JOSHUA was one of only two people allowed to enter the promised land after their rebellion and the wilderness wandering.

In the final speech of Moses, he explains why Joshua & Caleb could enter the promised land.

“Save Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenezite, and Joshua the son of Nun: for they have wholly followed the LORD” (Num 32:12)

A study of the life of JOSHUA will show how he wholly followed the LORD and the effects of his faithfulness.

This great man had to suffer with the rebellious children of Israel during the wilderness wandering and had to wait 40 years to enter in.

His name means, “a savior; a deliverer” and is the same name associated with Jesus. He died when he was 110 years old.

Joshua is probably best known for the fall of JERICHO, his first battle after becoming the leader of Israel and crossing the Jordan (Josh 5-6:27). “And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets. And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him” (Josh 6:3-5).

Joshua was faithful and OBEDIENT. Because of his own obedience to God, he is able to tell the whole nation to do the same in his final speech. “Therefore be ye very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left” (Josh 23:6). Joshua did what was told him, (Ex 17:10).

His faithfulness and obedience made him an excellent SERVANT to Moses, to God & the People. “And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.” His most famous quote being, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Num 11:28; Ex 24:13; 32:17; Josh 1:1; 24:15).

Joshua was HEEDED by all the people during the beginning of his leadership, “And they answered Joshua, saying, All that thou commandest us we will do, and whithersoever thou sendest us, we will go” (Josh 1:16), and they served the Lord during the days of the elders that outlived him. “And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel” (Judges 2:7).

His whole life is an example of UNWAVERING Faith and Courage. It’s seen early after their exodus from Egypt in the battle with the Amalekites (Ex 17:8-16). It is seen as he serves Moses at Mount Sinai, “And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God,” (Ex 24:13; 32:17).

His UNWAVERING faith and courage are seen when he is chosen to spy out the land and his desire to go at once to take the land with Caleb. “And Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: And they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not” (Num 14:6-10).

We also see a strong ALLEGIANCE & loyalty to Moses when they went up to Mt. Sinai while the others stayed beneath. “And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.” Moses when go on into the midst of the cloud that surrounded the mountain, (Exo 24:13-18).

He remained close to the mountain for the forty days while the others feared and erred. “And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him” (Exo 32:1-17).

He remained close to the tabernacle of meeting that Moses has set up to communicate with God on behalf of the people. “And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle” (Exo 33:11).

What does it mean that Joshua ‘wholly followed’ the LORD? What more can be said? Is there one verse that could describe the character of Joshua?

“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might”

(Deut 6:5; 10:12; 30:6; Matt 22:37)

— spencer

Spencer has been serving with the church of Christ in Borger Texas for 8 years.