Josué 1

Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin

Josué 1

Wiersbe - A wise leader doesn’t completely abandon the past but builds on it as he or she moves toward the future. Moses is mentioned fifty-seven times in the Book of Joshua, evidence that Joshua respected Moses and what he had done for Israel...Joshua learned how to obey as a servant before he commanded as a general; he was first a servant and then a ruler (Matt. 25:21). “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander,” wrote Aristotle in his Politics. God commissioned Joshua to achieve three things: lead the people into the land, defeat the enemy, and claim the inheritance. God could have sent an angel to do this, but He chose to use a man and give him the power he needed to get the job done. As we have already seen, Joshua is a type of Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation (Heb. 2:10), who has won the victory and now shares His spiritual inheritance with us....God didn’t give Joshua explanations as to how He would accomplish these things, because God’s people live on promises and not on explanations. When you trust God’s promises and step out by faith (v. 3), you can be sure that the Lord will give you the directions you need when you need them. (Be Strong - Joshua: Putting God's Power to Work in Your Life) J. Oswald Sanders - A work originated by God and conducted on spiritual principles will surmount the shock of a change of leadership and indeed will probably thrive better as a result. Joshua (03091)( יְהוֹשׁוּעַ Yehoshua, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ yehôšuaʿ) means "Yahweh is salvation," "the LORD delivers" or "Yahweh saves." There are 4 men named Joshua in the OT (a person of Beth Shemesh in 1Sa 6:13-14, a high priest in Zech 3:1-9, 6:11-12; and a governor of Jerusalem in 2Ki 23:8-9), but this note deals with the predominant use describing Joshua "servant of Moses" (Ex 24:13, Ex 33:11). He first appears in the OT in the context of newly delivered Israel's first military conflict, in which he led Israel to defeat (enabled by Yahweh) the Amalekites (see notes Ex 17:8-16). The name Joshua (or Joshua's) is found 168x in 151 verses in the book by his name! 223x in 204 verses - Exod. 17:9; Exod. 17:10; Exod. 17:13; Exod. 17:14; Exod. 24:13; Exod. 32:17; Exod. 33:11; Num. 11:28; Num. 13:16; Num. 14:6; Num. 14:30; Num. 14:38; Num. 26:65; Num. 27:18; Num. 27:22; Num. 32:12; Num. 32:28; Num. 34:17; Deut. 1:38; Deut. 3:21; Deut. 3:28; Deut. 31:3; Deut. 31:7; Deut. 31:14; Deut. 31:23; Deut. 32:44; Deut. 34:9; Jos. 1:1; Jos. 1:10; Jos. 1:12; Jos. 1:16; Jos. 2:1; Jos. 2:23; Jos. 2:24; Jos. 3:1; Jos. 3:5; Jos. 3:6; Jos. 3:7; Jos. 3:9; Jos. 3:10; Jos. 4:1; Jos. 4:4; Jos. 4:5; Jos. 4:8; Jos. 4:9; Jos. 4:10; Jos. 4:14; Jos. 4:15; Jos. 4:17; Jos. 4:20; Jos. 5:2; Jos. 5:3; Jos. 5:4; Jos. 5:7; Jos. 5:9; Jos. 5:13; Jos. 5:14; Jos. 5:15; Jos. 6:2; Jos. 6:6; Jos. 6:8; Jos. 6:10; Jos. 6:12; Jos. 6:16; Jos. 6:22; Jos. 6:25; Jos. 6:26; Jos. 6:27; Jos. 7:2; Jos. 7:3; Jos. 7:6; Jos. 7:7; Jos. 7:10; Jos. 7:16; Jos. 7:19; Jos. 7:20; Jos. 7:22; Jos. 7:23; Jos. 7:24; Jos. 7:25; Jos. 8:1; Jos. 8:3; Jos. 8:9; Jos. 8:10; Jos. 8:13; Jos. 8:15; Jos. 8:16; Jos. 8:18; Jos. 8:21; Jos. 8:23; Jos. 8:26; Jos. 8:27; Jos. 8:28; Jos. 8:29; Jos. 8:30; Jos. 8:35; Jos. 9:2; Jos. 9:3; Jos. 9:6; Jos. 9:8; Jos. 9:15; Jos. 9:22; Jos. 9:24; Jos. 9:27; Jos. 10:1; Jos. 10:4; Jos. 10:6; Jos. 10:7; Jos. 10:8; Jos. 10:9; Jos. 10:12; Jos. 10:15; Jos. 10:17; Jos. 10:18; Jos. 10:20; Jos. 10:21; Jos. 10:22; Jos. 10:24; Jos. 10:25; Jos. 10:26; Jos. 10:27; Jos. 10:28; Jos. 10:29; Jos. 10:31; Jos. 10:33; Jos. 10:34; Jos. 10:36; Jos. 10:38; Jos. 10:40; Jos. 10:41; Jos. 10:42; Jos. 10:43; Jos. 11:6; Jos. 11:7; Jos. 11:9; Jos. 11:10; Jos. 11:12; Jos. 11:13; Jos. 11:15; Jos. 11:16; Jos. 11:18; Jos. 11:21; Jos. 11:23; Jos. 12:7; Jos. 13:1; Jos. 14:1; Jos. 14:6; Jos. 14:13; Jos. 15:13; Jos. 17:4; Jos. 17:14; Jos. 17:15; Jos. 17:17; Jos. 18:3; Jos. 18:8; Jos. 18:9; Jos. 18:10; Jos. 19:49; Jos. 19:51; Jos. 20:1; Jos. 21:1; Jos. 22:1; Jos. 22:6; Jos. 22:7; Jos. 23:1; Jos. 23:2; Jos. 24:1; Jos. 24:2; Jos. 24:19; Jos. 24:21; Jos. 24:22; Jos. 24:24; Jos. 24:25; Jos. 24:26; Jos. 24:27; Jos. 24:28; Jos. 24:29; Jos. 24:31; Jdg. 1:1; Jdg. 2:6; Jdg. 2:7; Jdg. 2:8; Jdg. 2:21; Jdg. 2:23; 1 Sam. 6:14; 1 Sam. 6:18; 1 Ki. 16:34; 2 Ki. 23:8; 1 Chr. 7:27; Neh. 8:17; Hag. 1:1; Hag. 1:12; Hag. 1:14; Hag. 2:2; Hag. 2:4; Zech. 3:1; Zech. 3:3; Zech. 3:6; Zech. 3:8; Zech. 3:9; Zech. 6:11; Lk. 3:29; Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8 Significant Passages in Life and Matriculation of Joshua: Exodus 17:8-9+ (MOSES GIVES JOSHUA COMMAND OVER ISRAEL'S MILITARY) Then Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose men for us and go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow I will station myself on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” Exodus 24:13+ So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. (NOTE JOSHUA'S NEARNESS TO GOD, ANOTHER ASPECT OF HIS GROWTH IN GRACE). Exodus 32:17+ (RETURNING TO CAMP AND ISRAEL'S CALF WORSHIP AFTER 40 DAYS ON MOUNT SINAI AT A PLACE LOWER THAN MOSES - GOD KEPT HIM SEPARATE/HOLY - Cf 2Ti 2:3-4) Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.” Exodus 33:11+ (NOTE HE IS A 'YOUNG MAN") Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent. Numbers 14:6+ (EXPRESSING DISTRESS AT 10 SPIES WHO FAILED TO BELIEVE GOD WOULD KEEP HIS PROMISE TO GIVE THE LAND TO ISRAEL. IN SHORT JOSHUA TRUSTED JEHOVAH!) - Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, of those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; Numbers 27:18+ (JOSHUA A SPIRIT FILLED MAN!) So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; (FOR CONTEXT READ Nu 27:18-23) Deuteronomy 3:21+ “I commanded Joshua at that time, saying, ‘Your eyes have seen all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so the LORD shall do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. 22 ‘Do not fear them, for the LORD your God is the one fighting for you.’ Deuteronomy 31:7+ Then Moses called to Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall give it to them as an inheritance. Joshua 24:29+ (JOSHUA BEGAN AS A SERVANT [sharath] OF MOSES THE SERVANT ['ebed] OF THE LORD AND ENDS HIMSELF AS "THE SERVANT ['ebed; Lxx = doulos] OF THE LORD.") - It came about after these things that Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. RELATED RESOURCES: Who was Joshua the high priest? | GotQuestions.org Who was Joshua in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org Who was the Joshua in Zechariah 3:1-10? | GotQuestions.org Whyte's Bible Characters - Joshua Nave Topical Bible Joshua American Tract Society Joshua Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Joshua, Book of Joshua the Son of Nun Baker's Evangelical Dictionary Joshua, Theology of Easton's Bible Dictionary Joshua, the Book of oshua Fausset Bible Dictionary Joshua, the Book of Joshua Holman Bible Dictionary Joshua, the Book of Joshua Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Joshua Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Joshua International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Joshua (1) Joshua (2 - main discussion) Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Joshua Servant (05650)('ebed from 'abad = work in any sense) means a slave or bondservant, and is a title of humility for someone in a position of lower authority or stature (whether in relationship to people or to God). Slavery in Israel amounted to indentured servitude. A fellow Israelite could not be held indefinitely against his will. In fact, his time of service was limited to 6 yr (Ex 21:2). The master could be punished if evil intent against the slave was proven (Ex 21:14) or if the slave died (Ex 21:20). These types of servants held a position of honor (Ge 24:2ff; 41:12, 15:2). Summary - 1) slave, servant 1a) slave, servant, man-servant 1b) subjects 1c) servants, worshippers (of God) 1d) servant (in special sense as prophets, Levites etc) 1e) servant (of Israel) 1f) servant (as form of address between equals) Uses of ebed in Joshua - Jos. 1:1; Jos. 1:2; Jos. 1:7; Jos. 1:13; Jos. 1:15; Jos. 5:14; Jos. 8:31; Jos. 8:33; Jos. 9:8; Jos. 9:9; Jos. 9:11; Jos. 9:23; Jos. 9:24; Jos. 10:6; Jos. 11:12; Jos. 11:15; Jos. 12:6; Jos. 13:8; Jos. 14:7; Jos. 18:7; Jos. 22:2; Jos. 22:4; Jos. 22:5; Jos. 24:17; Jos. 24:29; Servant (08334)(sharath) basically means to minister to or wait on another, human or divine. Those who so minister are usually human beings, but may include the heavenly host (Ps 103:21) or even the nonhuman (pS 104:4). (1) personal service rendered to important person, usually ruler - Joseph to imprisoned officials (Gen 39:4; 40:4); Joshua to Moses (Ex 24:13; Josh 1:1); Elisha to Elijah and the youth to Elisha (1Ki 19:21; 2Ki 4:43; 6:15); the Levites to Aaron (Num 3:6; 13:2) and the congregation of Israel (16:9) and (2) ministry of worship of those in special relationship to God, eg priests (2/3's of uses are in this