There was a young man named Hoshea (or Oshea) - 'Hoshea' means 'Salvation'. What a wonderful proclamation in the name! But his name was changed to 'Joshua' - meaning 'God is my Salvation'. Look at Numbers 13: 16. "... And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua"
A subtle change - phonetically speaking! But the meaning gets clearer and better! No longer is it just 'Salvation', but it is 'God-my-Salvation'. Quite a few times in the old testament, we find people whose names were changed; Abram - to Abraham, Sarai - to Sarah, Jacob - to Israel and here from Hoshea - to Joshua!
Joshua was a mighty warrior, yet he learned even in his early life that it is God who saves! All through his life we see his dependence on God for Israel's battles; always remembering that 'Salvation is of the LORD'. He had a humble beginning - as a servant (or assistant) of Moses. Look at Numbers 11:28. "So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, one of his choice men, answered...". In God's great plan for individuals, the beginning is almost always small. God's word encourages us 'not to despise the day of small beginnings'. It is not 'mighty acts' from day one. But God tests our faith and takes us step by step from one level to the next higher level.
Same was the case with Joshua! He had a mentor in Moses - who he observed from close quarters! Then it was time for his own life's lessons - when Moses put him - Joshua, in charge of the battle against the Amalekites...
Look at Exodus 17:8-16. What a peculiar battle! Here was a man - Joshua, leading the battle out in the plains; there was a man - Moses, on top of the hill, stretching out his hand toward God. And what happened on the battleground was dictated by the position of Moses' hands! Whenever Moses' hands were up, the Israelites were winning, and when it was down, the Amalekites were winning the battle! And at sunset, when Joshua and the Israelites won the battle, Moses comes down, builds an altar and calls it "Jehovah-Nissi" - "The LORD is my banner". For Joshua, it was a lesson of faith and victory in the heavenlies. He learnt that it was not his might, nor his strength that wrought victory, but God who answers prayers! (In Ex. 17: 14 God specifically instructs Moses to "Write this...and recount it in the hearing of Joshua..."). He learnt that victory is first wrought in the heavenlies and it is just a matter of time that we see the result come to pass on earth!
Then it was time, for Joshua, to lead the children of Israel into the promised land. What a daunting task! Moses was dead...Joshua, who was ONLY an assistant to Moses, is now set to lead Israel. God spoke to this man. We see it in Joshua 1:5-9 where God commands Joshua (again and again) to "Be strong and very courageous". And Joshua, instead of rushing ahead, took time, and did meditate on the Book of Law and God's word and all that Moses commanded. Then the test!
The first test of faith was to cross the river Jordan! Joshua knew exactly what lay beyond the river... Joshua and Caleb had spied the land beyond Jordan - that it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Out of twelve spies sent out to spy Canaan, these were the only two who were left alive - living by faith!
The ten other spies said "There we saw the giants...; and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight" (Num 13:31). And all the people, who believed these ten spies, faced God's rejection; for forty years they would wander in the wilderness and perish. The ten spies who brought their bad report died immediately after...Joshua knew all this! Joshua also knew how God parted the Red Sea for Moses and Israel to cross-over!
You know, there is a difference in someway, how the Israelites crossed Red Sea and river Jordan! Moses stood and stretched out his rod and the red sea parted! Israelites walked thro' dry land! But now, for Joshua it required a even greater faith to cross Jordan! He commanded that the priests carry the Ark of the Covenant and enter the river!! Imagine that...But he had heard from God. And Joshua would only obey! And just as the soles of the priests' feet touched the water, God cut off the waters of Jordan!!
Sometimes, in our lives too, God expects that we step forward, in faith, in the way that God has shown. If the people had waited till the river was stopped, before crossing over, they would have probably never seen the promised land!
Now beyond Jordan, and between the promised land, there was the next hurdle. Jericho! Yes, that fortified city whose boundary walls were so thick, that people built houses and lived on top of the wall! And what a battle Joshua fought! Again a peculiar sight! All men of war marching once around the walls with the priests carrying the ark and having trumpets - but not making a sound! This they continued for SIX days! This was again a test of faith for Joshua! If God so willed, he could have made Jericho fall in one day - or in an instant! But God had spoken...and Joshua continued to obey! Then on the seventh day, according to God's word, they marched around Jericho seven times! Now it was time to shout and blow the trumpets...and the walls of Jericho fell on itself! What a conquest!
Again, in Joshua's life, we see that faith and obedience always go together! The time when Joshua and his men were defeated at Ai...because of one man's sin (covetousness), the entire army of Israel was defeated by a small and insignificant army. Life's lessons were learnt the hard way (once again)...the fact that they would win was only because of the Lord who was with them. That was the ONLY defeat in Joshua's life...He soon made amends with God, put out the accursed things, and was on his way to victory!
With faith, Joshua would cry out, "Sun, stand still..." And God made the sun stand still for about 24 hrs - till Joshua would finish off their enemies! (Josh. 10:13). That day in history had 48 hours - which scientist can explain this? And it was Joshua who led the Israelites to the promised land.
Even today, Israel stands as a nation - surrounded by hostile neighbours - but Israel still stands! People have come to acknowledge that there is something special about this nation! But Israel stands even today because it is God, who has kept his promise to Abraham! And Joshua, in his farewell speech, reminded the Israelites of how God's promises were fulfilled! We see this Josh. 23:14 "Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that NOT ONE THING has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. ALL have come to pass for you; NOT ONE WORD of them has failed."
Consider two words - "Jehovah Nissi": The-Lord-is-my-banner - and it has never failed. Consider one word "Joshua" - God-My-Salvation - and the word has not failed. Joshua in Hebrew means the same as Jesus in Greek. Whenever we call out the name of Jesus, we can also remember Joshua! And remember that God-is-our-Salvation!
No comments:
Post a Comment