Joshua Study Post 1

A Fresh Start...

Read Joshua 1:1-2

This book starts out with a sad event...Moses, the servant of the Lord, is dead. After he leads the Israelites to the borders, his work was done. Joshua, the servant of the servant of the Lord, was called upon to step up and take his masters place. Now, just go with me for a moment...Just reading and studying out the text it's very apparent that Moses and Joshua had a very close relationship through their time together. Although Moses was appointed by God to deliver His people from slavery, he understood early on that Joshua would be the one to lead them into freedom. (Duet 3:27) Moses took Joshua everywhere with him. Protected him (Ex 27:9-14), corrected him (Num 11:26-30) and introduced him to the intimate relationship with God (Ex 33:11).....Now, I say all that to say this; Joshua is grieving the loss of his mentor and friend when God speaks to him..."Moses, my servant is dead"....Why do you think God starts out this way? I mean, Joshua has just spent 30 days weeping for the loss of his friend..surely he has not forgotten that he is dead! Do you think that, maybe, God is just reminding Joshua of the facts so that he can accept them? Maybe Joshua is like us...we need to be reminded at times to move forward. We sometimes need someone to look us in the face and say "It's over", "It's the end", "It's gone"....not to hurt us or cause us despair, but to cause us assurance! To help us realize that we must get up and get a fresh start.Through Moses' death the Israelites and Joshua got a fresh start. Now they can move into the promised land. Have there been times in your life that death has brought about new life? For instance the death of a habit bringing out new possibilities....or the death of a plan you have for your own life bringing out a new vision for God's better plan?

What things might you need to die to in order to bring new life to your life so that you can move into your promised land?

What do you think? Thoughts to add....insight?