category). In royal contexts, sharath has reference to personal attendants (2 Sa 13:17–18; 1 Kgs 1:4; 10:5; 2Chr 22:8; Xerxes in Esther 1:10; 2:2; 6:3; cf. Ps 101:6). Occasionally, the word is used of political or military officials (1 Chron 27:1; 28:1; 2 Chron 17:19; cf. Prov 29:12). The verb, therefore, has to do with serving a superior by one of lower rank. The service is continuous but limited in duration. It is the service of free people, not slaves. The first two uses describe Joseph as servant, first to Potiphar (Ge 39:4) and then over other prisoners (including the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt - Ge 40:4). Sharath is a title of subservience, of submission to authority. Joshua was called the "sharath" of Moses and spent 40 years under Moses' leadership learning how to obey as a servant, as a man under discipline, before he commanded as a general. He was first a servant, and then God made him a leader. Frethelm - Ministering associated with the worship of Yahweh. These texts have to do with specific responsibilities of priests (1 Kgs 8:11), Levites (1 Chron 6:32 [17]), and others (Samuel, 1 Sam 2:11, 18) in Israel’s life of worship. The idea of serving God with one’s whole self and life is not implied in this vb. as it is with עָבַד (but note the parallel with “servant” in Isa 56:6 [cf. 61:6], where something approaching the “priesthood of all believers” may be entailed in this vision of the future). What this ministry entails is at times more closely specified. The Levites are “to make petition; to give thanks, and to praise the LORD” (1 Chron 16:4; cf. 2 Chron 5:13–14; 8:14); the sons of Aaron are to present “an offering made to the LORD by fire” (Exod 30:20; cf. 28:35, 43), for which ministry various appurtenances are set apart (e.g., vestments, Exod 39:1; Ezek 42:14; cf. Num 4:9; utensils, Num 4:12, 14; Jer 52:18). The activities of the priests in a service of communal lament are specified in Joel (Joel 1:9, 13; 2:17). More generally, it meant caring for the place of worship (Num 1:50) and its furnishings (3:31; cf. 1 Sam 3:1; 2 Kgs 25:14). False ministry is also possible (Ezek 20:32; 44:12). One phrase used (with varying formulations) is “to minister to God” (Deut 10:8; 17:12; 18:5, 7; 21:5; 1 Chron 15:2; 23:13; 2 Chron 13:10; 29:11). These texts have a personal note to their understanding of service; it is a ministering directed to and on behalf of God himself, not just the places and objects associated with divine worship. This ministry is also in the service of the congregation (Num 16:3; Ezek 44:11). In some sense, God has chosen to be dependent on such persons for this activity; hence, they could be considered divine assistants, from which activity both God and people benefit as their relationship is enhanced. In the vision of the restored temple, Ezekiel 44–45 makes a distinction between the ministry of the Levites (more general oversight of the temple, 44:11–14; cf. Num 8:26; Jer 33:21–22) and that of the descendants of Zadok (ministry at the altar, Ezek 44:15–27). In the vision of Isaiah 56–66, foreigners will minister to God (56:6, parallel to “servant”), yet Israel, in contrast to foreigners, shall be “named ministers of our God” (61:6; cf. 60:7, 10), parallel to “priests of the LORD.” (NIDOTTE) Austel adds that "The high rank of the servant designated by this verb and the special relationship in which he stands in respect to his master is seen in Gen 39:4. Here Joseph was put over all the affairs of Potiphar’s estate, and in vv. 8 and 9 Joseph was able to say that Potiphar did not concern himself with anything in the house. He left it all to Joseph’s care, nothing being withheld from him except Potiphar’s wife. In II Chr 22:8, king Ahaziah’s nephews stand as ministers (mĕšarĕtîm) to Ahaziah. These men would obviously not be menials. In Est 2:2 the king’s attendants stand in a relationship close enough so that they have his ear and are able to make suggestions which the king follows. Elisha’s personal servant was designated a mĕšārēt “minister” (II Kgs 4:43; 6:15). Elisha himself, when he was first called to be a prophet, stood in this relationship to Elijah (I Kgs 19:21). Joshua was Moses’ chief assistant (Ex 24:13; 33:11; Josh 1:1). Later, as was the case with Elisha, he succeeded his former master. The second category involves mostly the Levites and priests who served in the tabernacle, and later the temple (in one passage, Ps 103:21, the angelic hosts are so designated). In a number of passages their service is specifically related to the sanctuary. Thus Ex 28:35 speaks of Aaron’s ministry in the holy place, and v. 43 speaks of Aaron’s sons as they minister at the altar (cf. Joel 1:13). The Levites were also so designated. I Chr 6:17 and 16:4, 37 speak of their ministry in song, worship, and praise. Samuel, in I Sam 2:11, 18 and 3:1, serves in the tabernacle as Eli’s assistant. The special status of the priest was not merely one of ritual or ceremony. He had the grave responsibility of representing the people before God, and it was through his ministry that Israel had access to God. He also stood before the people as God’s official representative. As such they settled disputes among individuals (Deut 2:15), and in Deut 17:12 God decrees that whoever refuses to heed the priest, God’s servant, shall be put to death. Psalm 101:6 is an important reminder that he who would dwell in God’s presence and serve him must walk blamelessly before him. This obviously goes far beyond mere ritual purity. Eventually the whole nation of Israel, not only one tribe, will serve God as his priests (Isa 61:6), thus fulfilling their calling as a “kingdom of priests” (Ex 19:6). Beyond that, the addition even of gentiles to this privileged class is anticipated in Isa 56:6–9. It should be noted here that they humbly recognize themselves as lowly servants (ʿebed), but they love the name of the Lord and will minister to him. (TWOT) Sharath - 92 verses - assist(1), attendant(4), attended(2), became his personal servant(1), minister(26), ministered(4), ministering(15), ministers(17), personal servant(1), servant(1), servant(2), serve(11), served(6), service(1), serving(1), take care(1), took care(1), used in temple service(2), waiters(1). Gen. 39:4; Gen. 40:4; Exod. 24:13; Exod. 28:35; Exod. 28:43; Exod. 29:30; Exod. 30:20; Exod. 33:11; Exod. 35:19; Exod. 39:1; Exod. 39:26; Exod. 39:41; Num. 1:50; Num. 3:6; Num. 3:31; Num. 4:9; Num. 4:12; Num. 4:14; Num. 8:26; Num. 11:28; Num. 16:9; Num. 18:2; Deut. 10:8; Deut. 17:12; Deut. 18:5; Deut. 18:7; Deut. 21:5; Jos. 1:1; 1 Sam. 2:11; 1 Sam. 2:18; 1 Sam. 3:1; 2 Sam. 13:17; 2 Sam. 13:18; 1 Ki. 1:4; 1 Ki. 1:15; 1 Ki. 8:11; 1 Ki. 10:5; 1 Ki. 19:21; 2 Ki. 4:43; 2 Ki. 6:15; 2 Ki. 25:14; 1 Chr. 6:32; 1 Chr. 15:2; 1 Chr. 16:4; 1 Chr. 16:37; 1 Chr. 23:13; 1 Chr. 26:12; 1 Chr. 27:1; 1 Chr. 28:1; 2 Chr. 5:14; 2 Chr. 8:14; 2 Chr. 9:4; 2 Chr. 13:10; 2 Chr. 17:19; 2 Chr. 22:8; 2 Chr. 23:6; 2 Chr. 29:11; 2 Chr. 31:2; Ezr. 8:17; Neh. 10:36; Neh. 10:39; Est. 1:10; Est. 2:2; Est. 6:3; Ps. 101:6; Ps. 103:21; Ps. 104:4; Prov. 29:12; Isa. 56:6; Isa. 60:7; Isa. 60:10; Isa. 61:6; Jer. 33:21; Jer. 33:22; Jer. 52:18; Ezek. 20:32; Ezek. 40:46; Ezek. 42:14; Ezek. 43:19; Ezek. 44:11; Ezek. 44:12; Ezek. 44:15; Ezek. 44:16; Ezek. 44:17; Ezek. 44:19; Ezek. 44:27; Ezek. 45:4; Ezek. 45:5; Ezek. 46:24; Joel 1:9; Joel 1:13; Joel 2:17 "TABLE OF CONTENTS" FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK OF JOSHUA PASSAGE CORRESPONDS TO Joshua 1:2–5 arise, go over this Jordan...into the land that I am giving... to the people of Israel” Joshua 1:10–12:24 Israel conquers Canaan you shall cause this people to inherit the land” Joshua 13–21 Israel’s inheritance distributed Joshua 1:7–9 “be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law Joshua 22–24 Covenant renewal Adrian Rogers introduces his series on the book of Joshua declaring that "God has given to every one of us a possession, and that possession is victory. Every Christian has victory as a gift. Every Christian is to be living a victorious life. Every Christian is to be an overcomer (1Jn 5:4-5+).... God has given to you victory, and if you're not living a victorious life—I mean, right now, if you're not living a victorious life—you, sir; you, lady; you, young person, are living beneath your privileges. And, while the Bible admits the possibility of failure, it never assumes the necessity of failure. As a matter of fact, the Bible says we're to always triumph in the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). And, the Book of Joshua is a book that is written to show us how we might have the victory that our Lord wants us to have.

Josué 1

