"The LORD Your God Is with You"
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March 08, 2015 |
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 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9).
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
After the Exodus, the Israelites witnessed many powerful works of God such as the Ten Plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. However, they did not show spiritual faith. As a result, they could not gain God-given blessings and had to live in the wilderness for forty years.
Now the first generation all died, and only Joshua and Caleb and the second generation were about to enter the Land of Canaan. Before entering the land, Moses gathered the people and preached. Let's now delve into what Moses urged them to do and how Joshua conquered the Land of Canaan.
1. Moses urged the Israelites to keep the commandments of God
Moses was giving his final advice with great affection for the people of Israel who had to conquer the Land of Canaan after his death. The entire content of the sermon is in the book of Deuteronomy. The key point is that they had to keep the commandments of God.
Deuteronomy 5:32-33 reads, "So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess."
The theme repeated over and over again in Deuteronomy is that we will be blessed when we keep the commandments of God and we will be cursed if we don't. This was not given to make the people afraid or lay a burden on them.
Deuteronomy 10:13 says, "And to keep the LORD's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good?" It was the message telling them the way of true happiness.
Since the fall of Adam, this world came under the control of the enemy devil. Those who don't believe in God are destined to suffer from tests and trials under Satan's control. Therefore, for us to live a blessed life, we have to depart from darkness and keep the Word of God who is Light. Those who do not keep the commandments of God are found to dwell in darkness, and they belong to the enemy devil. So, when the enemy devil brings tests and trials to such people, God cannot protect them.
That is why God repeatedly emphasized throughout all 66 books of the Bible that we should not dwell in darkness, but we must walk in Light. Moses knew this fact very well and advised the Israelites to keep the commandments of God many times.
To the east of the Jordan, from where he could see the Canaan Land, Moses finally went to the side of God after 120 years of life. With his faith alone, he could have entered Canaan. But by having to take over the responsibility as the leader of the first generation of Exodus, he could not enter Canaan.
2. The second generation vowed to obey Joshua, the successor to Moses
After Moses died, God chose Joshua, the son of Nun, to lead the people of Israel. Joshua was one of the twelve spies and he pleased God with his positive profession of faith. He always followed Moses as his servant, and even when Moses fasted for forty days to receive the Ten Commandments, he did not leave Moses.
He also probably had a great burden in his heart because the great leader was not with him anymore, and he now had to accept his teacher's responsibilities. He knew how hard and burdensome the responsibility of leadership was for so many people. For forty years Joshua saw Moses' tears and agony more closely than anyone else.
Because God knew his heart, God encouraged Joshua saying, "Be strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:5-6). And the Israelites who were with Joshua were also different from the first generation of the Exodus.
The second generation was raised with the Word of God and they had seen many powerful works of God. Also, they had engraved in their hearts the reason why their parents could not go into the Canaan Land and had to wander around in the wilderness for forty years. Now, they were ready to obey God and their leader with true faith.
Saying, "Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous" (Joshua 1:18), they vowed to obey Joshua unconditionally.
3. Rahab the harlot hid the spies with belief in God and she received blessings
The first place that they had to conquer to go into Canaan Land was Jericho. Before they marched on Jericho, Joshua sent two spies to learn about the city.
The city of Jericho was a masterpiece at the time. Most cities had only one wall, but Jericho had two walls that made it much stronger. Especially the people in Jericho were on a high degree of caution, trying to defend themselves from an attack by the Israelites. One day, the king of Jericho heard that spies had sneaked into the city. He had his soldiers search for them and the spies were about to be caught.
At this moment, God provided a completely unexpected helping hand. It was Rahab, a harlot in whose house the spies were staying. She was a Gentile and from a low social class, but she hid the spies and made an amazing confession of faith to them. She said the LORD is God in heaven above and on earth beneath (Joshua 2:9-11). So she asked the spies to spare her life and the lives of her family members when the Israelites conquered Jericho.
Because of this, Rahab could not only keep her life and her family's life but also married one of the Israelites. And by giving birth to Boaz who was King David's great grandfather, in Matthew 1:5-6 it is recorded that she is listed in the genealogy of Jesus. With human thoughts we may think she betrayed her own people and hid enemy spies. But what she chose was not one nation over another, but she chose the almighty God the Creator. When she heard about the signs and wonders of God that accompanied the Israelites, she who had a good heart acknowledged God. God does not ever forsake but gives blessings to those who seek Him and rely on Him with true hearts, for He searches the deep heart.
4. The two spies pleased God with profession of faith
The spies escaped from the city with the help of Rahab and hid themselves in the mountains for three days. They then went back to the camp of Israel. They did not say anything with negative attitudes. They only confessed what they had seen with the eyes of faith. "Surely the LORD has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before us" (Joshua 2:24).
In the same situation, different words are uttered from person to person. Some people speak words to dishearten or frustrate others while others encourage and comfort others with words. Thus, we must not say words that disgrace God or do not sound good. We should profess faith and give strength to others.
If we truly believe in God, there is nothing impossible. Even problems will turn into prosperity if God is with us. So, we should not say anything negative like, "It's impossible!" or "It's too difficult." God sees all our words, deeds, and inner heart and works according to the faith.
Therefore, we should speak words of faith and goodness and positive words so we can encourage others and plant faith in them, too.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, although the first generation of the Exodus witnessed many works of God's power, they didn't have and profess faith. So they could not enter Canaan.
However, as you have read, the second generation was different. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will believe and obey God, thereby receive His answers and blessings, and glorify Him.
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