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| 1 And it cometh to pass after the death of Moses, servant of Jehovah, that Jehovah speaketh unto Joshua son of Nun, minister of Moses, saying, |
The LORD spake – Typifying his messages of encouragement to the Christ company in the present time. R3079:5
Unto Joshua – Type of Christ. A79
Originally, "Hoshea"--salvation; to which was prefixed "Je"--Jehovah (Num. 13:16). Thus it became "Jehoshua"-- Jehovah's salvation. This was shortened to Joshua and Jeshua (Neh. 8:17). Greek form is Jesus. R5335:3, R4060:3, R5296:5
The oldest or next-to-oldest man in Israel. R4061:1
Moses' minister – Moses' Prime Minister. R3079:1
This training made him familiar with the divine plans and methods as understood and practiced by Moses. R4060:6
Yet void of that ambition which led to the overthrow of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. R3079:2
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| 2 'Moses my servant is dead, and now, rise, pass over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. |
Now therefore arise – Being meek, he waited for the Lord to authorize his taking command. R4061:1
Go over this Jordan – In the case of the Church, from a state of sin and degradation into harmony with God. R5509:6
The land – As Joshua was to deliver the Lord's people and give them possession of the land of promise; so Jesus is to deliver spiritual Israel and give them their inheritance. R5296:5
Give to them – Not because of their worthiness, but because of his favor toward them, according to his own plan. R5335:6
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| 3 'Every place on which the sole of your foot treadeth, to you I have given it, as I have spoken unto Moses. |
Foot shall tread upon – Nothing was theirs except as the soles of their feet claimed possession. It was theirs by faith in that promise--a faith that would lead to works. Likewise spiritual Israelites must claim the promises to obtain them. R4061:2
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| 4 From this wilderness and Lebanon, and unto the great river, the river Phrath, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great Sea the going in of the sun is your border. |
Of the Hittites – The typical enemies of Israel picture the enemies we find entrenched in our own bodies. R5509:6
Recent excavations in Assyria show that at this time the Hittites were a mighty people. R3079:6
Shall be your coast – The boundaries outlined are practically the same as those possessed during Solomon's reign. R4061:3
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| 5 'No man doth station himself before thee all days of thy life; as I have been with Moses, I am with thee, I do not fail thee, nor forsake thee; |
Will be with thee – "Without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5)--he is with us only when we do what is clearly indicated in God's Word. R4061:6
Typifying that during the Millennial age the victory of Christ shall be by and through the Father's power. R3079:5
God did not say to him, "Remember your age and long experience and previous successes as a general." R4061:4
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| 6 be strong and courageous, for thou thou dost cause this people to inherit the land which I have sworn to their fathers to give to them. |
Be strong – In your arms and shoulders--aggressive warfare. R4061:6
God had not promised to give them amicable possessions; they were to fight and conquer their foes. R5509:3
Of a good courage – Have full confidence; not in yourself, but in God. R3079:2, R4064:5
Not the courage born of egotism and self-reliance, nor of recklessness; but, recognizing our own insufficiency, looking to the Lord for assistance. R5510:4
Associated with lower limbs, implying defensive power. R4061:6
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| 7 'Only, be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded thee; thou dost not turn aside from it right or left, so that thou dost act wisely in every [place] whither thou goest; |
Be thou strong – The basis for their strength and courage was the promise of God to Abraham that he would bring his seed into the land of Canaan. R5509:2
Joshua, as successor of Moses, needed this encouragement on the occasion of the Israelites entering the promised land. R5296:1, R5509:2
Against Israel's enemies, entrenched in the land of Canaan. R5296:2
Very courageous – Morally courageous. R4062:3
The New Creatures, under the leadership of the antitypical Joshua, are to overcome the weaknesses of the fallen nature. R5296:3
Strength of character and courage are needed now when the iniquity of the whole world has come to the full; and all present governments are about to be swept away. R5707:4
There is a difference between being strong and being courageous. The Great Company will finally overcome, with the Lord's help, yet they will not have been very courageous. R5296:5
Turn not from it – Require neither more nor less than the divine standard, keeping in absolute alignment with the divine Word; a rebuke to those who think the eternal torment theory should be taught whether in the Bible or not. R3080:1
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| 8 the book of this law doth not depart out of thy mouth, and thou hast meditated in it by day and by night, so that thou dost observe to do according to all that is written in it, for then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely. |
Meditate therein – Those who carefully lay up the treasures of divine wisdom that they may live by them, are those that truly keep the commandments of God. R2093:6*
Day and night – Not literally; but in the sense of making it your guide and director at all times and in all things. R4062:4
Good success – For spiritual Israelites success in making their calling and election sure will be proportionate to their obedience to the divine message. R4062:5, R3080:5
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| 9 'Have not I commanded thee be strong and courageous; be not terrified nor affrighted, for with thee [is] Jehovah thy God in every [place] whither thou goest.' |
I commanded thee – It is not our battle, but the Lord's. R4061:6
Neither be thou dismayed – Through fear of the giants of weaknesses and sin-habits; nor through the thought of the high walls and fortifications of entrenched sin. R4064:2
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| 10 And Joshua commandeth the authorities of the people, saying, |
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| 11 'Pass over into the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying, Prepare for yourselves provision, for within three days ye are passing over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which Jehovah your God is giving to you to possess it.' |
Within three days – Representing the fifth, sixth and seventh thousand-year days. R3080:6
Joshua's promptness and zeal here displayed are worthy of emulation. R4062:6
Prepare you victuals – Representing the Church with her Lord as the Bread from heaven. "We, being many, are one bread." (1 Cor. 10:17) R3081:4
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| 12 And to the Reubenite, and to the Gadite, and to the half of the tribe of Manasseh, hath Joshua spoken, saying,
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Half the tribe of Manasseh – Also given a large tract east of Jordan; showing how Joseph's branches (in Manasseh) went "over the wall" or river. (Gen. 49:22) R2124:6
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| 13 'Remember the word which Moses, servant of Jehovah, commanded you, saying, Jehovah your God is giving rest to you, and He hath given to you this land; |
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| 14 your wives, your infants, and your substance, abide in the land which Moses hath given to you beyond the Jordan, and ye ye pass over by fifties, before your brethren, all the mighty ones of valour, and have helped them, |
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| 15 till that Jehovah giveth rest to your brethren as to yourselves, and they have possessed, even they, the land which Jehovah your God is giving to them; then ye have turned back to the land of your possession, and have possessed it, which Moses, servant of Jehovah, hath given to you beyond the Jordan, [at] the sun-rising.' |
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| 16 And they answer Joshua, saying, 'All that thou hast commanded us we do; and unto every [place] whither thou dost send us, we go; |
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| 17 according to all that we hearkened unto Moses [in], so we hearken unto thee; surely Jehovah thy God is with thee as He hath been with Moses. |
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| 18 Any man who doth provoke thy mouth, and doth not hear thy words, in all that thou dost command him, is put to death; only, be strong and courageous.' |
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