Wiersbe: The leading person in the Book of Joshua is not Joshua but the Lord Jehovah, the God of Joshua and of Israel. In all that Joshua did by faith, he desired to glorify the Lord. When the Jews crossed the Jordan River, Joshua reminded them that the living God was among them and would overcome their enemies (Josh. 3:10). Through Israel’s obedience, Joshua wanted all the people of the earth to know the Lord and fear Him (Joshua 4:23-24). In his “farewell addresses” to the leaders (Joshua 23) and to the nation (Joshua 24), Joshua gave God all the glory for what Israel had accomplished under his leadership. Wilkinson and Boa feel that "The theme of Joshua is Israel’s possession of the Promised Land and enjoyment of God’s blessings through obedient faith.....Theologically, Joshua teaches that victory and blessing come through obedience and trust in God. Active faith leads to obedience which in turn brings blessing. God required the people to attempt the impossible in submission to His directions before He made it possible for them to succeed. The book emphasizes God’s covenant faithfulness to His promises regarding a land for Israel, and God’s holiness in bringing judgment upon the immoral Canaanites." (Talk Thru the Bible) William Newell's introduction to Joshua - We have before us now a book of great delight to the spiritual Christian. All through the Christian centuries Joshua has yielded priceless treasures to those saints who have been overcomers ” (Rev. 2-3). For those who have been content merely to get to heaven, this book has not, perhaps, presented any special attractions; but those who have been warrior-saints, who were determined to reign with Christ at whatever cost (Ro 8:17; 2Ti 2:12; Rev 2:26, 27), have ever found a very fortress of strength in this wonderful book. No book is more full of encouragement, wisdom and invigoration for the spiritual soldier. This land to be possessed, these deadly enemies, the conditions of successful occupation, the Jordan crossing, the successive conflicts, the division of the land --- all these things are of intense interest to the instructed Christian mind. New and deeper meanings are ever unfolded from these simple stories to those who have learned their true position in the risen Christ, and what their own real conflict is and feel their need of instruction and equipment for it. It is our humble hope that some may be led through these lessons to recognize these spiritual treasures in the book of Joshua, and to enter upon their appropriation. John Huffman - Joshua is one of the most fascinating books in the Bible. At one level, it relates the story of an ancient Hebrew leader and the people whom God called him to lead into the Promised Land. At another level, it’s a personal story. It’s the story of promise and of the great expectations that God has for us. It’s as if God takes on the qualities of the perceptive coach, teacher, or pastor who becomes excited about what we can become if we use the gifts He’s given to us. The study of this book helps us see ourselves in this light. It makes us question whether or not we are living up to our potential and God’s promise.....The reality is that many of us believers back off from the promises. We live lives of discouragement. Too often we are defeated by temptation, suffering, or the casual blandness of our existence. Joshua models for us—both in the experiences of this Old Testament hero and the complex history of the community he was called to lead into the Promised Land—what it is to flesh out this promise. Joshua helps us see what God is immediately able to do to realize this promise in us. The question is, once we have observed what this involves, are we willing to act upon the promise?(The Preacher's Commentary Series - Volume 6: Joshua) A lifestyle of promise involves living life with our backs to the past. --John Huffman Ray

Josué 1:8

Wiersbe - Any work of God that isn’t built on the Word of God will never prosper. Moses’ success as the leader of Israel came from his faith in and obedience to God’s Word (Deut. 4:10). Joshua’s success in conquering the enemy in Canaan was based on his devotion to the Word of God (Josh. 1:8). When we obey God’s Word, we can expect “great reward” (Ps. 19:11). If we want to know the power of God, we must also know the Word of God (Matt. 22:29)… God’s heroes spend time fellowshipping with God and meditating on His Word (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:1–3). They can face any enemy because they know and trust the promises of God. (Wiersbe, W. W. Be Heroic) From your mouth - The picture is that of vocalizing the Words of God which is related to the idea of meditating on it (see below). In addition, as leader Joshua had to speak to Israel and if the Bible filled his mouth and heart, that is what would come forth. Someone once quipped… If you don’t talk to your Bible, your Bible isn’t likely to talk to you! BUT YOU SHALL MEDITATE ON IT DAY AND NIGHT: You shall: Ps 1:2,3 19:14 119:11,15,97,99 Pr 2:1 Pr 2:2 3 4 5 3:1 Col 3:16 1Ti 4:14 15 16 Related Resources: Primer On Biblical Meditation - Definitions, Devotionals, Quotations, etc Mediation - Application of Inductive Bible Study Thomas Watson's Treatise on Meditation The Duty of Meditation - John Angell James Quiet Musing - Recommended Sermon on meditation by C H Spurgeon in which he says… But -term of contrast - What's he contrasting? See discussion below. Although the NT does not use the word meditate, clearly the principle is taught in passages such as Colossians 3:16 and 1Timothy 4:15… Let the word of Christ richly dwell (present imperative = calls for this to be our habitual practice) within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. (Col 3:16-note) Comment: Observe how the effects or "fruit" of "meditating" in Colossians are virtually identical to the effects/fruit seen in one who is filled with the Spirit in Eph 5:18, 19, 20-note! Surely one of the benefits of meditating on the Word is to be filled with/controlled by the Spirit! How can we not seriously consider instituting the daily practice of meditating on His life giving Word! Do not neglect (present imperative = with negative = stop doing this!) the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed upon you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains (present imperative = do this as your lifestyle, your habitual practice) with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress may be evident to all. Pay close attention (present imperative = habitual practice) to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will insure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (1Ti 4:14, 15, 16) Comment: The verb take pains in 1Ti 4:15 is meletao (3191) (See more complete word study on meletao below) which is used in the Septuagint to translate meditate in Joshua 1:8, Ps 1:2, Ps 63:6 Ps 77:12 Ps 119:148 (elsewhere in Ps 119 meletao translates "delight" which would seem to include the nuance of meditation upon, for that which we delight in is not usually far removed from our mind!), Ps 143:5; Isa 33:18. In Ps 77:5 "consider" in context conveys the sense of meditate. Meletao (from melete = care, practice, meditation) means to care for, to attend carefully, to give careful thought to, to meditate on, think about. The only other NT use is used in a negative sense meaning to premeditate, to contrive, to devise [plan to bring about] = Acts 4:25 ("devise"). The NET Bible translates meditate on it as "You must memorize it" and notes that the Hebrew means to “read it in undertones” or “recite it quietly." You must, by the feet of meditation, tread the clusters of truth, would you get the wine of consolation there from. But (See discussion of observing and interrogating contrasts) - Always stop and ask "What is being contrasted?" and even this simple maneuver will begin to help you "meditate" on the Scriptures. In our fast paced society, the temptation is to speed read the Scripture, but that is exactly what Joshua 1:8 advises against! Meditation is not magic and does not happen in a moment but takes time, time to engage our minds so that we are reading the text actively rather than passively, consciously making the effort to interact with the living Word which causes us to interact with the Living Lord, which is the ultimate goal of all Bible study -- To Know God = Jn 17:3 and To Grow in Christlikeness = 2Pe 3:18-note. You shall meditate on it day and night - It's one thing to say to a leader, "Be strong and courageous." It's quite something else to enable him or her to do it. Joshua's strength and courage was to come from meditating on the Word of God, from believing the promises in it, and from living in obedience to its precepts. Moses gave very similar counsel to the entire nation in Deuteronomy 11 (cp Dt 11:18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24), but now God is speaking this principle specifically to Israel's new leader, Joshua. To be sure, meditation requires the personal investment of some time and mental energy. However, even as God feeds the birds, He doesn't throw the food into their nests. The birds are still required to go forth and bring in the food God provides. In the same way, the Bible is like a table filled with food necessary for daily living (Mt 4:4, Lk 4:4). And God invites all to "Come and eat!" But too often believers fail to heed His gracious