The Statement
God has promised to Abraham and his Descendants (Isaac, Jacob, and Israel) the land from the Rive of Egypt to the River Euphrates, as their inheritance (Genesis 15:18-21). The Book of Deuteronomy lays the basic principles for entering into and remaining in their inheritance. The Book of Joshua describes the actual experience of the children of Israel as they applied these principles and entered their Inheritance.
Life consists of “changes” (transitions) which are challenging but with many unknowns – “fear, doubt, hope, etc.” The way an Individual trek through these “changes” matter because the Individual perspective determines how or where he ends up. In the change (transition) of Leadership in the Nation of Israel from Moses to Joshua, God gives the Sevenfold Encouragement of “be strong and of good courage:”
- God’s Past Faithfulness
Remember God’s faithfulness in the past, He has seen us through before, He will see us through again. God is in all our situations. The transition of Leadership from Moses to Joshua was about to take place and he (Moses) reminded the people of Israel of God’s past faithfulness, encouraging them “to be strong and of good courage” (Deuteronomy 31:6) – Israel experienced victories in the past, on the east side of the Jordan, when Israel defeated Sihon and Og, destroying the Canaanite Nations; God assurance to Israel that the Nation will again experience victories, in the future, when the Nation crosses over Jordan under the Leadership of Joshua. – Deuteronomy 31:3-6 (NKJV) “The LORD your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the LORD has said. And the LORD will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites and their land, when He destroyed them. The LORD will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
2. God’s Purpose
An Individual’s obedience will impact others; and his faithfulness to God’s assignment is for the benefit of others – “heart towards God and hands towards people.” Joshua was to understand God’s purpose and “to be strong and of good courage” to lead the people of Israel into their Inheritance of the Promised Land, promised to the Patriarch (“fathers”) – Deuteronomy 31:7-8 “Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, ‘be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them and you shall cause them to inherit it.’”
3. Personal Word
We should write-down God’s personal word to us; this will serve as a reminder of encouragement during difficult and discouraging times when doubt and fear set in. God gave through Moses His Personally Word to Joshua – Deuteronomy 31:22-23 “Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the children of Israel. Then he (Moses) inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, ‘be strong and of good courage;’ for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I sworn to them, and I will be with you.”
We should write-down God’s personal word to us; this will serve as a reminder of encouragement during difficult and discouraging times when doubt and fear set in. God gave through Moses His Personally Word to Joshua – Deuteronomy 31:22-23 “Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day and taught it to the children of Israel. Then he (Moses) inaugurated Joshua the son of Nun, and said, ‘be strong and of good courage;’ for you shall bring the children of Israel into the land of which I sworn to them, and I will be with you.”
- The Character of God (Deuteronomy 32:1-4).
- The Kindness of God to His people, Israel (Deuteronomy 32:5-14).
- The Faithfulness of God to His people, Israel (Deuteronomy 32:15-25).
- The Vengeance of God against His Adversaries (Deuteronomy 32:26-43).
The Song Traces God’s dealings with Israel and is a concise review of the Nation’s (Israel’s) History, from their Wilderness sojourn to the judgements in the end times. It is both Historic and Prophetic in the Revelation.
To be continued….. Stay Tuned
Morning Dew . Life 