Search This Blog

Be Strong in the Lord to Turn Vision into Action (Editor's Edition)

Pr Jonathan Loh
29-04-2018

Joshua 1:1-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

God’s Commission to Joshua

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

The scripture says their leader Moses, the son of Amram and Yochebed of the tribe of Levi, has died. Moses, along with his brother Aaron and sister Miriam, took the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and led them to the Holy Land that God had promised them.

The children of Israel were now east of the Jordan River. God was going to give them the land that was west of the Jordan. He wanted them to pass through the wilderness, cross the Jordan River and enter and enjoy the blessings of the Promised Land—the Land of blessing that flowed with milk and honey.

Moses, however, was not permitted to lead the children of Israel into Canaan, the Promised Land, because he had been disobedient to God during the period of wandering in the desert. Moses was 120 years of age at the time of his death. (Deuteronomy 34:1-12)

Numbers 20:7-12 New King James Version (NKJV)

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod from before the Lord as He commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.
12 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.”

It was a simple mistake. Why is it that a leader like Moses died? Leaders come and go but God remains sovereign to work according to His good purposes. Their dreams shattered and hopes dashed but God's plans, purposes, and presence remain. God's Lordship remains permanent. Moses was handpicked by God for his leadership role. Moses may have been in charge but God is the ultimate Leader, and He is forever in control.

Our Lord is the head of the church.

Joshua 1:1-2 English Standard Version (ESV)

God Commissions Joshua

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel.

The commission of Joshua and the continuation of God’s purposes to move Israel into the land comes only after the death of Moses. God reminded Joshua that he had been prepared and trained for this as the servant of Moses.

The west side of the Jordan River had 31 kings. (Joshua 12:7-24) When Moses sent 12 spies from the 12 tribes into the Promise Land to check and explore it for 40 days, to see what was there, the 12 spies came back and 10 out of the 12 came back with negative reports, they told Moses that there were giants there. (Numbers 13:1-33)

Numbers 13:31-33 New King James Version (NKJV)

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the [a]giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like[b] grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Just like the Antioch vision given to us: 30,000-strong congregation and 300 missionaries. It is a great burden to us.

We are now 10,000-strong. But there’s another 20,000 to go!

By right we should be satisfied with 10,000. We are already a megachurch.

Yes, 30,000 is a huge burden.

But this is a blessing from the Lord. It is a gift to the church. This is God leaving an inheritance for your children. This is how much God loves you.

God reminded Joshua that this was the gift that He was giving to his offsprings. He had already promised this inheritance to his forefathers and is now fulfilling His promise to his descendants.

We thank God that He is reviving the Antioch church vision and His dream for the church.

It was from Antioch that Paul, Barnabas and John Mark began Paul's first missionary journey (Acts 13:4-52, 14:1-25). Led by the Holy Spirit, Paul and company walked to Seleucia on the coast, then sailed southwest to Salamis on the island of Cyprus, where Barnabas was from. (Acts 4:36). In Salamis, they preached the gospel in several synagogues. They then crossed the island by foot and arrived at the city of Paphos in the southwest.

Why is God reminding us about the Antioch church vision? Because the work is not finished.

God is telling us to arise!

Without this reminder, Joshua and his followers could have plunged into a state of deep sadness, depression and hopelessness. They could have lost their direction and remained satisfied in the east of the Jordan River.

It is about obedience to God. It is not about meeting the target and achieving results.

It is the journey that matters. It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end. It is the journey that teaches you a lot about the destination. Would you have reached the goal were it not for the steps taken to get there?

God is looking for an obedient heart. He wants us to believe in Him.

Genesis 17:7-9 New King James Version (NKJV)

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in[a] which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

Because the people went backward in unbelief instead of forward by faith, an entire generation missed their glorious inheritance and died in the wilderness. Their hearts were hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

It was only a short journey from Egypt to Canaan by the most direct route. But the Israelites wandered for 40 years in the wilderness before arriving at the Promised Land.

God was waiting for His people to return to Him wholeheartedly.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

God does not look at the things people look. People judge by what is on the outside, but the Lord looks at the heart. He sees beyond our titles, definitions, and categories.

God sees our faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We will fulfil the Antioch church vision when we set our feet on the land that God has given us, and possess it in accordance with His promise!

Joshua was 40 years of age when he was sent to spy the land of Canaan. Now he’s an old man.

God is not looking for a young man. God spoke to an old man. Joshua was over 80 years old.

God is looking for an old man like Joshua.

God is looking for you.

2 Corinthians 4:16 Living Bible (TLB)

16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our inner strength in the Lord is growing every day.

Be strong and of a good courage. Get ready to face your giants. Step out of your comfort zone. Walk outside the four walls of the church and make a difference in the land.

Arise! Cross over your Jordan!

No comments:

Post a Comment