invitation. Instead, we depend on substitutes (devotionals, Christian music, fellowship groups, etc. Compare "Mary's secret" of devotion to "one thing necessary" - Lk 10:38 39 40 41 42). And yet we still wonder why our faith is feeble (Ro 10:17)! Meditate (01897)(hagah pronounced "haw-gaw") conveys the basic meaning of a low sound and so as used in the OT means to groan, to sigh or to mutter. Figuratively hagah refers to inward utterance, the words a man speaks to himself. And so hagah means to meditate (give serious thought and consideration to selected information implying a definite focusing of one’s thoughts on something so as to understand it deeply), to ponder (to carefully weigh in the mind, to appraise), to ruminate (literally to chew repeatedly for an extended period and figuratively to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly). Hagah can also refer to giving and open and loud expression to one's thoughts. When hagah is used in the sense of “to mourn,” (Jer 48:31) it apparently emphasizes the sorrowful sounds of mourning. Vine comments that hagah "seems to be an onomatopoetic term (word whose sound suggests the sense), reflecting the sighing and low sounds one may make while musing, at least as the ancients practiced it." This meaning is seen in its first occurrence in the text (Josh 1:8)… When the word is used in the sense of “to mourn,” it apparently emphasizes the sorrowful sounds of mourning… The idea that mental exercise, planning, often is accompanied by low talking seems to be reflected by Pr 24:1 2. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) Be not envious of evil men, And desire not to be with them. For destruction doth their heart meditate (hagah), and perverseness do their lips speak." (Pr 24:1-2 Young's Literal) Hagah can refer to the mutterings of mediums and wizards (Isa 8:19), the moans of grief (Isa 16:7), the growl of a lion (Isa 31:4) or the coos of a dove (Isa 38:14). In the biblical world hagah conveys a somewhat different picture than does the English word “meditation,” which conveys the idea of a silent mental exercise only. In contrast, in Hebrew thought, to meditate upon the Scriptures was not necessarily a silent practice but meant to quietly repeat them in a soft, droning sound, while utterly abandoning outside distractions. From this tradition comes a specialized type of Jewish prayer called “davening,” that is, reciting texts, praying intense prayers, or getting lost in communion with God while bowing or rocking back and forth. Evidently this dynamic form of meditation-prayer goes back to David’s time. Meditation is the act of focusing one’s thoughts, of pondering, of reflecting, and of reviewing various thoughts by mulling them over in the mind and heart. The picture is one of "chewing" upon a thought, deliberately and thoroughly, providing a vital link between theory and action. Meditation consists of reflective thinking, rumination or contemplation, usually on a specific subject with the purpose of discerning its meaning or significance or a plan of action. What metabolism is to the physical body of the cow, meditation is to a saint's mental and spiritual life. "We are to “meditate” on it. That is, we are to go over and over and over God’s truth in our minds to deepen its impression on us and to set it in our hearts. The word meditate indicates that Scripture is to be like a tune that we cannot get out of our minds. It just permeates our thinking processes. Living out the Joshua Code involves constant practice." (The Joshua Devotional) Hagah - 24x in 24v - NAS translates hagah - declare(1), devise(2), devising(1), growls(1), make a sound(1), meditate(5), meditates(1), moan(3), moan sadly(1), mutter(2), mutters(1), ponders(1), utter(2), uttering(1), utters(1). Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Job 27:4 My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, Nor will my tongue mutter deceit. Psalm 1:2-in depth note But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. C H

Josué 1:8

Wiersbe - The believer’s mind should become like a “spiritual computer.” It should be so saturated with Scripture that when he faces a decision or a temptation, he automatically remembers the Scriptures that relate to that particular situation. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to bring God’s Word to our minds when we need it. (Jn 14:26) But the Spirit of God cannot remind you of something that you have not learned! You must first let him teach you the Word. You must memorize the Scripture that he opens up to you. Then the Spirit of God will be able to remind you of what you have learned, and you can use that truth to battle Satan. Please keep in mind that Satan knows the Bible far better than we do! And he is able to quote it! (BORROW The Strategy of Satan : How to Detect and Defeat Him) ><>><>><> A W Tozer on "The Devotional Mood" - "Maintenance of the devotional mood is indispensable to success in the Christian life. Holiness and power are not qualities that can be once received and thereafter forgotten as one might wind a clock or take a vitamin pill. The world is too much with us, not to mention the flesh and the devil, and every advance in the spiritual life must be made against the determined resistance of this trinity of evil. Gains made must be consolidated and held with a resolution equal to that of an army in the field. To establish our hearts in the devotional mood we must abide in Christ, walk in the Spirit, pray without ceasing and meditate on the Word of God day and night. Of course this implies separation from the world, renunciation of the flesh and obedience to the will of God as we are able to understand it. And what is the devotional mood? It is nothing else than constant awareness of God’s enfolding presence, the holding of inward conversations with Christ and private worship of God in spirit and in truth. Lord, keep me constantly aware of Your presence as I meditate on Your Word. I abide in You today. Amen." (Tozer on the Almighty God : A 366-day devotional) ><>><>><> I Will Meditate on Thy Precepts - Devotional from C H Spurgeon's Morning and Evening… There are times when solitude is better than society, and silence is wiser than speech. We should be better Christians if we were more alone, waiting upon God, and gathering through meditation on his Word spiritual strength for labour in his service. We ought to muse (to consider or examine attentively or deliberately by becoming absorbed in thought; especially turning something over in one's mind meditatively) upon the things of God, because we thus get the real nutriment out of them. Truth is something like the cluster of the vine: if we would have wine from it, we must bruise it; we must press and squeeze it many times. The bruiser’s feet must come down joyfully upon the bunches, or else the juice will not flow; and they must well tread the grapes, or else much of the precious liquid will be wasted. So we must, by meditation, tread the clusters of truth, if we would get the wine of consolation there from. Our bodies are not supported by merely taking food into the mouth, but the process which really supplies the muscle, and the nerve, and the sinew, and the bone, is the process of digestion. It is by digestion that the outward food becomes assimilated with the inner life. Our souls are not nourished merely by listening awhile to this, and then to that, and then to the other part of divine truth. Hearing, reading, marking, and learning, all require inwardly digesting to complete their usefulness, and the inward digesting of the truth lies for the most part in meditating upon it. Why is it that some Christians, although they hear many sermons, make but slow advances in the divine life? Because they neglect their closets, and do not thoughtfully meditate on God’s Word. They love the wheat, but they do not grind it; they would have the corn, but they will not go forth into the fields to gather it; the fruit hangs upon the tree, but they will not pluck it; the water flows at their feet, but they will not stoop to drink it. From such folly deliver us, O Lord, and be this our resolve this morning, “I will meditate in Thy precepts.” Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah Musing** on my habitation, Musing on my heav’nly home, Fills my soul with holy longings: Come, my Jesus, quickly come; Vanity is all I see; Lord, I long to be with Thee! Lord, I long to be with Thee! **Muse is from the Greek verb muzo which signifies to press, or utter sound with the lips compressed. The idea of muse is to ponder, to think deeply or closely, to study in silence. The idea is to become absorbed in thought especially turn something over one's mind meditatively. What greater thought to be absorbed in then the goodness and greatness of God as revealed in His Word! Alexander Maclaren… For the Christian soldier, then, God’s law is his marching orders. The written word, and especially the Incarnate Word, are our law of conduct. The whole science of our warfare and plan of campaign are there. We have not to take our orders from men’s lips, but we must often disregard them, that we may listen to the ‘Captain of our salvation.’ The soldier stands where his officer has posted him, and does what he was bid, no matter what may happen. Only one voice can relieve him. Though a thousand should bid him flee, and his heart should echo their advices, he is recreant if he deserts his post at the command of any but him who set him there. Obedience to others is mutiny. Nor does the Christian need another law to supplement that which Christ has given him in His pattern and teaching. Men have appended huge comments to it, and have softened some of its plain precepts which bear hard on popular sins. But the Lawgiver’s law is one thing, and the lawyers’ explanations which explain it away or darken what was clear enough, however unwelcome, are quite another. Christ has given us Himself, and therein has given a sufficient directory for conduct and conflict which fits close to all our needs, and will prove definite and practical enough if we honestly try to apply it. The application of Christ’s law to daily life takes some courage, and is the proper field for the exercise of Christian strength. ‘Be very courageous that thou mayest observe.’ If you are not a bold Christian you will very soon get frightened out of obedience to your Master’s commandments. Courage, springing from the realization of God’s helping strength, is indispensable to make any man, in any age, live out thoroughly and consistently the principles of the law of Jesus Christ. No man in this generation will work out a punctual obedience to what he knows to be the will of God, without finding out that all the ‘Canaanites’ are not dead yet; but that there are enough of them left to make a very thorny life for the persistent follower of Jesus Christ. And not only is there courage needed for the application of the principles of conduct which God has given us, but you will never have them handy for swift application unless, in many a quiet hour of silent, solitary, patient meditation you have become familiar with them. The recruit that has to learn on the battle-field how to use his rifle has a good chance of being dead before he has mastered the mysteries of firing. And Christian people that have their Christian principles to dig out of the Bible when the necessity comes, will likely find that the necessity is past before they have completed the excavation. The actual battle-field is no place to learn drill. If a soldier does not know how his sword hangs, and cannot get at it in a moment, he will probably draw it too late. MEDITATION: A DYING ART I am afraid that the practice of such meditation as is meant here has come to be, like the art of making ecclesiastical stained glass, almost extinct in modern times. You have so many newspapers and magazines to read that the Bible has a chance of being shoved out of sight, except on Sundays and in chapels. The ‘meditating’ that is enjoined in my text is no mere intellectual study of Scripture, either from an antiquarian or a literary or a theological point of view, but it is the mastering of the principles of conduct as laid down there, and the appropriating of all the power for guidance and for sustaining which that word of the Lord gives. Meditation, the familiarizing ourselves with the ethics of Scripture, and with the hopes and powers that are treasured in Jesus Christ, so that our minds are made up upon a great many thorny questions as to what we ought to do, and that when crises or dangers come, as they have a knack of coming, very suddenly, and are sprung upon us unexpectedly, we shall be able, without much difficulty, or much time spent in perplexed searching, to fall back upon the principles that decide our conduct—that is essential to all successful and victorious Christian life. THE SECRET OF THE BLESSED LIFE And it is the secret of all blessed Christian life. For there is a lovely echo of these vigorous words of command to Joshua in a very much more peaceful form in the 1st Psalm: ‘Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, … but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law doth he meditate day and night’ (Ps 1:1, 2)—the very words that are employed in the text to describe the duty of the soldier—therefore ‘all that he doeth shall prosper.’ III. That leads to the last thought here—the sure victory of such bold obedience. ‘Thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest’; ‘Thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then shalt thou have good success,’ or, as the last word might be rendered, ‘then shalt thou act wisely ’ You may not get victory from an earthly point of view, for many a man that lives strong and courageous and joyfully obeying God’s law, as far as he knows it and because he loves the Lawgiver, goes through life, and finds that, as far as the world’s estimate is concerned, there is nothing but failure as his portion. Ah I but the world’s way is not the true way of estimating victory. ‘Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world,’ said Jesus Christ when within arm’s-length of the Cross (Jn 16:33). And His way is the way in which we must conquer the world, if we conquer it at all (Gal 6:14). The success which my text means is the carrying out of conscientious convictions of God’s will into practice. That is the only success that is worth talking about or looking for. The man that succeeds in obeying and translating God’s will into conduct is the victor, whatever be the outward fruits of his life. He may go out of the field beaten, according to the estimate of men that can see no higher than their own height, and little further than their own finger tips can reach; he may himself feel that the world has gone past him, and that he has not made much of it; he may have to lie down at last unknown, poor, with all his bright hopes that danced before him in childhood gone, and sore beaten by the enemies; but if he is able to say in the strength that Christ gives, ‘I have finished my course; I have kept the faith,’ (2Ti 4:8) his ‘way has prospered,’ and he has had’ good success.’ ‘We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.’ (Maclaren on Joshua) ><>><>><> F B

Josué 1:8

Wiersbe - In the life of the Christian believer, prosperity and success aren’t to be measured by the standards of the world. These blessings are the by-products of a life devoted to God and His Word. If you set out on your own to become prosperous and successful, you may achieve your goal and live to regret it. “In whatever man does without God,” wrote Scottish novelist George MacDonald, “he must fail miserably, or succeed more miserably.” The questions God’s people need to ask are: Did we obey the will of God? Were we empowered by the Spirit of God? Did we serve to the glory of God? If we can answer yes to these questions, then our ministry has been successful in God’s eyes, no matter what people may think. (Be Strong. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books) Way (01870)(derek) means way, road, journey, manner, work. In this context it refers to one's actions and/or behavior. Not someone else's way but "your (own, personal) way," your life. Prosperous (06743) (tsalach/salah) conveys the root idea of accomplishing satisfactorily what is intended. This Hebrew word generally expresses idea of a successful venture, as contrasted with failure. It is fascinating to observe the positive and negative aspects of this verb in Ps 1:3-note and Joshua 1:8 to convey the idea of prospering and in Pr 28:13 of not prospering. What's the determining factor whether one experiences spiritual prosperity or poverty? In the context of these verses, meditation (Joshua 1:8, Ps 1:2-note) is clearly associated with prosperity and failure to confess and repent of our sins is just as clearly associated with failure to prosper (Pr 28:13-note) And you might ask, well this is OT, but does the NT say anything similar? And the answer is yes, for Paul commands Timothy to "discipline" (present imperative) himself for godliness and clearly one of the disciplines that "feeds and fertilizes" godliness is meditation on the Word of God! (1Ti 4:7-note) Paul goes on to explain the spiritual prosperity that accrues from disciplining ourselves, writing that "bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1Ti 4:8-note) While meditation, like all spiritual disciplines, calls for us to exert some effort (as enabled by the Spirit - e.g., we need to die to our selfish interests and our right to "our time" and give some of "our time" to God's interest), Paul says the "benefits" are literally "out of this world!" While I don't know exactly what this eternal profit/prosperity entails, rest assure it is going to be good and perfect for that is the character of our Great Father of lights (James 1:17-note). Tsalach/salah is translated as to succeed (or some variation) 20 times in the NAS. It is translated as to prosper (or some variation) 27 times in the NAS. Prosperous (English definition) - successful; flourishing; favorable; promising; thriving. 