January 8 - Joshua

January 8 - Joshua

We all know he ‘fit the battle of Jericho,’ right?  Of course.

Joshua was born in Egypt – and it is assumed he was about forty years old when the Exodus occurred.  When the Israelites battled Amalek (Exodus 17:8-13), it was Joshua who led the battle while Moses held the God-given rod up to heaven.

It was he and Caleb who had gone into Canaan and returned with an encouraging report.  Because everyone else came back with doom and gloom and the people believed them instead, they ended up wandering for forty additional years.

His name means, ‘Jehovah is his help.’  With all of his responsibilities after succeeding Moses as leader of the Israelites, he was going to need God’s help.

He took his people across the Jordan river and was their leader as they marched around Jericho and brought the walls down.  It was under his leadership that the Israelites fought wars bringing down six nations and thirty-one kings.  He trusted the Lord to lead the people in battle and that trust allowed God to win those battles for them.

It was Joshua who split the land among the twelve tribes and after he delivered his final address to the people (Joshua 24:1-28), he died.

The final verses of Joshua (Joshua 24:31), tell us that his leadership among the Israelites allowed them to serve the Lord while he was alive and then while the elders who outlived him were alive.  These men reminded the Israelites what it was that the Lord had done for them.

Joshua knew that his help came from the Lord.

“Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)