5 posts tagged “joshua”
“These are the ones registered by Moses and Elazar the priest when they registered the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across Jericho. But among them there was not one of those who had been registered by Moses and Aaron the priest when they registered the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. For the Lord said to them that they would all die in the wilderness. None of them was left except Caleb, son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.” Num 26: 63-65
“Hey Moses, turn the lights out when you leave!”
Have you ever been the last one in line? You know, it’s half time at the football game and you wanted to watch the marching band, so now you’re stuck for 30 minutes trying to get a hot dog... only to find out the guy on front of you bought the last hot dog.
The generation of Israelites who had been delivered from Egypt had grumbled, complained, and turned from the Lord. They had refused to enter the Promised Land by faith, so the Lord told them they would not enter at all. The whole generation was to die in the desert, within 40 years. Only Joshua and Caleb were to enter. They were the only ones who declared, “We can defeat then inhabitants of the land because God is with us!”
In addition, Moses & Aaron disobeyed the Lord by refusing to “speak” water from a rock, choosing to smack it with Moses’ staff. In return for their poor leadership, God barred Moses & Aaron from leading Israel into Canaan.
As Moses got the results of the census, one thing must have been going through his mind: I’m the last guy.
Every one of the adults from the generation who left Egypt had passed away, just as God said. Soon, Moses would be gone... but Israel would enter the much awaited “Promised Land”.
Something I love about Jesus is how he has entered-in to Heaven before us. Not only will He lead us into Heaven, but He has also defeated the enemy! Moreover, He prepares a place for us.
Blessings
Steve Wiggins
"Then Caleb quieted the people in the presence of Moses and said, 'We must
go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!'
But the men who had gone up with him responded, 'We can't go up against the
people because they are stronger than we are!' So they gave a negative
report to the Israelite community about the land they had scouted: 'The land
we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all
the people we saw in it are men of great size.'" Numbers 13 30-32
Any courtroom attorney will tell you that an eyewitness account is not
always dependable. Sometimes, circumstantial and forensic evidence is
better. In clinical studies, where several people are subjected to
experience a random event, the post-occurrence interviews can vary greatly.
When people are faced with a challenge, they respond from one of two
positions: Scarcity, or Abundance.
This is the dilemma of the return of Israel's spies. Joshua and Caleb
approached the "promised land" from the position of abundance. They matched
their human experience with God's promise. They weighed the "abundance"
God's presence against the "scarcity" of giants who trusted in false gods;
and they saw the obvious outcome of impending war would be in favor of
Israel. In short, they were men of faith.
Of course, the 10 other spies saw Israel's situation from the standpoint of
scarcity. They were faithless, and chose to trust only the resources they
could see. There was no room in their plan for God's miraculous
intervention.
If the Crusade events have taught Harvest Christian Fellowship anything, it
is that where God guides, He provides. For that matter, our enduring impact
on the church-at-large may extend beyond scores of converts. Perhaps,
Harvest acts as a "Caleb or Joshua", encouraging local churches, "We can
take this land!"
There is another overriding moral of this story. Before God said, "Take the
land" He said, "Send the spies." Perhaps, the perspective God was providing
Moses was not, "Is the land worth fighting for?" rather, "Is Israel ready
to fight?"
When we study the bible, and faithfully seek God, we are sowing the "seeds
of readiness". In this way, we will be prepared to respond, whenever God
says, "GO!"
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
Exodus 24
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there so that I may give you the stone tablets with the law and commands I have written for their instruction.’ So Moses arose with his assistant Joshua, and went up to the mountain of God. He told the elders, ‘Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever has a dispute should go to them.’” Exodus 24: 12-14
Organizations of every size have to face the issue of succession. All corporations, nations, and ministries built around a charismatic leader must eventually cope with that leader’s absence. Patriarchal success is not just building something big. It is building something that would flourish in your absence.
In a recent documentary on Cuban leader Fidel Castro, analysts speculated as to the ability of Fidel’s brother to run the country once Fidel passed away. Many evangelicals were suspicious when Franklin Graham rose to a more prominent role in his father Billy’s evangelical association. Sometimes the successor is easily recognized. Other times, God’s choice would be “man’s” least likely candidate.
