Be strong and courageous. That is the message predominantly associated with Joshua, and we can see why in this very first chapter, which eases us into the new leadership of the Israelites. Joshua is a different kind of leader than Moses, though, and we see that right off the bat. Joshua is a soldier. Almost every story we’ve read about him has been about his duties and successes on the battlefield. He has been a leader since he was introduced in previous chapters. One of the first things we saw him do was go into the Promised Land on behalf of his tribe and inspect the surroundings. He and Caleb were the only two of 12 who said, “Yeah, let’s get ‘er done!” Now, in the beginning of this book named after him and attributed to being written by him, we finally are getting to see his enthusiasm and faithfulness pay off. He is supported, too. It seems the transition in leadership from wise, shy-but-fierce Moses to muscled-up, yet humble, Joshua is supported in full by the Israelites. That’s a huge blessing in itself. And it seems God is walking and talking with Joshua the same as He did with Moses. I can’t wait to see how their relationship grows, and I can’t wait to read more about what Joshua recorded for us about entering the Promised Land!
Writing prompt: transition
We’re transitioning into a new book of the Bible just as the Israelites are transitioning into new leadership and Joshua is transitioning into a new role. Transitions occur daily, even in small things. That’s life, huh? What was the last transition you made? Write about it and think about what transitions will result because of the transition that came before it.
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