The book of Joshua carries on where Deuteronomy finishes. The people of Israel are just outside the promised land at Shittim on the plains of Moab. Moses is dead and the leadership of the people has been passed to Joshua.
God appears to Joshua and, speaking to him, gives him his mission statement: lead the people in taking the land and make sure the law is kept, and do all this while not being frightened but strong and courageous trusting in the Lord to accomplish all this for them.
God instructs Joshua to ‘arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel’ (Josh. 1:2). In doing so he is reaffirming his commitment to keeping the covenant he originally made to Abraham and repeated to Isaac, Jacob and finally Moses just before his death. God then gives firm encouragement to Joshua and reminds him of the central role he will play in the conquest verse 6: ‘Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them’.
God follows this promise with a very important exhortation in verse 7: ‘Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you.’ We can tell that this command is very important because of the additional emphasis that is added which marks it out in comparison to the two other exhortations God gives Joshua in this section. Elsewhere he is simply instructed to ‘Be strong and courageous’ (v. 6, 9). Here he is told ‘Only be strong and very courageous’, which surely highlights the great importance of what is to follow.
God is very concerned that Joshua leads the people whilst ‘being careful to do according to all the law that Moses’ commanded him. He is not to ‘turn from it to the right hand or to the left’ (v. 7). Why? In order that they ”may have good success wherever you go’. Thus we see here God’s concern that his people have success in their campaign to take control of Canaan.
And surely God’s instructions to Joshua in verse 8 serve as a wonderful example and principle of leadership of God’s people. The Book of the Law is not to leave Joshua’s mouth but he is to meditate on it day and night so that he will be careful to do according to all that is written in it and thus so that their way will be prosperous and so that they’ll have good success.