1828 Webster = "Advancing in the pursuit of any thing desirable; making gain or increase; thriving; successful; as a prosperous trade; a prosperous voyage; a prosperous expedition or undertaking; a prosperous man, family or nation; a prosperous war. The seed shall be prosperous; the vine shall give her fruit. Zech. 8. 2. Favorable; favoring success; as a prosperous wind. Denham." Successful (English definition) - resulting in or having gained success (a favorable or desired outcome); one of the synonyms for is prosperous. accomplishing an aim or purpose; marked by a favorable outcome. 1828 Webster = Terminating in accomplishing what is wished or intended; having the desired effect; hence, in a good sense, prosperous; fortunate; happy; as a successful application of medicine; a successful experiment in chemistry or in agriculture; a successful enterprise. In the Septuagint (Lxx), tsalach/salah is most frequently translated by the verb euodoo (or the cognate kateuodoo) which is a combination of eu = good + hodos = way and which literally means to have a good journey with the following nuances - (a) of removal of difficulties in the way (Ro 1:10) (b) of material prosperity in daily avocation (1Co 16:2) (c) of physical health (3Jn 2) (d) of spiritual health. The exact sense in a specific verse needs to be determined from the context. Here in Joshua 1 the source of such success is presence of God (Joshua 1:9) and the purposeful intake of His Word (Joshua1:8) Clearly, in the overall context of Joshua (military conquest of the promised land), tsalach/salah has a material nuance (victory, possession of the land), but one cannot separate the material from the spiritual. In other words, if material prosperity is dangerous if it causes one to lose sight of the Giver Who bestows the good gift. Does that make sense? To help gain a sense of this association, take some time to study the uses of tsalach/salah below. Notice, for example, in Genesis 39 the Hebrew verb describes the success of Joseph. While Joseph's success was evident to his master as "material" success, it was clearly not dissociated from Joseph's spiritual growth. In other words, Joseph's material success did not cause him to be spiritual failure, as it does far too often in many men's lives! NIDOTTE - Tsalach/salah refers to successful activities in different areas of life, usually in the sense of accomplishing effectively what is intended. Besides describing a human or divine action, the verb is also used with various subjects: a tree (thrives, Ezek 17:9), a weapon (prospers, Isa 54:17), a journey (succeeds, Jdg 18:5), a waistcloth (is useful, Jer 13:7)… The verb is often followed by דֶּרֶךְ , way (8×), to describe making successful a journey or career. Theologically, tsalach/salah emphasizes that God alone is the One Who gives success, an emphasis well summarized in Neh 2:20. He gives success to those who obey his law (Josh 1:8; 1Chr 22:13; Ps 1:3) and promises that his word will not return empty but what he desires will succeed (Isa 55:11). His will succeeds in the hand of the Suffering Servant (Isa 53:10). Though the wicked may also prosper (Ps 37:7; Jer 5:28; 12:1; Dan 11:27), their success is temporary and will be destroyed in time. It is important to note that success is often stated as merely God’s grace, e.g., the reason for Joseph’s success was simply stated as “the Lord was with Joseph” (Ge 39:2–3). God grants success to those who seek him diligently (2Chr 26:5), to those who depend on his mercy and pray to him e.g., Abraham’s servant (Ge 24:21, 40), Nehemiah (Neh 1:11), and the psalmist in Ps 118:25. Tsalach/salah- 54v in NAS - NAS = advanced(1), give us success(1), made his successful(1), make his successful(1), make your prosperous(1), make your successful(1), prosper(16), prospered(7), prosperous(1), prospers(2), send prosperity(1), succeed(10), succeeding(1), successful(4), successfully completed(1), thrive(2), useful(1), victoriously(1), worthless*(2). Genesis 24:21 Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the LORD had made his journey successful or not… 40 "He said to me, 'The LORD, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful, and you will take a wife for my son from my relatives and from my father's house; Genesis 24:42 "So I came today to the spring, and said, 'O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now You will make my journey on which I go successful;… 56 He said to them, "Do not delay me, since the LORD has prospered my way. Send me away that I may go to my master." Genesis 39:2 The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful (Lxx epitugchano = to be successful in achieving or gaining what one seeks, obtain, attain to, reach) man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. 3 Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper (Lxx = euodoo in the present tense = continually succeed or prosper) in his hand. Genesis 39:23 The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper. (Lxx = euodoo i) Numbers 14:41 But Moses said, "Why then are you transgressing the commandment of the LORD, when it will not succeed? Comment: Success in this context would have been defeat of their enemies and conquering the promised land. Clearly the meaning of success here is more in the material than the spiritual realm. Deuteronomy 28:29 and you will grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you. Comment: In this context prosperity is contrasted with oppression and robbery. Joshua 1:8 "This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Judges 18:5 They said to him, "Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether our way on which we are going will be prosperous." Comment: This request for prosperity bordered on "superstition" and ultimately was motivated by selfish fleshly desires, not godly spiritual desires. 1 Kings 22:12 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king." Comment: Prosper here (and 1Ki 22:15) spoke of success or victory in battle, but again notice the association with spirituality, in this case pseudo-spirituality (false prophets)! 1 Kings 22:15 When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?" And he answered him, "Go up and succeed, and the LORD will give it into the hand of the king." 1 Chronicles 22:11 "Now, my son, the LORD be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the LORD your God just as He has spoken concerning you. 1 Chronicles 22:13 "Then (What precedes "then?" - see 1Chr 22:12b) you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel (Note repetition of obedience as the vital condition for prospering). Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. 1 Chronicles 29:23 Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. Comment: How did Solomon prosper? Clearly material but at least for a time spiritually, for he was the main author of the Proverbs. However his prosperity was not coupled with obedience as he married many foreign wives who stole his heart and caused him to worship idols. 2 Chronicles 7:11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's palace, and successfully completed all that he had planned on doing in the house of the LORD and in his palace. Comment: Speaks primarily of material success, although even here it is difficult to divorce the spiritual component given that that he had built the Temple where God would be worshipped by himself and the nation of Israel. 2 Chronicles 13:12 "Now behold, God is with us at our head and His priests with the signal trumpets to sound the alarm against you. O sons of Israel, do not fight against the LORD God of your fathers, for you will not succeed." Comment: Fighting against good never leads to success! 2 Chronicles 14:7 For he said to Judah, "Let us build these cities and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars. The land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought Him, and He has given us rest on every side." So they built and prospered. 2 Chronicles 18:11 All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, "Go up to Ramoth-gilead and succeed, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king." 14 When he came to the king, the king said to him, "Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?" He said, "Go up and succeed, for they will be given into your hand." 2 Chronicles 20:20 ¶ They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the LORD your God and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets and succeed." Comment: While the context is military victory, the implication is clearly that of spiritual success, especially in view of the fact that it was faith in God's Word ("His prophets") which would bring that success. Faith is integrally coupled with obedience. So if they trusted God's Word and obeyed God's Word, they would experience success. This is similar to the principle in Joshua 1:8, where Joshua's act of meditation implied a growing trust and a humble obedience to God's Word. 2 Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, "Thus God has said, 'Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.'" Comment: Clear link between knowing God's Word and doing God's Word and experiencing success. 