OASIS – Winter 2024 – March 5/6, 2024
JOSHUA: part 1 of 4 – “Be Strong and Courageous!”
Deuteronomy 34/Joshua 1:1-9
Connecting the dots from Exodus 14 – Joshua 1:
• After the Red Sea miracle, the Israelites “wander” the wilderness for 40 years.
• Moses serves as the undisputed leader of Israel during this time.
• Exodus 20 (and Deuteronomy 5): The Ten Commandments
o Four of Ten speak to relationship with the Lord:
▪ “No other gods before me.”
▪ “No idols.”
▪ “Do not misuse the name of the LORD your God.”
▪ “Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.”
o #5 speaks to the family relationship dynamic:
▪ “Honor your father and mother.”
o #6-10 speak to relationship with others:
▪ “Do not murder.”
▪ “Do not commit adultery.”
▪ “Do not steal.”
▪ “Do not give false testimony.”
▪ “Do not covet.”
The book of Leviticus: Key theme is the HOLINESS of God and Israel’s obligation to seek forgiveness for sins committed.
o Chapters 1-7 detail the five main offerings:
▪ The Burnt offering – Leviticus 1 (also 6:8-13)
▪ The Grain offering – Leviticus 2 (also 6:14-23)
▪ The Fellowship offering – Leviticus 3 (also 7:11-21)
▪ The Sin offering – Leviticus 4/5 (also 6:24-30)
▪ The Guilt offering – Leviticus 5/6 (7:1-10)
o Chapters 11-15 detail Laws of Cleanness
o Chapters 16-17: The Day of Atonement and Worship at the Tabernacle.
o Chapter 25: The Sabbath Year and the Year of Jubilee.
The book of Numbers presents an account of the 38-year period of wandering in the desert following the establishment of the covenant at Sinai. The name of the book (Numbers) comes from the Septuagint. The Hebrew title of the book (bemidbar) literally means “in the desert.”
• Numbers 20: Moses will NOT be allowed to enter the Promised Land.
Context: The Israelites are grumbling once again (surprise, surprise)! There is no water, and they are in the desert of Zin at Kadesh. The people whine to Moses and, as usual, Moses and Aaron take this problem to the LORD.
The LORD is very specific with Moses and Aaron: “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink.’” (Number 20:7-8)
What happens next changes the life of Moses forever: “So Moses took the staff from the LORD’s presence, just as he commanded him. He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, ‘Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?’ Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.”
(Numbers 20:9-11)
All’s well that ends well, right? NOPE! Not even close Look at Numbers 20:12: “But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them.’”
• I shared in last week’s lesson that I really struggle with this decision. I think I might have described it as the “biggest rip off in the Bible.” I wonder does the punishment fit the crime? Understand, at the end of the day, it matters 0% what Greg Taylor or any of us this about this. God is God and I am not, and neither are you. So, what are we to make of Numbers 20?
Bottom line: OBEDIENCE matters, even in the small stuff. And this will be reinforced as we journey into the book of Joshua
The book of Deuteronomy is the last book of the Pentateuch, and the name arose from a mistranslation in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate of a phrase in Dt. 17:18, which in Hebrew means “copy of the law.” This is not a serious problem, however, as Deuteronomy is a second giving of the law prior to the conquest of Canaan. The Hebrew name of the book is simply debarim, translated “words.” (see Dt. 1:1)
Moses is allowed to see, but not enter, the Promised Land:
• Deuteronomy 34:1-7: “Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land . . . Then the LORD said to him, ‘This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.’
And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak, nor his strength gone.”
Joshua is “up next.”
• Deuteronomy 34:9: “Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses.”
The legacy of Moses is powerful and unique.
• Deuteronomy 34:10-12: “Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt—to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.”
• As you read these words of eulogy, what lessons are there for us in 2024?
The book of Joshua is a story of conquest and fulfillment for the people of God.
Joshua 1:1-9: 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua 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 into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
6 “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Key term in Joshua 1: Be Strong and Courageous!
• Be strong and courageous: the promise of the LAND is about to be realized!
o Part 2 of the unconditional covenant promise of Genesis 12 to Abraham (Nation/Land/Blessing) is about to become reality for God’s people.
o Message to Joshua: YOU will be the leader.
• Be strong and courageous: KNOW the Word and OBEY the Word!
o God’s people were to TALK about the Word.
o God’s people were to THINK about the Word.
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o God’s people were to LIVE according to the Word.
o Psalm 119:11: “I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
• Be strong and courageous: YAHWEH is with you and will NEVER leave you!
o Same message here as in Exodus: the Lord will do the heavy lifting!
o Martin Luther: “One plus the Lord equals a majority!”
Which message in Joshua 1 is most important?
“Be strong and courageous?” “The Lord will never leave you?” “Keep this Book of Law always on your lips – meditate on it day and night?”
Joshua 1:2-11 is also a literary CHIASM!
v. 2 – “Get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I will you.”
v. 5 – “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will never leave you.”
v. 6 – “Be strong and courageous!” v. 7 – “Be strong and courageous!”
v. 7 – “Be careful to obey all the law.”
v. 8 – “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night.”
v. 8 – “Be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
v. 9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
v. 9 – “for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
v. 11 – “Three days from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the LORD your God is giving you for your own.”
*** The key point of a literary chiasm is always the center!
Look at Joshua 1:8: “Do not let this Book of Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night.”
• “To read without reflecting is like eating without digesting.” – Francis Bacon
• “Bible intake and prayer are too often seen as two separate experiences. Meditation is the missing link between the two . . . It is probably better to read less and meditate more.” – Donald Whitney
2024 challenge: We have to make a deep shift from INFORMATIONAL reading to TRANSFORMATIONAL consumption and contemplation.
Will you SIT with the Word of God this week? Meditate on it day and night!
Next week March 12/13: Joshua, part 2. Joshua 5/6 – the Fall of Jericho Reminder: NO evening Oasis on Wednesday March 27 during Holy Week. 4