In The Word
Read: Joshua 1
Joshua Assumes Command
10 Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you are going to cross this Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving you, to possess it.’”
12 But to the Reubenites, to the Gadites, and to the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest, and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but you shall cross ahead of your brothers in battle formation, all your valiant warriors, and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives your brothers rest, as He is giving you, and they also possess the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you may return to your own land, and take possession of that which Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”
16 They answered Joshua, saying, “All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses. 18 Anyone who rebels against your command and does not obey your words in all that you command him, shall be put to death; only be strong and courageous.”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
After the completion of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, we come to the book of Joshua. Moses passed away, and Joshua had taken over as commander of Israel. The first instruction Joshua received from God was to cross the Jordan and take possession of the Promised Land. Verse 2 (KJV) states, “…the land which I do give them.” This was spoken before the land was given. God is presently giving Israel the land. In the next verse (Joshua 1:3), God tells Joshua, “… have I given unto you,” which changed the context from pre-gift to past tense. This confirms the completion of the promise.
Although Israel had already been given the Promised Land, they still didn’t possess it. After the promise had been fulfilled in verse 3, Joshua later prepared all the people in verse 11 “to go in to possess the land.” After God had given them the land, they could have just stayed on the bank of the Jordan River. Instead, they moved forward, went in, and took the Promised Land.
Sometimes in life, we get stuck like the Israelites did in verse 3, never moving to verse 11. We wait for God to fulfill a promise in our lives that has already been fulfilled. It is not because of God that our promises do not get fulfilled, but because we have not gone in and taken possession of the promise. The Bible is filled with God’s promises for you. If He promised it, He will also fulfill it. Now, it’s up to you to possess it!