Merritt Opening Song: #619 Lead On O King Eternal Title: Courage
Scripture: Joshua 1:9, This is my command--be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Ray saw a small girl being swept along in the drainage ditch. Heavy rain had flooded the ditch; she somehow fell into its current. Ray knew the ditch flowed into main culvert then a swift river. He dashed out the door, raced along the ditch, trying to get ahead of the child, hurled himself into churning water! Ray surfaced and was able to grab the child's arm. They tumbled over in water. About three feet from main culvert, Ray's free hand felt something like a rock jutting the bank. He clung desperately, but tremendous force of water tried to tear him and the child away. "If I can just hang on until help comes." He did better than that. By time rescuers arrived, Ray had pulled the child to safety. Both were treated for shock. In 1989, Ray was awarded Coast Guard's Lifesaving Medal. This man was more courageous than people realized, for Ray Blankenship can NOT swim.
Joshua in the Bible needed courage. Moses said to Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand. Under Moses’ leadership, Joshua fought Amalekites. As Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with tablets of stone in his hand, people were worshiping a calf. Unlike rest of Israel Joshua was NOT involved in sin of the golden calf. Exodus 33:7,11, Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of God would go to tent of meeting outside the camp. God would speak to Moses as a man speaks with his friend. Moses would return to camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent. Numbers 13:16, And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Joshua. Moses officially changed Hoshea’s name meaning salvation to Joshua, which means God is salvation.
God said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Give him some of your authority so whole Israelite community will obey him." Joshua had the Spirit of God. But when Moses died, Joshua was scared. God has to give him a pep talk and three times God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous. When Joshua went from there among the people, they also told him to be strong and courageous. Joshua had seen how people rebelled against Moses. Now he was in charge of leading them against skilled warriors, trained armies. That would make the bravest man afraid! Joshua 1:6, Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I SWORE to their forefathers to give them. God is not asking Joshua to put on a brave face. God already guaranteed the land. God told Joshua to get up and get going!
We cannot live in the past, but use lessons of the past to move forward. Courage helps us turn the page forward. Promised Land was already theirs from God. “Do not be terrified; for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” A child had to walk each evening past a dark, scary house. An adult gave him flashlights. Another said, "It's sinful to be afraid. Trust God and be brave!" One person said, "I know what it’s like to walk where it’s scary. I'll walk with you past the house." And instantly the child's fears were gone. That is what God did for Joshua.
Joshua 3:14-17, So when people broke camp to cross Jordan, priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead. Now Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as priests who carried the ark reached Jordan and their feet touched water's edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam while water flowing down to Sea of Arabah (the Salt Sea) was completely cut off. So people crossed over opposite Jericho. Priests who carried ark of the covenant stood firm on dry ground in the middle of Jordan, while all Israel passed by crossing on dry ground. Joshua also set up another pile of twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, where priests with the Ark of the Covenant were standing. And they are there to this day, Joshua 4:9. The stones could be seen either by those who stood on shore or by those that passed in boats as reminder of God’s leading. God didn't tell Joshua it was going to be easy. He told Joshua he would succeed only by strength of the Lord.
SONG: HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT
Canaan was made of individual city states with their own king. They had to defeat each city one at a time since there was no central government in Canaan. Toward end of the conquest we find some cities banding together against them. City states were advanced culturally and technically. Houses had paved floors. Cities had drainage systems. Some finest pottery was excavated there. However inhabitants offered child sacrifices, female priestesses were temple prostitutes and there were male temple prostitutes for men. Baal was their god of weather and fertile crops; Baal’s wife Ashtoreth symbolized reproduction. Her Babylonian name was Ishtar. People murdered their firstborn as sacrifices and worshiped snakes. Archaeologists tremble at wickedness in Canaan. To allow sin with social implications to go on would be moral disaster, so God said, “Remove wicked nations.” Were they more wicked than other pagans on earth? Aztecs and Mayas of Central America practiced human sacrifices.
But in His wisdom God selected Canaan as land He promised Abraham. It was considered center, navel or middle of earth. Ezekiel 38:12, People gathered from the nations, rich in livestock and goods, living at center of the land. Israel was supposed to exert an influence on rest of the world from that center. Canaanite religion had become one of most immoral. With sexual perversions, venereal diseases ravaged population. Depravity was a cancer to be removed or it would destroy Israelites too. Canaanites back in days of Melchizedek and Abraham had witness of the one true God, they saw divine judgment fall on Sodom, and they quaked at God’s mention.
Joshua 2:9, Rahab said to them, "I know the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so all who live in this country melt in fear because of you.” God told Abraham, Genesis 15:16, “After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, for sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction.” Canaanites’ cup of iniquity was now full. God has to destroy stubbornly wicked in order for His people to live in peace. Yet God gave mercy for 400 years to Canaan. Even now Rahab and her family were spared, delivered from death "by grace through faith." There was still salvation for individuals; their nation had reached total perversion. If Joshua’s confidence had been in himself, he may have resisted God’s strange plan to defeat Jericho. Are you facing a frightening situation? Secret to courage is to focus on God, not circumstances. Focus on our loving, all-powerful Savior.
God destroyed Jericho, Achan stole things God said must be destroyed. Archaeologists found something like AIDS in Jericho. Joshua 7: 4-12, So about three thousand men went up; but they were routed by men of Ai, who killed 36 of them. They chased Israelites from city gate as far as stone quarries and struck them down on slopes. At this, hearts of the people melted and became like water. Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell facedown before ark of the Lord, remaining there till evening. Elders of Israel did the same, and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then Joshua cried out, "Oh Lord, why did You bring us across Jordan River if You are going to let Amorites kill us? If only we stayed on the other side! People of this country will hear of this and surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will You do for Your own great name?"
