“Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you; only may the Lord your God be with you as He was with Moses” (Josh.1:17)

Joshua was venturing forth, as the new leader of Israel, into the land of promise. He was one of the minority that had actually trusted in Yahweh during the wilderness years. The generation avowing their allegiance to Joshua, and who speak in 1:17, are the new kids on the block, those original under-20s who did listen to Yahweh (Num.14:29). Twenty was Yahweh’s chosen age to go to war, according to Numbers 1. Now the new army of “valiant warriors”, with their new commander, were going forward in “battle array” into the ‘Promised Land’ to whip some butt and take that land (1:14-15).

These things were written as an example to the assembly (see 1 Cor.10:11). Many today take the name of Jesus and say they follow him, but they are fake believers, hired hands, stars that shine for a day. True soldiers do not abandon their commander, Jesus Christ, nor his Gospel. A fake soldier is a coward, who complains and whines at the truth and at the Savior (e.g., John 6:61-66). A true warrior swears allegiance to Christ when they come to faith, and pledge as warriors to fight on to the end. They go forward in battle array against spiritual darkness, fallen angelic forces, and pull down the walls of the strongholds of false teaching (2 Cor.10:3-6; Eph.6:10-20).

It’s a sair fecht, as the Scots would say, a ‘sore fight’, but keep marching and fighting, brothers and sisters, for our rest awaits us and our Commander, who has gone before us, awaits us (Heb.4; 12:2), standing above, who never changes (Heb.13:8).