And Moses called to Joshua, and said to him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and courageous, for thou must go with this people into the land which Jehovah hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it.
Moses is about to die, and in front of the whole nation he calls forward the man who will take his place. The charge commands courage and hands over a task, and both raise one question: where does a leader find strength he does not have?
This was not a job Joshua could turn down. One writer draws out both the pressure and the relief in Moses' words, quoting an older translation that reads "must go with this people."
Moses then called Joshua, announcing him before all Israel as God's newly appointed leader. He urged him to be strong and courageous, for he "must go with this people to the land." This was God's binding decision, and Joshua had no way of escape. But Joshua is assured that the Lord will go before him, never leaving or forsaking him. Therefore there was no reason to fear.
Joshua gets a role no one else will fill. But the comfort he receives is not reserved for great men.
Joshua needed a special word for himself, as one called to fill a prominent and very distinguished place in the congregation. But the word to him holds the same precious truth as the word to the whole assembly. God assures him of His presence and power with him. This is enough for each, for all; for Joshua as for the most obscure member of the assembly... It does not matter in the least what difficulties or dangers lie ahead of us. Our God is more than enough for all. If we only have the sense of the Lord's presence with us, and the authority of His word for the work we are doing, we may move on with joyful confidence, despite ten thousand difficulties and hostile influences.
The call to be strong sits in the same chapter as the song about Israel's coming unfaithfulness. That timing brings comfort.
It is a great encouragement and comfort that God gives Joshua this exhortation and charge at the same time as the prophetic song that announces the failure of the people. Our present work and duty in the Church, whatever it may be, hangs on that charge and rests on it, whatever we may know about the results of man's unfaithfulness. Note this well.
So Joshua's courage had to rest on something steadier than the people he was leading.
He was to fix his eye not upon Israel's ways, but upon the eternal stability of the divine covenant with Abraham. He was to conduct Israel across the Jordan and plant them in that fair inheritance designed for them in the purpose of God. Had Joshua occupied his mind with Israel, he must have flung down his sword and given up in despair. But no, he had to encourage himself in the Lord his God, and serve in the power of a faith that endures because it sees Him who is invisible.
Moses hands the task to Joshua. One writer explains why, looking at Moses' office rather than at the man.
Looking at this loved and honoured man in his official role, it is very plain that it was not his part to lead the people of Israel into the promised land. The wilderness was his sphere of action. It was not his to lead the people across the river of death into their destined inheritance. His ministry was tied to man's responsibility under law and the government of God, so it could never lead the people into the enjoyment of the promise.
Commentators differ on what Joshua himself pictures. Some read him as a picture of Christ leading His people now by the Spirit:
It is Christ now in Spirit leading the people into the land. That is, it is the power of the Spirit of God who, answering to Christ's glory, enables Christians now to take hold of and know their place in heaven where He is.
Others read the two leaders as two comings: "Moses is the type of Christ's first coming, and Joshua the type of the second coming of Christ" (Arno Clemens Gaebelein).
One writer, writing about Joshua's own old age, draws the principle that fits Moses stepping down here.
Joshua may lose vigour, great leaders may become infirm, but the Lord remains ever the same. If only the saints would look to God and not to leaders, they would prosper even when death takes those leaders away. This does not mean we should think little of true leaders, for they are God's gifts to His people. Even so, God is the One His saints must look to.
- Commanded — "Be strong" was not advice Joshua could turn down. God had settled it, and there was no way out.
- Company — the Lord goes before him, and that promise supplies the courage He commands. It belongs to the whole assembly, not to the leader alone.
- Covenant — Joshua had to look past a people already marked out to fail, to the promise God swore to their fathers. Work done under that charge stands, whatever man does.
- Change of hands — the wilderness was Moses' sphere. Leading the people into the inheritance belonged to his successor. Commentators read Joshua as a picture of Christ acting now by His Spirit, or of Christ's second coming.
- Continuity — leaders grow old and die. Those who look to God, not to leaders, keep going strong when the leaders are gone.
And Jehovah, he it is that goeth before thee he will be with thee; he will not leave thee, nor forsake thee; fear not, neither be dismayed.
Moses is one hundred and twenty years old and cannot cross the Jordan, so he hands the people over to Joshua in front of the whole nation. Does Israel's future rest on the man who leads them, or on the One who goes ahead of them?
Moses gives this charge just as Israel loses its human support. One writer explains why losing Moses need not shake them:
They need not be afraid, then, even though Moses' strength is about to fail, and even though God strikes him down and sets him aside. The Lord remains, and He will cross over before them and subdue all their enemies. Joshua will also go ahead of them. They will have a leader, so that they learn to submit. Yet the One they truly submit to must be God. Leader and people, let them be strong, because weakness dishonours the God they belong to. He will not fail nor forsake.
Moses names Joshua in front of everyone. But what he tells him is not only for people in high office:
Joshua needed a special word for himself, because God called him to a leading place among the people. But the word to him contains the same precious truth as the word addressed to the whole assembly. God assures him that His presence and power are with him. This is enough for each, for all — for Joshua as for the most obscure member of the assembly. Yes, reader, and enough for you, whoever you are, and whatever your place in life.
One writer looks past the human leader to the One who actually goes first, once the people's doubt has been answered:
So the Lord clears Himself of the blame that the unbelief of His people has laid on Him. He is the real Leader, the only one, and He is enough. He is the Shepherd of Israel. His eyes never grow tired, and His heart is never wrong. He is the One who "will neither slumber nor sleep."
The same promise stands over the Lord's service. One writer links it to the courage that service asks for:
At the same time, the promise of never being left nor forsaken (Deut. 31:6, 8) keeps its full force. This is what you can count on in the Lord's service. His presence carries such power that no one will be able to stand before His servant. That power will never leave him. With this full encouragement, God calls the one who walks by the Spirit to be strong and courageous.
The New Testament repeats these words. One writer traces where the quotation comes from and how its standing changes:
The nearest wording to these words in Scripture is found in Deut. 31:6 and 1 Chron. 28:20. In the first passage Moses was addressing Israel before his death... Deut. 31:6 is the first place where both "fail" and "forsake" appear. So we may believe it was in the Apostle's mind. There Moses gives his assurance that the Lord keeps watching over His people. The Apostle saw that Moses was speaking the truth of God. Moses stated it as a fact he was sure of. The writer of Hebrews brings it forward as God's promise to His people, because God inspired Moses to say it.
The command not to be afraid is not a call to summon up nerve. It rests on the strength of Another:
This strength comes from an arm that is not our own. It is the sweetest strength a creature can know. It is companionship, closeness, perfect security — all holiness and all wisdom. God with us means all that God is.
- Leader fails. Moses' strength is gone and God sets him aside. But God remains. The people's confidence must rest on Him, not on the man in front.
- God goes first. God Himself is the real Leader, and He is enough. He is the Shepherd whose eyes never tire and who never sleeps.
- Presence promised. God promises Joshua His presence and power. That is enough for each and for all, down to the least known person in the camp.
- Promise passed on. Moses stated it as a certainty. The New Testament repeats it as God's own promise, because Moses spoke by inspiration. It still holds in the Lord's service, where no one can stand before His servant.
- Fear silenced. The courage commanded comes from an arm that is not our own — "God with us" means all that God is.