But the Lord said to Joshua, "Get up! Why are you lying on your face like this? Israel has violated My covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some things; they have stolen, lied, put them with their own possessions. That is why Israelites cannot stand against enemies, because they have been made liable to destruction. I cannot help you unless you destroy whatever among you is for destruction.” God would not allow a plague like AIDS to destroy His people, so Achan died.
Another time in Joshua 10, as evening approached, Jews were winning and wanted to finish battle so enemy could not regroup. God made the sun stand still, allowing them to finish. The sun standing still?! Who made the sun, moon, stars, and universe? If you believe God the Creator made the universe, know that God will NOT allow redemption to be defeated. All ancient peoples on various continents have tradition about longest day in history. If people rationalize away miracles, they rationalize away God and rationalize away responsibility to Him. The object of miracles is to reveal power and grace of God. Israel did not deliver itself. It was God who delivered Israel. Not by military conquest but God's gift of Canaan. God provided the land, stopped the sun, kept His promise. We need total dependence on God. The battles of Israel are like our struggles today.
SONG: GREAT IS THE LORD
Joshua himself made a mistake when Gibeonites came in disguise, pretending a long journey from a far away home “because of the name of the Lord your God: for we have heard the fame of Him.” Well, Israel must have thought, “Not only are they from a long way away, they want to know God better!” Gibeonites’ deception is so strong, we wonder how Joshua could be expected to see through their lies, but GOD would have shown Joshua if he asked God! Joshua 9:14-15, The men of Israel did NOT inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and leaders of assembly ratified it by oath. Because he didn’t ask God first, Joshua’s contract was a thorn in Israel’s side.
Courage means follow God not walk in our own wisdom. Danger for those who think we walk well and are obedient is depending on our own good record rather than God. Joshua reminded people years later, “Soon I will die, going the way of everything on earth. Deep in your hearts you know that every promise of the Lord not a single one has failed!” Under God, they conquered the land in under 7 years. Joshua is captain of Israel; Jesus is Captain of our salvation. Joshua led people to Promised Land; Jesus to heavenly Canaan. Joshua at 110 years old died. Final burial of bones of Joseph that had been carried since Exodus from Egypt is reported in Joshua 24:32. Joshua's crossing of Jordan is mirrored by Jesus' baptism in Jordan; Joshua's military battles foreshadow Jesus' battles over sin and death; Joshua succeeding Moses symbolizes end of Moses’ ceremonial law by Jesus. Joshua’s name and Jesus both mean "God is salvation."
A study was done on corporate managers. They asked if they took a stand that focused on good of the company rather than personal benefit which put their own careers at risk. This study found four leader-types in all organizations. Type 1 is named courageous, expressed ideas to help the company, in spite of personal risk or opposition. Type 2 is named confronting, only spoke up in anger, personal vendetta or revenge against the company. Type 3 is named calloused, didn't know or care if they could do anything for the company. Type 4 is named conforming, keeping quiet because they didn’t want to rock the boat. Researchers found courageous managers accomplished the most and had highest job satisfaction.
When General Patton was honored for his great courage, he told a friend, "To be honest, every time I hear a gunshot, I realize that I am afraid." Courage is not the absence of fear, but realizing something is more important than fear. General Patton fought for his country in spite of his fear. Famous South Pole explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton placed an ad. “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Small wages, bitter cold, long months of complete darkness, constant danger. Safe return is doubtful.” So many men responded that Shackleton was surprised. How many people have courage when there is a leader who can inspire with a vision? Men were willing to follow him into danger because Shackleton had courage to lead. Jesus is OUR Leader!
Charles Blondin, French acrobat, walked across a tightrope over Niagara Falls. Thousands watched him push a bag of cement in a wheelbarrow along the wire, fifty meters above raging waters. There was a great cheer when he reached other side. Then Blondin asked a reporter, “Do you believe I can do anything on a tightrope?”
“Oh yes,” said the reporter. “After what I’ve seen today, I believe you can do anything.” However, when he was invited to get into the wheelbarrow, he disappeared into the crowd. But there was one person there who did trust Blondin with his life. He got in the wheelbarrow and was pushed across the wire. As Blondin made his way high above the falls, people made bets. Halfway across the 566 meter journey of courage, a man with heavy bet against them cut one of the guy ropes which acts as brace to stabilize the tight rope. Suddenly, tightrope moved crazily back and forth. Blondin fought for his balance, seconds away from death in water below. Blondin spoke, cutting through terror of his passenger. “Stand up!” he ordered. “Stand up and grab my shoulders.” The man sat there paralyzed. “Let go the wheelbarrow! Do it or die!” Somehow the man managed to step out of the swaying wheelbarrow. “Your arms, put them around my neck! Now your legs around my waist!” said Blondin.
The man obeyed, clinging to Blondin. Wheelbarrow fell into frothy waves far below. Tightrope walker stood there, using years of experience and every trained muscle to stay on the wire till swaying slowed. Then inch by inch, he made his way across, carrying the man. Finally, he deposited him safely on the other side. God is able to carry us through; He lifted them up and carried them through all the years, Isaiah 63:9. Courage is holding on. In life, it may seem easy to just give up, but real courage is holding on, to move forward trusting in God.
SONG: YOU ALONE CAN RESCUE