Page 3 - November 2023 - Truth & Tidings

e’s gone. She’s gone. They’re gone. raised Him up for the work at hand. Israel
Now what? What will we do with- had witnessed God’s power in bringing
Hout their presence? How will we them out of Egypt. They would see it again
make it without her prayers? How will we shortly as they entered the promised land.
survive without his wisdom? These were As the Red Sea miraculously opened to
likely the same kind of questions racing lead them out, so would the Jordan River
through the minds of God’s people after miraculously open to bring them in. The
receiving the news that Moses, the Lord’s sudden removal of Moses and his rod
servant, was dead. At such a pivotal mo- did not withdraw God’s power from His
ment in Israel’s history, standing on the people.
outskirts of Canaan, facing impenetrable Finally, the people would be heartened
cities with powerful enemies, how could to know that they still had God’s presence.
they go on without Moses? Yet, the answer The Lord said to Joshua, “As I was with
came: “Moses my servant is dead. Get Moses, so I will be with you. I will not
ready! Cross the Jordan River. Lead these abandon you or leave you alone” (v5b).
people into the land” (Jos 1:2). Similar words were once spoken by the
1
Notice, first, that Israel still had God’s Lord to an objecting, excuse-ridden man
Word. The previous verse notes that these whom the Lord called to begin this whole
words were spoken by the Lord to Joshua. journey – Moses. Obviously, it was God’s
The people did not have to sit in silence presence, not Moses’ presence, that brought
wondering what to do next. God still spoke them thus far and would lead them still.
to His people, only now through Joshua, All over the world, great men and
and verse eight tells us they had the “law women of God, indeed His servants, have
scroll” with them, which Joshua (and the been taken away from us. But we must
people) should read, memorize and obey. move forward, appreciating the promise
The absence of Moses’ voice didn’t remove that the Lord is with us. The same promise
the voice of God. made to Joshua is given to us (Heb 13:5).
It also became immediately clear that Yes, death has robbed us of so much that
Israel still had God’s promise. The Lord said, is precious – but not everything. There are
“I am handing over to you every place you still some things that death cannot take
set foot, as I promised Moses” (v3). This away. We still have God’s Word and His
land was “solemnly promised [to] their promises to guide, instruct and encourage
ancestors” (v6). Funerals cannot take away us. We still have His power and presence
the promises of God to His people. to sustain us in all our weakness and need.
It would encourage Israel to know that And even those whom death has removed
they still had God’s power. Joshua was told, have only just changed locations. We have
“No one will be able to resist you all the not lost them. They have simply crossed
days of your life” (v5a), not because of any over Jordan by God’s direction to the land
inherent power in Joshua, but because God that is fairer than day and where we will
¹ Bible quotations in this article are from the NET. meet them on that beautiful shore.

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