2 Chronicles 26:5 He (King Uzziah) continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God prospered him. Comment: Seeking God is associated with success, in context primarily referring to material success but also including spiritual success. 2 Chronicles 31:21 Every work which he (King Hezekiah) began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered. 2 Chronicles 32:30 It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. Nehemiah 1:11 "O Lord, I beseech You, may Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere Your name, and make Your servant successful today and grant him compassion before this man." Now I was the cupbearer to the king. Nehemiah 2:20 So I answered them and said to them, "The God of heaven will give us success; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no portion, right or memorial in Jerusalem." Psalm 1:3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers. Comment: Tsalach/salah is used here to describe the man who meditates on the Law of the LORD in Ps 1:2. The psalmist says that as a result of his continual mediation, "he prospers (Lxx = kateuodoo = have a prosperous journey)." While material prosperity cannot be excluded, it would seem that in the context of all of Scripture, the more significant prospering or success would be in the spiritual realm. Psalm 37:7 Rest in the LORD and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who carries out wicked schemes. Comment: Here tsalach/salah is used to describe what the child of God should not desire, specifically the prosperity of the wicked. The implication here is that their prosperity is more in the material realm and not the spiritual realm. Psalm 45:4 And in Your majesty ride on victoriously, For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness; Let Your right hand teach You awesome things. Psalm 118:25 O LORD, do save, we beseech You; O LORD, we beseech You, do send prosperity! Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. Isaiah 48:15 "I, even I, have spoken; indeed I have called him, I have brought him, and He will make his ways successful. Isaiah 53:10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon that is formed against you will prosper; And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their vindication is from Me," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. Jeremiah 2:37 "From this place also you will go out With your hands on your head; For the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, And you will not prosper with them." Jeremiah 5:28 'They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor. Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous are You, O LORD, that I would plead my case with You; Indeed I would discuss matters of justice with You: Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease? Jeremiah 13:7 Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it; and lo, the waistband was ruined, it was totally worthless. (not prosper) 10 'This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them be just like this waistband which is totally worthless. (not prosper) Jeremiah 22:30 "Thus says the LORD, 'Write this man down childless, A man who will not prosper in his days; For no man of his descendants will prosper Sitting on the throne of David Or ruling again in Judah.'" Jeremiah 32:5 and he will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him," declares the LORD. "If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed "'?" Ezekiel 15:4 "If it has been put into the fire for fuel, and the fire has consumed both of its ends and its middle part has been charred, is it then useful for anything? Ezekiel 16:13 "Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. (Literally - And dost go prosperously to the kingdom.) Ezekiel 17:9 "Say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots and cut off its fruit, so that it withers-- so that all its sprouting leaves wither? And neither by great strength nor by many people can it be raised from its roots again. 10 "Behold, though it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not completely wither as soon as the east wind strikes it-- wither on the beds where it grew?"'" 15 'But he rebelled against him by sending his envoys to Egypt that they might give him horses and many troops. Will he succeed? Will he who does such things escape? Can he indeed break the covenant and escape? Daniel 8:12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. 24 "His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people. 25 "And through his shrewdness He will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, And he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, But he will be broken without human agency. Daniel 11:27 "As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time (Why? Because God is sovereign!). 36 "Then the king (The Antichrist) will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until (marks time when his "prosperity" will cease!) the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. Make your way prosperous (successful)… have success - While at first glance it looks as if this is saying the same thing, the Hebrew verbs for make… prosperous and have success are distinctly different. Young's Literal is one of the few English translations that maintains the distinction, rendering it "then thou dost cause thy way to prosper, and then thou dost act wisely." Notice that Young's has "act wisely" instead of "have success." The (expanded or amplified) idea is "then (after you meditate and obey) you will be more likely to prosper and to think wisely which in turn will lead to success." Stated another way, the Hebrew word (sakal/sākhal) translated "success" in most versions more accurately means to act with insight and then by Metonymy is translated "be successful". In other words "success" is a metonymy, a figure of speech for prudent living, because prudent living leads to "success." Success (07919) (sakal/sākhal) primarily means to act with insight, to be prudent, to give insight, to teach, to prosper, to consider, to ponder, to understand, to act prudently, to act with devotion. The primary sense of sakal/sākhal is to be prudent, which means "marked by wisdom or judiciousness, shrewd in the management of practical affairs, marked by circumspection." One who manifests prudence is more likely to have success. The Septuagint (LXX) translates sakal/sākhal with Greek verb "suniemi [see word study] meaning to understand, the idea being that one is able to "put together the pieces" (so to speak) and make sense out of a set of facts presented to one's mind. In simple terms, suniemi conveys the idea of putting "2" and "2" together. In other words, one has the ability to assess a situation and decide what practical course of action is necessary. This is a quality which was especially valuable for Joshua who was daily faced with decisions as he led Israel into enemy territory where the nation might possess their (divinely given) possessions. THOUGHT -Observe how anyone can experience the LORD being with them...YOU WILL DISCERN A CLEAR PATTERN! NOW WALK ON THIS ROAD ALL THE REST OF THE DAYS OF YOUR LIFE EMPOWERED BY HIS WORD AND HIS SPIRIT.... Deuteronomy 29:9 “So keep the words of this covenant to do them, that you may prosper (sakal; Lxx - suniemi) in all that you do. (OBEDIENCE) Joshua 1:7 “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success (sakal; Lxx - suniemi) wherever you go. (OBEDIENCE) Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success (sakal; Lxx - suniemi). (WORD IN HEART & OBEDIENCE) 1 Kings 2:3 “Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, that you may succeed (sakal; Lxx - suniemi) in all that you do and wherever you turn, (OBEDIENCE) Gregory Lint (editor) - The noun from this root is used of "understanding," "wisdom," "insight," "good sense" and even "shrewdness." Thus, the basic idea of this verb seems to be to have the know-how to succeed in an endeavor and to obtain a desired result. Sākhal is an important wisdom word dealing with good sense for living (cf. Dt. 32:29; Pr. 21:16). The opposite of this idea is not only to be foolish, but to be shameful (Pr 10:5). Some contexts emphasize wise action (e.g., Ps 36:3; Pr 19:14), while others emphasize the product or good results of the wise action (Dt. 29:9; 1Sa. 18:30; Pr. 17:8). Several times, sākhal refers to having understanding on a subject, insight or discernment into events or the way a situation should be handled (cf. 1Chr. 28:19, of God giving David the plans for the Temple; Isa 41:20, realizing the Lord was doing his judging/restoring work in what they were to see; Isa 44:18, not understanding the foolishness of idolatry; Da 1:4, having ability to understand and use all kinds of wisdom and knowledge; Da 9:25, understanding