Does God's promise to Joshua and Israel in Joshua 1:9 apply to us?

There are two points of great interest about verses 5 and 6. The first concerns the way in which the Old Testament Scripture is quoted. It was to Joshua that the Lord said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." We might very properly say to ourselves, "But I am no Joshua. He was a very eminent man of faith, and I am a very insignificant and often a very feeble believer. Would it not be a rather forward and impertinent thing for me to calmly assume that a promise made to him is equally valid for me?" It is delightful to discover from these verses that such an application of this ancient promise is not the boldness of presumption but the boldness of faith. The fact is, of course, that what God is, He is towards His people in all time and circumstances. There is no variableness nor shadow of turning with Him. He will not be less towards His people in this dispensation than He was in a past dispensation. We may wholly count upon Him.

Do not mistake me. If as Christians, we are "blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus," we are entitled to lay hold of every spiritual blessing, and by faith claim it as our own. Thus if God said to a saint of old, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee," the apostle tells us that so we may boldly say, "The Lord is my helper." The promises to Moses or to Joshua we may apply to ourselves. This does not take them from those to whom they were addressed, nor does it authorize us in applying promises as to headship in the earth and such like in the same way. "All spiritual blessings in heavenly places" sufficiently distinguishes our portion.

What is presumption then as distinguished from the courage of faith; and how are we to discern the difference? Is it not important to avoid mistake in so grave a matter? Presumption is man's courage founded on self — on the first man. The strength and good courage of the Christian is founded only on Christ. The difference therefore is complete. We cannot be too great-hearted if Christ be the one source of our courage: we owe it to Him. If it be a question of standing against the enemy or withstanding his wiles, we need indeed to be watchful. If it be a question of cherishing calm trust in what Christ is, and what He has given us, we cannot abate one jot of the full exhortation conveyed by these words to Joshua on that day. Was it for Joshua alone? It was for Joshua, who bound himself indissolubly with the people of God; it was to cheer the leader and those led by him. But so, beloved brethren, it should be with the children of God; for He does not, could not, complete a mere fraction of them. The best blessings we have got are those God designed for the church — for every member of Christ's body.

Alas! we find ourselves in a state and day when but few members of Christ believe in their own blessing. If God has recalled our souls to faith in His grace, let us thank Him; but when we think of the infinite mercy which has caused us to see that God is for us, and what Christ is to us, and working too by the Spirit in us, — let us adore Him that all is for all that are His. This will deepen our sense of the ruin of Christendom where their lack of faith refuses the good things God is giving, where flesh feebly judged mixes what is of self and the world without rebuke. At least we shall see what God is towards all saints, though we shall feel the more what they are towards Him in spite of all His love. First of all do we owe our freshest feelings to Himself; but also it becomes us, if we desire the blessing of others, that we should humbly — yet at the same time courageously — seek to enter in and possess the blessings ourselves. There is nothing that more conduces to the blessing of another than enjoying what His grace gives in our own souls. "Be strong then," says He, "and of a good courage; for to this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land which I sware to their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous." We know that He whom Joshua set forth cannot fail us. There were moments when even Joshua quailed; time was to be when Joshua would sink into the dust, when Jehovah would bid him rise with a measure of reproof too. Our Joshua never needs a check more than a stimulus; and all power is given Him in heaven and on earth. May His power rest on us in our weakness! We shall learn where the hindrances are and what.

How wonderful the encouragement given to Joshua then, that no one would be able to stand against him all the days of his life, for God would be with him as He was with Moses. This encouragement is intended too for all now who are "in Christ Jesus." As we depend on Him, no enemy can prevail against us, for we read concerning the Church built by Christ, "the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Mt. 16:18). Let the words of the Lord burn deeply into every believer's heart, "I will not leave you nor forsake you" (v. 5). Such a promise is a wonderful basis for faith to "be strong and of good courage" (v. 6). Yet it is not a selfish courage, for Joshua was to divide the land as an inheritance for all the children of Israel. He was to be a leader whose concern was first for the glory of God, and which therefore also involved concern for the children of Israel.

The words the Lord addressed to Joshua are extremely precious. "I will be with thee," stands first. He was with Joshua and gave him the promise "There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life." And this is true of us. He is with us, indwelling us; His Spirit is with us and His power on our side. God is for us; who can be against us? "I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee." He never fails His people. Divine strength and power are on our side. In the midst of the conflict He will never forsake His people.

