh. 1:16-18). He followed God’s commands, was sensitive to the offense the nation’s sins were to God (Josh. 7:25), and exhorted the people to do the same (Josh. 24:15). With a man as great as Moses passing from this earthly life, the nation of Israel could have been in great jeopardy, but, thankfully, Joshua had been prepared in such a way that the transition went well. Joshua led Israel to follow God. This was God’s plan; He commissioned Joshua, filled with the spirit of wisdom, to take on the responsibilities of the role Moses had filled (Num. 27:18-23; Deut. 1:38; 31:3, 7, 23; 34:9).

Glimpses of the preparation for this transition are seen in the life of Joshua before it came to fruition. His leadership in the battle against the Amalekites has already been mentioned (Ex. 17:8-16). This prepared him for the battles he would see in Canaan. Joshua as “a young man” was a servant of Moses (Ex. 33:11). He remained nearest to Moses when the law was received at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24:13; 32:17), and did not depart from the tent of meeting where the Lord would speak to Moses (Ex. 33:7-11). Joshua was one the twelve spies sent into the land of Canaan (Num. 13:8). More importantly he was one of the two who gave a faithful report, believing that God was able to bring Israel into the land, delivering its mighty inhabitants into their hands (Num. 14:6-10). For Joshua’s rebuke of the congregation’s lack of faith, they were ready to stone him, but God spared his life from the plague that killed the ten unfaithful spies, allowing him to live to enter the land of promise (Num. 14:10, 38-39; 32:12). This should be regarded as a badge of honor, for that faithless generation was often ready to stone Moses when the problem was their own evil hearts of unbelief.

Joshua spent time with Moses. He displayed the fortitude to stand as a leader. When Moses wanted to continue on and enter the land, the Lord instructed him not to keep speaking of entering the land, “But command Joshua, and encourage him and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the land which you will see” (Deut. 3:28). We must be ready for transition in the Lord’s church. The roles we fill will not be filled by us forever. Instead of acting like we will always be around, we must spend time with the younger generation who will be our successors. We must encourage and strengthen them. They, like Joshua, must learn God’s word and not turn from it to the right or left (Josh. 1:7, 8). They must learn now to be strong and have courage to lead when we are gone (Josh. 1:6, 9).                   

-Mark Day