what God was saying about the future troubles and deliverance of his people). Sākhal can refer to having a certain skill as the Levites showed (2Chr 30:22). In one place, the verb refers to understanding the meaning of the Scriptures (Neh 8:13). The participle is used to describe a wise person (cf. Job 22:2; Ps 2:10; 14:2, for references to those who really understand and behave accordingly). Also, sākhal is used in the context of when Eve saw that the fruit was desirable "to make [her] wise" (Ge 3:6). When a person is the object of the verb, sākhal means "to cause to understand," "to give insight," "to cause to succeed," "to instruct" the person, often by God, (Neh 9:20, God's good Spirit instructed Israel in the wilderness; Ps 32:8, God gives guidance in the way people should go; Pr 16:23, the heart of the wise instructs his mouth so that what he says is persuasive, accomplishing its goal; cf. also 1Chr. 28:19; Da 1:4, 17). When focused on a thing or situation, sākhal has the idea of considering thoughtfully or giving attention to, often with the sense of wisely valuing it enough to seek to understand it and respond appropriately, aiding people to live more effectively (Job 34:27, to God's ways; Ps. 64:9, to God's deeds; Ps 106:7, to God's miracles; Pr. 16:20, to a word or matter; Pr 21:12, to the life and outcome of the wicked; Da 9:13, to God's truth). (The Complete Biblical Library) Sakal (Note: Lxx uses suniemi in the following 31 Scriptures in bold) - 61v in NAS - Gen 3:6; Deut 29:9; 32:29; Josh 1:7, 8; 1Sa 18:5, 1Sa 18:14, 15, 1Sa 18:30; 1Ki 2:3; 2Ki 18:7; 1Chr 28:19; 2Chr 30:22; Neh 8:13; 9:20; Job 22:2; 34:27, 35; Ps 2:10; Ps 14:2; Ps 32:8; 36:3; Ps 41:1; Ps 53:2; Ps 64:9; Ps 94:8; Ps 101:2; Ps 106:7; 119:99; Pr 1:3; 10:5, 19; 14:35; 15:24; 16:20, 23; 17:2, 8; 19:14; Pr 21:11, 12, Pr 21:16; Isa 41:20; 44:18; Isa 52:13; Jer 3:15; Jer 9:24; Jer 10:21; 20:11; Jer 23:5; 50:9; Dan 1:4, 17; Da 9:13, Da 9:22, Da 9:25; Da 11:33, 35; Da 12:3, 10; Amos 5:13. NAS translates sakal = act wisely(1), acts wisely(3), behaved himself wisely(1), comprehend(1), consider(1), considers(2), discern(1), expert(1), failed*(1), gain insight(2), give you insight(1), give heed(1), gives attention(1), giving attention(1), had… regard(1), have insight(4), have success(2), insight(1), instruct(2), instructed(1), instructs(1), intelligence(1), prosper(2), prospered(3), prospering(2), prospers(1), prudent(2), show discernment(1), showed(1), showing intelligence(1), succeed(1), understand(4), understanding(2), understands(2), understood(1), wisdom(1), wise(6), wise behavior(1). In the context of this verse Joshua's "ability" to lead with understanding was integrally related to his steady "diet" of the pure milk of God's Word. Am I totally committed to the Word of God and the will of God in this action, this choice, this endeavor, etc? Am I relying completely on the Spirit of God to empower me or am I trusting my own resources? Am I doing so ultimately that I might display the glory of God? If I can answer those questions with a yes, then my ministry, my activity, my relationships will be successful in God's eyes, no matter what people think and no matter what the physical, material outcome is. Joshua 1:8 by way of application is calling all believers to learn to think "Biblically", saturating ourselves with the Word of God, so that we live "Biblically" in all our thoughts, words and actions. This is surely the "abundant" life to which Jesus referred (Jn 10:10b)! The prosperity and success includes a transformed increasingly Christlike character (cp the fruit of the Spirit = Gal 5:22-note, Gal 5:23-note) Wiersbe - Victorious Christians are people who know the promises of God, because they spend time meditating on God’s Word (Josh 1:8); they believe the promises of God, because the Word of God generates faith in their hearts (Ro 10:17); and they reckon on these promises and obey what God tells them to do. To “reckon” means to count as true in your life what God says about you in His Word. (Ibid) Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Mission (Overseas Missionary Fellowship) made a similar statement God’s work done in God’s way will not lack God’s supply. Not only are God’s presence and power essential for success in His work, but we must also work according to God’s revealed will. It is easy to fall into the trap of substituting human wisdom and understanding for obedience to God’s Word. Joshua 1:8 - This book of the law. The law was, therefore, embodied in a written document when the Book of Joshua was written; and as the antiquity of this Book may be regarded as proved, we may quote thus an early authority for the genuineness of at least some portions of the Pentateuch. There was a "book of the law" in Joshua's time, according to this early testimony, and we may conclude from verses 3-7 that Deuteronomy formed a part of it (see also Deuteronomy 17:19 for a similar precept. And for the fact see Deuteronomy 31:24-26). Meditate therein (cf. Psalms 1:2, Psalms 63:7, Psalms 143:5, in the original. Also Deuteronomy 31:26). Observe to do. Literally, keep to do, thus impressing on us the care necessary in deciding on our actions. All that is written therein (cf. for the expression Deuteronomy 28:58, Deuteronomy 28:61; Deuteronomy 29:19, Deuteronomy 29:20, Deuteronomy 29:26; Deuteronomy 30:10). Shall have good success. The word is the same as is translated "prosper" above, and not the same as that rendered "prosperous" in this verse. "Men," says Calvin, "never act skilfully, except in so far as they allow themselves to be ruled by the Word of God." Have I not commanded thee? "An emphatic inquiry is a stronger form of affirmation, and is generally employed by those who wish to infuse into another courage and alacrity" (Michaelis). Moreover repetition is a remarkable feature of Hebrew composition, as we may observe from the second chapter of Genesis onward, and is designed to give emphasis to what is commanded or related. Calvin would lay stress on I: "Have not I commanded thee?" But this is not borne out by the Hebrew. (Pulpit Commentary) Alan Redpath - The Man God Uses – A faithful past, a sound vocation, a filling with the Word of God – what can we do to prove worthy of Him? Let us take our weakness, and our trembling, and our fears before Him; let there be an absolute submission to the indwelling power of His blessed Spirit. Let us ask that all these qualities that were revealed in Christ be imparted to us, that they may be real in your life and mine. There is a price to be paid. Are you willing to pay it? Cancel every responsibility in your life other than what you believe to be God’s will for you. Deliberately refuse any engagement which will keep you from meditation on His Word. We are living in an age which has lost the art of being silent with an open Bible and waiting for God to speak. GAYLORD KAMBARAMI worked for the American Bible Society in Zimbabwe, distributing Bibles to the locals. But one day he ran across a man who refused to take one. The man was extremely hostile toward Christians. "I'll only roll the pages and use them to make cigarettes," the man told him. But Kambarami was a persistent man. "I understand that," he told the man, "but at least promise to read the page of the New Testament before you smoke it." The man agreed, somewhat confused, and the two parted ways. Fifteen years passed, and Kambarami didn't think much more about the incident until by coincidence he ran across the man again—this time at a Methodist convention in Zimbabwe. The man was now a full-time evangelist and one of the speakers at the gathering. During his speech the man gave his personal testimony, recalling for the audience the day that Kambarami gave him his first New Testament. He told the audience, "I smoked Matthew and I smoked Mark and I smoked Luke, but when I got to John 3:16, I couldn't smoke anymore. My life was changed from that moment." There is power in the Word of God far beyond what you and I can comprehend. The mere words elicit a level of authority and muscle that no other text can possess. Just reading what the Creator has written brings supernatural insight and wisdom to the mind of the reader. The Lord tells Joshua, "Study this Book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and night so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will you succeed" (Joshua 1:8). One key to following God is to meditate on Scripture and then to let those words flow from your mouth at every occasion. To let the promises of God seep into the pores of your heart and mind. To drink of God's wisdom by devouring his Word. Maybe our friend from Zimbabwe was on to something. Maybe you and I should get into the practice of smoking God's Word—not literally, but spiritually. We should first read it and then sit back and savor the flavor, allowing the aroma to linger around us and within us. Let's do more than read God's Word; let's inhale it. (LaHaye, Tim and Jenkins, Jerry and Martin, Frank, Embracing Eternity) F B