Read: Deuteronomy 29
Highlights:
Moses' final appeal for obedience; warnings against disobedience; Joshua commissioned as Moses' successor; the Law to be placed in the Ark.
And the Lord said unto Moses . . . call Joshua, and present yourselves in the Tabernacle of the congregation, that I may give him a charge (Deut. 31:14).
It is not difficult to see why Joshua was chosen to succeed Moses. Forty years earlier, he was one of the two spies who opposed the majority opinion and emphatically said: If the Lord delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us (Num. 14:8). But the majority of the people were ready to stone him (14:10). For forty years Joshua had been Moses' faithful servant (Ex. 24:13; 32:17).
In the midst of unbelief and bitter complaints, his remarkable faithfulness was not marred by any incident of unbelief, criticism of Moses, or faultfinding with those around him. Joshua wholly followed the Lord (Num. 32:12).
Furthermore, he departed not out of the Tabernacle (Ex. 33:11) at the time of the golden calf incident, when the nation had yielded to idolatry, but remained in the presence of God.
It is no surprise that the Lord told Moses: Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay thine hand upon him (Num. 27:18).
Many Christians — in order to gain personal advantage — have compromised their convictions and proved to be disloyal. But loyalty is a distinguishing characteristic of people who are faithful to God. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life (Rev. 2:10).
In the midst of difficulties, many give up rather than stand up for the Lord. But the men and women who achieve anything for God are not moved by the opinions or actions of the majority. Their faith is not dependent upon favorable circumstances, but it is grounded in the eternal God.
Only those who are willing to be lowly, humble servants will have the privilege of saying with our Master, For even the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58).
Thought for Today:
Are you as willing as Joshua to wholly follow the Lord?
Christ Revealed:
As life (Deut. 30:15). Jesus is The Resurrection, and The Life (John 11:25).
Word Studies:
29:17 abominations, detestable things; 30:3 turn thy captivity, restore you from captivity; 30:4 unto the outmost parts of (under) heaven, to the ends of earth; 30:9 plenteous, prosperous; 30:18 denounce, announce; 30:19 record, witness; 31:10 solemnity, appointed time; 31:12 stranger, foreigner; 31:14 charge, commission; 31:16 go a whoring after the gods of the strangers, be unfaithful to the One True God; 31:17 devoured, consumed, destroyed; 31:21 sware, promised.
Prayer Suggestion: Do not worry about anything, but pray about everything (Phil. 4:6).
Optional Reading: John 2
Memory Verse for the Week: Philippians 2:14