Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

Wise Servants of God: Joshuaa character study by Jeff S. SmithIntroductionJoshua is truly one of God's wisest servants. He emerges from the shadow of Moses, a larger than lifecharacter who led Israel from captivity to the promised land, and seals the deal by crossing the Jordan intoCanaan. His leadership in the battles of Jericho and Ai cannot be overestimated; he shows a godlyintolerance of sin and compromise. It is events in his early life and late life, however, that command ourinterest this evening. While an assistant to Moses, he is deployed as one of twelve spies in theunconquered land of Canaan, and comes back with a challenging report. Years later, as his life draws to aclose, he makes his last stand among his own people, demanding that they choose one God to serve. Wesee wisdom to be emulated in Joshua's indomitable faith and dedication to the Lord.DiscussionI. Wisdom in Accepting Challenges With TrustA. Twelve Spies1. as the rejuvenated nation of Israel approached the promised land, God had Moses send twelvespies into the land secretly to estimate their battle needsa. there should never have been a question about the prospect for victory, for this people hadoverwhelmed a Pharaoh and marched through a parted seab. the purpose of the spies was to determine how to win, not if they could or not2. Joshua of Benjamin and Caleb of Issachar joined the representatives of the ten other tribes onthe mission (Numbers 13:17-20)a. the spies spent forty days reconnoitering the land, collecting specimens and intelligence(Numbers 13:26-29)b. those were the facts, which God wanted Moses to have so that he could allot his armiesproperly, but strong men like Joshua and Caleb were taking for granted what perspective Israel wouldmake on those facts (Numbers 13:30-33)c. where Joshua and Caleb saw an opportunity for God to prove his invincibility and care forIsrael, the majority of the spies saw a Red Sea that could not be parted, a Pharaoh that could not beplagued, at last a challenge stronger than Jehovah3. the plaintive population found weakness in numbers and wished aloud to be dead in Egyptrather than alive on Canaan's border (Numbers 14:6-10)a. for most of Israel, all of its adult population save for Joshua and Caleb, their weakness offaith and prayers for death in the wilderness became self-fulfilling prophecies (Numbers 14:26-34)b. the other ten spies were killed because of their wicked influence; the rest of the populationoverreacted with remorse and sought to conquer Canaan immediately and was driven backB. Our Land of Milk and Honey1. the spies referred to Canaan as a land of milk and honey, a common expression which we areaccustomed to hearing applied metaphorically to Americaa. they were using it as literally as they could; this was a land in which they did not need toexpect being in want for anything; it truly was a land of promiseb. still, compared to the land of milk and honey which we seek as Christians, Canaan was abarren wasteland2. we, like they, are pilgrims who have no continuing city here on Earth, but seek one to come (cf.Hebrews 13:14)a. every place on the face of the Earth is afflicted by some natural shortcoming–tornadoeshere, earthquakes there, arctic cold here, desert heat there; disease here, poverty thereb. in fact, the entire planet is hurtling toward a final and complete annihilation, at which timethe elements themselves will melt with fervent heat and the earth and its work will be burned upc. if this earth, life on its surface and decay six feet beneath it is all that we have, we areamong men most miserabled. no, we understand that a man's sojourn on Earth is limited to about four score years, thathis fleshly body is doomed to decay, but that his spirit has a date with eternity (Hebrews 9:27-28)Character Studies! 65