The Leaders Respond

Joshua 1:16-18 (from the NET Bible)

1:16 They told Joshua, “We will do everything you say. We will go wherever you send us. 1:17 Just as we obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. But may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses! 1:18 Any man who rebels against what you say and does not obey all your commands will be executed. But be strong and brave!”

That’s what I call followers. But I get ahead of myself:

1. What happened in the text?
2. What do I learn about God?
3. What should I do about it?

1. What happened in the text?
   • The leaders respond to Joshua’s instructions
   • They pledge to do all he says and go wherever he sends
   • They promise to obey Joshua as they did Moses (!?)
   • Their desire is that God will be with Joshua as He was with Moses
   • They say they’ll execute any who don’t follow all Joshua’s commands
   • They tell him to be strong and brave
2. What do I learn about God?
   • He has a sense of humor. Are these the same children of Israel who complained and rebelled and wandered? (Maybe this generation really did learn something from the mistakes of their parents?)
   • His leaders are followed
   • He is the source of his leaders’ strength, and this is made known
   • His people ought to be willing to do as He instructs – directly or through his appointed leaders. (This is too open a statement, though. I’m pretty sure some people thought Jim Jones was one of God’s appointed leaders, and that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about the case of actual God-appointed leaders.)
3. What should I do about it?
   • Accept that people can learn from past experience (without assuming they have, perhaps)
   • Look behind me and see if anyone is following
   • Look to Him, not to circumstances or to lack of pain, for strength, sustenance, and success
   • Follow my leaders