God Commissions Us and Equips Us - Deuteronomy 30-31

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 (ESV)

Then Moses summoned 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 that the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Moses is coming to the end of his life.   God is wanting him to commission Joshua to become the next leader of Israel.  God gives Joshua some initial instructions that He will repeat several times.   In fact, the book of Joshua starts out with something similar: 

Joshua 1:6-8 (ESV)

Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. 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 good success.

God gives Joshua several things to hold on to in this charge:

1. Be strong and courageous.   Joshua is to not be fearful or cowardice.   He is to know that God has called him and therefore he can be strong.   

1. Go with this people into the land.  Joshua is to lead.  He is to be out front.  He is not really the only one out front, however. We will read that God is going before him.  He is to follow God, the real leader, and then lead the people behind him.   God’s leaders are never upfront.   God’s leaders are always fourth in line behind the Trinity.  God will shortly say in these above verses, “It is the LORD who goes before you.” 

1. You shall take possession.  This is the interesting point of the commission.   Joshua will be successful in securing the land.  The land will eventually turn them away from God, but Joshua will be successful.   God even tells Moses, later in this chapter, that the people will turn away from God.  But Joshua is told he will be successful in securing the land. 

1. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.  Because God is for him, Joshua is not to fear anything.   God will protect him and guard him.   

When God commissions us for His service He gives us these same promises via the provision of Christ and the ministry of the Spirit.   God wants us to accomplish the good works He has prepared for us and wants us to trust Him that He will provide us strength, wisdom and boldness to do so.