Joseph was the youngest brother, yet his father put him in charge of his elders. And what of the story of David? A young worship-leading shepherd boy was anointed king, above all the military, business, and political leaders of Israel. Consider Peter. Why would Messiah give the keys to His church to the disciple who would deny Him three times?
One thing is certain: God’s knows a leader when He calls one!
Aaron was Moses’ spokesman and elder brother. He was a direct participant in God’s Egyptian miracles. It seems he would be the perfect candidate to succeed Moses. At least, he would have accompanied Moses to receive God’s tablets! But it was Joshua who attended that historic event with Moses.
Later, we learn why. Neither, Aaron, Hur, or any of the elders were fit to lead Israel. That was proven with their construction & worship of the golden calf.
When God calls a leader, we may never know what He spared us from. When we choose a leader, we may never know God’s intended blessing.
Joshua led Israel into the Promised Land.
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
Exodus 17
“When Moses’ hands (holding his staff) grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down on it. Then Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side and on the other, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his army with the sword. Exodus 17: 12-13
Let’s consider Moses, the leader. As long as Moses’ hands were lifted to the Lord, Israel progressed victoriously. There is a saying in business, “speed of the leader, speed of the team”. As long as the leader is worshipping the Lord, those following will respond in kind. If Moses “served as God” to Aaron, Ex 4: 16, it is good to know God Himself never tires on our behalf! We never fail for lack of God’s strength, ability, wisdom, or deficit of His upright character.
Next, there is the stone. In biblical imagery, the “stone” represents remembrance. When his physical resources were exhausted, Moses rested on the foundational memory of God’s covenant.
What of Aaron and Hur? No leader is an island, fully self-sustained. Even the greatest leaders need a strong inner circle of lieutenants. These advisers/support managers are recruited, developed, and sustained in direct proportion to the leaders’ display of character-over-time. They are not a luxury; they are essential to successfully supporting the vision the Lord has given the leader, and holding him accountable to it. These two men can also represent the Lord’s Spirit.
Now, let’s turn to Joshua. Every military campaign needs trustworthy battlefield warriors. These are men who completely believe in the vision, to the point where they do not sway, even under intense fire. Joshua never left Moses’ side after this battle. It is safe to say he knew Moses better than anyone else. Great preaching is of little value, unless the “pew people” respond by going into the world, willing to swing the sword of the God’s word.
The name, “Jesus” is a Westernized translation of the Hebrew name, “Y’shua”…which, by the way, also translates, “Joshua”. Y’shua, (Jesus) is Himself, personally the “Word of God”. (John 1) His victory over death & sin has become our salvation and He is at God’s side, even now.
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may do these miraculous signs of Mine among them, and so that you may tell your son and grandson how severely I dealt with the Egyptians and performed miraculous signs among them, and you will know that I am the Lord.’” (Exodus 10: 1-2)
There has been an ages-long debate over the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. Some hold to a strict belief that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, while others say Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
Those who say God hardened Pharaoh’s heart usually carry the inference that He kept Pharaoh from believing. It is as if Pharaoh could not have softened, even if he wanted to. I find that hard to believe because the bible says that God does not delight in punishing the wicked, but rather He delights when they turn from their wickedness and trust Him. (Ezekiel 33: 11)
I believe God gave Pharaoh the same chance He gave anyone else, but He knew Pharaoh would not believe. God knew the same plagues that would make many repent, would make many others hate Him even more. In a sense, the Lord DID harden Pharaoh’s heart, because the plagues came from God. That said, it was totally Pharaoh’s decision as to how he would respond. God just knew.
Perhaps the best testimony to my belief is from the bible itself, in the final verses of Exodus, chapter 9.
“When Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had ceased, he sinned again and hardened his heart, he and his officials. So Pharaoh’s heart hardened, and he did not let the Israelites go, as the Lord said through Moses.” (Exodus 9: 34-35)
In a similar way, the Lord did not make the Israelites believe, any more than He made Pharaoh not believe. Each man has a choice. ( Joshua 24: 15)
The question is: What do you want your legacy to be? Will you choose judgement or deliverance?
Blessings.
Steve Wiggins
Artist In Residence
Minister Of Music
