Appropriating the Message

Joshua 1:16-18
16And they answered Joshua, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the Lord your God be with you, as he was with Moses! 18Whoever rebels against your commandment and disobeys your words, whatever you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”

If ever there was a time when the Children of Israel got it right, this is it. Joshua has reminded the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh that they promised to help their countrymen gain The Promised Land and in these three verses we find their wholehearted confirmation of that promise. With these words they declare that they are “all-in”!

Their language is strong, supportive, and to some extent, violent. They are prepared to kill anyone who does not obey the commands of Joshua. But their final words bring home the power they are calling upon. They echo the words of the Lord to Joshua. “Only be strong and courageous.” Unlike their parents, they are committed to obedience both to God and His chosen leader, Joshua.

Moreover, these verses allude to the Mosaic covenant and the failure of the preceding generation to receive in faith the words and promises of the Lord through Moses. The children of the grumbling generation have improved on the record of their parents. The Lord has worked amazing changes! It is he himself who raised up the new generation and inspired in them covenant faithfulness. The preaching of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy was part of the effective power of the Lord, and that power continues in the preaching of Joshua.
Harstad, A. L. (2004). Joshua (pp. 103–104). Saint Louis, MO: CPH.

It is interesting that these people are willing to punish by death anyone who does not obey. But that really is not their job. God will provide all of the judgement that as needed, both for these the ancient Hebrews and for us today as well.

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