More than the bare knowledge that God has made all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places ours in Christ, is necessary to stimulate true Christian zeal; personal communion with Christ Himself, as to the truth of these heavenly blessings, is needed. Jehovah said to Joshua, "I will be with thee, I will not fail thee nor forsake thee"; and the Lord Jesus in effect has said the same to each believer. He will not allow the heart to sink, He will not fail to uphold us with His hand. We have, therefore, promised and secured to us, His abiding presence, His unfailing grace and strength, and the assurance of His never forsaking us.

We learn, moreover, that the essential requisite for confidence and courage is the assurance that we are in the path of God's will. To be without this, as the Scripture history continually illustrates, is to expose ourselves to the attacks of Satan on every side through our weakness and irresolution. Hence it is that the Lord says to Joshua, "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage," etc. For together with the consciousness that the Lord is sending us on any service, the conviction is divinely begotten in our hearts that He will sustain us in the face of all obstacles, and conduct us to the end He has in view. We thus read of our blessed Lord, in the prophecy, that, with the full knowledge of what awaited Him, He set His face like a flint, knowing that He should not be ashamed, because, indeed, He had come to do the will of God. Joshua, therefore, was put upon this rock of God's will, that when he might see in after-days, the Amorites and Canaanites, the seven nations, swarming around the armies of Israel, he might not be afraid nor be dismayed; that he might say with David in a later day, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" Then also he would be able to add, "When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell."

But together with this, where the suited state of soul is found, and where the servant is assuredly in obedience to the will of God, there is still greater encouragement. It is added, "For the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." In like manner the Lord, in charging His disciples to go and teach all nations, said for their sustainment, "and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Moses entered into the absolute necessity for this when he cried, "If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." We are taught, therefore, that, in all our service and conflicts, it is utterly useless, yea, worse than useless, to proceed unless the Lord is with us. It is not too much to say, indeed, that all the defeats of the people of God may be traced back to the lack of this one essential of success. Nay, it may be confidently stated that success is assured when the Lord is with His people. Let us, then, heed the lesson well, that the Lord cannot be with us unless we are in the suited state and condition, and unless His will is governing our movements and activities. Too much reliance is often placed upon the general truth that the Lord's presence can be counted upon; the point to be remembered is, that except we are in the path of His will and following after holiness He will not manifest Himself as being with His saints. (Compare Numbers 5 and 6.)

Joshua needed a special word for himself, as one called to occupy a prominent and very distinguished place in the congregation. But the word to him embodies the same precious truth as that addressed to the whole assembly. He is assured of the divine presence and power 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 thee, whoever thou art, or whatever be thy sphere of action. It matters not, in the least, what difficulties or dangers may lie before us, our God is amply sufficient for all. If only we have the sense of the Lord's presence with us, and the authority of His word for the work in which we are engaged, we may move on with joyful confidence, spite of ten thousand difficulties and hostile influences.

As already pointed out, all this was to be with the view of observing and doing according to all that was written in the law; and this, it will be seen, gives the connection with the previous verse, which contains almost the same words. Another thing has now to be noticed. The path is known through the law and meditation thereon, and it might therefore be concluded that it would be easy to go forward in it. Far otherwise; the moment God opens out His way before any of His people, all the power of the enemy will be brought to bear to hinder their walking in it. The first thing, therefore, pressed upon Joshua at this point is "to be strong and very courageous." That is to say, when God's will is apprehended it needs divine strength and courage to do it, because of the opposition to be encountered upon every hand. In a scene like this, as exemplified to the full in the life of our blessed Lord, to do God's will, to serve the living and true God, will entail difficulties, persecution, and, in some countries, imprisonment and even death. (See Heb. 10:32-39.) How many of us, indeed, can recall seasons when, lacking divine energy and courage, we have shrunk from a path to which the Lord was calling us, through fear of man and possible consequences! We can thus comprehend Joshua's need of strength and courage in passing over into the sphere of the full display of Satan's power.

By the Spirit of God today Christ dwells in every believer to enable him to enter into the great spiritual truths to which he is entitled, truths that are connected with his heavenly inheritance. Yet let us not depend on the fact that Christ is in us. Rather we depend on the great Commander who is above us. For the Spirit of God within us always seeks to lead us in true obedience to Christ in glory above us. Thus, when God gives the word we should be prepared to fully obey because we have His Spirit within us. The book of Joshua therefore contains many exhortations to be strong and of good courage. Joshua needed this, as did all Israel, and we no less today.