God Appoints Joshua
Numbers 26-27
God Appoints Joshua, Numbers 26-27. Soon the children of Israel will be crossing the Jordan River and going into the promised land. Because God will not allow Moses entrance into the land, Moses asks God to appoint a new leader for the people.
15 Moses spoke to the Lord,
saying, 16 “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a
man over the congregation 17 who shall go out before them and come in
before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the
congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd.” 18
So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is
the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. 19 Make him stand before Eleazar
the priest and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in
their sight. 20 You shall invest him with some of your authority, that
all the congregation of the people of Israel may obey. 21 And he shall
stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the
judgment of the Urim
before the Lord. At his word they shall go out, and at his word they
shall come in, both he and all the people of Israel with him, the whole
congregation.” 22 And Moses did as the Lord commanded him. He took
Joshua and made him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole
congregation, 23 and he laid his hands on him and commissioned him as
the Lord directed through Moses.
Numbers 27:15-23, English Standard Version
God Appoints Joshua
Numbers 26-27
The time has come! Soon the children of Israel will be crossing the Jordan River and going into the promised land. Because God will not allow Moses entrance into the land, Moses asks God to appoint a new leader for the people.
What characteristics would you look for in a leader, especially one who would be taking charge of the troops as they go in to conquer the land? You would probably look for a man of intelligence, one who has natural leadership characteristics, one who shows integrity, and especially one who is trained (has a college education).
What characteristic(s) did God see in Joshua, the leader He appoints? God does not look upon the outward appearance of mankind as we are so apt to do. God looks upon the heart. Here are God's instructions to Moses:
Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit.
God appoints Joshua as the next leader of Israel. Why? The Spirit of God dwelt in Joshua. Of all the characteristics needed for leadership, that was the most important to God. Would that have been a characteristic important to you in choosing a leader?
Who was really the Leader of the Children of Israel? Moses, understanding that it was truly God who led the Israelites, went to God for instructions regarding the next leader.
God appoints Joshua as the next leader of the children of Israel. Does God lead in the nations today? Now that is a very interesting question. We know that, in the end, all leaders are appointed by God to serve whatever purpose God has ordained for them. Some are actually chosen so that God may bring about the destruction of their nation. The Biblical case in point is Pharaoh, whom God appointed to bring about the destruction of Egypt and the release of His children whom Pharaoh was holding in bondage.
Who
is the Leader in our lives, as Christians? God! Do you live each day
with the comfortable presence of the Holy Spirit leading and guiding
your life? At the end of your life, that is the only question that will
matter! What a glorious truth for God's people. In a day of great unrest throughout the world, we live in the confidence that God is bringing everything to pass just as He has ordained before the beginning of the world.
Pray for the grace of
God to lead you and guide you throughout this day, that you will live
this day for the honor and glory of God. It is not your financial state or your educational degrees that matter to God. God looks upon the heart! What is the state of your heart before God?
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.